by Pat Franklin
Hotels are booked solid in Bethlehem this year as tourism returns to the Arab town. The tourists must cross through the ugly 30 foot high wall which Israel had to build to keep suicide bombers contained like animals in a cage. The wall worked, and Israelis were once again able to get on a bus without fear.
Bethlehem is a muslim town. On my first trip to Israel years ago I suggested driving to Bethlehem one day, but my Jewish friend said: 'Well you would probably be all right, but I couldn't go.' 'Why not?' I asked. 'Because they would know immediately I am a Jew and word would fly round the town, and someone would shoot me,' was the reply.
So, oh murderous little town of Bethlehem, you will not get my tourist dollar! The Lord Jesus was not made welcome there the first time round, and He would certainly not be welcome there now.
The tourists want to be there for midnight mass in Manger Square (where the Lord Jesus was probably not born). The 'sacrifice of the mass' is in itself an insult to the Lord Jesus, for His sacrifice at Calvary was once for all. 'It is finished!' He cried. The Bible (Hebrews Chapters 9 and 10) tell us there was only one sacrifice, no more sacrifices ever again, none - Calvary was sufficient. Jesus paid it all when He shed His blood, the terrible price for our sins. So why would anyone claim to 'mystically' sacrifice my Lord all over again? It is blasphemous and a great insult to God. Please read our 'Table of Truth: Catholic Church versus the Bible'. You will find it on our webpage on the left. Feel free to copy and print it out as many times as you wish and give it out to people. Let the truth get out this 'Christmas'!
If anyone is in Israel, instead of going to a blasphemous mass, why not find one of the many Messianic fellowships in Jerusalem or some other place and join in their wonderful worship? 'Messianic' simply means Jewish believers in Jesus the Messiah, and there are many fellowships now in Israel. If you go on tour to Israel and do not meet any Jewish believers in Yeshua (Jesus), you have missed out big time. You will have just seen places, but the real interest is the people, the Body of Christ, the Body of Messiah. The Lord Jesus has many followers in Israel now, and you should be meeting them, helping them, blessing them. You will be very glad you did this, on the day the Lord makes up His jewels and hands out rewards. After all, those are some of the very people who will be running the world when the Lord sets up His kingdom. The Jews will be the first, not the last, and the head, not the tail. They will be ruling, and won't you be glad if you helped some of those rulers when they were poor and down trodden!
And lest anyone take this article to mean that I hate muslims, I do not. In fact I feel desperately sorry for them. They are kept in poverty by their leaders, who grab all the millions sent to aid them and either keep it, as Arafat did, or spend it on weapons. They are born into a religion of fear and hate which levies the death penalty on anyone who changes their faith. They are indoctrinated from childhood to hate Jews and, never meeting any, they believe what they are told. So, I do not hate muslims at all, quite the reverse. I love them so much I want to tell them the truth. (Please see Table of Truth: Islam versus the Bible)
