Where Is Israel Heading?
Lately there seems to be a renewed interest in the events in and around present-day Israel. It is good for us to be interested in that part of the world which God has chosen and where one day, not too far distant, He will place His Son upon His holy hill. The second psalm says, "Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.”
People are asking, "What about Israel's giving up Jericho and the West Bank and Gaza to gain some peace with their enemies—especially the Palestinians?”
1. Will it work out well for Israel?
2. How long will it last?
3. Can peace be purchased with territory?
4. Will Israel lose Jerusalem?
5. What will happen to the Mosque of Omar?
6. Who will possess the temple site?
These are all very interesting questions to which a short-term answer is difficult to give. Events sometimes move quickly and sometimes slowly. Even before these lines are published and read, some of the answers could be evident or even history. As to the final answers to these questions, it seems to me that God's Word gives a clear response. We refer you to Matt. 24:1-281And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. 2And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before. 26Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. (Matthew 24:1‑28) and then on to verse 44. All of this section is Jewish.
Already there has been a partial fulfillment of the first two verses, but prophecy always looks on to the end. That is, it looks on to Christ and His coming to claim the earth. Verse 8 mentions the beginning of sorrows which is the first part of the 7 years of judgment to precede the 1000-year kingdom period. Verse 21 speaks of the great tribulation. This is the last half of the 7 years.
1. In considering God's Word we will say in answer to the first question that it will not work out well for present-day Israel.
2. As to the second question, we cannot tell how long some measure of peace will last from recent national negotiations, but probably not very long.
3. If peace is purchased with territory, it surely will be limited and is even likely to cause Israel's enemies to desire more concessions later.
4. To the question, "Will Israel lose Jerusalem?" we say, "Yes, they will.”
5. Surely the Mosque of Omar will come down.
6. As to who will possess the temple site, Psa. 132 gives a definite answer. "For the Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His habitation. This is My rest forever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it." vv. 13, 14. Ed.