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in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King ... God will establish it for ever. Selah." Psalm 48:1-2 & 8 (KJV) :: What's the Deal With Israel?
What is the deal with Israel - particularly Jerusalem?
To anyone well-acquainted with God's Word ... this should come as no surprise.
This is one of the interesting things about Bible Prophecy ...
Israel's role in Bible Prophecy is of extreme importance. :: Jerusalem ... Chosen by God Jerusalem is mentioned over 800 times in the Bible. (Interestingly - not once in the Koran!) This is the ONE place in all of the world, that Jehovah God - the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - has singled out and called "His Own". "But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel." 2 Chronicles 6:6 (KJV) "For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually." 2 Chronicles 7:16 (KJV) "....God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever" 2 Chronicles 33:7 (KJV) "For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation." Psalm 132:13 (KJV)
"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning."
Psalm 137:5 (KJV)
:: a Chosen People "Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and ... I will take you to me for a people ... and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God ..." Exodus 6:6-7 (KJV) "For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth." Deuteronomy 14:2 (KJV) "And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine." Leviticus 20:26 (KJV)
"For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure."
Psalm 135:4 (KJV)
:: the Promised Land We have determined that there is something unique about the nation of Israel. But now we want to back up a bit and delve into the History of Israel and how it came to be in this present situation on the world stage ... and where it will go from here.
First, God promised a Land of clearly defined boundaries to Abraham. "In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:" Genesis 15:18 (KJV) "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Genesis 12:1-3 (KJV) "For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever." Genesis 13:15 (KJV) He renewed that promise to Abraham's son Isaac. Genesis 26:3-5
Then again to Abraham's grandson Jacob.
Genesis 28:13 God then promised it to their descendants after them & forevermore. Leviticus 25:46 ... Joshua 14:9 etc.
It is a historical fact that God brought His Chosen People into this very same PROMISED LAND.
:: a Nation Scattered HOWEVER ... When the Jewish People entered into the 'Promised land' God warned them that if they practiced the idolatry and immorality of the land's previous inhabitants, for which He had destroyed them, He would cast them out as well ... Sadly, Israel - whom God loved, chose and brought into the Promised Land ... turns to the very same idolatry that they were repeatedly warned against by their very own prophets! One example can be found in Jeremiah Chapter 44 when God is very angry as they are worshipping the "Queen of Heaven". "Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations" Nehemiah 1:8 (KJV) "And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you." Deuteronomy 4:27 (KJV) "And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone." Deuteronomy 28:64 (KJV) "Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein; But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them: I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them. " Jeremiah 9:13-16 (KJV) "Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people" 1 Kings 9:7 (KJV) "Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations." 2 Chronicles 7:20 (KJV) "But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate." Zechariah 7:14 (KJV) "And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them" Jeremiah 29:18 (KJV)
"For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve,
yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. "
Amos 9:9 (KJV)
:: a Nation Regathered BUT HANG ON! ... God also stated in His Word. He would regather them in the Last Days. "For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it." Jeremiah 30:3 (KJV) "Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. " For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished." Jeremiah 30:10-11 (KJV) "Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he." Jeremiah 31:8-10 (KJV) "Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;" Isaiah 43:5,6 (KJV) "Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God." Ezekiel 11:17-20 (KJV) "As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out." Ezekiel 20:33-34 (KJV) "Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob. And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God." Ezekiel 28:25-26 (KJV) "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." Isaiah 11:11 (KJV) References concerning the regathering of Israel are numerous!
An interesting picture of the rebirth of the nation of Israel is seen GOD'S VERY NAME is linked to the regathering and survival of Israel. His promises will be brought to pass for His own purposes. You can count on it - or else - He would be a Liar. "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 (KJV)
SO, WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF ISRAEL BEING REGATHERED IN HER LAND? ... 100%
Friday 14th May 1948 - Erev Shabbat 5th Iyar 5708
"And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God." Amos 9:14-15 (KJV)
Let the END TIMES Begin! ...
Israel's Rebirth, is what many prophecy students consider the
OFFICIAL start of the "END TIMES" Because God declared that in the "last days"
just before Messiah's return, He would bring them back into their own land
from wherever they were scattered throughout the world. This was the first official
sign linked with the Last or Latter Days ... Others, however refer to June 1967
and the 6 day war as the significant 'kick off' when Jerusalem was actually back in their hands.
Whichever the view ... both seem to be in agreement that we are now indeed in the last of the last days!
:: Jerusalem ... A Cup of Trembling
"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." Zechariah 12:2-3 (KJV) "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. " Zechariah 12:9 (KJV)
Everyone wants to have a say in what happens with Jerusalem.
"The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine..."
Leviticus 25:23 (KJV) :: Israel @ War "In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem."Zechariah 12:6 (KJV) "As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it." Isaiah 31:5 (KJV) Exactly as foretold Israel has devoured her attackers ... winning every war against overwhelming odds. Everytime Israel's enemies attack her - she ends up with MORE LAND!
The 1948/49 - The War of Independence:
* Israeli War for Independence (ADL) * The War of Independence, 1948 (peace encyclopedia) 1967 / The 6 Day War : In May 1967, Egypt and Syria took a number of steps which led Israel to believe that an Arab attack was imminent. Against this background, Israel launched a pre-emptive strike against Egypt on June 5, 1967 and captured the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip. Despite an Israeli appeal to Jordan to stay out of the conflict, Jordan attacked Israel and lost control of the West Bank and the eastern sector of Jerusalem. Israel went on to capture the Golan Heights from Syria. The war ended on June 10.
* The 1967 War (ADL) * The Six-Day War (peace encyclopedia) 1973 / The Yom Kippur War: In an effort to force Israel to unilaterally surrender captured lands, Egypt and Syria jointly attacked Israel on October 6, 1973, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. Other Arab states contributed troops and financial support. Caught by surprise, Israel suffered severe losses in human life and equipment. Following an Egyptian refusal to accept a cease-fire and a Soviet airlift to the Arab states, the U.S. sent an airlift to Israel enabling her to recover from earlier setbacks. Saudi Arabia then led the Arab world in an oil embargo imposed on the United States and other western nations. ... When hostilities finally ended, Israel held an additional 165 square miles of territory from Syria, and had encircled the Egyptian Third Army on the west bank of the Suez Canal. Egyptian forces held two areas of Israeli territory along the east bank of the canal. Israel, Egypt and Syria all held prisoners of war.
* The 1973 Yom Kippur War (ADL) * The Yom Kippur War, 1973 (peace encyclopedia) September 28, 2000 - ? / The Current "Intifada" On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, (the Jewish New Year), the then leader of the right-wing Likud party, Ariel Sharon, journeyed to the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Sharon, accompanied by an entourage of security officers and Likud MKs, claimed he was exercising his right to visit the Mount, under Israeli control since the 1967 Six-Day War and holy to Muslims and Jews. Sharon’s visit angered many ... violence escalated ... Since then, the Palestinians have dubbed their revolt the 'Al Aqsa Intifada' – a sequel to the original Intifada that lasted from approximately 1988 to 1992. The death toll is very high and climbing weekly on both sides.
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Click Here for a Chronology of Suicide Bombings in Israel from: September 2000 - June 2002.]
:: What About the Palestinians? Historically - there is no Palestine ... No Palestinian people ... language ... culture ... religion ... economy etc! Yet we see claims of descent from a "Palestinian people" who supposedly lived in a land called "Palestine" for thousands of years.
That land was the Land of Canaan, inhabited by Canaanites. This same land later became the land of Israel. When God gave it to His Chosen People. "And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."Genesis 17:8 (KJV) "Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:)" Numbers 34:2 (KJV) . Other Scripture referances were cited earlier on this page concerning "the Promised Land" given to Israel by God. So we will not repeat those here. You can also read about the children of Israel coming into the PROMISED LAND (First Canaan - Then Israel) througout the Book of Joshua. So what is Palestine? ... The name Palestine comes from the "Philistines" (Ancient Israel's enemies!)
From that time those living in the land - now being dubbed "Palestine" were called "Palestinians". But in 1948 - when "Palestine" became Israel again - the Arabs who fled began to claim that they were the "True Palestinians" and that this land had always belonged to them! When in actuality in 1948 the Arabs owned about 3% of so-called Palestine. Those who now claim to be "Palestinians" are Arabs by birth, language, Islamic religion and culture. Israel's claim to the land goes back over 4000 years to Abraham's purchase of the cave of Machpelah (See: Genesis Chapter 23 ) There Abraham buried his wife Sarah. And Abraham, Issac, Rebeccah, Jacob and Leah are also buried there.
To further make certain that all mankind understands that the Jews are God's chosen people, the word "Israel" dominates the Bible, appearing 2,565 times in 2,293 verses. In contrast, Arabians are mentioned only ten times. Anyone who claims to believe the Bible must acknowledge that there is only one nation and one people—the Jews alone— to whom God ever gave a land and specific, perpetual promises. The Jews are the only people still existing as a nation, though scattered, whose genealogy is preserved in Holy Scripture and who are identifiable in the world today. Were that not the case, there would be no fulfillment to hundreds of God's promises and He would be a liar." (Dave Hunt, Defying the God of Israel) :: Daniel's 70 Weeks If Israel is indeed "God's Time Piece" ... Where on the time clock are we now? Many people are very curious when they learn about a prophecy in the book of Daniel which covers the whole scope of God's plan revolving around the Jewish People and Jerusalem. This is found in Daniel Chapter 9:24-27.
70 Weeks - Were decreed for his people ... (Daniel's people = Jewish people)
70 weeks =
The "week/weeks" mentioned in this prophecy are "weeks of years"
Seventy Sevens - as we see in Daniel's prophecy:
Daniel 9:24-27 imply these same weeks of years.
We are now in an 'interval' between Daniel's 69th and 70th week (aka the times of the Gentiles
Luke 21:24 )
The 70th week is what we also refer to as the Tribulation period or the Time of Jacob's Trouble. :: You Do The Math! Incidentally this same passage in Daniel 9 also revealed Messiah. From the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince the exact amount of time is given! This prophecy was a mathematical prophecy and it was fulfilled with 100% accuracy - to the day! This was fulfilled on the exact day that Jesus Christ rode in on a donkey and was hailed as king, ... then rejected and crucified days later as also foretold.
[For more details of this astonishing prophecy we HIGHLY RECOMMEND; Here is yet another Old Testament prophecy foretelling that same day: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Zechariah 9:9 (KJV) Also interesting is that He held them accountable to know this!
(prophecy of what was to occur in 70 AD) "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you, how I have longed to gather your children together, as chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say" Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Matthew 23:37-39 (Jesus Christ)
When they did not recognize who He was - these things were then hid from thine eyes... but not forever! This is when we believe God's Time Clock was put 'On Hold' ... This has now been what is referred to as 'the Times of the Gentiles' or the Church Age. God has been building His Church comprised of both the Jew & Gentile who have accepted Jesus/Yeshua as Lord & Savior - Galatians 3:26-29 When His church is taken out of the way (Raptured!) the 70th week will play out as predicted. (See Also: The Rapture - pre,mid, post or all of the above?) It is at this time that God's clock will start back up concerning the nation of Israel and the completion of that ancient prophecy. How do we know? ... We have HIS WORD on it!
"... Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."
Luke 21:24 (KJV)
:: What Next? LOTS! JUST TO NAME A FEW:
The False Messiah
The 3rd Temple
The Red Heifer
An Invasion from the North :: Will There Ever Be True Peace "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee." Psalm 122:6 (KJV) We are commanded to "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" ... Praying for peace almost seems to contradict what the Bible says must happen. Not so! ... because the real peace will ONLY come when the TRUE PRINCE OF PEACE RETURNS! So in fact we are praying "Thy Kingdom Come!" Matthew 6:10 ... Luke 11:12
But remember .... Sadly, before the REAL PEACE with Messiah Yeshua reigning from King David's thone. 'By peace shall (Antichrist) destroy many' ... Daniel 8:25 "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." John 5:43 (KJV)
"For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child;
and they shall not escape."
1 Thessalonians 5:3 (KJV)
:: Messiah Comes! (AGAIN) We see from the Prophet Zechariah that when Messiah comes it is as a man who has been pierced. "And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends." Zechariah 13:6 (KJV) "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." Zechariah 12:10 (KJV) Click Here to see King David's description of crucifixion ... About a thousand years before this form of crucifixion had even been invented by the Romans! (An almost eerie "1st person" account of a crucifixion which parallels Jesus' on the cross) There were over 300 precise prophecies in the Tanakh or Old Testament that gave specifications of their coming Messiah. These were all fulfilled to the letter by one man. Jesus Christ.
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him : and all kindreds of
the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen."
Revelation 1:7 (KJV)
:: The New Jerusalem "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. " Revelation 21:1-4 (KJV) "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." Isaiah 9:7 (KJV) "Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:" Isaiah 51:22 (KJV)
Even So .... Come Lord Jesus!
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