‘Iranian president was born Jewish’
Written: 10-3-2009
Rapture Forum Staff: Chris

In today’s news came a very surprising yet interesting revelation that the anti-semitic Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was actually a Jewish convert to Islam. This revelation came in the form of an article from the Jerusalem Post which detailed the Iranian president showing his “identification” card. The article reports:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was born Jewish and converted to Islam, according to a report in London’s Daily Telegraph. The Saturday report cited a photograph from 2008 which showed Ahmadinejad holding up his identity card, bearing his former last name, Sabourjian, a common Jewish name in Iran. The Telegraph said that the name was “Jewish” for cloth weaver, and that the Iranian president’s family had changed their name when they converted to Islam. “The name derives from “weaver of the Sabour,” the name for the Jewish Tallit shawl in Persia,” the report said.

For me it is mindboggling that a person born Jewish like Ahmadinejad could have so much hatred towards his own original people and ancestors. Yet when we fully understand the hatred and twisted logic behind Islam then we can finally understand how this can become a reality. The article went on to talk about the psychological impact of converting to Islam (or any other religion) might have on an individual. The article detailed that it is common for converts from one religion to another to attack and condemn their original religion. This is of itself a form of pride and as we know was likely the first sin committed in history when Satan became full of himself in Heaven. We can all look at Iranian president Ahmadinejad and know that he has an issue with pride. His prideful determination to thumb his nose at the world over the nuclear issue and especially towards the Jewish state of Israel. Like Satan, I’m afraid that Ahmadinejad will have his day of judgment and perhaps soon if Israel strikes Iran’s nuclear program. Ahmadinejad is just the type of leader that Iran needs to lead it into the Ezekiel 38-39 scenario.

In another article the prideful Ahmadinejad asserted that US President Obama was wrong to accuse Iran of hiding their recently revealed second nuclear enrichment facility. The fact is that even IAEA chief ElBaradei admitted that Iran was “on the wrong side of the law” when they did not report the facility when they started building it. The Haaretz news website reported:

Iran’s president says President Barack Obama made a big mistake when he accused the country of hiding a newly revealed nuclear site that Iran claims it reported to the UN nuclear watchdog within the necessary timeframe. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s comments Saturday come just before the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, is scheduled to arrive in Iran to discuss the uranium enrichment facility near the holy city of Qom.

Further:

ElBaradei recently said Tehran was “on the wrong side of the law” over its new plant. He said Iran should have revealed its plans as soon as it decided to build the facility – a position backed by the U.S. Ahmadinejad said Iran revealed the facility to the IAEA on Sept. 21, four days before Obama denounced Tehran. The UN’s nuclear watchdog has confirmed that its director general will visit Iran this weekend.

So we can see once again that despite being completely out of line with the rest of the world, the Iranian president asserts his prideful yet wrong view of things. This is of course is becoming the norm in Iran and is of no surprise to any of us. Just when you thought the Iranians couldn’t out do themselves on the ridiculous side of things, they come up with something even more ridiculous. It is my opinion that ElBaradei will meet with the Iranian leadership and basically get nowhere with them on complying with current UN resolutions to stop their nuclear activities. It is looking more likely with each passing day that the world community seems to be set on doing nothing but passing toothless sanctions and jawboning with the Iranians. While at the same time the Iranians keep making progress with their illegal nuclear activities. A day of reckoning may soon be in store for Ahmadinejad and Iran as Israel watches the situation intensely from the political sidelines.

Finally, in another article from the Haaretz news website a commentary was posted that was entitled “Washington doesn’t get it: Iran just wants the bomb”. The article reports:

Over the summer, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden boldly asserted that Israel, “as a sovereign nation,” has the right to protect itself against a nuclearizing Iran. In law, the precise protective action that Biden had in mind is called “anticipatory self-defense.” Now, however, official Washington is offering Jerusalem much less audacious “advice” than undertaking a permissible preemption. In essence, the current and still plainly futile message is “tougher sanctions.” On several occasions, the “international community” has imposed “serious” sanctions against Iran. Nonetheless, uranium enrichment has only accelerated in that country. At no time, in fact, has Tehran shown even the slightest inclination to value a promised proper place in the world higher than simply getting “the bomb.” Once again, Washington just doesn’t get it.

This is really the sum of the Iranian situation in a nutshell. While the commentary title focuses on Washington not getting “it”, I am also inclined to lump the rest of the world in with Washington. I truly do not understand how the world community can just sit on their hands and allow a rogue terrorist supporting state that is driven by a dangerous radical theology like Islam to obtain nuclear weapons. These are the same Iranians that are driven by it’s president who is a member of an Islamic sect that is wanting some sort of apocalyptic showdown in order to bring about their “messiah” figure also known as the “Mahdi”. This sort of delusional nonsense should awaken even the most politically dead country and spring them into action. But no, that is sadly not the case today. The world community appears to be in a political coma that has basically rendered them paralyzed to doing anything about Iran.

In my opinion the current situation with Iran is worse than the situation with Hitler in WW2 in that the weapons that Ahmadinejad will have at his disposal are of the worse kind imaginable. Hitler could only dream of such weapons in his lifetime, but Ahmadinejad is just mere months away from possibly obtaining these weapons if they are not stopped. And once again, the world community operating with the spirit of Neville Chamberlain sits around in a political fog not realizing or not wanting to realize the danger of a nuclear Iran. Never before has such an apocalyptic group of people ever come this close to obtaining the worse wepaons in the world and threaten the very existence of a democratic state like Iran has done with Israel. If there was ever a time for the world community to act collectively and in unity, it is now. We are seeing today that man never seems to learn from his past mistakes and is oftentimes prone to repeat them. And sadly that mistake will likely culminate in WW3 as the Ezekiel 38-39 scenario is fulfilled.

The time is clearly upon us when the window of opportunity for stopping Iran from achieving their nuclear dreams and aspirations is going to close shut permanently. Will the world community rise to the occasion or will Israel be left to handle the situation on their own? Sadly, I think we all know the answer. I do not believe that the world will lift a single finger to stop Iran and Israel will be left to do the dirty deed of stopping Iran even if it is only temporarily. Israel’s motto is “never again” after the Holocaust. I would tend to think that the time clock is finally about to go off for Iran. Let us keep watching and looking up, as the Lord told us that when these things come to pass, that our redemption draws nigh.

Until next time, God bless.

The Origin Of Evil
By Jack Kelley

I received a great question this week. A regular visitor wanted to know, is evil a “thing” or the “absence of good”? The writer went on to say, “I understand how evil entered creation via the fall, but it seems to me that something (evil) that had never existed before suddenly came to be.”

It seems to her that this thing we call evil which didn’t exist in God’s perfect creation had to have an origin.

“Was that Satan?” she asked. “Did he/does he have a form of destructive de-creative power to bring something to be that wasn’t?”

In essence, did Satan “create” evil? Let’s find out.

In his Gospel, the Apostle John addressed the issue of whether evil is merely the absence of good. Speaking of Jesus in terms of light and darkness, he wrote;

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (John 1:3-5)

The word translated understood here also means overcome, but either way if the darkness John referred to was simply the absence of light, as we know it to be, then by it’s very presence the light would have replaced it. Darkness is not an entity or force and can neither understand nor overcome. It always yields to light, returning only when light is withdrawn.

And if John was talking merely in terms of physical life and death, as some understand the passage, the same would be true because by definition death is the absence of life. So John had to be speaking in the spiritual sense. The light represents the Lord Jesus, the personification of good. The darkness that cannot overcome Him represents Satan, the prince of darkness and the personification of evil. So evil is not simply the absence of good.

John 1:3-5 also contains the answer to another question. Did Satan create evil? Again, speaking of Jesus John wrote, Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Paul confirmed this in his letter to the Colossians.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16)

If you read these two passages as being all inclusive, as I do, then you have to conclude that Satan, who is himself a created being, did not create evil.

Where Did That Come From?

So where did evil come from? Ezekiel and Isaiah have the answer.

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

” ‘You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.” (Ezekiel 28:11-13)

Through the first 10 verses of chapter 28 Ezekiel had been speaking to Ittobaal, the human ruler of Tyre, calling him the prince of Tyre. Beginning in verse 11 the Lord had him look past the the human figurehead to the power behind the throne, Satan, who Ezekiel addressed as the King of Tyre.

Some commentators see the mention of precious stones as representing the fact that Satan was clothed in light. But one fact is clear to all. Satan was created, confirming what John and Paul said. He was not created to be evil, and in fact was the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

“You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.” (Ezek. 28:14)

Satan’s original role was to head up the squadron of Cherubim who guard the Throne of God. Among men, those chosen for the palace guard are considered to be the most loyal, highly skilled, and trustworthy, the finest examples of the King’s warriors. As the leader of such a group charged with protecting the Throne of God, Satan would have been among the most admired of all created beings.

“You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor”. (Ezek. 28:15-17a)

It Didn’t Need To Turn Out That Way

Like I said, Satan was not created to be evil. But like all of us, he had the potential for choosing evil. He was the most beautiful, wise, and powerful of all God’s created beings and became very proud of these things. It was this pride that caused his downfall , and when he was caught out his pride would not let him submit, so he rebelled. Isaiah 14:13-14 tells how he set out to elevate himself above the angels once again, to sit enthroned in the place of God, and become like God.

You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

In his pride Satan demanded that glory due only to God be redirected toward himself. In doing so he gave us the Biblical definitions of good and evil. Everything that yields to God or or glorifies Him is good, and everything that rebels against God or glorifies someone or something else is evil.

God Himself appears to hold this view. Look at Isaiah 42:8;

“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.”

Shortly after the Creation, Satan introduced this evil into the world by convincing Adam and Eve to break the only rule God had given them. This seemingly minor act of rebellion caused all of mankind’s potential for evil to be greatly magnified and made rebellion man’s natural state. Paul called it our sin nature and it turned the Creation upside down. Where Satan had been made as the model of perfection with the potential for choosing evil, mankind would hereafter be predisposed toward evil with the potential for choosing to be made perfect. (In other words, Satan had to choose evil. We have to choose good.) And what’s more Satan no longer had to personally see to every act of evil. By orchestrating that one act of disobedience he had set mankind on a downward spiral that soon resulted in a state where every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time (Genesis 6:5).

Things Are Not Always As They Seem

It’s important to recognize that evil is not merely a type of behavior. In fact it’s more a function of intent. That makes evil a motivating force behind behavior. It’s easy for us to judge behavior that’s obviously destructive, cruel, or immoral as being evil. But behavior that outwardly seems to produce much good can still be considered evil in God’s sight unless it’s undertaken in submission to Him for the purpose of glorifying Him. The end does not justify the means with God. Motives must be pure to make actions pure.

This is something most people simply do not understand. We think something that looks good or produces a good result must be good. But the Bible is clear. It’s the motive energizing our behavior that really counts, no matter how good the result looks to us or to others. Like the Lord said, “A bad tree cannot bear good fruit.” (Matt. 7:18)

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. (1 Cor. 4:5)

So evil is a spiritual power, a motivating force that began with a choice. It originated when a created being demanded to be treated as if he was the Creator and went downhill from there. The consequences of that choice are suffered by each one of us every day. It took the death of God’s own Son to reverse its effect on us, and then only if we choose to allow it.

For those who don’t, God will again say;

“I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.” (Genesis 6:13)

The choice is clear and the time is near. Even so come Lord Jesus. Selah 10-03-09

The “Awesome Christ”: Born of Flesh
By Joseph Chambers

The Prince of the Heavenly Father, His Son from eternity, was Heaven’s only hope to redeem the fallen race. The Redeemer had to be next of kin and the entire Heavenly host was comprised of created beings. It was this unknown One and the Holy Spirit that the Father had addressed when He said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26a). This was the Word that the Father had uttered, “Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3a), and the mighty Christ stretched light across the formless space. This Christ lived in the message of hope that Noah preached for one hundred years.

Abraham was visited by this “Son of God” in the presence of two mighty angels, no doubt cherubims, God’s earthly keepers. The Word says, “And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant” (Genesis 18:1, 3). God’s promise of a son to the aged Abraham and Sarah was given at this visitation. The classic words often repeated were spoken by the Christ Himself, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14a).

The repentant Jacob sought and found this Christ as he returned from Haran back to the Promise Land. Left alone, after sending all he possessed across a brook toward home, he waited in the abandonment of heart-felt surrender. Tired of being the deceiver, he was ready for a change of heart. “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day” (Genesis 32:24). The Lord said to Jacob, “Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” (Genesis 32:26). After his change of name from Jacob to Israel (a Prince), Jacob said, “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved” (Genesis 32:30b).

When someone’s eyes are opened to the mystery of the Holy Scripture, this Christ literally fills the First Testament. The Son of God Himself spoke in John’s gospel, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John 5:39-40). He spoke here only of the First Covenant from Genesis to Malachi. All I know to say of this profound truth is, O that men would read this Bible to search only after the “Christ.”

In the fullness of time, He stepped out of the shadows of the Old Covenant and appeared in the light of the New Covenant. I believe that John the Beloved said it best as he opened his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:1-5).

The statement, “The darkness comprehended it not,” is overwhelming. The darkness could not master the light and had no escape. It simply vanished away. When anyone experiences the “light of the awesome Christ,” he can never be the same.

John adds a postscript to those first verses of his gospel, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). This is the world’s greatest moment. It is no wonder that the educated mind, locked in human wisdom, cannot make this leap of faith. He, that walked in the midst of the supernatural realm and flung great stars into their orbits, had suddenly appeared in the form of flesh. Right out of the presence of His Father, He appeared to give us this unclouded view of the Divine.

As we, of the fallen human family, allow the Holy Spirit to open our hearts, our spiritual eyes can glimpse “His Glory.” After over fifty-seven years of knowing Him, I still sense how weak my glimmer is of Him. It is no wonder that the transformed Apostle Paul said, after many years of following his Lord, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10). The apostle added, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

The first chapter of Revelation is the final revelation revealed in the Holy Scripture. John the Revelator saw Him in His post-resurrection glory. Jesus Christ, the Son of man, had said to His Heavenly Father, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” (John 17:5). The Father answered that prayer and John saw the results.

As John was in the Spirit, lifted into a realm where flesh could be transcended, he saw His excellent glory. “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (Revelation 1:12-16).

We should devour this final revelation from God. There is no source of spiritual truth that is trustworthy except the perfect Word of God. When someone claims they have a “word from God” that is not Bible saturated, you know that person is hearing nonsense.

The “Awesome Christ” is still revealed and being revealed in this closing hour. I suggest you spread the Book of John out on your personal altar for a few weeks as you search to know Him. Pray this simple prayer, “That I may experience Him,” and accept that He really wants you to know Him and that He searches your heart to know you. Remember the song, “How Big Is God?” and the line of that song, “He’s big enough to rule His mighty universe, yet small enough to live within my heart.”

Joseph R. Chambers
jrc@pawcreek.org