Pardon My Interruption: Craig's Thoughts About This And That
“Don’t mistake temptation for opportunity.”
That’s REALLY good advice. Don’t be mistaken though, I don’t buy bags of fortune cookies to get direction for my life. Today’s cookie said that I would reach the highest levels of intelligence. And I’m taking that as a swing and a miss.
After surveying the story of Ehud, my Bible college professor said, “Perhaps you could call this story ‘When Lefty Let Fatty Have It.” Twenty six years later, I still remember his strong West Virginia accent, his perfect delivery, and the smile he had on his face because the students got the punch line.
Sin:
Servitude:
Supplication:
Salvation:
Silence:
The first judge that we have record of is Othniel, the younger brother of Caleb (1:13). Here are the highlights of his story:
Sin: Israel “forgot the LORD the God and served the Baals and the Asherahs” (3:7).
Servitude: The LORD‘s anger burned against them, and he sold them into the hands of the Aramean (Syria) king, Cushan-Rishatahaim (3:8)
Supplication: Cushan’s control of the Israelites lasted 8 years until the Israelites cried out to the LORD (3:9).
Salvation: The LORD raised up Othniel to deliver the Israelites from the control of Cushan (3:9-10).
Silence: The Israelites had peace for 40 years until the death of Othniel (3:11).
According to Haaretz News, Hamas leader Khaled Meshal said, “Palestinians must resort to resistance no matter how costly it is, until Palestine is free and Israel is destroyed (emphasis added).”
That was said in Iran at an international conference supporting the Palestinian Intifada, which was headlined by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei was quite outspoken regarding the two-state solution. Among other things, he said, “Our claim is freedom of Palestine, not part of Palestine. Any plan that partitions Palestine is totally rejected,” And, as if he was intentionally confirming the content of my last post, he clarified, “Palestine spans from the river (Jordan) to the sea (Mediterranean), nothing less.”
Other reports from/about the conference:
-The full text of Khamenei’s speech is provided by the Islamic Republic News Agency.
-The Arab Monitor also has some commentary.
Many people who are discussing a “two-state solution” to the Middle East problem are unaware of the sentiment and symbolism expressed in this photo:
The key in the photo can be found at the southern entrance to Jericho and is used both as a reminder and a warning. It is used as a reminder to the Arab people that they have an obligation to regain any territories that are considered to be stolen by the Jews (i.e. the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea). Also, it should be understood by the West to be a warning that a Jewish state is ultimately unacceptable in the neighborhood.
The key in the photo isn’t a unique example; it’s actually a well-known symbol among Palestinian refugees, many of whom still hold keys to property they (or their predecessors) left in 1948. This is why the final disposition of the Palestinian refugees “right of return” (to Israel or Palestine) and the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state are critical issues in the negotiations between the two sides in any discussion of a two-state solution.
“The Key” demonstrates that it’s much more complicated than simply having the UN declare a Palestinian state as was requested last Friday.