Ps. 139:9-10 (1917) "så skulle också där din hand leda mig och din högra hand fatta mig."
Ögat och alla sinnen vilar där oändligheten möter himmel och hav. Prestationslös vila utan krav. Ofta jagar vi efter meningslösa ting. Skaparkraftens motpol är vila. Gudsnärvaro. Vila är också förtröstan på Gud.
När jag ser din himmel, dina händers verk...Att betrakta horisonten är som att få vara med om skapelsedagen när Gud gjorde valvet mellan vatten och himmel i 1 Mos. 1:6f
"Du omsluter mig på alla sidor." Ps. 139:5
Rom. 1:20 bekräftar att vi ända från världens skapelse kan se och uppfatta Guds osynliga egenskaper, makt och gudomliga natur genom det som han har skapat. Konung David blir lyrisk och lovsjunger i Ps. 19:2f "Himlarna vittnar om Guds härlighet, himlavalvet förkunnar hans händers verk. --- utan tal och utan ord."
Man kan också reflektera över balansen mellan arbete och vila (vilodag och arbetsdagar), kreativitet och stiltje eller återhämtning när man betraktar horisontens raka, harmoniska och vilsamma linje.
Och huru klart uttrycker inte horisontens raka linje och skapelsen i övrigt det som Regin Prenter sagt: "Skapelse är gräns och ordning."
Och varför inte reflektera över förhållandet mellan lag och evangelium...
"even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me." Ps. 139:9-10 (ESV)
"You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me." Ps. 139:5 (ESV)
"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." Rom. 1:20 (ESV)
Psalm 19:2 "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. ---There is no speech, nor are there words,"
Foto: KL
Välkommen till min blogg! Jag kommer att bevaka frågor som rör förföljda kristna i världen, nyheter från Belarus, Israelnyheter, kyrkliga frågor, politik, samhällsfrågor och teologi. Jag står på bibel- och bekännelsetrogen och evangelisk-luthersk grund och jag och min familj hör till Jakobstads svenska församling. Mellan varven kommer jag att presentera några personliga glimtar också, kring sådant som jag är intresserad av.
fredag 31 juli 2015
tisdag 28 juli 2015
For such a time as this - not against flesh and blood
Finland.
Jag får kalla rysningar längs med ryggraden av att läsa sannfinländaren O. I:s senaste uttalande. Hans ordval skrämmer. Det iskalla budskapet förskräcker. Yttrandefrihet och religionsfrihet är principer att närapå helighålla, men hets mot folkgrupp eller att uppmana till våld är naturligtvis inte tillåtet. Dylikt bör man ta avstånd från med bestämdhet och kraft.
Vi lever i ett tvåspråkigt land som även bebos av invandrare. Dessa berikar vårt land och vår kultur, vårt arbetsliv, församlingsliv och vår vardag.
Jag gläds över att kunna använda mitt modersmål dagligen i min hemstad, men känner mig lika glad tillsammans med finskspråkiga vänner. När jag möter en person på gatan med en annan hudfärg än jag blir jag glad - det finns många utländska studeranden i min hemstad. Även flyktingar. Vi kunde i vårt land ta emot flera flyktingar och asylsökande och på så sätt lindra nöden i världen och ta vårt ansvar för världens flyktingströmmar och all mänsklig nöd.
Den kristna tron betonar evangeliet som är till för alla folk. Upp. 15:4 "Vem skulle inte frukta dig, HERRE, och prisa ditt namn? Ty endast du är helig, och alla folk skall komma och tillbe inför dig, ty dina rättfärdiga domar har uppenbarats." Alla folkslag!
Som troende i ett kristet land med kristna grundvärderingar och lagar som i grunden baserar sig på kristen etik och lära bör vi fortsättningsvis värna om egna traditioner och högtider. Detta ger oss en trygghet och stabilitet. Fädernas sunda gudsfruktan som yppade sig i användande av bordsbön, aftonbön, psalmsång och även bön på knä för fosterlandet i tider av nöd, ska vi ta vara på.
Främlingen och invandraren ska vi bemöta med respekt och vänlighet så långt det kommer an på oss.
An important reminder: Chief rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks speech 2012:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2C-k4q_wLI
The text:
http://minkristnasamhllsblogg.blogspot.fi/2012/08/holocaust-shoah-and-seyfo-never-again.html
Esther 4:14 (ESV) "For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
A writing with a bad timing:
"I'm dreaming of a strong, brave nation that will defeat this nightmare called multipluralism. This ugly bubble that our enemies live in, will soon enough bust into a million little pieces. Our lives are entwined in a very harsh times. These are the days, that forever leave a mark on our nations future. I have a strong belief in my fellow fighters. We will fight until the end for our homeland and one true Finnish nation. The victory will be ours." (Sannfinländaren O. I)
- I should say with Eph. 6:12: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
"Store och mektige er Dine gjerninger" - Alla folk (Upp. 15:3-4):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p63ol1I66E
Jag får kalla rysningar längs med ryggraden av att läsa sannfinländaren O. I:s senaste uttalande. Hans ordval skrämmer. Det iskalla budskapet förskräcker. Yttrandefrihet och religionsfrihet är principer att närapå helighålla, men hets mot folkgrupp eller att uppmana till våld är naturligtvis inte tillåtet. Dylikt bör man ta avstånd från med bestämdhet och kraft.
Vi lever i ett tvåspråkigt land som även bebos av invandrare. Dessa berikar vårt land och vår kultur, vårt arbetsliv, församlingsliv och vår vardag.
Jag gläds över att kunna använda mitt modersmål dagligen i min hemstad, men känner mig lika glad tillsammans med finskspråkiga vänner. När jag möter en person på gatan med en annan hudfärg än jag blir jag glad - det finns många utländska studeranden i min hemstad. Även flyktingar. Vi kunde i vårt land ta emot flera flyktingar och asylsökande och på så sätt lindra nöden i världen och ta vårt ansvar för världens flyktingströmmar och all mänsklig nöd.
Den kristna tron betonar evangeliet som är till för alla folk. Upp. 15:4 "Vem skulle inte frukta dig, HERRE, och prisa ditt namn? Ty endast du är helig, och alla folk skall komma och tillbe inför dig, ty dina rättfärdiga domar har uppenbarats." Alla folkslag!
Som troende i ett kristet land med kristna grundvärderingar och lagar som i grunden baserar sig på kristen etik och lära bör vi fortsättningsvis värna om egna traditioner och högtider. Detta ger oss en trygghet och stabilitet. Fädernas sunda gudsfruktan som yppade sig i användande av bordsbön, aftonbön, psalmsång och även bön på knä för fosterlandet i tider av nöd, ska vi ta vara på.
Främlingen och invandraren ska vi bemöta med respekt och vänlighet så långt det kommer an på oss.
An important reminder: Chief rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks speech 2012:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2C-k4q_wLI
The text:
http://minkristnasamhllsblogg.blogspot.fi/2012/08/holocaust-shoah-and-seyfo-never-again.html
Esther 4:14 (ESV) "For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
A writing with a bad timing:
"I'm dreaming of a strong, brave nation that will defeat this nightmare called multipluralism. This ugly bubble that our enemies live in, will soon enough bust into a million little pieces. Our lives are entwined in a very harsh times. These are the days, that forever leave a mark on our nations future. I have a strong belief in my fellow fighters. We will fight until the end for our homeland and one true Finnish nation. The victory will be ours." (Sannfinländaren O. I)
- I should say with Eph. 6:12: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
"Store och mektige er Dine gjerninger" - Alla folk (Upp. 15:3-4):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p63ol1I66E
söndag 26 juli 2015
Important speech on the situation in the Middle East
Ambassador Ron Prosor:
Amb. Prosor's UNSC speech on the situation in the Middle East (video 23:01)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMHFPNo17O4&feature=youtu.be
The text:
The Situation in the Middle East:
Address by Israel’s UN Ambassador
===============================
Following is Ambassador Ron Prosor’s statement (23 July) during the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in Middle East, which addresses Gaza, Iran, Islamist terrorism and the UN’s relationship with Israel among other issues:
“Mr. President,
First, I would like to congratulate New Zealand for its able stewardship of the Security Council this month. I thank Foreign Minister McCully, for being here today to preside over this session.
I also want to thank, the UN Special Coordinator and Special Representative of the Secretary General, Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, for his briefing today and his ongoing efforts to help ease the situation in this volatile region.
Ten years ago, this month, Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip - and, I would like to remind you, that we also dismantled four settlements in the West Bank in order to show that there is a political horizon. We removed thousands of Israeli families from their homes, uprooted entire communities, and withdrew every unit of the Israeli Defense Forces. Not a single Israeli civilian or soldier remained in Gaza.
We in Israel have always been told - including in this prestigious chamber - the obstacles to peace are the settlements, and the Israeli presence in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]. If only Israel would pull back, if only Israel would leave the Palestinians to run their own affairs - there would be peace. If Israel would only listen to the international community, the border between Israel and the Palestinians would be like the border between the Netherlands and Belgium.
So we did.
Ten years after withdrawing from Gaza, the territory we left has become a safe haven for terrorists. Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization, has used and abused the people of Gaza to continue its war against Israel. Apparently they didn't get the memo that an Israeli withdrawal was supposed to end the jihad against its people.
Since the disengagement, terrorist groups have fired 15,000 rockets and mortars at Israeli citizens. They have dug terror tunnels underneath the border to attack Israeli towns and communities.
Yet, despite all of this, when Hamas joined the PLO government, the UN gave its warm blessing. When Hamas refused to adopt the Quartet Principles and refused to recognize Israel's right to exist, this Chamber looked the other way. And just recently, when Israel revealed to the world that senior Hamas members, Abdullah Kishta and Wa'el Faraj, collaborated with ISIS in northern Sinai to carry out a large scale attack on Egyptian military bases, not a single voice of condemnation was heard from this chamber.
To this day:
Hamas refuses to accept the three conditions of the international Quartet - It refuses to recognize Israel, it refuses to abide by previous agreements, and - obviously - it refuses to renounce violence. The Quartet - not Israel - established these conditions, and Hamas flouts them.
Mr. President,
Gaza was supposed to be a model of a stable, self-governing society. Instead, it became the model for lawlessness, violence, and destabilization. Gaza was supposed to be the pilot project for Palestinian governance in the West Bank, but the pilot crashed the plane.
Mr. President,
Since then, a similar model has proliferated all over the Middle East. From the Mediterranean to the Caspian, states which we knew yesterday, are no longer here today, and others are on the verge of disappearing tomorrow.
We live at a time in which nation states are disintegrating before our eyes. New political structures have not been established, and bands of religious zealots are rushing in to create new theocratic states in this vacuum. Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya no longer exist as we knew them. Now we have the Kingdom of Al-Qaeda, the Republic of Jabhat al-Nusra, Houthistan, and of course, the Islamic State. This is not the Middle East we learned from our high school geography teachers, those borders are now unrecognizable. The Google map of the region must be updated every day, based on which terror group has seized control of which area during the previous night.
In the Sinai Peninsula, terrorists have declared war on Egypt. Earlier this month, Ansar Bait Al Maqdis, the ISIS branch in Egypt, carried out an attack on 15 Egyptian military positions in Northern Sinai, killing more than 70 Egyptians. Let it be clear: these groups are not only looking to terrorize Egyptians, they are trying to destabilize the entire region.
These emerging radical factions differ in their ideologies, in their interests, and in their goals, but they all share one thing in common. They seek to impose their radical religious beliefs on all who come under their control. In the new lawless Middle East, there is only one law - submit or die - and sometimes you are not even given the choice.
A butterfly flaps its wings in one place and causes a storm halfway around the world. When the earth shakes in the Middle East, you can feel the vibrations under your feet from Europe to Asia. In one day, just last month, we witnessed terror attacks on three continents - a day of bloodshed in which terrorists murdered 65 innocent people in Tunisia, in Kuwait, and in France.
Mr. President,
Many in the international community were captive to their dreams of a new Middle East but we can no longer just hit the snooze button. It is time to wake up. We are, all of us, engaged in a large scale war over the future of the Middle East, and the rest of the world.
What will our region look like? Will it progress to an era of democracy and human rights, or regress to a collection of fundamentalist states? Which countries will remain standing? Will it be the countries we have known for a century? Or, will much of the Middle East become known simply as the United Islamic Empire? The trends are against us. If we don't wake up in time, we will get all the answers wrong.
Mr. President,
Israel doesn't have the luxury of waiting for the rest of the world to wake up. Before the West had to deal with the Islamic State halfway around the world, Israel had to deal with the Hamas terror state on our doorstep.
It is now exactly one year since Operation Protective Edge. One year ago, Israel was forced to protect its people after Hamas terrorists kidnapped and killed three Israeli youth, launched hundreds of rockets and mortars at Israel, and rejected or violated every truce offered to the parties.
The Israeli Defense Forces faced a cruel and cynical enemy, which knows no red lines, and which violated every code of morality the civilized world holds dear. Hamas launched their indiscriminate attacks from residential areas which they had turned into military staging grounds. Hospitals, schools, and UN facilities were used as weapons depots, playgrounds were used as launching pads, and innocent children were used as human shields. Firing rockets on civilians from behind civilians is a double war crime - and the international community should say so, loudly and clearly.
While the rockets constituted terror from above, Hamas also sought to unleash terror from below. In Gaza, there is no money to rebuild hospitals or to pay teachers, but there is a lot of money to dig and expand terror tunnels. When Hamas finishes its work, Gaza will be the first city in the world that has a modern infrastructure underground, before it has a basic infrastructure above-ground.
As we sit here today, one year since last summer's conflict, we must ask - what has really changed?
We can start answering this question by looking at the Hamas military parade in Gaza this month, where Hamas publicly displayed two newly developed rockets. For anyone who didn't get the message, Hamas explained, and I quote "Until now the enemy has only seen a small part of our true power." End of quote.
Hamas has intensified its efforts to repair its network of terror tunnels, and to smuggle, stockpile, and develop new weapons.
Mr. President,
A year after the operation, the UN has done nothing to weaken Hamas, but plenty to criticize Israel. Two weeks ago, the UN Human Rights Council's Commission of Inquiry, also known as the COI, published its report on last summer's conflict. Let me give you an example of how professional, insightful, and thorough this report was. The authors of this report said, and I quote, "The commission cannot conclusively determine the intent of Palestinian armed groups with regard to the construction and the use of these tunnels." End of quote.
I have a suggestion. Maybe these tunnels were intended to be the new METRO system in Gaza? In that case, as a previous Ambassador to the Court of St. James, let me give you a tip - Don't forget to mind the gap.
Perhaps the UN is simply suffering from a severe case of tunnel vision. After all, this is the same UN that appointed as the head of this commission, William Schabas, the law professor who conveniently forgot to mention his prior paid consulting job with the PLO.
Ladies and gentleman, I am holding in my hands a 200 page long Israeli report that details the systematic and widespread atrocities committed by Hamas, and analyzes Israel's military response. If someone at the United Nations had read this report, they would have had a broader perspective on the threat Israel faces, and recognized Hamas for what it really is - an internationally recognized terrorist organization.
When Palestinians in the Yarmouk refugee camp were massacred by ISIS, and the Secretary General said that quote, "The refugee camp is beginning to resemble a death camp," end of quote. We didn't hear any call for a COI from the Human Rights Council.
The UN prides itself on taking a "balanced" approach to international affairs. Well, that's very interesting. Saudi Arabia has been carrying out massive and indiscriminate airstrikes in Yemen for months, which have hit UN facilities, hospitals, schools, and civilian neighborhoods, and left entire families dead. And yet, surprise surprise - no Commission of Inquiry, no Board of Inquiry.
This is the same UN that made it clear to us, Israel, that it is standard operating procedure to automatically establish a BOI any time a UN facility is hit - that's a "balanced" approach indeed. When it comes to investigating the results of war and conflict, it seems the UN believes, to paraphrase George Orwell, that all people are equal, but some people are more equal than others.
Mr. President,
Israel's struggle against the Hamas rulers of Gaza does not prevent us from playing a key role in helping the people of Gaza. Hundreds of trucks enter Gaza every day, carrying thousands of tons of food, humanitarian aid, medicine and more, all without restrictions. Since October 2014, Israel has supplied Gaza with 1.3 million tons of construction material.
While Israel is fully committed to the implementation of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism and will continue to cooperate with the United Nations in this important mission, the Palestinian Authority not only refrains from taking part in this effort, it puts obstacles in the way of those who do so.
The PA is quick to condemn Israel at the UN, but on the ground, they refuse to assume responsibility for the people of Gaza. The Palestinian Authority has no authority over the Gaza Strip, and apparently, it doesn't want any.
Last September, this Council tried to pass a resolution to address the situation in Gaza. While Israel agreed to the resolution, the Palestinian president dragged his feet, obstructed the process, and eventually rejected the proposition altogether. The resolution would have restored PA [Palestinian Authority] governance over the people of Gaza, granted the PA control over the crossings into Gaza, and disarmed Hamas. This resolution would have given control over Gaza back to the PA, but Mahmoud Abbas rejected it.
The Palestinian leadership is apparently too busy settling scores with political rivals in the PA to worry about what happens in Gaza. Just look at how Abbas treated the former Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Salaam Fayyad - a Palestinian leader esteemed and respected in the international community. Abbas seized the funds from Fayyad's NGO called "Tomorrow for Social Development" and froze his accounts. The Palestinian Authority never misses an opportunity to avoid responsibility. The international community should not shy away from criticizing the PA, and pushing it to assume responsibility.
Avoiding responsibility has its price. Last month, there were numerous terror attacks, including two that were fatal. Danny Gonen and Malachi Rosenfeld were shot and killed by Palestinian terrorists as they went about their daily lives - may their memory be a blessing.
These murderous attacks are just part of an increase in terror attacks we have witnessed recently. Yet, the leadership of the PA remains silent, failing to condemn the murder of innocent people.
Mr. President,
Three days ago, this Council adopted a resolution endorsing the nuclear agreement with Iran. This agreement is bad for Israel, it’s bad for the region, and bad for the world. It is an historic mistake that brings Iran closer to achieving its 30-year goal of attaining nuclear weapons, and fuels its drive for imperial expansion. This resolution took the first step to lift the sanctions without waiting to see if Iran complies with even one single obligation in the agreement.
What makes the international community so sure that Iran will live up to its end of the bargain? When the nuclear deal was struck with North Korea, good and well-intentioned people believed that it would prevent North Korea from developing nuclear weapons. Well, sometimes good intentions lead to wishful thinking.
Iran is the source of instability in the Middle East. In Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq, and other countries, Iran has deployed its Revolutionary Guards in order to expand its empire.
Iran is also the godfather of terror around the world. Countries from Bulgaria to Argentina have experienced the horror of Iranian terror first-hand. For years, Iran has armed and financed Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas in Gaza - two groups which make clear their goal of wiping Israel off the map.
Many members of this council described the agreement as the opening of a new chapter. Well, I'm sorry to ruin a good book, but Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has a different story to tell. You may have signed a deal with the poster boys of Iran, Zarif and Rouhani, but in Iran, the Ayatollah and his Revolutionary Guards are the ones calling the shots. Khamenei declared that even after the agreement is signed, Iran will continue supporting terrorists in the Middle East and around the world.
If that wasn't clear enough, listen to what Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister had to tell us, two days ago:
"We have told the P5+1 ... that we will supply arms to anyone and anywhere ... and will import weapons from anywhere we want and we have clarified this during the negotiations."
Mr. President,
It is worth noting the fact that Israel and many states in the Arab world share grave concerns over the implications of the agreement on the stability of the Middle East. Ladies and Gentleman, when Israel and the Arab world share the same concerns, the world should pay attention.
Instead of working towards a solution in our region, this agreement has strengthened the source of the problem. This agreement has given the source of the problem – Iran - the money to carry out its destructive ideology. This agreement has also given it the time and the opportunity to develop a nuclear arsenal. This agreement grants Iran not one, but two paths to the bomb. Iran can get the bomb by cheating, or it can get the bomb by keeping the deal for ten years, and then assembling it immediately afterwards. And 10 years go by in the blink of an eye.
Under the terms of the agreement, Iran may continue significant enrichment that is not needed for civilian use, and continue R&D on advanced centrifuges that will significantly reduce the break-out time for a bomb
Under the terms of the agreement, enforcement is largely dependent on Iran's goodwill. Inspections are not "anywhere, anytime." The deal gives Iran the ability to delay inspections of undeclared sites for 24 days - enough time to hide a smoking gun.
Under the terms of the agreement, there are not sufficient limitations on Iran's weaponization activities. Iran already has the enrichment capability to produce a bomb. It also has the suitable delivery means. Without limitations on weaponization, the way is paved for Iran to assemble a bomb.
Now, in the summer of 2015, the countdown to Iran becoming a threshold nuclear state has begun. In 5 years, the embargo against conventional weapons will end, in 8 years, they can acquire missile technology, in 10 years, unlimited centrifuges. This is not disarmament, this is a timetable for Iran to build nuclear weapons. In future years, the consequences of this mistake will become clear to all, but for Israel, tomorrow is already too late.
Mr. President,
Ten years ago, Israel took a significant step with its disengagement from Gaza. Ten years later, in light of regional developments, the international community must take steps of its own. It must disengage from illusions, disengage from its constant bias against Israel, and disengage from murderous terror groups. It is time to disengage from old habits, and engage with the values we all cherish.
Thank you very Mr. President.”
(The text thanks to Ambassador Isaac Bachman)
Amb. Prosor's UNSC speech on the situation in the Middle East (video 23:01)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMHFPNo17O4&feature=youtu.be
The text:
The Situation in the Middle East:
Address by Israel’s UN Ambassador
===============================
Following is Ambassador Ron Prosor’s statement (23 July) during the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in Middle East, which addresses Gaza, Iran, Islamist terrorism and the UN’s relationship with Israel among other issues:
“Mr. President,
First, I would like to congratulate New Zealand for its able stewardship of the Security Council this month. I thank Foreign Minister McCully, for being here today to preside over this session.
I also want to thank, the UN Special Coordinator and Special Representative of the Secretary General, Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, for his briefing today and his ongoing efforts to help ease the situation in this volatile region.
Ten years ago, this month, Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip - and, I would like to remind you, that we also dismantled four settlements in the West Bank in order to show that there is a political horizon. We removed thousands of Israeli families from their homes, uprooted entire communities, and withdrew every unit of the Israeli Defense Forces. Not a single Israeli civilian or soldier remained in Gaza.
We in Israel have always been told - including in this prestigious chamber - the obstacles to peace are the settlements, and the Israeli presence in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]. If only Israel would pull back, if only Israel would leave the Palestinians to run their own affairs - there would be peace. If Israel would only listen to the international community, the border between Israel and the Palestinians would be like the border between the Netherlands and Belgium.
So we did.
Ten years after withdrawing from Gaza, the territory we left has become a safe haven for terrorists. Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization, has used and abused the people of Gaza to continue its war against Israel. Apparently they didn't get the memo that an Israeli withdrawal was supposed to end the jihad against its people.
Since the disengagement, terrorist groups have fired 15,000 rockets and mortars at Israeli citizens. They have dug terror tunnels underneath the border to attack Israeli towns and communities.
Yet, despite all of this, when Hamas joined the PLO government, the UN gave its warm blessing. When Hamas refused to adopt the Quartet Principles and refused to recognize Israel's right to exist, this Chamber looked the other way. And just recently, when Israel revealed to the world that senior Hamas members, Abdullah Kishta and Wa'el Faraj, collaborated with ISIS in northern Sinai to carry out a large scale attack on Egyptian military bases, not a single voice of condemnation was heard from this chamber.
To this day:
Hamas refuses to accept the three conditions of the international Quartet - It refuses to recognize Israel, it refuses to abide by previous agreements, and - obviously - it refuses to renounce violence. The Quartet - not Israel - established these conditions, and Hamas flouts them.
Mr. President,
Gaza was supposed to be a model of a stable, self-governing society. Instead, it became the model for lawlessness, violence, and destabilization. Gaza was supposed to be the pilot project for Palestinian governance in the West Bank, but the pilot crashed the plane.
Mr. President,
Since then, a similar model has proliferated all over the Middle East. From the Mediterranean to the Caspian, states which we knew yesterday, are no longer here today, and others are on the verge of disappearing tomorrow.
We live at a time in which nation states are disintegrating before our eyes. New political structures have not been established, and bands of religious zealots are rushing in to create new theocratic states in this vacuum. Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya no longer exist as we knew them. Now we have the Kingdom of Al-Qaeda, the Republic of Jabhat al-Nusra, Houthistan, and of course, the Islamic State. This is not the Middle East we learned from our high school geography teachers, those borders are now unrecognizable. The Google map of the region must be updated every day, based on which terror group has seized control of which area during the previous night.
In the Sinai Peninsula, terrorists have declared war on Egypt. Earlier this month, Ansar Bait Al Maqdis, the ISIS branch in Egypt, carried out an attack on 15 Egyptian military positions in Northern Sinai, killing more than 70 Egyptians. Let it be clear: these groups are not only looking to terrorize Egyptians, they are trying to destabilize the entire region.
These emerging radical factions differ in their ideologies, in their interests, and in their goals, but they all share one thing in common. They seek to impose their radical religious beliefs on all who come under their control. In the new lawless Middle East, there is only one law - submit or die - and sometimes you are not even given the choice.
A butterfly flaps its wings in one place and causes a storm halfway around the world. When the earth shakes in the Middle East, you can feel the vibrations under your feet from Europe to Asia. In one day, just last month, we witnessed terror attacks on three continents - a day of bloodshed in which terrorists murdered 65 innocent people in Tunisia, in Kuwait, and in France.
Mr. President,
Many in the international community were captive to their dreams of a new Middle East but we can no longer just hit the snooze button. It is time to wake up. We are, all of us, engaged in a large scale war over the future of the Middle East, and the rest of the world.
What will our region look like? Will it progress to an era of democracy and human rights, or regress to a collection of fundamentalist states? Which countries will remain standing? Will it be the countries we have known for a century? Or, will much of the Middle East become known simply as the United Islamic Empire? The trends are against us. If we don't wake up in time, we will get all the answers wrong.
Mr. President,
Israel doesn't have the luxury of waiting for the rest of the world to wake up. Before the West had to deal with the Islamic State halfway around the world, Israel had to deal with the Hamas terror state on our doorstep.
It is now exactly one year since Operation Protective Edge. One year ago, Israel was forced to protect its people after Hamas terrorists kidnapped and killed three Israeli youth, launched hundreds of rockets and mortars at Israel, and rejected or violated every truce offered to the parties.
The Israeli Defense Forces faced a cruel and cynical enemy, which knows no red lines, and which violated every code of morality the civilized world holds dear. Hamas launched their indiscriminate attacks from residential areas which they had turned into military staging grounds. Hospitals, schools, and UN facilities were used as weapons depots, playgrounds were used as launching pads, and innocent children were used as human shields. Firing rockets on civilians from behind civilians is a double war crime - and the international community should say so, loudly and clearly.
While the rockets constituted terror from above, Hamas also sought to unleash terror from below. In Gaza, there is no money to rebuild hospitals or to pay teachers, but there is a lot of money to dig and expand terror tunnels. When Hamas finishes its work, Gaza will be the first city in the world that has a modern infrastructure underground, before it has a basic infrastructure above-ground.
As we sit here today, one year since last summer's conflict, we must ask - what has really changed?
We can start answering this question by looking at the Hamas military parade in Gaza this month, where Hamas publicly displayed two newly developed rockets. For anyone who didn't get the message, Hamas explained, and I quote "Until now the enemy has only seen a small part of our true power." End of quote.
Hamas has intensified its efforts to repair its network of terror tunnels, and to smuggle, stockpile, and develop new weapons.
Mr. President,
A year after the operation, the UN has done nothing to weaken Hamas, but plenty to criticize Israel. Two weeks ago, the UN Human Rights Council's Commission of Inquiry, also known as the COI, published its report on last summer's conflict. Let me give you an example of how professional, insightful, and thorough this report was. The authors of this report said, and I quote, "The commission cannot conclusively determine the intent of Palestinian armed groups with regard to the construction and the use of these tunnels." End of quote.
I have a suggestion. Maybe these tunnels were intended to be the new METRO system in Gaza? In that case, as a previous Ambassador to the Court of St. James, let me give you a tip - Don't forget to mind the gap.
Perhaps the UN is simply suffering from a severe case of tunnel vision. After all, this is the same UN that appointed as the head of this commission, William Schabas, the law professor who conveniently forgot to mention his prior paid consulting job with the PLO.
Ladies and gentleman, I am holding in my hands a 200 page long Israeli report that details the systematic and widespread atrocities committed by Hamas, and analyzes Israel's military response. If someone at the United Nations had read this report, they would have had a broader perspective on the threat Israel faces, and recognized Hamas for what it really is - an internationally recognized terrorist organization.
When Palestinians in the Yarmouk refugee camp were massacred by ISIS, and the Secretary General said that quote, "The refugee camp is beginning to resemble a death camp," end of quote. We didn't hear any call for a COI from the Human Rights Council.
The UN prides itself on taking a "balanced" approach to international affairs. Well, that's very interesting. Saudi Arabia has been carrying out massive and indiscriminate airstrikes in Yemen for months, which have hit UN facilities, hospitals, schools, and civilian neighborhoods, and left entire families dead. And yet, surprise surprise - no Commission of Inquiry, no Board of Inquiry.
This is the same UN that made it clear to us, Israel, that it is standard operating procedure to automatically establish a BOI any time a UN facility is hit - that's a "balanced" approach indeed. When it comes to investigating the results of war and conflict, it seems the UN believes, to paraphrase George Orwell, that all people are equal, but some people are more equal than others.
Mr. President,
Israel's struggle against the Hamas rulers of Gaza does not prevent us from playing a key role in helping the people of Gaza. Hundreds of trucks enter Gaza every day, carrying thousands of tons of food, humanitarian aid, medicine and more, all without restrictions. Since October 2014, Israel has supplied Gaza with 1.3 million tons of construction material.
While Israel is fully committed to the implementation of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism and will continue to cooperate with the United Nations in this important mission, the Palestinian Authority not only refrains from taking part in this effort, it puts obstacles in the way of those who do so.
The PA is quick to condemn Israel at the UN, but on the ground, they refuse to assume responsibility for the people of Gaza. The Palestinian Authority has no authority over the Gaza Strip, and apparently, it doesn't want any.
Last September, this Council tried to pass a resolution to address the situation in Gaza. While Israel agreed to the resolution, the Palestinian president dragged his feet, obstructed the process, and eventually rejected the proposition altogether. The resolution would have restored PA [Palestinian Authority] governance over the people of Gaza, granted the PA control over the crossings into Gaza, and disarmed Hamas. This resolution would have given control over Gaza back to the PA, but Mahmoud Abbas rejected it.
The Palestinian leadership is apparently too busy settling scores with political rivals in the PA to worry about what happens in Gaza. Just look at how Abbas treated the former Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Salaam Fayyad - a Palestinian leader esteemed and respected in the international community. Abbas seized the funds from Fayyad's NGO called "Tomorrow for Social Development" and froze his accounts. The Palestinian Authority never misses an opportunity to avoid responsibility. The international community should not shy away from criticizing the PA, and pushing it to assume responsibility.
Avoiding responsibility has its price. Last month, there were numerous terror attacks, including two that were fatal. Danny Gonen and Malachi Rosenfeld were shot and killed by Palestinian terrorists as they went about their daily lives - may their memory be a blessing.
These murderous attacks are just part of an increase in terror attacks we have witnessed recently. Yet, the leadership of the PA remains silent, failing to condemn the murder of innocent people.
Mr. President,
Three days ago, this Council adopted a resolution endorsing the nuclear agreement with Iran. This agreement is bad for Israel, it’s bad for the region, and bad for the world. It is an historic mistake that brings Iran closer to achieving its 30-year goal of attaining nuclear weapons, and fuels its drive for imperial expansion. This resolution took the first step to lift the sanctions without waiting to see if Iran complies with even one single obligation in the agreement.
What makes the international community so sure that Iran will live up to its end of the bargain? When the nuclear deal was struck with North Korea, good and well-intentioned people believed that it would prevent North Korea from developing nuclear weapons. Well, sometimes good intentions lead to wishful thinking.
Iran is the source of instability in the Middle East. In Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq, and other countries, Iran has deployed its Revolutionary Guards in order to expand its empire.
Iran is also the godfather of terror around the world. Countries from Bulgaria to Argentina have experienced the horror of Iranian terror first-hand. For years, Iran has armed and financed Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas in Gaza - two groups which make clear their goal of wiping Israel off the map.
Many members of this council described the agreement as the opening of a new chapter. Well, I'm sorry to ruin a good book, but Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has a different story to tell. You may have signed a deal with the poster boys of Iran, Zarif and Rouhani, but in Iran, the Ayatollah and his Revolutionary Guards are the ones calling the shots. Khamenei declared that even after the agreement is signed, Iran will continue supporting terrorists in the Middle East and around the world.
If that wasn't clear enough, listen to what Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister had to tell us, two days ago:
"We have told the P5+1 ... that we will supply arms to anyone and anywhere ... and will import weapons from anywhere we want and we have clarified this during the negotiations."
Mr. President,
It is worth noting the fact that Israel and many states in the Arab world share grave concerns over the implications of the agreement on the stability of the Middle East. Ladies and Gentleman, when Israel and the Arab world share the same concerns, the world should pay attention.
Instead of working towards a solution in our region, this agreement has strengthened the source of the problem. This agreement has given the source of the problem – Iran - the money to carry out its destructive ideology. This agreement has also given it the time and the opportunity to develop a nuclear arsenal. This agreement grants Iran not one, but two paths to the bomb. Iran can get the bomb by cheating, or it can get the bomb by keeping the deal for ten years, and then assembling it immediately afterwards. And 10 years go by in the blink of an eye.
Under the terms of the agreement, Iran may continue significant enrichment that is not needed for civilian use, and continue R&D on advanced centrifuges that will significantly reduce the break-out time for a bomb
Under the terms of the agreement, enforcement is largely dependent on Iran's goodwill. Inspections are not "anywhere, anytime." The deal gives Iran the ability to delay inspections of undeclared sites for 24 days - enough time to hide a smoking gun.
Under the terms of the agreement, there are not sufficient limitations on Iran's weaponization activities. Iran already has the enrichment capability to produce a bomb. It also has the suitable delivery means. Without limitations on weaponization, the way is paved for Iran to assemble a bomb.
Now, in the summer of 2015, the countdown to Iran becoming a threshold nuclear state has begun. In 5 years, the embargo against conventional weapons will end, in 8 years, they can acquire missile technology, in 10 years, unlimited centrifuges. This is not disarmament, this is a timetable for Iran to build nuclear weapons. In future years, the consequences of this mistake will become clear to all, but for Israel, tomorrow is already too late.
Mr. President,
Ten years ago, Israel took a significant step with its disengagement from Gaza. Ten years later, in light of regional developments, the international community must take steps of its own. It must disengage from illusions, disengage from its constant bias against Israel, and disengage from murderous terror groups. It is time to disengage from old habits, and engage with the values we all cherish.
Thank you very Mr. President.”
(The text thanks to Ambassador Isaac Bachman)
fredag 17 juli 2015
Kazakhstan - Well-known human rights defender Vadim Kuramshin under pressure - on hunger strike
Kazakhstan. Torture in Kazakhstan. Urgent!
Den välkände och prisbelönte (Ludovig-Traireux prize) mänskorättsförsvararen Вадим Курамшин (Vadim Kuramshin) hungerstrejkar sedan 2 juli. Han sitter i en kall isoleringscell. Han har förlorat 12 kg på 15 dagar.
Human rights lawyer Vadim Kuramshin is awarded with the Ludovic-Traireux prize. He is a Front line defender and isolated in a cold punishment cell. He went on hunger strike on July 2 and has lost 12 kg in 15 days.
Kazakhstan International Bureau for human rights and rule of law: Torture in Kazakhstan:
http://bureau.kz/files/bureau/sobstvennaya/2015_06/Torture%20in%20Kazakhstan.pdf
npravo.org: Vadim is on hunger strike and lost 12 kg
http://npravo.org/archives/1057
http://npravo.org/archives/1124
There was a demonstration in Moscow in defense of human rights defender Вадим Курамшин at the embassy of Kazakhstan demanding his release.
Photos of Vadim Kuramshin before and after imprisonment and hunger strike.
Den välkände och prisbelönte (Ludovig-Traireux prize) mänskorättsförsvararen Вадим Курамшин (Vadim Kuramshin) hungerstrejkar sedan 2 juli. Han sitter i en kall isoleringscell. Han har förlorat 12 kg på 15 dagar.
Human rights lawyer Vadim Kuramshin is awarded with the Ludovic-Traireux prize. He is a Front line defender and isolated in a cold punishment cell. He went on hunger strike on July 2 and has lost 12 kg in 15 days.
Kazakhstan International Bureau for human rights and rule of law: Torture in Kazakhstan:
http://bureau.kz/files/bureau/sobstvennaya/2015_06/Torture%20in%20Kazakhstan.pdf
npravo.org: Vadim is on hunger strike and lost 12 kg
http://npravo.org/archives/1057
http://npravo.org/archives/1124
There was a demonstration in Moscow in defense of human rights defender Вадим Курамшин at the embassy of Kazakhstan demanding his release.
Photos of Vadim Kuramshin before and after imprisonment and hunger strike.
torsdag 16 juli 2015
Belarus - Samvetsfången Mikalaj Dziadok förföljs och trakasseras - Mikalai Dziadok and his cellmate held in 5 sq. m. cell
Belarus. Europa 2015.
Att vara fängslad i Belarus (Vitryssland) innebär tyvärr tortyr och tortyrliknande förhållanden. Det är helt oacceptabelt!
(Charter 97, Viasna, Fokus Vitryssland). Samvetsfången Mikalaj Dziadok har tvingats tillbringa en stor del av tiden i en kall isoleringscell. Detta ledde till att han skar sig själv i protest. Trots det tvingades han tillbaka till den kalla cellen. Nu sitter han i en mycket liten cell (5 kvadratmeter) tillsammans med en annan fånge.
Fokus Vitryssland (Östgruppen): Mikalaj Dziadok förföljs även i det nya fängelset
http://fokusvitryssland.se/2015/06/10/mikalaj-dziadok-forfoljs-aven-i-det-nya-fangelset/
"Enligt människorättsorganisationen Vjasna hade hans tid i fängelset präglats av straff för påhittade disciplinbrott och andra trakasserier. --- För att undkomma kylan i isoleringscellen tillfogade han sig 20 maj skärsår på mage och armar. Men när såren hade lagts om fick han återvända till samma cell. --- Vjasna uttrycker nu oro för att så mycket tid i isoleringscell – där det i regel saknas ventilation, belysningen är svag och temperaturen låg – kan skada Dziadoks hälsa."
Viasna: Mikalai Dziadok and his cellmate held in 5 sq. m. cell
http://spring96.org/en/news/78345
"Mikalai Dziadok calculated in his letter that he had spent 42 days in the punishment cell in May and June"
Charter 97: Again the lawyer not allowed to Dziadok
http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2015/7/15/159881/
"Mikalai is placed in a Ward-type Room for 6 months. He is in a small two-man cell. Confinement conditions are unknown. And denial to meet the lawyer seems like a revenge for our critics of confinement conditions", his father said."
Earlier: Former presidential candidate and diplomat Andrei Sannikov listed the political prisoners and mentioned Dziadok (Great speech at Brussels Forum 2013!)
http://minkristnasamhllsblogg.blogspot.fi/2013/03/andrei-sannikov-there-is-no-justice-in.html
Sannikov "was in KGB-prison in Minsk, notorious since the time of Stalin's purges, still serving its purposes in dictatorial Belarus"
Foto: KL
Att vara fängslad i Belarus (Vitryssland) innebär tyvärr tortyr och tortyrliknande förhållanden. Det är helt oacceptabelt!
(Charter 97, Viasna, Fokus Vitryssland). Samvetsfången Mikalaj Dziadok har tvingats tillbringa en stor del av tiden i en kall isoleringscell. Detta ledde till att han skar sig själv i protest. Trots det tvingades han tillbaka till den kalla cellen. Nu sitter han i en mycket liten cell (5 kvadratmeter) tillsammans med en annan fånge.
Fokus Vitryssland (Östgruppen): Mikalaj Dziadok förföljs även i det nya fängelset
http://fokusvitryssland.se/2015/06/10/mikalaj-dziadok-forfoljs-aven-i-det-nya-fangelset/
"Enligt människorättsorganisationen Vjasna hade hans tid i fängelset präglats av straff för påhittade disciplinbrott och andra trakasserier. --- För att undkomma kylan i isoleringscellen tillfogade han sig 20 maj skärsår på mage och armar. Men när såren hade lagts om fick han återvända till samma cell. --- Vjasna uttrycker nu oro för att så mycket tid i isoleringscell – där det i regel saknas ventilation, belysningen är svag och temperaturen låg – kan skada Dziadoks hälsa."
Viasna: Mikalai Dziadok and his cellmate held in 5 sq. m. cell
http://spring96.org/en/news/78345
"Mikalai Dziadok calculated in his letter that he had spent 42 days in the punishment cell in May and June"
Charter 97: Again the lawyer not allowed to Dziadok
http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2015/7/15/159881/
"Mikalai is placed in a Ward-type Room for 6 months. He is in a small two-man cell. Confinement conditions are unknown. And denial to meet the lawyer seems like a revenge for our critics of confinement conditions", his father said."
Earlier: Former presidential candidate and diplomat Andrei Sannikov listed the political prisoners and mentioned Dziadok (Great speech at Brussels Forum 2013!)
http://minkristnasamhllsblogg.blogspot.fi/2013/03/andrei-sannikov-there-is-no-justice-in.html
Sannikov "was in KGB-prison in Minsk, notorious since the time of Stalin's purges, still serving its purposes in dictatorial Belarus"
Foto: KL
torsdag 9 juli 2015
Memorial Moment
Memorial Moment
"Even the ancient church fathers had a developed doctrine of the priesthood of the baptized, which, unsurprisingly, they drew from Scripture."
THE PRIESTLY LIFE
"Sometimes Martin Luther is accused of inventing the priesthood of believers, as though the Wittenberg reformer intentionally imposed a new doctrine on the church to reduce the influence of the medieval clergy over the church's life. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Even the ancient church fathers had a developed doctrine of the priesthood of the baptized, which, unsurprisingly, they drew from Scripture. The Apostle Paul certainly talks precisely of this in Romans 12, where priestly status was conferred on believers, by reason of their life of self-sacrifice in true worship to the God who poured such abundant blessings down upon His people. John Chrysostom makes reference to the priestly life of self-sacrifice in a sermon on Romans 12.
Every Christian is a priest. Every priest offers sacrifices. "For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer" (Heb 8:3). What is the offering of the New Testament priesthood? The priests offer themselves. In this, they follow the priestly life of the high priest of the New Testament, Jesus Christ, who was both victim and priest at the altar of Calvary's cross. Animal victims are no longer required as they were in the Old Testament. Paul calls the priestly sacrifices of the New Testament "logical" (Rm 12:1). What does this mean? It means that the offering is given not by the dumb animal, who has no understanding, but is offered by his owner. The offering of the New Testament is the one who offers. This is the reasonable service, that is, it is done intentionally in self-offering. The priest is making a spiritual offering of himself to the needs of the neighbor, for the sake of God. He does so intentionally; mind and spirit engaged in the act.
Because of our connection by faith to Christ, the high priest of the New Testament, what is lacking in our self-offering is taken care of by Him. Even as we are learning to offer ourselves in humility and loving concern for our neighbor, He is taking the edges off our hardness of heart, shaping our offering with the chisels of time and trouble, so that our offering is truly shaped by Him, who knows best. I heard from a correspondent, who lamented the vicious treatment she had received from a close relative. The family member had attacked her faith, her sincerity, and the faithfulness of her gracious God. What does the Christian priest do with that? How do you live under such burdens? We must see such things as rubbing the sharp edges from our hearts as we live our priestly lives in this world."
Rev. Dr Scott Murray
Romans 12:1-8 (ESV)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A1-8&version=ESV
John Chrysostom:
"We also may say as Paul did, 'For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come' (2Ti 4:6). For he was purer than any sacrifice, so he speaks of himself as ready to be offered. This will be brought about we kill the old man, if we put to death our earthly members and if we crucify the world to ourselves. In this way we will not need the knife anymore, nor altar, nor fire. Rather we will want all these, but not made with the hands, but all of them will come to us from above, fire from above, and knife also, and our altar will be the span of heaven. For if when Elijah offered the visible sacrifice, and a flame, that came down from above consumed the whole water, wood, and stones (1Ki 18:38), how much more will this be done upon you? If you have anything in you too lenient and worldly, and yet offer the sacrifice with a good intention, the fire of the Spirit will come down, and both wear down that worldliness, and make complete the whole sacrifice.
"But what does 'spiritual worship' mean (Rm 12:1)? It means spiritual ministry, conducting life according to Christ. As he who ministers in the house of God, when he officiates, no matter what sort of person he is, collects himself and becomes more dignified when he serves; so we ought to think about all our life as serving and ministering. And this will be so, if every day you bring Him yourself as a sacrifice, and become the priest of your own body and of the virtue of your soul. For example, offer sobriety, charitable giving, goodness, and patience. For in doing this you offer 'a spiritual worship,' that is, one that is not bodily, external, visible. Paul has raised the hearer by the names bestowed, and shown that every person is a priest of his own flesh by his way of life."
John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans, 20
Prayer:
"Lord Jesus Christ, You are the high priest of the New Testament, who offered Your life for us poor sinners on the altar of the cross. Send Your Spirit to lead us into our priestly lives shaped by Your cross, that we might be enabled to offer our proper spiritual worship. Amen."
Rev. Dr Scott Murray
Memorial Moment
The priestly life
29 June 2015
"Even the ancient church fathers had a developed doctrine of the priesthood of the baptized, which, unsurprisingly, they drew from Scripture."
THE PRIESTLY LIFE
"Sometimes Martin Luther is accused of inventing the priesthood of believers, as though the Wittenberg reformer intentionally imposed a new doctrine on the church to reduce the influence of the medieval clergy over the church's life. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Even the ancient church fathers had a developed doctrine of the priesthood of the baptized, which, unsurprisingly, they drew from Scripture. The Apostle Paul certainly talks precisely of this in Romans 12, where priestly status was conferred on believers, by reason of their life of self-sacrifice in true worship to the God who poured such abundant blessings down upon His people. John Chrysostom makes reference to the priestly life of self-sacrifice in a sermon on Romans 12.
Every Christian is a priest. Every priest offers sacrifices. "For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer" (Heb 8:3). What is the offering of the New Testament priesthood? The priests offer themselves. In this, they follow the priestly life of the high priest of the New Testament, Jesus Christ, who was both victim and priest at the altar of Calvary's cross. Animal victims are no longer required as they were in the Old Testament. Paul calls the priestly sacrifices of the New Testament "logical" (Rm 12:1). What does this mean? It means that the offering is given not by the dumb animal, who has no understanding, but is offered by his owner. The offering of the New Testament is the one who offers. This is the reasonable service, that is, it is done intentionally in self-offering. The priest is making a spiritual offering of himself to the needs of the neighbor, for the sake of God. He does so intentionally; mind and spirit engaged in the act.
Because of our connection by faith to Christ, the high priest of the New Testament, what is lacking in our self-offering is taken care of by Him. Even as we are learning to offer ourselves in humility and loving concern for our neighbor, He is taking the edges off our hardness of heart, shaping our offering with the chisels of time and trouble, so that our offering is truly shaped by Him, who knows best. I heard from a correspondent, who lamented the vicious treatment she had received from a close relative. The family member had attacked her faith, her sincerity, and the faithfulness of her gracious God. What does the Christian priest do with that? How do you live under such burdens? We must see such things as rubbing the sharp edges from our hearts as we live our priestly lives in this world."
Rev. Dr Scott Murray
Romans 12:1-8 (ESV)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A1-8&version=ESV
John Chrysostom:
"We also may say as Paul did, 'For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come' (2Ti 4:6). For he was purer than any sacrifice, so he speaks of himself as ready to be offered. This will be brought about we kill the old man, if we put to death our earthly members and if we crucify the world to ourselves. In this way we will not need the knife anymore, nor altar, nor fire. Rather we will want all these, but not made with the hands, but all of them will come to us from above, fire from above, and knife also, and our altar will be the span of heaven. For if when Elijah offered the visible sacrifice, and a flame, that came down from above consumed the whole water, wood, and stones (1Ki 18:38), how much more will this be done upon you? If you have anything in you too lenient and worldly, and yet offer the sacrifice with a good intention, the fire of the Spirit will come down, and both wear down that worldliness, and make complete the whole sacrifice.
"But what does 'spiritual worship' mean (Rm 12:1)? It means spiritual ministry, conducting life according to Christ. As he who ministers in the house of God, when he officiates, no matter what sort of person he is, collects himself and becomes more dignified when he serves; so we ought to think about all our life as serving and ministering. And this will be so, if every day you bring Him yourself as a sacrifice, and become the priest of your own body and of the virtue of your soul. For example, offer sobriety, charitable giving, goodness, and patience. For in doing this you offer 'a spiritual worship,' that is, one that is not bodily, external, visible. Paul has raised the hearer by the names bestowed, and shown that every person is a priest of his own flesh by his way of life."
John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans, 20
Prayer:
"Lord Jesus Christ, You are the high priest of the New Testament, who offered Your life for us poor sinners on the altar of the cross. Send Your Spirit to lead us into our priestly lives shaped by Your cross, that we might be enabled to offer our proper spiritual worship. Amen."
Rev. Dr Scott Murray
Memorial Moment
The priestly life
29 June 2015
tisdag 7 juli 2015
Fokus - "Se Guds lamm, som tar bort världens synd"
1 Petr. 2:9.
"Men Gud som är rik på barmhärtighet har älskat oss med så stor kärlek, också när vi ännu var döda genom våra överträdelser, att han har gjort oss levande tillsammans med Kristus. Av nåd är ni frälsta." (Ef. 2:4-5)
Lekmannasamlingen Fokus 28.6.2015 kl. 19.00 (FC, Jakobstad)
Vi var en liten skara som samlats till Fokusmöte denna strålande vackra söndag efter midsommar. Vi samlades i Lilla salen denna gång. Jag hade lovat att vara ansvarig för kvällen och höll en kort inledning och även en textutläggning kring Joh. 1:29, 36. Gudrun Enkvist hade skött om serveringen och även bakat goda småbröd och vi hjälptes åt att leda det informella mötet. Monica Hagström hade förberett några sånger och vi sjöng också a capella från ett kompendium som Gudrun hade med.
Lena och Johan Sandberg var förebedjare för lappar. Kollekten gick till MKV.
Temat i Fokus har under en tid varit "Vittnesbördet". Som inledning berättade jag kort om en liten gåva som jag fick när jag gick i söndagsskolan vid avslutningen. Söndagsskollärarinnan Bertha Petell sade med allvarlig röst till oss: Om ni inte kommer ihåg någonting annat av det jag sagt, så kom ihåg att "Se på Jesus". Och så delade hon ut åt oss små röda breda sidenband med vit text från Hebr. 12:2 "Se på Jesus!".
Denna uppmaning och påminnelse har hjälpt mig väldigt mycket livet igenom. Det gäller för oss att fokusera rätt, att se på korset och se bort från sig själv och egna problem och bekymmer.
Små gåvor kan alltså också bära vittnesbörd om Jesus.
Vidare nämnde jag om en papperskniv (och visade upp den) jag fått som vinst i en juniorfrågesport. Vårt lag fick varsin papperskniv med texten: "Gudsfruktan är vishetens begynnelse." (Ps. 111:10). Det är viktigt att känna eller hysa sund gudsfruktan. Gud är helig.
Små gåvor kan predika om Gud.
Inledningen avslutades med fri bön och ord från sången 145 ur "Nordisk sång" (Från Frälsaren på korsets stam), tyst syndabekännelse och bönen Fader vår. Avlösningsord från Ps. 103:12 "Så långt som öster är från väster låter han våra överträdelser vara från oss."
Under mötet sjöng vi bla. "Välkommen till denna plats", "Fäst din ögon på Jesus", "Herre, till Dig får jag komma", "Vilken härlig dag", "På en avlägsen höjd" mfl.
UNDERVISNINGEN
Vi har firat midsommar och texterna har handlat om Johannes Döparen och Jesus.
Johannes Döparen var ungefär 6 månader äldre än Jesus. Detta enligt evangelisten Lukas. När Maria och Elisabeth träffades och båda var havande står det i texten att barnet i Elisabeths mage "spratt till av glädje". Barnen hade alltså på sätt och vis träffats väldigt tidigt!
Johannes är "rösten av en som ropar i öknen" (Jes, 40:3, Matt. 3:3). En vägröjare för Jesus. En som banar väg och en profet. En väckelsepredikant skulle vi kanske säga i våra dagar (Bo Giertz kommentarbok).
Det hade gått 4 sekler sedan senaste profet, men så kommer Johannes och förkunnar "omvändelsens dop till syndernas förlåtelse." Luk. 3:3-6 lyder: "Röj väg (eller bana väg) för Herren --- Och alla människor skall se Guds frälsning."
Budskapet är klart: "Omvänd er, ty himmelriket är nära." (Matt. 3:2). Matteus som var jude undviker att säga "Gud" Han säger himmelriket och menar samma sak. Annars läser vi i evangelierna "Guds rike är nära." Messias skulle träda fram.
Omvänd (i hebreisk betydelse) = "Göra helt om"
Omvänd (i grekisk betydelse) = "Sinnesändring, ett helt nytt sätt att tänka"
På svenska betyder det "att göra bättring", men inte i betydelsen "bli bättre", utan att ändra hela sin livsinriktning och vända sitt hjärta helt till Gud. (Detta enligt biskop Giertz).
Johannes budskap handlar också om att det kommer en dom. "Jesus skulle komma med Anden - och med elden, domselden", skriver Giertz. Johannes uppmanar mänskorna att bära bättringens rätta frukt. Vad betyder det? Jo, rent praktiska saker som att dela med sig kläder och mat till dem som behöver. Hur gör vi? Man skulle inte sko sig i tjänsten, inte ägna sig åt lurendrejerier och hot, man skulle hålla sig till fastställd taxa och nöja sig med sin lön.
- Här hör jag någonting av president Niinistö's ord i ett av hans nyårstal där han efterlyser en talkoanda under svåra ekonomiska tider. Vi kunde kanske även dra paralleller till vårt lands bistånd, som kunde höjas! Vi kunde vara mera generösa i asyl- och flyktingfrågor.
Texten talar också om att Johannes "bekände och förnekade inte sanningen". Han var inte Messias. Joh. 1:20. Johannes hade även budskap till makthavaren. Tetrarken Herodes fick höra att han begick äktenskapsbrott, begick sexuella synder och "många onda ting". Johannes teg inte, men blev också kastad i fängelse.
Ånger är Guds verk. Omvändelsen handlar om att Gud drar oss. Det är korsets dragningskraft (Joh. 12:32) Jesus sade att när han har blivit upphöjd (på korset) ska han dra alla till sig. Evangeliets frälsningskraft!
Man kan jämföra med berättelsen om den förlorade sonen i Luk. 15:17 där det står "han kom till besinning". Ånger är Guds verk!
Vår vilja är bortvänd från Gud genom synden. Också det goda är besmittat. Gud är ren och helig. Jesus är den ende som har kunnat uppfylla all rättfärdighet. Och han gjorde det i vårt ställe. Därför skulle Jesus också döpas av Johannes som alla andra syndare. Han tog vår synd. "För att uppfylla all rättfärdighet." Matt. 3:15
Jesus döptes till sin tjänst som tjänare. han gjorde allt i lydnad för Gud och tog på sig allt vad vi brutit. "Jesus var invigd till det verk som skulle föra honom till korset." (Giertz).
I tro får vi tillräkna oss hans rättfärdighet. Vi får iklä oss den. (Gal. 3:27) I dopet skänkes den oss. Jfr dopdräkten.
Joh. 1:29, 36 "Nästa dag såg han (Johannes) Jesus komma, och han sade: "Se Guds lamm, som tar bort världens synd." (v. 29) "När han (Johannes) såg Jesus komma sade han: "Se Guds lamm!"
- Se Guds lamm! säger Johannes och pekar på Jesus. Tänk om vi hade fått vara där! Tänk att Johannes stod där och pekade på Jesus. En unik stund.
Se. Guds. Lamm. (3 ord)
Guds Lamm kan ses i ljuset av:
1. Offerlammet (3 Mos. 4:1f) Syndoffret
2. Påskalammet (blodet på dörrposten)
3. Lammet som en bild av den ställföreträdande Herrens tjänare som "likt ett lamm förs bort för att slaktas" (Jes. 53:7)
Jesus är vårt påskalamm som offrats för oss. Han är försoningen för våra synder.
En 4:e punkt kunde tillläggas: I Uppenbarelseboken 5:6 talas om Lammet inför tronen som såg ut att ha blivit slaktat. Jesus; Lammet på tronen.
Att se: Med trons ögon kan vi se. Apg. 26:18 Saulus' (Paulus) uppdrag var "att öppna hedningarnas ögon, så att de vänder sig från mörker till ljus."
Jes. 42:7 "För att du ska öppna blinda ögon och föra fångar ut ur deras fängelse, ur fångenskapen dem som sitter i mörkret."
Matt. 20:28 "så har inte heller Människosonen kommit för att bli tjänad utan för att tjäna och ge sitt liv till lösen för många."
- Tron är en gåva. Utan Gud sitter vi i mörker och fångenskap. Vi är blinda. Jesus gjorde Faderns vilja. "Fastän han var Son, lärde han sig lydnad genom sitt lidande." Hebr. 5:8
"Han ödmjukade sig och blev lydig ända till döden - döden på korset." (Fil. 2:8)
Lammet. Offerlammet Jesus. Abraham måste inte offra sin son. Gud gjorde det.
- Se, Guds lamm, som tar bort världens synd!
Hebreerbrevet uppmanar:
- Se på Jesus!
- Håll blicken fäst vid Jesus! Det ger läkedom. Jfr kopparormen i öknen (4 Mos. 21:4-9).
Jesu kors och Golgata är kraftfältet och värmekällan. Livsflödet. Jesus är Brödet. Livets bröd. Det levande brödet (Joh. 6:51, Joh. 6:35) Jesus är Livets vatten (Joh. 4:14)
Jesus är barmhärtigheten och nåden (Ef. 2:4, Ps. 86:15, Luk. 23:32-34). Jesus är förlåtelsen (1 Joh. 1:1-2)
Avslutningsvis:
"Men Gud som är rik på barmhärtighet har älskat oss med så stor kärlek, också när vi ännu var döda genom våra överträdelser, att han har gjort oss levande tillsammans med Kristus. Av nåd är ni frälsta." (Ef. 2:4-5)
1 Joh. 2:1-2 "Mina barn, detta skriver jag till er för att ni inte skall synda. Men om någon syndar, har vi en som för vår talan inför Fadern - Jesus Kristus."
Efter undervisningen bad vi tillsammans med förebedjarna Johan och Lena Sandberg för tack- och förbönslapparna. Sedan samlades vi runt kaffebordet och diskuterade och bad för aktuella saker som kom upp. Vi avslutade med Herrens välsignelse under Gudrun Enkvist's ledning.
Framme på ett bord fanns min israeliska böneduk (bön för det judiska folket/Jerusalem), en bricka med ett vitt och ett blått ljus (bön för Finland) och ett rött ljus (bön för lidande kristna och förtryckta folk).
Foto: KL (mobiltelefonbild från Lilla salen i FC)
"Från Frälsaren på korsets stam
ljus faller på min dräkt
Då träda syndens fläckar fram
jag blir med rövarn släkt.
Men du, som var mot rövarn god,
Du gör mig snövit i ditt blod.
Så helt förlåter Gud. Så helt förlåter Gud."
nr 145 (Nordisk sång)
Foto: KL
"Men Gud som är rik på barmhärtighet har älskat oss med så stor kärlek, också när vi ännu var döda genom våra överträdelser, att han har gjort oss levande tillsammans med Kristus. Av nåd är ni frälsta." (Ef. 2:4-5)
Lekmannasamlingen Fokus 28.6.2015 kl. 19.00 (FC, Jakobstad)
Vi var en liten skara som samlats till Fokusmöte denna strålande vackra söndag efter midsommar. Vi samlades i Lilla salen denna gång. Jag hade lovat att vara ansvarig för kvällen och höll en kort inledning och även en textutläggning kring Joh. 1:29, 36. Gudrun Enkvist hade skött om serveringen och även bakat goda småbröd och vi hjälptes åt att leda det informella mötet. Monica Hagström hade förberett några sånger och vi sjöng också a capella från ett kompendium som Gudrun hade med.
Lena och Johan Sandberg var förebedjare för lappar. Kollekten gick till MKV.
Temat i Fokus har under en tid varit "Vittnesbördet". Som inledning berättade jag kort om en liten gåva som jag fick när jag gick i söndagsskolan vid avslutningen. Söndagsskollärarinnan Bertha Petell sade med allvarlig röst till oss: Om ni inte kommer ihåg någonting annat av det jag sagt, så kom ihåg att "Se på Jesus". Och så delade hon ut åt oss små röda breda sidenband med vit text från Hebr. 12:2 "Se på Jesus!".
Denna uppmaning och påminnelse har hjälpt mig väldigt mycket livet igenom. Det gäller för oss att fokusera rätt, att se på korset och se bort från sig själv och egna problem och bekymmer.
Små gåvor kan alltså också bära vittnesbörd om Jesus.
Vidare nämnde jag om en papperskniv (och visade upp den) jag fått som vinst i en juniorfrågesport. Vårt lag fick varsin papperskniv med texten: "Gudsfruktan är vishetens begynnelse." (Ps. 111:10). Det är viktigt att känna eller hysa sund gudsfruktan. Gud är helig.
Små gåvor kan predika om Gud.
Inledningen avslutades med fri bön och ord från sången 145 ur "Nordisk sång" (Från Frälsaren på korsets stam), tyst syndabekännelse och bönen Fader vår. Avlösningsord från Ps. 103:12 "Så långt som öster är från väster låter han våra överträdelser vara från oss."
Under mötet sjöng vi bla. "Välkommen till denna plats", "Fäst din ögon på Jesus", "Herre, till Dig får jag komma", "Vilken härlig dag", "På en avlägsen höjd" mfl.
UNDERVISNINGEN
Vi har firat midsommar och texterna har handlat om Johannes Döparen och Jesus.
Johannes Döparen var ungefär 6 månader äldre än Jesus. Detta enligt evangelisten Lukas. När Maria och Elisabeth träffades och båda var havande står det i texten att barnet i Elisabeths mage "spratt till av glädje". Barnen hade alltså på sätt och vis träffats väldigt tidigt!
Johannes är "rösten av en som ropar i öknen" (Jes, 40:3, Matt. 3:3). En vägröjare för Jesus. En som banar väg och en profet. En väckelsepredikant skulle vi kanske säga i våra dagar (Bo Giertz kommentarbok).
Det hade gått 4 sekler sedan senaste profet, men så kommer Johannes och förkunnar "omvändelsens dop till syndernas förlåtelse." Luk. 3:3-6 lyder: "Röj väg (eller bana väg) för Herren --- Och alla människor skall se Guds frälsning."
Budskapet är klart: "Omvänd er, ty himmelriket är nära." (Matt. 3:2). Matteus som var jude undviker att säga "Gud" Han säger himmelriket och menar samma sak. Annars läser vi i evangelierna "Guds rike är nära." Messias skulle träda fram.
Omvänd (i hebreisk betydelse) = "Göra helt om"
Omvänd (i grekisk betydelse) = "Sinnesändring, ett helt nytt sätt att tänka"
På svenska betyder det "att göra bättring", men inte i betydelsen "bli bättre", utan att ändra hela sin livsinriktning och vända sitt hjärta helt till Gud. (Detta enligt biskop Giertz).
Johannes budskap handlar också om att det kommer en dom. "Jesus skulle komma med Anden - och med elden, domselden", skriver Giertz. Johannes uppmanar mänskorna att bära bättringens rätta frukt. Vad betyder det? Jo, rent praktiska saker som att dela med sig kläder och mat till dem som behöver. Hur gör vi? Man skulle inte sko sig i tjänsten, inte ägna sig åt lurendrejerier och hot, man skulle hålla sig till fastställd taxa och nöja sig med sin lön.
- Här hör jag någonting av president Niinistö's ord i ett av hans nyårstal där han efterlyser en talkoanda under svåra ekonomiska tider. Vi kunde kanske även dra paralleller till vårt lands bistånd, som kunde höjas! Vi kunde vara mera generösa i asyl- och flyktingfrågor.
Texten talar också om att Johannes "bekände och förnekade inte sanningen". Han var inte Messias. Joh. 1:20. Johannes hade även budskap till makthavaren. Tetrarken Herodes fick höra att han begick äktenskapsbrott, begick sexuella synder och "många onda ting". Johannes teg inte, men blev också kastad i fängelse.
Ånger är Guds verk. Omvändelsen handlar om att Gud drar oss. Det är korsets dragningskraft (Joh. 12:32) Jesus sade att när han har blivit upphöjd (på korset) ska han dra alla till sig. Evangeliets frälsningskraft!
Man kan jämföra med berättelsen om den förlorade sonen i Luk. 15:17 där det står "han kom till besinning". Ånger är Guds verk!
Vår vilja är bortvänd från Gud genom synden. Också det goda är besmittat. Gud är ren och helig. Jesus är den ende som har kunnat uppfylla all rättfärdighet. Och han gjorde det i vårt ställe. Därför skulle Jesus också döpas av Johannes som alla andra syndare. Han tog vår synd. "För att uppfylla all rättfärdighet." Matt. 3:15
Jesus döptes till sin tjänst som tjänare. han gjorde allt i lydnad för Gud och tog på sig allt vad vi brutit. "Jesus var invigd till det verk som skulle föra honom till korset." (Giertz).
I tro får vi tillräkna oss hans rättfärdighet. Vi får iklä oss den. (Gal. 3:27) I dopet skänkes den oss. Jfr dopdräkten.
Joh. 1:29, 36 "Nästa dag såg han (Johannes) Jesus komma, och han sade: "Se Guds lamm, som tar bort världens synd." (v. 29) "När han (Johannes) såg Jesus komma sade han: "Se Guds lamm!"
- Se Guds lamm! säger Johannes och pekar på Jesus. Tänk om vi hade fått vara där! Tänk att Johannes stod där och pekade på Jesus. En unik stund.
Se. Guds. Lamm. (3 ord)
Guds Lamm kan ses i ljuset av:
1. Offerlammet (3 Mos. 4:1f) Syndoffret
2. Påskalammet (blodet på dörrposten)
3. Lammet som en bild av den ställföreträdande Herrens tjänare som "likt ett lamm förs bort för att slaktas" (Jes. 53:7)
Jesus är vårt påskalamm som offrats för oss. Han är försoningen för våra synder.
En 4:e punkt kunde tillläggas: I Uppenbarelseboken 5:6 talas om Lammet inför tronen som såg ut att ha blivit slaktat. Jesus; Lammet på tronen.
Att se: Med trons ögon kan vi se. Apg. 26:18 Saulus' (Paulus) uppdrag var "att öppna hedningarnas ögon, så att de vänder sig från mörker till ljus."
Jes. 42:7 "För att du ska öppna blinda ögon och föra fångar ut ur deras fängelse, ur fångenskapen dem som sitter i mörkret."
Matt. 20:28 "så har inte heller Människosonen kommit för att bli tjänad utan för att tjäna och ge sitt liv till lösen för många."
- Tron är en gåva. Utan Gud sitter vi i mörker och fångenskap. Vi är blinda. Jesus gjorde Faderns vilja. "Fastän han var Son, lärde han sig lydnad genom sitt lidande." Hebr. 5:8
"Han ödmjukade sig och blev lydig ända till döden - döden på korset." (Fil. 2:8)
Lammet. Offerlammet Jesus. Abraham måste inte offra sin son. Gud gjorde det.
- Se, Guds lamm, som tar bort världens synd!
Hebreerbrevet uppmanar:
- Se på Jesus!
- Håll blicken fäst vid Jesus! Det ger läkedom. Jfr kopparormen i öknen (4 Mos. 21:4-9).
Jesu kors och Golgata är kraftfältet och värmekällan. Livsflödet. Jesus är Brödet. Livets bröd. Det levande brödet (Joh. 6:51, Joh. 6:35) Jesus är Livets vatten (Joh. 4:14)
Jesus är barmhärtigheten och nåden (Ef. 2:4, Ps. 86:15, Luk. 23:32-34). Jesus är förlåtelsen (1 Joh. 1:1-2)
Avslutningsvis:
"Men Gud som är rik på barmhärtighet har älskat oss med så stor kärlek, också när vi ännu var döda genom våra överträdelser, att han har gjort oss levande tillsammans med Kristus. Av nåd är ni frälsta." (Ef. 2:4-5)
1 Joh. 2:1-2 "Mina barn, detta skriver jag till er för att ni inte skall synda. Men om någon syndar, har vi en som för vår talan inför Fadern - Jesus Kristus."
Efter undervisningen bad vi tillsammans med förebedjarna Johan och Lena Sandberg för tack- och förbönslapparna. Sedan samlades vi runt kaffebordet och diskuterade och bad för aktuella saker som kom upp. Vi avslutade med Herrens välsignelse under Gudrun Enkvist's ledning.
Framme på ett bord fanns min israeliska böneduk (bön för det judiska folket/Jerusalem), en bricka med ett vitt och ett blått ljus (bön för Finland) och ett rött ljus (bön för lidande kristna och förtryckta folk).
Foto: KL (mobiltelefonbild från Lilla salen i FC)
"Från Frälsaren på korsets stam
ljus faller på min dräkt
Då träda syndens fläckar fram
jag blir med rövarn släkt.
Men du, som var mot rövarn god,
Du gör mig snövit i ditt blod.
Så helt förlåter Gud. Så helt förlåter Gud."
nr 145 (Nordisk sång)
Foto: KL