10/09/23
BY Michael Dewar, Author
Introduction
The bumper sticker answer to the preceding question is: “it will get worse before it gets better.” We will unpack this statement in a moment, but for now let’s lend our support to Israel in their time of crisis. And at the same time, let’s not forget the Palestinian people in their long night of despair.
While Israel has the right to defend itself, pray that they are saved from weak resignation to the evil they deplore. You see, one man’s defense could become another’s terror. We therefore call for a cessation of hostility and plea for a sit-down at the negotiation table. The you kill me, I kill you philosophy does not work, because in the end both are dead. So, embracing the right of each other to live is a good place to start.
The Prophetic Forecast
Israel has a bright future on God’s calendar, but the path is paved with many woes, most of which is Israel’s own doing. I know some people don’t think kindly when you tell them that their suffering is partly their fault. Historical speaking, Israel’s problem is neither economic nor political, but spiritual within the context of covenant. That fact is clearly delineated in the Torah (Deut.28).
I call Deuteronomy 28, Moses’ farewell speech to the infant nation. It has 68 verses, 14 spell out the blessings of the covenant, and 58 is a litany of the curses. The nation said, yes, to the covenant made with Yahweh at Sinai, obligating themselves to the duty of obedience. Obedience releases the blessings; whereas persistent disobedience brings on the curse of the covenant. It sounds simplistic but that’s the simple truth.
The history of Israel revolves around defaulting on the covenant they made with Yahweh at Mount Sinai (Ex.20). The upheaval during the period of the judges had to do with Israel’s constant idolatry. But at least they repented in short order and returned to faith. Under Samuel, they rejected Yahweh’s theocratic rule for monarchy. Their first King, Saul, failed, and God rejected him. David, the second king was a might warrior, flawed but a man after God’s own heart.
Under David and Solomon, the nation excelled to its unsurpassed golden years. After Solomon’s death, the nation split into two kingdoms: Northern and Southern. The Northern with ten tribes, retained the name Israel; the Southern with two tribes, used the name Judah.
The Northern Kingdom was persistently wicked; they were overrun by Assyria and taken captives there. They vanished from the face of the earth and are known in the literature as the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Judah also became wicked and was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar’s army; the cream of the population were taken into exile to Babylon for seventy-years. After that a remnant returned under Ezra and Nehemiah rebuild the temple and the walls of Jerusalem.
By the time Jesus was born Israel was already under Roman occupation. Jesus came as their Messiah to save the nation, but to add insult to injury, they rejected Him, and had the Romans to crucify Him. Jesus rose from the dead and they covered up the truth and passed the lie down to their children’s children to this very day, that the body was stolen (Matthew 28:11-15).
Before He was crucified, Jesus prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (Matt.24:1-14). The fulfillment of this prophecy took place in A.D. 70 when the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and the temple and slaughtered thousands of Jews. They also took thousands as prisoners of war. That ended Judaism as it was practiced in the time of Christ. Judaism today is a reinvention without the Temple, without sacrifice, and without the Ark of the Covenant.
With majority Israelites and Jews gone from their covenant land for hundreds of years, others took it over the land, but did not do much with it.
The Rise of Modern Israel
Jews worked hard among the nations they were scattered, and they were severely persecuted, even by the Church. But don’t forget that the infant First century Church was predominantly Jewish, but after a while it became more gentiles. Both suffered under Rome, but power shifted to the Church with the fall of Rome.
Hitler’s Germany destroyed over six million Jews. But God did not abandon the Jews as dismal as the history may seem. He promised He would bring them back to their covenant land. With the help of Great Britain and the United States and the Zionist movement, the modern State of Israel was born. Today, they occupy just a fraction of the land that was given to them by covenant. So where does the Palestinians come in? I will address that question in another article.
Some say the Palestinians are late comers to the land, but whether early or late, they are there and must have a home. The only solution that is going to work is the two-state solution. Father Abraham had several children other than Isaac and they too are the image bearer of God. Since all of us are tenants and God is the true Landlord, He should mind all his children having a homeland (Psalm 24:1-2, 95:3-7).
Dark and Bright Future for Israel
The future is dark and bright for Israel; it is prophetically documented for you my book: ARMAGEDDON: Messiah and the Rescue of Israel. Be sure to get a copy.
Whether you are a Jew or a Gentile when you think about Israel, always remember, it is much more than a political, economic, or military problem; it is fundamentally a spiritual problem in the context of covenant (Deut.28). It will not be full resolved until Yeshua returns, but we must not give up working for peace, and try to live as brethren (brothers and sisters) or at least good neighbors. (#Israel, #Palestine, #Prophecy #Covenant land #Middle East war).