During the past week, I felt a heavy burden to write this blog entry as part of my mini series, “The UNoccupied Land”. I have a burden to speak strongly against the world’s influence that has crept into the Body of Messiah. Sadly, many followers of the One and only true God continuously allow the world to form their worldview rather than God Himself. What follows is that they will often manipulate God’s Word to fit their own beliefs and theology, leading to some very questionable stances. My strong concern is that many of those who are being deceived by the enemy, and often unknowingly deceiving others, don’t really understand the depth of their deception and the meaning of their false beliefs.
In my most recent blog entry, The UNoccupied Land (Part 2), I wrote that one can’t ignore the truth of God’s Word; one can’t ignore the facts from God’s Word; one can’t pick and choose with what he agrees from God’s Word; and one cannot manipulate God’s Word to fit his own belief and theology. My dear brothers and sisters, we are not just followers of the Messiah! We are also children of the King; we belong not to ourselves, but to HIM. His will overrides our will; His Word rules our hearts; His plan reigns sovereign no matter how our flesh feels. We can submit to this, or fight it. The choice is ours to make.
This is especially true when it comes to the issue of Israel – the Nation and people. The third chapter of the book of Joel (3:1-2) speaks of specific times (in which I firmly believe we are living) that pertain to the end of the age:
“For behold, in those days and at that time, When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations, and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; and they have divided up My land.”
Verse one foretells of a restoration of the Jewish people, which I firmly believe is the reestablishment of Jacob’s descendants in the Land of Promise, i.e. Israel. This is clearly a fulfilled prophecy in our modern age. However, verse two goes further to describe what will take place in the future. The Bible clearly indicates that all nations will be gathered into the valley of judgment (Jehoshaphat), for two main reasons: 1) for scattering the children of Israel into exile in other nations, and 2) for dividing up God’s Promised Land. It is no coincidence that we witness today an increasing number of nations pressuring Israel to divide the Land in order to create a “Palestinian” state.
In Zechariah 14, we find a similar reality, which will take place at the end of the age: “Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.” Zechariah 14:1-2
Here we see great judgment foretold for Jerusalem, which I believe is what scripture refers to as “Jacob’s Trouble”(see Jeremiah 30:7). Yet, there is also the same principal from Joel, where all of the nations will be gathered against Jerusalem; she will be totally isolated and will have no one to look to but God Himself. But here comes the best part: “Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.”
Zechariah 14:3 Messiah Yeshua, our Warrior King, will fight on behalf of Israel in that day! All of those nations that have gathered against Jerusalem will receive their just recompense, and the LORD will fight for His inheritance, Israel, just as He has promised.
My dear brothers and sisters, I am writing this blog with much love that comes from a great concern for many followers of Yeshua. The verses above show us that there will be no middle ground; we either choose to side with the Nations, i.e. the world, or with God; when it comes to the issue of Israel, there is no middle ground and my concern is that many are choosing the wrong side for a variety of reasons that they may not even fully understand.
Zechariah 14:16 tells us that there will be those who will be left from amongst the nations after that great time of Judgment, who will come to worship Messiah Yeshua, “the King”, every year in God’s city, Jerusalem:
“Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.” Zechariah 14:16
May I suggest that those who will be left will be those who truly choose God and have chosen to fully submit to His plan regardless of their personal feelings? Walking with the LORD requires submission to Him each and every day; it is a choice each one of us must make. Are you prepared to choose Him today?
Shabbat Shalom,
Moran