Once again there is turmoil in the Land of Israel.
Are you concerned about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians ?
The latest troubles seem to have started when Israeli Security forces clashed with Muslim worshippers on the site of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Hamas, in Gaza retaliated by firing hundreds of rockets into Israel.
Israel responded with continuous Air Strikes into Gaza.
Men, Women and Children are being killed and injured.
Ceasefire negotiations are underway.
To make matters even more complicated, there is a political crisis in Israel and political stagnation with the Palestinians.
So, there is a grave danger of a full scale war, according to the U.N and other countries.
There is now anarchy happening within Israel itself, between Arab and Jewish neighbours.
Why is all this still happening, in what is described as God’s Land?
Let’s see what the Bible says about the Holy Land.
Before 14th May 1948 there was no State of Israel – at least not for 2000 years since the time of Christ. The people existed, but were scattered over the world. Even today, some nations have declared they would wipe Israel off the map. Rival claims to the Holy Land cause tensions. Why has the Land been troublesome for so long? What is its future?
The Middle East came into prominence as the Turkish Empire declined at the beginning of the twentieth century. When Britain gave up its Mandate over the Land in May 1948, the State of Israel was immediately established. The events which occur in the Holy Land are not random accidents of history. The Bible says, it is “the Lord’s land” ( Hosea 9:3 & Joel 1:6 ), and a Land which the Lord God “cares for”. His eyes “are always upon it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:12 ). The Bible tells us that even if Israel was scattered, God would “take them from among the nations and bring them into their own land”( Ezekiel 37:21 ). This has happened. The Bible adds that God intends to “set my king on my holy hill of Zion” ( Psalm 2:6 ). This is a promise that Jesus Christ will reign from Jerusalem. It means God has determined the future of the Holy Land, and also that the world’s future depends on it. The events in the Middle East cannot be fully understood unless we know God’s purpose with Israel.
Over the next couple of weeks, we will look at what the Bible says about Jerusalem in particular.
Image acknowledgement. Wayne McLean (Jgritz), CC BY 2.0