PROPHETIC FORESHADOWS

PROPHETIC FORESHADOWS

Was a U. S. President's Decision to Recognize Israel as a Sovereign State Influenced by a Prominent Independent Pre-Millennial Fundamentalist Baptist Preacher?

THE PROPHETIC PROMISES

All pre-millennialists agree that Israel has a distinctive and central place in God's administrative economy of the history and future of humanity. They believe that God has made an assurance covenant with the Jews that concerns land acquisition—Gen. 15:21, the future recognition of Christ as Messiah—Rom. 11:26 [after national repentance—Zech. 12:10], and the universal millennial reign of Christ over all nations, with Israel as the key nation and Jerusalem as the capitol city—Is. 2:2-4.

God has made some everlasting promises to the Jews that He will not abrogate—Ez. 37:1-14, though they have been dispensationally delayed due to Israel's unbelief—Rom. 11:11-25. Though there have always been Jews that resided in the "promised" land since Christ's time, this writer believes that it was not a human accident, but divine providence and partial fulfillment of Scripture, that brought about Israel's renewal as a distinct national entity in 1948 after nearly 2,000 years as wandering nomads around the world.

The Balfour declaration of 1917 guaranteed the Jews this homeland, but it was not until the United Nations Mandate of 1947 that Israel finally became an independent sovereign state in 1948. Upon declaring its independence, Israel was immediately attacked by surrounding Arab states. Despite its decisive military victory, Mainline Protestants and Catholics denounced the new state and even the U. S. State Department did not want to recognize the new government.

A U. S. PRESIDENT’S SURPRISING DECLARATION

However, in 1948 Harry Truman was the U. S. President. While Truman had some liberal political leanings and occasionally used profane language, he was a firm advocate of the King James Bible, believing it was the literal Word of God and that new modern translations were not needed or reliable. In an article that Gerald McDermott wrote in Books and Culture, pp. 8-9, McDermott made the following remarks:

"President Harry Truman, an active Baptist, who had something of a conservative view of the Bible and its prophecies about Israel, defied the State Department and nearly all his advisers both when he supported the state of Israel in 1948, and when he declared American recognition of the fledging state. When he was introduced at the Jewish Theological Seminary as the "man who helped create the state of Israel," Truman protested, "What do you mean ‘helped to create’ I am Cyrus! I am Cyrus!’"

A FUNDAMENTALI BAPTIST PREACHER’S INFLUENCE?

Abundant documented evidence exists that Truman’s decision may have been greatly influenced by the famed Fort Worth Fundamentalist-separatist Baptist preacher, Dr. J. Frank Norris! After World War II, Norris traveled around the U. S. preaching messages declaring the intrinsic right of the Jews to have a national homeland state in Palestine, even speaking sometimes to Jewish groups.

The U. S. President was not only aware of Norris’s endeavors in this regard, but the two of them shared written correspondence regarding this vital international matter, correspondence that may well have influenced Truman’s Israeli declaration. In his Norris biography, God’s Rascal, author Barry Hankins [a book well worth reading, despite the author’s SBC prejudices against Norris!] states on p. 82, "Norris also wrote to President Harry Truman outlining the Biblical argument in favor of Jewish control of Palestine…"

This correspondence was published on pp. 342-345 in a biography of Norris by his long-time associate Louis Entzminger entitled The J. Frank Norris I have Known for 34 Years. Norris’s lengthy letter to Truman verifies that he did indeed strongly stake Israel’s Biblical rights to this ancient land. In response, Truman replied that he "deeply appreciate[d] having the benefit of your [Norris’s] views because I know that you have given long and extensive study to the Jewish Palestinian question." This correspondence was also printed in Norris’s magazine The Fundamentalist, Oct. 10, 1947 under the title "Who Owns or Has the Title to Palestine?"

Arab Fanatics Continue to Deny Israel’s Existence as Preparations Continue for Fulfillment of Bible Prophecy Concerning the Jews

BIBLICAL PROPHECIES CONCERNING A FUTURE TEMPLE

Despite the fact that Israel has existed as a sovereign nation since 1948, fanatical Islamic Arabs continue to deny its existence. A check of Arab maps reveals that they "do not show Israel," but only a vast "area including Jordan, called ‘Palestine.’" Even "major [Israeli] cities such as Tel Aviv and Haifa simply don’t exist on Arab maps."

Despite these foolish denials, preparations for fulfillment of Biblical prophecy concerning the Jews after the Rapture continue unabated. Dan. 9:24-27 declares that the future Anti-Christ will make a seven year pact [a period that equals the seven year tribulation period following Rapture] with the Jews with pseudo-promises concerning peace and protection, promises that he will suddenly break in the middle of that seven year period.

According to Dan. 9:27 and Matt. 24:15, this Anti-Christ figure will then commit the "abomination of desolation" as he stands in the rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and demands unrivaled worship as God—II Thess. 2:4, a worship that he will also exact from the entire world’s populace, with the exception of those tribulation saints who are martyred—Rev. 13:1-8, Rev. 7:2-15.

A CORNERSTONE AT THE TEMPLE MOUNT

In preparation for the future temple rebuilding, the temple’s cornerstone was constructed and placed several years near the foot of the Temple Mount. Israeli Officials prohibited its erection on the Temple Mount because they knew that placement there would probably mean the outbreak of intense hostilities, perhaps even a world war. [The Temple Mount is owned by Israel, but its operation is under the control of an Islamic group from Jordan called the WAQF].

THE AMAZING DEVELOPMENT OF THE RED HEIFER COW

While foreign tourists have free access to the Temple Mount, orthodox Jews are forbidden to ascend this hill for fear of stepping into the "Holy of Holies" where they believe the Ark of the Covenant once stood. During the first [Solomon’s Temple] and second temple, red heifers were sacrificed there following the specifications of Numbers chapter 19. It is on this mount at a reconstructed temple that Jews again plan to offer the Red Heifer sacrifice.

For numerous centuries following the destruction of the temple in 70 A. D. no red heifer could be located anywhere in the world. However, some American agricultural stockmen, with a special interest in Jewish history, were eventually able to breed this animal in the USA and then transport one to Israel. In 2001, announcement was made that a red heifer that satisfies the Numbers 19 requirements had been developed In Israel, another indication that the future temple rebuilding could be a close reality.

THE IMPERATIVE EVANGELISTIC RESPONSIBLITIES

From a prophetic viewpoint, it seems clear that this temple will not be rebuilt until after the Rapture of the saints in the Air—the next prophetic event in God’s time clock of history. Without a doubt, we are living near the terminus of this dispensation, commonly called the "Dispensation of the Church,"

Without setting any sensational unbiblical date claims, it seems beyond question that the Lord’s Return is drawing near—Heb. 9:28. In view of Christ’s imminent coming, an evangelistic impetus should motivate and stimulate genuine saints to soul-winning endeavors—II Cor. 5:14. Believers should also live holy exemplary lives, with Christ’s return in mind—Titus 2:11-13, I John 3:3.