note: This is a rewrite of yesterday’s blog written after President Trump’s announcement.
Wednesday President Trump recognized what has been a reality for decades: Jerusalem is Israel’s capital.
“Today, Jerusalem is the seat of the modern Israeli government. It is the home of the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, as well as the Israeli Supreme Court. It is the location of the official residence of the prime minister and the president. It is the headquarters of many government ministries. “For decades, visiting American presidents, secretaries of State and military leaders have met their Israeli counterparts in Jerusalem, as I did on my trip to Israel earlier this year.”
He continued…
“However, through all of these years, presidents representing the United States have declined to officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. In fact, we have declined to acknowledge any Israeli capital at all. “But today we finally acknowledge the obvious. That Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do. It’s something that has to be done.”
The news reports varied from excitement to incitement. Some claim, it is prophetic, while others say it will destroy the peace process. Below are ten points based on current events and biblical prophecy that will hopefully help you process this.
1. Many people say that there is no need to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Would it matter to you if virtually every nation in the world refused to recognize Washington DC as the US Capital, but instead chose L.A., Detroit or Chicago?
2. Turkey is saying that recognizing Jerusalem is a “red line” and that if the US recognizes Jerusalem, then they will cut off ties with Israel. If they had any real courage they would cut off ties with the US, as it is the US action. Israel has claimed since January 23, 1950 that Jerusalem was our capital.
3. Hamas and other terror groups are saying Trump’s actions on Jerusalem are an atrocity. They are calling for a new intifada. Meanwhile they’ve had nothing to say about Assad using chemical weapons, ISIS murdering Muslims and Christians, 500,000 dead in Syria, 10 million refugees, the treatment of women in the Arab world, etc. There are real atrocities to be angry about—this is not one of them.
4. God predicted (or foreknew) thousands of years ago that the time Old City of Jerusalem would be the most controversial city in the world. Psalm 2 speaks of the nations raging against God over Jerusalem, saying “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”
5. Zechariah 12:2-3 speaks of the nations suffering judgement for standing against Israel in the end-times:
“I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling … 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.”
(The passage speaks of a specific war, where God will give Jerusalem victory, but the principle is the same: Be careful nations who mess with Jerusalem)
6. For all the outrage, people seem to forget that Jerusalem has hardly been important to the Arab world. It has never the been the capital of any Arab nation; it was only when the Jews began to return to Israel that this counterfeit zeal for Jerusalem was birthed in the Arab world. The Islamic Ottomans controlled Jerusalem for 400 years and let it become desolate.
7. On the other hand, God chose Jerusalem to be place were His house would be built (1 Chronicles 28) and it has been the capital of the Hebrew nation since King David, more than 3,000 years ago. Jerusalem (or Zion) is mentioned nearly 1,000 times in the Old Testament and ZERO times in the Quran.
8. The entire New Testament centers around Israel, and Yeshua’s finals days—his death, resurrection and birth of the early congregation—were in Jerusalem. Mohamed never visited Jerusalem; there is only a vague mention of a one-time night visit in a dream to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, which Muslims claim is Jerusalem. (Quran 17:1) You will not find anything close to this in the Quran:
How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem, my highest joy. (137:5-6)
9. The Arab League leader said a US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would be an “unjustified provocation” for Arabs. See point #3. There are so many atrocities in the Arab world and you do nothing, but this (and cartoons) is a provocation!? Really?
10. I have heard from leftwing congressmen and congresswomen and world leaders throughout the day that this will significantly hurt the peace process. WHAT PEACE PROCESS!?!? The Palestinians are forming a unity government with Hamas terrorists. They will not recognize Israel as a Jewish state. They teach their children to hate Jews. They name city squares, streets and schools after terrorists who blew up innocent Jewish women and children. You can’t damage something that doesn’t exist. There is no peace process.
In conclusion, for those of you who are alarmed by the news reports and reactions from around the world, take heart. We are closer than we were before. Our redemption is drawing close.
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