A New Settlement Construction

In this weeks edition of “Israel Today” a headline read; “Netanyahu Announces New Settlement Construction” The article went on to say; “In a move that is certain to draw international criticism, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved the construction of new housing units for Jewish settlements in the so-called “West Bank.” Some 3,800 homes will soon be built in disputed areas like the Jewish sectors of Hebron. The approval was granted subject to consultation with the US government. An understanding between Netanyahu and President Trump whereby Israel seeks American approval for any new settlement construction is expected to bring an end to the routine condemnation that flowed from the Obama Administration. As part of the understanding, the Americans will no longer differentiate between large settlement blocs and smaller, more isolated Jewish communities. For instance, the small Jewish neighbourhood in the heart of Hebron is expected to gain approval for 30 new housing units, a major breakthrough for the Jewish residents of Judaism’s second holiest city.”

God does not need the approval of any man!

Whether President Trump realises it or not God makes it very clear where He stands concerning the whole land of Israel. God does not need the approval of any man!  As we read… “It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces (the sacrificed animal divided into two pieces). On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. (Genesis 15:17-18) And again the LORD says to Abraham; “I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”(Genesis 17:7-8) Clearly the LORD is speaking about the land of Israel.

An “Everlasting possession”

God gave the whole land of Israel to the Jewish people to be for them “an everlasting possession” through the lineage of Isaac and Jacob and not through the lineage of Ishmael and Esau. Furthermore, God takes it personally when anyone tries to divide up the land of Israel. God spoke through the prophet Joel about what He will do to those nations who divide up the land of Israel in the Last days.  “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.” (Joel 3:2) President Trump needs to realize this. Hopefully he will on this issue. Let’s hope the Israelis build a lot more settlements as it is their land given to them by the LORD to be for them “an everlasting possession.” The Israelites (I prefer to call them that as the Bible does) are to treat well the ‘aliens’ (non-Jews) dwelling peacefully in the land. As the Torah commands; “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34) This of course includes the Arabs living in Israel many of whom live, work and study peacefully side by side with Israelis.

“Babylon cannot be healed!”

However, when those ‘aliens’ seek to kill and maim innocent Israel citizens, including even their fellow Arabs, then they should be dealt with and that decisively. No matter what Donald proposes the intolerant Abbas and the PLA regime will never agree to it! Indeed as the prophet Jeremiah said; “We applied healing to Babylon, but she was not (would not be) healed.” (Jeremiah 51:9) Hopefully someone will have the courage and the Biblical knowledge to show President Trump and his administration from God’s Word the Bible what God Himself has said about the Land of Israel that He has bequeathed to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Shalom Brother Raoul