2016 was a turbulent and difficult year by most accounts. How can believers position themselves wisely as we move into 2017?

The New Year 2017 started very much as the old year 2016 ended, with the battle for Brexit growing in intensity. The resignation of Sir Ivan Rogers shook the Whitehall political establishment – or so it was reported. But did he jump or was he pushed? Clearly Sir Ivan could not have led Britain's negotiations to leave the EU successfully when he had a clear preference to remain within the European Union.

Sir Tim Barrow, the new British ambassador to the EU. See Photo Credits.In biblical terms, the principle that can be applied to such negotiations was clearly stated by Jesus, "Whoever is not with me is against me" (Matt 12:30). In this instant, it would certainly not have been in Britain's interest to have negotiations led by a man whose heart was not in the task of achieving a successful outcome.

Theresa May moved swiftly to replace him with another career civil servant who has publicly committed himself to Brexit. Sir Tim Barrow was British Ambassador to Russia from 2011 to 2015 and while in Moscow he established his reputation as a keen negotiator who will give support and advice to our politicians in the coming months of talks in Brussels.

Greater Problems to Come

The Brexit battle is by no means over and may be expected to grow even more intense as the date for triggering Article 50 approaches. But there are much greater problems on the horizon for the coming year, with the turmoil in the Middle East increasing by the day and the threat of terrorism right across Europe a constant anxiety.

The good news is that the threat of terrorist attacks in Europe initiated by ISIS may be diminishing now that the border between Syria and Turkey has been closed, due to Turkey's reaction to ongoing ISIS' atrocities against soft civilian targets (such as the New Year attack upon a nightclub in Istanbul).

The Brexit battle is by no means over and may grow more intense as the date for triggering Article 50 approaches.

These attacks have hardened Turkish public opinion and strengthened the military determination to close the long border with Syria. The effect of this is to deny ISIS direct access to the West and reduce its capacity to recruit and to infiltrate its fighters into Europe. But European nations must face the threat of terrorism for some while yet, as unknown numbers of terrorists may have already come in through flows of refugees, in addition to 'home-grown' militants radicalised on European soil.

Trump Incoming

The great unknown in all this, of course, is what the Trump Administration will do in the Middle East. The policy of the Obama Administration has been disastrous. They clearly backed the wrong side in arming the so-called 'moderate' Muslim rebels in the Syrian civil war. This allowed Russia to intervene on behalf of President Assad which has turned the war in his favour. But a negotiated peace is not in sight. The rebels will never agree to Assad remaining in power and he will never agree to their demands.

A further complication is the involvement of the Kurds, who have proved to be a useful ally in fighting ISIS in Syria, but they will never be acceptable in Arab areas due to centuries-old hostility.

Obama's policy has been primarily aimed at destroying ISIS. This led to US acceptance of Russian military intervention and the reversal of its opposition to Assad who is backed by Iran – an implacable enemy of the West whose stated aim is the destruction of Israel.

Will Trump continue this policy, particularly in view of his friendly attitude towards Putin? But Trump has also declared unswerving support for Israel. If he carries through his declared aim of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv up to Jerusalem, 'the eternal capital of Israel', this could well cause the whole Israeli-Palestinian dispute to explode.

If Trump carries through his declared aim to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the whole Israeli-Palestinian dispute could explode.

UN Resolution 2334US Secretary of State John Kerry, who delivered a blistering speech against Israel in the aftermath of the recent UN vote.

The vote last month in the United Nations Security Council condemning Israel's policy of settlements in disputed territory has highlighted the Arab-Israeli conflict. Obama's refusal to exercise the USA's veto allowed the almost unanimous vote against Israel (see the article by Charles Gardner elsewhere in this issue). The USA's decision was defended in a critical speech by John Kerry a few days later.

Sadly, Britain also voted in condemnation of Israel, once again breaking all the promises we made in the 1920s when we agreed that the whole land from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea would be a Jewish homeland. Winston Churchill was the Colonial Secretary at the time and he stated explicitly that the Arab part of Palestine would be East of the River Jordan in what is now known as 'Jordan' and the west would be Israel. This was officially and formally approved by the League of Nations on 22 July 1921 – the original 'two-state solution'!

There were only 600,000 Arabs living east of the Jordan at that time and they would be peacefully absorbed into Israel, as they are today in northern Israeli towns such as Nazareth where they have Israeli citizenship and vote for Arab MPs in the Israeli Parliament. Churchill stated on 30 March 1921:

It is manifestly right that the scattered Jews should have a national centre and a national home to be reunited, and where else but in Palestine with which for 3,000 years they have been intimately and profoundly associated? We think it will be good for the world, good for the Jews, good for the British Empire, but also good for the Arabs who dwell in Palestine and we intend it to be so; they shall share in the benefits and progress of Zionism.¹

Sadly, Britain also voted in condemnation of Israel in the UN vote at the end of December.

Zechariah 12 on the Horizon?

If Donald Trump carries out his promises to Israel and the USA becomes the first nation to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel established by King David some 3,000 years ago, and the vast injustice that has denied Jews the right to their own land for the past 2,000 years – it may embolden Israel to annex the whole land in accordance with the League of Nations' declaration.

This would no doubt bring strong protests from the Arab nations with the support of all the anti-Semitic nations of the West. This would look very much like the kind of scenario envisaged in Zechariah 12, when all the nations gather against Israel. Jesus himself warned that "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains" (Matt 24:7-8). Jesus also said that "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). Are we approaching that time?

The Prayers of Believers Are Vital

Jesus told his disciples "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority" (Acts 1:7) but he also told them to watch and pray - and in particular to discern the signs of the times, so that no-one is caught by surprise.

Despite this warning, 2017 is likely to bring many surprises, not only in the Middle East but also in Europe, as the great shaking of the nations spreads across the face of the earth (in particular opening up cracks in the European Union). But Britain is likely to find the exit from the EU to be easier than expected and, provided the right decisions are made by our politicians, we may expect to see God's blessing upon the nation and the economy faring better than expected.

Jesus told his disciples to watch and pray – and to discern the signs of the times.

Much is dependent upon the prayers of believers – genuine, heartfelt, persistent intercession is the only thing that will truly protect and change the nation in the turbulent days that lie ahead. Will Christians study the word of God and understand the times, so that they know how to pray? And will they commit their time to faithful prayer? The future of the nation depends upon our response.

References

1 Quoted in Fromkin, D, A Peace to End All Peace. Phoenix Press, London, 2003, p519.

John Job looks at the relevance of Zechariah's message for today.

Despite being one of the longest books among the minor prophets, Zechariah is seldom read by Christians. Many view the post-exile period in which he prophesied as being of less importance than the exile itself and the days leading up to it, when Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel exercised their ministries. Moreover, Zechariah's overall message is not easy to follow.

Yet Zechariah is widely quoted in the New Testament, particularly at crucial moments in Jesus' ministry. Are these quotations to be seen as isolated verses which happened to fit in with the Gospel story (if so, the rest is of less importance)? Or does the whole message of Zechariah prepare the way for Christ?

The book can be divided into two parts. In the first part, Zechariah is mentioned as the recipient of eight visions. He then answers a question about fasting (Zech 7:1-8:19). With no specific mention of his name afterwards, some believe that the rest (as with Malachi) was originally an anonymous prophecy. Whatever its origins, this last part shares key themes with the first.

Key Message: Hope for the Repentant

The basic message is one of hope. Israel's past, characterised by continual disobedience to the former prophets, lay behind them. The important words, "they repented" (found in Zech 1:6), did not refer to the people's forefathers, who had suffered as a result of their unrepentance and were no longer to be found (Zech 1:5). It was those who listened to Zechariah who had repented and opened up the prospect of a more hopeful outcome.

The way in which the prophecy begins suggests that, in its present form, it may have been intended to be used devotionally or liturgically. Worshippers meditating on it could see their past as bearing marks of sin. However, while this was pointed out in the text, its message carried an assurance of God's restoration, on the condition of penitence.

Zechariah's basic message is one of hope – the past lies behind, and repentance opens up the prospect of a hopeful future.

Eight 'Russian Doll' Visions

The eight visions, which run from Zechariah 1:7-6:15, offer hope to a repentant people. They form a Russian doll-type structure in that each of the latter visions bears similarities to an earlier one. The first vision corresponds to the eighth; visions two and three correspond to numbers six and seven. This leaves visions four and five as a centre-piece.

The first of these two central visions concerns the reinstatement of the high priest, Joshua (Zech 3:1-10). The second covers the provision of divine resources for both Joshua and the prince, Zerubbabel, who was a direct descendant of David (Zech 4:1-14). In the time of Zechariah, the people's hopes of leadership were placed in Zerubbabel, but he mysteriously disappeared from the face of history. Subsequent generations were therefore left to see these words as unfulfilled prophecies concerning a coming king.

Zechariah is widely quoted in the New Testament, particularly at crucial moments in Jesus' ministry. It is interesting to note that the New Testament presents Jesus as both our great High Priest and the expected Messiah.

The Coming Cleansing

With respect to the vision concerning the high priest, Joshua, Zechariah 3:9 is of particular importance, yet has two possible meanings.

It could mean "Upon one stone are seven facets, and on it I will engrave its inscription". This interpretation would refer back to Exodus 39:6, where an inscribed gold plate was given to Aaron to wear whilst carrying out his duties as high priest. Alternatively, it could mean "Upon one stone are seven fountains and I will open its opening".

The following verse (Zech 3:10) goes on to speak of the removal of the land's iniquity. When compared with the statement in Zechariah 13:1, which says, "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity", it would appear that these verses are inspiring hope in a reality which, at that time, was yet to come. This reality was fulfilled by the shedding of Christ's blood, for which the Old Testament priesthood was a preliminary symbol (this symbolism is explained more fully in the book of Hebrews).

Zechariah's words about a coming king were not fulfilled in Zerubbabel – but left unfulfilled, awaiting the Messiah.

The Levelling of Opposition

In the vision concerning Zerubbabel, we find that he was encountering opposition to the rebuilding of the Temple (Zech 4:7). This opposition had arisen from Jews concerned that the project was either too ambitious, or likely to annoy the Persian authorities. Jesus, whose objectives also correspond to rebuilding the 'temple' (see John 2:19-20; 1 Cor 3:10-17) likewise experienced opposition from within the Jewish fold; as did his Apostles.

The same can still apply today, if the true interests of the Church are opposed by those within it. They often are. But Zechariah's message here also still holds: this kind of mountain can become a plain.

Spiritual and Moral Victory

An important theme emerging from a careful study of the other six visions is that while the first three deal with the defeat of the offending nations in Jerusalem's literal restoration, the last three focus on the primacy of God's law, the banishing of idolatry and a spiritual conquest of Babylon.

This has great relevance to modern Jewish aspirations, which are still often confined to the material trappings of nationhood. Christians can find here the same emphasis in embryo as is found in the Beatitudes, where Jesus reinterprets hopes of victory and possession of the land in terms of a realm in which the key feature is a right relationship with God.

In the passage about fasting (Zech 7:1-8, 19) it is important to note the emphasis on the moral aspects of the Law and the observance of justice (Zech 8:19), as opposed to the ceremonial. The end of the book's first section highlights this too. Whereas the introduction spoke of the Deuteronomic curse which had fallen on the people, here we find God's blessing - not just for Israel but for the Gentiles too. They will be attracted to the New Jerusalem when they see the beauty of its law-abiding character. This challenge needs to be heeded today! It is tragic when outsiders see in the Church the same lack of scruples, marital unfaithfulness, sexual licence and financial corruption as they are aware of in the world outside.

God's blessing is not just for Israel but for Gentiles too – who will be attracted to the New Jerusalem when they see the beauty of its law-abiding character.

Part II: Victory, But Not the World's Way

The second part of Zechariah is harder to interpret than the first. The key is to notice the way in which passages with a militaristic atmosphere are reinterpreted by the juxtaposition of verses breathing a spirit of peace. This makes it clear that the whole message should be interpreted in a non-militaristic way.

For example, Zechariah 9:1-8 has sometimes been seen as a description of Alexander the Great's conquest of Tyre. But this is immediately followed by the best known passage in Zechariah, "Behold your king is coming to you, humble and sitting on an ass". Not exactly one's impression of Alexander the Great! Similarly, in Isaiah, verses describing conquests of the Persian king are interspersed with the portrait of a very different victorious figure who, like Cyrus, is God's servant.

In this second section of the book there are two parallel parts. It appears that the objective of chapters 12-14 is to change the picture originally presented in chapters 9-11. In any case, this twofold final section - like the first - looks forward to a final divine victory. The difference is that the last part makes the point that this would be achieved after more tribulation than had previously been thought.

The scenario behind this is now lost, but a message which reassures us when life turns out more problematic than we had anticipated, is never out of place. Zechariah finds echoes not only in the book of Revelation, but also in Jesus' words: "In the world you will have tribulation; but fear not; I have overcome the world" (John 16:13).

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 13 No 3, 1997. Revised November 2016.