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MANY WARS HAVE been fought throughout history over
claims to a piece of land or a city. The ancient city of Jerusalem has
been fought over and changed hands many times in its history and now
once more in modern times it is the focus of argument and bloodshed between
the Israelis and
Palestinians. But who does it really belong to?
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A view across the modern city of Jerusalem |
The Bible view is that Jerusalem belongs to God: ‘For the Lord has
chosen Zion; He has desired it for his habitation.’ Psalm 13:13
It
stands on the site where Abraham prepared to offer Isaac. It is the
Salem where Melchizedek the priest of the Most High God ruled.
Whatever we think of the present day rights and wrongs of the fighting
over Jerusalem, we must accept the Bible’s view, that these things have
not come about by chance. It was God who gave the land to Abraham’s
descendants, the twelve tribes of Israel. It was God who guided Joshua
to take the land and settle in it. Jerusalem is on the site of Jebus
where King David built his palace and where on Mount Moriah, Solomon
built the Temple and where the ark from the tabernacle in the wilderness
was brought to rest.
It was God who said to Israel that he would punish them if they failed
to keep his commands, ‘The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before
thine enemies...and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the
earth.’ (Deuteronomy 22:5) The history of the Jewish people shows the
fulfilment of Bible prophecy, but it was God who also said they would
return, ‘But I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries
where I have driven them, and bring them back..’ Jeremiah 23:3
What we are seeing today in modern Israel is God’s hand at work!
Jerusalem is in the hands of the Jews because God has decreed it! Jesus
tells us that, ‘Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times
of the Gentiles are fulfilled.’ Luke 21:24. In 1967 the Israeli’s
took Jerusalem from the Arab occupiers in part fulfilment of this
prophecy and recently the 40th anniversary of the uniting of Jeruslem
has been celebrated.
But Jesus also put another viewpoint in that prophecy and that is that
these events surrounding Jerusalem would also be a sign of his Second
Coming, ‘Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power
and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift
up your heads, because your redemption draws near. Luke 21:27-28
To those who are looking for His
return this is wonderful news indeed!
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