Joel Rosenberg: Difference Between ‘Radical’ and ‘Apocalyptic’ Islam — and Israel’s Future Under Trump

New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Author Breaks Down Difference Between ‘Radical’ and ‘Apocalyptic’ Islam — and Israel’s Future Under Trump (My interview & podcast with Faithwire.com) by joelcrosenberg >> How can Christians make a lasting difference in the lives of people facing great darkness in the Middle East? Ten years ago, my wife and I founded a non-profit organization called The Joshua Fund to answer that very question. Today, TJF is mobilizing Evangelical Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus. Our 2016 Donor Report shares how TJF is caring for the poor and needy, Holocaust survivors, and Syrian and Iraqi refugees, preaching the Gospel and strengthening the Church to make disciples in the epicenter by God’s grace and your help. Please take a moment to read the report and watch several short videos explaining what we do. (Denver, Colorado) -- Last week in Manhattan, I sat down for an interview with Billy Hallowell, senior editor of Faithwire.com. It was a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation and one I enjoyed a great deal. Among the topics we discussed: Why are Israelis cautiously optimistic about the incoming Trump-Pence administration? What are the major threats facing the U.S. and Israel in the Middle East in the coming years? Why is it important for the next President to educate the American people about the differences between Islam, Radical Islam and Apocalyptic Islam, and to be careful and nuanced in the discussion? Why have I written a series of political thrillers -- The Third Target, The First Hostage and the forthcoming novel, Without Warning -- about the Islamic State, their genocidal brand of End Times theology, and their bloodthirsty drive to destroy Judeo-Christian society and establish a global caliphate? What are some of the differences between Biblical eschatology and Islamic eschatology? Here's the article Hallowell just posted on our interview -- and the podcast of our full discussion (it runs about 41 minutes): Author Breaks Down Difference Between ‘Radical’ and ‘Apocalyptic’ Islam — and Israel’s Future Under Trump By Billy Hallowell, Faithwire, December 16, 2016 Author Joel Rosenberg recently dropped by the Faithwire newsroom to talk about a wide array of subjects, including radical Islam, president-elect Donald Trump’s stunning victory — and Israel’s relationship with the United States. Among the points of discussion, Rosenberg — author of the soon-to-release novel “Without Warning” — broke down some of the important differences he sees between radical and apocalyptic Islam, and discussed how Israelis have responded to Trump’s shocking presidential win against Democratic contender Hillary Clinton. “Radical Islam is the movement that says, ‘We will use force … to drive the infidels, mainly Judeo-Christian society, out of the regions that we call holy lands and holy places,'” Rosenberg explained, citing Al Qaeda, Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood and the Taliban as some of the groups that subscribe to the ideology. He continued, “A subset of radical Islam (called apocalyptic Islam) says, ‘We’re not just trying to use violence to drive infidels out of our region; we’re going to use violence to eradicate infidels.” Rosenberg said adherents of apocalyptic Islam see no place for infidels in the world, believing a messiah will soon come to set up a global Islamic kingdom. The author explained how both Iran and the Islamic State both subscribe to this latter ideology, though there are some important differences between the two parties. To begin, Rosenberg said Iran is governed by leaders who are Shia Muslim and who “believe a very minority position on Islamic eschatology.” “They are trying to bring about the end of days. They believe the Messiah — the Mahdi — is coming at any moment and that their job is to set into motion the conditions of chaos and carnage into which this so-called Messiah will one day come, set up his kingdom or caliphate and rule the world,” he said. These leaders, he said, believe they can “hasten the coming” of the Messiah, also known as the Twelfth Imam; he also noted that Iran has focused on a long-term goal of building up its nuclear industry to create long-range missiles for a “global-termo nuclear holy war.” The Islamic State, though, is quite different, according to Rosenberg. Unlike Iranian leaders, the terror group is Sunni and has a bit of a different take on eschatology. While adherents believe it’s possible to accelerate the end times, they don’t agree with Iran that “you have to wait until you build nuclear weapons,” according to Rosenberg. “(The Islamic State thinks) if you have a sword and an AK-47, you can committ genocide today — you don’t have to wait for nuclear weapons,” he said, adding how they believe they can create conditions to trigger the arrival of the Mahdi. Rosenberg called the situation involving Iran and the Islamic State concerning, considering it’s purportedly the first time in history the world has seen two people groups attempting to bring about the end times. The author, who moved with his family from the U.S. to Israel in 2014, also discussed the recent U.S. presidential election, saying his fellow Israeli citizens watched it quite closely, as its “impact on the U.S.-Israel relationship was going to be enormous,” especially considering the fact that the relationship has been strained in recent years. “We’re a small country and America’s a super power, and we live in a very dangerous neighborhood,” Rosenberg said, citing Christian slaughter in the Middle East, Iran’s purported quest for nuclear weapons and other problems in the region. And much like the rest of the world, Israelis were apparently in shock the Wednesdayafter Election Day, as outlets like the New York Times, among others, diminished the chances of Trump securing the presidency. Overall, Rosenberg said there’s a cautious optimism in the wake of Trump’s win — one that is based on a few important issues. “One thing has been consistent: (Trump) has talked about radical Islam … and has taunted both Hillary and Barack Obama, (saying), ‘You won’t even say it, you won’t ackowledge it, you don’t look at their ideology,'” he said in reference to Clinton and Obama and their refusal, at moments, to use terms like “radical Islam.” Rosenberg continued, “That has cut through. People see that he is talking about it.” While the author believes Trump has struck a chord with such rhetoric, he believes it would be beneficial to dial some of his comments back, as there are Sunni-Muslim Arab allies like Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Listen to the full interview. —————————– You can now pre-order my next novel — Without Warning — which will release on March 14, 2017. Click here for details. Order The First Hostage today — the new political thriller about genocidal ISIS leaders plotting a terrorist attacks against Israel, Jordan and the United States — available in paperback, hardcover, e-book and audio formats. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks on the U.S. and our Mideast allies. ———————-—- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Click here to read the 2016 Joshua Fund Donor Report — and watch the short videos, as well Make a year-end investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and prayerfully consider making a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution. Thanks so much! Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | December 18, 2016 at 3:42 pm | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-6jc

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog Showdown: 100 million expected to watch first presidential debate.

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Showdown: 100 million expected to watch first presidential debate. But here are three critical issues I guarantee you they won’t discuss. by joelcrosenberg (Denver, Colorado) -- It could be the biggest event in the history of television. Experts say an estimated 100 million Americans could to tune into the first presidential debateon Monday night, the largest audience for a debate ever. Here's why. Polls consistently show two-thirds of the American people believe the country is going in the wrong direction. People genuinely fear for the future of the country. They know the stakes could not be higher. Yet Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are the two most disliked and distrusted nominees in the history of our Republic. Supporters of each candidate are deeply worried that the other one will bring the country to ruin, perhaps implosion. Many suspect both candidates could be ruinous for the country and are planning to sit this election out. Still, a small but important sliver of the electorate do plan to vote on November 8th but simply can't yet decide which candidate is less dangerous. Indeed, Americans instinctively sense/believe/fear that almost anything could happen on that stage at Hofstra University on Long Island, and because the outcome matters to all of us -- indeed, to the entire world -- an enormous number will likely be watching. The top issue for most voters, understandably, is the economy. One-in-three Americans (32%) say the issue of how to improve the economy and create more jobs is their top concern at the moment, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll. Thus, people will be watching closely to see what kind of ideas for change and growth the candidates are bringing to the table, if any. But voters say the second most important issue -- and a close second, at that (29%) -- is the issue of which candidate would truly strengthen U.S. national security and stop the threat of terrorism. These concerns are, of course, being fueled not just by all the headlines regarding war in the Middle East and terrorism throughout the epicenter, Europe and around the world. They are also being heightened by terrorist attacks right here inside the American homeland, from the mass shootings in Orlando in June to the bombings in New York and New Jersey and the stabbings in Minnesota in recent days. These are critical issues, and it will be important to listen carefully to what the candidates say, what they don't say, and how their statements fit their past statements and actions. It's been interesting to me that both Clinton and Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu today, and both met several days ago with Egyptian President el-Sisi. These are clear indicators that both candidates regard the future of Israel and the epicenter as critical to the future of U.S. national security. That said, while I wouldn't try to predict what Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump will say and do Monday night, I can tell you with absolute certainty three important topics that will not be discussed: First, what exactly is Apocalyptic Islam, how does it differ from Radical Islam, and how is Apocalyptic Islam posing a grave and growing threat to the U.S., Israel, our  Sunni Arab allies like Jordan and Egypt and all nations? Second, in the midst of the darkness that is falling over the Middle East and the Islamic world -- even as ISIS wages outright genocide against Christians -- is there any reason for hope? Are there any signs that Muslims are turning against ISIS, turning away from Islam, and even turning to faith in Jesus Christ? Third, what can followers of Jesus Christ be doing to be a light in the darkness, to love our neighbors and even our enemies, to advance the Gospel and strengthen the persecuted Church, especially in light of Bible prophecy? The candidates absolutely should discuss the first topic, and in depth. They certainly won't discuss the second two matters, not should they. It's not their place. But we as Christians should address all three matters, and that's why I'm in the U.S. this month, meeting with Members of Congress, faith leaders and the media. This week, I'll be also addressing these questions at two events in the Denver area. On Tuesday, I'll be addressing the student body at Colorado Christian University (CCU). On Saturday evening, October 1st, I'll be speaking at Calvary Chapel South Denver (CCSD). The CCU event is not open to the public. But the CCSD event is, and I hope you'll join us. The occasion will be the annual fundraising event for Ministry Architecture, Inc. This is the ministry that my parents, Len and Mary Rosenberg, founded around almost two decades ago. They provide architectural services for evangelical Christian ministries operating in developing countries who need orphanages, training centers, medical missionary hospitals, and other facilities to show the love of Jesus. As they do, they also teach the Scriptures, share the Gospel, and encourage and counsel pastors and ministry leaders around the world. Before I speak, my folks will share about the exciting work God is doing through this ministry. Then I will discuss the latest developments in the epicenter, including an update on what we're seeing now that we live in Israel. I’m especially looking forward to answering your questions — always my favorite part of the evening — and I’ll be signing books, as well. This event will take place at Calvary Chapel South Denver in Littleton, Colorado, from7:00pm to 9:15pm on Saturday, October 1. Doors will open at 6:15pm. A contribution of $25 per person is requested to help support Ministry Architecture. There will also be an offering taken during the event, and all contributions are tax deductible. Registration is required, and you can register ahead of time at www.ministryarchitecture.com -- or, if there is space available, you can register at the door. I'd encourage you to register today to join us — and I hope to see you there. NOTE: Ministry Architecture is a non-profit and non-political organization. It does not endorse political candidates or engage in political activity. We won't be addressing the presidential campaign or the candidates. Rather, we'll be discussing important matters that the candidates are not addressing, but that the church should. —————————– You can now pre-order my next novel — Without Warning — which will release on March 14, 2017. Click here for details. Order The First Hostage today — the new political thriller about genocidal ISIS leaders plotting a terrorist attacks against Israel, Jordan and the United States — available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. ———————-—- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks on the U.S. and our Mideast allies. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and prayerfully consider making a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution. Thanks so much! Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | September 25, 2016 at 6:27 pm | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-5DW

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: What’s Rubio reading? “The Twelfth Imam,” a thriller about Apocalyptic Islam.

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

What’s Rubio reading? “The Twelfth Imam,” a thriller about Apocalyptic Islam. by joelcrosenberg (Central Israel) -- After an intense but wonderful month-long book tour in the U.S., I'm so glad to report that I'm back in Israel with my family, safe and sound. Thanks to all of you who are sending me messages via Twitter, Facebook and email regarding the next novel in the J.B. Collins series. Please rest assured that I'm hard at work on the next novel. Indeed, I began developing the outline in December, and this coming week I'll actually start writing. For me, one of the most interesting aspects of being an author is meeting people all over the U.S., Canada and around the world who are reading my books, as well as hearing about all different kinds of people from all walks of life and in all kinds of jobs and professions who are reading and enjoying the books. To that end, here's a fun photo that popped up on the Reuters wire service this past week -- Senator Marco Rubio boarding a flight from New Hampshire to South Carolina carrying a few books for reading on the plane, including one of my political thrillers, The Twelfth Imam. Given the Senator's interest in -- and outspokenness about -- the threat of Apocalyptic Islam, I was glad but not entirely surprised to see this on his reading list. Whereas my current series of novels -- The Third Target and The First Hostage -- focus on a plot by the apocalyptic, genocidal leaders of the Islamic State to attack the U.S., Israel and Jordan with chemical weapons, The Twelfth Imam was the first in a trilogy of thrillers I wrote several years ago that focused on the Iran nuclear threat. Here's a brief description of The Twelfth Imam: "As the apocalyptic leaders of Iran call for the annihilation of Israel and the U.S., CIA operative David Shirazi is sent into Tehran with one objective: use all means necessary to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program, without leaving American fingerprints and without triggering a regional war. At extreme personal risk, Shirazi executes his plan. A native Farsi speaker whose family escaped from Iran in 1979, he couldn’t be better prepared for the mission. But none of his training has prepared Shirazi for what will happen next. An obscure religious cleric is suddenly hailed throughout the region as the Islamic messiah known as the Mahdi or the Twelfth Imam. News of his miracles, healings, signs, and wonders spreads like wildfire, as do rumors of a new and horrific war. With the prophecy of the Twelfth Imam seemingly fulfilled, Iran’s military prepares to strike Israel and bring about the End of Days. Shirazi must take action to save his country and the world, but the clock is ticking." This novel was then followed by two more in the series, The Tehran Initiative and Damascus Countdown. I'm encouraged to see Senator Rubio beginning the series, and I hope you'll start reading them, as well, if you haven't already. In fact, if you do, please send me a picture! (NOTE: This is not an endorsement of a candidate. In the spirit of fairness, let me be clear: I'll be very happy to post photos of other presidential candidates carrying and reading copies of my books, as well.) ————————– Order The First Hostage today — a new political thriller (four weeks on the Publishers Weekly best-seller list) about ISIS plotting a chemical weapons attack against Israel, Jordan and the United States — it’s now available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. FACT SHEET: The Iranian leadership’s Apocalyptic Beliefs FACT SHEET: The Islamic State’s Apocalyptic Beliefs What the next US president will need to know about Iran and Islamic State.(my column in The Jerusalem Post) What’s the difference between Apocalyptic Islamic eschatology & Biblical eschatology? And why does it matter? (Video & sermon notes) ——————- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and make a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution before the end of the year. Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | February 13, 2016 at 4:41 am | Categories: Uncategorized | URL:http://wp.me/piWZ7-4em

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog - "To defeat ISIS, we need to retake Iraq & cut the Caliphate in half." (Radio interview with Hugh Hewitt)

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

To defeat ISIS, we need to retake Iraq & cut the Caliphate in half. (My radio interview with Hugh Hewitt on Apocalyptic Islam) by joelcrosenberg (Washington, D.C.) -- Over the course of the last month, as I've been traveling across the country on The First Hostage book tour, people have been consistently asking me a series of excellent questions: How do we defeat ISIS? What should the Obama administration be doing that it isn't? If this administration can't or won't get the job done, what should the next President do? Should we send a ground force into Syria? What about the ancient Islamic prophecies that the West will get slaughtered in the Syrian town of Dabiq? On Wednesday afternoon, I was interviewed by Hugh Hewitt on his nationally syndicated talk show host. I have grown to respect Hugh as a serious thinker as well as an excellent interviewer, both on radio and in his role helping to moderate the CNN presidential debates. Hugh, a devout Christian and a skilled lawyer, reads voraciously and has an insatiable hunger to learn. Often when I'm in Israel, I enjoy listening to the podcast of his interviews not only with the presidential candidates but with key experts on foreign policy and national security matters. During our conversation about The First Hostage -- my last interview on this book tour -- we discussed each of these questions, as well as how I write novels and do my research. You can listen to the podcast of the full interview by clicking here. That said, here's a slightly more detailed explanation of my view on how to defeat ISIS: Yes, a coalition of U.S., Iraqi, Kurdish, Jordanian, Egyptian, and other Sunni Arab military forces can and must crush the Islamic State. This is a winnable war, but not with the current strategy of half-measures, pinprick bombings, and political tough talk not backed up by a serious military approach to win. What the Obama administration should be doing is pursuing a "Take Back Iraq First" approach. Since the first Gulf war in 1991, and then with the war to liberate Iraq in 2003, followed by the surge strategy in 2006-2008, the American people have identified Iraq has a strategically important country to us. Getting Iraq right matters. We have invested heavily in liberating Iraq from Saddam Hussein and from the clutches of al Qaeda and other Radical Islamic terror groups. Withdrawing all our forces in December 2011 was a terrible and foreseeable error. It created a vacuum that ISIS exploited. Now we're seeing genocide against Christians and Yazidis by the Islamic State, the wicked fruit of Apocalyptic Islam. Thus, the goal now must be to re-take Iraq -- and cut the Caliphate in half -- using decisive military force. We likely need 20,000 to 40,000 U.S. boots on the ground, primarily special forces. We need to heavily arm the Kurdish Peshmerga forces. We need to strengthen the Iraqi military. We need to increase arms (and humanitarian aid and other economic assistance) to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, our most faithful Sunni Arab ally in the region. We also need to work closely with Egypt, the Saudis and the Gulf States and get their active participation. The mission: to storm across northern Iraq, crush ISIS wherever they are found, liberate Mosul -- Iraq's second largest city -- set the captives free, crush ISIS once and for all, and drive whatever remains of the terror group back into Syria. This could likely be done by the end of 2016 if the U.S. took the lead and was fully committed to victory. By cutting the Caliphate in half, it would deal a serious blow to ISIS morale and their sense that they are invincible. If President Obama won't pursue such a strategy, then we need to elect an American President who understands the threat of Radical and Apocalyptic Islam and has the courage and wisdom to fight to win, beginning with re-taking Iraq. No, I don't believe we should send U.S. ground forces into Syria. That Arab nation is imploding. It's engaged in a Hellish civil war. Now the Russians and Iranians are fighting there on behalf of Bashar al-Assad and his evil regime. There are no good options. There are no rationale leaders that we can identify at this point who could truly govern the country in a civilized way, even if we could defeat ISIS, remove Assad, and pacify the civil war. Syria is a hornets' nest. My heart breaks for the people of Syria. The U.S. and other world powers need to help Jordan and Lebanon care for the millions of Syrian refugees that have flooded their borders. We should not take Syrian refugees into the U.S. because we cannot vet them and determine who is a terrorist and who is not. We should use air power to consistently degrade ISIS forces, infrastructure, oil reserves, and so forth. But we should not launch a ground force into a country that we have no plan -- or ability -- at this point to truly rescue. While there are many reasons at this point not to launch a ground war into Syria, fear of ancient Islamic prophecies about an end of the world battle in Dabiq is not on the list. Those are false prophecies. ISIS is driven by them. But they are not Biblical prophecies. They are not based on truth. They are based on false teaching. We needn't fear false teaching and false prophecy. Since we can degrade ISIS in Dabiq (and Raqqa, and elsewhere) from the air, that's what we should do for now. Once we have worked with our Sunni Arab allies in the region to re-take Iraq, and degrade ISIS forces in Syria from the air, then we can re-evaluate and develop the next phase of our strategy. But while we need to understand how Apocalyptic, genocidal, Islamic eschatology motivates ISIS leaders, we need not hesitate confronting them because of their apocalypse-addled thinking. ————————– Order The First Hostage today — a new political thriller (#9 on the Publishers Weekly best-seller list) about ISIS launching a chemical weapons attack against Israel, Jordan and the United States — it’s now available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. FACT SHEET: The Iranian leadership’s Apocalyptic Beliefs FACT SHEET: The Islamic State’s Apocalyptic Beliefs What the next US president will need to know about Iran and Islamic State.(my column in The Jerusalem Post) What’s the difference between Apocalyptic Islamic eschatology & Biblical eschatology? And why does it matter? (Video & sermon notes) ——————- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and make a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution before the end of the year. Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | February 5, 2016 at 1:04 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL:http://wp.me/piWZ7-4dh

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: The Caliphate vs. The Kingdom. What is “the gospel of the kingdom” of Christ and why is it our hope in such dark times?

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

The Caliphate vs. The Kingdom. What is “the gospel of the kingdom” of Christ and why is it our hope in such dark times? by joelcrosenberg (Dallas, Texas) -- This weekend here in Dallas, I taught Part #3 of a series of messages I'm delivering across the country this month on what Apocalyptic Islam is, why it's a threat to us, and how the Church ought to respond. Here are the links to my notes for the first two messages. Part #1 -- What’s the difference between Apocalyptic Islamic eschatology & Biblical eschatology? And why does it matter? Part #2 -- ISIS waging war of genocide against Christians in the Mideast. New UN report provides chilling details. Here at Prestonwood Baptist Church, I spoke on "The Caliphate Vs. The Kingdom." I explained why Iranian and ISIS leaders are so fervent about the coming of their so-called messiah (the Mahdi) and their Islamic kingdom (the caliphate), and asked whether Christians are anywhere near as passionate about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His actual, literal, physical Kingdom on earth. Over the last several years, I've been doing a personal study in the Scriptures on the whole notion of "the gospel of the kingdom." What is the kingdom, exactly? Why is it a matter of good news for believers? How can anticipating the coming of the kingdom be source of hope in dark times? I have to say this study has been especially encouraging as I've been studying the caliphate and Apocalyptic Islamic eschatology. There are some similarities, but the contrasts are striking, and important. What's more, as we begin 2016 -- as we begin the process of choosing the next President of the United States and so many other national leaders -- we also need to have a deeper understanding of Christ's kingdom, that the Lord is sovereign over our electoral process, that He may not give us the candidates want to win, and in fact He may also horrible, corrupt, even dangerous leaders to win control of the United States. Should this happen, all the more we will need to understand "the gospel of the kingdom" and live with the hope that our King is coming soon to make all things right. As soon as I can, I hope to post a link to the video or audio of the message. But for now, here some of the notes I used, particularly the Scriptures that formed the basis of the message. Please print them out and study them yourself, and as a couple and with your kids and your small group Bible study. And please feel free to share these notes with others on social media. Hope you find them helpful. God bless. "THE CALIPHATE VS. THE KINGDOM" -- sermon notes As darkness falls over the world, and particularly over Middle East.... As the forces of freedom are in retreat.... As Iran's Apocalyptic Islamic regime and its nuclear program is not neutralized but rather rewarded by the West and as the regime becomes even more aggressive.... As the forces of the Islamic State -- also driven by Apocalyptic Islam -- wage a war of genocide against Christians in Iraq and Syria in order to hasten the establishment of their Islamic kingdom or caliphate and the coming of their so-called messiah, the Mahdi.... As our religious liberties here at home are under relentless assault..... As Americans murder 58 million unborn babies and there seems no end in sight.... As our faith and our values are constantly trashed by our nation's elites.... As Washington seems unable or unwilling to steer the ship of state back in the right direction.... As the two presidential front-runners give us little confidence they can or will turn the country in the right direction either.... And as even many in the Church turn their back on Christ and His Word and His people.... It is important for followers of Jesus Christ to remember, to study more closely -- and to preach faithfully and without hesitation-- what the Bible calls "the gospel of the Kingdom." The good news is that we have a King. He is coming. He adopted us into His royal family. And He will reign forever. He will establish justice and righteousness. He will make all things right, and all things new. This is our hope in an increasing dark world. And we must hold fast to it now as never before. THE HEBREW PROPHETS FORETOLD THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM "One like a Son of Man was coming...up to the Ancient of Days....And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:13-14) "Behold, a day is coming when....the Lord will be King over all the earth; in that day, the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one." (Zechariah 14:1,9) "Behold the days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he will reign as King and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land." (Jeremiah 23:5) "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on His shoulders...There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with Justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord will accomplish this." (Isaiah 9:6-7) JOHN THE BAPTIST PREACHED THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." -- John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2) JESUS CHRIST PREACHED THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17) "Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom." (Matthew 4:23) "Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:35-36) JESUS'S DISCIPLES ARE TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM "Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" (Matthew 10:6-7) "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world, as a testimony to all nations, and then the end shall come." (Matthew 24:14) THE APOSTLE PAUL PREACHED THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM "And he (Paul) entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God." (Acts 19:8) "And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God." (Acts 20:25-27) "And he (Paul) stayed (in Rome) two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered." (Acts 28:30-31) THE KINGDOM TO WHICH WE BELONG HAS ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'.....Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels....These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:31-34, 41, 46) HOW DOES ONE ENTER THE KINGDOM? "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again He cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5) "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3) "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:23) ONCE WE RECEIVE CHRIST BY FAITH, WE ARE ADOPTED INTO THE ROYAL FAMILY AND THUS ENTER THE KINGDOM "In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will....In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us." (Ephesians 1:4,5,7,8) "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household." (Ephesians 2:19) "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of God's own possession..." (I Peter 2:9) "Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth....He has made us to be a kingdom.״ (Revelation 1:5-6) LET US SEEK TO UNDERSTAND AND SERVE THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted." (Matthew 13:11) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter." (Matthew 7:21) "To these (apostles) He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:3) "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3) "Blessed are the gentle/meek, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5) "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:11) LET US PRAY FOR THE KINGDOM TO COME "Pray, then, this way: Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:9-10) THE KINGDOM IS NOW, AND NOT YET Matthew 13:11 -- "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted." NOW: The Kingdom of God came in a spiritual form when Christ arrived in earth the first time. Luke 17:20-21 -- "For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst." Matthew 12:28 -- "...if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." NOT YET: The Kingdom of God is coming in a physical form when Christ comes back to earth the second time. Luke 19:11-12 -- "While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. So he said, 'A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return....'" WHAT ARE THE BLESSINGS & BENEFITS OF THE MESSIANIC, MILLENNIAL KINGDOM? The Messiah "will reign as King and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land." (Jeremiah 23:5; see also Jeremiah 33:14-16) "Judah will be saved." (Jeremiah 23:6) "Israel will dwell securely." (Jeremiah 23:6) "Then it will come about that any who are left of the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths." (Zechariah 14:16) The Lord God "laid hold of the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and threw him into the abyss." (Revelation 20:2-3) The saints "came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years....They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years." (Revelation 20:4,6) WHAT ARE THE BLESSINGS OF THE ETERNAL KINGDOM? "the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come....time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom" (Daniel 7:18, 22) God will dwell (tabernacle) with His people (Revelation 21:3) "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 21:4) "there will no longer be any death." (Revelation 21:4) "there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain." (Revelation 21:4) "there will no longer be any curse" (Revelation 22:3) "they will see His face" (Revelation 22:4) "there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them" (Revelation 22:5) "they will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 22:5) ————————– Order The First Hostage today — a new political thriller (#9 on the Publishers Weekly best-seller list) about ISIS launching a chemical weapons attack against Israel, Jordan and the United States — it’s now available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. FACT SHEET: The Iranian leadership’s Apocalyptic Beliefs FACT SHEET: The Islamic State’s Apocalyptic Beliefs What the next US president will need to know about Iran and Islamic State.(my column in The Jerusalem Post) What’s the difference between Apocalyptic Islamic eschatology & Biblical eschatology? And why does it matter? (Video & sermon notes) ——————- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and make a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution before the end of the year. Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | January 25, 2016 at 2:58 am | Categories: Uncategorized | URL:http://wp.me/piWZ7-43Z