Why was Jesus crucified? Because his gospel was highly politicized. He had all what to do with the GOVERNMENT! God’s people would do well to note that fact. His enemies accused him of sedition. They distorted His Message to make it look like He was determined to overthrow the government! (John 19:12). They made the rulers believe that Jesus was a dangerous individual, a real threat to public order and national security (John 11:48). Jesus had to be stopped! Both political and religious authorities turned against Christ.
Why was Stephen killed? Should he have kept his opinions to himself? Hears criticized the religious establishment for his hypocrisy. Although she told the plain truth, they confused the issue by taking her words out of context. He no doubt told them that Jerusalem was going to fall and the Temple was going to be destroyed, just as Jesus prophesied, if they didn’t quickly change course (Acts 6:8-15). He was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin (his religious court of his). They angrily condemned him to death for being so outspoken (Acts 7).
I read the Book of Acts, making it much more meaningful and relevant, during my detention in the Russian Compound prison in Jerusalem. If you examine the evidence surrounding Paul’s frequent arrests and incarcerations, you will see a pattern of false charges, misunderstandings, and misguided zeal. It’s a wonder Paul didn’t say “enough is enough” and he quit. But God used him to give us a very human example, since we expect Jesus to act divinely (I Tim. 1:16).
Many in prison proclaim their innocence, but God knows that I was an innocent political-religious prisoner. Israel’s leftist government intended to crush its opposition. As a Christian member of the Temple Mount Faithful, I stand for everything seculars hate. I have been involved in many televised demonstrations to remind the government of its biblical responsibilities. Whether they listen or not is between them and God.
living by faith
The Israeli settlers whom Gerald Flurry (Pastor General of the Philadelphia Church of God) once condemned are risking their lives. By living in Eretz Israel (the Land of Israel) they are exercising their faith in God’s Word that promises the Holy Land to Israel, not Ishmael. How cowardly of Gerald Flurry to throw stones at his faith when he sits safely in his comfortable office in democratic America. God help him (and all other Church leaders) to wake up to this aspect of the Bible that many ignore. Fortunately, from subsequent articles in The Philadelphia Trumpet magazine, it appears that Mr. Flurry’s understanding has improved.
The people of God will not suffer what was prophesied persecution (not that we’re looking for it) until we take a PUBLIC STAND on religious issues that have political ramifications, just like Jesus and the apostles and prophets. It is an artificial separation between politics and religion. God’s one government has two branches: Church and State (Malachi 4:4-5).
Spiritual matters are fought out in the political arena of men’s minds (2 Corinthians 10:4). Whether we recognize it or not, our Israelite nations are engaged in a culture war. Unless we join the fight, promoting the biblical platform that cuts through the brain fog, how can we hope to be in a position to help influence the direction of our nation away from the precipice (Rom. 10:14)? God’s Church has a shallow understanding when they fail to put God’s truth into practice and take political action (James 2:14-17)!
I was detained for a just reason. I am closely associated with those who call for a return to biblical values. We defend the Law of God as our true Constitution. We beseech Judah (and Joseph) to obey God and not men; put his trust in Him and not fear the UN; to restore the Temple Mount as the Temple Mount. If the Jews do not listen to this opportunity for restoration, they will self-destruct, falling apart at the seams. Israel faces the growing threat of civil war and European intervention!
warning to the jews
My enemies (if you have none, God is your enemy), knowing that I have written that the mosques must disappear – the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aksa mosques – have falsely accused me of being in on a plot to destroy those mosques! beautiful abominations! It is the snake up to its old tricks, telling half-truths and mixing them with outrageous lies. I told the GSS (Israeli Secret Police like the former East German Stasi) that I was grateful for the opportunity to clear the air and answer any questions. I didn’t want to incriminate myself in any way, and they tried to set me up, but I also didn’t want to deny Christ the opportunity to testify before them (Mark 12:13).
Meanwhile, during my six and a half hours of interrogation, I prayed only to say what God wanted me to say; nothing more and nothing less (Luke 20:12-19). I clearly warned them that the “peace” process is a trap; that it is about to blow up in their faces, and that a German-led Europe is going to wage a new crusade to enforce the Vatican’s version of peace. Catholic Europe will betray and will betray both the Arabs and the Jews. They will push for Jerusalem to become “an international city” (Zechariah 14:2), all under the cover of UN Resolution 181.
I maintained that the only explosives I am involved with are the bomb I have written, Beyond Babylon: The Rise and Fall of Europe. I continually referred them to that, stating that that is where my beliefs are publicly recorded (John 18:20). (I later gave them a computer disk with my book to aid in their supposed investigation.) I told them that I know that Israel will not take God’s warning seriously, just like the Jews who rejected Jabotinsky’s efforts to save them from Hitler. (Ze’ev Jabotinksy warned the Jews of Hitler’s fury, but they thought he was just crying wolf.) However, God will step in and save us after our worst hour of suffering, and every survivor in Jerusalem will be holy.
All that ordeal brought my name, and the fact that I have written a book, and that I am a Sabbath-keeping Christian member of the Temple Mount Faithful, to Israel’s attention (Philippians 1:12- 14). It also increases my position in the Jewish community that knows that I am willing to suffer to help try to save Israel from itself, and that I am not bitter, but I still hope for Israeli citizenship. I have shown that I am not a friend of fair weather. I plan to stand by Judah’s side, even when they fall apart because they refused to take the necessary steps to ensure “Never Again.” (Isaiah 49:5; 1 Samuel 12:23).