Gen 12.3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you

As we celebrate Christmas this Dec 2016, it is pertinent to remember and reflect on the violence in Mosul, Aleppo,  the Rohinyas, and the refugees camping in Europe. The final resolution in the UN capped off a troubled year condemning Israel for occupying their own land, making it illegal. It was the revenge of the former occupying powers, the Romans, and the Arabs.

The UN security council who had failed to condemn nor stop the mass killings of 500,000 innocent in Aleppo has found a common scapegoat in Israel to soothe their conscience. Essentially the UN has declared all the Israel settlements in West Jerusalem and West Bank (Judah) illegal with over 1 million Jews impacted. The nations who had voted against Israel has unwittingly put themselves under a curse.

In this Christmas season, we are reminded that Jesus was born a Jew in Bethlehem, Judah, where the world today calls West Bank (west of Jordan River) after trying to scrub Israel away for more than 2,000 years. The devil hates Israel because she bore the seed of his downfall, in Jesus Christ, and Jerusalem is where Jesus will return again to end Satan’s rule.

The UN resolution will set in motion, a series of events. Apparently the Obama administration played a key background role. It appears that God has hardened the leaders to vote en masse against Israel so that God’s hand of judgement can come to liberate Jerusalem.You can hear the loud applause by members of the UN security council. They know not what they have done.

 

Joel 3.2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations.

The UN resolution was just before the feast of Hanukkah on Sat Dec 24, 2016. Ironically, this is the celebration of the dedication of the 2nd temple of Jerusalem, the very location that the Jews are now denied ownership by the UN. Israel had lost everything.

The Roman empire, the predecessor of the European Union tore down the temple, thus begin the diaspora and sufferings for 2,000 years where they had lost everything. We are reminded that Jesus wept for Jerusalem. The Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was torn down by the Romans who desecrated it by building the temple of the god Jupiter on top of it. Later this was torn down again to become a dome of worship of another faith.

The US had abstained and did not exercise the veto, the last hurrah from some Christians who had rejected the historical narrative of Israel, and Jesus as the Son of God. It was the US who had signaled that they will let the motion through leading the four non permanent council members to put up the motion again. It had also helped draft the motion and garner support.

God takes and views our decisions very seriously. When the 10 spies who went into Canaan rejected the hand of God to enter the promised land, they are declaring in essence that the pagan gods are much more powerful than the God of Israel. Hence, they lost 40 years until the generation died.

At the end Israel entered into Canaan and only those who had supported the incursion and put faith in God saw the promised land, Joshua and Caleb. Moses only saw it from afar up the mountain. he initial decision not to enter Canaan resulted in 40 years of suffering and toil in the desert. Instead of a bountiful land full of good food and wine, they had to suffer the hot desert, thirsty with little water, and eat the same food everyday.

For 2,000 years, many nations are guilty of dividing the land of Israel and expelling the Jews from the promised land. In one moment of decision, the members of the security council brought judgement upon themselves for all the sins of the nations against Israel including the millions of Jews massacred in the fall of Jerusalem. The Jews had lost everything.

Zech 12.2 Behold I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling (staggering) to all the surrounding peoples; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah.

Zech 12.3 And in that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will come against it.

No weapon formed against Israel will prosper. The backlash will happen for an entire generation until Israel possess fully the promised land:-

1. The clock has stopped for the return. But the return is inevitable. However, the standing of the UN will fall over time. The tower of babel where the nations unite in one voice against the apple of God’s eye will fall.

2. Instead of willing to share the land of Israel, by getting the nations to come against Israel and their inheritance in Jerusalem and Judah, the Palestinians will one day lose all that they have, even the West Bank.

3. US under Obama had betrayed Israel. There will be financial strive that will perplex the nation. Obama who represented the mainline Christianity will find their voice being sidelined in the US. Just as some wanted Israel to be divided, the US will be a deeply divided nation in faith.

4. The nations in the UN Security Council who came against Israel will find a season of drought. Just as the 10 spies who wandered 40 years in the desert, it will be a desert experience with conflicts and divisions.

5. The hand of God will be lifted from many nations now under a curse. There will be earthquake, natural calamities, leadership, and financial crises that will rock the nations.

Just as the march into Canaan was detoured for 40 years, Israel intention to proclaim Jerusalem as her capital, and return to the remaining lands of Judah will not come soon. The world has just voted that they will not have this and God respects our decision.

In 2005, US had supported the removal of Jewish settlements from Gaza under pressure from President Bush. One week before Katrina, the residents of Gush Katif were forcefully removed, 10,000 of them. They lost their homes. Almost the same number died in Katrina and another 500k displaced. It’s not judgement from God but a taking away of grace, the hand of protection.

Eze 37.21 Thus says the Lod God: Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and I will gather them from every side, and bring them into their own land.

God is gathering His people back to Israel. Each time the nations tried to stop and drive Israel to the sea, they were defeated and Israel got bigger because of her enemies! Those who wanted Israel divided will themselves face a curse and be divided. God may have hardened the world leaders to vote against Israel so that the return can be ushered in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The modern state of Israel was created on 14 May 1948. The gates of Jerusalem were entered in 1967, 20 years later. The UN resolution to declare illegal the settlement in East Jerusalem and Judah in 2016 is almost 70 years from the founding of Israel or one complete generation. I believe that West Jerusalem, the temple mount will be fully part of Israel in the next 50 years.

We pray for peace in Jerusalem. May the Lord bless thee and keep you safe, and may those who come against you be defeated and run off in separate ways. In this Christmas, Jesus offers peace, not just of this world, but a hope, a hope of eternity, as He returns one day to Jerusalem to bring us back home. This resolution will trigger a series of events that will ultimately unite Jerusalem as one for God is One God.