by Jon R. Welker

"And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life." Judges 16:30

"And he [David] took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine." I Samuel 17:40

Dear Friends, Students and Strangers,

As I am writing today, the Israelis are preparing for a national election of their Prime Minister in about a week. By the time this SHEPHERD'S LETTER is printed and in the mails, much of what I am about to say will have become history - at least as far as the election is concerned. But the aftermath of that election will continue to have its effect. Israel, the Palestinians and world leaders are still seeking some solution to the present conflict and what to do about Jerusalem and especially the Temple Mount area. This has been simmering since late September/early October. The "peace process" has been "on againoff again" since then.

In the meanwhile, the prolonged election of the new American President and the transition of power in the United States, along with the present election for a new Prime Minister of Israel, has had the effect of slowing down or delaying a show-down over the issues that have erupted into the present `intifadah' perpetrated by the Palestinians. A Palestinian spokesman stated on national news today that the `intifadah' would build again after the Israeli election, and worsen should Ariel Sharon be elected....

But this is the point I wish to make - the stage is being set for the final judgment. The Bible makes it very clear that the place of the final judgment is to be in Israel and that Jerusalem is to especially factor in to that event. I keep reminding our readers that Jesus commanded us to "Watch" and that He would not have told us to WATCH if there wasn't something to be looking for.... In other words, we are given to understand that events would be such as to alert us that we had come to the time of God's judgment and Jesus' Second Coming.

The Prophet Zechariah gave an accurate modern-day description of what was to be expected and what we are seeing unfold concerning the last war of this age. He tells us that the last war will be started by a dispute over Jerusalem.

"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem." Zechariah 12:2-3, 9

One of the reasons for Jerusalem being a "cup of trembling" to the entire world today is its military and nuclear capability. With the present flow of events and the unchanged and unrelenting attitude of the Palestinians and other Arab and Islamic nations toward the need to get rid of the "Zionist state," the time is rapidly approaching when Israel will have no alternative but to use all or part of its nuclear arsenal. That arsenal has been estimated to be at around 200 warheads, not including its neutron bombs. This contingency has been referred to as the "Samson factor" or effect. This of course refers to the story of Samson in the Book of Judges wherein we are told that after his eyes had been put out and he had been enslaved by the Philistines for a period of time, his hair grew back and his strength was restored. He then determined to take his revenge on the Philistines by `pulling down the house' he had been taken into, upon the heads of those inside - including himself. So it is said that "the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life" (Jdg. 16:30).

Yasser Arafat some years ago is quoted as having said: "Our objective is simply the liberation of the Palestinian soil and the establishment of a Palestinian state over every part of it.... Thus the Jews must be removed and Israel must be annihilated. We can accept nothing less." The fundamentalist group Hamas goes even further. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL reported in December 18, 1992 that in the Hamas founding documents this statement is made: "The war is open until Israel ceases to exist and until the last Jew in the world is eliminated." Why then do not world leaders take them at their word?! Well, this lets us know how a false settlement - a seductive peace - could fool the entire world, as well as many in Israel.

"Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter." Ezekiel 13:10

The picture of young David confronting the Philistine giant, Goliath, also gives us a picture of the possibility, even probability of Israel using nuclear weapons against her enemies. Many years ago Mikkel Dahl published a booklet submitted by a student which considered the story of David's encounter with the giant, and how his choice of five smooth stones from the brook spoke of Israel's nuclear power to be developed and instrumental in its defeat of the `giants' that would come against it at the end of the age. Here let me quote from that book published by Mikkel Dahl in 1971:

"Now we know that there was fantastic power involved in those `five stones' for, because of one that was thrown off to slay the giant, the whole host of Philistines fled in fear and were slain.
What I'm getting at is this: There is a nation that exists today, that is very young and very small just like David. In fact, that nation's flag bears the star of David. Israel was reestablished as a nation in 1948.
And now Israel has nuclear power (the power of the star). Scientists tell us that a star burns so brightly because it is generating a nuclear reaction. For example, our sun is a star. It provides the heat and light that makes life possible on the earth.... Among the most important fusion reactions observed is the reaction between deuterium and tritium. These words come from words meaning two and three (2 + 3 = 5 "stones") indicating the structure of these isotopes.
And it just so happens that a form of deuterium, from which tritium is made, is found in small amounts in common water. (David chose five smooth stones which he took out of the brook.) So similarly, the isotopes are chosen (extracted) from the water.
When these `five stones' are gathered together (fusion), there is fantastic energy given off along with one `stone' (neutron). This is the same reaction that occurs in the hydrogen bomb!* And it is this energy driving the little "stone" that the Shepherd of Israel will use to slay the allegorical "giant" war machine in the "border of blood" [a reference to the name "Gath" from whence Goliath came], and turn the multitudes of the enemy running for fear. "And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines" (I Sam. 17:52). What a shock (wave)!
*Observe that in the hydrogen bomb, there must first occur a fission reaction to trigger the fusion reaction. Even this reaction is in harmony with the allegory. The required tritium is produced in the bomb when the A-trigger furnishes neutrons to bombard the bomb's opalescent lining of lithium deuteride, a compound of lithium and deuterium. The word lithium comes from the Greek word lithos, meaning `stone'!"

So, we again see that the little nation of Israel (David) is confronted by the giant Goliath (its Arab neighbors). It appears that Israel's enemies haven't learned anything, nor are they willing to accept the military and nuclear capability of Israel. It just doesn't make sense that a reasonably-minded Arab nation would risk attacking Israel. So, what could be in the minds of those who still seek Israel's destruction? In past wars with the Arabs, Israel won because even though Arab tank columns succeeded in penetrating Israel's defenses, they didn't possess the supporting infantry to fight with their tanks. Tanks cannot do all the fighting - it requires both tanks and infantry. Infantry can destroy tanks at close ranges, so they are dependent upon one another.

But it now appears that the Palestinians have several infantry divisions within the boundaries of the "Palestinian Entity." This has been one of the major concerns of Israeli military analysts - that Israel's next war would have to be fought more within the borders of Israel than against attacking armies from without. Israel is small geographically, as well as its population. One could make a qualified guess that the Arab enemies of Israel will bank on the idea that Israel will not risk the consequences of weapons of mass destruction within such close proximity of it own populace.

At such a time that Israel ever determines that it is about to go under, it will consider the same strategy that Samson did - "we may go under, but we'll take as many with us as we can. We remember the `Holocaust' - NEVER AGAIN!"

Dear readers and friends, I keep warning you not to become distracted by other events nor "the cares of this life" (Lk. 21:34). Keep your eye on Israel, Jerusalem and the MidEast. It is there that the simmering pot will boil over and the "cup of trembling" will spill over.

Keep Watching!