HAMAS

A “News and Views with Pastor Sawatzky” Segment:

 Every Word of Scripture has great significance. In the one chapter Old Testament Book of Obadiah, there is an obscure warning given to the Edomites, the offspring of Esau. Obadiah 10: “For thy violence (Heb. khaw-mawce') against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.”

HAMAS (in Arabic, an acronym for "Harakat Al-Muqawama Al-Islamia" -- Islamic Resistance Movement -- and a word meaning zeal) is a radical Islamic fundamentalist organization which became active in the early stages of the intifada, operating primarily in the Gaza District but also in Judea and Samaria. Formed in late 1987, as an outgrowth of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, various HAMAS elements have used both political and violent means, including terrorism, to pursue the goal of establishing an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel. Loosely structured, with some elements working clandestinely and others working openly through mosques and social service institutions to recruit members, raise money, organize activities, and distribute propaganda. In a January 2006 election, Hamas won a majority of seats in the Palestinian legislature. (http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/hamas.htm)

The Hebrew word for “Violence” in Obadiah verse 10 is omx chamac khaw-mawce'. It simply means “violence, cruelty, mean, injustice” according to Strong’s definitions.

Let our city Fathers be warned from the Scripture. To allow demonstrations in our city streets in support of Hamas and against Israel is to take sides with violence, cruelty, meanness and injustice.

What can you and I as an individual do? We can pray for the peace of Jerusalem and not encourage the terrorist agenda in the Middle East by giving them any platform in any public place to express their hatred for Israel.

God said He would “bless those who would bless Abraham and curse those who would curse him….” Genesis 12:1-3. We will not gain any positive peace by castigating the nation of Israel. It is significant to the entire prophetic program revealed in Holy Scripture.

A number of Islamist countries are encouraging Israel to wipe out Hamas. This they hope will give more power to the Fatah party to come to more power once again. Fatah has not been especially friendly with Israel, especially since Israel held Yasser Arafat  prisoner towards to end of his life.

The quartet for peace – The UN; EU; Russia and the USA has concentrated its efforts to establish peace in Israel with its hostile neighbours, but the stone throwing and rocket launching is so deeply engrained in that region that no human negotiation will put a complete stop to it.

Is it then altogether hopeless? No.

Isaiah 9:6 predicts the coming of the Prince of Peace of Whose government there will be no end. When Jesus Christ, the prophesied Prince of Peace comes in His glory and power, He will eliminate the goat nations and usher His sheep nations into the millennial kingdom where peace and unity will exist in righteousness.

We have a positive hope that should encouragement to all who believe. There is the promise of the imminent rapture. Jesus Christ will come in the clouds of the air and take us out of this present world at His time appointed. That will be followed by a seven year period of false peace and unprecedented violence and war such as the world has never seen. Jesus Christ will return in power and stop all war and ungodly activity as He judges the nations and establishes His reign of Peace.

Praise God for hope in a world of dismal news.