Dennis L. Finnan Commentator
"The World, the Word & You! Broadcast"

AND THE WINNER IS...

“there’s no doubt about it. We are living in days
of trouble and turmoil, and all of it revolves around one thing – the DISOBEDIENCE OF
THE nation of israel!”

 I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about the trouble and turmoil of the Middle East and what the Bible has to say about it …

… Recently reading in the Book of Genesis I was struck by a most intriguing passage of Scripture, written over 3500 years ago. It was only a short section, but one that, settled forever, what today is the major issue of all unrest in the Middle East and the world for that matter. Yes, in our world, the turmoil and conflicts, the needless death and destruction we see going on between the nation of Israel and the nations of Islam, all stem from what the Bible talks about in this powerful passage found in Genesis, chapter 13. Indeed, today’s political solutions for peace between the Israeli and Arab peoples seem to always hopelessly fail and be ineffective. One wonders why peace cannot be made between these two people groups! The answer is in the Bible. In today’s message I want to examine the biblical, theological, legal and eternal claims of Israel to the geographical territory called the land of Palestine. But first, let’s pause again, for musical refreshment, and then I’ll return to share with you what I’ve learned from this amazing passage in Genesis 13:14-15. Stay tuned…

… Such a tiny land, so small in comparison to other nations and their geographical locations. Yet, Israel is a land that is mentioned over 800 times in the Bible, and has been fought over for more than 40 centuries. Within its borders is the ancient city of Jerusalem; a city of compelling traditions, of passionate political and religious conflict. Where the threat of violence and bloodshed hangs like a fog rolling in from the ocean; where the peace of an ordinary day can be shattered in an instant. It is here in this land that the last battle of the ages will be fought and settled once for all, forever, and real lasting peace will be brought to this war torn land. Yet, this peace will not come through military or political might or maneuver. Man’s greatest efforts to win peace and cause the two nations of Israel and the Arabs to live in such peace can only come, the Bible says, when the “Prince of Peace,” Himself, comes to live in that land. The Bible explicitly says,

Isa 2:2-4 (NLT)  “In the last days, the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem will become the most important place on earth. People from all over the world will go there to worship. 3 Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Temple of the God of Israel. There he will teach us his ways, so that we may obey him.” For in those days the Lord’s teaching and his word will go out from Jerusalem. 4 The LORD will settle international disputes. All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. All wars will stop, and military training will come to an end.”

Dan 2:44 (NLT)  “… the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed; no one will ever conquer it. It will shatter all these kingdoms into nothingness, but it will stand forever.”

This brings us to ask what is the most crucial question concerning the Middle East today and in the future? The answer is found in one word – the land! Yes, real estate is the issue that is being fought over. Who owns Palestine, particularly the land where the ancient city of Jerusalem lies?

Why even the Arabs who surround this small portion of land there, confess, their only goal is not to live in harmony sharing the land with Israel, but to “drive Israel into the sea!”

Now what has brought this insatiable hunger for the land; and, this abiding hatred of the Jews who now occupy a small portion of it? The answer of course is “sin,” but it goes deeper than the fallen nature of man. It goes back 40 centuries to a time when Abraham was living there. Let’s open the Word of God and find out the answer to who really owns or has title to the land so bitterly fought over. We turn to the Bible in,

Gen 13:14-15 (NLT)  “After Lot was gone, the LORD said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction. 15 I am going to give all this land to you and your offspring as a permanent possession.”

There you have it -- God’s will and testimony, and the “title deed,” to all that land called Palestine. Now this is no isolated scripture or land promise from God. It is repeated clearly in Genesis 13, 15, 17, and chapter 22. It is confirmed with Isaac, Abraham’s only son of God’s choice in (Genesis 26), with Jacob in (Genesis 28), and assumed in Jacobs 12 sons (tribes) in Genesis 49.

Of course, this is questioned with hate and hostility by the Arabs, many of which are also descendents of Abraham through his earlier son, Ishmael. Because he was the “first-born,” to Abraham, the Palestinians and other Arabs today feel strongly the land of Israel and all Palestine, the title belongs only to them. Islam, the religion of the Arab world, vehemently rejects the Bible’s claim of Palestine belonging to the nation of Israel. Mohammed, the founder of Islam, a bloody religion that glorifies death and destruction of everyone who stands in the way of its goals of world domination, incited this lust for the land that has for centuries been imbedded in the Arab mindset.

 However, it wasn’t until the year 1948, when a small portion of the world’s 18 million Jews with world approval, finally returned to the land their forefathers were given by God, that today’s violence and war began its unrelenting and continual harassment that goes on till this day. You see, it is sheer foolishness to believe that the world can negotiate peace between two religious groups that diametrically oppose to each other. Although the Jews, are moderate in their willingness to share the land of Palestine; Most zealous Jews, realize the title to all is theirs by God’s decree and permission. Indeed, God owns all the land. Scripture makes that clear by the very nature of God being the Creator over all and claimant of this world and universe. We hear God speaking of this in,

Psa 24:1 (NLT)  “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.”

Psa 50:10 (NLT)  “For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.”

Yes, God the Creator over all, who owns all including all the real estate of the earth, has the right to deed it over to whomever He wills -- and He has willed Palestine, to the sons of Israel!

Now after God delivered the land to Jacob’s twelve sons, God prophesied that they would and could “only” stay in the land and prosper there, “if” they obeyed God’s Law, and loved and served the living and true God of their fathers, Jehovah the LORD. God explicitly warned them, “if” they habitually sinned, He would temporarily cast them out. History records a number of times this happened, and for this very reason. Why, the 400 years of captivity in Egypt, the 70 years of Babylonian captivity and further, the final long ejection from Palestine, the Jews experienced because of their disobedience to God --  resulted in their expulsion and scattering that has lasted for 20 centuries! But although they have been cast out, by God, the Bible also tells us this ejection is not permanent, and it has never made null and void the title deed to God’s promise of the land to Abraham. This means, the sons of Ishmael, have no rightful claim to the land of Israel for God says,

Ezek 28:25-26 (NLT)  “”This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Israel will again live in their own land, the land I gave my servant Jacob. For I will gather them from the distant lands where I have scattered them. I will reveal to the nations of the world my holiness among my people. 26 They will live safely in Israel and build their homes and plant their vineyards. And when I punish the neighboring nations that treated them with contempt, they will know that I am the LORD their God.””

Note that last phrase… “I punish the neighboring nations that treated them with contempt..” This is a reference to all the Arab and Gentile nations who support waging war and hatred for the Jewish people. Why even early on, God warned the world to be careful how they treated God’s elect nation of Israel.

Gen 12:3 (NLT)  “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.””

Look at history! Every single nation that has attacked and attempted to destroy the people of Israel, have themselves been destroyed! These nations have either ceased to exist or worse been reduced to a nothing people. The Arabs today had better read the “Title deed” again, before they plan to attack and destroy this holy nation. Although the Jews living in the land today are out of the will of God, they are far from being out of God’s promises, His love and purpose to save them and provide for them fulfillment of the promises to give them the land. Now how large and extent was this promise to give the children of Abraham, through Isaac’s seed, this land of Palestine? Again listen to the Word of God,

Jer 33:14-21 (NLT)  “”The day will come, says the LORD, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good I have promised them. 15 At that time I will bring to the throne of David a righteous descendant, and he will do what is just and right throughout the land. 16 In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And their motto will be ‘The LORD is our righteousness!’ 17 For this is what the LORD says: David will forever have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel... 19 Then this message came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 20 “If you can break my covenant with the day and the night so that they do not come on their usual schedule, 21 only then will my covenant with David, my servant, be broken. Only then will he no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne...”

Wow! God says, although the nation of Israel has been cast out of the land because of their sins, God has not rejected them, and the promises of God are full concerning Israel. God said He will bring them back into the land and one day yet future, give them the full extent of territory promised thousands of years ago. How extent is the title deed to Palestine?  In Genesis 15, Number 34 and Deuteronomy 28-30, we are told that the land promised by God to the people of Israel is far greater than the small portion they inhabit today. In fact, it will extend from the Mediterranean Sea on the west, to the Jordan on the East; and from the “River of Egypt,” in the south, to the Euphrates River in the north. This massive land structure belongs exclusively to the nation of Israel, and not the Arabs or any other people!

However the question is, do today’s Israeli’s have a right to this land? Have they fulfilled the covenant to qualify for residential ownership? The answer is yes and unfortunately no. Yes, in the sense, that the land is held in trust for Israel by God Himself. They will one day ultimately be the rightful possessors of it, and God will not change His mind. But the ability to own it is one thing, possessing it is another. God said they would possess it “only” when they were obedient to follow God and His will. Today’s Jewish nation as a whole, rejects God, His will, and His Son the Messiah who has promised to bring them blessing in the land. Yes He was removed from their minds, hearts and presence by sin. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, who came unto His own, was not received. However that too is only a temporary setback. You see God has said one day future all Israel will receive Him, and when they do, the title deed to the land, will be fully functional on their behalf.

Paul the apostle said,

Rom 11:25-27 (NLT)  “I want you to understand this mystery, dear friends, so that you will not feel proud and start bragging. Some of the Jews have hard hearts, but this will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to Christ. 26 And so all Israel will be saved. Do you remember what the prophets said about this? “A Deliverer will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel from all ungodliness. 27 And then I will keep my covenant with them and take away their sins.””

The Arab Israeli struggle today is a serious one, but the truth is it is a misnomer. The real struggle is the Judeo/Christian vs. Islamic struggle. It is a struggle between truth and error, between the one true God Jehovah and the false Moon god of Mohammed’s Islamic faith.

The latter is driven by Satanic impetuous, as this fallen angel and the hoard of demons who follow Him are sworn to destroy God’s elect people Israel. Why? Because it was through them God brought forth the Savior, the deliverer of all mankind. Remember the promise God made to Abram?

Gen 12:3 (NLT)  “… All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.””

God has done this my friend! He has sent His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

John 3:16-17 (NLT)  “”For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.”

But until Christ returns, the battle for Jerusalem and all of Palestine will continue. There will be no lasting peace there, for the struggle is not against flesh and blood alone. It is against demonic forces energizing the unsaved Arabs and Israeli’s to kill each other and destroy what God has promised. Now is God through with Israel? Certainly not. Their future blessing will come for all who will now and forever embrace their Messiah King Jesus. But what about the sons of Ishmael? Well God has a place for them too in His love and grace, but the same conditions exist. They too must leave off the sinful, violent and demonic religion of Islam and turn to the Savior and King Jesus Christ. Mohammad was no prophet of the one true God, and until the Arab confesses that, he “will die in his sins, as all the unsaved Gentiles of the world do . Now, this leads me to the “great question,” before you my listening friend? Where is your heart? God has given you a promise too! What is it? He has promised to any and all of His creation, that if they will turn to Christ, and “bow the knee” of the heart, mind and life to love and serve God the Son, the Father in Heaven will give you the promise of eternal life, and the whole world and universe and beyond will be yours forever and ever. Listen to God’s promises,

John 10:27-30 (NLT)  “..My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. So no one can take them from me. 30 The Father and I are one.””

John 11:26 (NLT)  “They are given eternal life for believing in me and will never perish. ..” John 3:18 (NLT)  “”There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God.”

Oh my friend, we must do everything we can in this world to stop the bloodshed and fighting over in the land Palestine. But, we must be careful not to tell the Jews they have a right to the land of their forefathers, because there is a condition to possessing it in any generation. Until they look up and confess Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Lord, the deed to Palestine remains in trust for them. Meanwhile, all must be done to cause both the Jews and the Arabs to live together in a temporary peace. Now that’s easier said than done, but none the less until Jesus returns in glory, our world will effectually see no peace until we all turn away from sin and evil, our false religious faiths and embrace Christianity, the fulfillment of God’s plan and purpose for our world and tomorrow. Say friend do you know Jesus? There is a saying these days found on bumper stickers. It reads, “Know Jesus, know peace, no Jesus, no peace.” How true that is. May the peace of God which passes all understanding and the love of Jesus Christ be your portion now and for eternity.

…Palestine is a volatile place. With Islam becoming more militant and returning to its violent roots, we shall not see peace in the Middle East, except by the power of force and might. One day temporarily it is coming through the work of one called the Antichrist. He will be the false Messiah, and Satan will orchestrate a false peace to promote him. This world ruler will emerge from the old Roman Empire, probably the European Union, and after God raptures away His Church, God’s plan to redeem Israel will be engaged and in full force. But before God fulfills His promises to Abraham and his children Israel, great war, bloodshed, turmoil and chaos lie ahead for our world. The only answer now is to preach the Good News gospel of Jesus Christ both to the Jew, the Arab and the entire world of unsaved peoples. All who turn to Christ will be saved, and all who do not, Jews and Gentile alike, they will perish in Hell for eternity. Friend receive Christ now, trust Him for your salvation and crown Him the king of your life. If you do, the best is yet to come.

Prov 8:17 (NIV)  “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.”

The story is told of a sea captain who one dark cloudy and moonless night, saw what looked like the lights of another ship heading straight for him. He quickly had his signalman blink to the other ship: "change your course 10 degrees south." The reply came back "Change your course 10 degrees north." The ships' Captain annoyingly answered, "I am a Captain. Change your course south. To which the reply came: " I am a seaman first class. Change your course north." This infuriated the Captain, so he personally signaled back. " I say change your course  south. I'm on a battle ship!" To which the reply came back: "And I say change your course north. I'm in a lighthouse!"  That lighthouse for mankind, adrift on the sea of life, is the Word of God.  Yes, human wisdom and philosophy such as godless evolutionary atheism seem to be the big ship these days as it proudly steers our nation on its godless path, but the Bible is God's lighthouse to steer mankind away from the rocks of sin and death's penalty.  Jesus Christ is our rock, the Solid Rock upon which for ages God's Word stands.  Friend, make God's Word the basis of your life and living, and you'll never be broken by the storms of life on the rocks of sin. I have placed my trust on the lighthouse of God's Word. I know it will never fail me, or any who likewise have done the same.

·         Radio talk #2802

·         Broadcast date: July 14, 2002

·         Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator

·         Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast

·         Address: P.O. Box 40133 Grand Junction, CO 81504

The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 22 years, and serves as General Director.

These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them. Also available are actual radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of recent messages is available upon request also.