John  What a week with Annapolis!  And change of Government in Australia.  Some great posts throughout the week - I either read the Five Doves update late at night or early the next morning.  Just great!  Thanks again.  Denis

PSALM 60 - 60 YEARS ON

As time’s clock moved through 60 years from the UN resolution establishing the State of Israel on 29 November 1947, I felt led by the Holy Spirit to check Psalm 60.  Very interesting and highly relevant to events of the past week.  There is only one other book of the Bible with more than 60 chapters - Isaiah - and I have previously commented Isaiah 60 below this - reproduced below.

Psalm 60 excerpts (Amplified):  (1) O God You have rejected us and cast us off…scattered us…restore us and turn Yourself to us again.  (2)  You have made the land to quake  (On Nov. 20, an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter Scale shook Israel and Jordan…epicentre was in the area of the Dead Sea).  You have rent it open - repair its breaches, for it shakes and totters (this may reflect the leadership in Israel!)  You have made Your people suffer hard things…You have set up a BANNER for those who worshipfully fear You..a standard displayed because of the truth.  (5)  That Your beloved ones may be delivered. 

(6)  This is important  God has spoken in His holiness.  I will divide and portion out the land!  At Annapolis man is usurping and pre-empting God’s role.  While given through promises deep in history, the ‘purchase’ of the land of Israel was sealed with the priceless blood of Jesus as it fell into the earth on Calvary.  Satan took Jesus to the top of a high mountain and showed Him the kingdoms of the world - but He is returning to Calvary - the hill of His death and humiliation, the place where His blood flowed.   

The next verses speak of lands in and around Israel, and one is very important - over Philistia (the Palestinians) I raise the shout of victory (8).  (11)  O give us help against the adversary…for vain is the help of man.  With the United States supporting a Palestinian State Israel will have only one choice - to look to the God of Israel.  The Psalm finishes with the words that are also a triumphant song for Israel and the Church – through our God we shall do valiantly, for it is He Who will tread down our enemies.

Pastor Rile (Sequel 28 November 2007) speaks of a new beginning, one that I believe will come out of the imminent period of darkness facing the Earth and spoken of in Isaiah 60:  The precise nature of what is to transpire is not clear, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, but it will be a time of shaking of the earth and the economy, and a time of war.  We are about to enter the time of darkness spoken of in Isaiah 60 (Darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness all peoples).  We may not know exactly what is to transpire, but we know that He is at the Door and that He is in control.  He loves us for being those who love His appearing.  Maranatha!