ISRAEL, AND THE END TIMES--JERUSALEM, A BURDENSOME STONE

Preface

 

In the previous lesson we drew from Joel’s prophecy of the return of the Jews to their ancient homeland.  Also, Joel prophesied that God would judge the nations for parting His land (Joel 3:2).   In a brief history, explaining how the nation came into being in our generation, the hand of God was plainly seen.  From its rebirth Israel has been a center of conflict.  In efforts to secure peace in the Middle East the nations of the world have intervened, pressuring the Jews to surrender land to appease her neighbors.  In this lesson we will focus our attention on the city of Jerusalem, Israel’s ancient capital.

ZECHARIAH 12:2-3, “² 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. ³ 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.”  The context of this passage concerns the time when the nations under the leadership of the Antichrist will enter into the land of Israel to exact the final annihilation of the Jews.  It will be at Jerusalem where the conflict will culminate.  We will study more about that later.  This lesson will explore the events leading up to this final battle—Armageddon.

 

1. JERUSALEM IS INDEED A BURDENSOME STONE TO THE WORLD.  (Quote from an essay by Thomas S. McCall, Th.D., the Levitt Letter, April 1996) “The Jews say it (Jerusalem) belongs to Israel. It was the political capital and Temple worship center of the ancient Commonwealth for over 1,000 years, has been the spiritual home of the Jewish people ever since, and is understood to be the future capital of the Messiah. The Arabs say it belongs to Islam. It is the third most sacred place to Moslem believers, next to Mecca and Medina. The city was under Moslem control from the seventh century until World War I, with the one-century exception during the Crusades. The Papacy says it belongs to Christendom. Jerusalem is sacred to Christians because of both Old and New Testament associations, and is the site of the death and resurrection of Christ. The holy sites are of great concern, of which the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is supreme. (The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the traditional site of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial.) The United Nations says it belongs to the world. Jerusalem is revered by the world’s three great monotheistic religions, and is critical as a hot spot that could well endanger world peace. Therefore, the U.N. wants to “internationalize” the city, so that no one ethnic or religious group would have control.”

Though the repatriated Jews were given parts of their ancient homeland for their new nation, the old city of Jerusalem was not a part of their territory.  Jerusalem was a part of Jordan until the Six Day War in 1967.  In brief, here is a synopsis of the events leading to the war, the war itself, and the outcome (excerpts taken from the JEWISH VIRTUAL LIBRARY):  “Israel consistently expressed a desire to negotiate with its neighbors. In an address to the UN General Assembly on October 10, 1960, Foreign Minister Golda Meir challenged Arab leaders to meet with Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to negotiate a peace settlement. (President of Egypt) Nasser answered on October 15, saying that Israel was trying to deceive world opinion, and reiterating that his country would never recognize the Jewish State… Syria’s attacks on Israeli kibbutzim (farming communes) from the Golan Heights finally provoked a retaliatory strike on April 7, 1967. During the attack, Israeli planes shot down six Syrian fighter planes — MiGs supplied by the Soviet Union. Shortly thereafter, the Soviets — who had been providing military and economic assistance to both Syria and Egypt — gave Damascus false information alleging a massive Israeli military buildup in preparation for an attack. Despite Israeli denials, Syria decided to invoke its defense treaty with Egypt and asked Nasser to come to its aid… On May 15, Israel's Independence Day, Egyptian troops began moving into the Sinai and massing near the Israeli border. By May 18, Syrian troops were prepared for battle along the Golan Heights. Nasser ordered the UN Emergency Force (UNEF), stationed in the Sinai since 1956 as a buffer between Israeli and Egyptian forces after Israel’s withdrawal following the Sinai Campaign, to withdraw on May 16. Without bringing the matter to the attention of the General Assembly (as his predecessor had promised), Secretary-General U Thant complied with the demand. After the withdrawal of the UNEF, the Voice of the Arabs radio station proclaimed on May 18, 1967: As of today, there no longer exists an international emergency force to protect Israel. We shall exercise patience no more. We shall not complain any more to the UN about Israel. The sole method we shall apply against Israel is total war, which will result in the extermination of Zionist existence.  An enthusiastic echo was heard May 20 from Syrian Defense Minister Hafez Assad: Our forces are now entirely ready not only to repulse the aggression, but to initiate the act of liberation itself, and to explode the Zionist presence in the Arab homeland. The Syrian army, with its finger on the trigger, is united....I, as a military man, believe that the time has come to enter into a battle of annihilation.’ On May 22, Egypt closed the Straits of Tiran to all Israeli shipping and all ships bound for Eilat. This blockade cut off Israel's only supply route with Asia and stopped the flow of oil from its main supplier, Iran… King Hussein of Jordan signed a defense pact with Egypt on May 30. Nasser then announced: The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon are poised on the borders of Israel...to face the challenge, while standing behind us are the armies of Iraq, Algeria, Kuwait, Sudan and the whole Arab nation. This act will astound the world. Today they will know that the Arabs are arranged for battle, the critical hour has arrived. We have reached the stage of serious action and not declarations.  President Abdur Rahman Aref of Iraq joined in the war of words: "The existence of Israel is an error which must be rectified. This is our opportunity to wipe out the ignominy which has been with us since 1948. Our goal is clear -- to wipe Israel off the map."  On June 4, Iraq joined the military alliance with Egypt, Jordan and Syria. The Arab rhetoric was matched by the mobilization of Arab forces. Approximately 465,000 troops, more than 2,800 tanks, and 800 aircraft ringed Israel…. The United States tried to prevent the war through negotiations, but it was not able to persuade Nasser or the other Arab states to cease their belligerent statements and actions. Still, right before the war, Johnson warned: "Israel will not be alone unless it decides to go alone." Then, when the war began, the State Department announced: "Our position is neutral in thought, word and deed."

On June 5, 1967, Israel was indeed alone, but its military commanders had conceived a brilliant war strategy. The entire Israeli Air Force, with the exception of just 12 fighters assigned to defend Israeli air space, took off at 7:14 a.m. with the intent of bombing Egyptian airfields while the Egyptian pilots were eating breakfast. In less than 2 hours, roughly 300 Egyptian aircraft were destroyed. A few hours later, Israeli fighters attacked the Jordanian and Syrian air forces, as well as one airfield in Iraq. By the end of the first day, nearly the entire Egyptian and Jordanian air forces, and half the Syrians’, had been destroyed on the ground… Prime Minister Levi Eshkol sent a message to King Hussein on June 5 saying Israel would not attack Jordan unless he initiated hostilities. When Jordanian radar picked up a cluster of planes flying from Egypt to Israel, and the Egyptians convinced Hussein the planes were theirs, he ordered the shelling of West Jerusalem. It turned out that the planes were Israel’s and were returning from destroying the Egyptian air force on the ground.  It took only three days for Israeli forces to defeat the Jordanian legion. On the morning of June 7, the order was given to recapture the Old City. Israeli paratroopers stormed the city and secured it. Defense Minister Moshe Dayan arrived with Chief of Staff Yitzhak Rabin to formally mark the Jews’ return to their historic capital and their holiest site… After just six days of fighting, Israeli forces were in a position to march on Cairo, Damascus, and Amman. By this time, the principal objectives of capturing the Sinai and the Golan Heights had been accomplished, and Israeli political leaders had no desire to fight in the Arab capitals. Furthermore, the Soviet Union had become increasingly alarmed by the Israeli advances and was threatening to intervene. At this point, U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk advised the Israelis “in the strongest possible terms” to accept a cease-fire. On June 10, Israel did just that.”

Jerusalem is indeed a “burdensome stone” for the nations.  Israel designated Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, yet most countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv due to ongoing political debate with the Palestinians. This has given rise to an unprecedented situation whereby a sovereign state – Israel – is denied the diplomatic right to choose the location of its capital city. The U.S. Congress sought to reverse this travesty with the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, passed by overwhelming bipartisan majority in both the House and Senate. The act states that “Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel and the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.” Since then, a parade of U.S. presidents have promised to uphold this pledge. But since the congressional act allows the President to implement a waiver at six-month intervals, that’s exactly what has happened every six months since 1995.

 

2.  THE BURDEN CONTINUES.  In a May, 2011 speech President Obama revealed that Jerusalem is still a “burdensome stone” to the world:  "The United States believes that negotiations should result in two states, with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, and permanent Israeli borders with Palestine…We believe the borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.”  In essence he believes that Israel should give up East Jerusalem, the old city; bequeathing it to the Palestinians, to become their capitol.  In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected this proposal as indefensible; “leaving many cities of Israel under Palestinian control, and putting Hamas at Israel’s borders.”

The international community is increasingly antagonistic of every thing Israeli.  Recently the smartphone app BUYCOTT began to be used to identify products that have an Israel connection.  To date over 220,000 consumers have used the app to avoid buying products that benefit Israel.  Quoted from Press TV:  “Israel, which is facing isolation over its aggressive policies against Palestinians, is mainly under fire over its ongoing illegal settlement projects. The European Union has also blocked all grants and funding to any Israeli entity based in the illegal settlements. The American Studies Association and several European education institutes have also announced a decision to boycott Israeli institutions and academics over discriminatory treatment of Palestinians.  The international boycott of Israeli products, or the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), has cost the Israeli regime 30 million dollars so far. The BDS campaign is part of international efforts to pressure Tel Aviv to stop illegal constructions in the occupied Palestinian territories.  Over half a million Israelis live in more than 120 settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank including East Jerusalem al-Quds in 1967.  Israel is reportedly pushing ahead with plans for more than 2,000 new illegal settler units in six settlements in the occupied West Bank.”  The international community does not recognize Israel’s right to settle any territory that they claimed after victory in the Six Day War.  The “right of conquest” evidently does not apply to Israel.  Even in peace negotiations in which Israel agreed to give up land for peace, Jerusalem remains the sticking point.  Israel refuses to give up Jerusalem, and the Palestinians refuse any treaty in which they do not gain Jerusalem.  The international community sides with the Palestinians in this regard; thus, establishing the lines for any future conflict in which the nations of the world become involved.  It will be Israel against the world, with Jerusalem as the prize.

3.  PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.  Psalm 122:6 says, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.”  Jerusalem, itself, has experienced relative peace in our lifetimes.  Due to the presence of the Dome of the Rock the Arabs have refrained from firing missiles into the city.  Holy sites revered by Christians and Jews have also contributed to Jerusalem enjoying peace and quiet though the rest of the nation suffers bombings, and missiles being fired into cities.  Until recently (July 2014) no missiles had been fired at Jerusalem.  Thanks to Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system they were intercepted.  The fact that they have now fired at Jerusalem may indicate that terrorists are becoming desperate; willing to risk destruction of their own holy sites in order to harm Israel.  As hostilities increase Jerusalem may only continue in peace under the terms of a peace pact insinuated in Daniel 9:27, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”  In Daniel’s vision of seventy weeks this verse addresses the seventieth and final week.  Interpreted as a week of years this verse suggests that “the prince that shall come” (the Antichrist) will initiate a peace treaty in the Middle East that will be violated by him after three and half years, or forty two months.  Evidently, if this interpretation is correct, the third Jewish temple will be built, temple worship will resume, and the Antichrist will break the peace pact.  Jesus prophesied of this possible scenario when in Matthew 24:15-16 he said, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) ¹⁶ then let them which be in Judæa flee into the mountains…”  The common understanding is that the Antichrist will set up his headquarters in Jerusalem, and that an image of him will be placed in the holy place in the Temple, with orders that the world shall worship it (Revelation 13:15).  Thus, Jerusalem will never really have true peace until the Prince of Peace comes to fight for Jerusalem in the last days (Zechariah 12-14).  Praying for the peace of Jerusalem will be a cry for Christ to return:  Re. 22:20, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

Next week:  PROPHECIES OF ISRAEL’S PROSPERITY IN THE LAST DAYS.