Sabbath Services
The word of God shows us the way of peace. We are to look forward to the future, setting our sights on what lies just ahead, if we are to make it through the current struggles. We are called to be watchmen in a dying age. There is a rich history underpinning the current Israel-Palestine conflict. Abraham and Sarah had a son named Isaac. Isaac begat twins- Jacob and Esau. Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. Israel had 12 sons, and each of these sons became one of the tribes of Israel, with prophecies appointed to each. A second lineage running simultaneously started when Abraham and Hagar had a son named Ishmael. The two families warred and intermarried throughout the ages, often centering on a city Holy to both the Jews (Judah was a tribe of Israel) and the Muslims. Islam began with a man named Muhammad. After his death, Islam split into two major factions- The Sunni and the Shiites, divided based on the land and line of succession. Mr. Fritts details further the origins of Islam, Zionism, Israel, and their conflict throughout history. Jumping ahead in prophecy, we see that Jerusalem will remain a focal point even up until the end of days. Here, animal sacrifices will be reinstituted then taken away. Following, the abomination of desolation (sacrifice of swine’s flesh on the temple mount) will be set up. This occurs near the time of fleeing to the place of safety for God’s elect and occurs just prior to the return of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, conflict in the middle east isn’t going away. In fact, even if there is respite, this conflict will only get worse over time until Christ comes back. The good news is, when Christ returns, He will be bringing with Him a single united government that will enforce peace and cooperation under a loving, one-world government.
