JERUSALEM

ZECHARIAH 12:2,3

"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling (poison) unto all people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut to pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it."


At this writing the Secretary of State of the United States is ready to travel back to the Mideast to get the peace track back on schedule. Rockets are still being fired into Israeli towns and territory. It was reported this weekend in the Jerusalem Post that Omert, the Israeli Prime Minister is having talks regarding the division of Jerusalem.


How do we as a nation and as individuals come down on this issue. I believe the passage of Scripture above gives direction. Our nation is treading on dangerous ground in this regard. But God is in total control. The United States is being weighed in the balances and I fear we are coming up short on this issue of eternal importance.


Jesus said the time of the Gentiles (the nations) will draw to a close when Jerusalem is recaptured (Luke 21:24). Jerusalem came under Israeli juristiction on June 1967 after 2000 years of captivity to the nations.


The United States of America is on the wrong side of this issue. Six million Israeli's surrounded by hundreds of millions of people seeking her destruction. The nation in which we live is beholden and addicted to Arab oil. It is the fluid that makes our economies, our power plants, our cars and modes of transportation run. The oil crunch of the 1970's is an example of what an oil embargo can do to a nation. I remember sitting in gas lines in Frederick, MD and only able to get a limited number of gallons of gasoline, every other day.


This in itself is a sign from the heaven of heavens of God's ways on this earth. It seems to be the way God does things; even in the lives of Believers who are not of natural Israel. We are boxed in and put in such difficult circumstances that decisions that seem to determine our very survival must be made.


Who boxed us in? God has. As the time of the Gentiles (nations) has ended, Israel is once again the center piece of the history of mankind on planet earth. In the spiritual realm, tens of thousands are believeing in Christ daily around the planet. I feel this will continue until the moment just before Messiah returns. But, the center piece has been placed on His table in His dealings with mankind and the feasts for the birds (demonic forces) is being prepared. Those who come down on the wrong side of this issue will be cut to pieces, as ZECHARIAH says.


The enemy of our souls and the nations gathers in anticipation of the great feast and destruction. The birds of the air swarm in anticipation of the feast. But, the Father will hide His chosen ones from the storm just as He hid Noah and his family in the Ark. Our Ark is Christ.


Like Noah and his family, the waters from below and above will fill all that surrounds us and drown everything that we are familiar with. The higher the water rises, the closer we get to Heaven, where God is! There is nothing to fear. He knows where we are; He knows the number of hairs on our head. We must be confident of this no matter how difficult the days become in the near future.


We have come down on the wrong side of this issue. We must not be party to the further division of Israel or Jerusalem. Sadly this seems to be the path we have chosen. As Believers we must prepare for what is coming to our nation if we do not change course. If God's Word is true, the effect of our national policy in regard to Israel will be disasterous. It is time to pray for our leaders.