The Emperor's New Clothes

and the Middle East Peace Process

Network Connections
featuring Avner Boskey
August 2007
1-877-200-1604 | www.jamesgoll.com

From the Desk of James W. Goll

In this Network Connections – formerly EN’s Vision Cast – we want to bring you a word from our friend Avner Boskey. Avner will be one of our quest speakers at our tri-sponsored Israel Awakening Conference by Encounters Network, Caleb Company and Belmont Church in Nashville, TN on September 6-8. Joining Avner will be his wife Rachel, Asher Intrater, Don Finto, Richard Ayal Frieden, Marty Goetz, Dov Gelman, Todd Ganovski, and myself.

Avner and Rachel Boskey live in the Beersheva area of Israel with their four sons. They oversee Final Frontier Ministries, a ministry with offices in Nashville, TN dedicated to stirring up the creative arts, worship, intercession, evangelism and the prophetic – within a Jewish and Israeli matrix.

Avner was born and raised in Montreal Canada. He studied at Hebrew University, Jerusalem and McGill University, Montreal (B.A. in Jewish Studies) and at Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.). In the 1970's he was part of the Messianic Jewish band the Liberated Wailing Wall.

Rachel was born in Minneapolis, MN. She founded the Star of David Singers, a Messianic music group and ministered with them in the Americas and Europe. Rachel's heart has been to foster intercession among believers for Israel's salvation and restoration. I know you be blessed by this mighty couple's gifting and anointing. They will be teaching and leading worship for us at this conference.

In this Israel Awakening Conference, you will be challenged by some of the leading voices of our day concerning the times in which we live and God’s purposes for Israel and the Church. Evening sessions will be open to the public as space permits with the daytime sessions by registration only. We encourage you to join us for the Saturday luncheon in which leaders from Israel will share what God is doing in the land. We invite you and anyone you know that has a heart for Israel to come and be a part of this great gathering! Early registration has been extended to Friday, August 17th.

Blessings to Each of You!

James W. Goll

The Emperor's New Clothes and the Middle East Peace Process

Many years ago Hans Christian Anderson told us about The Emperor's New Clothes (in Danish Keiserens nye Klæder). In this children's fairy tale a vain emperor was persuaded by two swindlers to commission a suit made from the finest magic cloth.  This special cloth, so they said, appeared invisible only to stupid or incompetent people. The emperor's aides (who could not see the magic cloth) were afraid to bring back a negative report to the king.

Eventually the emperor himself was persuaded to lead a royal procession through town, dressed in his "new clothes." He too was afraid that others would think he was stupid or incompetent if he protested. All the people cheered the naked emperor; they also were afraid that their eyes were deceiving them. A small child who was not old enough to understand his parents' fears, proclaimed, "But he has nothing on!" This truth-confession spread first by whispers, then by shouting. The emperor knew that the voice of the people was proclaiming the truth, but he kept his cool and finished the procession with honor – though stark naked.

Anderson's fable was a prophetic parable with a point. Sometimes a majority willingly buys into an absurdity, a lie, an untruth – even though each person individually recognizes that social pressure is warping his ability to discern the truth. "Society's child" ends up believing a lie, and even "though the truth is in his heart, he still won't believe".

This dynamic (the "Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome – ENCS) is increasingly affecting humanity as we draw closer to the return of Yeshua the Messiah – who said that He alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). Cynicism about truth, however, is as old as Pontius Pilate himself.  "Yeshua answered, 'You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.' 'What is truth?' Pilate asked" (John 18:37-38).

Hating and loving truth

Today it is unfashionable and politically incorrect to believe that there is One source of truth, that there is only one God, and that the God of Israel has given all nations one reliable Book – His revealed Word in the Bible.  "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." (2 Thess. 2:9-12)

Paul adds that some men not only don't choose the truth. They take active measures to suppress the truth. "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them . . . Therefore God gave them over . . . (and) they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is for ever praised. Amen." (Rom 1:18-19, 24-25)

On the other hand, men who desire intimacy with God learn how to love the truth and speak the truth. "YHVH, who may dwell in Your sanctuary? Who may live on Your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart…" (Psa.15:1-2)

"Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place." (Psa.51:6)

Part of the image of God which He has planted in the heart of man (and which especially characterizes true masculinity) is the ability to know the truth, to speak the truth and to do the truth.

God's Peace-Train

The truth of God crashes like a freight train into the wall of modern politics and peacemaking. That's because politicians prefer to ignore God's word when it comes to the Jewish people and their restoration to the Land of Israel. As the emperor ignored his own nakedness, world leaders ignore their own spiritual nakedness as they turn a blind eye to God's truth and His warnings concerning dividing up the Land of Promise. But the Apostle Paul said that whoever wants to be known for speaking the truth, must remember that God made irrevocable promises to the Jewish people: "I speak the truth in Messiah (I am not lying) … for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs are … the promises." (Rom 9:1-4).

Isaiah stared down through the corridors of time and saw a day when the nations would ignore God's truth. He saw that they would act as enemies of the Jewish people and actually threaten the physical survival of Jacob. As a result God Himself would be roused to fury and vengeance, and repay Israel's enemies in burning zeal.

"So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found … YHVH looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no-one, He was appalled that there was no-one to intercede; so His own arm worked salvation for Him … He put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak. According to what they have done, so will He repay wrath to His enemies and retribution to His foes; He will repay the islands their due . . . The Redeemer will come to Zion…" (Isa 59:14-20).

Good Hamas, Bad Hamas – Good PLO, Bad PLO

One example of ENCS is the declaration by world leaders that the Palestinians are divided into good and bad camps, and that support for the "good camp" will bring peace to the Middle East. One hears of a "bad" Palestinian Authority Arafat versus a "good" PA Abu Mazen, of a "good" social welfare Hamas versus a "bad" terrorist Hamas. The West chooses to work with the "good" guys. One recent example of this approach is found in President Bush's recent address from the White House's Cross Hall, July 26 2007, "The conflict in Gaza and the West Bank today is a struggle between extremists and moderates".

This is Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome because the unpleasant truth is that both "good" and "bad" Hamas, both "good" and "bad" Fatah – all are committed to Israel's destruction. Abu Mazen's al-Aqsa Brigades (part of the PLO Fatah) continue to fire Qassam rockets at Israel and to work with Hamas on terrorist attacks, while Khaled Mashal (Hamas leader) sits in Damascus running both terrorist and social welfare networks.

Israeli former Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. (res.) Moshe Ya'alon recently said that most Israeli and international conceptions about the peace process "are no longer relevant" ("Land for peace is a proven failure", Etgar Lefkovits, Jerusalem Post, July 5 2007). He added that there are five illusions in the so-called peace process that are faulty: that the Palestinians want to establish a state only within the pre-1967 armistice lines; that the creation of such a state along side of Israel  would solve the conflict; that land for peace can be the basis of a peace agreement; and that the key to peace in the Middle East is the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. These five illusions are the basis of both the EU's and the USA's present Middle East policies.

"It's all a joke. It's just a joke… This is all a big joke". This is what Palestinian terror leaders told foreign newsmen as they surrendered some of their AK-47s to Abu Mazen's militias this week ("The joke's on us", Caroline Glick, JP, July 19 2007). Terrorists staged a photo opportunity in order to bolster Abu Mazen and to temporarily avoid being hunted down by the IDF's special forces.  Glick adds, "It is not co-incidental that this entire exercise in national suicide … is a fitting backdrop to the ascension of Israel's high priest of national delusion – Shimon Peres – to the presidency. Peres is the architect of Israel's decision to embrace lies and reject truth as a national strategy" (ibid.).

A caustic left-center politician-commentator, Yosef Tommy Lapid, has this to say about the present peace focus: "Politicians have to strive for peace and promise a better future even if they know in their hearts that it is not feasible …There is no chance for peace … (ed. until Palestinians and Arabs) recognize the existence of Israel as a Jewish state… We (must) understand that what is involved is a game of illusion. The difficult reality is that there will never be true peace here, and it is important to internalize that fact …("Bush's, Peres's rosy scenario", JP, July 19 2007).

Pray for President Bush

The US President's recent White House address presented a view of Middle Eastern developments that occasionally runs counter to Scriptural truth. As we pray for the leader of the world's most powerful nation and one of the most friendly towards Israel, let us remember the following points:

1. "I became the first American President to call for the creation of a Palestinian state … and I laid out a new vision for the future – two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security".
     The creation of a Palestinian state means that the land of Israel will be divided. This brings Joel 3:1-2 and Zech.14:1-3 into play. Even the best intentions on the part of a born-again Christian President cannot hide what such a suggestion entails.

2. "Palestinians have held free elections, and have chosen a president committed to peace."
      President Bush does not mention that the Palestinians actually elected a jihadi Islamist Muslim Brotherhood party, Hamas, to power in an overwhelming victory at the polls in Gaza. A democratic state of Palestine is not around the corner, unless ENCS is at work.

3. "These (Palestinian) leaders are striving to build the institutions of a modern democracy".
     Across the board, Israelis and Hamas agree that Abu Mazen's Fatah is shot through with corruption. This was part of the reason why Abu Mazen was voted out and then thrown out of Gaza. Again, ENCS at work.

4. "These negotiations must … guarantee that a Palestinian state is … contiguous. And they must lead to a territorial settlement with mutually agreed borders".
     This means that Gaza and the West Bank must have borders which touch. Apart from the fact that Gaza's Hamastan and the West Bank's Fatahland hate each other to pieces, the creation of such a contiguity would mean further chunks of Israel being handed over to terror chieftains in the name of a peace process. What is being presented is a dividing up of the Land of Israel – pure and simple.

5. "Israel's future lies in developing areas like the Negev and the Galilee, not in continuing occupation of the West Bank.
    This is a reality that Prime Minister Sharon recognized … So unauthorized outposts should be removed and settlement expansion ended. At the same time, Israelis should find other practical ways to reduce their footprint…"

Here President Bush again declares that Israel's future borders should be drawn by the US State Department and not by the Biblical promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He warns that American displeasure will rest on Israel if it continues to build in Samaria and Ephraim (what today is called the West Bank) according to Jeremiah 31:1-17.  The Jewish people need to find a speedy way to backtrack from leaving any footprint in the land which God calls Beulah (ed. married to the Jewish people) in Isaiah 62.

I love President Bush. I appreciate his bold stand for Jesus Christ, his humility as seen in public confession of sin, his resolve in confronting the Islamist enemies of the West in general and of the USA in particular. I am thankful for his time in office and I pray for him. He has perhaps done better in standing with Israel than any other US President with the exception of Ronald Reagan.

But even American Presidents must be guided by the Word of God if they are to prosper. As YHVH promised Joshua, "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the teaching My servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Teaching depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Josh 1:6-8).

Pray with us for President Bush, that he will receive a revelation about God's heart for Israel the people and Israel the land, and that he would not be disobedient to that heavenly vision (Acts 26:19).

What are God's opinions on this matter?

Let's touch on one brief passage, Ezekiel 36:1-15.

In this last days prophecy YHVH speaks to the mountains of Israel. He says that "the enemy" has settled on the land of Israel, has squatted there, and has claimed those lands for his own: "Thus says YHVH God, Because the enemy has spoken against you, 'Aha!' and, 'The everlasting heights have become our possession.' "  This enemy helps other enemies to possess and claim the land of Israel as their own (v.3).

God says that Edom and the other Arab nations have illegally appropriated God's land for themselves as a possession with joy and scorn of soul. This creates a fire of jealousy within the breast of God (v.4). YHVH says that when the nations claim the land of Israel as their own, that this is an insult which causes His jealousy and His wrath to burn brightly (v.6). God concludes, "I will not let you hear insults from the nations anymore, nor will you bear disgrace from the peoples any longer, nor will you cause your nation to stumble any longer, declares YHVH God." (v.15).

This divine perspective is so far removed from what is being discussed in the halls and offices of the world's rulers – it is truly a message coming from a different kingdom. As Henry David Thoreau once declared, "Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”  

Let us pray for the leaders of the West, that they will hear the beat of a Different Drummer and keep in step with His music, however measured or far away! 

In Messiah Yeshua's love,

Avner Boskey (for Rachel, Daniel, David, Asaph and Elisha)

FINAL FRONTIER MINISTRIES  
BOX 121971 NASHVILLE TN  37212-1971 USA

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Israel Awakening Conference

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**REGULAR REGISTRATION:
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* CUT OFF DATE for early registration is Friday August 17th, 2007

**CUT OFF DATE for pre-registration is Tuesday August 28th, 2007.

After August 28th registration will be available onsite only.

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