Almighty God
Has A
Sense of Humour
                                                                                          By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                          December 4, 2018
     "Why do the heathen [Gentiles] rage, and the peoples imagine a vain thing?
     The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His anointed, saying,
     Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
     He that sitteth in the heavens SHALL LAUGH: the Lord shall have them in derision.  
     Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His
sore displeasure.
     Yet have I set My king upon My holy hill of Zion," Psalm 2:1-6.
Introduction
     Yes, I most certainly do believe the God whom true believers love, worship, and serve, does indeed have a sense of humour.  In my lifetime I have seen a number of things, which the Lord God was obviously directing, to believe otherwise.  
     This passage which I used for a text for this study, is speaking of God's "wrath" coming upon the kings and rulers of the nations who are in power right today, and who are taking counsel together to abolish "Christianity" as one of the world's "religions," and the Holy Bible as being a book inspiired of God.  As the Lord God is observing all of these plans and movements of men, He who is Almighty, must be laughing at these frail rulers efforts to despose Him and His Word.  
     What I want to do in this study is to set before our readers an example of God's sense of humour at work among men; an example which has almost been forgotten by those living today.  
One Hundred One Years Ago
     Many of our readers will have studied about this, but may not have brought it to mind in view of events taking place today.  
     One hundred one years ago would have been 1917.  What was happening at that time in relation to the Jewish people, and the nations of the world?  World War One was coming to an end.  
     The allied armies, led by General "Lord" Allenbey, had pushed the Turkish forces out of northern Africa, and back into the Middle east.  The Turkish forces had been allies of Germany.  Germany had already been defeated, but the Turks in northern Africa and the Middle East were still fighting..  
      Those readers who seriously study history in the light of God's Word, or vice versa, know that the armies of the Roman Empire hadinvaded the land of Israel in 70 A.D. They surrounded the city of Jerusalem, and then breached the walls, killing over a million of the Jewish people in the process.  They then burned the city, including the Temple of God, and drove the Jewish people out of the land of Israel.   The Jews were then scattered all over the world, fleeing to different nations as refugees, where most of them remain to this present day..  The "promised land" was then left desolate and almost empty.  Just a few of the Jewish people remained in the land by hiding in the mountains.   The land of Israel remained mostly desolate and empty for centuries.  
     Then in 1417 the Ottoman Turks, seeing all of that empty land, moved their armies and people into the land, and annexed the holy land for themselves.  And there the Ottoman Turks remained for the next 400 years.   Then the First World War began in 1914.  In that war the nation of Turkey became an ally of  Germany.  Bad choice!  
     In the First World War, Germany was defeated, but the Ottoman Turks refused to stop fighting.  When Allenbey's forces drove them out of northern Africa, they retreated across Gaza to the city of Jerusalem and dug in.  
     They purposed that they would fight to the death of the last man rather than giving up the city of Jerusalem. The people living in Jerusalem at that time were also all Muslims, and sympathetic to the Turkish forces.   Hoo boy!  What an opportunity for the God of Israel to demonstrate His might and power by showing His "signs and wonders" on behalf of Israel; His chosen people.   Read Deuteronomy 6:22-23.  
     I am not sure about the exact dates, for I just don't remember, but a few days before Allenbey's forces were set to breach the walls, and  invade Jerusalem, the first airplanes ever used in war had been shipped  to General Allenbey in crates..  He had requested them, because the Turkish forces were dug in behind the walls of Jerusalem, and Allenbey had no way of knowing where to  begin his attack.  His mechanics worked feverishly assembling those airplanes piece by piece.  In a couple of days they had the planes assembled and ready to fly.  It was the first week in December, 1917.  
The Wisdom and Humour of God
     Now I want our readers to get the humour in this situation.  There is no question in my mind that the Lord God knew every detail and brought together a number of things to work out His will, and fulfill His prophetic Word.    
     Before attacking Jerusalem, Allenbey, under a flag of truce, send a letter to the commander of the Turkish forces inside the walls of Jerusalem.  Allenbey demanded the immediate unconditional surrender of the Turkish forces, telling their commander that if they did not surrender, his forces would be wiped out to the last man.  He signed that letter with his name, rank, and his position in the royal court in England; General "Lord" Allenbey.  
      If our readers are not aware of it, the word "bey" or "ben" in both the Hebrew and Islamic languages means "son."  The commander of the Turkish forces read the letter and was astonished.  He thought he was receiving a letter from the Son of the Lord God of Heaven.   
      And Allenbey wasn't waiting.  After sending the letter, he had ordered the pilots to get their planes into the air, instructing the pilots to fly over the city of Jerusalem and see exactly where the Turkish forces were "dug in," so he would know the best places to attack.  
      Now folks, those early airplanes did not have any mufflers on the engines, giving the engines just slightly more power.  The engines bellowed with a terrific sound, which echoed off the mountains surrounding Jerusalem.  And since airplanes were  a new thing at that time, still in the stages of development,  the Turkish forces had never seen an airplane, and had no idea what they were.   
      The effect this had on those Turkish forces was totally unexpected by
General Allenbey.  In utter panic the commanders of the Turkish forces ran screaming from their positions, crying out for their forces to RETREAT.  They literally believed they had received a letter from the Son  of God, and that He had then sent His "angels of death" flying through the sky over them, and that they would be destroyed at any minute.  Those Turkish forces dropped their weapon, through off their heavy packs, and gear, and ran, yes literally ran through the streets of Jerusalem, screaming at the top of their voices for their false god, Allah, to have mercy on them and spare their lives.  And they all ran in the same direction; NORTH, headed back home to Turkey as fast as they could run.   The Turks who actually lived in Jerusalem were also on their knees and faces begging for mercy from the "Son of God."  
     From somewhere, someone obtained a white horse, the favored color of horse for conquering rulers to ride.  The next morning, December 9, 1917, General Allenbey rode that white horse into Jerusalem, exactly as the Lord God Himself is going to do as recorded in Revelation 19:11-16.  Not a shot was fired by anyone.  After riding through the gate of Jerusalem, General Allenbey dismounted and walked through the streets of Jerusalem.  Every person living in Jerusalem at that time was outside of their homes, waiting and watching.  As Allenbey approached,
the entire family fell to their knees and prayed and worshipped Allenbey, thinking they were seeing and worshipping the Son of God.  
     And Allenbey!  He was giving them assurance that they would not be harmed if they obeyed him and his soldiers.  
     A Scriptural Truth
     Dear readers, if you have never studied or heard this account before, it is absolutely a fulfillment of a prophecy in the inspired Word of God.  Turn in your Bibles and carefully read Isaiah 31:4-5.  The "lion" and the "young lion" in 31:4 are speaking of Great Britain and America.  Notice that they are "roaring" on their prey, exactly like those first airplanes used in war roared over the city of Jerusalem.  
     And notice that 31:5 explicitly states that "As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also He will deliver it; and passing over He will preserve it."  
Conclusion
      The first time I ever read this account,, I broke into laughter and into praise of our Lord.  Surely, He must have laughted as He brought all of these seeming "coincidences" together to defend and deliver Jerusalem, and to rout an entire army.   The Lord Himself must have laughted as He watched the Turkish army run screaming in absolute terror from the city of Jerusalem.  
     Like I said, the Lord God of Heaven and Earth must have a great sense of humour!  Praise His Holy Name!  
     Dear readers, this is God whom we who are true believers love, live for, worship, and serve.  Just as He saved Jerusalem back there one hundred one years ago, He is still saving every soul who will come to Him by faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  If any reader has never been saved from sin and death, and from having to spend eternity in Hell, then won't you right now bow your head in prayer and humbly ask the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart by faith,  and save your soul for time and for eternity?  He loves YOU, and wants to save you. And He is waiting to hear from you.   John 3:16-18; Romans 10:8-13.           
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     My personal contact information:
POSTAL.......Pastor F. M. Riley, 14275 Co. Rd. 8120, Rolla, MO 65401
EMAIL.........francismriley34@gmail.com
PHONE.......573-202-6493  
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