Israel, the Land, and
Middle East Peace
The Bible has much to
say about the land of Israel. First and
foremost, God says that the land is His. He is jealous for it, He established the geographical boundaries
of it, and when the dust has finally settled, Israel will possess the entirety
of that land which He gave to them in eternal covenant.
The issues today in the
Middle East are drawing in all the nations of the world as a result of the
implacable hatred between Jacob and his relatives. At the center of these issues is the issue concerning the
land. God simply says that the land is
His and that He will judge the nations who divide it up. The United States is deeply involved in the
push for a Palestinian state in the land of Israel, and as a result can expect
to reap the judgment of which God warns.
Terrible injustices have
been committed against the peoples on both sides. As important as these concerns are, they are symptoms of the
violation of a deeper primary issue. Though
logical resolution would seem to point to the portioning out of the land to
remedy the situation and establish peace, additional wrongs will not make the
situation right.
Joel 3:1-2
"For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the
fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley
of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into
judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance,
Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; and they have divided up
My land. “
Dividing up the land is
also described in Daniel as the politics of the antichrist system.
Daniel
11:39 He [the antichrist] will take
action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he
will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule
over the many, and will parcel out land for a price . . .
The United States seems
perfectly content to lead the parade of nations who choose to ignore God’s
clear word concerning the land. All political
agreements, truces, cease fires, peace treaties, etc., which compromise God’s
word are doomed to failure. There may
be an interim false peace one of these days that many will celebrate with a
sigh of relief, but it will only be “peace, peace, but there is no peace.” Peace will not be established until the
Prince of Peace returns and sets up His throne in Jerusalem.
Jeremiah
6:14: “They have healed the brokenness
of My people superficially, saying, 'Peace, peace,' but there is no
peace.”
In light of this, it is
particularly disturbing to read of Christians who embrace the politics of the
antichrist system by advocating the dividing up of the land and establishing a
Palestinian state.
Zechariah
1:14-15 So the angel who talked with me
said to me, “Cry out, thus says the
Lord of hosts: ‘I am jealous for
Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
And I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for while
I was but a little displeased, they helped forward the affliction and disaster.;
”
In other words, as
sincere as our state department may be in promoting peace by pressing for a
Palestinian state, they are only worsening the situation and storing up
judgment against this nation because they are not viewing these issues from God’s
perspective.
Zechariah 2:8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, “After glory He has sent me against
the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of
His eye.”
Zechariah
14:2-3 For I will gather all the
nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses
plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest 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 fights on a day of battle.
Ezekiel
36:4-6 Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the
Lord GOD. Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and to the hills, to the
ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the forsaken cities which
have become a prey and a derision to the rest of the nations which are round
about, therefore thus says the Lord
GOD, "Surely in the fire of My jealousy I have spoken against the rest of
the nations, and against all Edom, who appropriated My land for themselves
as a possession with wholehearted joy and with scorn of soul, to drive it
out for a prey." Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel
and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys,
Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and in My wrath
because you have endured the insults of the nations.'
Proverbs
16:7 When a man's ways are pleasing to
the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
This holds true as well
for the ways of a nation, and the Bible reveals distinct periods of time when
God caused the enemies of Israel to be at peace with them when the nation was
pleasing to God. It takes no
imagination to realize the situation today is a direct result of Israel’s
deeper disobedience.
Bulldozing Palestinian
homes is not the answer. Building
separation walls is not the answer.
Even peace treaties are not the answer.
There is only one answer, and He will step in and resolve this issue
when Israel finally says, “Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the
Lord.” Until that time, the situation
will only worsen, and Israel will increasingly find herself between a rock and
a hard spot. And those who meddle in
the affair will find themselves squeezed as well.
May God have mercy on
this nation. May He open the eyes of
our leaders so that our nation is not further terrorized and judged by meddling
in affairs contrary to the word of God.
But as it stands today, unfortunately,
we are taking our place among those nations who will reap judgment as a
direct consequence of violating God’s clear word.
Vern Kuenzi
http://www.restoringthevision.com