As this issue goes to press, the entire world is wondering what is going to
happen to Jerusalem. About 2,500 years ago, the prophet Zechariah recorded
God's predictions regarding this troubled city:
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
torn in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against
it. -Zechariah 12:2, 3
On the face of it, this prophecy would seem an absurd prediction for our modern day!
Here is a city with no natural resources, no harbor, no river -
no reason to have any strategic significance. It no longer controls
any trade routes or has any apparent reason for geopolitical strategic
relevance.
It wouldn't seem that important culturally: only a relatively small portion
of Jewish people regard it as significant. Even if all Jews were
concerned, it still would not represent a centroid for "all the people of the
earth to be gathered together against it."
The Muslims controlled it for a thousand years and they let it crumble into rubble -
until they discovered it was significant to the Jews; then, of course, it
became critical to Islam.
Christians regard it for historical and Biblical reasons, but not to die for.
And yet, the late lights are burning tonight in every headquarters of every
capital of every nation that has international relevance, and their leaders are
struggling with what to do about the issue of Jerusalem!
The Restoration of the Nation
Israel
The centuries of debate concerning the destiny of the Jewish people - and disputes among
Biblical scholars on the issue of the eventual restoration of the nation of
Israel - should have come to a close with the restoration of the Jewish
homeland in 1948. The prophet Isaiah seems to have anticipated this event
when he penned:
And it shall come to pass in that day, that
the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his
people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and
from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands
of the sea.
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and
shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of
Judah from the four corners of the earth. -Isaiah 11:11, 12
"The second time?" The first regathering was after
the Babylonian Captivity.1 The second regathering began as the 19th century drew to
a close with the efforts of Theodr Herzl and others, and finally climaxed with
the formal declaration on May 14, 1948, when the world listened on international
radio to David Ben Gurion declaring that the name of the new Jewish homeland was
"Israel."
(The debates as to whether the Old Testament passages were to be taken
seriously or not should have ended on that date.)
The subsequent struggles of this tiny state against seemingly insurmountable
armed enemies have, of course, been the legends of modern times.
And the legacy of hatred continues to challenge their very right to
exist.
The Peace of
Jerusalem
Will there be peace in Jerusalem? Apparently not until the Prince of
Peace takes over. Jesus said that,
...Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles,
until the times of the Gentiles be
fulfilled. - Luke 21:24
The "Times of the Gentiles" began with King
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and will continue until the Coming World Leader (known
popularly as the "Antichrist") makes his appearance and is dealt with. There
will be a false peace, however, when this "Prince that shall come" will
"enforce a covenant," ostensibly for an anticipated period of seven years.
The "Piece" Process
As we have repeatedly pointed out, the peace process that began at Oslo virtually guarantees a war
in the Middle East. The entire charade is based on a false premise:
it assumes that the Muslim ambitions can be appeased by reducing the borders of
Israel, even though the Muslim leadership has repeatedly - before, during,
and after the Oslo Accords - and clearly maintained
that they will not rest until the very existence of Israel has been
eliminated.
They are insisting on what Israel cannot yield. The legacy of hate that
they inculcate their children with continues without any pretense of
abatement.
Will God Intervene?
The Bible does indicate that there will come a specific
event which will herald God, once again, intervening on behalf of His people
Israel: God will intervene to thwart an invasion from the far north.
Speaking to the leader of the land of Magog (which we are convinced refers to
Russia),3
God
says:
And thou shalt come up against my people of
Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will
bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be
sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes...
Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and
I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the
LORD. - Ezekiel
38:16, 23
This passage is well known to Bible prophecy buffs, as it also seems to
suggest the use of nuclear weapons.4 The more
one knows about the technical details of this passage, and the more one knows
about what is presently going on in that region, the more it would seem that
this event may be on our near horizon.
But Why?
Why is God going to intervene? Why does Israel deserve such special
attention? The answer is most surprising:
And I scattered them among the heathen, and they
were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to
their doings I judged them.
And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they
went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, "These are the people
of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land."
But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house
of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith
the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy
name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
And I will sanctify my great name, which was
profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the
heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be
sanctified in you before their eyes.
For I will take you from among the heathen, and
gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. .
. -Ezekiel 36:19-24
It's not for their sakes: it's because God's name is on the
commitment. So it is written, so it will be done.
A Most Exciting Time
It is disturbing to realize that the God of the Universe has put His name on
a particular piece of real estate. While "the earth is the Lord's and
fulness thereof," He has chosen to call a particular parcel of ground His
Own. It doesn't belong to the Palestinians; it doesn't belong to the
U.N. It doesn't even belong to Israel, except as tenants under conditions
of obedience.
When we muck around in the Middle East foreign policies, we are poking our
finger in the eye of God! It's His Land, and we need to stand clear of His
plans and programs.
And yet, the future scenario has been described, in
detail, in His Word. And we are approaching His consummation of all
things. Here is the premise that we suggest you challenge
- not accept - but check out for
yourself:
"We are being plunged into a period of time about which the Bible says more than it
does about any other period of time in history - including the time when
Jesus walked the shores of Galilee and climbed the mountains of Judea."
To check out this ostensibly preposterous statement, you need to do two
things:
1) Find out what the Bible says about the "end times" (not what some
popular book suggests, but what the Bible really says).
2) Find out what is really going on in the geopolitical horizon. This
isn't easy when you recognize that the mainline media prides itself in shaping
an agenda rather than informing a public. (John Loeffler's strategic review
of the Middle East, The Struggle For Jerusalem, is an excellent start.)
The turbulence which may lie ahead can be an exciting adventure if you know
where you personally stand in regards to it all. It is, indeed, time to do
your own homework!
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