By David Ettinger
Shaking Things Up
Love him or hate him, President Donald Trump has certainly shaken things up. For some, he has shaken things up for good; for others, he has shaken things up for bad.
This makes sense politically as the President is a politician. However, in regard to spiritual matters – particularly America, Israel, and end-times’ prophecy, I believe Christians are going overboard.
On the One Hand
From the best I can determine, there are two camps those “biblicizing” the Trump presidency fall in.
On the one hand, we have those who see President Trump as a God-ordained savior who will help the U.S. reverse her downward spiral of sin and godlessness, and begin to steer us back to the worship of our Creator. In fact, a quote from a Facebook friend reads as follows: “I believe firmly that the LORD is working through President Trump to uncover the evil behind the scenes that has so crippled the US.”
They also see President Trump as Israel’s best friend, one who has Israel’s chief interests in mind, and will do anything he can to protect her. This, too, includes the idea that the Lord specifically chose President Trump for this very purpose.
On the Other Hand
Then, there are strong believers who love Israel who see President Trump in a completely opposite light.
They view him more as a tool of Satan, one who is just out to make the best deal possible between Israel and their Arab neighbors. Though, they assert, President Trump has appeared to be Israel’s friend, he will soon turn the tables on her when he begins to negotiate with the Palestinians.
Along these lines, a Facebook friend posted a story from the Israeli news outlet Arutz Sheva which reads: “Trump: Israel will have to pay a ‘high price’ in peace talks.”
Two paragraphs read as follows: “U.S. President Donald Trump said during a rally … that Israel will have to pay a ‘high price’ in its negotiations with the Palestinian Authority (PA) in return for his decision to move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. … In his remarks … Trump said that since Jerusalem is now ‘off the table,’ Israel will have to give something in return to the Palestinian Arabs.”[1]
Overall, the view from this camp is that President Trump will, in the end, betray Israel.
The Middle Ground
Though this sounds like I’m on the fence, I can’t buy in to either side of the argument.
I definitely believe President Trump has been good for Israel, and showed great courage in moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. I also believe he has dealt wisely with the extreme factions of the Palestinians, those who seek Israel’s destruction. I have no problem with the fact that he seeks a “good deal” for the Palestinian people who are suffering under the fist of their cruel leaders.
On the other hand, I don’t see President Trump as Satan’s apprentice, one who will remove his halo and replace it with horns and a pitchfork when it comes to Israel.
If anything, I see President Trump as being a stop-gap regarding both the U.S. and Israel. It is true that the U.S. is spiraling downward spiritually and morally, and the liberal left has much to do with this. His presidency, at best, may have helped to slow this trend, but not stop it.
Regarding Israel, President Trump’s fair treatment of her is commendable, and will perhaps, for a short time, reap some benefits for the U.S. based on Genesis 12:1-3.
However …
Despite the sincere convictions of both sides, President Trump is neither God’s-ordained Savior of righteousness nor of the nation of Israel. He will not be able to stop America’s freefall into end-times judgment, nor rescue Israel from the horrors which will befall her in the last days before her restoration, especially if he is not re-elected!
Just as every other nation in history was judged for her repudiation of God, so must America face the same judgment. If Sodom and Gomorrah were judged, then so must America.
Regarding Israel, she is now, for the most part, a pagan nation which has rejected her God, and for this she, too, will face judgment, as is well documented in the writings of the Old Testament prophets.
President Trump can do nothing to stop either of these destinies from becoming a reality, and Christians need to be more level-headed in their considerations of him. What Christians should be doing, is praying for President Trump as per Romans 13:1 and 1 Timothy 1:1-2, and for his salvation. Christians also need to remember that there is but ONE Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
May God give His people discernment and comfort in these difficult but extraordinary days!
[1] https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/250891
Sheila D.Currie Blake
October 22, 2020
God is in control. Amen
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dettinger47
October 22, 2020
Absolutely, Sheila. Amen!
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annj49
October 24, 2020
Thanks for introducing a “middle ground”.
(*sigh of relief)
It’s so frustrating when people think you MUST belong to one camp or the other and label you as such, the treat you accordingly!
I like to stay in the middle, though, perhaps unlike you, I do see the potential for the horns and the pitchfork to appear IF that is also within God’s sovereign plan for the world. It could well be…
Remember Judas? He was one of the disciples of Jesus. When it was time, Jesus said basically, go and do what you have to do…..satan entered, Judas did what had to be done, the betrayal, and Jesus knew that in advance.
I keep thinking about that. Try to keep my eyes open while trusting in what I see currently, though with some caution.
Just my thoughts.
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dettinger47
October 24, 2020
Good thoughts indeed, Ann!
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seekingdivineperspective
October 26, 2020
As you probably know, I agree wholeheartedly. I’m busy enough evaluating myself to judge Trump. I pray for him daily, as I believe we are told to do. I’ve said it before – if America doesn’t get back to God, and soon, it’s not going to matter which sinner is in the White House, it’ll be over.
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dettinger47
October 26, 2020
Exactly and precisely … though they mean the same thing. Wholeheartedly agree (as implied by the first sentence).
If Trump loses, I would be very interested to hear what the “God-anointed-Trump-to-be-president” crowd has to say.
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