Earlier this week, amongst all the current ‘sabre rattling’ and rhetoric over dividing Jerusalem, in the “Israel Today” online publication a headline read; “Israel Told It Will Have to “Share” Jerusalem.” The article went on to say; “When US President Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel last month, he was very careful to not use the words “united” or “undivided,” as Israel insists the city must remain. Now, Israel is being told by another global power that it will ultimately have to “share” Jerusalem with the Palestinian Authority, which claims the eastern half of the Holy City as its capital. While the current British government is generally in step with Trump, it vocally disagreed with his Jerusalem declaration, fearing it would be exploited to predetermine the outcome of peace negotiations.”
Israel will “possess their possessions!”
I love Israel and the Jewish people and the Church owes a great debt to the Jews. They are God’s chosen people and will ultimately “possess their possessions” and as a nation co-reign with their Messiah in His Millennial Kingdom over the nations that have survived the Time of Great Tribulation. This is Israel’s inheritance. Their inheritance from the LORD will extend from the Wadi of Egypt to the River Euphrates (Genesis 15:17-18) the land given to them by God in a blood covenant to be for them “an everlasting possession.” (Genesis 17:8)
“Your walls are continually before Me”
God will never abandon Israel! He always remembers His covenants! Through his prophet Isaiah the LORD said concerning Israel; “Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. “Your builders hurry; Your destroyers and devastators Will depart from you.” (Isaiah 49:15-17) Having said this we must also face the truth concerning Israel’s current spiritual state as a nation. They are far away from the LORD and following the ways of the nations and are aliens and strangers to their own covenants of promise.
God’s Gifts and calling
Even though there are faithful Messianic believers in Israel today witnessing to their fellow Israelis (I prefer the term Israelites), Israel as a nation are heading for God’s chastening but not His rejection. Why will God not reject Israel? Because “the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable” and Israel will become what He has called them to be, a Holy nation! This will become a reality for Israel in the Messianic Kingdom but not before they have passd through the Time of Jacob’s Trouble.
Jerusalem to be divided
In 1967 in the six-day war the Old City of Jerusalem (East Jerusalem) was captured including the Temple Mount and even though the Temple Mount was given back to the Arabs as a political gesture the whole city remained undivided. Now according to the Word of the LORD Jerusalem will be divided one more time. The LORD spoke through the prophet Zechariah; “Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. 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.” (Zechariah 14:1-3)
Erdogan and Co
Right now the PA, Turkey and many political leaders are all calling for east Jerusalem to be the capital of a ‘a Palestinian State.’ If the truth be known Abbas wants to whole of Jerusalem for Islam. Erdogan of Turkey also wants to see this happen and has a driving ambition to be the supreme Caliph of the Islamic world. He also wants to have a Turkish Embassy in east Jerusalem because of the Temple Mount. If he is the antichrist then he will want to have control of the Temple Mount. Some time ago he called for all Turkish Muslims in Israel “to flood the Temple Mount” for the cause of Islam.
The last King of the North
In Ezekiel 38 we see Israel invaded by the forces of Antichrist which will predominately be Islamic nations spearheaded by Turkey the last King of the North. (Ezekiel 38:1-6) Jerusalem will be savaged by these antichrist forces for three and a half years. What Antiochus Epiphanies did the Antichrist will also do and it will be the Time of Trouble for Jacob but he will be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:1-7)
“Time, times and half a time”
The prophet Daniel tells us what will happen in Jerusalem and Israel during a period of three and a half years. The saints (believing Jews and Gentiles) will be persecuted throughout the Antichrist’s empire and he will seek to impose and enforce Sharia Law over Jewish laws and customs and forbid the reading of Torah. It will be for “time, times and half a time” when “the power of the Holy people will be broken.” (Daniel 6:21, 25; 8:24; 12:7) (Revelation 13:7) Antichrist will stop the temple sacrifices (Daniel 8:12; 11:31; 12:11) (Matthew 24:15)
The outcome will be different
In 586 BC the LORD sent the Babylonians against Israel because they have turned away from Him and pursuing the detestable practices of the pagan nations as they are still doing today. The City was taken, the people exiled and the Temple destroyed. In 70AD on the same Day of the Jewish the LORD sent the Romans against Israel for the same reasons He had in 586BC and the city was taken. The people exiled and the Temple destroyed. In the future the LORD will send the armies of Islam against Israel only this time the outcome will be different. Jerusalem will be taken, the city ransacked and half of the people in Jerusalem exiled but the other half left in the city. (Zechariah 14:1-2)
Jerusalem will never be destroyed
Jerusalem itself will not be destroyed. After three and a half years, for the sake of His elect in Israel and in the Church, the LORD will intervene. (Zechariah 14:3-5) (Matthew 24:21-22) All of the armies will be surrounding Jerusalem at this time having gathered on the plains of Megiddo. (Revelation 16:16) According to the prophet Joel they will be as numerous as locusts covering the whole land of Israel. (Joel 1:1-4; 2:1-11)
The LORD will step in
When the armies surrounding Jerusalem at the end of three and a half years are planning their final assault on Jerusalem the LORD will step in as Zechariah also writes; “Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!” (Zechariah 14:3-5)
All Israel will be saved!
At this time when the Lord Jesus stands on the Mt of Olives the mountain will be split in two so that the surviving Israelites will find a place of refuge and protection from their enemies. This surviving remnant will look upon Him whom they have pierced and be saved. (Zechariah 12:10-14) As it is written; “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.” (Proverbs 18:10)
Never again!
Finally in Zechariah 14:6-20 we see the Lord Jesus deal decisively with all of Israel’s enemies which will include the Antichrist (Daniel 8:25b; 9:27b; 11:45) (Revelation 19:20-21) All of the armies of the nations gathered against Jerusalem will be annihilated. (Ezekiel 38:19-23; 39:4-617-20) (Joel 3:1-16) (Revelation 20:17) Following this the Lord Jesus will establish His Millennial Kingdom. (Joel chapter 3:17-21) (Revelation 20:1-6) Once He is back and reigning from Jerusalem the surviving Jews will return to Israel from exile. (Isaiah 43:5-7) Israel and the Church are heading for the refining fire of the LORD and will go into the Time of Jacob’s Trouble but a faithful believing remnant will come forth from the furnace of affliction to co-reign with their Messiah in His Millennial Kingdom and at that time “the saints will inherit the Kingdom.” (Daniel 7:22, 27) Jerusalem will never be divided again!
