Biblical Perspectives of the Middle East Conflict
While the United States has always been an outspoken ally of Israel, our country has continually attempted to negotiate some form of peace treaty to reduce the threat of terrorism and war that would involve other nations. The US proposal was usually a type of two-state solution that guaranteed the peaceful coexistence of both sides. Inevitably, whenever an agreement appeared likely, the Arabs refused to sign.
Many consider the Jewish-Arab conflict complicated and impossibly problematic. In reality, it is truly simple. Arab terrorism by whatever name has only one announced, published, and proclaimed goal – the absolute destruction of Israel and the murder of all Jews. Given this genocidal doctrine, no compromise is possible. That fact is ignored or denied by the American media but accepted by Israel and the majority of its citizens.
The Middle East is called the birthplace of civilization. The first records of human history, oral and written, originated from that small region around the Mediterranean Sea. The history of great empires rising and falling, war and peace, art and architecture were a critical part of a proper and thorough education. The greatest gift from the Mediterranean fertile crescent is the monotheistic religion that furnished to humanity a unique belief system with moral codes and philosophies that shaped centuries of human life.
Those centuries were not peaceful. The common human frailties of greed and lust for power, usually augmented by religious intolerance and disputes about spiritual belief, kept the world in a constant state of war. Judaeo-Christianity and Islam have emerged as the two dominant religions that shape those conflicts in our current time. The Middle East is the focal point of that conflict today, but the entire world has become directly involved.
Historically, Islamic terrorist groups were designed by Arab governments in the Middle East as a surrogate force to prevent the establishment of the State of Israel. When the United Nations mandated a Jewish State in 1949 as part of a divided Jewish-Arab Palestine, Islamic terrorism became focused on eliminating Israel. In spite of several wars and constant threats of terrorist attacks, Israel has grown and prospered to become a paradigm of western-style society in a region hostile to its existence.
Thirteen years ago, my wife and I went to Israel with Mike Huckabee on his annual pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It was an educational and emotional experience that changed our lives forever. A key player was our tour guide, a young man from Philadelphia, known now as “Steve the Tour Guide”, who was an incredibly important part of our journey.
“Steve the Tour Guide” spent half his life in the USA and half in Israel. He served in the Golani Brigade of the Israeli Army. He earned a PhD from Hebrew University in Jerusalem in Greek, Roman, and Hebrew literature of the Second Temple Period, as well as degrees in International Relations (with an emphasis on the modern Middle East conflict) and comparative religion.
With his considerable education and background in history and religion, he is most definitely a credible and able observer of the current events in Israel and their Biblical implications.
Dr. Dan’s guest on Freedom Forum Radio is Steve the Tour Guide. Steve offers a comprehensive discussion of the events related to the Hamas attack on Israel, the mood of the Israeli people, the political realities for Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the options and implications for Israel, Islamic terrorism, and global security.
Follow “Steve the Tour Guide” on YouTube.com.
Part one of this four-part interview begins this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, September 14-15, on WJRB 95.1 FM and streamed live over the Internet.
Episode #2: Saturday-Sunday, September 21-22
Episode #3: Saturday-Sunday, September 28-29
Episode 4: Saturday and Sunday, October 5-6
Air times are:
Saturday 8:00 AM and 9:30 AM
Sunday 2:30 PM and 7:00 PM
All programs are available by podcast following air time here.
“That fact [jihad] is ignored or denied by the American media but accepted by Israel and the majority of its citizens.”
it’s freaking AMAZING to me how nearly EVERYONE blatantly ignores the fact that jihad = genocide. Muslim jihadists of Islam explicitly state its goal: to destroy everyone who won’t convert, starting with the “Jews”.
the Bible is correct, in that during these last days, good will be considered evil and vice versa. thankfully, the kingdom of Jesus Christ, Yahshua Messiah, is soon coming to end all satanic kingdoms.