The Genesis Twenty – two Faith Challenge – Week 24 / June 8th

by admin 2014Devotional Blog

“And without faith it is impossible to believe God, because
anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists
and rewards those who earnestly seek Him”
Hebrews 11:6

This passage is called the “Binding of Isaac” by the Jewish theological world. The text then records the call of God over Abraham, some four thousand years ago, to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mt. Moriah, which eventually became the site of the Temple. The significance of this event is the following:

1. It was a test of Abraham’s obedience to the call of God over his life.

This is testified to by the text itself. It is worth noting that when we pass these tests God’s purpose flows through our lives to a greater measure. (1Peter 1:3-7) These tests are not easy and require real faith and obedience to face them successfully.

2. It constituted a picture of Messiah’s redemptive work.

The book of Hebrews in the New Testament affirms this when it states that Abraham received Isaac “back from the dead”. (Hebrews 11: 17-19) Jesus confirmed that Abraham “saw His Day” in John chapter eight and verse fifty-six. It is possibly true that on this unique day in Abraham’s life  his eyes were opened to recognize the nature of Messiah’s redeeming work on the cross. It is fascinating to read in the text that Isaac carried the wood to Mt. Moriah and then that he was laid on the wood and thus prepared for a sacrificial death. Jesus, in like manner, carried His wooden cross to Golgotha and was “laid” on it.

3. It reminds us that our redemption is based on the vicarious suffering of another.

That, we cannot do anything to merit or earn our way into heaven. (Ephesians 2:8) Our best good works fall far short of God’s perfect standard and are thus “dead works”. The book of Hebrews teaches us that we have to repent from these “dead works” (Hebrews 6:1) and have faith in Christ’s finished work for us on the cross. Abraham, in this passage, was right when, in response to Isaac’s question as to where the lamb would come from, said, “God would provide for Himself a lamb.”

4. It reminds us that human sacrifice, the ritual of dark religious systems, is forbidden by God.

Human life is precious and though marred by sin can be saved and take on the image of Christ. Abraham lived in a world where human sacrifice was routine. The Bible reminds us of the “detestable god of Molech” that demanded the sacrifice of new born babies. It condemns this and promises judgment against it. Today abortion is the new expression of this evil. Humankind is responsible and accountable to God for the things done in their bodies and thus they do not enjoy exclusive rights over their bodies. The  God we serve gives every human being worth and dignity and “He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

5. It reminds us as believers that we are called to a life of faith and obedience.

Abraham, by faith, took hold of the call of God over his life in Ur of the Chaldees. Paul underscores his remarkable faith and in Romans four writes about it. (Romans 4:1-25) This walk of faith  would be tested since it had a unique destiny; Abraham would become a father of many nations. We would do well to remind ourselves that our destiny or calling in God will likewise require obedience to fulfill it. God will test our hearts and minds as He did that of Abraham’s. The goal is always the same; that our lives should bear witness to the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Finally,

6. It gives a unique redemptive promise

. At the conclusion of this passage Abraham is told that his obedience to God would mean that “In his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed.” This word “seed” is not in the plural but in the singular form meaning that it is referring to one individual, Jesus of Nazareth.  Paul affirms this in Galatians three. The lesson is clear, Abraham’s obedience guaranteed that a Saviour would come and redeem the world by his atoning work.

So, Genesis twenty-two is a remarkable passage of scripture well worth our quiet contemplation and truly we should all thank God for Abraham. His eternal legacy finds ultimate expression in the fact that the God of the universe identifies Himself by associating with Abraham. That is, He is the God of Abraham and his children, Isaac and Jacob. Meaning that He is a God of Covenant, Atonement and Transformation. In addition, though belonging to Christ, we shall forever be designated Abraham’s children. (Galatians 3:29) All praise be to Him!

Malcolm Hedding.

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries

The War Against the Jews

The War Against the Jews

by Malcolm Blog Hamas Israel

“The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled
the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-
stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed
and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples
have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it
burned out, and they sit in the twilight now, or have vanished.
The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always
was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no
weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling
of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the
Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret
of his immortality?”
Mark Twain

The war against the Jews has been waged from the dawn of history and is relentless until this very day. It is a saga of great proportions and significance though many fail to see it or appreciate it. It has one goal in mind and that is the liquidation of the Jewish people and the Jewish state. The world wants a new world order that is “Juden rein” (free of Jews). The attempt to murder the Jews has taken many forms including open hostility and wickedness as we witnessed in the Second World War; although, unable to achieve this end by conventional war, in recent years this attack against the Jews has been political and very often couched in the language of peace and political intrigue. It is waged according to a narrative that is inaccurate and pure myth but one that is accepted in most circles as truth. Just the idea, for instance, of Israeli occupation of Arab lands is totally untrue but accepted everywhere. The Palestinians never ever had a state in history and the ground they claim for a state was in fact occupied for centuries by the Ottoman Turkish Empire and then illegally by the Jordanians from 1948 to 1967. Before that from 1917 onwards it was mandated to the British Empire as a consequence of the First World War. Indeed the restoration of the Jewish state in 1948 came into existence by the will of the international community expressed through the United Nations but previously ratified by the San Remo Agreement of 1922. Of course these facts mean nothing to those who seek only the destruction of the Jews and Israel.

Collaborating with evil

Today Hamas, Hezbollah, Fatah and all their fellow travelers are fully committed to the liquidation of Israel. This fact is not hearsay or rumor, no it is enshrined in their charters and confirmed by their statements; made frequently in the Arabic speaking press. The school books and TV programs for children in the Palestinian Authority and in Gaza, and indeed all over the Arab world, constantly demonize the Jewish people and Israel and thereby incite their impressionable minds to hatred.  In addition, all over the Muslim world the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” are routinely printed and distributed and regarded as fact even though this work has been discredited as a forgery and sadly the most read book on contemporary political history is Hitler’s, “ Mein Kamph.”This too is on public record and all of this can be verified by a visit to the website of Palestinian Media Watch, MEMRI and Amazon books. It’s all out in the open for all to see. The Jews are likened to pigs and apes and suicide attacks against them are glorified as the ultimate goal in life! Those who carry out this goal are honored by having streets and squares named after them in Palestinian towns and cities and it is believed that they have instant access to paradise accompanied by erotic pleasures.

This same radical Islamic menace collaborated with Hitler in the hope that his triumph would also bring about the complete annihilation of all Jews. He came close but thank God was defeated and yet today the world community expects Israel to sit down and make peace with “Hitler!” That is, with people who fully embrace his vision and seek to complete it. Hamas and Fatah now have a unity agreement that, according to the Hamas leadership must go further by pursuing the total destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews everywhere. All of this is the backdrop to the awful events unfolding in Europe today and as we have now witnessed especially in France in terms of the Charlie Hebdo massacre and the hostage taking and slaughter of Jews at the Hyper Cacher super-market. Intimidated by their large Muslim communities the Europeans have tolerated attacks against Jews for years but because liberal politicians deny the sinister goals of the Islamists they have largely turned a blind eye until now. The events in France have now awakened the appeasing Europeans to the fact that they too are the target of Jihad and in the end, like the Jews, are just infidels that have to be subdued or killed! The warning signs were always there and yet these were ignored because they came for the Jews first and no one really cared but now they are coming for everyone and I fear that it could be too late for Europe. The Jews, however, have a homeland to go to that is thriving and secure; in spite of the rough neighborhood in which it is situated. The State of Israel is their refuge and now the 11th Aliyah is about to take place. Hundreds of thousands of Jews will leave Europe and even England and go home to their ancestral dwelling place; the hills plains and valleys of Zion. Just seventy odd years after the Holocaust the Europeans have again betrayed the Jews. This is sobering indeed and the events now unfolding in the Ukraine are just as troubling. Jews are being targeted for the misfortunes of the Ukrainians as that country is progressively being invaded and conquered by Russia. Will the west stand up and stop this aggression? The answer is no. So, the Jews will leave and go home. Thank God!

Sadly, a world without a moral compass and unable to identify evil is therefore pressurizing Israel to make what would be a suicide pact with a new version of Nazism! Many of the nations pushing for this would not do it themselves but somehow it is good enough for the Jews! One has to wonder why all this is happening? Are these people stupid, just ignorant or is there another agenda being followed? Or, maybe still there is a spiritual reality behind the War against the Jews!

The God of Israel

Given that the very essence of sin is rebellion against God, not only in terms of where He is and what He is but also who He is, it is therefore  not surprising that anything that reminds a rebellious world of God will also be attacked. This is the nature of sin that lurks in the heart of every human being. If then this God calls into existence a people to reflect His character and take His name one can expect this people to be the target of rebellion or evil. From the very day of Israel’s calling and close association with the only true God this war began and it has never stopped. It separates and divides the world and as long as the Jew exists it will rage. It is a desperate war and, if it were not for the faithfulness of God, the Jews would have vanished a long time ago. This is the answer to Mark Twain’s question in the quote above. The war against the Jews is in fact a war against God Himself!

Note the first four verses of Psalm 83:
“Do not keep silent, O God!
Do not hold your peace,
and do not be still, O God!
For behold, Your enemies make a tumult;
And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
and consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from
Being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no
More.”

It is to be noted that the enemies of God strike out against Him by making War Against the Jews!  This war will then not stop until the evil in the human heart has been overcome by redeeming love or destroyed by judgment! Needless to say, the honour and existence of the only true God is at stake in this war and thus Israel will never be destroyed because God Himself, the God of the Bible, has vouched safe her existence! This is the promise of His word. We however are invited to “show our colors” by standing with and praying for Israel. In this we don’t work for God but with Him against those who, from generation to generation, pursue the “War Against the Jews.” Like Corrie Ten Boom, Raoul Wallenberg, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and many others of the Second World War era, we will help the Jews go home by supporting the “Great Return” or Aliyah of the Jews to Israel. We may be few in number as they were but we are on the right side of history as they also turned out to be.

Malcolm Hedding.

Islam, Israel and Christianity

Islam, Israel and Christianity

by Malcolm Blog Christianity Israel Middle East Muslim

 

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we

judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died.”

Christianity—–               2Corinthians 5:14


“You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress

him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”

Judaism———-Exodus 22:21


“Do not hanker for peace with infidels, behead

them when you catch them.”

Islam————-Quran 47:4

To equate the violence of Islam with Christianity is just off the wall apologetics and a denial of the reality on the ground facing us all today. Nowhere, in the world, for the past hundreds of years, has Christianity sought to bring about a global political kingdom. Christianity has and can thrive within any political system and it does not seek to usurp the host cultural/political order in which it finds itself as Islam does and is attempting to do.  Christians do have a right to “compete in the market of ideas” but this is done peacefully and democratically and, to be sure, the influence of these ideas have made the West great and produced a world leader in values related to freedom in the United States of America. This is not to deny that Christianity, some five hundred years ago did not build a kingdom known as Christendom, but this is not the dictate of its biblical revelation and the religion has thrived everywhere without such a goal. Its adherence merely seek to be “salt and light” in every community that they find themselves and the New Testament exhorts believers to submit to the governing authorities and indeed to pray for them; all the while being exemplary citizens. (Romans 13:1-7)(1Timothy 2:1-7) Our kingdom is presently not of this world and our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20) and so we seek no earthly kingdom other than the one that will arrive with the dramatic and visible return of Jesus to Jerusalem.

Islam by contrast is a religious civilization based on the acquisition of land. It seeks for, believes in and is prepared to wage war (Jihad) and kill for a political kingdom called a Caliphate, which will rule the world according to Islamic law which is called Sharia. This is its stated revelation and teaching in the Quran and the Hadith and it is openly proclaimed on the streets of London, Paris, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Berlin, Oslo and New York! Where Islam is in the dominant position of power, as in the Middle East, it will not tolerate the free propagation of Christianity and indeed, if a Muslim converts to Christianity, he or she will be beheaded. This is a regular practice in Saudi Arabia. The freedoms that Muslims enjoy in western democracies, which have been predominantly influenced by Christianity, are not afforded to Christians and Jews in the Islamic world.

Israel’s journey to nationhood was in the context of suffering violence, genocide and barbarism the depth of which we know nothing of and do not appreciate. To become a nation she, having been committed to servitude by her Egyptian overlords, had to flee to a harsh wilderness where, once again she was set upon by foreign nations and then she had to enter a land that, by the gift of God, was hers but which was filled with violent warlike tribes. These uncivilized tribes were not simply unceremoniously removed by Israel’s conquest of them. In fact scripture reveals that God waited  400 years for them to repent and change but when they entrenched themselves in the very worst forms of wickedness and violence God sent Israel into the region as His instrument of judgment. (Genesis 15:13-16)(Deuteronomy 9:4) Israel was the hope of the world since without her presence and revelation in the world God would have destroyed everything! This was the message of the great flood and immediately afterwards the book of Genesis introduces us to the call of Abraham.  (Genesis 6:5) God’s divine mission, embedded in Israel, was in fact a blessing for all nations and families of the world but Israel had to get a foothold in the Promised Land for this blessing to be realized. (Genesis 12:1-3) Thereafter the Jews have never been a warlike people and they have never embraced a mandate for global conquest. By contrast their revelation, called the Bible, has civilized the world with its remarkable code of conduct but they have remained a small people wishing only to be left alone! (Numbers 23:9) In fact it is the Jews who have been routinely subjected to genocide by empires, big and small, that have set out to destroy them. No nation on earth has had to fight for its survival as they have had to do and still do. To equate their journey with that of Islam and thereby attempt to prove some sort of equivalence is ridiculous and intellectually dishonest. Much of the conflict over Israel has had to do with unseen demonic powers that are determined to frustrate her role in history as the vehicle of world redemption; they are determined to extinguish her light. Sadly, too many willing idiots are seduced by this sinister agenda.

Israel’s unfolding revelation, preached by Jesus her greatest son, gave voice to the internal nature of the Kingdom of God. He said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed for lo, the kingdom of God will be in you. “ (Luke 17:21) Before Pilate Jesus affirmed that He was in fact no threat to Caesar because His kingdom was not of this world. (John 18:36) Therefore, He said, if it were my followers would fight but it is not! By contrast Mohammed’s followers do fight, are called to fight and will continue to fight until their kingdom on earth is established. They will crush little children, crucify Christians and behead anyone who gets in their way, as we now witness, to establish their Caliphate and with it sharia law. Their founder did these things routinely and thus set forth the example for them to follow. Actually on one day he beheaded 800 people who were deemed infidels! Do we see this picture in Jesus? For Him violence was no way to pursue righteousness and had to be rejected and replaced with love for one’s enemies and forgiveness. Indeed He mirrored these very things for He was unjustly convicted, condemned and crucified and yet said, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) Consequently, the Christian Church today nowhere advocates for violence as a means by which to spread its message and those who did centuries ago had no biblical mandate to do so and have not been emulated.

To assert then that Christianity is as dangerous as political Islam is just nonsense and, to use an American word, disingenuous. Those who are making this claim are quite simply engaging in mischief and their position says more about them than anything else.

Islam by contrast advocates for Jihad (holy war) and those who give themselves to it are simply being true to their revelation. True Muslims will do what Mohammed did just as true Christians will do as Jesus did. In actual fact the unfolding revelation of Islam in the Quran is toward violence; as any well educated Muslim will tell you that the “Medina Verses” of the Quran, which were more benign in nature, are subservient (less authoritative) to the “Mecca Verses”, which are more violent and call for the death of Jews and infidels. Even Muslims that fail to pray as they should every day are threatened with death. This is why ISIS, the pure form of Islam, to which Muslims from all over the world are running to join, will destroy moderate Muslims and Muslims who seek to live at peace with their neighbors whoever they might be. They will especially kill Muslims like King Abdullah of Jordan as they consider him a “sell out” to the western democracies. In this regard they have already put him on notice.

Political Islam is gaining strength all over the world and the assertion that it is just a small minority who have hijacked and distorted Islam is just not true. They have now murdered millions of people all over the world including, as they see it, hundreds and thousands of apostate Muslims. In South Sudan alone two million Christians were murdered by political Islam and I could write about Nigeria, Mali, Northern Africa, Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan, Darfur, Afghanistan the USA and of course the Middle East. The carnage will continue until someone has the courage to call this conflict what it is; a war against political Islam! No amount of political correct language is going to solve this problem and if there are so many moderate peace loving Muslims in the world then now is the time for their voices to be heard in mass protests on the streets and Capitals of the world; if not now then when?

Malcolm Hedding.

Denying the Truth and Supporting Wickedness

Denying the Truth and Supporting Wickedness

by Malcolm anti-Semitism Blog Christian Zionism Gaza Hamas Israel Middle East Nazis UN

One of the great spiritual tests of the age facing the nations, the church world-wide and people everywhere is the question of Israel. Israel’s latest war with Hamas has brought this into focus again because the issues are clear but many in all walks of life, including the media, apparently cannot face up to them.

So here are the facts:
The constitution or founding charter of Hamas openly calls for the extermination of all of Israel and of all Jews everywhere. This is no secret and quite simply the truth; I know it because I have a copy of this document in my study. This is clearly evil and unacceptable, or should be, to all right thinking people but apparently our learned politicians and daily commentators, in all spheres, cannot get it!

The founding of Hamas has roots in Nazi Germany since the Mufti of Jerusalem Haj Amin Al Husseini was a Nazi and actually went to Berlin during the war years and gave his full support to Hitler and especially so to his plan to exterminate all the Jews. He, after the war, returned to the Middle East and was one of the founders of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. This too is evil in every way but still the world refuses to condemn them and Jimmy Carter calls upon the global community to legitimize them!

Hamas then provokes a number of wars with Israel by indiscriminately launching 14,000 missiles at Israel’s towns, cities and villages since the year 2005 and again the world cannot bring itself to fully support Israel in this on going conflict. In fact it condemns Israel even though it is the first army in the world to compromise its attack initiatives by telling the enemy beforehand where it is going to strike next. This to save lives and yet when civilians die, as unfortunately they always will in a war zone, Israel is condemned and not the aggressor Hamas. Actually being quite unable to identify evil when they see it the world media seeks to place Israel and Hamas on a platform of moral equivalence. This is wickedness!

To make matters worse Hamas uses child slave labor to construct tunnels wherein many of these children died. Children are also hung on walls to deter the Israel Air force from striking Hamas’ military positions in civilian areas. The pictures are there on Facebook for all to see but there is no outrage; rather Israel is condemned for the fact that 200 children died in the conflict. The fact is, hundreds of thousands of Israeli children would have died if it were not for the Iron Dome missile interception system and the many bomb-shelters that Israel has placed in every home, building and public area. This too is wickedness as is the general use of civilians as shields against attack after they have provoked the war and are the aggressors. Once again Israel must not be allowed to destroy her enemy as this would be the deployment of disproportionate force. The idea is that Israel must lose as many lives as her aggressive enemy and if she doesn’t then she is at fault.

So here we are allowing Jew hatred to spread through the world and Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, is becoming more and more vilified with every passing day. The massacre of thousands of civilians in Syria, Iraq and Africa is totally ignored. This is exactly what the Hamas Nazi radicals want and the western media has fanned much of these flames of hatred by its wicked duplicity in this matter. It has thereby sided with evil even though it knows better.

This conflict will rage on and yet, in the end, the truth will win out just as it did seventy odd years ago and Israel will be vindicated. To stand with Israel now is not a difficult decision because the choice between good and evil is not a complex one. The God of the Bible also found this to be an easy decision because He states that while the nations rage at Israel He will, in the end, defend her and set up His King on His holy hill in Jerusalem. It would be good to choose what He has already chosen that it may go well with you on that day!

Malcolm Hedding.

Jesus’ Throne – World Update

Jesus’ Throne – World Update

by Malcolm Bible Blog Prayer Uncategorized


“But know this, that in the last days perilous
times will come…..”
2 Timothy 3:1

“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks
For if they did not escape who refused Him
who spoke on earth, much more shall we not
escape if we turn away from Him who speaks
from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth;
but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once
more I shake not only the earth but also heaven.”
Hebrews 12:25-26

Events in Israel this week and the downing of the Malaysian airliner over the separatist Ukraine have brought the world to a new place of danger and chaos. Paul was thus right when he wrote that the Spirit of a God warns that in the latter days fierce times would befall the world. These days are upon us and we should all tremble because God is shaking all things so that, in the end, only those things that are built upon His purpose and word will survive. More upheavals are on the way.

Scripture affirms that Jesus will remain at the right hand of glory until his enemies become His footstool. (Matthew 22:44) This means that God will now bring evil out into the open like a festering sore and then He will crush it. Just think; Israel most certainly has a right to defend itself in the face of a sustained missile attack from a Muslim group that is totally dedicated to her destruction. Yet the world constantly pressurizes her to show restraint so that this group, that uses its people, women and children, as human shields, can survive to fight another day with even more sophisticated weaponry supplied by Iran. Everyone knows this but they turn a blind eye and demand that Israel be lenient and show restraint. This is absurd, wicked and revealing in that it demonstrates the anti-Jewish attitudes in the world but, more telling; the commitment of global leaders to evil all in the name of appeasement and political correctness. All couched in political double speak and deception. The mainstream media is a player in this hatred of all things Israeli. Their reporting on the conflict with Hamas is appalling and loaded against Israel. They are coming to Jesus’ footstool.

Then there’s Iran, rushing undeterred toward a nuclear ability and once again, the average Joe knows it but apparently not our leaders and politicians in the West. They run around the world with no moral compass, look evil in the face and do nothing. Actually they give time and space for Iran to race towards nuclear armament and once again, we all knew this would happen. So, they have extended a deadline that Iran was supposed to meet and all the time the Iranian centrifuges continue to spin. They too are coming to Jesus’ footstool.

The Church at large too is plunging toward wickedness and evil as it embraces sexual lifestyles that are clearly prohibited by scripture and thereby it gives support to an agenda that undermines marriage and the family; the bedrock of society for thousands of years. Paul again warned that in the last days evil people in the Church will arise who, amongst other things, will seek to discredit marriage (1Timothy 4:1-3). These days are here and they are more evident in the light that many historical church movements are aligning themselves with a radical Islamic agenda for the destruction of Israel. This is a harlot church and it is everywhere. Jesus warned about this “prostitute” in His Revelation and thereby urges the true people of God to come out of her (Revelation 18:4). Truly this gospel denying harlot church is also on its way to Jesus’ footstool.

In the end it is time for each of us to awake from our spiritual slumber and:
1. Preach the true Gospel that calls upon all people everywhere to repent and make Jesus Lord of their lives since He is the only way of salvation.

2. Live holy lives that reflect the image of Christ.

3. Gather with believers in local churches that truly reflect biblical values.

4. Stand with Israel and shield the Jewish people everywhere from anti-Semitism….and,

5. Start praying with real biblical credentials.

These are days of great shaking and they will continue. However a Church that stays true to Jesus will not come to His footstool, but to His throne! (Revelation 3:21-22) This is His promise and we must embrace it no matter the cost.

May God help us to do so.

Malcolm hedding.

The Harlot Church

The Harlot Church

by Malcolm Blog Church

The Book of Revelation foresees a day when parts of the believing Church would be wholly corrupted and deceived and, without even knowing it, serve the interests of the powers of darkness. Jesus Himself warned that a day would come when religious people would persecute true believers and thereby believe that they are doing the work of God! This was the “harlot Church” of His day! Its origins were biblical, its heritage was faithful, its place in the world was significant and powerful but it fell prey to leaders who no longer honored God, His word and His ways and thus it became a harlot. The Prophets everywhere warned that a day would come when the people of God would commit spiritual adultery.

The Presbyterian Church of the USA is just such a Church! Its latest vote to disinvest from Israel is appalling as it furthers the agenda of militant Islam! There is just no doubt about this. The Palestinian Unity Government is undergirded by mission statements, be they Fatah (PLO) or Hamas, which call for the total destruction of Israel. They have waged a relentless war in this regard and have launched wave upon wave of terrorist attacks against Israel in order to achieve their goal. A goal by the way that they assert and affirm every day in Arabic! Their latest atrocity is the kidnapping of three Israeli children; but ignoring all of this, the Presbyterian Church of the USA votes to disinvest from Israel as a sign of their outrage at the country; the only true democracy in the Middle East and upholder of values and norms that most western nations cherish!!

More important still is the fact that this takes place in the context of the Middle East where Islamic movements are showing the true face of Islam as they move through the region murdering hundreds of thousands of people who get in their way; just as they did in South Sudan where they murdered two million Christians. Where was the Presbyterian Church then? The Presbyterian Church should be ashamed of itself and those who belong to it should really consider their ongoing affiliation with a Church like this. Some already are.

This however is what happens when Replacement Theology is embraced and followed through on; the Jews always become the target of a church that cannot accept that God is not finished with His ancient people and will still honor all His promises to them unconditionally vouched safe in the Abrahamic Covenant. Christian anti-Semitism is “the child” of this deviant belief system and always has been. In like manner the Apartheid system of government, launched by the Nationalist government in South Africa in 1948, was in fact built on a weird form of Christian replacement theology. Only this time, the Jews were not the target but black people and the system was fully embraced and endorsed by the Dutch Reformed Church. Thank God it later repented!

Israel cannot, in any shape or form, be likened to the brutality of the Palestinian terror machine. There is no equivalence in this matter and the country is a shining light of multi-party democracy and civilized governance in a “sea” of Islamic chaos and brutality. David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, recently acknowledged this. Recent polls (6/24) reveal that the majority of Palestinians support the Hamas agenda for the total destruction of Israel. The Presbyterian Church also supports this by siding with the disinvestment campaign against the Jewish State. It’s all part of a sinister plan to discredit Israel, delegitimize Israel and dismantle Israel. For Presbyterians everywhere this is a sad day indeed.

Malcolm Hedding.

The Killing of Three Israeli Teenagers

The Killing of Three Israeli Teenagers

by Malcolm Abbas Blog Hamas Israel Middle East Muslim Palestinians persecution PLO Prayer West Bank

The brutal murder of the three Israeli teenagers, Gilad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach, kidnapped nearly three weeks ago is a crime that is unimaginable and can only be committed by people who have lost any understanding of what it is to be human. The killers when caught, and they will be, should be given a fair trial and then, when found guilty, be subjected to the death penalty. This is nothing short of the genocide of three whole worlds and it must be treated as such. It is with disgust that we also witness the celebrations in Gaza of these heinous crimes. To be sure this demonstrates to the world the true nature of the beast that Israel is grappling with. President Abbas is directly accountable for this outrage as he is the head of state of the Palestinian Authority Unity Government. He cannot escape this responsibility and the international community should hold his feet to the fire on this matter. This crime is the true face of his movement and has been for decades. It has thus once and for all unmasked them for what they are.

We rightly mourn with Israel today and thus share her pain and grief but we should all be assured of this; that this cowardly and dastardly act will not weaken Israel’s resolve or intimidate her. No, she will stand strong, uphold civilized values and norms and in the end win this battle against raw evil. We in particular share the grief that must now overwhelm three precious Israeli families and we know that God’s great love will comfort and care for them.

Malcolm Hedding

The Kidnapping of Three Israeli Children

The Kidnapping of Three Israeli Children

by Malcolm Blog Israel justice Middle East Muslim Palestinians PLO Prayer

On behalf of Malcolm Hedding Ministries and its world-wide constituency I wish to express outrage at the global, and yes European Union, response to the kidnapping of three Israeli young people by the newly formed Palestinian Unity Government. This type of barbaric, cruel and cowardly act demonstrates yet again that Israel is dealing with an entity that is tribal and uncivilized having no interest in peace but driven by a religious ideology that is dedicated to the total destruction of the Jewish State. There is no excuse for this evil behavior and it is stunning to hear and read that western politicians are calling upon Israel to demonstrate restraint as she seeks to employ all the means at her disposal to return these young people to their families.

Indeed there should be global condemnation of this crime and most certainly all financial aid to this newly formed Palestinian government should be suspended. I am fully aware that merely calling upon this government to return these innocent children will achieve nothing. We all know this. This is no time for the madness of political correctness and thus Israel must be fully supported as she employs every means available to her to recover these three children safely.

It is our prayer and hope that this will happen speedily.

Malcolm Hedding.

Passover and Easter Update 2014

Passover and Easter Update 2014

by Malcolm Blog Church Israel Jesus

This year, as in some previous years, Passover and Easter fall in the same week. Their connection is not just one that has to do with our annual calendars but they mirror each other, though separated by thousands of years in terms of their historical context. The one took place 3300 years ago in Egypt and the other 2000 years ago in Jerusalem. What they both have in common is:

1.    The condemnation of the world.
Without the vicarious suffering of another the world, including all of Israel in Egypt, would fall prey to death at the hands of the Angel of Death. Death is more than just our physical expiration; it is being separated from God for all eternity.  We are all a people condemned to die because of our sins.

2.    The marvelous grace of God.
That which saves us from death is not our good works or efforts but the grace of God alone. The Jews in Egypt were as much at risk as the Egyptians were as the Angel of Death approached. Their only hope was the blood of a lamb that had to be appropriated on the door posts and lintels of their homes. In like manner only the blood of the Lamb of God, applied to the doorposts of our hearts can save us from death. God’s grace is wonderful and frees us from a “works based” attempt to please Him. By grace we have been saved!

3.    The changing of our circumstances.
The Israelites of old had to be dressed and ready to leave Egypt in haste. They would now be a changed people who would find their new life in God who came down to deliver them by His mighty hand. They would never be the same again. In like manner we leave the world (Egypt) and follow Christ Who has transformed us, changed our hearts and made us “new creatures.”

4.    The pursuit of the enemy.
Though redeemed and brought under God’s protection the Israelites were relentlessly pursued by the Egyptians at many levels and not just physically. It’s one thing to come out of Egypt but it’s entirely another to get Egypt out of your heart! For forty years and more the Israelites battled and struggled with the latter. We too have been saved from sin but it takes a lifetime to get sin out of our hearts! In both cases however the enemy has been defeated. “The horse and rider has been thrown into the sea!”

5.    The care, provision and protection of God.
The Exodus story serves as a marvelous lesson about the love that God has for His people. Those redeemed by the blood of a lamb are God’s precious people a holy nation and a royal priesthood. He watches over them day and night. Likewise the Church is  also deemed a holy nation and a royal priesthood and Jesus said “Lo I am with you always even unto the end of the age.” The lesson is clear; those that are blood bought” enjoy God’s presence and cannot be separated from Him.

6.    The hope of a promised land.
The Israelites went out of Egypt with the sure assurance that they would inherit a land of milk and honey; and they did. We too have gone out of the Egypt of sin looking for a city that has “foundations whose architect and builder is God.” God desires to dwell forever with His children and indeed He will. Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions; I go to prepare a place for you that where I am you may be also.”

Isn’t it amazing how Passover and Easter reflect each other? The truth is, they do reflect each other and are really one and the same! Just this week, as Passover was beginning, a radical Nazi attacked two Jewish centers in America. Shouting “Heil Hitler” he opened fire at will and indiscriminately at Jews but in fact killed three Christians! This tragedy speaks to us in many ways but powerfully it reminds us that Jews and Christians belong together and in the end that which will finally unite them will be the blood of a Lamb! What a wonderful Day that will be!

May you celebrate a blessed Passover and Easter.

Malcolm Hedding

South Africa As I See It – July 17th

South Africa As I See It – July 17th

by Malcolm Africa Blog

From time to time I return to South Africa, the land of my birth. Living outside of it and returning gives me a view of things that is a little removed from the scene and thus, hopefully, objective. South Africans, of all colors, are friendly warm and keen to engage anyone in conversation. Arriving at Passport Control at Oliver Tambo international airport is no exception. The presiding immigration official, upon my arrival at his kiosk, warmly greeted me and then went on to ask me questions about the USA and what it’s like to live there. As I left him he called out, “Give my regards to Obama when you get back!”  I dare say there are few places in the world where one will find such a happy and jovial attitude. South Africans laugh at themselves and everyone else which constitutes a real breath of fresh air in a world that it so hung up about itself and the need to be politically correct. It was a joy to be home!

But what of home? Some nearly twenty years after the demise of Apartheid the country has taken on a new character and it is refreshing to see black people occupying important positions in all segments of society. They are kind, helpful and full of smiles. They have a new dignity because they are in charge and have in many cases risen to the challenge of building a new South Africa. To see young black men running out onto one of our great rugby fields donning the green and gold of the Springboks is breathtaking to say the least. More than this, they are in the team because they are damn good! (Oops excuse my English) Who can fail to glow with pride as the spectators, mainly white, demonstrate their joy at seeing one of South Africa’s black rugby stars handle the ball by shouting out, “The Beeeeast.” When the bastion of “Broederbond Sport” is free from racial prejudice and intrigue then you know that a miracle has taken place in South Africa. Actually a God-given miracle!

But what of the future? Here there are disturbing signs that all is not well in the Rainbow Kingdom. South Africa’s young and fragile democracy is being challenged by the very people who have been elected to defend and strengthen it. This is no exaggeration, consider the following:

The undermining of the judicial system
Recently a very competent prosecutor was placed on suspension by the NPA (National Prosecuting Authority) because she was investigating corruption and fraud that involved senior local government and national political figures that were close to the President himself. Fearing that she would be successful she was suspended and charged with wrong doing. After fighting a long drawn out legal action, that cost her everything even her home, she was finally exonerated and cleared of all wrong doing. This essentially means that political figures of great power and influence consider themselves above the law and they will not hesitate to falsely use the law to hide their crimes. There is thus one law for the political elites and another for the man in the street. If not corrected this abuse of the SouthAfrican judicial system will breed distrust and fear; two realities that define most Banana Republics.

The undermining of a free press
Democracy means that the people, through their chosen elected officials, rule the country. The people then require effective means to “police” those in power.

This means three things:
1.  There must be an unfettered and free press.
2. There must be the right to express peaceful public dissent……….and,
3. The rights of minorities must be guaranteed.

The ANC led government intensely dislikes criticism and recently, because of their overwhelming majority in the Parliament, they passed a law that would effectively curb the freedom that the press has hitherto enjoyed in South Africa. In essence this law would make it difficult for journalists to know when their criticisms of the government are crossing a red line and thus exposing them to prosecution. This in turn would deter them from being too critical; exactly what the government wants! To the credit of the government, though the bill has been passed, President Jacob Zuma has yet to sign it into law because he knows that the moment he does so the Democratic Alliance Party will immediately challenge it in the Constitutional Court. Should they be successful in this challenge the government will suffer an humiliating defeat.

The issue is, that a law to reign in the freedom of the press has been passed by the ANC government and this gives notice as to the real intentions of the government and this is not good because this in turn is the proven road that all dictatorships travel by!

The undermining of the rules of the land
The country was recently rocked by what is called Guptagate! This blatant disregard of the laws of the land was perpetrated by the President himself with the support of his inner circle of friends. In essence a plane chartered by very wealthy businessmen and women from India was allowed to violate South African air space and evade the normal entry procedures for visiting foreigners by illegally landing at Waterkloof Air-force Base. To add insult to injury, they were then permitted to illegally enter the country and be escorted by the police as they drove to Sun City for a big party.

The message the ANC government sent to the country is that once again the elites and friends of government are not subject to the laws of the land especially if they have money. In reality this again means that the laws of the land are only applicable to the tax paying majority but not to the ruling elite who will disregard them at the “drop of a hat.”  Thankfully, because of the national outcry, the Guptas from India were forced to leave in the way that all visitors to the country leave;  through proper procedures at Oliver Tambo International Airport. To date no one in the government has taken responsibility for this fiasco.

Undermining business confidence
The ANC government rules with the support of the Trade Union Movement known as Cosatu and the Communist Party. This means that radicals are always pressing for new laws that will transfer the wealth of the country to the “have nots.”  They  call this the struggle to achieve economic freedom. They therefore want to see the mines and other national business institutions nationalized and thus given to the people.For many of these people Mugabe of Zimbabwe is a hero even though his policies of achieving economic freedom totally bankrupted the country and increased poverty and hunger.  I have tried to read as much as I can about this policy and have been struck by the fact that in the desire to achieve economic freedom you will never find the words dedication, qualification, education, commitment, hard work and discipline! It’s all about taking from those who have and just giving it to those who are disadvantaged, disinvested and discriminated against. It’s a failed policy the world over and it undermines investor confidence wherever it is implemented.

A recent report carried in the Financial Times stated that South Africa’s draconian labor laws coupled with the threats of the implementation of a nationalization policy were negatively impacting on the business environment and that indeed the country was in financial decline. A fact verified by the poor performance of the economy over the last fiscal year.South Africa should be the economic engine of Africa but in fact is fast being overtaken by Kenya, a nation that is now rapidly attracting foreign investment because of an open and liberal business environment. What South Africa needs is jobs and lots of them but as long as it is obsessed with race in the business sector it will never get these. Affirmative action is to some degree required and necessary but when it becomes incompetent tokenism and a road to get something without earning it it is a problem and in the end an insult to those who benefit from it.

Undermining the future
A recent report revealed that South Africa’s educational system is one of the worst in the world. It even lags behind that of Zimbabwe! This means that millions of children are getting an education that is hopelessly deficient. It also means that the future of these children is being ruined and with it their financial prospects. As always the Minister of Education will not take responsibility for this fiasco and sadly it looks as if nothing will change.

This problem is exacerbated by the high levels of crime. All countries have a crime problem but South Africa’s crime problem  is unique and one of a kind. I have traveled the world over and have never encountered anything remotely near to South Africa’s crime levels. The country is now rated one of the most dangerous countries in the world! Crime is affecting all segments of society and all communities and it is thus dismembering families, creating a huge psychological and social problem and ruining the future of the country. To escape it hundreds of thousands ofSouth Africans have left for safer shores abroad and with their departure is the loss of expertise, experience and initiative; values that really make a difference in building the nation. One may call these people names for leaving but I have listened to their trauma and cannot blame them for going. For many it is just too late to go so their futures will be lived out by residing behind brick walls, barbed wire, laser beams, electric fences, security gates and panic buttons. When one ventures out beyond these security barriers one has to be extremely vigilant and one has to have one’s pockets filled with coins in order to pay off the ever present car guards etc.

Sadly the government seems quite incapable of effectively dealing with this problem and if this continues the countries future prospects will be dim. After all who wants to live in a national prison and pay taxes for the privilege?

Undermining elections
National elections will shortly take place in the country. The electorate should have free access to the positions taken by the competing parties so as to vote in an informed and educated manner. These parties should therefore be free to hire any company, organization or newspaper to get their message to the people. In a democracy the people have a right to be informed in this way and all parties should honor and respect this. However, not so with the ANC because any news outlet or information network that conveys the opposition’s point of view is economically boycotted. That is, the ANC mobilizes its grass roots supporters to sever ties with these entities and thus economically hurt them. Naturally, it works and thus the voice of the opposition is silenced! This is not democracy but the early signs of dictatorship; the drive to retain power at all costs. If the foundations of building a strong democracy are being undermined just twenty years after Apartheid I fear that South Africa, with all its initial promise of hope, will turn out to be just another failed African state.

Concluding thoughts
The picture that I have painted above is not a fictitious one; it is based on fact and is therefore a real one. South Africans are however a resilient people and thus far have overcome many obstacles in their pursuit of freedom. I sincerely pray that they will find a way to really entrench freedom in the country and overcome these challenges. The transition from Apartheid is now over and the new government must take hold of the future and accept accountability for its actions. Nation building is not a game and the country needs Statesmen/women and not politicians. The Father of the new nation, President Nelson Mandela, was a real statesman and a remarkable gift to the nation. His legacy was built on respect for all people, courage to act when one stands all alone and vision for what the future can be. He placed the country on the right path and served as a guiding light even when he was no longer in power. As I write he lies dying in a Pretoria hospital and it is my hope and prayer that the vision of a proud, successful South Africa does not pass away with him. The burden of responsibility that now lies on the shoulders of the next generation of rulers in South Africa is indeed a great one.

Malcolm Hedding