250 Israeli Rabbis Sign Letter to Obama: “Hands off Jerusalem”
In a
reference to the upcoming “nine days” which culminate in Tisha B’Av,
the rabbis tell US Pres. Obama that “during these days, in which the
Jewish people mourn the destruction of Jerusalem and mark the
disgraceful memory of its destroyers, we are certain that you, Mr.
Barack Obama, do not want to enter that disreputable list of those who
raise their hand to strike Jerusalem and those who live in it.”
The
rabbinical letter ends with a clear request: “If you, Mr. Obama, wish
to leave any chance at all for peace and quiet in the Middle East, take
your hands off the Holy City of Jerusalem right now!”
Two
hundred and fifty rabbis have signed the appeal, and efforts are being
made to collect the signatures of every rabbi in Israel before the
letter is sent to Washington. (Source: A7News)
Tisha
B’Av is a particularly sad day for Jews. Both the first and Second
Temples were destroyed on that day, and down through history a number
of other religious and national catastrophes have occurred on the 9th
of Av as well. The nine days mentioned above refer to the first nine
days of Av, a time of national mourning for these events that
culminates on the 9th, Tisha B’Av. This year Tisha B’Av falls on July
30 so the nine days of mourning began on July 22.
The
chain of events that resulted in this letter began in 1948 when Jordan
attacked the newly created state of Israel and captured the Eastern
part of Jerusalem including the Temple Mount. All of the city had been
given to Israel by the UN. 19 years later Israel got it back in the 6
Day War and annexed it, reuniting the city. Since then several hundred
thousand Jews have made Eastern Jerusalem and its suburbs their
home. But the international community has never accepted the legality
of the annexation. It calls the neighborhoods they live in
“settlements” and the so-called Road Map agreement forbids additional
settlement construction until Jerusalem’s final status has been
negotiated. Will it remain undivided as Israel’s capitol, or will it be
divided again with the Eastern part becoming the capitol of a future
Palestinian state?
Israelis
are united in their view that all of Jerusalem is legally theirs and it
must never be divided again. That’s why PM Netanyahu has flatly
rejected the world’s demand that he deny permission for an empty
building in East Jerusalem already under Jewish ownership to be
converted into apartments. This construction project, financed by Miami
Beach philanthropist Irving Moskowitz, is located mere yards from
Israel’s national police headquarters and other government ministries,
and only a few blocks from the country’s prestigious Hebrew University.
Here’s How It All Began
The
Jewish claim to Jerusalem is over 3,000 years old. While the Jews were
still in the wilderness, God told them he was going to name a place for
them to worship Him after they entered the Promised Land. (Deut.
12:5) But it wasn’t until David was King, several hundred years
later, that God chose Jerusalem to be that place.
“Since
the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in
any tribe of Israel to have a temple built for my Name to be there, nor
have I chosen anyone to be the leader over my people Israel. But now I
have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David
to rule my people Israel.” (2 chronicles 6:5-6)
Once
God had selected a location, Satan wanted it as well. He had already
duped Adam and Eve into forfeiting their dominion over earth to
him. But unless he has possession of Jerusalem, he doesn’t really have
possession of Earth. Three times the Lord Himself called Satan the
prince of this world (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11). And Paul said he’s the
god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4). Satan needs Jerusalem to perfect his
claim to planet Earth. This is why the final battle for control of
Earth will be fought over Jerusalem.
Jerusalem
has no natural harbor. It isn’t situated astride any major trade route.
Nor is it a gateway city. It’s not a banking or industrial or
commercial or medical or hi-tech center. It has no natural resources.
While it’s too hilly for an airport it doesn’t command any strategic
high ground. It has nothing at all to commend it except for the fact
the God chose it for Himself. And to Satan that makes it the most
desirable piece of real estate on the planet.
Jerusalem
was destroyed by the Babylonians as part of God’s judgment against them
for their idolatry, but even as He was sending them away He promised
He’d bring them back.
This
is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I
will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to
this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.” (Jeremiah 29:10-11)
He
fulfilled this promise in what came to be known as the first
regathering of Israel. But even before the first one, God had Isaiah
promise there would also be a second regathering, because once more
Israel would be scattered and again Jerusalem would be destroyed. The
second destruction began in 69-70 AD when Jerusalem was burned to the
ground and by 135AD the nation had ceased to exist altogether.
This
time there was no predetermined date known to man when Israel would
rise again and as the centuries passed most Gentiles assumed that God
had abandoned His people and transferred His blessings to the Church,
even though the prophets had said otherwise. But at the end of the 19th
Century the hearts of Jews around the world were stirred and the
fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy began to look like a real possibility
after all.
In
that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the
remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from
Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from
the islands of the sea. He will raise a banner for the nations and
gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of
Judah from the four quarters of the earth. (Isaiah 11:11-12)
Even
though the Zionist movement began on the eve of the 20th Century, and
the Balfor Declaration laid the ground work for a Jewish homeland in
1917, this second regathering officially began in 1948 and continues to
this day. Immediately Satan called his troops to battle and before the
ink was dry on the UN declaration that made Israel a nation again, they
were at war. By the time it was over, half the Holy City had been
captured. 19 years later in June of 1967 Israel reunited Jerusalem in
the Six Day War.
Who’s Behind This?
As
you can see, the fight for Jerusalem isn’t really between Arab and
Israeli, or even between Molsem and Jew. Satan has simply stirred
Israel’s enemies up for his own purposes, and as the Jews inch closer
and closer to renewing their covenant with God and making Jerusalem the
one place on Earth to worship Him again, Satan will make Israel’s
enemies become more and more determined to stop them. He won’t give up
until he has the whole world united against Jerusalem. But as we’ll
see, it’s a losing strategy.
“I
am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples
reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when
all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make
Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it
will injure themselves.” (Zechariah 12:2-3)
Zechariah
saw Israel’s victory over its neighbors happening in 2 stages. First,
the nations surrounding Jerusalem will rise up against it, but they’ll
be sent reeling. This will be accomplished in two fierce battles, one
foretold in Psalm 83 and the other in Ezekiel 38-39. God will deliver a
supernatural victory in Ezekiel’s battle to open Israel’s eyes and draw
them back to Him and the land He gave them.
Then
they will know that I am the LORD their God, for though I sent them
into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not
leaving any behind. (Ezekiel 39:28)
Then
at the very end of the age, the anti-Christ will mobilize all the
nations of Earth and gather them against Jerusalem for one final
push. It too will end in failure.
I
saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose
rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes
war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.
He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is
dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The
armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed
in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword
with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron
scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God
Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Then
I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered
together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But
the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had
performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had
deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his
image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning
sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of
the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged
themselves on their flesh. (Rev. 19:11-16,19-21)
But In The Mean Time
The
world is already pushing against Israel in a way never seen before. The
US has demanded that this building in East Jerusalem not be renovated.
The EU has condemned all “settlement” construction. Javier Solana wants
the UN to set a date for unilaterally imposing the two state solution,
dividing Jerusalem again. All the world powers have united against
Israel in this matter. And this is just the beginning. But here’s the
Lord’s response.
Surely
the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on
the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine
dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough
for burnt offerings. Before him all the nations are as nothing; they
are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing. (Isaiah
40:15-17)
The
LORD foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the
peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of
His heart through all generations. (Psalm 33:10-11)
This
is what the LORD says: I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem.
Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of
the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain. (Zechariah 8:3)
No
other city has been so clearly and so decisively claimed by God as His
own, so this isn’t about religion and it isn’t about politics. It’s
about whether we’re on God’s side or on Satan’s. Those who set about to
divide the only city on Earth God has claimed for Himself are taking a
stand against Him personally (Psalm 2:2). and aligning themselves with
Satan. And it’s not like there’s the slightest chance of
succeeding. These men with their great armies who think they can push
God and His people around haven’t got a clue as to how outmatched they
are.
The
One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he
rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I
have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (Psalm 2:4-6)
From
heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling
place he watches all who live on earth - He who forms the hearts of
all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of
his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. (Psalm 33:13-16)
Nor is there any chance that God will change His mind or forget His promise to His people,
This
is what the LORD says, He who appoints the sun to shine by day, who
decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so
that its waves roar—the LORD Almighty is his name: “Only if these
decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the LORD, “will the descendants
of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me.” (Jeremiah 31:35-36)
or give up and go away.
For
Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not
remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her
salvation like a blazing torch. The nations will see your
righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new
name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. (Isaiah 62:1-2)
“And the name of the city from that time on will be: The LORD is There .” (Jehovah Shammah) (Ezekiel 48:35)
From
all this it seems pretty clear that Jerusalem belongs to God forever,
and there’s no chance that anyone trying to say otherwise will
prevail. Current indications are that the US may moderate its position
where Israel is concerned, and may adopt the Bush Administration
position that trying to forbid construction that only accommodates
natural growth is not practical.
Some
are saying that Mr. Obama is beginning to realize that his grand appeal
to the Moslem world hasn’t changed anything, so he’s decided “to avoid
a situation where he gets nothing from Arab leaders and yet is at odds
with the Jews.” Time will tell, but if true, this is good news for
America. After all, aren’t we in enough trouble with God already?
Maranatha! (Lord Come Quickly)
"On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, All other ground is sinking sand."
"Let Us make the short time we have left count for all eternity!"