Current Events & Trends: Israel seriously impacted
It is time to remind ourselves of just who remains ultimately in control over all these frightening world events.
According to a Sunday Times report from Tel Aviv: "Syria has put its most advanced missiles on standby with orders to hit Tel Aviv if Israel launches another raid on its territory . . . An Israeli official told The New York Times that Israel, which has launched three recent attacks on Syria, was considering further strikes and warned President Bashar al-Assad that his government would face 'crippling consequences' if he hit back at Israel" ("Syria Ready to Unleash Missiles on Israel," May 19, 2013).
A Jewish Chronicle headline refers to a potential "meltdown" in the Middle East ("Putin Arms Sale Threatens Meltdown in Middle East," May 30). Several observers muse about what result would actually benefit Israel. Another Jewish Chronicle article bears this title: "As World Scraps Over Which Syrian Army to Back, It's Lose-Lose for Israel" (John Bradley, May 30).
As this article reports, some Israeli officials were arguing that "a weakened Mr Assad, ruling over a barely functioning state, would be preferable . . . to outright chaos, regional war or an Islamic theocracy hell-bent on Israel's destruction."
The same article further states, "Tens of thousands of foreign jihadis, including many from Western countries, are already fighting in Syria [along with the rebels], armed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar."
The Golan Heights—the northeastern region of Israel bordering Syria—has once again become a flashpoint. Some villagers there fear that war is imminent. Israeli troops and artillery units have assembled near there, with Syrian forces camped on the other side of the border.
It is high time to remind ourselves of just who remains ultimately in control over all these frightening events. Don't forget that God also has His own armies (see 2 Kings 6:14-17; Matthew 26:52-53). He has said, "Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand . . .'" (Isaiah 46:9-10).
Nothing will happen anywhere that our Creator does not allow to occur. Our Christian responsibility remains to follow Jesus Christ's instruction in Luke 21:34-36, watching and praying always. (Sources: The Jewish Chronicle, The Times [London].)
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: July - August 2013
Course Content
Jerold Aust
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
