Donald comes up “Trumps!”

We have just seen a vote taken at the United Nations in relation to vetoing President Trump’s decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem adding to this the fact that he has publically acknowledged that Jerusalem has always been the capital city of Israel, a historical and Biblical fact for the last 3,000 years. He has done what no other American President has done before him in this matter. In the United Nations the resounding condemnation against the move by the US president was delivered by 128 countries – almost two-thirds of the 193 member states of the global alliance. Only nine, mostly in Africa and the Middle East, supported Mr Trump in his stance. 35 nations abstained. The nine countries voting “no” were the US, Israel, Guatemala, Honduras, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, the Marshall Islands and Togo. Among the notable abstentions were Australia, Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic and Mexico.

Just who is ‘rocking the boat?’

This resolution, spearheaded by Yemen and Turkey, reaffirmed what has been the United Nations’ stand on the divided holy city since 1967, namely, that Jerusalem’s final status must be decided in direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said afterward that he totally rejects the “preposterous” resolution. The US and Israel has waged an intensive lobbying campaign against the resolution, with US Ambassador Nikki Haley sending letters to over 180 countries warning that Washington would be taking names of those who voted against the US. But when it came to the vote, major US aid recipients including Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania and South Africa supported the resolution. The absent countries included Kenya, which was the fifth-largest recipient of US aid last year, Georgia and Ukraine, all of which have close US ties.

The Jubilee!

Now the Jubilee Year in Israel, as revealed in the Bible is significant in God’s prophetic calendar. The word “jubilee”—literally, “ram’s horn” in Hebrew—is defined in Leviticus 25:9 as the sabbatical year after seven cycles of seven years (49 years). The fiftieth year was to be a time of celebration and rejoicing for the Israelites. The ram’s horn was blown on the tenth day of the seventh month to start the fiftieth year of universal redemption. The Year of the Jubilee involved a year of release from indebtedness (Leviticus 25:23-38) and all types of bondage (vv. 39-55). All prisoners and captives were set free, all slaves were released, all debts were forgiven, and all property was returned to its original owners. In addition, all labour was to cease for one year, and those bound by labour contracts were released from them. One of the benefits of the Jubilee was that both the land and the people were able to rest. This Jubilee also relates to the work of salvation where, through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles through repentance and faith in Jesus for salvation, can be set free from slavery to Satan and to sin and delivered from this present evil age.

1917-1967-2017

In relation to Israel regarding this 50 year Jubilee, it is interesting that significant events have occurred every 50 years since the liberation of Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks in 1917. On November 2, 1917, Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour wrote an important letter to Britain’s most illustrious Jewish citizen, Baron Lionel Walter Rothschild, expressing the British government’s support for a Jewish homeland in Israel.  The letter would eventually become known as the Balfour Declaration. In 1948 we saw Israel become a nation again after almost 2,000 years of exile. It was “a nation born in a day” (Isaiah 66:7-9) Even though Israel had been established as a nation they still did not have the Temple Mount. Then in 1967 the six day war occurred 50 years after Balfour Declaration in 1917. In the six-day war Israel, in a pre-emptive attack on Egypt, that drew Syria and Jordan into that regional war in 1967, Israel captured the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, the Sinai Peninsula up to the Suez Canal, the West Bank and most significantly took control of the Old City of  Jerusalem which included the Temple Mount. Even though the Temple Mount was given back to the Muslims in a political gesture the whole City of Jerusalem is still in Israeli hands. Now this year 2017 marks 50 years from the liberation of east Jerusalem in 1967 when the entire city came under Israeli control.

A Bold and courageous move!

President Trump is the first American President to publically acknowledge Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to activate the relocation of the US Embassy in Jerusalem, something that has been deferred by all previous American Presidents up until now even though it has been ‘on the books’ in the Whitehouse. Someone has suggested that the name “Trump” means “Trumpet” and relates his name to the blowing of the Shofar to announce the Jubilee year in Israel. This is an interpretation by one man. Be that as it may, President Trump has his faults as we all do and many do not even like him or his mannerisms at times but the man obviously loves and supports Israel to go out on the limb as he has done in this matter. We need to keep in mind that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed and this not only includes individuals but nations as well. (Genesis 12:3) (Numbers 24:9)

Jerusalem, a heavy stone

As God has said concerning Jerusalem in the last days; “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured (ripped or torn). And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.” (Zechariah 12:2-3)

The nations are stirring

Well 50 years have passed since 1967 bringing us to 2017 and a further significant event concerning Israel that has resounded around the globe. It would seem the nations are gathering together against Israel, not only in the United Nations but also in the European Union. Jerusalem will eventually be surrounded by foreign armies. (Zechariah Chapters 12 &14) (Joel Chapter 3) (Ezekiel Chapters 38-39) in understanding the 50 years Jubilee cycle concerning Israel ‘the trumpet’ (Shofar) it would seem has been blown yet again. In the next 50 years we may well see these last end-time events concerning the nations gathered against Israel occur ending with the culmination of this present age. 50 years from this year brings us to the year 2067.

Are you ready?

I am not one to become involved with date setting that is for sure. We do not look for ‘dates’ but for ‘the signs’ of His coming again. Biblical Prophecy is ‘a pattern’ which can see events in history, similar in pattern, that are all partial fulfilments, that together all point to an ultimate and complete fulfilment. To be honest, in the light of current world affairs, I seriously doubt whether we have another 50 years to go. The decisions made by the UN and the radical Islamic nations concerning the status of Jerusalem may well bring us to the final countdown to the greatest event in human history since the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ, namely, His Second Coming! The most important thing is that we are ready to meet Him in the air when He does come back!

Shalom. Brother Raoul