This essay will require a bit of explanation of the term “messiah”.
Living in a predominantly Christian nation, many of us have a particular notion of the “Messiah”. That messiah, hammered into us in Sunday school and Mass, was Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, coequal with God, coeternal, of the same substance, incarnating in human flesh to offer the perfect sacrifice to atone for Adam’s sin. In the Christian conception, the Messiah was the willing sacrifice to reconcile sinful mankind with God.
However, it may surprise you to know, that Jesus was a Jew. He lived in a Jewish culture, believed in a Jewish eschatology, did not want to change a “jot of the Law”. And Judaism has a very different view of the Messiah.
A quick and dirty precis of Jewish views of the Messiah follows.
He is not “the suffering Servant”. He is not “the Lamb of God”. He was not to be hung on a cross, crucified by Roman occupiers as a seditious rebel.
The word “messiah” literally means “the anointed one”. And it was a term applied to the kings of Israel and Judah, as God’s “anointed one”, the chosen one to lead the people.
A king does not die on the cross. A king is not executed as a common criminal. And when the kings no longer existed, Jews lived in expectation of a new Messiah, a new anointed one, who would shake off the yoke of foreign oppression and restore God’s people to independence and power.
The Jewish messiah is not a humble carpenter. The Jewish messiah is not a condemned criminal. The Jewish messiah is a Son of Man, sent by the God of Abraham and Isaac to redeem His people, and prepare for the coming of God’s kingdom.
Which brings us to where we are now.
I’ve been trying to figure out what Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s end game in the current Gaza crisis is. His actions make no sense. He has done everything to assure that his stated goals are not achieved.
Avenge the three dead Israeli teens? Well, Israel’s own investigative services have determined that Hamas had nothing to do with their deaths.
Stop rocket attacks from northern Gaza? Well, those rockets didn’t start up again until Mr. Netanyahu ordered strikes in the wake of the teens’ deaths.
Collapse Hamas tunnels into southern Israel? Does that goal require over a thousand Palestinian deaths, mostly of civilians? Cannot Israel, with its first world technology, detect where the tunnels terminate in Israel proper without slaughtering innocents?
The stated aims of this siege do not jibe with the actions carried out.
I’ve observed Mr. Netanyahu for three decades, from when he was Israel’s UN ambassador in the 1980s to his various stints in government.
At any hint of peace with Arabs, especially Palestinians, he always recoiled. He may on the surface have grudgingly acquiesced to the idea of peace, but loaded its achievement with so many conditions that it was a dead letter. He was the most dangerous of demagogues: able to present a moderate face, but barely concealing a hard line radicalism.
Now, over the past few weeks, the moderate face has vanished. It hasn’t much existed during his latest stint as prime minister; the mask barely stayed on as he actively supported Mitt Romney in the 2012 US presidential election. But, gifted with the murder of the teenagers, the mask fell off completely, as he was given his casus belli for a final showdown with Hamas.
The question which has niggled at me in all the time I’ve observed Mr. Netanyahu has been this: does he see himself in Messianic terms? He certainly has no truck with peace, and neither does the Jewish messiah, come from God to cow God’s enemies. At no point in his career has he genuinely pursued peace, such moves as he did make towards peace being mere tactical feints.
Does he see himself in messianic terms, as the only man who can secure the Jewish people’s habitation of the Promised Land?
If he does, he makes a poor messiah. The Jewish messiah is not merely to secure the Jewish homeland, but to bring about a complete upending of the world order, with God’s chosen people at the pinnacle of power. That’s something Mr. Netanyahu will never be able to achieve. And with every bomb dropped, with every Palestinian child killed or orphaned, he creates another soldier against Israel, another soldier who will carry the fight unto the next generation.
Forget about whether or not he sees himself in messianic terms—although my observation of him does make me wonder. At the job to which he was elected, he is betraying his people. He is making them far less secure. He is bringing the world’s ire down upon a nation which needs the world’s goodwill to survive. Unless a course correction is effected, he may be the man who destroys the Zionist project. In the Jewish conception of the messiah, he will be as failed as was that carpenter from Nazareth.
Messiahs make awful political leaders. Being on a mission from God ensures no one wins. Mr. Netanyahu may or may not see himself in an especially exalted status. But his actions are not guaranteeing Israel’s survival, sending it instead on a path to destruction. And surely, that’s not what Israelis voted for.
In my study of Jewish ideas about the Messiah, I have Bart D. Erhman to thank. His books are revelatory.
Wonderfull essay, LL….. and very precise ?’s that should have been addressed before the invasion: “Collapse Hamas tunnels into southern Israel? Does that goal require over a thousand Palestinian deaths, mostly of civilians? Cannot Israel, with its first world technology, detect where the tunnels terminate in Israel proper without slaughtering innocents?” ….precisely!!! Egypt destroyed a 1000 tunnels w/o a single death…
Israeli reporter thinks next victim will be a fellow Israeli journo……by Israeli citizens!
statements from the State Dept…are becoming stronger and more specific….
I don’t know how much credence I can put on this, but I wouldn’t put anything past Bibi….
Can’t wait for the *objective* coverage coming from inside Gaza re: NBC
Re: Israël police targeting journalists… Isn’t it tragic that a people who suffered so much from facism has elected a government who contains some fascists in its ranks ??
This is an example of what daily fear and terror can reap on a people….how would things be if folks in the US had given into fear,, ,and elected Romney as President
….http://youtu.be/nqCYFpUAJ2Q
President Obama has returned to the White House.
And all’s right with the world.
Thanks LL for that clear explication of the Jewish Messiah ideal. Christians have garbled that idea for 2,000 years. We have overlaid our ideas and wishes onto a culture and religion we never understood. What you said, coincides with what our minister (Congregational/UCC) deals with every Advent and Christmas season: Isaiah and Jeremiah were NOT prophesying the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. They were looking for a political leader to put them at the top of the hill.
I am beginning to think Netanyahu thinks of himself in messianic terms, certainly not as the “suffering servant” type, or the man of peace type whose kingdom is not of this world, but as a very real king who will reign over all the lands “promised to Abraham.”
thanks, carolyn.
I’ve been trying to understand Netanyahu’s strategy. As I wrote, it makes no sense. And now with today’s news of the bombing of an UNWRA facility housing 3K refugees, I’m really beginning to think that he sees himself Messianically. Israel will be top of the heap, with himself as its savior.
Thank you for this piece, LL. It is thoughtful with an interesting theory about Netanyahu. However, as a Jew raised is post WW II America, I have some thoughts to add.
Although you are correct about the historical views of the Messiah in Biblical times and at the time of Christ, it is important to note that those are not the Messianic ideals taught over the last several hundred years. In fact, the Talmud is meant to be studied, discussed and contributed to through new ideas, new philosophers, new thinkers, and informed by individual experience and current and historical context.
The idea of the Messiah evolved through history; and in my mid 20th century religious upbringing, and the study I did at the time of the philosophers of the preceding 300, 400 years, the Jewish Messiah was a deeply spiritual, mystical striving for spiritual perfection; and that it was the striving that defined us to do good, to be good, to live a deeply ethical life. The Messiah was a symbol, and its historical view as an actual warrior king was considered naive and anachronistic. We as Jews were expected to grow and evolve and reflect current knowledge of the world and history. The Bible was a guide to ethical behavior. I was never taught that it was literal. Not ever. The Messiah was indeed an image that connected us, but it was always clear that it was in our individual striving that we ‘connected’ to a deeply spiritual Messianic perfection.
It is actually closer to a Christ ideal than the Biblical historical view, although most Jews would be loathe to use that term! It can’t be achieved for us through someone else’s divine sacrifice, but with our God-given existence we are given free will, and we find our ‘Messiah’ in the inner workings of our hearts and outward ethical behavior.
I do not doubt that the RWNJ Jew who has taken over what was a fully secular Israel may believe in the biblical Messiah but I see no evidence that Bibi is being considered as such by the Israeli people, but perhaps in his fevered mind as you theorize.
For 40 years I have decried the shift of Israel and I have not been a practicing Jew since the early 70’s. It is anathema to everything I was taught to believe that Israel would become conquerors and destroyers. This is not how Jews are supposed to behave.
I worry, LL, at a growing conflation of all Jews with the political atrocities of the Israeli government over the last 30 years. I see anti-Semitism sneaking into comments and conversations even here. There are lines being crossed. Israel has created the situation, but Jewish history did not begin in 1948. Millions upon millions of Jews have been slaughtered and displaced throughout their history, being second class citizens until the second half of the 20 century, almost everywhere on the planet. The Arabs did want to bomb Israel out of existence. There was no autonomous country of Palestine in 1948 – I see that misconception everywhere. It was occupied territory for hundreds of years, and at that time was occupied by the British.
Nothing excuses the actions of Israel now – but it is in my DNA to fear anti-Semitic backlash.
I hope the TOD and TPV readers who read your piece understand that the Messianic ideal of Jews 2,000 years ago is not the Messianic views of Jews over the last half millennia, at the very least.
I should’ve made that clearer, that this was a 1st century messianism. But I think it’s that Messianism which infects Bibi, a very apocalyptic sort. Or, to be more modern, he feels he’s on a mission. He is a very scary individual to have at the head of a modern military. I very much hope Israelis realize that the path he’s choosing will not bring them security, but the opposite.
Bibi is a dangerous monster, but he is supported by the fear of the Israeli people. I understand it, and frankly I’ve been surprised at myself how fearful I become when I think about the destruction of Israel. Jews are first, cultural and second, religious.
Semitic peoples have lived in that region since the beginning of civilization. The will for finding a way to live together must come from within the population. Hamas and Bibi happen because of that will is the minority.
Messiah or not, LL, one thing is now inescapable – Bibi is intent to kill as many Palestinians as possible and that will be his demise and, with increasing likelihood, the demise of a peaceful Jewish state.
Thank you for yet another fine essay, LL.
pf58 & Bill R – In the previous thread I posted responses to your thoughtful comments. Thank you.
#TrustBarack
#OWNthe114th …. lives depend on it, including yours.
I read more about Hamas and you are right about them in so many ways. Yet now I wonder, it seems that Israel has become no better and that saddens me because I always thought Israel were our friend at least.😦
I share in your sadness, Jeff.
LL, what a fine and thoughtful piece.
The part I couldn’t agree with more vehemently is that the mask has been stripped from Bibi’s face. Everyone who looks Bibi or Mark Regev, gov’t spokesperson or Peter Lerner, IDF spokesman, can see and hear how false and frantic they are. The messiah theory is so outside my realm I can’t comment. But I am willing to read and consider anything you care to share.
Someone at TOD—maybe hf—said a few days ago that they thought PBO was giving Bibi enough rope to hang himself. Very smart observation and it appears to be what is happening right now.
Jeff, I feel your pain. Israel has no friends. Just like Genghis Khan probably had no friends. And Putin is low on the friends scale, too.
If we rubberstamp Bibi he gives us lavish compliments. If we displease him he sneers at our beloved President. Some friend. No thanks.
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/concentrate-and-exterminate-israel-parliament-deputy-speakers-gaza-genocide-plan
Pretty scary stuff. I know people on here probably get irritated with me and I can’t blame them because I get irritated with myself. I just cant help but be transfixed with what’s happening right now.
I, for one, am not irritated with you. On the contrary your desire to learn reflects TOD in general. We all support PBO unconditionally and we want to learn as much as we can, so that our support is not only unconditional but also informed.
Well said, Vicki. I concur and respect Jeff’s efforts and empathy.
Jeff – You’re not irritating me, either. I take seriously your attempts to gather more information for yourself, as to better understand. That takes work and commitment, so go for it!
Tiger Woods retire from tournament with back injury.
Oh no!!
This may have something to do with the State Dept. response as well: Israel Eavesdropped on John Kerry in Mideast Talks http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/israel-intelligence-eavesdropped-on-phone-calls-by-john-kerry-a-984246.html
SPIEGEL has learned from reliable sources that Israeli intelligence eavesdropped on US Secretary of State John Kerry during Middle East peace negotiations. In addition to the Israelis, at least one other intelligence service also listened in as Kerry mediated last year between Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab states, several intelligence service sources told SPIEGEL. Revelations of the eavesdropping could further damage already tense relations between the US government and Israel. During the peak stage of peace talks last year, Kerry spoke regularly with high-ranking negotiating partners in the Middle East. At the time, some of these calls were not made on encrypted equipment, but instead on normal telephones, with the conversations transmitted by satellite. Intelligence agencies intercepted some of those calls. The government in Jerusalem then used the information obtained in international negotiations aiming to reach a diplomatic solution in the Middle East. In the current Gaza conflict, the Israelis have massively criticized Kerry, with a few ministers indirectly calling on him to withdraw from peace talks. Both the US State Department and the Israeli authorities declined to comment….continued
Gaza is not as I expected. Amid the terror, there is hope
The world is not so blessed that it can afford to waste the lives of the 1.8 million Palestinians who live there
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/03/gaza-not-as-expected-amid-terror-hope
“Logic dictates that either aid flows inwards, on an unprecedented scale, or people will flow outwards – not tomorrow, but as the weeks roll by without sanitation or power. Palestinians fear that a humanitarian crisis will be used to move them permanently off the land captured by the Israelis, and ultimately into camps in Egypt.
I have been to Muslim countries where there is deep conservatism, low education and suspicion of the west. This is not one of them. I constantly meet highly educated people who speak English; cheerful and friendly people – which is amazing in itself, given the level of terror the night brings. The world is not so blessed with educated, resourceful people that it can afford to waste the lives of 1.8 million Palestinians behind the iron grilles and the concrete walls that delimit Gaza. I have lost track of how many times I’ve met a young guy, 18 or 19 years old, proud not to be a fighter, a militant, or a duck-and-dive artist on the street. When you ask what his job is, the common answer is “carpenter”. Working with wood – not metal or computer code – is the limit of what the blockade has enabled the skilled manual worker here to achieve.
Faced with such hopelessness, naturally, many become resigned: “Living is the same as being dead” is a phrase you hear among young men. It is the perfect rationale for the nihilist military organisation some choose to join. But its opposite is the resourcefulness that rewires a house after its front has been blown off; that sits on the carpet making bread on a hot pan after a home has been reduced to dust.
There are only two economic routes for life to flow back into Gaza and, given the bitterness of this conflict, the route from Israel will not be the main one. Egypt holds the key to Gaza’s economic integration to the rest of the global economy. Open the Rafah crossing, and the need for the tunnels disappears. To the world this forlorn, impoverished and totally battered society has become a byword for impossibility and despair. But nobody has told Gazans. I found them full of hope.”
#TrustBarack
I,too, was reminded of Bosnia/Serbia 90’s War. The casualties in that horror topped 100,000.
The reason I looked it up was because in his press conference POTUS noted that we hadn’t jumped right into that one.
Which I interpreted, maybe wrongly, as a slam on Bill Clinton and a notice to she-who-won’t-be-named to recall the instruction regarding people who live in glass houses. ……
I have a dim memory of Tony Blair pulling NATO into Bosnia with an unenthusiatic Clinton agreeing eventually.
This is a powerful article, Bob, and I’m glad you brought it to Ambassador Power’s attention. We are seeing the world’s growing enlightenment about Palestine and its growing distrust of Israel. It stuns me that more Israelis don’t see how very dangerous this is to own survival.
I get the feeling that the Israeli people are being lied to daily and the press is being monitored, even prevented from seeing what’s really happening. That being said, surely social media should be able to circumvent that?
Any Israeli who wants to know the truth can swim in it, Betsy, via Twitter, etc. But, you are absolutely correct about severe censorship being exerted throughout Israel itself.
That’s what I think too. They can’t have the excuse others have had in previous times, “We didn’t know”. It’s so sad to see such carnage.
Thanks LL for another excellent article. Your analysis of Bibi and his “God” complex is spot-on. Fortunately, I think his reign of terror is on its last days…
Yes, HF, but what will come down with him. I hope Israelis understand how catastrophic this man’s power lust has been for them.
Good Day Beautiful People:-)
Hope you all having a Fantastic Sunday!
GA TOD.
Wishing Africa and her husband well.
Amk, your daughter unit is truly a Healer. Bless her.
LL, you are one compassionate, thoughtful writer. Thank you.
Our Bts are the best.
Congrats to all the Gold⭐ medalists starting with this thread and 3 back.
As President Obama used to say…Don’t get bamboozled or don’t fall for the okey-dokey…It seems most media did.
How I despise Media and everyone that sells their soul….
All I can say about this interview is ..WOW!
Just got back from GET ON UP!!
PLEASE go see it.
I loved it.
I don’t think they glossed over James Brown’s demons in the least.
But, this was about the music. And, how that music was part of the soundtrack of America.
I was so moved by the end. They did a good job.
great…I may go see it!
I went to see JB in the 1980s at a theater in Minneapolis, MN. 3 of Us went and he didn’t show up. His band was there and they were playing. Later, it was announced that he was still in Chicago and never made it to MN. Our money was refunded back weeks later. In the mid 1990s, I was able to see him…..Via…. a free ticket at a Casino, in MN. It was awesome. JB and his group were fantastic.
I wish this movie well. I can’t wait for it to be released on Blue Ray…..in a few months or on Demand.
This is going to be O/T since most of this thread is about Israel/Gaza, but it is an uplifting story. And, a bit surprising for so many (too many) folks in this red state where so many tend to be bigots and hyprocites and many have such fear of “the other.” This story is the opposite and the couple started the process TWO weeks ago today!!!!
http://www.wbir.com/story/news/local/oak-ridge-anderson/2014/08/02/oliver-springs-couple-to-adopt-4-kids/13534987/. If the video doesn’t play, the transcript of the story is below the video. It won’t take long to read it. Wonderful story!!!
Can’t thank you enough for sharing this story, tnmtngirl. It’s yet another example of just how true President Obama’s words are when he reiterates that he sees, in the many Americans he meets, so much goodness and hope.
I watched a movie today. It is called; This Land Is Mine. It was released in 1943 with Charles Laughton and Maureen O’Hara and other known actors.
As I was watching this Movie today, I had never seen it, until today. I was crying as Lory…..Charles L, thought to be cowardly, was able to make in his defense, was able to deliver the true understanding of Occupation, Repression and the quiet destruction of a Society when fear, corruption and a sense of loss of power from the Mayor, community merchants, etc. This loss of power and the profiteering by the merchants due to austerity, led them to idly go along while atrocities were being committed.
This led me to think about Jeff. Please pardon.
Jeff, nothing that you are feeling needs to be excused or explained away. Many of Us here share your agony, anguish and the helplessness that goes with frustrations. I am so proud that you trusted TOD to view your concerns. I am equally proud that you are getting thoughtful responses form the Caliber of a human beings, such as Doc, Bobfr and others. TOD is indeed, a family.
The Tweet about caring for the suffrage of fellow human beings is 1001% accurate. I hope it gets loads of retweets.
Very, very fine, Nena!!! And, I concur, totally.
#FORWARD Together
LL,
excellent post.
I can’t help but agree with others – this has been different. Israel just doesn’t get that the world has shifted from under their feet, and because of social media…they couldn’t PR themselves out of it, because anyone with a cellphone has been able to get the truth out and the truth is ugly and vile – against Israel.
The PR is key. With the explosion of social media, CNN/MSNBC/Fox weren’t the gatekeepers of information as they were in the previous slaughter. This is the first real-time Israeli/Palestinian war. And Israel’s assertion that it took care to avoid civilian casualties was exploded as a cruel lie.
Sad, yes.
But❤ has the element here too. They wanted to still be two as one and so they left nearly together.
I had neighbors who did almost the exact same thing. They came from the same hometown, moved away in the 1940’s and reunited in SoCal and married in their 40’s. They both lived to be in their late 80’s. When he got sick and was in the hospital she told him it was ok that she gave him permission to let go….a few hours later they had to admit her into the hospital. She did not want to go home to their apartment alone and she died a few days later before she got out of the hospital.
Hopefully this will help stop the death toll now, over 729 in the 3 nations in W. Africa.
Huff Post has a Huge Headline claiming that Israel Withdraws……that their ground troops are pulling out.
I hope that is true. I will Never look at the Netanyahu Gov’t with any respect. I never liked the guy for over 20 yrs.
Huff post is mostly opinion, I would wait a minute or two before we jump for joy.
But if true good news.
I think cnn just reported it as well. 🙂
Netanyahu…may be withdrawing…but he reserves the right to continue on with his mission…in fact what’s to stop him…what is the next stop….are there meetings taking place in Egypt….if so…to what end
I know I’ll be condemned for thinking this, but I think he’s planning on continuing the solution to the Palestilian problem that many of the Likud party have expressed.
The israeli right is calling their plan “re-location.”
sounds suspiciously like ‘cleansing’
LL, you are masterful on this subject. I have only a superficial knowledge of Judaism because I can’t get myself interested in religious studies so this is very enlightening. Thank you.
RT
I’m not in favor of billionaires deciding elections despite the fact that I want Rick Scott out of Florida so the Democrats can put in medicaid expansion.
The number of the dead is now over 330.
40 yrs ago, there were 50 different entities in the Media. Today, there are 6 and if Murdoch gets his way, there will be 5 and 40% of what US consumes would be under Murdoch Media Control Empire. Say it ain’t so!
How many media entities are there in Israel? Syria? Egypt? Russia? N.Korea? Burma? This is one of the most frightening trends of all, isn’t it?
I do worry about other nations and Freedom of Press. Buy my worry is about US. We must 1st be WHOLE, before making demands of what goes on in other nations, especially, some known for their Press Censorship.
Many TODers knew it a long time ago. If we Only have a News Media with the intent and understanding of doing their basic job; to educate and inform the population.
Excuse my language, but the word “fuckers” comes to mind in response to that finding.
Rain clouds hovering over my house. Just let it pour, already. I feel like I’m back in NYC with this heat and humidity.
It’s tropical, not northeast US humidity.😉
There’s a nice breeze here (from the east unfortunately, not from the ocean).
A rain drop once every 20 seconds or so, then nothing.
Very disappointed that it hasn’t rained, moved all my plants from underneath the covered patio this morning when I saw the ground was wet (probably from the once-every-20-second-drops), but their leaves are still dry.
“The EU Code of Conduct leaves no room for semi-tones. By selling Mistrals to Russia France would directly violate the basic provisions of this most important document of the European Union. It’s interesting to know what else it would take to make Brussels and Paris give consideration to this fact, as if Georgia and Ukraine were not enough! Can it be that France will continue to disgrace itself, selling its international reputation for the meager 1.2 billion euros?”
These Christian missionaries need to stop going to Liberia!
Unqualified!!!
She and her husband were there way before the Ebola virus came to Liberia. I saw a video of their son who said so.
Little doubt what President Obama thinks of the killing of civilians in Gaza ….
No ambiguity ….
“UPDATED 12:15 p.m. ET: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the attack that killed 10 people at a U.N. school in the Gaza Strip is a “moral outrage and a criminal act.”
Ban added that the attack “is yet another gross violation of international humanitarian law, which clearly requires protection by both parties of Palestinian civilians, U.N. staff and U.N. premises, among other civilian facilities.”
He said the incident must be investigated.”
I saw it didn’t want to retweet it because it moved me to tears.
Did he need the world, or did the world need him? Batkid. I saw an interview last week with the documentary filmmaker who is in the process of making a film about that unbelievable event, where instead of the 200 people they were expecting to show up in San Fran, 25,000 showed up to view and support and participate. And—-2 billion ! people around the world watched it unfold on the internet—–undeniable proof that people around the globe are hungry for something to feel good about, to feel good about people doing good, wanting to feel good about the good in a world with so much devastation in the news. 2 billion people! And Batkid?—–now in remission.
We ALL need Batkid!!! Thank you dotster!!
http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/03/mainstream-media-refuses-republicans-lying.html
Which just tells me that the MSM is a) stupid or b) in the bag for R’s. The rest of America needs to figure this out. And gee…how ‘ bout that! Bengazi was a waste. Who knew!
New post: https://theobamadiary.com/2014/08/03/a-tweet-or-two-93/
http://www.alternet.org/speakeasy/linda-milazzo/jews-say-end-war-gaza-0
hoping the death and destruction stops and that a permanent solution can start to be formulated – I am not sure how much more my heart & mind can handle
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_shield
anyone can edit wikipedia, the sources are there however.
AS MUCH AS I LOVE GOD I HAVE TO SEND SOME INPUT REGARDING THE MESSIAH QUESTION…JESUS CHRIST IS JEWISH AND QUITE ALIVE… CURRENTLY SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER. HE WAS CRUCIFIED,DIED AND WAS BURIED…IN THREE DAYS HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD…VISITED MANY…OVER 500 PEOPLE WITNESSED THIS PRIOR TO HIS ASCENSION TO HEAVEN. HE WAS BORN OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AND SENT TO THIS EARTH AS THE SON OF GOD TO SUFFER FOR OUR SINS. HE WILL RETURN AS IT IS WRITTEN TO RULE AS VICTOR AND KING. ISRAEL IS HIS PROMISED LAND PER COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM…WHEN HE RETURNS…IT IS ALL HIS WITHOUT QUESTION. I DON’T THINK BIBI THINKS HE IS THE MESSIAH..HE KNOWS MANY STAND WITH ISRAEL BECAUSE IT IS GOD’S LAND. WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THESE WARTIME EVENTS…GOD WINS…AND JESUS CHRIST WILL TAKE THE THRONE AS PROMISED.