Wars & False Peace

After the fall of Jerusalem in AD70 and the Diaspora thereof - "L'shana ha'ba-ah b'Yerushalayim (next year in Jerusalem)!" - became a cry, a dream, during Passover the world over for the next 1900 years for the Jewish people.

Thus, when the news broke on June 7 1967, with Colonel Gur, commander of Israel's 55th Paratroop Brigade, radioing: "The Temple Mount is ours! I repeat, the Temple Mount is ours!" - the wave of ecstatic jubilation running thru the minds of millions of Jews world wide must had been electrifying! And after all the tearful dancing & celebration, I bet suddenly - a spark, a sudden realization - would went off in each one's mind - My God! Indeed NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!


Israel has fought many wars with her Arab neighbors in her 60 years of independence - in defense. Literally from the day immediately after her independence right up...till...TODAY! The last major ground war was less than 2 years ago with the Hezbollah (Syrian & Iranian proxy army in Lebanon). While the last major covet operation was the bombing of a SUPER-SECRET nuclear plant been built by North Korean agents deep inside Syrian territory! (Move over, James Bond!)

But of all the wars Israel fought, ONE stood TALL above all - the SIX DAYS WAR of 1967.

The map above shows Israel on the eve of the war (the blue color), and the areas conquered AFTER the war (the red color)! In 6 short days, Israel took over the whole Sinai peninsula, the West Bank (Judea & Samaria), Gaza & the Golan Heights!

The Arab world was STUNNED, and so was the whole world! How could a tiny Israel defeat an enemy 100 times her size?!


Today, the world is in DIRE need of peace in the Middle East. The world has not been short in effort of trying to bring peace to the region. Presidents & Prime Ministers of various super powers have all tried to broker peace. And with great hope, many a treaty had since been signed & confirmed over the decades in great fanfare...but they all come to naught...often ending with much shedding of blood & tears.

The Israeli, themselves been weary of the long years of wars & terrorist attacks, had been showing such desperation seeking this elusive peace that they had been willing to turn over sovereign land & towns in exchange for peace - to an enemy who has YET to demonstrate any sincerity or effort in return!

Today, Israel's enemy is demanding that she retreats back to the border prior to the Six Days War. And the world too is yielding to the terrorist attacks & demands in pressuring Israel to give up even MORE land.

And sadly, the incumbent Israel leadership seems to be contemplating exactly such a move...even to the point of giving up Jerusalem...

"For behold, in those days and at that time, When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations And bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there On behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And they have divided up My land. "They have also cast lots for My people, Traded a boy for a harlot And sold a girl for wine that they may drink. "Moreover, what are you to Me, O Tyre, Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering Me a recompense? But if you do recompense Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your recompense on your head. "Since you have taken My silver and My gold, brought My precious treasures to your temples, and sold the sons of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their territory, behold, I am going to arouse them from the place where you have sold them, and return your recompense on your head. "Also I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the sons of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a distant nation," for the LORD has spoken.
(Joe 3:1-8)

Birth Pangs - The Land

Do u know whats all the fuss about in the Middle East today?

Why are the Islamic terrorists committing suicide bombing in the Israeli cities? Why is Hamas firing their Kassam rockets DAILY into Israel?

Why did Egypt, Syria, Jordan & some other Arab nations invade Israel multiple times over the past 60 years?

Why?

Well, u see, initially, the Arabs simply wanted to drive the Jews into the Mediterranean Sea. But they kept on losing...not just the war but also their land!!!

With their noses bleeding and realizing they couldn't drive Israel out with conventional warfares, they changed their strategy. And with a twist of evil genius, they re-brand the war effort into a struggle for the establishment of Palestinian Statehood! They sanctified terrorist acts into holy sacrifices for the liberation of "occupied territories"!

Late Arafat, from a cold blooded terrorist head became a nationalist hero!!!

Well, lets start from the beginning...


After WWI, the above was supposedly the land given to the Jews for the building of the State of Israel under the British Mandate approved by the League of Nations.


But cuz of much complain by the Arabs, a huge chunk was decided to be taken out for the Palestinian people... Yes, that's right!!! Most people didn't realise the world HAS ALREADY given a BIG piece of land for the Palestinian people - modern day Jordan!

Btw, there never was a "Palestinian" people or nation. Palestinians are simply Arabs.


And by the time the State of Israel actually came to be... only the CYAN color above were Israeli lands!!! And yet the Arabs were still NOT HAPPY!

With all these scheming and division over the lands by the Arabs & the nations in the early years, does the Bible have anything to say? Amazingly, in the book of Ezekiel, God was talking to the Mountains of Israel:

O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD... because the enemy has spoken against you, 'Aha!' and, 'The everlasting heights have become our possession,'... that you should become a possession of the rest of the nations and you have been taken up in the talk and the whispering of the people... I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all of Edom, who appropriated My land for themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and with scorn of soul... (Ezekiel 36:1-3,5)

God already knew 2500 years ago.

ALIYAH (עלייה)!

Aliyah - the return of the Jews back to the Promised Land.

Despite the banishment of the Jews from their own land due to their rebellious nature - stiff necked & hard hearted, the Bible says (sounds like u & me, huh?). God, in His faithfulness & mercy, promised that He would bring them back & restore them back to their own land. Yes, back to the land of Israel.

The Bible is FILLED with the promises of ALIYAH. Below are some examples:

"Therefore behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when it will no longer be said, 'As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt,' but, 'As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from he land of the north and from all the countries where He had banished them.' For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers. (Jeremiah 16:14-15)

"For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land." (Ezekiel 36:24)

"Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth. (Isaiah 43:5-6)

During the first Diaspora, the Jews were only banished to a single nation - Babylon. And only for 70 years as prophesied by prophet Jeremiah. And it was so.

But the Scriptures above talk about Aliyah from North, South, East, West & Nationsssssss. Some Aliyah facts after 1948 - after the rebirth of the nation of Israel:

From the NORTH: after the collapse of USSR, more than ONE MILLION Jews migrated back to Israel. Before that, the Communist country was against Aliyah. Talk about God saying: 'Give them up!' thru prophet Isaiah!!!


From the SOUTH: in Operation Solomon, the Israeli government used 34 aircrafts to Aliyah back 14,325 Ethiopian Jews in just 36 hrs.

From the WEST: more than 2 millions Jews have made Aliyah. And the trend is increasing as antisemitism is increasing once more in the Western nations.

From the EAST: half a million have made it home!

God is calling His sons & daughters home and millions are responding. We are LIVING witnesses to the fulfillment of Bible prophecies thousands of years old! Isn't that AMAZING?!

"Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the LORD, have spoken and will do it."

"... like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD." (Ezekiel 36:36,38)

Jewish DIASPORA (גלות)

The Holocaust WASN'T the only attempt aimed at Jewish massacre, or total extermination. In fact, it was only one of the MANY attempts throughout history across different times, places by different evil men.


From the Egyptian Pharaoh who was trying to kill all the Jewish male child... to an evil Persian prime minister who was planning a nation-wide genocide of the Jews (pls do not confuse with the CURRENT Persian/Iranian prime minister, Ahmadinejad, who has similar ambition)... to the countless brutal expulsion & persecution by various kings & queens & even the "Church" in the Dark Ages, Middle Ages...etc etc... The Jews are simply the MOST persecuted & accursed race on planet earth bar NONE.

No kidding.

Twice in the history of the nation of Israel were their land conquered, their Holy Temple destroyed & her people banished, thus the term, Jewish Diaspora. The former by the Babylonians, the latter the Roman Legionnaires.

But the tragedy & sufferings of the Jewish people in ages past IS NOT a surprise. In fact, MOSES warned them specifically as such more than 4000 yrs ago!!!

"Then the LORD will scatter you among all the peoples, from one end of the earth to the other...and among those nations you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place...your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life. (Deu 28:64-66)


After the last Diaspora, for 2000 years, the Jews were literally scattered to all corners of the earth. Despite their small surviving numbers, despite their unending persecution, despite their incessant bad fortunes...they survived. And the greatest miracle - surviving together with their unique culture, belief, language, identity - across such a great expanse of time & space against IMPOSSIBLE ODDS.


Tragically, TODAY, once more we are witnessing alarming rise of antisemitism. Today we have not just terrorist groups - Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Al-Qaeda, Hizbullah, PLO... but also NATIONS, declaring publicly their intention to see Israel WIPED off the surface of the earth. They have a supernatural hatred towards the Jews. In fact, the WHOLE world is rapidly moving towards a united front against tiny Israel.

Will they succeed? Will the Jews be uprooted once more? Will there be a THIRD Diaspora?

Let the Word of the Holy One of Israel, the LORD of host, God Almighty has the final say:

"I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them...I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God. (Amos 9:14-15)

Rebirth of Israel

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her. (Ezekiel 5:5)

Israel will soon be celebrating her 60th birthday next month. The rebirth of the nation of Israel is THE greatest miracle witnessed by mankind for the past 2000 years. If u didn't know that, well, it is time to WAKE UP.

Wake up to the knowledge that such an unparalleled event has long been prophesied in the Bible. Not just the formation of the nation of Israel, but ALSO HOW it came to be, AND how it will be...

Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!' "Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened you graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it, " says the LORD.'" (Ezekiel 37:11-14)

The Scriptures above detailed the atrocious sufferings of the Jews in the Holocaust, and the REBIRTH of the nation of Israel.

Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children. (Isaiah 66:8)

The above was fulfilled on May 14th 1948. Happy Birthday, Israel!!!

哥妹俩漫画- 画家徐有利

Recently, Amy bumped into 本地著名漫画家徐有利 at a local bookstore. Can see she is VERY the HAPPY!

Zhuhai, China

Across from Macau is Zhuhai, China, one of the 3 regions specially designated as Special Economic Zone by late Chairman Deng in 1978. From a small sleepy fishing village, Zhuhai is home to more than a million people today.


With the prosperity boom, how does one spot a rich man in Zhuhai? By the car he drives? By the clothes he wears? Nope. There are actually 2 simple ways. First, by the number of children one has. Second, by the fact that one has a DOG! Why? Cuz BOTH cost $$$$$$ to "maintain". (Fyi, the penalty is RM150,000 for a second child.)


I was told Zhuhai has a unique population anomaly - the ratio of man to woman is 1:5!!! So what is the odd of 2 men together?!


Typhoon Neoguri, a Category 2 hurricane packing winds up to 97mph, hit southern China while I was in Zhuhai, the earliest arrival of a typhoon since 1949! So what is the odd of THAT?!!


So part of the trip was done under incessant rain & high wind...


Which resulted in some unscheduled stops... like this great looking historical home of a warlord... WRONG! This is actually an upscale foot massage center :P


Zhuhai (珠海) is literally "Pearl Sea" in Mandarin. And indeed pearl production is a major industry here. There are major factories here producing pearl jewelries and pearl related cosmetic products.


In fact, the symbol for Zhuhai is this "Pearl Lady". There is a beautiful legend behind this lady... too long for me to elaborate here but the story is something like "The Little Mermaid"...


But my interest in oyster or clam is only limited to the type u can eat one ;)


This is one of the most famous night street in Zhuhai. Both sides of the street are dotted with small drinking stalls. As u walk along, the bar ladies will constantly SCREAM & SHOUT trying to get u to come over for a drink.


And as the night gets darker, u will see other illicit business activities all along the street. Scantily dressed ladies chasing men around soliciting for "business", at the same time, woman beggars with dirty toddlers running around begging for alms... Very very sad.


Praise God my flight wasn't delayed coming back home. Macau airport was closed the day before due to the typhoon. O home sweet home.

Macau - the Casinos

But most people go to Macau for ONE reason only. Nope, its not to see the UNESCO sites unfortunately. It is gambling. I was told this casino above is the very first casino in Macau founded by Stanley Ho 40 yrs ago.


I got a chance to go inside...to eat ;) No, not at this glittering restaurant. Another one a few stories above.


But there IS a casino that I really wanted to visit in Macau - The Venetian. It is the LARGEST casino in the world. The building itself is also the 3rd largest in the world. I have estimated that u will need at least 2 days just to explore "all" corners.


The inside is simply stunning. The huge spaces & the intricate deco will blow anyone away.


No, I am not here to marvel at this man-made wonder (well, sorta). As a friend blurted out: "This is heaven!", I quickly corrected: "No, this is hell. This is SIN city." This humongous structure exists solely to gratify & exploit the sin nature of mankind. Perhaps this building could even be deemed as one of King Nebuchadnezzar's grandest achievement in the ancient Babylon! Why not?


Even the symbol of the Venetian is literally straight out of Biblical texts in the description of the Babylonian Empire:

And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings... (Daniel 7:3-4)



The concept of a gambling den has evolved much over the past decades. Combining a mix of services & attractions to "soften" the negative impression most of us would have.


But I WAS interested in this one attraction - Venice. Yes, a replica of the city of Venice INSIDE the Venetian.


It is simply quite stunning. For those who have been to any one of the major theme parks in the world, the wow-effect is probably less. The technology involved is nothing new, but rather it is the excellence in the execution of the vision, the exquisite details, & the intelligent layout. Spare no expense indeed with the USD1.8 billion.

If only there are pigeons in this replica of Piazza San Marco... ;P


What is Venice without the canals & the gondolas? I think they have like a mile of canals inside the building separated into different sections. And yes, the gondolier does sing in Italian too.


Throughout the day, and throughout the casino, there are live entertainments round the clock. All are superb performances.


Obviously this is THE way forward for "Family Entertainment" or "Family Holiday". Genting has been trying for years to transform itself from "pure gambling" to premier "wholesome family vacation spot". So are the many casinos throughout the world. And so are the new ones coming up, trying to outdo each other. Like the ones coming up in Singapore.


U can't get a "cooler" food court than this.

Therefore, here lies the deception & the danger. The world is trying to integrate the worst values and packages them into something fun, entertaining & wholesome. They are trying to paint a positive picture of an evil habit.

Almost like the way how homosexuality is now deemed "natural" in most countries...the result of decades of disinformation by interest groups & mass medias.


I was told that every casinos is designed with Feng Sui principles that the building acts like a cage or trap or a vortex that will only sucks fortune in but never out. Just to clarify, as a child of God, I am not subject under the authority of Feng Sui. But for those who are living under the power of the kingdom of darkness, obviously they are subject to its "rules & regulations".


For instance, this new Lisboa design is as such: the round base is the head of a man; the funny looking skyscraper is the sword that stuck itself halfway into the head. So for those gamblers gambling inside - ur minds are severely wounded, dude! So bad until u will lose all ur money down to the last penny.

Folks, gambling is BAD for u. Period. At the end of the day, u would only find sorrow, brokenness, despair, regrets at the end of the road.

Truth is, even I was "seduced" by all these glitter & glamor. No wonder the underground churches in China are NOT asking for prayers for relief from persecution. But rather, that their children would not be sucked into a glamorous & lustful world out there in the cities.

Macau - Churches & Food

It has been a while since I last step into a Catholic Church. Even longer when the Church is VERY old. Like 1587!

St Dominic Church is an UNESCO World Heritage site. It was a spooky experience actually. All those idols & spooky lighting effects actually make the place quite dreary.

Kinda like visiting one of these above ;P

I guess the original intent was to bring AWE to worshipers or pilgrims. Trying to portray a sense of beauty or glory of God humanly possible. But the Word of God says:

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them... (Exodus 20: 4-5)

Instead of focusing on the Word of God, in the Dark Ages, the Church did the exact opposite - they forbid the Bible to be read by common folks. It was DEATH sentence for a common folk found to be READING the Bible!

Wait a sec...that kinda sounds like what is happening in the USA today too...where the Bible is forbidden in many public places... But thats a topic for another day...


Yup, by the grace of God I was in Macau last week. Behind me is yet another UNESCO World Heritage site - the famous ruins of St Paul. Built in 1582 it was burned down 3 times. The last was caused by a typhoon... Hmmm, wonder any "meaning" when I was there and Macau was hit by Typhoon Neoguri...

A friend asked me how to differentiate a RC Church and a Protestant Church. A RC friend volunteered the answer: "The RC cross has a human figure on it." Funny but sorta true.

Well, I guess a better sign is the one above - "Mater Dei", Latin for "Mother of God", right on top of the main entrance.


As recommended by my world jetting buddy TW, he suggested that I need to try out the special Portuguese Egg Tarts. I did. But I couldn't taste the "special" part. It was nice but so are those found in Malaysia.


The other must-try food is the Pork Pao. Regret to inform I was too full to try. Next time perhaps.


The streets in front of the ruins of St Paul are really busy. The stores fronting the streets ranged from the ultra hip to the very traditional. A great mix.


Not to mention all those historical sites.


Btw, I did pass by a reformed church. Here's a photo. Behind the window grill are these words: The LORD is risen!

Amen.

Donuts!

Whenever I travel outside Kuching, whenever possible, one of the items I will try my best to buy and bring back home is - Donuts. Serious. I love donuts. Even all the way from Bali once! O...those Krispy Kream were heavenly.

So, when tHe Spring opened in Kuching, one of my hope was to have at least a Dunkin Donut stall inside. Imagine my disappointment when there wasn't any donut stall.

But TODAY when I open my newspaper, imagine my JOY when I read that there is a new DONUT stall, Big Apple, opening inside tHe Spring!


From the long Q, it is obvious there is more than just me, a donut lover, in Kuching. Praise the Lord!