“I will BRING BACK the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, And NO LONGER SHALL THEY BE PULLED UP FROM THE LAND I HAVE GIVEN THEM,” Says the LORD YOUR GOD.” (Amos 9:14-15)
Before the Six-Day War of 1967, President Nasser of Egypt announced, “The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon are poised on the borders of Israel…to face the challenge, while standing behind us are the armies of Iraq, Algeria, Kuwait, Sudan, and the whole Arab nation. This act will astound the world.”
President Abdur Rahman Aref of Iraq joined in the war of words, saying, “The existence of Israel is an error which must be rectified. This is our opportunity to wipe out the ignominy which has been with us since 1948. Our goal is clear — to wipe Israel off the map.” On June 4, Iraq joined the military alliance with Egypt, Jordan, and Syria.
The Arab rhetoric was matched by the mobilization of Arab forces. Approximately 250,000 troops (nearly half in Sinai), more than 2,000 tanks, and 700 aircraft surrounded Israel. Yet again, outnumbered, outgunned, surrounded, and facing seemingly insurmountable odds, it took just SIX DAYS for Israel TO BE VICTORIOUS. East Jerusalem was taken, and the sound of these words resonated throughout the county: “The Temple Mount is in our hands!”
On October 6, 1973 — Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar — Egypt and Syria opened a coordinated SURPRISE ATTACK against Israel. Approximately 180 Israeli tanks faced an onslaught of 1,400 Syrian tanks. Along the Suez Canal, fewer than 500 Israeli defenders were attacked by 80,000 Egyptians (from the Jewish Virtual Library). Yet Israel was again victorious. This is the Lord God speaking, “And it shall happen in that day that I WILL MAKE JERUSALEM A VERY HEAVY STONE for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.” (Zechariah 12:3)
This is GOD speaking again, “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I BRING BACK the captives of Judah and Jerusalem (May 14th, 1948), I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of MY PEOPLE, MY HERITAGE ISRAEL, Whom they have scattered among the nations (AD70 General Titus of Rome destroyed Jerusalem, tore down God’s Temple and killed a million Jews and scattered the rest all over the world); They have also divided up MY LAND.” (Joel 3:1-2)
“Then I, John, saw the holy city, NEW JERUSALEM, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God IS WITH MEN, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will BE WITH THEM AND BE THEIR GOD.” (Revelation 21:2-3) “Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for EVERYONE.” (Romans 5:18)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham