Israel Today:  Popular and controversial American TV commentator Glenn Beck addressed a gathering of Israeli lawmakers on Monday and won overwhelming praise from nearly everyone present.  Speaking at a meeting of the Knesset Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee at the invitation of committee chairman MK Danny Danon (Likud), Beck lavished love and praise on the Jewish state.  Beck warned that many of Israel's leaders, like his own in America, are either afraid or uninterested in telling the truth.  "We have created a system of politicians who are afraid to tell the truth.  Instead they are telling people what the think they want to hear," said Beck, recalling that he mistakenly viewed Israel as a hostile, war-torn nation before actually visiting himself.  Beck made a surprise visit to Jerusalem in May to help Israel celebrate its 63rd Independence Day.  He returned to the US with a newfound zeal for Israel's plight and its Biblical mandate, but taking that kind of stand for Israel has come at a price.  "I got my first death threat, because I came back and said the truth - the conflict is about the destruction of Israel and the end of the Western way of life," Beck told his new friends in the Knesset.  In the face of such hostility, of such determination to not only discredit, but to bring about Israel's demise, Beck said it is easy to get discouraged or scared.  "What do we do?  Tell the truth.  Live our lives with honor and integrity and have courage, Beck encouraged the Israelis.  On August 24, Beck will host a restoring courage rally in Jerusalem.  He said thousands are expected to attend, including 70 prominent world politicians and four US presidential candidates.  Beck said he hopes the event will help the Israelis to see that they are not alone, even if the mainstream media tries to make it out as if they are.  "There are millions of people [who support Israel] that you don't see, because the media doesn't want to tell their story," said Beck.  A string of lawmakers present at the meeting spoke after Beck and thanked their American guest for his unwavering Bible-based support of the Jewish state.  It isn't a coincidence that you are a religious person [and support Israel], said Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely, summing up the feelings of her colleagues.  "This conflict isn't territorial.  If it was, it would have been solved a long time ago."  Hotovely continued:  "This is a religious battle led by Islam.  We can't ignore this basic truth.  It's important that we stand behind a historical truth; we're not just here because of Zionism, but because of the Bible."  Beck reportedly expressed positive surprise to his assistant over how much God and the Bible factor into politics and political debate in Israel.  Not everyone was 100% pleased with Beck.  MK Arieh Eldad (National Union) felt Beck wasn't right-wing enough in his political assessments.  In particular Eldad was displeased that Beck said in a later interview with Israel channel 10 news that he is not necessarily opposed to a Palestinian state.  "I'm not against a Palestinian state; I'm not here for a political solution," Beck said in the interview.  "There's something bigger than politics here."  Eldad retorted: "Israel belongs to the Jews.  We need to end the occupation - the Muslim occupation of Israel that began 1,300 years ago."  

My Comments:  It is very obvious that the Lord has raised up this man, Glenn Beck, to encourage Israel to take a stand in such an hour as this.  All of the surrounding Arab nations are rallying against Israel, stronger than before, because at least Hosni Mubarak was fairly at peace with Israel and kept the 1978 Camp David Accords.  Now, the Muslim Brotherhood has made an uprising in Egypt, with the full help and support of Barack Hussein Obama, and they have declared they will not keep peace with Israel, right in line with Zechariah 14:2-4, "I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle and the city will be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city will go into captivity and the residue of the people will not be cut off from the city.  Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle.  His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east and the Mount of Olives will break in the midst toward the east and west, and there will be a very great valley and half of the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south." This passage refers to the coming together of all nations against Israel, a battle taking place which divides Jerusalem, then the Lord will return, His feet touching down on the Mount of Olives.  The rapture of the church takes place before this happens, because the Bible also tells us that we return to earth with him, "Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, 'Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints" Joel 1:14.  If we can already see all nations aligning themselves against Israel in the Middle East, and the rapture takes place before that great battle, how close do you think it is before the rapture (or catching up of the saints) takes place?  He is coming very soon; it could be any day!