PropheZine #34 15 January 1997 Ray Gano ....................................... WelcomeTo PropheZine #34 Lori Eldridge...........TORAH CODES 101, Part 2 Barbara DiGilio.....Shemology, A Teaching Tool of Mayim Hayim Ministry Ray Gano..Book Review, The Eternal Generation by John Kinsella Joel Bainerman.....The Jewish Stake In The: "New World Order" Especially For New Christians (2) ....One More Time: 'Who Am I?' Poem by Lori Fiechter......Return, Emmanuel! PropheZine News Bytes Lee UnderwoodŠŠŠŠŠŠŠFYI - Israel Updates Christian Persecution in China Arutz Sheva News Service.......Mark of the Beast in Israel? Bio-Chip UIpdate Ken Bright........You Will Believe It SNS News Service.....Jerusalem Not For Sale International Bible Society .....Arabic Scriptures go on-line W.B. Howard......News from Aussie / Despatch Magazine Leiah and Jason Elbaum......IRIS Update Compass Direct...Egyptian Authorities Continue To Harass Released Convert Compass Direct...Soldiers Destroy Christian Farm And Care Center Near Cairo Ray Gano.......Final Word ****************************************************** Welcome To Issue #34 Hello All, So how is everyone's new year so far? I have to tell you that I am really excited to be serving the Lord in this time. It is a blast to see everything going on around us and how almost 98% of it relates to Bible Prophecy! Just this morning (PAS Time) I got the news that Israel and the PLO have finally signed a agreement regarding Hebron. Some other things going on is our TOTALLY weird winter here in the US. The states have been getting major snow or floods and Europe is hitting record cold also. There is also a rise in earthquakes again, one in Mexico and another in the Middle East. Both over 5.5 which I consider "Killer Quakes" whew.........hard to keep up with it all. In this issue of PropheZine we are going to be dealing mainly with the Torah Code and other items the show the "signature of God." This is being brought to you by Lori Eldridge and Barbara DiGilio. I am also proud to feature another VERY fine poem by Lori Fiechter. I want to also direct your attention to a AUSOME book that I am reviewing in this issue. It is by a gentleman and a friend of mine, John Kinsella. John Kinsella is the former Research Coordinator for the television program "This Week In Bible Prophecy" with Peter Laldonde. He is presently senior editor of Hal Lindsey's new TV program, "World Intelligence Briefing" as well as contributing editor to "Countdown" Magazine and editor of Hal Lindsey's "World Intelligence Briefing" newsletter. For information about subscribing to any of Hal Lindsey's publications, call 1-800-TITUS-35. Hey ...inside info...look for some of Hal Lindsey's articles to appear in future PropheZine issues. (THANK YOU JOHN) Well that is pretty much....WAIT...COOL NEWS!! The PropheZine www site was reviewed in a major Japanese newspaper on Jan 7 1997. The reporter liked PZ. So I have included the review for you to real also in the PZ newsbytes area. Now that is all. I hope you enjoy the latest issue of PZ and ..AND IF YOU ARE GOING TO FLORIDA, PLEASE WRITE ME!!!! My email program died and I want to know who is all going to be there. I am going to be arriving in Florida on Jan 30 and I will be there till Feb 5th. ( I need people to buy me food...hint...hint...grin) So please write to me again. I want to get a list of people so I can contact you and meet you. I want to really hear what you think of PZ in person. ALSO, I am going to be taking pictures while I am there, SO if you want your mug on the PZ www site, ya gotta meet me. So see you in Florida!!! I am SO excited!!!! So till we meet here on this earth or in the clouds with our Lord... Always in the service of Yeshua, Ray Gano Sr. Editor PropheZine ****************************************************** TORAH CODES 101, part 2 by Lori Eldridge ARE THE CODES OF GOD? When I first heard about the codes I became very excited because I believed it would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Moses, inspired by God, was the only author of the Pentateuch and thus pop the documentary hypothesis bubble that scholars had dreamed up over the recent centuries of "enlightenment." For instance there is a series of codes found by Rabbi Michael Dov Weissmandl that spell out what I call "Torah in the Torah" that run through all 5 books of Moses where Torah (TORH) is spelled forwards starting in the first verse of both Genesis and Exodus and spelled backwards (HROT) in the first verse of Numbers and the fifth verse of Deuteronomy (1), with an ELS of 50 (2) except for Deuteronomy which has 49 (3) with the word for God (YHWH) at an ELS of 8, the number of perfection, spelled out in the first verse of Leviticus. In other words, the words "Torah" are facing the word for "God" in the Torah. As Grant Jeffrey has stated in his new book _Signature of God_, "Scientists who have studied these results state no human could create such a Hebrew document containing hundreds of encoded, significant words hidden within this text. They concluded that it would be impossible to reproduce this phenomenon in a Hebrew text even if they had the help of a group of brilliant language geniuses, or the assistance of the world's most sophisticated super-computers. In addition, it is impossible to account for the prophetic knowledge of future personalities and events found in these codes. The inescapable, logical conclusion is that God inspired Moses to record the precise Hebrew words in the words of the Torah." (4) WHICH TEXT TO USE? It is most important that you use the proper Hebrew text to search for codes, either manually in a Hebrew Bible, or via a computer code program. The electronic text that was used to perform the experiments on the paper entitled "Equidistant Letter Sequences in the Book of Genesis," published in the very prestigious _Statistical Science Journal_ (5), was the Textus Receptus based on the Koren (Ashkenazi Masoretic) text. Researchers have found that the Koren (Ashkenazi Masoretic) text is essentially error free whereas the BHS (Leningrad codex) differs by 130 letters (6). Therefore, most code programs in use today are based on the Masoretic (Koren) text. To illustrate the problem between the two texts the word Mashiach/Messiah/Christ was found with the BHS text in Deut. 32:24 starting on Char # 19 with a skip of 75. However, while verifying this code in my MT (Masoretic Text) Bible I found two errors as follows: 1). There is an added Vav in the BHS after the 29th letter in verse 24, which is a Mem. 2). Also in verse 27, in the BHS, there is an added Yod after the 36th letter, which is a Dalet. This code would not have occurred in the MT because the insertion of even one extra letter will disrupt all following codes and being as the MT is the preferred text in use by code researchers it would be wise to ignore this code. CODE PROGRAMS There are only two commercial code programs that I'm aware of: _Torah Codes_ by TES (Torah Educational Software) searches the Torah only. Cost is $79 plus $5 shipping. It has a manual and they offer Tech support. It is available for both PC and Mac (any Mac from a Mac plus and up). 1-800-925-6853. _Bible Search_ by Torah Soft. The 1996 book by Moshe Katz in English, _COMPUTORAH_, contains the code program _Bible Search_ that searches the entire Tanach (O.T.). Designed for DOS only. The book contains a gold mine of information on the codes. You can order the book which includes the disk for $59.95 plus $15 shipping. It is available in the US at: Israel Connection (Jewish books and Gifts), Phoenix, Arizona 1-800-722-5290 ask to speak to the owners Terry & Geri Epcar. In Israel it can be purchased from Mount Zion Books/Sifrei Har Tzion/Torah Soft. The web site is http://www.zionbooks.com. However, I have just been informed that Torah Soft will no longer be placing _Bible Search_ in the book CompuTorah. Please call the book stores mentioned above for more details. I would recomend that you ask others who are using these programs to see which one would be best for your own use. STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF SHORT WORDS Quite often you will find innumerable codes for any one word and especially the shorter words. For instance, it has been reported that there are 2,861 occurrences of the word Yeshua/Jesus (which is only a 4 letter word in Hebrew) between an ELS (equidistant letter sequence) of 1-500 just in the Torah alone. Therefore, finding one of these occurrences of the word Yeshua is not very important statistically speaking. However, if it occurs in a relevant verse, such as a Messianic prophecy, then it's importance is greatly enhanced and especially if it lands on an important word in that verse. Also, with a short ELS, relevant gematria, and occurring with other words in a phrase or in a matrix of closely related words that are situated nearby, it's importance is even further enhanced. ALL those aspects should be taken into account and those codes that have the majority of the above should be considered first. If I find 2 or 3 of those together then I consider it a significant find. All others I discount until further notice. I say "until further notice" because I believe if God inserted the codes about Yeshua then he wouldn't have allowed even one code to be there that was not needed and he'll have an explanation for each one eventually. SUBJECTIVE vs. OBJECTIVE RESEARCH Mathematicians will tell you that the kind of research I mentioned above cannot be proven to be statistically significant. And I agree with them. However, since when has science ever been able to adequately measure a spiritual phenomenon? It is impossible to scientifically measure relevance to the scriptures involved and when a code occurs such as the one I have described above there will be too many factors to consider to adequately analyze it's importance statistically. Therefore, when you start to investigate code research you will find that there are basically two kinds of code researchers: 1). Researchers that are only interested in objective research that can be analyzed statistically to prove whether the codes are of God, or not, and who discount such subjective studies as I have described above. 2.) Researchers like Grant Jeffrey(4), Yacov Rambsel (7), and others, including myself, who prefer the subjective method whereby we presume to make an educated guess at what codes God would have encoded in the Scriptures due to an in-depth and (hopefully) Spirit-led study of the surface text. The reason that the majority of objective researchers are very wary of the subjective method is because they believe that anyone can find a code that will support their own particular ideology. And I agree, to an extent. However, I believe that as long as the encoded words corroborate the surface text then it shouldn't be a problem. Anyone attempting to prove something that the surface text specifically speaks against, such as Mickey Mouse being God, would either be lying to themselves or else have a serious misunderstanding of the true Gospel message--unless they happen to be a love struck Minnie Mouse of course :) Original code researchers, such as Rabbi Michael Dov Weissmandl, Maimonides (Rambam in Hebrew), and others, used the same method long before the invention of computers and therefore I believe if it was good enough for them then it should be good enough for the rest of us--as long as it agrees with the message of the surface text of course. CODE MATRIXES Quite often there will be an interesting matrix involved in a code discovery with either related words occurring close to the key word, or intersecting one of the letters of that word. Following is an attempt to illustrate what a matrix of two intersecting codes would look like if you were to mark them out in your Hebrew Bible. This is a hypothetical code using English instead of Hebrew letters. Yeshua is Hebrew for Jesus and HaMashiach means The Messiah (or The Christ). For illustrative purposes we will assume that Yeshuah has a skip distance of 2 and HaMashiach a skip of 14. The #'s represent all those letters not involved in the two codes: ################## ############H##### ########A######### ####M############# A#############S### ####Y#E#S#H#U#A### ######I ########### ##A#############C# ############H##### ################## The following is what will result if you manipulate the same text so that it's only 14 letters wide (the width of the longest ELS) so that the intersecting codes show up more clearly: ########## ############## ######H####### ######A####### ######M####### ######A####### ######S####### Y#E#S#H#U#A### ######I ####### ######A####### ######C####### ######H####### ############## ### In other words we have "Jesus The Messiah (or Christ)" encoded in the text. If you want to check out an example of two codes that interconnect see the sample I included in my last article--Yeshua Shmi in Isaiah 53:10 and Mashiach in Isaiah 53:11. (If you don't have the last article it should be available on the PropheZine web site, and if not contact me and I'll send you a copy.) THIS WEEKS CODE SAMPLE I am going to try and post a new code discovery each week in this column. The following was found by Barbara DiGilio, who has written a book on Codes, Gematria, and Shemology (8). She found the phrase "Messiah's Blood" encoded 8 times in the Torah. Barbara is a Messianic Jew. She said she looked for this phrase, because "The Jewish people do not believe that Messiah needed to shed His blood, but we know He did." She found that "Messiah's Blood" occurs 8 times in the Torah using a 1 to 386 skip. She chose 386 because it is the gematria of Yeshua's name, and the 8 is also linked to Yeshua. In Greek his name is 888. The number 8 stands for New Beginnings, and also Rest, as in the 8th Day. This makes the find in Lev. 23:34 even more significant (see below). She found the phrase "Messiah's Blood" (mem-shin-yod-chet-dalet-mem) in the following passages: 1. Gen: 5:3 to 5:18-a skip of +124--the mem in the word "name" (Strongs #8034)--in a passage talking about the lineage of Adam. (also found encoded in this passage was the word "asham" which means sin offering.) 2. Gen: 17:19 to 18:24- skip of +323--occurring on the word "And said" (Strongs #559) In a passage talking about God's promise of an everlasting covenant between He and Isaac. 3. Lev: 23:34 to 24:3- skip of +159--occurring on the word "Fifteenth" (Strongs #2568) --in a passage where God is telling Moses about the feast of Booths. The 8th day of the Feast of Booths is called Shemini Atzeres, and is a Sabbath, a Rest. It is a picture of the 1000 reign of Messiah when He is on earth. We can only enter that rest through "Messiah's Blood." (also found in this passage are encoded the words "Yeshua" and "in strength and valor." 4. Num: 1:6 to 1:32- skip of -211-- occurring on the word "Simeon" (Strongs #8095)-- in a passage talking about the census/genealogy of Israel's warriors. The root of Simeon's name is "Shema," meaning to "HEAR" -- the watch word in Jewish Life, and Death. 5. Num: 1:45 to 2:21- skip of -266--occurring on the words "their Fathers" (Strongs #1)--same passage as above. 6. Num: 2:9 to 2:31- skip of -186--occurring on the word "hundred" (Strongs #3967)--same passage as above. 7. Num: 11:21 to 12:15- skip of +310--occurring on the word "Moses" (Strongs #4872)--in a passage talking about the quail and the plague 8. Num: 31:30 to 31:36- skip of +48--occurring on the word "man" (Strongs #120)--in a passage talking about the tithe to be paid to the Levites. - - - - - - If you have any questions or there is something that you would like me to explain in more detail write me at the following address and I'll try and explain it in an upcoming article. Lori Eldridge Lorel@on-ramp.ior.com Owner of TCODE--a mailing list designed for the discussion of Codes in the Torah/Tanach (O.T.). An Internet Source List on the Codes is available on request. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Footnotes - - - - - - - - - - - - 1. According to a Rabbi Vilna Gaon, who lived at the end of the 1700's, Deuteronomy actually starts on the 5th verse with the first four verses actually being a summary of the first four books of the Torah. This hasn't been proven yet but it is an interesting possibility and would make the "Torah in the Torah" code even more significant statistically if it proves to be true. 2. The number 50 is very important as it represents the year of Jubilee, a year of emancipation and restoration to be kept every 50 years--a Sabbath rest for the land, a year belonging to the Lord. There are 49 days of Omer counting from the second day of Passover to the Shavuot which equals the 50th day. It is also Jewish tradition that are 50 gates of wisdom in the Torah. 3. The reason that Deuteronomy has a code of 49 instead of 50 like the other 3 books is because the Torah or Law was given by Moses in this book, instead of God, and according to Jewish tradition he was only given 49 gates of wisdom instead of 50. 4. Jeffrey, Grant, _The Signature of God_, Frontier Research Publications, Inc., 1996, pp. 213,214. Grant's Home page: 5. Witztum, Doron, Eliyahu Rips, Yoav Rosenberg. _Equidistant Letter Sequences in the Book of Genesis_, Statistical Science, 1994, Vol. 9. No. 3. 429-438. 6. Michaelson, Daniel, _Reading the Torah with Equal Intervals_, http://www.math.gatech.edu/~jkatz/Religions/Numerics/torah.html. 7. Rambsel, Yacov, _Yeshua: The Name of Jesus Revealed in the Old Testament_, Frontier Research Pub., 1996. Rambsel's home page: 8. DiGilio, Barbara, _So What Do You Think?: A provocative Study in God's Word_, Mayim Hayim Ministry, P.O. Box 11911, Phoenix, AZ. 85061. (602) 937-6141. email: (Barbara DiGilio) ********************************************************** Shemology, A Teaching Tool of Mayim Hayim Ministry By Barbara DiGilio Shemology, what does it mean? The word Shem is Hebrew for name, and the world Ology means: A science or branch of learning. I have chosen Shemology instead of Nameology, first because all names do not have biblical meanings, the second reason is that is what I heard our LORD speak to me in the night. What we teach is that even the names can give a clear message to the reader, if the reader knows what to look for. The Key: All things must point to Elohim, G-d and His Holy Plan. Now in His plan we see that He has many who are anointed, past and present but only one is called "The Anointed." He being the one who makes the proclamation, "Low I come in the volume of the book, it is written of me" (Psalms 40:7). And established in the book of the Hebrews: Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Yeshua Messiah once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Spirit also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering fo sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Yeshua, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; ......................................................... So the word of G-d is clear, this is G-d's Ha'Mashiach, "The Anointed" Yeshua Messiah. And Yeshua tells us that the whole of the Scriptures are abo ut Him!!! Yes, it is a book to teach us about G-d, and how to live with one another. But it's much more, it is about Him, and how we need to be more like Him. It is my prayer that you will find Shemology interesting and that you would receive the desire to dig deeper into the Holy Scriptures. What we have attempted to do is to take the Names and give to you, a deeper meaning so we may impart what we truly believe is the Heart of G-d. Each name implies some of what the Father of Eternity wants us to know. G-d Himself used Shemology in the book of Hosea. Many of the messages have "prophetic implications," so let us set out on this journey exploring the Shemology in the Word. ......................................................... G-d is Pointing the Way Salvation = YESHUA ......................................................... Shemology 101 From our first book "So What Do You Think?" we will give you one of the example's of Shemology. At that time we had not yet coined the name Shemology. However, in various chapters we use Shemology. In one such chapter calling "Filling-in, Why was Caleb a Prince in Judah?" we can see plainly how it works. The Shemology of these names are used here to show us in a powerful way the nature of the Messiah. ......................................................... From Pages 79-80 ... By the way, the genealogy in the Book of Ruth chapter 4:18-22 also has a divine message. Let us look at it along with the references noted of Messianic foreshadowing: 1. Pharez-----------A breach (Isaiah 58:12) 2. Hezron----------Enclosed (Isaiah 58:12; Psalms 22:12) 3. Ram-------------Great; High (Isaiah 6:1) 4. Amminadab----My Kinsman is noble ( The Book of Ruth) 5. Nahshon-------- A Prophet; A Diviner (Luke 24:19) 6. Salmon----------Clothed, Raiment; Garment (psalms 93:1) 7. Boaz-------------In Him is strength (Psalms 93:1) 8. Obed------------A Son is worshipped; A Servant (Isaiah 53) 9. Jesse------------My subsistence; Supporter of life (John 6:35; 11:25) 10. David-----------Beloved (Deuteronomy 33:12; Mark 1:11; Luke 20:13; Ephesians 1:6) ......................................................... Through the identification and of this lineage, we unveil a mystery within the Word of G-d. In Isaiah 58:12, the L-RD is the "Restorer of the Breach," as our Intercessor. Psalms 22:12 speaks of bulls Compassing round about Him at the Cross: a picture of the headstrong determination of man. Also, Isaiah 6:1 sees the L-RD "High and Lifted up, sitting on a throne." In Ruth we see Boaz as the Kinsman who is Noble, and who the Rabbis teach was a Judge, "IBZAN," of Bethlehem (Judges 12:8-10). Therefore, Boaz is literally a type of the Messiah who reigns in Righteousness. Clues or marker are included in the B'rit Hadashah, "The New Covenant," i.e. Testament as well. Doctor Luke, in his book, Chapter 24, verse 19 tells us: "Concerning Jesus, Yeshua of Nazareth, which was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before G-d and all the people." His attributes are distinguished in the fashion of His attire in Psalms 93: "The L-RD reigneth, He is clothed with strength, wherewith He hath girded Himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved." Yet, Isaiah 53 frames a silhouette of a suffering servant, who one day will be worshipped by all for what He has done for us. The whole of the B'rit Hadashah, "The New Covenant," points to Messiah Yeshua being the Supporter of Life-Our Subsistence. John's Gospel, 6:35 and 11:25, are just two of the many examples of He Who Himself is the source of our provision. Finally, we see Messiah as the "Beloved of G-d" in Deuteronomy 33:12, Mark 11; Luke 20:13, and Ephesians 1:6. Once again, let us make the application: ......................................................... "A Breach (is) Enclosed. A Great High and Noble Prophet, A Diviner (is HE). Clothed- in Him is Strength. A Son who is Worshipped, A Servant (of all), (who is) my Subsistence, the Supporter of Life, the Beloved of G-d." (Emphasis Mine) Can you see the message flashing out through these names? I can see a bold bright illustration of exactly what Messiah would be like--a clear personification of our beloved Yeshua!!! ......................................................... SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? ......................................................... From the book: "So What Do You Think?" A Provocative Study In G-d's Word For more information write: Rev. B. Di Gilio Mayim Hayim Ministry PO Box 11911 Phx, AZ 85061 (602) 937-6141 Or send us a post, at our Email address: Mayim@mail.econo.net ************************************************ The Eternal Generation, By John Kinsella Book Review by Ray Gano As many of you know, I do quiet a bit of reading. At times I am reading aprox. 4 books a week. Well I really do not have the time to read four per week anymore, I am more like to 2-3 at one time. Anyway, I have to do a lot to stay up on what is going on in the world and how things relate to Bible Prophecy with writing and putting together PropheZine. If you are a long time reader you also know that a book, video or newsletter has to be REALLY good for me to give it a review in PZ. Well John Kinsella's is one of those books, it is outstanding! John Kinsella is a internet friend of mine. We have known each other for over 2 years now and we share the same interest in Bible Prophecy. If you do not know of John Kinsella, he is the former head writer for This Week In Bible Prophecy Program. He has also written for or has helped Grant Jeffrey, Hal Lindsey, the Lalonde brothers plus many others in the field. He is VERY respected in the prophecy circles as a great researcher and author. In one of our emails, John said he was writing a book about this generation. I told John that when he finishes, to let me know and I will tell my readers about it, that is of course once I got done reading it. Well one Saturday not to long ago a envelopes shows up on the doorstep and inside is John's new book "THE ETERNAL GENERATION." I was really excited because I have been waiting for this for over a year now. I ripped open the parcel and with a cup of coffee in hand, I broke into the book.(I need my coffee) Many Bible Prophecy books look at what is to come and how the author interprets the Bible. John's book is different in that it looks back at what has happens and gives the historical proof which corresponds to what was written in God's Word. This book is really geared toward the non-believer or sceptic. In fact John comes out right in the beginning and states that he is not pushing his theology but instead he is showing the historical proof that "Yes, we are in the Last Days and we are the Generation that the Bible talks about". His starting point is the birth of Israel. What else happened in that time frame? Do you know that MANY pieces of the puzzle were put in place in that year? John does a VERY good job of showing what steps were taken to establish the One World Government, the One World Monetary System and the One World Religion. All of these plus many other steps were put in place right after the rebirth of the State of Israel. If you did not know this, you need to get this book. If you did, there are even MORE facts backed by Biblical scripture in this book that even I had no idea of. When it comes to NWO stuff and digital money and the like, I consider myself well educated. I have to say that John Kinsella REALLY did his homework when he wrote this book. I have had John's book for about 3-4 weeks now and it looks a mess. It has been attacked with my yellow marker, many pages are dog-eared and I have read it twice. When I read a book twice, that means the book is really good. With all this book has been thru, it looks like it has been thru a major battle. I give John's book a total thumbs up! This is a must have book for any serious student of Bible Prophecy. As a special note to you the PZ reader, you can order this book from John directly and he will autograph it for you. Just let him know you saw it in PropheZine. To order his book, send $12.00 US or $15.00 CDN -- this is including book rate shipping to: John Kinsella 8 Waterloo St. Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada L2A 3J5 Allow 4 to 6 weeks delivery. Faster delivery is available, but the customer pays for courier fees. REMEMBER TO TELL HIM YOU SAW IT IN PROPHEZINE.... Also give him a good word of encouragement. We need more people like John and so many like him never hear how much we appreciate his work. Another thing, when talking to John on the phone, he wanted me to make sure everyone knew that "All proceeds and royalties from the sale of this book go directly to the Calvary Baptist Church Evangelical Outreach for the purpose of proclaiming Christ to a lost and dying world." These words are taken right from the front cover of his book. One more item..hot news for all you in the Omaha area!! John will be speaking in Omaha, Nebraska in April at a conference coordinated by Joe Lape at Millard Social Hall. This will be located at Interstate 80 and Sapp Bros. Exit. He is sharing the podium with Dr. Randall Price, Terry Cook and Mark Spaulding. For more information, write Rev. Joe Lape, THIS, Inc., 9644 Boyd Circle, Omaha, NE 68134 or call (401) 573-1512 John is also available to speak at conferences or churches. His view is dispensationalist, pre tribulational, and fundamentalist and holds to the fundamentals of the Bible. You can contact him at the above address. Well I hope you get John's book. I have enjoyed it and I know that you will to. Till next time, Ray Gano Sr.Editor and now Book Review person PropheZine ************************************************* THE JEWISH STAKE IN THE: "NEW WORLD ORDER" By: Joel Bainerman, Author of "Crimes of A President" Most people have heard about the New World Order (NWO) but don't know what it actually means. Most remember George Bush using the words to describe some sort of "ideal future time," but didn't really understand what he meant. Simply put, the NWO means the creation of a world government, or, a world that will be divided up along regions instead of individual nations. By having the peoples of the world allocated into blocs rather than individual nations it will be easier for those running the NWO to exert their control. There will be five major blocs of nations: the US, Canada and Mexico, South America, Europe, The Middle East, and the wealthy nations of Asia. Then, a world government will be created. All nations' sovereignty will be subservient to the orders and power of the newly created regional Government. The heads of these five major blocs will answer to a "Supreme Council" based at the UN. This will become the world government's ruling council. The people behind the push towards a NWO are the world's powerbrokers which have names like David Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, Warren Christopher, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jimmy Carter, Cyrus Vance, Bill Clinton, George Bush, James Baker, etc. The powerbrokers belong to organizations like the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission and the Bilderbergs, and are opposed to religion and nationalism because they know both of these ideologies offer hope if people believe in them. The foreign powerbrokers want to strip people of their hope so that they will turn from humans into robots and thus will be easier to rule over. Nowhere is the secret plan to create a NWO, or world government, more real than in Europe. Although nearly every single European nation and leader is against the drive to unify Europe, the program continues? Who then is behind it? Why was it so important for the EEC to unify by l992? Why is it vital for Europe to have a common currency by the year 1999? Who sets these targets for unification? Why did Germany unify so fast? Why did the Soviet Union decide to voluntarily give up its power? The Berlin Wall came down so easily. How could the entire Eastern European power entity as it existed in l989, suddenly all decided, at the same time no less, that it will be better to have no more Cold War and the world will no longer be divided. What major political event happened in the late 80's to make all these NWO agendas possible? We don't know. Our ignorance allows it to continue. In North America, NAFTA is the instrument the NWO powerbrokers are using to unify Canada, the US and Mexico into a regional bloc. While it is sold in the controlled press as an economic initiative, just as the unification of Europe is sold as an economic initiative, the real goal is political unification. In the Middle East, the Oslo agreements were concocted by the powerbrokers to weaken Israel, and strengthen the Palestinians in order to create increased instability. When there is instability the foreign powerbrokers can interfere and in our domestic affairs by corrupting our politicians. In this way they snatch political control away from the rightful owners, the Jewish people, and hand it over to foreign powerbrokers. Don't this for a moment that this isn't happening. You can't afford to be wrong. If it is and you don't know about it then you are being deceived. Hookwinked. Snarled. Don't believe for a moment the fairy tale story of the origins of Oslo being in a chance meeting by obscure Israeli academics and PLO officials in Norway. That story is a cover. Oslo was planned. In November l992 Rabin sent Beilin to London to sign the secret pact. London is the center of the Oslo agenda, not Oslo. Don't be deceived by Beilin. Oslo begins and ends in London/American establishment. It has nothing to do with Peres or Norwegian government officials who, according to the establishment press "got the two sides together to hammer out an agreement" and thus Oslo was born. In a hotel room in Norway the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has been solved. Right! This is what the people are handed in the press and this is what they believe. The people only know as much as what CNN tells them (and that isn't much). The problem isn't political. It's education. We need to make more people aware about the fact that Israel's leadership has been compromised making its leaders corrupt and in the service of foreign powerbrokers not the Israeli public. The ultimate goal of the plan to destabilize Israel is to force Israel to relinquish a portion of her sovereignty (based on the argument that this will lead to greater stability and security) to a regional political body, i.e., a regional enforcement agency. This regional agency will be subservient to a world central government based at the UN. As the violence flairs-up, the security forces of the regional enforcement agency will be asked to intervene and establish order in the region as peacekeepers. The NWO powerbrokers always first create a phony problem and then come up with their solution to solve the manufactured dilemma. This is how they energize their hold on power. If more people knew about NWO secret agendas to lead the world into a One World Government it will be harder from them to do it. If we remain ignorant they will be able to go on throwing these empty threats of Islamic Fundamentalism to the public. Since the public is ignorant of anything other than what it sees on CNN and reads in Yediot or New York Times, the NWO succeeds. We can stop it if we become better informed. Let's start with the so-called "threat of Islamic Fundamentalism." Where has it been successful? It has never been and isn't today nearly as much of a threat as the American media and the Israeli government makes it out to be. The Iranians have supposedly been "seeking nuclear capabilities" for the past ten years and former Russian officials and nuclear scientists are supposedly selling them the secrets. How long should it take for them before they will have a bomb? Why then is there such an uproar over the "threat of the spread of radical Islamic Fundamentalism". There really is no big threat to the state of Israel. The manufactured problem of Islamic Fundamentalism fits the pattern of the NWO. Create a problem and then offer your solution as the right one. This is how they exert their control. By getting you to admit that Islamic Fundamentalism is a problem it allows them to come into the picture and supply solutions such as "campaign to Islamic fight terror." Has there been any successful revolution? Conquest? Where then is this big threat they tell us is going to one day consume all of the free world? The fact is there is no threat. These concepts are manufactured in the press and fed to the people. The Arabs, with or without Islamic Fundamentalism, with or without oil, are powerless. They exist only because the NWO powerbrokers in London/America and Paris/Germany allow them to exist. They are creations of them. On their own they are nothing. The French-based powerbrokers are behind the agenda to create the threat of Islamic Fundamentalism. Why do radical Arab leaders go into exile only in France? Why is France and Germany so close to the action? Why is it that everytime a story pops up about how Ron Arad may be freed, the Germans are involved? There are two deals in the Middle East for the French and British/American powerbrokers. The oil states are tied to the British/American branch of the NWO. Everything that is bad in Arab politics, Nasser, Islamic Fundamentalism, Baath party, is always the French. The PLO is tied to the British/American wing. The French, since they don't have the oil ties to the Arab world (nor as much economic muscle in general as the British/American powerbrokers) need to create radical characters like Nasser and Assad to make up for what they lack financially in ties to the oil money. WE WON'T BE FOOLED AGAIN Understand and don't be fooled. The NWO can only take over because of your ignorance. If you know what it really going on they won't be able to deceive you. And most importantly, don't be a fool. Take the threat of the NWO seriously. Go to any library and do your homework. Find out how many high ranking officials have been talking about and working towards a New World Order/One World Government. Gorbachov, Bush, Reagan, Carter, Clinton are all on record as supporting it. High ranking officials in the State Department, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission, The Bilderbergs, the Ford, Rockefeller, and Carnegie Foundations have all stated during the past half century that they see the idea of a World government as positive or "inevitable". The UN is the vehicle that is being used to usher in the NWO. That explains the phenomenal rise in that organization since l989 when Bush came to power. Go to the library and investigate the stated goals behind some of the programs these organizations and the UN have created. You will be amazed at how long the deception has been going on. Your ignorance to these secret agendas is what make this thing a problem. You need to smarten-up. How to smarten-up? Understanding the real power of the media is important. The most deadly tools the NWO powerbrokers have in their arsenal is the media as this is where the real power lies. The powerbrokers control the mainstream media. Don't for a moment think that it is free and independent. It isn't. The establishment press in each country is controlled- including Israel. If the press were really free there would be investigations into corruption every day. There isn't because the powerbrokers stifle these initiates. What has Israel become a haven for Russian Mafia and an assortment of Eastern European criminals who somehow are able to find shelter in Israel. None of these people are claiming to be Jewish. Why has the press not investigated Moshe Sachal's ties to all of this dirty business? With the media in their control the powerbrokers are able to set the tone for every political and social debate and get you to believe whatever they want. For instance, within a few years and with the help of the controlled media such as CNN, they made everyone believe "globalism was good" and that by the world becoming "global" the human race would be better off. They made everyone believe The Soviet Union collapsed because of "economic hardships." They can make the people anything they want because most people receive their news on international events from the mainstream media and nowhere else. Deception is the name of their game. Your ignorance allows the deceit to continue. ARE ISRAELI LEADERS SERVING THE INTERESTS OF THE ISRAELI PEOPLE? Have you ever thought about your Jewish destiny? About who ultimately controls it? Today, Israelis don't control their own political destiny. Since l992 the destiny of the State of Israel has been in the hands of foreigners- powerbrokers in the U.S. and powerbrokers in Europe based in Paris. Yitzhak Rabin was an agent of the American branch of the NWO run by Rockefeller, Kissinger and the Council on Foreign Relations. During his time in office Rabin met Kissinger secretly on eleven different occasions and Rockefeller once visited Israel secretly in November l994. Netanyahu, Beilin and Barak are also puppets of the American powerbrokers. Shimon Peres became a servant of the European-based powerbrokers after his recruitment into the Socialist International in l976. In l994 he and Yossi Beilin concocted a secret agreement which gives Vatican hegemony over the Old City of Jerusalem in the year 2000. The agreement has never been made public. When Peres talks about his "New Middle East" don't charge him with being naive. The New Middle East is an attempt by Peres' foreign backers to strip Israel of her uniqueness as a Jewish state and meld her into a regional family of nations. To this end he and Beilin are prepared to sacrifice Israel's sovereignty. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ISRAELI PEOPLE? In the past five years Israelis have become politically ignorant. They've also lost control over the destiny of their political entity. It doesn't matter if you are on the Right or the Left. There is no difference between a Labor traitor and a Likud traitor. If we have been deceived we must acknowledge our ignorance. Zionism can't continue another day until the issue of who currently controls Israel's political destiny is settled. If you want your country back you are going to have to accept the fact that Rabin, Bibi, Peres, Beilin, and Barak work on behalf of powerful political interests abroad, not the Israeli voter. If you don't acknowledge this then you won't be viewing reality as it exists. Their agendas are carried out in secret. Just because you didn't hear about it doesn't mean it didn't happen. As they control what is fed to the media you only know what they are telling you. All Jews and Israelis have reason to be worried. As the Millennium draws to a close, winning back Israel's sovereignty from the NWO will become a matter of life and death for the Jewish state. As the next few years goes by life in Israel is going to get very unpleasant. The people will experience internal instability and further divisiveness, and a government that becomes increasingly Fascist in its treatment of those who display religious or nationalist tendencies. Those who refuse to accept the dictates of the "New Middle East" will be portrayed in the controlled press as "dangerous radicals." This is the Jewish stake in the New World Order. Israelis will find it increasingly difficult to openly express their nationalism or their religiosity. Those that do will be considered "radicals" and will be severely mistreated by their own government. We've already had a taste of this type of Fascism in the Rabin-Peres government. It comes from the NWO not from Rabin or Peres. Expect more of the same as the next few years ago by. Your ignorance of the nature of your political leaders is how they are able to kidnapped and abscond with the destiny of the Jewish state. Wake up. The power in Israel today lies not it a Rabin, a Bibi or in a Peres as elected officials of a democratic state. This is how the controlled press presents it. It isn't the truth. Today Israel's leaders are in the hands of foreign powerbrokers who maintain positions of high political and economic power in the world. Their aims are not the same as those of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. If you value your Jewish heritage and your right to live in an independent Jewish state, you can't just walk away and forget about the fact that foreign powerbrokers have stolen your national sovereignty by corrupting your elected leaders. Now that you know what do you plan to do about it? ---------------------- This pamphlet can be distributed freely to every Jew and anyone else that cares about what happens in the Middle East and America. ************************************************************ ESPECIALLY FOR NEW CHRISTIANS (2) ONE MORE TIME: 'WHO AM I?' God said, 'Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness... So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over... every living thing that moves upon the earth.' When God created humankind, he made them in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them... When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven. Surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart. Jesus said, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.' God... is rich in mercy, [and a] great love with which he loved us. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him. ...We must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings... Do not lie to one another, seeing you have... clothed yourself with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its Creator. With [the tongue] we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 5:1; Psalm 8:3,4; 1 Corinthians 15:49; Jeremiah 29:11-13; John 6:35; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 2:6; Ephesians 4:13 & 15; Philippians 3:9-10; Colossians 3:9,10; James 3:9; 1 Peter 5:7. ..... 'Going once... going twice... gone! Sold to the gentleman with the green tie!' cried the auctioneer. One by one the man's possessions were offered - the stereo, the car, the TV. Finally only the man remained. 'And what am I offered for this man?' the auctioneer continued. 'A fine specimen...!' Trembling with horror, he woke from his dream. But the thought troubled him. What would they have paid for him? Two thousand dollars, five thousand? More? Less? How much am I worth? Our inorganic elements would bring about $10: our bodies have enough fat to make a few bars of soap, enough iron for a couple of nails, enough sugar to fill a small shaker, enough phosphorous to make a box of matches, and enough lime to whitewash a shed... The biblical question is not merely 'What are human beings?' but 'What are human beings... that you care for them?' It's about how we relate to God; how God values us. Each of us is on this planet not by chance or accident, but by design. You and I are God's idea, and very special to him. We resulted from a special creative act of God. Genesis says 'God saw everything he had made, and behold, it was very good.' Man/woman comes into being 'trailing clouds of glory'. Humans were/are the apex of creation, made 'in the image of God'. This means we are 'like God', not in physical form (God is Spirit) but as the visible representatives on earth of the Divine Being. Nor are we simply more like God than the other animals, because we weep and laugh, or because we are the only primates to walk upright (but we begin and end life horizontally rather than perpendicularly), or whose brain is larger and cleverer (so that we can use equipment outside our own bodies, or manufacture striped toothpaste. But then, as James Thurber once wrote, dogs are raising families of their own before the first anniversary of their birth; but the young of humans are practically no good at all until almost a quarter of a century'). We are more than naked (or trousered) apes. Humans are creatures who sense the difference between what things are and what they ought to be. D H Lawrence sees humans in terms of 'blood, soil and sex'. Camus summarizes his dilemma: 'Everything which exalts life adds at the same time to its absurdity.' In Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot human life is reduced to waiting - for someone who never comes. Some ancient philosophers regarded humans as encased souls or animated bodies; the Bible rather emphasizes the unity of our personhood. Naturalism says we are a little higher than the tadpoles; the Bible says we are a little lower than the angels. Scientism says we are an accidental arrangement of molecules; the Bible says we are crowned with glory and honour. Behaviourism says we are complex biological machines, whose behaviour is explained in terms of inherited or environmental factors; Jesus invites us to use our God-given capacity to worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth. Marxism says all human reality can be reduced to natural processes and events; the Bible affirms our God-endowed dignity and worth. We are like God intellectually: having the power to reason, imagine and think about God; socially: capable of loving God, others and self; of celebrating and grieving; vocationally: as tenants of God's good earth we are commissioned to tend it with care; aesthetically: delighting in the natural beauty God has created; morally: our conscience helps us discern the will of God and freely choose goodness; and spiritually: we pray and worship and can 'know' God, and we experience premonitions of immortality (long before stone was used for houses it was used for tombs). So we are invited to exhibit the nature and qualities of our Creator. The only satisfactory way we can understand who we are is in terms of our being cared for by God, and responsible to serve and obey him in return. But these same humans have not wanted to replicate the Divine nature. They would prefer to be served than serve; to rule than to submit; to be autonomous and selfish rather than live responsibly in community; to get along without God, rather than live in dependence upon him. Fallen human nature is such that distant wars, earthquakes or cyclones trouble us a little, but a lot less than our own toothache or the scratch on our new car. As Rousseau said, we are born free, but everywhere we are in chains. If there is one theme recurring throughout this book, it is this: you are like God, and like the Devil. Humans do despicable things to each other. They're sinners. (Did you know that cannibalism was practised in Scotland, Ireland and England as recently as four hundred years ago?). The alternative to worshipping and serving God is idolatry: making gods out of our selves or some other created thing. That's why the second commandment prohibits our making images of God. William Golding's Lord of the Flies graphically describes the depths to which human depravity will sink when some English school boys, marooned on a tropical island resort to a primitive sacrificial cult in which pigs are offered to appease the mysterious Lord of the Flies. God makes all things good, humans meddle with them and they become evil. But although the image of God in us is marred, it's still there! As Irenaeus put it in an unforgettable sentence: 'The glory of God is [humans] fully alive.' Sigmund Freud once said that human self-esteem suffered three great blows from science. First Copernicus showed that the earth is not the centre of the universe. Then Darwin suggested that humans are not organically superior to animals. And psychoanalysis asserted that we are not 'masters in our own house'. But how can we change and grow? Libertarians say we have complete freedom to decide this way or that. Hard determinists believe we have no free will and are therefore not ultimately responsible for our destinies. Soft determinists say we may be governed by heredity, social factors, our psychology, our sin, or even God's working in our lives, but we have some responsibility for our decisions. We can freely choose to eat of a certain tree, and die, or obediently desist, and live. Adam and Eve are 'everyperson'. The Greeks in their wisdom said 'Know thyself!' The Hebrews would have preferred 'Know thy God!' God, more than humans, is 'the proper study of mankind'. And where is God? Look around. C S Lewis says somewhere if we realized who we truly were, we'd be tempted to fall down and worship one another. We are made up of body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). What does this mean? Greek philosophers like Socrates and Plato regarded the body as a useless encumbrance from which the spirit must be freed before it can achieve its destiny. But we are not simply a soul/spirit united to a body, any more than we are a body united to a soul. We are a complex unity: and Christianity regards the body and soul and spirit very highly. When God wanted to show us what he was really like, he inhabited a human body: 'Veiled in flesh the Godhead see/ Hail! the Incarnate Deity'. With our bodies we have an affinity with nature, and relate to the material universe; with our souls we have self-identity and relate to others; with our spirits we relate to God. We are like a two-storied house. The lower storey is the physical part of us - the body. The upper storey has a window looking out towards the earth, and a skylight through which we view the stars. But it's all one house! So, use some biblical self-talk and say to yourself: 'I am important. God loves even me. I am an unrepeatable miracle of God's creation. I have significance, not because I am better or smarter than anyone else, but because I was made in his image. All through life I will be bombarded with negative feedback - from family, friends, enemies, advertisers, teachers, bosses, employees, or even my own brain. But I will agree with God about myself: he doesn't make junk. When I fail, I will learn from it and will not call myself a failure. When I succeed, I will give thanks to the One who endowed me with those gifts and abilities. When I am depressed, I will say "This, too will pass." And when elated, I shall praise him, my wonderful Lord and my God. I am important to God, and therefore to myself. I was died for. I belong to him. I am his special child. He loves me and forgives me, and I will serve him on earth and celebrate with him in heaven - forever. Wow!' ..... Lord, what incredible human creatures you have created. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Once we trudged from place to place, now we can fly faster than sound. Once we scratched the earth with crude wooden tools, now robots serve us. Once we chiseled inscriptions laboriously on parchment or stone; now we multiply words and ideas in milli-seconds. Once we looked at the moon and marveled; now we can walk on it. Someone somewhere first blew through a ram's horn; now we create mighty symphonies. But remind us, Lord, that we have some fearful limitations. We humans possess real goodness but not sufficient goodness, real wisdom but not sufficient wisdom, real power but not sufficient power. So we need your goodness, wisdom and power. Help us, Lord, to use our intelligence to take account of the dangers that come from trusting solely in human intelligence. You have made us for yourself, and we do not rest until we rest in you. O God, deny us peace, so that you may some day give us glory. Conquer our hearts through your sovereign power and in your mercy and love might we become the men and women you intended us to be. And if events seem to conspire against our desires, and we haven't the strength to impose our terms on life, give us the grace to accept the terms life offers us, because of our conviction that all of life is under your divine control. As we study the majesty and glory of Jesus Christ, we see our destiny: what we could become if we too are truly in tune with your good will for us. May we become less and less enslaved by the desires of the moment, and freed by your ennobling love and forgiving grace to love you with all our heart. We pray for your glory. Through Christ our Lord, Amen. ..... A Benediction: Now to God who is able to strengthen you... to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 16:25, 26 ____________________________ Director, John Mark Ministries - resources for pastors/leaders. (Bookroom, library, and worldwide F.W.Boreham Trading Post) Home Page: http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm ************************************** Return, Emmanuel! By: Lori Fiechter 12-18-96 Emmanuel, Emmanuel; Thou "God with us", return, Emmanuel! Come down once more and with us dwell; You are our only hope, Emmanuel! Emmanuel, Emmanuel; O what a debt we owe, no tongue can tell! You tasted death for us, You tasted hell; You broke the chains of sin and fear, Emmanuel. O Lord, look down; Look down and see; This earth is not the way that it should be: Creation groans for its release; Emmanuel--Return, Thou Prince of peace! Emmanuel, we praise Thy Name; Lord, we repent--we will have You to reign! Thou art the Christ; The only way; O Sun of Righteousness, our King; Return, we pray! *************************************************************** PropheZine NewsBytes Hello all, I wanted to share this with you. A reader in Japan notified me that the Daily Yomiuri featured one of my www pages from PropheZine (even pictured my www page) in its Cyberworld column. I wanted to share with you what was said..... The article was by Edward A. Mazza II - Special to the Daily Yomiuri - Tues. Jan. 7, 1997 - A section, page 9. "Bible Prophecy Come to Pass?" contains hypertext links to current events and situations that may be in line with predictions found in Revelations (http://www.best.com/~ray673/sites/come2pass.html). Anyone interested in Biblical prophesy should come here first; if nothing else, the operators of this site have done their homework. This site is, in general, a fun and interesting way to pass the time and surf the Net, a collection of intriguing links that attempt to point out the subtle ways in which "Revelations" have come to pass. What is nice about this site is the question mark--very little is forced upon the viewer. The site also contains one of the best sets of Biblical prophecy links. I also have a interview in Ministries Today. If anyone has a copy of that, please let me know as well. Keep looking up!!! In His service, Ray PZ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ F.Y.I. - Israel In The News By: Lee Underwood Week Ending: January 11, 1997/Shevat 3, 5757 "Then all the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the Lord, because they have been only a staff made of reed to the house of Israel." Ezekiel 29.6 TERRORIST ATTACK IN TEL AVIV: Thirteen people sustained moderate to light injuries Thursday night when two bombs detonated near the old Central Bus Station in southern Tel Aviv, Ha'Aretz reported. The first bomb was located inside of a garbage container and exploded at 8:20 pm. Six people were wounded in the explosion. Police officers and Magen David emergency medical personnel arrived on the scene soon afterward and began treating the wounded. Ten minutes later, another explosive went off inside of a garbage can approximately 50 meters (55 yards) from the site of the first explosion. Seven people were injured in the second blast, including two police officers who were keeping onlookers back from the site of the first explosive. No organization has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Palestinian Authority (PA) Police officers believe that the terrorists who carried out the attack were members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). An Arab Israeli detained for questioning was later released after it became clear that he had no connection to the attack. Islamic newsletter al Akhbar noted that both Hamas and Islamic Jihad had vowed to avenge the incident last week in which soldier Noam Friedman opened fire in a Hevron market. It also quoted a PA official as saying that the 'deterioration of talks' made 'anti-Zionist attacks a possibility.' Prime Minister Netanyahu said that if it becomes clear that the terrorists came from the territory of the PA, Israel will respond with extreme severity, Kol Yisrael reported. "We will pursue the terrorists who carried out this specific attack. We are not willing to return to the situation where Israel's entry points will be transformed into the focus for lethal attacks," Netanyahu said. Meanwhile, one person was killed and six others were injured when a car driven by a 16-year-old Arab youth crashed into a Jerusalem bakery Tuesday morning. The police have ruled out a terror attack, calling it an accident. (Israel Line, MED, Arutz Sheva) HEVRON TALKS AT IMPASSE: US envoy Dennis Ross failed Saturday to break the impasse in the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, despite a day of meetings in Cairo. Ross said Israel and Palestinian negotiators are essentially in agreement on a troop withdrawal from Hevron, but are still arguing over the specifics of a larger pullback from the rest of Judea and Samaria. The Palestinians insist that the Americans include in their guarantee letter a specific date for the completion of Israeli redeployment from 'rural Palestinian areas' in Judea and Samaria, Yediot Aharonot reported. In Hevron, meanwhile, work began Thursday on clearing the site in the Avraham Avinu complex where Hevron Jews hope to construct a building housing ten families. Land clearing at the site does not call for a permit signed by Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai. Construction of the building does, however, necessitate the minister's permission, something that has not yet been forthcoming. In another story, the brother of Deputy Prime Minister (Likud) Moshe Katzav, Lior, has announced he will be moving to Hevron to pressure the government into canceling its plans to pull out from the area. Lior Katzav has announced he will be arriving with his wife and family and hopes this move will increase the pressure against a government redeployment. Lior and family will join the Prime Minister's brother-in-law, Haggai Ben Artzi who left Beit El to live in Hevron as well. The Hevron Jewish Community has criticized an American delegation who visited the town last Saturday without coordinating with the committee. The committee says the delegation's visit did not take into account the Jewish Sabbath. The delegation toured Hevron with the escort of PA Preventive Security chief Jibril Rajoub. The group visited Shuhada Street and met with Hevron city officials to discuss US financing of projects in the city after the IDF redeployment. The delegation included officials from the US Embassy and the USAID agency. Hevron Mayor Mustafa Natshe said the help of the US government in the economic development of the city is vital to creating an atmosphere of change after IDF withdrawal. An agreement was signed Wednesday afternoon extending the mandate to the Temporary International Force in Hevron (TIPH) for an additional month. An appeal has also been sent out to six nations to send participants to join the TIPH unit. Shlomo Dror, Spokesman for the Coordinator of Activities in the Territories, says the expanded 'Temporary International Presence' planned for Hevron will act only as observers, and not be armed. "There are no plans for them to be in the Cave of the Patriarchs" he said, in an interview with IMRA. The International Presence currently consists of 60 Norwegian troops. These are to be joined by 120 soldiers from a number of additional countries. Dror said "If there is shooting I imagine they will probably duck. Their job is mostly to observe what is happening and report back to their home countries. This is mostly for the Palestinian side - the Norwegians are already quite familiar with the Israeli forces." (AP, Israel Line, Jerusalem Post, Channel 2 Radio News, SNS, Kol Yisrael, MED) ON THE NORTHERN FRONT: On Wednesday, one IDF soldier was killed and six others were wounded as Hizb'Allah terrorists opened fire on an Israel Defense Force (IDF) patrol in the Eastern Sector of the Security Zone. IDF warplanes struck out at Hizb'Allah terrorist targets in the Jabal Rafiah area and a Katyusha missile landed in the Western Galil (Galilee). Earlier in the day, three members of the elite Egoz commando unit were injured after one member of a patrol stepped on a landmine. Israeli Air Force planes attacked Hizb'Allah positions in south Lebanon Sunday after an Israeli force came under heavy mortar fire in a clash against a Hizb'Allah squad. Meanwhile, the IDF has announced a change in its operational tactics against Hizb'Allah terrorists operating in the area. The Air Force will strike out immediately following any attack against IDF troops in the area. The Air Force will use warplanes and attack helicopters to combat Hizb'Allah activities. Security officials explained the difficult topography of the area enables terrorists to get an advantage over IDF and South Lebanese Army (SLA) troops. The Air Force will assist in making any anti- Israel activity more costly and will minimize the advantage provided by the area topography. In other developments, the multi-national group monitoring a ceasefire in southern Lebanon met Monday to discuss several Israeli allegations of violations by the Hizb'Allah terror organization. These include charges that Hizb'Allah is using a village as a launching-pad for attacks and a recent Hizb'Allah roadside bomb which killed two Israeli soldiers. (Channel 2 Radio, SNS, ICEJ, Kol Yisrael) HIZB'ALLAH HEAVILY ARMED: The Hizb'Allah now has: Sager and other anti-tanks missiles. The range of the Sager is 500-3,000 meters (500-3,300 yards) but it requires that the person shooting it keep the target in view until it is hit. They have shoulder fired Sam-7 anti- aircraft missiles with a range of 2.3 kilometers (1.38 miles) as well as American Stringer missiles which America sold to Afghan rebels. They have a range of over 3.5 kilometers (2.1 miles); Remote control mines, tripe wire mines, mines which explode in series and mines disguised by fiberglass boulders; Katyushas with a 20-22 kilometer (12-13.2 miles) range and 40 kilometer (24 miles) range Iranian made rockets which carry a 90 kilogram (198 pounds) warhead; Motorized gliders; Night vision equipment. (Ma'ariv, IMRA) EGYPT REQUESTS CHANGE TO PEACE TREATY: Egypt has requested that Israel agree to a change in the military appendix to the peace agreement between the two countries. Egypt would like to be able to deploy military forces adjacent to the border with Israel. Israel rejected the request. The current agreement allows the Egyptians to station only police forces in the eastern half of the Sinai peninsula. This would have represented a significant change in the terms of the agreement. Egypt also tried to reduce the size of the international observer force and have the command of the force moved from Rome to Aqaba. Israel rejected these requests. (Arutz Sheva, Ha'Aretz, IMRA) SETTLEMENT UPDATE: Deputy Minister of Housing Meir Porush announced Monday during a visit to the Katzrin Regional Council, that he decided topermit the construction of an additional 200 houses in the settlement this year. This is in addition to 96 houses put up for tender last week and 35 house in a "build your house" project. [Katzrin is considered the "capital" of the Golan Heights-ed] Housing benefits in the Golan Heights include a grant of NIS 50,000 ($15.4 million) and preferred mortgage terms covering up to 95% of the value of the property. The Ministry of the Interior rejected the program to expand Ramot which was submitted by the Golan Regional Council on the grounds that it was a new settlement and the government policy is only to expand existing settlements. Among expansion plans (in addition to those mentioned above): 600 units on the Western slopes of the Golan to be built immediately and another 900 later - including 150 at three sites next to Moshav Ramot; 450 units in Bruchim; 220 units in Bnei Yehuda which can be increased to 500; 104 units in Moshav Had Nes (which requires the clearing of a minefield at a cost of NIS 2 million ($617,000) for 30 of the units); 96 units in Maaleh Gamla, 81 in Kanaf, Kidmat Tzvi and Neveh Ativ; 70 units in Keshet, Mavo Hama and Kfar Rehov. The United States has stated it continues to monitor construction in the territories (Judea, Samaria and Gaza) and Jerusalem and is aided by Palestinian reports which are provided to the American Consulate in Jerusalem. (Ha'Aretz, IMRA) WALDMAN AND LEVINGER TO BE DISCUSSED: The Council of Jewish Settlements In Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha) members are scheduled to discuss next Monday recent actions by council member Rabbi Eliezer Waldman and Rabbi Moshe Levinger, Yediot Achronot reported [Waldman has stated that it is against Torah for a Jewish solider to take part in the evacuation of Hevron (see F.Y.I. 12-28-96). Levinger criticized Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Amnon Lipkin-Shahak for not bringing to the attention of the political echelon the dangers Hevron's Jews will face as a result of the redeployment agreement.-ed]. The meeting was called by Gush Etzion Council Chairman Shilo Gal, who said that those who call on soldiers to disobey orders have no place on the settler council. A number of other council members are furious about the comments Levinger made. Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau stated that all IDF soldiers must comply with orders and they may not comply with recent statements made by prominent Rabbinical leaders calling for soldiers not to obey orders that contradict Torah Law. Rabbi Lau stated the soldiers are not to differentiate between one order and another and must carry out their duty. In regard to condemning the Rabbinical leaders for their statements, Rabbi Lau stated they have the right to express their views and he does not see it fitting to condemn them for this. Rabbi Lau was reacting to statements made by Rabbi Waldman and Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, the Dean of the Har Bracha Hesder Yeshiva, that a soldier cannot be expected to violate the highest authority, Torah Law. Rabbi Melamed was also referring to the possibility of orders being given to evacuate areas or evict Jews from areas in Israel. (Channel 2 TV News, SNS, Israel Line, MED) POPE TO APOLOGIZE FOR ANTI-SEMITISM: Vatican officials said Sunday that the Pope had instructed a new historical-theological commission to examine the persecution and torture of Jews by the Inquisition in 15th-century Spain and to tackle the issue of the sometimes ambivalent attitude of Catholics toward the Nazi elimination of Jewish populations in occupied Europe during the Second World War. Mgr Rino Fisichella, vice- chairman of the new commission, said it would hold two international symposiums on anti-Semitism in the autumn. The meetings, to be held in the Vatican, would involve clergy, lay people and academic experts, and would confront the often painful issues of Jewish- Catholic relations "without preconceptions". The aim was for the Church to seek pardon for past mistakes. But many Jewish leaders remain dissatisfied with Vatican statements on the Holocaust. They also want a clear Vatican condemnation of the failure of Pope Pius XII to denounce Nazi atrocities or to speak out against the deportation of Jews from Rome itself during the German wartime occupation. (LondonTimes, MED) KNESSET CONDEMNS SWISS: Sharp condemnations of the Swiss government and banking system were heard Monday at the first session of the new Knesset committee dealing with the return of Jewish property stolen during the Holocaust. Yisrael Singer, among the leaders of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), promised to wage a bitter struggle to return the stolen property, similar to those waged against the Soviet Union and against Austrian President Kurt Waldheim. MK Avraham Poraz (Meretz) said that the establishment of the Knesset committee would enable Israel to take strong measures against Switzerland that the government would otherwise be unable to take. In another story, the World Jewish Congress and the Jewish Agency threatened the Swiss banking community Monday with a series of measures including boycotts, disinvestment campaigns and class action suits in answer to a statement by the former Swiss president which Jewish leaders said verged on anti- semitism. Outgoing Swiss president Jean-Pascal Delamuraz described a call by the WJC for a $250 million compensation fund for Jews who might be entitled to money left in Swiss banks as blackmail. The WJC, he said, would wait for a month to hear a disclaimer of Delamuraz's remarks from the Swiss government and the Swiss banking community before taking action, he said. Delamuraz himself is no longer the president of Switzerland but has assumed the crucial position of finance minister. The pension funds of New York municipal workers, totalling billions of dollars, could reportedly be withdrawn from Swiss banks. On Tuesday, tensions between Jewish organizations heightened following a meeting between Jewish Agency Chairman Avraham Burg and Swiss Ambassador Pierre Monod. The Ambassador, who had requested the meeting, told Burg that the former Swiss President does not intend to apologize for the anti- Semitic remarks he made last week. In a further development, the Swiss Government announced on Tuesday that it is willing to immediately begin talks on establishing a foundation for Holocaust survivors and their beneficiaries. The government said that it has begun an exhaustive effort in order to corroborate Swiss policy before, during and after World War II. Swiss Foreign Minister Flavio Cotti spoke with Foreign Minister David Levy on Tuesday by telephone, saying that he would act to correct the injustice done by former Swiss President Jean-Pascal Delamuraz's statement. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister David Levy told the Knesset plenum Wednesday that Switzerland is trying to hide its collaboration with the Nazis. The fact that the Swiss parliament decided to reveal secret documents indicates conscience pangs or fear of history's judgement, he said. He called on Delamuraz to "unequivocally take back" his charge of blackmail. "We have no argument with the Swiss people. We are concerned with one thing: discovering the truth of the biggest robbery in human history," Levy said. Levy warned against a boycott of Swiss banks which he said could destroy relations with Switzerland and noted that there was almost no European country that did not take part in "the evil crime." Shares of Switzerland's three largest banks fell Monday on the Zurich stock exchange by 0.6-2.9%. Union Bank of Switzerland shares fell 1.9%. Swiss Bank, the second largest bank in Switzerland, declined 0.6% while Credit Suisse shares dropped 2.9%. The declines are considered sharp ones, both in terms of the Swiss capital market, and in terms of bank shares. Traders in Zurich told news agencies the drops resulted indirectly from threats on the part of Jewish organizations. These include public action in the US against the North American subsidiaries of the Swiss banks renewing their partnership licenses, revealing numerous documents concerning cooperation between the banks of Switzerland and Nazi Germany, and attempts to influence pension funds and other publicentities, primarily in the US, to withdraw deposits from Swiss banks. As of this publication date, there has been no disclaimer, rejection or apology made by any member of the Swiss government for the statements made by the out-going president. (Arutz Sheva, MED, Jerusalem Post, Globes, Israel Line) LIKUD AND LABOR PRESENT GUIDELINES FOR FINAL AGREEMENT: Likud and Labor Knesset Members who are discussing guidelines for a permanent status agreement with the Palestinians began phrasing a joint document that will be submitted to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Labor Chairman MK Shimon Peres, Ha'Aretz reported. At the beginning of the meeting, discussion leaders Likud MK Michael Eitan and Labor MK Yossi Beilin presented the draft document. In some of the more problematic sections, two versions are included to satisfy different parties. The main points include: * A demilitarized Palestinian entity will be established. Two classifications for the entity's status are given because of the disagreement between the two parties. The Labor version: "State subject to limitations." The Likud version: "Expanded autonomy." * Palestinian residents of eastern Jerusalem in Arab neighborhoods will receive a status in the municipal framework that will enable their shared responsibility in the management their lives in the city. * Palestinian recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in return for Israeli recognition of the government center of the Palestinian Authority, which will be located within the borders of the Palestinian entity and outside of Jerusalem's municipal boundaries. The Abu-Dis neighborhood is one of the possible ideas for the location of such a Palestinian capital. * There will not be a return to the borders of 1967. * A majority of Jewish settlements in the territories will be annexed to Israel. Those settlements not under Israeli sovereignty will not be dismantled and residents will be able to retain Israeli citizenship. Meanwhile, the residents of the Jordan Valley have expressed anger at the framers of the Beilin-Eitan working paper, according to which Israel will not have sovereignty over the Jordan Valley. Leaders of the Jordan Valley communities said that they would wage a "tireless struggle" against it. MK Eitan told Arutz Sheva Thursday that the Likud cannot hope for better terms, given the current political and international situation. He said, "I am not the same Mickey Eitan that I was before the elections, and neither is Binyamin Netanyahu the same person that he was before the elections." In another story, MK Ehud Barak (Labor) has called upon the government to significantly reduce the pace at which the Oslo accords are implemented. Barak said that this is in the mutual interests of both the Israelis and the Palestinians, because they both require extra time to adjust to the new situations that are developing. The former Chief of Staff, who is the front runner to head the Labor party after its internal elections later this year, said that rushing to the permanent-status talks can only lead to an explosion of the entire agreement, because issues such as Jerusalem will not be able to be resolved. (Israel Line, Arutz Sheva) A GUIDE TO IMPORTANT DATES IN OSLO REDEPLOYMENTS: The Palestinian Council held its inaugural meeting on March 7, 1996. All dates in [brackets] did not appear in the original Agreement. According to the terms of the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement On The West Bank And The Gaza Strip - signed in Washington on September 28, 1995, "further redeployments of Israeli military forces to specified military locations will take place in phases as follows: Phase 1 - Six months after the inauguration of the Council [September 7, 1996]. Phase 2 - Twelve months after the inauguration of the Council [March 7, 1997]. Phase 3 - Eighteen months after the inauguration of the Council [September 7, 1997]. [Annex I, Appendix 1, Paragraph B]. The Agreement does not require that the Palestinian Authority agree to the extent of the Phase 1 and 2 redeployments. Taken to an extreme, a one millimeter redeployment would constitute compliance with the Agreement. There is no limit on either the number or size of the "locations". "The specified military locations...will be determined in the further redeployment phases, within the specified time-frame ending not later than 18 months from the date of the inauguration of the Council [September 7, 1997], and will be negotiated in the permanent status negotiations." [Article XI, Subparagraph 2f]. "During the further redeployment phases to be completed within 18 months from the date of the inauguration of the Council, powers and responsibilities relating to territory will be transferred gradually to Palestinian jurisdiction that will cover West Bank and Gaza Strip territory, except for the issues that will be negotiated in the permanent status negotiations." [Article XI, Subparagraph 2e]. "Permanent status negotiations will commence...not later than May 4, 1996, between the Parties. It is understood that these negotiations shall cover remaining issues, including: Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, security arrangements, borders, relations and cooperation with other neighbors, and other issues of common interest." [Article XXXI, Paragraph 5]. The Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority functions only "for a transitional period not exceeding five years from the date of signing the Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area (hereinafter "the Gaza-Jericho Agreement") on May 4, 1994, leading to a permanent settlement based on Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338." [May 4, 1999] [Preamble]. So the effective deadline for concluding negotiations is May 4, 1999. The agreement therefore establishes a period of almost 20 months between the last phase of the redeployment on September 7, 1997 and the deadline for concluding negotiations on May 4, 1999. During this period, Israel has already transferred almost all authority to the Palestinian Authority and its forces are withdrawn to the "specified military locations." The phrase "except for the issues that will be negotiated in the permanent status negotiations" appears repeatedly throughout the agreement. In remains unclear how broadly the issues of settlements and security arrangements can be interpreted in order to limit the transfer of authority. While the Agreement claims that: "Nothing in this Agreement shall prejudice or preempt the outcome of the negotiations on the permanent status to be conducted pursuant to the DOP. Neither Party shall be deemed, by virtue of having entered into this Agreement, to have renounced or waived any of its existing rights, claims or positions." [Article XXXI, Paragraph 6] - the stated intention of the Israeli framers of the Agreement was to make the "peace process" irreversible by presenting the Israeli public with a fait accompli - a Palestinian state covering the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli settlements isolated islands. Under those conditions it should come as no surprise that Shimon Peres maintained that these isolated Israeli settlements would not be a problem in the final negotiations. (IMRA) 'DROUGHT YEAR' IN ISRAEL: The ongoing drought in Israel continues to cause anxiety. Special prayer services will be held at the Western Wall and at other locations throughout the country in light of the situation. Minister of Agriculture Rafael Eitan has announced that he will ask the government to officially declare this year a "drought year," despite the fact that such a declaration is usually made only in February. Shalom Blier, head of the Fruit Distribution Council, said that in addition to the lack of rain, the unseasonably warm weather this winter has also caused great harm to the fruit trees. 100,000 dunams (25,000 acres) of wheat fields in the south will be totally ruined if at least 15-20 mm (.6-.8 inches) of rain does not fall by next week, warns Dr. Avraham Blum of the Institute for Agricultural Research. According to governmental and agricultural experts, approximately one million dunams (250,000 acres) of farmlands have already been destroyed bythe severe lack of rain. Experts explained that even if significant rainfall were to begin, these fields can no longer be salvaged. According to Meir Ben Meir, the Water Commissioner, if it does not rain any more this year there are enough reserves of water to last Israel for a year. The forecast for Thursday was: Partly cloudy. Rain in the north and center of the country. (Arutz Sheva, Channel 2 TV News, SNS, Ha'Aretz, IMRA) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FYI - Israel In The News "For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet" Isaiah 62:1 Send comments and subscription requests to Lee Underwood at: fellowship@inet-images.com Web site: http://www.inet-images.com/fellowship/fyi.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Christian Persicution in China BEIJING - A Communist Party official has urged state controlled Protestant churches to assist in restricting unauthorized Christian worship in China. The People's Daily, the Communist party newspaper reported that Li Ruihuan, who ranks number 4 in the party hierarchy, praised church members Friday for "holding high the banner of patriotism and socialism" over the past 40 years. China has been experiencing a religious revival over the past 15 years and many Chinese have been drawn to churches outside of state control. The government has blamed for secretly supporting the underground churches. Pastors have been fined or jailed for refusing to shut down or register their "house churches". Authorities have detained, harassed, and even tortured believers. Reported by the Associated Press, 1/5/97 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Mark of the Beast in Israel? From: Arutz Sheva News Service Monday, January 6, 1997 / Tevet 27, 5757 ONE NUMBER Bezek Communications, Israel's telephone company, has announced a new service called One Number. Under the new service, a person is assigned a single telephone number, at which he can be reached at any time, place, and telephone unit. When he arrives at work, for instance, he dials a code into the phone unit in his office, and all phone calls to his personal number will then be directed to that unit. The service, which is scheduled to begin in March, is designed to alleviate the problem of one person having three or four different telephone numbers: home, work, cellular phone, etc. Bezek has announced that the first 100 people to sign up for the new service will be able to choose their own seven-digit number. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Bio-Chip UIpdate You Will Believe It From: Ken Bright KBRIGHT@voicenet.com Ray, this was sent to me from a fellow I work with. We've talked a lot about prophecy while on the road together. Last weekend I emailed him a number of your mailings about Israel, Syria and other developments. He caught this on our local television station in Philadelphia. FORWARD..... While watching the news this morning (ABC 6 10:00 AM Sunday) the closing news was on things to look foward to in the future, and guess what I saw on TV? Yes, there are plans to inject each human being with a new bio-chip that will give each person an ID number as well a credit history and much more. The news reporter made it sound as if everyone should be getting in line for it so as to beat the rush. No thanks, I think I'll pass. END........ Do you belive they think we're stupid enough to volunteer to be marked. I'm sure the masses will be fighting for there's. The masses are being conditioned for the MARK is ever more blatant ways. I can just hear the commercials during the Tribulation. "The Mark: You won't leave home without it." -Ken Bright, Mt. Laurel, NJ. Time is short. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Jerusalem Not For Sale (SNS News Service - Shomron-Israel) In a poll published on Sunday, it was learned that 80% of the Israeli population object to any negotiations regarding the future of Jerusalem. 45% of the participants in the survey are willing to negotiate with the PLO Authority regarding control of Arab areas (Shuafat and Bet Hanina are two examples mentioned) surrounding the nation's capital. The poll was conducted from a time period beginning with September of 1995 until December 1996, by Dr. Shulamit Levy and Professor Eliyahu Katz from the Gutman Institute together with Dr. Jerome Segal of Maryland University in the United States. In addition, there is strong opposition among Israelis regarding the establishment of a Palestinian State, although 78% of those interviewed feel it is inevitable. (Yediot Achronot Newspaper..1/6). ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PLO AUTHORITY GEMS FOR CHRISTMAS PILGRIMS Compiled by Patrick Goodenough Pilgrims and tourists visiting Bethlehem at Christmas were handed packages by the PLO Authority's Ministry of Information, outlining the PA's views on various political matters. Some of the more breathtaking quotes from the documents follow (grammatical errors in the original have not been edited out): "The most distinctive [holy] sites are the Al Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of Rock, Omar Mosque, the Church of Gethsemane, the Church of Holy Sepulchre, and Al Boraq wall (name of the creature on which Prophet Mohammad made his ascension to heaven), which is called by Jews the "Wailing Wall". "Some orthodox Jews consider it [the Western Wall] as a holy place for them, and claim that the wall is part of their temple, which all historic studies and archaeological excavations have failed to find any proof for such a claim." "Following this unilateral and illegal decision [to reunite Jerusalem], consecutive Israeli governments stepped up measures to juadise the city in an attempt to obliterate the Arabic and Islamic features of Jerusalem." "Hebron is one of the most important and oldest cities in Palestine's history dating back to more than 6 000 years ago ... Hebron was occupied by Israel in June 1967 and is still suffering under this long and cruel occupation. Immediately after occupying the city, Israel started to forge and implement a colonialist settling policy in this city." "Since occupying [Bethlehem] in the 1967 war, Israel initiated a policy aimed at emptying the city from its original inhabitants, Muslims and Christians alike ... the Israeli leaders adopted a sectarian policy aimed at planting the seeds of dissension and intolerance among Christians and Muslims ... Israel has employed for this purpose collaborators to nurture these poisonous concepts. Such Israeli attempts were doomed to failure in front of the solid unity of the Palestinian population ..." "The Islamic and Christian holy places were desecrated by settlers and soldiers in complete defiance to the sanctity of these places and in violation to international conventions pertaining to freedom of worship and religion." "Palestine is a land of peace, as no peace will be blessed and established except the just and permanent peace, peace for all, peace in Palestine ... we the Palestinians, being the inhabitants of this land since the dawn of history, are marking Christmas as a national holiday shared by Christians all over the world ... we welcome you to Palestine, to Bethlehem, the city of Christ." ***** Stan Goodenough Middle East Intelligence Digest PO Box 1192 Jerusalem 91010 ISRAEL Tel: ..972.2.5631418 Fax: ..972.2.5631062 email: meid@icej.org.il ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CYBER-BIBLE TRANSMITS GOD'S WORD TO FORBIDDEN CORNERS Arabic Scriptures go on-line URL http://www.gospelcom.net/ibs/bibles/arabic/ From: The International Bible Society, Colorado Springs, CO. Colorado Springs, CO: International Bible Society, with the help of modern technology, is now carrying God's Word to places where an open Bible could result in political ostracism or outright persecution As part of a commitment to make Scripture available in any way possible, the complete Arabic Bible was added to IBS' internet services in December. A recording of the Gospel of John and the Book of Acts is available in Arabic through the ministry's homepage. Earlier this year, the 187-year-old Bible translator and publisher launched into cyberspace to make God's Word accessible for thousands around the world. Whether visiting IBS' homepage from corporate sites where Christian witness is prohibited, or private sites in countries where possession of a Bible is strictly forbidden, individuals can access Scriptures easily and privately on-line. "The Internet is enabling us to reach people who might not have access to our materials otherwise" said Dwight Anderson, IBS' internet and global systems designer. "We see from the increase in the early morning internet traffic that more people are visiting our page from outside the United States. Many visitors also mention that they begin their work day with, or take breaks by reading God's Word on-line. "Some of the visitors are from countries where the Bible is not readily available." IBS' internet host, Gospel Communication Network and its Bible Gateway pages are among the top two percent of web sites visited in the world, according to Quentin Schultze, author of Internet for Christians. IBS' page won a National Religious Broadcaster's Web Award for creativity in design, richness in content and usefulness. "We know that huge numbers of people around the world are spending hours on-line," said IBS President, Lars Dunberg. "Many are those who would not, or perhaps cannot, pick up a Bible to read." Putting Scripture on-line demonstrates that the Bible is relevant to the modern world. "It's our intent by providing the Bible on-line to communicate the centrality of God's Word to life regardless of delivery -- paper or electronic media," Anderson continued. "We're simply giving people access to the Bible so they can read and apply it to their daily lives." As part of the GCN website, the Bible Gateway offers several Bible versions and a 22,000-topic search function. Pastors and seminary professors visit it regularly while preparing sermons or doing research. During 1997, IBS plans to add Bible translations to the internet in the following languages: Armenian, Croatian, Indonesian, Latvian, Macedonian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovakian, Thai, Ukrainian, Vietnamese and more. International Bible Society email: ibs@gospelcom.net 1820 Jet Stream Drive Voice: (719) 488-9200 Colorado Springs, CO 80921 http://www.gospelcom.net/ibs ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ News from Aussie / Despatch Magazine By: W.B. Howard... Director & Editor of Despatch Magazine TV BROADCAST St.Vincent Hospital in Melbourne, Aust. how has a computerised, mental illness evaluation programme. It has been prepared by the World Health Organization. On this programme, with no human beings (doctor etc.) involved, people are evaluated to seeif they fit into the Internationally accepted official, definition of being nentally ill or insane. Despatch Comment... This could mean that anyone not PC (politically Correct) re the NWO could be declared insane by official definition.(appreciate any info from overseas/comment) ...................................................... THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES ARE OF GREAT INTEREST TO THOSE EXPOSING THE LATTER DAY ERRORS AND DECEPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER. By: W.B. Howard... Director & Editor of Despatch Magazine EXTRACT FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH - THURSDAY, JANUARY 2ND, 1997. HEADING:FOREIGN TROOP TRAINING BOOMS - BY CHARLES MIRANDA. “Australia is now the biggest regional training ground for foreign soldiers with new figures showing more than 1000 Asian troops are being instructed here. The Indonesian military tops the list with more than 120 personnel most attached to training units from the elite Special Air Service Regiment. According to figures obtained by The Daily Telegraph 1207 soldiers from more than 30 nations are learning Australian military ways. The figures do not include the hundreds of foreign military personnel based here full time, including Americans in the Northern Territory and Queensland and Singaporeans in Western Australia. Malaysia has sent an average of 100 soldiers a year for specialist training over the past five years. We are a regional force and have a high expertise,particularly in technical training and are very attractive to foreign defence forces, a defence spokesman said. He said there was no suggestion of Australia giving away any strategy secrets to a potential enemy. After Indonesia, Australia's top defence training partners are the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Cambodia.” Despatch Comment... (A) This article shows the odd build-up of foreign troops in Australia. As we approach the New World Order's full emergence, and contemplate the control systems which must be put in place to make the NWO's conquest totalitarian, the troops here look very sinister indeed. Are we being used as a amalgamation sector, training troops to enforce obedience to International dictates on Asia and this Australasian region? It looks as though this may well be the case! ...................................................... RABBIS GENETICALLY THE RIGHTFUL CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. By: W.B. Howard... Director & Editor of Despatch Magazine Rabbis are the true children of Israel, possessing genetic characteristics which may date back more than 3000 years, scientists say. Biblical accounts say the Jewish priesthood was established about 3300 years ago with the appointment of the first Israelite high priest. To this day, rabbis are chosen from the male members of families of priests, ensuring the continuation of a strict patrilineal descent. Scientists have now discovered that rabbis living as far apart as Israel, the United States and Britain have chromosomes quite different from those of lay Jews, suggesting a common origin. Karl Skorecki, from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, together with colleagues from University College, London and the University of Arizona, compared the Y chromosomes of 188 unrelated Jewish priests with those of a group of lay Jews. Y chromosomes are inherited paternally and determine maleness. The researchers found an element in their composition that was much more common in lay Jews than in the rabbis. This particular element, known as the Y alu polymorphic insert, is thought to represent a unique evolutionary event between 29,000 and 340,000 years ago. Only 1.5 percent of Y chromosomes among priests were YAP positive compared with a frequency of 18.4 per cent in lay Jews. The results were published in the science journal Nature. The authors wrote: "We sought and found clear differences in the frequency of Y chromosome haplo types between Jewish priests and their lay counterparts." Despatch Comment... (B)Of interest to Bible students who realise the place of Israel in prophecy, the following article is indicative of the Rabbinical hierarchy's astonishing claims of superiority in these days. ...................................................... ARTICLE FROM DAILY TELEGRAPH, THURSDAY JANUARY 2, 1997. TITLE -LIBERAL TOLD: JAIL IF TREES NOT PLANTED. By: W.B. Howard... Director & Editor of Despatch Magazine A senior political official has been fined $10,000 and told he faces jail after clearing a block of bushland to build his home on the banks of the Georges River without council permission. Ian Maxwell Kolln, treasurer and former president of the Liberal Party's Federal Conference for the seat of Hughes has been ordered to replant the native trees cut down at his 1ha property in Oyster Bay near Como. Mr. Kolln, who was born on the property, was taken to the Land and Environment Court after clearing 1000sq.m. The house was demolished 20 years ago and council claims it is now the last privately owned bush land on the south side of the river. Mr. Kolln, who is also vice president of the Liberal's Sutherland Shire Local Government Conference and a 20-year party member, wanted to build his home, but did not wait for the July, 1995, application to be approved. After council took him to court, he was told to replace a standstone ledge, remove weeds, stop soil erosion and plant trees. But on December 13 this year,the court found Mr. Kolln had not done the work in the required time and to the required standard. The court has told him he must now reapply within three months, proving he has done the required work to stop him being arrested and sent to jail for contempt. Mr. Kolln said he had been persecuted by officers of Sutherland Shire Council, whom he claimed took more than six months to approve a simple building. The case had virtually bankrupted him, costing at least $70,000. Despatch Comment.... (C) The environmental eco-terrorism is growing stronger here in Australia, note the bankrupting of this man for clearing a block of land, and threats of jail! Note the "Land and Environmental Court". W.B. Howard...Director & Editor of Despatch Magazine Endtime Ministries/Christian Resource Center [pub.Q'rtly.Despatch mag.], which exposes the Infiltration of the N.A.N.W.O. in our Churches and Society in General. Visit our Aussie site: http://distant.brisnet.org.au/despatch/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ IRIS Update By: Leiah and Jason Elbaum PLO says to "firmly confront with all possible means" BBC World Service radio reports (14 December, 2000 GMT) that the Palestinian Authority issued a statement Friday night calling on Palestinians to "firmly confront with all possible means" Israel's moves to strengthen Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria ("the West Bank") and Gaza. The call was the PA's response to the Israeli government's decision on Friday to classify the Jewish settlements as "areas of national priority," providing tax benefits and financial incentives to their residents. Israel's move came in the wake of Wednesday's drive-by terrorist shooting in which Ita Tzur and her son Efraim were killed. It should be noted that the Israel-PLO accords do not bar Israel from supporting the settlements, and that the accords protect their status until at least May 1999. ......................... PA Security Forces Want Missles Time magazine cites Israeli intelligence in reporting (16 December) that Yasser Arafat's security forces are working to obtain antitank and antiaircraft missiles, weapons which are forbidden to the Palestinian Authority under the Israel-PLO agreements. The PA desires such weaponry in case of a repeat of September's shooting war which began when PA soldiers opened fire on Israeli troops. The fighting stopped only after Israel threatened to use tanks and combat helicopters. The new weapons would strengthen the PA's response to such threats. Palestinian security officials, says Time, admit that they have dozens of LAW antitank missiles which have been confiscated from or donated by local Islamic groups. ......................... Reuter's reports (9 December) that an internal memo has warned Palestinian security forces to prepare for a confrontation against Israeli soldiers. "We call on all security forces to prepare for the worst possibilities. We have to be prepared at all levels without any exceptions because the battle is to be or not to be," said the memo issued last Monday by the Palestinian National Forces. "We are not waiting for any positive things from the current Israeli government and from the occupation forces in general. We have to wait and see the Israeli military measures and to be warned against any confrontation," it said. Gaza commander Maj.-Gen. Abdel Razek al-Majaideh dismissed the memo, saying, "There is no state of mobilization." He claimed it referred to the possibility of disturbances by Arabs opposed to the Israel-PLO accords. ==== Leiah and Jason Elbaum IRIS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ FLASH NEWS from COMPASS DIRECT Global News from the Frontlines ********** EGYPTIAN AUTHORITIES CONTINUE TO HARASS RELEASED CONVERT Former Muslim Accused of Attacking Security Policeman By Barbara G. Baker ISTANBUL, January 10 (Compass)--An Egyptian convert imprisoned for two months this fall on charges of spreading Christian propaganda was sentenced in early January to another three months in jail for allegedly striking and injuring a security policeman. The lawyer of former Muslim Mohammed Wajdi Mohammed Dura has confirmed that his client immediately went into hiding to avoid arrest. Dura was not present at the January 6 appeals hearing for this latest charge. "This is just a ploy by the security police, commented defense lawyer Morris Sadek. "There was no medical report or proof at the hearing, just the complaint by the policeman. I donít know if he really hit that policeman, because I have not been able to talk to [Dura] personally since the incident. But I think this is just a plan to try to keep him in prison." Dura, who took the name Michael after his conversion to Christianity five years ago, had been arrested twice in the past two years on claims he was involved in anti-Islamic activities. When targeted last May in an Islamist newspaper under the headline "Mohammed Becomes Michael,"he went into hiding. Five months later, on October 3, Egyptian security police arrested him at his home in Tanta. According to Sadek, Dura has been under surveillance and harassment ever since his release from the Tanta Prison north of Cairo on December 8. "His case is not finished," Sadek told Compass. "These kinds of cases can go on forever. He can never escape them bothering him." Although Dura had to pay 500 LE ($150) as "guarantee money" for his December 8 release, he was ordered to keep the security authorities informed of his current address at all times, with the warning that he could be subjected to interrogation, detention or further trial proceedings at any time. A few weeks later, Sadek said, Dura was picked up in Tanta by the police, one of whom later filed a complaint against him for attacking him physically. Under Egyptian law Dura would normally be sentenced to six months in jail for such an offense. A panel of officials in a tribunal-style "niyaba" court in North Cairo reduced the penalty to three months at the January 6 hearing. Dura was given written notice of the courtís decision, prompting him to go into hiding to avoid police arrest, his lawyer said. Under Egyptís "niyaba al-íamma"section of the Ministry of Justice, certain magistry officials investigate and present charges in criminal court to "protect the public interest" of the country. In effect this amounts to almost unfettered authority to continue case investigations for years on end, leaving defendants under ongoing intimidation without any legal recourse. "There are many cases similar to this," noted Sadek, who as a Coptic Christian advocate active in human rights cases has represented a number of former Muslims jailed and harassed by the State Security Investigation (SSI) authorities over the past decade for converting to Christianity. Dura had completed his university exams in Cairo a year ago and was studying in an informal Bible school program at the time of his October arrest. ********** Compass Direct Flash News is distributed as available to raise awareness of and encourage prayer for Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith. Compass Direct PO Box 27250 Santa Ana CA 92799 USA TEL: 714-418-9150 FAX: 714-531-2681 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ FLASH NEWS from COMPASS DIRECT Global News from the Frontlines ********** SOLDIERS DESTROY CHRISTIAN FARM AND CARE CENTER NEAR CAIRO Unexpected Attack Shocks Coptic Community by John Steward ISTANBUL, January 14 (Compass)--Some 300 soldiers of the Egyptian army sacked a Christian farm and center for disabled children 15 miles outside Cairo on December 15. The armed men unexpectedly broke into the desert reclamation project owned by Coptic Christians using four heavy army trucks, a dumptruck and a huge bulldozer. "It seems as if they were launching a war against us, but until now I can not figure out the reason," said Ezzat Bishay, one of the project supervisors. The soldiers assaulted Dr. Hany Fadel Abdel Mesih, the farm veterinarian, when he tried to stop them. "When I tried to bring the official papers for the project, an officer ordered a soldier to confine me and my wife," Mesih said. "Then they began kicking and beating me as if I were a criminal," he told reporters of the independent weekly "Middle East Times." Egyptian censors have blocked publication of the incident. "They said that they came to demolish the cowshed, which they said was built illegally on arable land. But the whole area is desert!"Mesih said. Within two hours the armed soldiers ruined the site still under construction. "We stood helpless. Every one of us was guarded by five soldiers at least,"said engineer Adel Fahney. The attack resulted in about $20,000 in damages. "It is not a matter of money only, but the efforts that were exerted are priceless,"Fahney commented. "The idea of starting [over] from the beginning drives me crazy.î "We have made an official complaint with the civil police, but until now we have not received any official note concerning what they have done,"said Mohsen Nagy, the senior supervisor of the project. The military police have reportedly also started an investigation into the violent act, which is incompatible with the official policy of the Egyptian government. According to a January 11 news story in the Dutch daily newspaper "Nederlands Dagblad,"Coptic Orthodox Bishop Botros filed an official complaint about the destruction of the site. Although the land reclamation project is formally owned by individual Egyptian Christians, they have transferred its management to Bishop Botros, director of the Orthodox Center for Religious Studies. Ever since Bishop Botros founded the Cheerful Heart Center (CHC) for mentally disabled children in 1993, his center has been erecting buildings on the site, dubbed the Patmos compound. Apparently, however, all the required government documents had not yet been obtained. At present the CHC cares for 45 mentally handicapped children in a few apartments scattered across Cairo, with another 145 children on the waiting list. With 4 million mentally handicapped people in Egypt, the entire country has only 2,000 institutions set up to help them. Part of the plans for the Patmos compound was to provide at least some form of education for 1,000 mentally disabled children, but Decemberís violent attack proved a major setback to these plans. Reportedly Bishop Botros had been troubled by soldiers from the nearby military compound in the weeks previous to the actual attack, possibly demanding money from the bishop. According to "Nederlands Dagblad,î observers in Cairo believe that the order for sacking the farm and care center came from this nearby military base, not from any Cairo officials. "The fact that the authorities did not start any judicial procedures, but that military violence was used, gives rise to the supposition that anti-Christian feelings played a part in the attack as well,"the Dutch news article noted. It was expected that only a thorough investigation would clarify whether the incident was related to growing Islamic fundamentalism within the Egyptian army. In addition, local Copts expressed hope that the attack would prove to be an isolated incident, rather than part of a systematic campaign of violence such as they experienced a year ago, at the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. Egyptís ancient Coptic Christian community, which goes back to the very beginning of the Christian era, comprises an estimated 15 percent of the countryís population. Although the prevailing Islamic environment has put many restrictions on them, Coptic Christians still enjoy some degree of freedom within the walls of their own churches. ********** Compass Direct Flash News is distributed as available to raise awareness of and encourage prayer for Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith. Compass Direct PO Box 27250 Santa Ana CA 92799 USA TEL: 714-418-9150 FAX: 714-531-2681 ***************************************************** The Final Word By Ray Gano We have seen in this issue how God has placed His signature in the Bible and thus proving again to us that the Bible is truly the divine Word of God. So many people today are Biblically illiterate. I challenge you not to be one of those who allow their ears to itch. Paul tells us that in the last days people will turn from sound doctrine and follow those who make them feel good or teach a false doctrine. It is those who are Biblically illiterate that I see will fall for these guys and the traps laid by them. Please do not fall for this. Take the time to start a quiet time with our Lord. As we have seen in this issue, the Bible IS the Word of God. So in that we know that He does loves us (John 3:16) and that he does not lie (Titus 1:2). So I encourage you to read the Word daily. It will enrich your life like you have never known. This is God's love letter to us, read it with the same excitement as you would from a loved one writing to you. Remember one of Paul's Bible prophecies or words of wisdom....this we do see happening today. 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; So until we meet here on this earth or in the clouds with our Lord... Always in the service of Yeshua, Ray Gano Sr.Editor PropheZine