The Lord God
Fights for Israel
                                                                                                   By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                                   June 5, 2018
     "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will shew to you today; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
     The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."  
                                                                                                     Exodus 14:13-14.
Introduction
     Today is the first day of the 51st anniversary of the Six Day War fought by Israel in 1967.  In my last Bible study entitled "7000," I set forth a brief description of that war.  In this study, I want to go into a little more detail, giving our readers a day by day description of that memorable war.  Let's get started.......
God's Covenanted People
     It is explicitly recorded in Genesis 15:18, "In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates."
     Then in Genesis 17:7-8, the Lord God said to Abram, "And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee  in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.  
     And I will give unto thee, and unto thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God."  
     This covenant with Abraham, and his descendants after him, is worded so plainly that any person with intelligence should be able to  understand what is being said.  
     Yet thousands of people today do not comprehend, or refuse to comprehend, these plainly stated Scriptures.  What does that say for their degree of intelligence?  
     Dear readers, when nations decide to go to war against Israel, they are not simply taking on Israel.  They are going into battle against  Almighty God!   We who are believers don't have to guess about the outcome of such a war against God's covenanted people.  This is no better illustration of this truth, than the Six Day War of  1967, between Israel and the Muslim nations around Israel.   
     When that war began, I was 33 years old.  I had surrendered my life to the Lord's ministry when I was only 20 years old, and at that time had began an intensive study of God's Word.  At the age of 33, I had become infatuated with the great truths of the Word, and absolutely loved the nation and people of Israel.  My love for them has only increased over the years since then.  
      But back then, I stayed glued [figure of speech] to the television, and the newspapers, gleaning every word I could find about the war going on in the Middle East.  Following are my own observations of that war....
The Six Day War
     The Prelude.......The Muslim nations in the Middle East had resisted the existence of Israel right from the time it was established as a modern nation in 1948.  
     After their war of independence in 1948-49, the next war Israel was called upon to fight, was the Suez Canal War in 1956.  
     What was that war about?  Even though the Suez Canal had been financed and built by many nations, and by International Treaty, was required to be open to the ships of all nations, Nassar, the ruler of Egypt at that time, decided that no Israeli ships would be allowed to come through the Suez canal.  Bad decision on Nassar's part.   Israel bombed the Suez canal, blocking it with a sunken ship, so that no ships could come through the canal. This totally cut off one of Egypt's main sources of revenue. Due to the loss of revenue for Egypt, that war ended within a short time, with Israel the obvious winner.  
     However, the dull witted Muslim nations obviously didn't learn a thing from those two wars.  
     For months preceding the Six Day War, Egypt and Syria had been assembling and training troops, and acquiring and building war weapons to use against Israel.  When the war began, it was estimated that the two nations had over 100,000 foot soldiers, and a well equipped air force ready to move against Israel. Egypt had the largest number of combat planes in the Middle East.   Plus, Syria and Egypt were counting on the nation of Jordan allying themselves with them, when the war began.   The whole world at that time, knew there was going to be a war in the Middle East again, but the superpower nations, Russia and America,  who could have prevented it, did nothing!  
     Israel knew what Syria and Egypt were planning, but the time of the attack was carefully kept secret.  However, Israel's agents, at almost the last minute,  were able to find out that the attack was planned for June 6, 1967.  And Israel had not been idly watching the two enemy nations preparing.  Israel was preparing it's own defenses in the weeks and months preceding the war.  
      The Beginning of the War.......In the wee hours of the morning of June 5, 1967, before dawn, Israel launched a pre-emptive strike against all three nations, Syria, Egypt, and Jordan, catching them completely by surprise.
     At that hour of the morning, the pilots in Egypt's massive airforce were still sleeping.  Israel knew exactly where Egypt's planes were located, and massively bombed their airport, destroying all but one or two of Egypt's planes.  Glory to God!  
     At the same time Israeli ground forces pushed across the borders into both Syria and Jordan, again taking both nations by complete surprise.  By the time Syria and Jordan could wake up their military, Israel had already gained a foothold in both of their countries.
     Up until the Six Day War, Jordan had control of what today is called "the west bank."  This included about half of the city of Jerusalem.  But on June 5th, 6th, and 7th, Israeli soldiers pushed far into Jordan, killing Jordanian soldiers, destroying their defenses, and easily overcoming Jordan's military forces.  By June 8th, Jordan was ready to surrender and crying  for "peace."  In Israel's push into Jordan, Israel had cleaned every Jordanian soldier out of Jerusalem by June 7th, and the entire city of Jerusalem was under their control.  Israeli forces spent the better part of that day removing barriers into the city that had been erected by Jordan.
     On the morning of June 8th, Israeli soldiers opened the gates to the city and the citizens of Israel, young and old, who were not on the front lines of the battles, began pouring into east Jerusalem.  The city was back in the hands of the Jewish people for the first time in 1,897 years.  Yes many of those elderly Jews were shown on American TV, actually kissing the ground of east Jerusalem, rubbing the soil on their hands and clothes and bodies, and kissing the stones in the walls of the city, and worshipping and praising the God of Israel for restoring their beloved city to them.  As I watched these scenes on TV, tears poured from my eyes too, and I thanked and praised the Lord God with them.  Those precious Jewish people are my "brethren" in the God of Israel.  It is just that they haven't awakened to that fact yet, and placed their faith in their true Messiah; the Lord Jesus Christ.  But they will.......
     The fighting was still going on in Syria and Egypt.  As I stated in my previous study, Egypt had hundreds of "tanks" they planned to use against the Israeli military.  But the commanders of the Egyptian forces made the mistake of sending those tanks towards Israel through the Mitla Pass.  This is one of the passes through the mountains between Egypt and Israel.   The Mitla Pass was very narrow, making it impossible for more than one or two tanks to go through the pass side by side.  This forced the tanks to line up in order to go through.  As they lined up, they became easy prey for Israeli planes to bomb, and for the Israeli artillery to shell.   Plus.......
      The Egyptian soldiers driving those tanks later swore on public television that as they approached that pass, a gigantic figure of a person arose in the sky over the top of the mountains.  The Egyptians soldiers said they didn't know how they knew, but they knew immediately that the figure was Moses, coming to lead his Jewish people to victory again.  The Egyptians said that Moses would raise his arm upwards, then suddenly drop his arm, and when his arm dropped the big guns of the Israeli artillery would tear their tanks and other military vehicles all to pieces.  Many of the drivers of the Egyptian tanks abandoned their tanks and ran into the desert screaming and crying for mercy from Allah, the false god of the Muslim religion.  
     Yes, I did cry and pray and praise the Lord as I heard this on TV and read it in various newspapers.  I know that our God is a miracle working God, and our Bible records how He showed "signs and wonders" to His chosen people as He led them out of Egypt many centuries ago.  And dear readers, when He redeems Israel to Himself again, during the coming Tribulation period, those "signs and wonders" for His chosen people will be restored.  Praise the Lord!  Glory to God!  
     The Ending of the War.......The Israeli ground forces continued to move forward into both Syria and Egypt on June 9th and 10th, meeting less and less resistance.  The Israeli soldiers were pushing forward right towards the capitol cities of Damascus, Syria and Cairo, Egypt.  And their enemies, who had boasted of driving Israel into the sea, were fleeing before Israel's advancing troops, literally running like scared rabbits. Another day of fighting, and they would have entered both cities.  Both the Syrian and Egyptian people knew how close the Israeli solders were, and that they couldn't be stopped, and they were already fleeing from Damascus and Cairo in utter fear for their lives.  
      Then on June 10th, was when the U.N., under pressure from Russia and America demanded a cease fire, and Israel complied.  The war was over in just six days.   After all, with their small army and airforce, Israel had defeated and humiliated a 100,000 of their enemies.  "Little David" had whipped the pants off of "Goliath" once again.  And their beloved capitol city of Jerusalem was back in their hands again.  Glory to God!
     Israel's One Mistake.......There was one mistake made by Israel in the Six Day war.  The commanding General of the Israeli forces, feared public opinion, more than he feared the God of Israel.  He personally gave the order to allow the Muslims to retain control over "the temple mount."  That mistake has been a "thorn in the side" of Israel right to this present day.  However.......
     What Israel, and even many Christian people, do not understand right to this day, is that the so-called "temple mount" is not the real temple mount at all.  The real "temple mount" is Mount Zion.  What makes me say this, and what proof do I have of this claim?  I'm so glad you asked!  
     The word, Zion, is referred to over and over again in the Scriptures, in both the Old and New Testaments.  Usually the word refers to the actual mountain, which at this present time is  flat and level, and is a field used to grow crops.  However, the word, Zion, in the Scriptures, is  used sometimes in reference to the whole city of Jerusalem.  
      Mount Zion is located on the north side of the city of Jerusalem.  It's location is very important, especially in  the fulfillment of the prophetic Scriptures.  If any reader wants to do a fascinating Bible study, then study the various Scriptures, and the context, in your Bible where the word, Zion, occurs.  If the Jews themselves had done this, they would not be accepting the phony hill today, which they call "the temple mount," as the real Temple Mount.  It isn't!  
     Apparently Satan knows the truth about the real Temple Mount, and he must be having a good laugh over those whom he has deceived.   If our readers will look at Psalm 48:1-2, they will find these inspired words, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness.
     Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King."  
     Now where does this inspired Scripture say Mount Zion is located in Jerusalem?  Doesn't it clealy say, "on the sides of the north?"  The so-called "temple mount" today is not located on the north side of Jerusalem.  Hello!  
     Didn't I just say that Satan knows the truth about the real Temple Mount?  All of my readers who are serious about studying prophecy, should know that Isaiah 14 is about "Lucifer," Satan's man, [14:12; 14:16] whom Satan intends to put into power to rule over mankind as the coming anti-christ.  In this chapter, five times Lucifer says,  "I will," while boasting of his power and position, 14:13-14.  In the third boastful "I will" that is recorded, Lucifer says, "I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north," 14:13.  Now where does this Scripture place the mount [mountain] "of the congregation" that the anti-christ is going to sit in during his reign? Oh yes he will!   Read 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, and believe what it says.  This passage in Isaiah 14:13 locates this mountain as being on the north side of the city of Jerusalem.  Hello!  
     But, some reader may object, that location is not even regarded as a mountain today.  It is just a low flat topped hill.  How could it be the location of the Temple?  
     Have our readers read Micah 4:1 lately?  "But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and all peoples shall flow unto it."  Read also Zechariah 14:10.  Also there shall be a "highway" constructed going up to the Lord's house, built on the top of Mount Zion.  Look up and study about the highway in several places in Isaiah and Jeremiah.
153 Great Fish
     If our readers will seriously study the Scripture speaking about Mount Zion, it will become quite clear that the Lord Jesus will rule and reign over the nations from Mount Zion in Jerusalem.  How many nations will be in the Lord's kingdom?  
     When the Lord chose His disciples at His first coming, He called them to leave their literal "nets" and  become "fishers of men." Their spiritual nets were to be the glorious Gospel of Christ and His Word.  
      When the disciples went fishing, after the resurrection of Christ, and just shortly before He ascended back to our Heavenly Father, the disciples caught "153 great fish."  Read it for yourself in John 21.  
     Now since the individual believer who comes to Christ is regarded as a fish, then how would whole nations of saved people going into the Kingdom of Christ be regarded?  How about "great fishes?"  
     And how many fish did that first little band of the Lord's disciples finally bring in due to their trust and belief in, and obedience to,  the Lord and His Word?   "153 great fish."  This very likely represents the number of nations of people on the earth who will go into the Lord's glorious Millennial Kingdom, as He rules and reigns over all of mankind in the city of Jerusalem and upon "Mount Zion."  
     Oh by the way!   The word, Zion," occurs 153 times in the Bible!  
     Okay!  I'm not finished writing about and praising and witnessing for my wonderful Savior, but for now I must stop.
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     Permission is granted to any true believer, or Bible believing Christian ministry to reproduce this study to share with others, or to quote from it in context as written.  
   

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