Frances Rabbitts reviews ‘Jerusalem: The Covenant City’ (DVD, Hatikvah Films, 2002).

This feature-length (115 mins) film from the Hatikvah Trust is now a little dated in its presentation, but remains a good cinematic overview of the “unique, eternal and prophetic destiny” of God’s own city, Jerusalem. Presented by Lance Lambert, the documentary is split into two parts – the first looking at the past (just over an hour) and the second looking at the present and the future (just under an hour).

With such a vast period of history – nearly all of it - to cover, the presentation is necessarily concise. However, Director Hugh Kitson does sterling work in weaving together an array of historical events with Scripture references into one coherent narrative, with no sense of rushing. Newcomers to the topic will receive a wealth of information and insight – and those with more experience will be encouraged with the film’s perspective.

Part I: The Past

Part I starts with the question, so popular with the media, ‘what makes Jerusalem unique?’ Contrary to popular opinion that her significance derives from her importance to three world faiths, we find that it actually owes to God’s declaration of ownership over her.

We are then treated to a fly-through of Jerusalem’s biblical history, beginning with Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac on Mount Moriah, through David, Solomon, the descent of Israel into idolatry, the first exile and the first return. Lance then spends some time on the prophecies of Daniel about the coming of Messiah and space is made for viewers to reflect on the work of the Cross.

Newcomers to the topic will receive a wealth of information and insight – and those with more experience will be encouraged with the film’s perspective.

The film then moves through Jesus’ resurrection, ascension, the second destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of 70 AD, then considering the ‘times of the Gentiles’, including the Ottoman occupation and the centuries of Jerusalem’s decay as an imperial backwater. It concludes with an outline of the history of the return, from the early settlers through to the making of modern Israel.

Here archive footage becomes available and Scripture is interwoven with old photographs and film footage of both the 1948 and 1967 wars.

Part II: Present and Future

The second part starts with moving shots of modern aliyah - stories of Jews returning from around the world. Attention then moves to the decades of contention that have plagued Jerusalem since her unification in 1967 – the bills and declarations, the peace accords and the intifadas. Examples and footage are included here which may well either be new to many, or have long been forgotten.

Here the main narrative is supplemented with interviews with political leaders on the subject of the Jewish claim to Jerusalem, and mention is made of Arab historic revisionism and Western media bias.

Looking to the future, Lance notes that true peace will only come to Jerusalem when Jesus returns. Lance explains the spiritual battle raging over Zion today, with further reference to the Book of Daniel, and then looks at the prophetic milestones we are to expect ahead of Jesus’ return, mostly through straightforwardly reading Scripture. The film ends on a high note of hope in Messiah’s return.

Lance explains the spiritual battle raging over Zion today and then looks at the prophetic milestones we are to expect ahead of Jesus’ return.

Scripture from Start to Finish

Obviously there is a limit to the amount of detail that is possible to achieve in a film with such a huge historical scope, however, Hatikvah does an excellent job. In fact, it feels as if the whole film is made up of Scripture from start to finish, and there is a wonderful focus on Jesus throughout. Though it leaves c.15 years unaccounted for, having been made in 2002, its prophetic teaching remains remarkably relevant, while its biblical/historical accounts are timeless.

An excellent and encouraging introduction to the topic that would be perfect for small groups and Christians with little knowledge of the subject.

Jerusalem: The Covenant City can be purchased from Hatikvah Films for £12 or on Amazon (also available to stream online from £3.19).

Two meditations for Holy Week.

Reading the Gospel accounts of the last week in the earthly life of Jesus, there are two points that I want to offer for meditation. The first concerns what is known euphemistically as Jesus’ ‘triumphal entry’ into Jerusalem and the second focuses upon his last meal with his disciples.

Riding on a Colt

Matthew records the instruction Jesus gave to his disciples to go to the village ahead where they would find a donkey with her colt. They were to bring them to him for his entry into Jerusalem. Matthew quotes a verse from Zechariah, “See your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech 9:9 and Matt 21:15).

I often wondered why Jesus chose to ride into Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I could understand his choice of a donkey as a sign of his humility; but why choose the foal of a donkey. It was one of my colleagues in the Issachar Ministries team who pointed to a verse in Exodus that I had not previously noticed. It says, “Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck” (Ex 34:20).

A little research reveals that the donkey was the only animal in God’s creation whose firstborn foal had to be redeemed by offering the sacrifice of a lamb. Donkeys were very important for transport. They carried heavy loads and were usually willing workers. They were certainly very important in an agricultural community: in fact, so important that the owner had to give thanks to God for the firstborn foal before it could be used. The strength of this command was enforced by the instruction in Exodus 34:20.

Of course, Jesus knew this command! But this was the very reason why he chose to ride on the foal rather than the donkey. Here we see Jesus, having deliberately set his face to go up to Jerusalem, with the full knowledge of the murderous intent of the religious authorities to end his life, he now chooses to ride on the foal of a donkey. The foal had not yet been redeemed, hence it was still with its mother. But in this action, Jesus himself was redeeming the foal.

Here was Jesus, the Lamb of God, offering himself as a sacrifice for the sin of the world, symbolically redeeming the foal on his way to the cross.

For the One I Love

The incredible humility and determination to go through with the terrible events that he foresaw show something of the amazing character of Jesus. But, added to this, his incredible love is shown a little later in the week when he met with his disciples to share a last meal with them. This is the second point in this meditation.

One of my lasting memories of the late Lance Lambert whom I was proud to call my friend, was on one occasion when my wife and I shared a meal in his Jerusalem home with him and his sister. It was a Friday evening, a Shabbat meal. At one point in the meal Lance took a piece of bread, dipped it in the cup and gave it to me, and similarly to Monica, saying to each of us a little expression of love. He explained that in many Jewish families it was the custom for either the father of the family or the mother of the family to do this, particularly if they had guests as an expression of love.

Lance said it was a particularly poignant practice for the mother to do this for one of her children who had been away and was now back at the family table, or one who had been sick and now was recovered. She would say “This is for the one I love”. Her love was being expressed particularly for the one who had a special need, or to show joy at the reuniting of the family around their table.

At the Last Supper Jesus took bread and broke it and gave a piece to each of his disciples – a symbolic act through which he was giving himself to them and showing his indescribable love. Judas, the man who would betray him was also there and it is surely one of the most poignant acts of Jesus to give bread to the man who was going to be responsible for his betrayal into the hands of his enemies (John 13:26).
The act of giving the bread dipped in the cup symbolising his blood, was highly significant for each of his disciples.

But the most amazing act of Jesus at the Last Supper was surely to dip the bread in the cup and give it to Judas, who was to betray him, conveying the message (whether spoken or unspoken): “This is for the one I love”.

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

The three saddest words in Scripture?

Perhaps the three saddest words in Scripture, reflecting the thoughts of two downcast and despondent disciples about the one they believed was going to redeem Israel, are “we had hoped” (Luke 24:21).

But these disciples were not alone in their gloom and despair. All who had known Jesus and believed in him had been gripped by hope that this “prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people” (Luke 24:19) would indeed bring about the restoration of Israel at this time. It had been a mighty hope - the biggest of all. But now it was gone, in the past. “We had hoped”.

Mary and the other women who visited the tomb with spices earlier that morning – they had hoped. Peter, John and the other disciples, hiding in a home somewhere in Jerusalem – they had hoped.

The early morning news that the body was no longer in the tomb had done nothing to raise their hopes. Just more confusion, shock, amazement and tears.

But all that was about to change. One word started a chain reaction that birthed a new hope and caused it to burst into life: “Mary” (John 20:16).

Hearing her name spoken by her risen Rabboni transformed Mary from a broken mourner into an excited messenger: “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18).

Hearing her name spoken by her risen Rabboni transformed Mary from a broken mourner into an excited messenger.

Similar experiences followed. Eyes were opened and hearts burned (Luke 24:31-32). Minds began to grasp the reality of what the scriptures had prophesied (Luke 24:45). Joy and worship replaced doubt, despair and fear.

But one question remained: “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). After all, that had been their great hope. Surely this was now back on the agenda?

Jesus’ reply is illuminating. He does not deny this will happen, but clarifies that it is not going to be ‘at this time’; rather, at some future time known only to the Father. Meanwhile, here is a bigger hope to work towards: the salvation and restoration of all. A hope that will go to the ends of the earth.

Was this why the disciples’ hopes had been so devastatingly dashed? So they could be replaced by something even more glorious?

Have you known what it is like to have your hopes destroyed, reduced to nothing? Perhaps God has allowed this so that he can replace them with even bigger ones. Ones that will go further than those you had previously cherished.

When you are tempted to say “I had hoped”, then go to the empty tomb. Pour out your grief and despair, and maybe through your tears you will hear from the risen Lord, perhaps just one word, perhaps just your name. But that can be enough for a brighter hope to arise, for a new journey to begin.

Part 2 of 2: Dismantling the lies.

Israel is so bursting at the seams with archaeological remnants from Bible times that it is remarkable that Palestinian denials of this record are not immediately laughed out of the room.

Every year new discoveries come to light – often by accident as evidence is so abundant - all of which prove that what God’s word says is true. Here are just a few examples.

Whilst excavating in the Ophel area in 2015, just south of the Temple Mount an ancient rubbish dump was exposed, the contents of which were wet-sieved. What came to light was remarkable – 33 tiny clay document-seals, amongst them one bearing the Hebrew inscription “belonging to Hezekiah, (son of) Ahaz, king of Judah.”¹

A further exciting find was announced only a few days ago, on 1 January 2018. Beneath the Roman paving west of the Temple Mount, beside the ruins of a 7^th-Century BC house, another seal was identified, bearing the Hebrew inscription, ‘Governor of the City’ and depicting two men wearing striped robes.²

A 2,700-year-old seal bearing the mark of the governor of the city of Jerusalem has been discovered under the Western Wall plaza, at a site where a First Temple–period building has been found. https://t.co/bGS41jXoko pic.twitter.com/YkIXPBmvby

— Archaeology Magazine (@archaeologymag) January 2, 2018

There are two references to such a title, both during the reign of King Josiah, and both named – Joshua (2 Kings 23:8) and Maleah (2 Chron 34:8).

Among the finds for the Temple Mount Sifting Project, which sorted through the Muslim debris dumps referred to in Part 1 (last week), was a type of iron arrowhead complete with shaft which, according to Dr Gabriel Barkay, “was launched from catapults exclusive to the Roman army” during the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.³

Every year new discoveries come to light which prove that what God’s word says is true.

Also particularly striking has been the recovery of fragments of the coloured paving of the Herodian Temple courts, painstakingly reconstructed by Dr Frankie Snyder and announced in 2016,⁴ reminding us of the ‘beautiful stones’ of the Temple drawn to the attention of Jesus (Luke 23:5; Mark 13:1).

Yet another seal was found in the same Muslim debris removed from the Temple Mount. This one, although partly broken, is inscribed in ancient Hebrew, ‘(Belonging to) [….]lyahu (son of) Immer’.⁵ The Immer family was a well-known priestly family around the 7^th-6^th Centuries BC. “Pashur son of Immer” is mentioned in Jeremiah 20:1 as “Chief Officer in the House of God” – a clear reference to the Temple. Its reverse side shows that it was used to seal sacking, possibly a bullion sack of Temple taxes.

Rare seal impression from First Temple priest #FoundbytheSiftingProject pic.twitter.com/VFEnVinweu

— Temple Mount Sifting (@TMSifting) April 3, 2017

As for other examples, there are literally thousands from which to choose, ranging from a Jewish chalk-vessel factory near Nazareth,⁶ to the ruined city of Lachish, excavated in the 1930s by the British archaeologist James Starkey. The city has extensive remains from various biblical periods, and is famous for the letters written in ancient Hebrew on pottery fragments (ostraca).

One message reads, “May YHWH cause my lord to hear, this very day, tidings of good…And may [my lord] be apprised that we are watching for the fire signals of Lachish according to all the signs which my lord has given, because we cannot see Azekah.”⁷ As well as including the ancient unpronounceable name of the LORD, the message clearly ties in with the book of Jeremiah: “‘O you children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee…Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a signal-fire in Beth Haccerem” (6:1) and “when the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah; for these alone remained of the cities of Judah as fortified cities” (34:11).

Other aspects discovered by British experts include the Lachish Reliefs, which are a set of Assyrian palace panels which narrate the story of the Assyrian victory over the kingdom of Judah during the siege of Lachish in 701 BC. Carved between 700-681 BC, as a decoration of the South-West Palace of Sennacherib in Nineveh (in modern Iraq), the reliefs are today in the British Museum, along with the ostraca and siege weapons. Sennacherib’s presence at Lachish is noted in 2 Kings 18:14.

Lachish ruins (author's collection) and the Lachish Letter 4 (see Photo Credits).There can be no question whatever of falsification of Jewish history in such cases! Archaeology speaks!⁸ It is high time to mount a widespread challenge to the kinds of rhetoric outlined last week – to educate the Church and to hold politicians and the media to account. To that end I offer the following further comments.

Understanding the Deception

Holding up Palestinian narratives to the light, one principle becomes stark – that of deception. There are those who deceive and those who are deceived.

As noted at the start of last week’s article, Palestinian deception is a complex, intricate web – but two simple, vital things can still be noted about it. The first is the spirit behind it, which is anti-Semitism. Indeed, the very definition of Palestinian nationalism and culture – the crux of what brings them together as a people – is anti-Semitism, or a hatred of Jews and a disavowal of Israel’s right to exist.

In 1977, Zuheir Mohsen, a member of the PLO Executive Council, articulated the goals of their ‘peoplehood’ strategy saying, “The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a distinct ‘Palestinian people’ to oppose Zionism.”⁹

The second thing to note about Palestinian deception is that the main framework through which it is delivered, its language and its cultural and political driving force, is that of Islam.

Here, most Westerners, including myself, are confronted with an impenetrable script - we cannot read Arabic! Establishing the truth about Islamic teaching often feels like trying to catch an eel with bare hands. However, the doctrine of taqqiya forms an important part. Raymond Ibrahim, an American Arabic linguist and political analyst, points out:

According to the authoritative Arabic text, Al-Taqiyya Fi Al-Islam, deception is of fundamental importance in Islam. Practically every Islamic sect agrees to it and practices it. We can go so far as to say that the practice of taqiyya is mainstream in Islam, and that those few sects not practicing it diverge from the mainstream...Taqiyya is very prevalent in Islamic politics, especially in the modern era. [my emphasis]

The very definition of Palestinian nationalism and culture – the crux of what brings them together as a people – is anti-Semitism.

The Qur’an’s Sura 3:28 is acknowledged as the primary source for this doctrine, regarding which Raymond Ibrahim says, “…the Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir (1301-1373) wrote: ‘Whoever at any time or place fears their [infidels'] evil, may protect himself through outward show.’ As proof of this, he quotes Muhammad's companions. Abu Darda said: ‘Let us smile to the face of some people while our hearts curse them.’ Al-Hassan said: ‘Doing taqiyya is acceptable till the day of judgment.’ [i.e. in perpetuity]”.¹⁰

For the Bible-believing Christian, it is not difficult to see that deception goes back to the very foundation of Islam. While Mohammed was in contemplation in 600 AD, allegedly the Archangel Gabriel appeared before him and instructed him to recite verses, which begin with:

In the name of thy Lord and Cherisher,

Who created man, out of a clot of congealed blood… (Qur’an, Sura 96:1-2)

If the Archangel Gabriel really appeared to Mohammed, he would only have spoken the truth. Instead, the apparition’s statement flatly contradicts the word of God (man was created in the image of God from the dust of the earth, Genesis 1:27, 2:7).

Who was the very first to contradict the word of God? Satan himself (‘Did God really say…?’ and then ‘You shall surely not die’, Gen 3:1-4)! And in 1 Corinthians 11:14 we are told that “Satan transforms himself into an angel of light” – not Gabriel then! Poor Mohammed!

Not only does the Qur’an contradict the Creation account, but it strikes at the very heart of the Gospel. According to Surah 4:157-158, speaking of the Jews, “…they said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of God’; but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not…”.

The main framework through which Palestinian deception is delivered, its language and its cultural and political driving force, is Islam.

Commenting on Sura 3, Al-Tabari (9^th Century) says that the deceit of Allah applies to the time where the Jews wanted to kill Isa the son of Mary. In order not to be killed, Allah put the appearance of Jesus' face on someone else, who was crucified instead of Jesus. This is how Allah had everybody, even Jesus, deceived.¹¹

Dealing with Deception

The ultimate source of all this is clearly Satanic, “that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world” (Rev 12:9).

For all of us who believe in Jesus Christ, in Yeshua haMaschiach, our starting point in responding should be the recognition that, as Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12ff, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore put on the whole armour of God…” [my emphasis].

Remember that in applying the verses which follow there has often been an overemphasis on personal, individual equipment and action, whereas battle between armies is rarely, if ever, settled by single combat.¹² We must work together.

In addition to the defensive equipment, there are the weapons of offence: “take…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end…” [my emphases].

‘All prayer’ is a potent weapon: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God…” (2 Cor 10:4-5).

So, too, is the word of God, the Sword of the Spirit, long neglected and ill-treated in many of our churches (and outside them a veritable desert!). Precious though the New Testament is, it cannot stand without the Old. Those scriptures were the only ones available to the first generation of Christians. Those were the scriptures familiar to Jesus and used by him, of which Paul said to Timothy, “from a child you have known the Holy Scriptures” and “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim 3:15-16, my emphases).

For those of us who believe in Jesus Christ, our starting point in responding to Palestinian narratives must be a recognition that we do not battle against flesh and blood.

Those are the scriptures which have been undermined and devalued in the West, including within the Church. How the people of God need to recover confidence in his word – especially if they are to recognise and counter the lies of the enemy! How we need to appreciate that, as archaeologists physically dig into the layers of the past in the Holy Land, thrilling us with insights into God’s dealings with Israel, they are confirming the truth of Scripture and prophecy!

The hour is late. There is a desperate need for teaching on these matters. Well-guided tours of Israel are an enormous help. From such a broad basis we may become better equipped to witness more effectively, speak out publicly, and hold our politicians and the media to account, “speaking the truth in love, [growing] up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ…” (Eph 4:15, my emphasis). God grant that truth prevail!

References

1 For more details, click here.

2 Schuster, R. Governor of Jerusalem's Seal Impression From First Temple Era Found Near Western Wall. Haaretz, 1 January 2018.

3 Artifacts with links to Bible unearthed. Washington Times, 2 January 2006.

4 Flooring from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Ritmeyer Archaeological Design, 12 September 2016.

5 Archaeological Evidence of the Jewish Temples on the Temple Mount. Temple Mount Sifting Project, 14 October 2016.

6 Ngo, R. Jewish Purification: Stone Vessel Workshop Discovered in Galilee. Bible History Daily, 25 August 2016.

7 For more details see ‘Lachish Letters’ on Wikipedia.

8 To explore this further, I suggest the following sites: Associates for Biblical Research, Bibleplaces (for frequent updates), Israel’s Antiquities Authority, Ritmeyer Archaeological Design.

9 As quoted from: Dorsey, J. Wij zijn alleen Palestijn om politieke reden. Trouw, 31 March 1977.

10 Ibrahim, R. Islam's doctrines of deception. Middle East Forum, October 2008.

11 Deception in Islam. Muslim Hope, December 2008.

12 Interestingly, the shield of faith mentioned by Paul is the thureos of the Roman armies, a curved door-shaped shield, which did more than provide personal protection. Its most effective use was in forming the testudo: “The first row of men, possibly excluding the men on the flanks, would hold their shields from about the height of their shins to their eyes, so as to cover the formation's front. The shields would be held in such a way that they presented a shield wall to all sides. The men in the back ranks would place their shields over their heads to protect the formation from above, balancing the shields on their helmets, overlapping them” (see here). In a sense, it was the forerunner of the tank! And it is a powerful reminder of the corporate nature of spiritual warfare!

All Scripture quotes NKJV.

Apocalyptic battle will be over the status of Jerusalem

In the wake of the worldwide denunciation of President Trump’s earth-shaking decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, nations are now queueing up to follow his lead.

And yet even while archaeological finds further confirm Jewish connection to the City over thousands of years, the UK and other major European powers stubbornly refuse to face reality.

In joining the predictable chorus of disapproval at the UN, the British people are in ever-increasing danger of being numbered among the goats of Judgment Day referred to by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (25:31-46).

This passage is widely interpreted to relate to how the peoples of the world have treated God’s chosen race – the “brothers and sisters” (in the flesh) of our Saviour, who was born the King of Israel (Matt 2:2) and is coming back as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5).

Isaiah writes: “For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined” (60:12; see also Mic 5:15).

Sheep and Goats

On my latest tour of Israel, I learnt a fascinating lesson that I believe relates to this important passage (Matt 25) – that sheep keep the grass neatly cut with their grazing while goats pull it out by the roots.

In the same way, true disciples of Jesus, the Great Shepherd, should follow him closely and feed on the rich pasture he has provided, that is nourished by the Law of Moses along with the patriarchs and prophets of Judaism. The goats, on the other hand, cut themselves off from the roots of their faith, as a result of which their pasture withers and dies (see Rom 11:17f).

Goats cut themselves off from the roots of their faith, as a result of which their pasture withers and dies.

Actually, the US Congress voted to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital 22 years ago, but successive Presidents have simply put off implementing the decision until now. And Czech President Milos Zeman has accused EU states opposing this stance as “cowards”.¹

Arab Realism

Even Arab commentators are encouraging their people to accept reality. A Saudi academic, for example, has called on Arabs to recognise Jerusalem’s sanctity to Jews. Abdulhameed Hakeem, head of the Middle East Centre for Strategic and Legal Studies in Jedda, told US-based Alhurra Television that Trump’s move constitutes a “positive shock” to the peace process, adding: “We must recognise and realise that Jerusalem is a religious symbol to Jews and sacred to them, as Mecca and Medina is to Muslims.”²

And in an article last year, he stressed that Israel and Saudi Arabia faced a common Nazi-like threat in Iran,³ which has reportedly pledged every assistance to terror group Hamas in “the battle for the defence of Jerusalem”.⁴

With its efforts to make good on a long-promised boast to wipe Israel off the map, Iran continues to be a serious threat (despite encouraging protests from within the rogue regime), establishing a military base in Syria while at the same time supplying terror group Hezbollah with a huge stash of weapons on Israel’s northern border.

Choose Whom You Will Serve

So, with the nations as a whole setting their face against Israel, and denying their right both to the Land and their capital, the stage is being set for the battle of the ages. According to the Bible, it will take place at Armageddon (or the plain of Jezreel) in northern Israel (Rev 16:16), but the trigger will be Jerusalem.

Although physical in nature, it will in reality be more of a spiritual conflict determining who is ultimately in charge of the ways of men and the world.

The stage is being set for the battle of the ages, which will determine who is in charge of the ways of men and the world.

Elijah of old was engaged in a great battle with 400 false prophets in this same region, and he won hands down with only God on his side – which is all he needed, of course (see 1 Kings 18). Frustrated at the idolatry of his people, the Prophet famously laid down the rules for the contest: The God who answered by fire would be the victor. And sure enough, the fire of the Lord burnt up the sacrifice and the people changed their mind about their allegiance.

BATTLEFIELD VIEW: A stunning scene of the plain of Jezreel, otherwise known as Armageddon, from the traditional site of Elijah’s battle with the false prophets on Mt Carmel. Picture: Linda GardnerThat bloody contest – all the false prophets were subsequently slaughtered – took place on Mt Carmel which, as it happens, overlooks Armageddon where the final great battle will be enacted, quite possibly in the very near future especially since, as the prophets have foretold, it will be over the status of Jerusalem (see Zech 12:2f).

It may come as a surprise to some that Jerusalem is God’s very own City – he effectively owns it; it bears his name (see Dan 9:18f; Neh 1:9). But false deities, with the connivance of numerous world powers, refuse to acknowledge this. They are setting a trap into which they will fall!

Jesus lamented over Jerusalem because of their rejection of him, but at the same time prophesied their ultimate acceptance of his rule (Matt 23:39). He has not finished with Jerusalem; he will come back just as he left (Acts 1:11).

Confirmation Upon Confirmation

Further confirmation of Israel’s claim to the Land has come from recent archaeological finds.

A replica of a first-century coin, dated 67 AD and containing the inscription ‘Jerusalem the Holy’, was held up at a session of the United Nations Security Council by Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon.⁵ And a seal owned by Jerusalem’s governor some 2,700 years ago has been unearthed near the Western Wall. It contains an inscription in ancient Hebrew and supports the biblical rendering of the existence of a governor in the City at the time.⁶

Speaking of the find, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said: “Jerusalem is one of the most ancient capitals in the world, continually populated by the Jewish people for more than 3,000 years.”⁷ Another recent find – 1,300-year-old coins from the Islamic Umayyad Dynasty imprinted with an image of the menorah from the Jewish Temple – shows that early Muslims acknowledged the City’s Jewish identity. According to Assaf Avraham of Bar-Ilan University, they adopted the Jewish narrative and symbols for their own.⁸

Jesus has not finished with Jerusalem, which will ultimately accept his rule.

History Already Made

At the end of the day, Jews from all over the world are returning to their roots in fulfilment of many ancient Scriptures. The much-acclaimed film Lion tells the moving story of a five-year-old Indian boy, Saroo (‘Lion’), who got lost after becoming separated from his older brother, and was eventually adopted and brought up by loving ‘parents’ in Australia. But it didn’t stop the grown-up Saroo going to extraordinary lengths to trace his roots and find his beloved mother.

Yet, despite all the evidence supporting Israel’s claim, Palestinian leaders simply refuse to accept the truth. In the year 2000, Yasser Arafat turned down the chance of a comprehensive peace deal because he refused to recognise Jewish historical ties to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. “The Jews never had a Temple at the site,” he said at the time.⁹ The entire Palestinian narrative is based on a lie that would be recognised by children at kindergarten. And yet world leaders don’t get it!

But they must get used to the idea. The God of Israel is the history-maker and has chosen the Jews to inherit the Land he has promised them. That there would be an almighty battle over the territory was always part of the script. The prophets warned that this would happen, but that Elohim (God) would be the ultimate victor, “watching over his word to perform it” (Jer 1:12).

The Messiah is waiting for that day – and I pray it will come soon – when his ancient people greet him once more with gladness, saying: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matt 23:39; Ps 118:26).

Notes

1 Czech leader slams EU ‘cowards’ on Jerusalem stance. Times of Israel, 10 December 2017.

2 Lynfield, B. Saudi academic calls on Arabs to recognize Jewish connection to Jerusalem. Jerusalem Post, 18 December 2017.

3 Ibid.

4 Lieber, D. Iran pledging all its might to Hamas for Jerusalem battle, terror group says. Times of Israel, 25 December 2017.

5 JNN, 11 December 2017, quoting Arutz-7.

6 Rare First Temple-Era Hebrew seal found at Western Wall. World Israel News, 1 January 2018.

7 Ibid.

8 Berkowitz, AE. Archaeologists Discover Muslim Artifacts Proving Jerusalem’s Jewish Identity. Breakingisraelnews, 8 December 2017.

9 Christian Friends of Israel’s Watching Over Zion newsletter, 30 November 2017.

A day will come when no-one will dare dispute who rules Jerusalem

Predictable fury has erupted in the wake of President Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Days of rage, incited by Palestinian leaders, have been accompanied by a chorus of condemnation from European and other political chiefs – with the honourable exception of the Czech Republic and some African countries.

And it’s all about simply acknowledging a fact of history – that Jerusalem has links with Israel going back at least 3,000 years and has long been regarded by Jews everywhere as their capital. But this is disputed by much of the Arab world and beyond.

So, tragically, violence once more spoils the precious scene of Christ’s nativity – he was born in Bethlehem, just five miles from the disputed city – just when billions of believers are about to celebrate his birth there some 2,000 years ago.

Although he was, and is, the Prince of Peace prophesied by Isaiah 700 years earlier, Jesus did also say that even members of the same family would be divided over him (Luke 12:49-53), and it was prophesied over the new-born King that he would be a sign spoken against (Luke 2:34). His promised peace is only felt by those who choose his rule over their lives.

The Nations Rage and Plot

The Bible asks: “Why do the nations rage [or conspire] and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles’” (Psalm 2:1-3).

But the One enthroned in Heaven is not impressed, declaring: “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain” (verse 6).

Although he was, and is, the Prince of Peace, Jesus did also say that even members of the same family would be divided over him.

These ancient words of Scripture perfectly mirror the rebellious, murderous reaction to God’s purposes today. The psalmist adds: “Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling” (vv10-11).

Notice the phrase, “let us throw off their shackles”, which speaks of the rebellion against God’s rule through much of what was formerly known as ‘Western civilisation’, built up as such on the foundations of the Christian Gospel.

Faith That Can Move Mountains

Discipleship of the One born in a ‘cattle shed’ in David’s ‘royal city’ comes down to faith in God and the courage of our convictions.

Like him or loathe him, President Trump has chosen to surround himself with advisors who have this kind of faith and know the importance of doing the right thing, even if unpopular and liable to cause outrage in the short term.

I have a wonderful friend from Morecambe called Mollie who has a very feisty, practical faith. When she got burgled recently, and the police called round to take a statement and give her a ‘crime number’, she was told not to expect to get anything back as her case would be filed in a drawer and probably forgotten about.

This is not a criticism of our hard-pressed police, who are short-staffed and run ragged by a spiralling crime rate. However, Mollie would not accept that faithless outlook and boldly declared to the man in uniform that God was able to restore her stolen items.

Next day, to her astonishment, her neighbourhood was crawling with police searching for clues and, in no time at all, she was rewarded for her faith with a pile of returned items, including her precious coat.

Discipleship of the One born in a ‘cattle shed’ in David’s ‘royal city’ comes down to faith in God and the courage of our convictions.

Another inspiring example of faith is that of William Cooke who, as a 15-year-old lad from Yorkshire, went on a short-term mission to Mexico, and while staying at a children’s home there, told his youth leader that God had spoken to him and that he would return to Mexico as a missionary one day. It happened just as he said and today, after nearly 20 years of serving in that country – currently running a home for abandoned children - he and his wife Katie have won state recognition with a $12,000 award for outstanding service to social care.

Jesus said that we could “move mountains” through faith in God (Mark 11:22-25).

Peace On Earth

In fact, “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Heb 11:6). Israel was built on the faith of Abraham and his seed while punishment in the form of repeated exile followed rebellion against God’s ways and faith being placed in man-made idols.

It’s important to note that the focus of Hebrews 11’s long list of our spiritual forebears who exemplified great faith was not on the things of this world, but on the Heavenly glory to come.

Peace on earth – especially in the Middle East – will certainly not be built on the secular humanist philosophies of Western or any other leaders who seem unable even to settle sharp differences within their own political parties. It will come only by recognising the One who is meant to be what Christmas is all about – ‘the reason for the season’ - the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ.

You can know his peace within your heart today, and you can look forward to the peace he will bring to earth when he returns to reign from Jerusalem (Zech 14:4-9; Isa 11:6-9)! There will be no dispute about who rules the city then.

Happy Christmas!

Trump move could provoke Armageddon scenario, but God is in charge

While the West continues to indulge in the most bizarre forms of political correctness,¹ the Middle East is bracing itself for a possible Armageddon scenario involving nuclear weapons.

The decision of President Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as a probable first step towards moving the American Embassy there could well be a catalyst for a battle of the ages.

But it’s nevertheless the right thing to do. For at some stage, difficult decisions have to be made and truth has to be acknowledged.

Are we about to see the fulfilment of Zechariah’s prophecy that God would make Jerusalem “a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling” and “an immovable rock for all the nations” (Zech 12:2f)?

The Stage is Being Set

Iran, meanwhile, is actually trying to provoke such an end-of-world cataclysm by establishing military bases close to Israel’s Syrian border, according to Ryan Mauro, an expert on Shiite religious dogma. Their leaders, he argues, are motivated by a desire to fulfill Shia prophecy of a showdown with the Jewish state that will prompt the coming of the ‘Mahdi’, an Islamic messianic figure.²

Since both Jews and Christians are also looking for their Messiah, the scene is surely being set for an apocalyptic conflagration. And it seems tragically ironic that, with the Western world having largely convinced itself there is no god, a global conflict over spiritual roots threatens us all.

Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital could well be a catalyst for a battle of the ages, but it’s nevertheless the right thing to do.

Though a modern, secular state, Israel’s ancient roots in the Holy Land are undeniably spiritual. According to the Bible, they are specially chosen of God and wouldn’t have existed without him.

Iran has frequently threatened to destroy little Israel, which is why Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman accuses European leaders (representing Britain, France and Germany) of a head-in-the-sand attitude – “exactly like they did before World War II” – in opposing President Trump’s weakening of a nuclear deal hardly guaranteed to protect a highly vulnerable Jewish state.³

Despite threats of Palestinian protests, the Western Wall plaza fills with Jews as usual as Shabbat starts (Friday 12 December).

Ongoing Battle for Truth

At the same time the United Nations, the very body which conferred international legitimacy on Israel 70 years ago (confirming the position taken in 1920 by the San Remo conference), now seems to have fully adopted the Iranian/Palestinian position denying Jewish claims to the land, and in particular Jerusalem – a re-writing of history that has completely deceived media and politicians across the globe. In 1947 there was no Palestinian state, nor even a Palestinian people, but we have been taken in by a propaganda machine just as shocking and efficient as that run by Hitler’s spokesman Josef Goebbels.

Even parts of the Arab world are speaking against this deception. Kuwaiti columnist Abdullah Al-Hadlaq told a TV station: “Like it or not, Israel is an independent and sovereign state…” and those refusing to recognise it are “countries of tyranny and oppression”. He too makes the point that when Israel was established in 1948, there was no state called Palestine. “There is no occupation,” he adds. “There is a people returning to its promised land.”⁴

In this age-old battle for truth, God himself delivered a ‘trump’ card back in 1963 in the form of ancient documents discovered among the ruins of a 2,000-year-old mountaintop fortress overlooking the Dead Sea, where Hebrew University archaeologists were excavating the palace of King Herod. And I was there, atop Masada, just weeks ago. These Dead Sea Scrolls – the first were found just up the coast in 1947 – contained Psalms 81 to 85.

Significantly, Psalm 83 paints a completely up-to-date picture of Israel’s enemies plotting to destroy them “so that Israel’s name is remembered no more” (v4). Also found in the dig were 17 silver shekels dating from around 70 AD and inscribed with the words ‘Shekel of Israel’ and ‘Jerusalem the Holy’.⁵

The idea of Jerusalem being significant for Muslims is described as “nonsense” by Egyptian scholar and novelist Youssef Ziedan. “The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem did not exist back then [when the Koran was written], and the city was not called Al-Quds” he pointed out on television in 2015.⁶

The United Nations, the very body which conferred international legitimacy on Israel 70 years ago, now seems to have adopted the Palestinian position denying Jewish claims to the land.

God’s Greater Plan

As European leaders continue to betray Jews by defending so-called Palestinian rights, they are also turning a blind eye to the horrific plight of Christians in the Middle East while Arabs are killing each other and, in a bid to win Western support for their cause, Palestinian parties Fatah and Hamas put on a sham united front, which is meaningless as the latter refuses to disarm.

Far from being united in opposition to Israel, the vast majority of Israel’s Arabs – 73% – feel a sense of belonging in the Jewish state, with 60% saying they are proud to be Israelis, according to a new poll.⁷ In addition, hundreds of Arab Christians volunteer for the Israeli Defense Force each year while there are also many instances of Muslims abandoning their faith following dreams and visions of Christ – I have met one of them.

Competing faiths: the Al-Aqsa Mosque, built on the site of the Jewish Temple. Photo by Charles Gardner.At the risk of over-simplifying the issue, it is not so much a case of Arab versus Jew as God v the devil. The latter desires darkness and destruction for mankind, but God loves both Arab and Jew, along with the rest of us Gentiles. And his plan for us all is “life in all its fullness” (John 10:10).

I enjoyed very warm Muslim-Arab hospitality during my recent tour of Israel, and commend the proprietor of the Samaritan Restaurant in Sebastia, the ancient capital of Samaria, who served the tastiest food I sampled on our travels.

It’s worth saying, too, in view of the anti-Israel stance of many Western churches, that there is huge support from Christians on the question of Jerusalem, with over half a million signatories from 168 countries backing the city as the undivided, eternal capital of the Jewish people through the ‘Jerusalem Declaration’.⁸

The Day of the Lord is Near

One effect of today’s skewed Mid-East narrative is that Palestinians get all the media sympathy for the plight of their refugees, warned in 1948 to leave their homes by the surrounding Arab states, who have never since followed up on their responsibilities.

But rare mention is ever made of the 850,000 Jewish refugees forced to leave Arab countries at the same time. Thankfully they have been absorbed successfully into Israeli society, while the Palestinian refugees and their descendants continue to be used as political pawns in an anti-Semitic game of chess.

The devil desires darkness and destruction for mankind, but God loves both Arab and Jew, along with the rest of us Gentiles.

But “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that all who believe in him will not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, emphasis added). We are all included in his great plan of redemption. We have Heaven to gain, and Hell to shun, as we put our trust in the Jewish Messiah, Jesus. But woe to those who touch the apple of God’s eye (Zech 2:8)!
God will surely vindicate – and compensate – the Jewish people (Isa 54:17; Joel 2:25). “The day of the Lord” is near (Joel 2:1f); the battle of the ages is at the door. Make sure you are ready to meet the One who is coming back to reign.

Notes

1 The Girl Guides are to allow boys ‘identifying’ as girls to shower with girls – Christian Institute.

2 Iran’s Syria bases near Israel have apocalyptic intent. World Net Daily, 23 November 2017.

3 Hoffman, G. Def. minister: 'Europeans putting heads in the sand' on Iran deal. Jerusalem Post, 15 October 2017.

4 Sumner, E. Watch: Kuwaiti writer says Israel is a legitimate state, not an occupier. Jerusalem Post, 22 November 2017.

5 New Dead Sea Scroll Found in Israel; Contains Chapters of Psalms. Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 27 November 1963.

6 Palestinians Furious After Saudi Arabia Downplays Importance of Jerusalem. Israel Today, 29 November 2017.

7 Poll: Majority of Israel's Arabs 'Proud' to be Israeli. United with Israel, 23 November 2017.

8 Netanyahu Praises UWI’s Historic Jerusalem Initiative, ‘Unflinching Defense of Truth’. United with Israel, 18 October 2017.

Tracing the hand of God in the re-gathering of the Jews to Eretz Israel.

On 31 October 2017 we celebrated the centenary of the writing of the Declaration by Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour “in regard to the establishment of a national home in Palestine for the Jewish people”, which started the process by which the State of Israel was created on 14 May 1948.

The Declaration was a letter of “sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to and approved by the Cabinet” for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people”. It was sent to the leader of the Jewish community in Britain, Lord Walter Rothschild, assuring him of the British Government's “best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this objective”, and was published on 2 November 1917.

This seminal event, in conjunction with the epic Battle of Beersheba (also on 31 October), heralded the end of the 400-year Ottoman occupation of the Land of Israel.

God’s Mo’ed

In God's calendar this date was a mo'ed: a set or appointed time in his promise to gather his ancient, scattered people back to the Land that he promised by covenant to give them (Gen 13:15, 15:18). There are many mo'edim in the scriptures (e.g. Gal 4:4; Rev 9:15).

1917 was both a confirmation of God’s faithfulness to his covenant and a footprint of the promised return of Messiah Yeshua.

The aggressive response to the celebration of its centenary, with many insisting that Britain 'apologise' for the Balfour Declaration, indicates God's hand at work.

In God’s calendar, 31 October 1917 was a ‘mo’ed’: an appointed time in his promise to gather his ancient, scattered people back to the Land.

In the Tanakh, the biblical mandate for Jewish presence in and return to the Land of Israel is clear (e.g. Gen 13:15, 15:18; Psa 132:13-14; Jer 32:37-38; Hos 2:23; Rom 9:26). God clearly states that Eretz Israel, the Land of Israel, is his choice for himself and his people.

But the prophesied return could not have happened without many people and situations being aligned. The letter sent to Baron Rothschild was but the latest step in a series of unlikely events that only the God of Israel could have arranged.

Figures of Faith

Many people in history anticipated the return of the Jewish people to Israel, believing God's promise to re-gather them from exile among the nations. These included:

• William Tyndale (1494-1536), a skilled linguist who translated the Bible from the Hebrew and Greek texts, allowing people to read and understand God's future plan for Israel’s return in their own language. An English Bible was placed in every parish.
  
• Henry Grattan Guinness, c. 1910. See Photo Credits.John Owen (1616-83), Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, who wrote that Jews “shall return to their own land; they shall enjoy it for a quiet and everlasting possession, their adversaries being destroyed; they shall also be filled with the light and knowledge of the will and worship of God…and perhaps, shall be entrusted with great empire and rule in the world.”¹
  
• George Whitefield (1714-70) and John (1703-1791) and Charles Wesley (1707-88) established in all church denominations belief in God's promise to re-gather the Jewish people, and helped embed biblical authority in British society.
  
• Bishop Ryle (1816-1900), who taught that more than ten of the 16 prophets of the Tanakh expressly predicted a final gathering of the Jewish people in their own Land. He said “I ask you, then, to settle it firmly in your mind that when God says a thing shall be done - we ought to believe it”.²
  
• Henry Gratton Guinness (1835-1910), through studies of Daniel and of astronomy, considered that 1917 would be a very significant year for Israel, to do with their restoration. When General Edmund Allenby was depressed by lack of advance in ousting the Turks from what was called Palestine, a friend encouraged him with the words, “You may make all the mistakes in tactics or strategy, but nothing can prevent you from being in Jerusalem by the 31^st December”,³ citing Guinness’s prediction as proof. A letter published in the Daily Mail in January 1917 reminded readers that Guinness had said that this year is “one of the most important, perhaps the most momentous, of these terminal years of crisis.”⁴
  

Add to these the names of earlier supporters of a return of Jews to their Land: Cromwell, Rutherford, Gill (born 17^th Century), Rippon, Wilberforce, Simeon (18^th Century), Shaftesbury, Booth, Spurgeon, Hechler, Herzl, Moody (19^th Century), as well as Balfour, Allenby and Rothschild, and we can see how God prepared the ground for the restoration of his people.

The prophesied return could not have happened without many people and situations being aligned.

19^th Century: Preparing the Ground

In 1809, the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews (now CMJ, the Church's Ministry among Jewish People) was founded. Its purpose was to declare the Messiahship of Yeshua, first for the Jew and then for the Gentile (Rom 1:16), to teach the Church about its Jewish roots and to encourage the physical restoration of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel. This work made the Jews jealous, and helped develop infrastructure such as schools and hospitals for their future return.

Christchurch, Jerusalem. See Photo Credits.In 1839-41 the British Consulate in Jerusalem, as a reward for helping the Turks repel Egyptian advances, was given orders for the first time to protect the interests of Jews, and in February 1840 permitted to build both a guesthouse and a chapel in the Old City (Christchurch).

In 1841 the first Bishop of Jerusalem, Michael Solomon Alexander, was appointed. And in 1849, George Gowler (Governor of Australia) returned to Britain and accompanied Sir Moses Montefiore to Israel to encourage investment in settlements for the returning Jewish people – all part of God's arrangements for the next century.

We must also remember the amazing and timely work of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the Lithuanian who went to Israel in 1881 and almost single-handedly restored the Hebrew language, following a vision of open heaven and a voice saying, “The renaissance of Israel on its ancestral soil”.⁵ His life’s work produced a working language that has helped to fulfil his vision to hold the Jewish people together and “conduct the business of life”.⁶ 30,000 followed his hearse when he died in 1922.

Britain's unbelief in God's work and timing was shown by the comment in the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannia that “The dream of some Zionists, that Hebrew - a would-be Hebrew, that is to say - will again become a living, popular language in Palestine, has still less prospect of realization than their vision of a restored Jewish empire in the Holy Land”.⁷ How dull of hearing can our nation be!

Zionism and Chaim Weizmann

But there is more! The rise in Jewish Zionism in Europe; the pogroms and persecution in Russia in the 1880s; the publication of Der Judenstadt in 1896 by Theodore Herzl following the framed Dreyfus trial in Paris; Herzl's encouragement by William Hechler, an Anglican minister who was convinced of Jewish restoration to Israel; these and more led to Herzl's prophecy of a Jewish state within 50 years following the First Zionist Congress in Basel in 1897.

World War I, when God began a shaking of the nations that continues today, also produced situations that God used for his purpose and timing. The British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey remarked on the eve of WWI that "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time". The political and social changes in Europe at that time altered situations irrevocably for whole nations, as well as for individuals.

World War I, when God began a shaking of the nations that continues today, also produced situations that God used for his purpose and timing.

One such individual was a chemist from Eastern Europe named Chaim Weizmann, who first met Arthur Balfour in 1905 while working in Manchester on the production of acetone for cordite needed for ammunition. He was an avid Zionist, and on 31 October 1917 (note the date) became President of the British Zionist Federation, working with Balfour to pen the Declaration.

God gave Weizmann favour with both the British and the American governments through 1915-1917 and he lobbied successfully to promote Jewish immigration to Israel in the face of British Mandate resistance. He became the first President of the new State of Israel.

Perfect Conditions

Despite all these historic arrangements, only in 1917 were conditions right for Balfour's declaration of intent and the British Government's agreement to act for its fulfilment.

Conditions were not right in 1916, because the PM (Asquith) was not a Zionist, or in 1918, when the War Cabinet had been disbanded and the (post-war) atmosphere was totally different. The miracle of the Balfour Declaration in 1917 was a mo'ed.

The British War Cabinet that God assembled in December 1916 at the collapse of the Asquith administration was interesting and unusual, being very cosmopolitan and composed mostly of Christians who supported a Jewish restoration to Israel. Each member, whether British or not, had a background and career that predisposed him to favour Balfour’s declaration, as Charles Gardner has outlined in this article.

Only the Lord could have arranged such a diverse group together for this mo'ed, at such a crucially important time.

From Intention to International Law

The Balfour Declaration in 1917 was a statement of intent only. But it was clearly central to God's purposes, and was later ratified in international law.

San Remo Conference delegates, 1920. See Photo Credits.After WWI, the break-up of the Ottoman Empire led to the formation of mandates in the Middle East: areas not yet ready for sovereignty but given to Britain and France to prepare for independent statehood. The League of Nations agreed unanimously to this at the San Remo Conference in Italy in 1920.⁸

France was given the Mandate for Lebanon, Syria, and Mesopotamia (Iraq) and Britain was given an extended Mandate for what was still called 'Palestine', which was not ready for statehood (many Jewish people had not yet returned, owing to Britain restricting immigration,⁹ and there was already Arab resistance).

Several other important outcomes of the San Remo Conference were:

1. 'Palestine' was now a legal entity. All previous agreements (e.g. the Sykes-Pikot Plan) were ended.
   
2. The Balfour Declaration was recognised and incorporated into international law.
   
3. Sovereignty over 'Palestine' was invested in the Jewish people. They became the beneficiary because of their historical connection to the Land of Israel.
   

The legality of the State of Israel thus stems from the 1920 San Remo Agreement (which is still valid international law), NOT the UN Partition vote on 29 November 1947.^10,11 But without the Balfour Declaration, the San Remo Conference would not have taken place.

Despite all these historic arrangements, only in 1917 were conditions right for Balfour's declaration of intent and the British Government's agreement to act for its fulfilment.

Onwards to Fulfilment

The journey from the San Remo Conference in 1920 to the re-creation of the State of Israel in 1948 is the subject of another article, but suffice to say that it was a spiritual battle every step of the way, as anti-Jewish forces (including within British politics and the military) sought to prevent the return of the Jewish people to their Land and to destroy the nascent state, both before and immediately after its creation.

All this time, God continued his preparation for the fulfilment of his mo'ed, for the re-gathering of his covenant people to Eretz Israel. Through the people and events of the day, even including those who resisted his purposes, we can see the orchestration of everything to serve his will and fulfil his word.

The birth of Israel in May 1948 was truly a miracle from the hand of the God of Israel, and in perfect accord with his timing.

• Isaiah 66:8: “Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day, or a nation be brought forth in a moment?” We know the answer to these questions: it is Yes! For God answers his own questions and keeps his promises.
  
• Isaiah 55:10: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth, and making it bud and flourish…so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire, and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
  

Amen and amen! Our response should continue to be as David’s was in 1 Chronicles 17:23: 'Lord, do as you have said.'

References

1 An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Second Edition, Volume 1, published in Edinburgh in 1812, pp443-455.

2 Are You Ready for the End of Time? Available online.

3 Guinness, M, 2005. The Genius of Guinness. Ambassador.

4 Ibid.

5 E.g. see here and here.

6 St. John, R, 1952. The Life Story of Ben-Yehuda: Tongue of the Prophets. Balfour Books, 2013.

7 Encyclopedia Britannica, 1911, Semitic Languages.

8 This was also confirmed by the Allied Supreme Council in April 1921 and accepted wholesale when the UN was formed in 1945.

9 The British military administration became more pro-Arab and anti-Jewish between 1920 and 1948, reneging on their Mandate responsibilities by severely limiting Jewish immigration during this time.

10 The legal right of Jewish people to the Land of Israel was further confirmed and ratified by the League of Nations in July 1922.

11 This proposed that part of the Land (west of the River Jordan) should be for the Jewish people, and part (east of the River Jordan – the area we now call Jordan, which in 1920 was part of 'Palestine') should be for the Arabs, although the Arabs immediately rejected this plan. No Jews were permitted to settle east of the river Jordan, though Arabs were allowed to settle west of it.

100 years ago, an epic cavalry charge opened the way for Jerusalem’s liberation.

The liberation of Jerusalem by Allied forces 100 years ago was undoubtedly one of the great moments of history that should be remembered not only as a military success, but also as a stupendous spiritual victory.

The man in charge, General Edmund Allenby, is said to have carried with him a message from British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, who “wanted Jerusalem as a Christmas present for the British nation”.

The PM’s War Cabinet was in the meantime working on plans for Jewish restoration to their ancient land, but felt that any public announcement of sympathy towards Zionism should be coupled with a military breakthrough.

The Last Great Cavalry Charge in History

And at 4:30pm on 31 October 1917, about 800 bayonet-wielding ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand) horsemen set off in three columns at a canter across a 5km plain to Beersheba on an epic cavalry charge that, in author Kelvin Crombie’s words, would change the course of world history, triggering a chain of events that would lead to the creation of modern Israel.

The Aussie soldiers were evidently riding a death-defying gauntlet of shrapnel, high explosives and machine-gun fire from some 4,000 entrenched Ottoman troops, and their rapid advance prevented the intended complete destruction of local wells, which would have been disastrous for over 50,000 troops and their animals.¹

The epic cavalry charge of the ANZACs would change the course of world history. 

British-led forces had already been repelled twice in their efforts to break through a Turkish/German line of defence stretching from Gaza to Beersheba, the Israeli city now known as capital of the Negev desert region.

Photo thought to show the charge of the Australian Light Horse Brigade, 1917. See Photo Credits.But the Turks were taken by surprise as they did not suspect that anyone would be so foolish as to attack the fortress from the desert. Unfortunately for them, as one wag has put it, nobody has ever accused the Aussies of being in their right minds – enthusiastically charging out on what has been dubbed ‘the last great cavalry charge in history’ even after riding 60 miles through the white-hot, searing sands of an unforgiving Judean desert.

The Australians suffered just 31 troopers killed and 36 wounded as they captured 750 Turks, nine artillery pieces, three machine guns, and tons of other munitions and supplies. Even more importantly, they seized 17 of the 19 wells intact, recovering 90,000 gallons of fresh, drinkable water from the town, enabling the Army to stave off death by dehydration.²

Paving the Way for Balfour Declaration’s Fulfilment

It was surely significant that the Balfour Declaration, through which the British Government promised to do all in its power to establish a national home for the Jews, was signed on the very same day, and subsequently conveyed to Britain’s Jewish leaders. The Battle of Beersheba thus paved the way for the fulfilment of this pledge, and within just six weeks Allenby’s forces ended 400 years of Ottoman rule in the region.

A park dedicated to the Australian soldiers was opened in 2008. It was a $3 million project funded by the philanthropic Pratt Foundation, whose chief executive Sam Lipski told journalists at a ceremony there five years ago that the history of Zionism and the Middle East could have been very different had the ANZACS not defeated the Turks at Beersheba.³

Yet for many young Aussies, the annual pilgrimage to Gallipoli in Turkey – the site of a tragic military defeat in 1915 that cost some 8,000 Australian lives – has become a rite of passage, whereas the stunning military victory at Beersheba remains relatively unknown.

It is surely significant that the Balfour Declaration was signed on the very same day. 

The Liberation of Jerusalem

General Allenby enters Jerusalem unmounted, in reverence of Jesus, 1917. See Photo Credits.The Royal Flying Corps also played a vital role in the liberation of Jerusalem by dropping pamphlets calling upon the Turks to surrender, an event evidently foretold by Isaiah some 2,700 years earlier: “Like birds hovering overhead, the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it” (Isa 31:5). As it happens, this passage was also the required reading in all Anglican (Church of England) churches that week.

As a result, Jerusalem surrendered without a shot being fired, perhaps also helped by the similarity of Allenby’s signature to the Arabic (Al-Nebbi) for the prophet Mohammed. Victory in Jerusalem coincided with the Hanukkah festival recalling Jewish liberation from Greek-Syrian tyranny in the second century before Christ.

On 11 December Allenby declared British military rule from the ancient steps of the Tower of David, right opposite Christ Church, headquarters of the Church’s Ministry among Jewish people (CMJ) who had done so much to convince political and church leaders of Israel’s destiny under God. He arrived at the Old City on horseback, but dismounted at Jaffa Gate before entering the holy enclave on foot, declaring: “It does not behoove me, a Christian, to enter the City of my Messiah mounted.”

The Role of Evangelical Christians

Without in any way minimising the contribution of the ANZAC troops towards Israel’s re-birth, the ground had been well prepared over the previous century by British evangelical Christians such as William Wilberforce, Lord Shaftesbury, Charles Spurgeon and Bishop JC Ryle, who believed that Jewish redemption is a fundamental aspect of biblical truth, and prayed to that end.

They in turn influenced the movers and shakers of the age, backed up (through divine providence) by the rise of Jewish Zionism under Theodor Herzl. The result was the Balfour Declaration.

The ground had been well prepared over the previous century by British evangelical Christians who believed that Jewish redemption is a fundamental aspect of biblical truth, and prayed to that end. 

An interesting footnote is that most of Lloyd George’s 1917 War Cabinet were evangelical Christians – ironically, the only member strongly opposed to the policy, Edwin Montague, was Jewish. Balfour, the Foreign Secretary, had already served as Prime Minister and declared on his deathbed that aiding Jewish restoration was possibly the most worthwhile thing he had done. Also in the cabinet was South Africa’s Jan Christiaan Smuts, who had long predicted that a great Jewish state would arise once more.⁴

Notes

1 Crombie, K, 1998. Anzacs, Empires and Israel’s Restoration: 1798-1948. Vocational Education & Training Publications.

2 Dan Goldberg, Haaretz newspaper, 30 October 2012, though some facts are gleaned from an anonymous blogger.

3 Ibid.

4 Gardner, C. The Magnificent Ten. Prophecy Today UK, 3 February 2017.

Paul Luckraft reviews ‘31st October, Destiny’s Date?’ (DVD, 2017, Heritage Resources).

This year sees two major anniversaries centred upon the date of 31 October: the centenary of the Balfour Declaration and the 500^th anniversary of the start of the Reformation, when Luther presented his 95 theses to challenge the practices of the dominant Roman Catholic Church.

The value of this new DVD, presented by Kelvin Crombie, is that it links these events (and two others also on 31 October) and concludes by asking whether this is merely coincidence or whether there is an ultimate destiny behind it all.

The Significance of Beersheba

The DVD is set out in 12 chapters of varying lengths (between six and 18 minutes) and starts with a minute-long trailer (which is also the opening of chapter 1). In some ways the presentation is a slow burner with a lot of preparatory material, starting with the importance of Beersheba in Abraham’s time. For the later significance of this same geographical place we have to wait until chapter 10 - but it is well worth waiting for.

The climax of the DVD is very powerful as the drama unfolds. The mounted attack on Beersheba under General Allenby, and the War Cabinet’s deliberations on what would later be known as the ‘Balfour Declaration’ are skilfully interlinked to produce a tension that is suddenly relieved: God has been in charge all along. His purposes will not be thwarted.

As the drama unfolds, events are skilfully interlinked and the tension is ultimately relieved: God has been in charge all along and his purposes will not be thwarted.

Slices of History

Each chapter is based upon a slice of history and we are kept well informed of where we are on the timeline. The first two chapters cover the period from the time of Abraham right up to the 15^th Century, picking out necessary background material. Chapter 3 (1453-1798) is the longest at 18 minutes and looks at the dynamics of change brought about by the Ottoman Empire and the Reformation.

Chapters 4 and 5 start with Napoleon’s invasion of the Holy Land (1799) and his call to the Jews to return, and conclude with the second of the four ‘31 October’ events: the arrival of Kaiser Wilhelm II into Jerusalem in 1898 to open the new German church there. The significance of this gradually unfolds in the rest of the DVD.

Chapters 6 and 7 cover the alliances being formed in the period before the First World War and the start of the War itself. Chapter 8 explains the military and political ramifications of the Dardenelles campaign and the landings at Gallipoli. Here we see the beginning of the role that Lord Balfour would play in the years to come.

Chapter 9 is an excellent presentation of the events of 1916-17 leading up to the meeting of the British War Cabinet on 31 October to consider the request of Lord Rothschild for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. But simultaneously we are constantly reminded of what is happening ‘on the ground’ there as the future of Palestine is being fought out under General Allenby. Was it coincidence that the date for the assault on Beersheba was also set for 31 October?

Chapter 10 brings both strands to their conclusion: victory at Beersheba and the chance to push on to Jerusalem, and the Declaration of the British Government concerning a Jewish homeland (2 November 1917). Each needed the other - and God ensured that both happened.

Each chapter is based upon a slice of history and we are kept well informed of where we are on the timeline.

How God Shapes History

Throughout the DVD the question is constantly posed: is it possible that the Jews could ever return to the Land as stated by Old Testament prophecies? At times it seemed impossible or at least a distant dream. By the end of the DVD we can see how God shapes history and in particular how he has kept his promises to his ancient people. We are left in no doubt that history from 1917 onwards is also under God’s direction and prophetic hand.

This DVD is highly recommended for personal edification and can also be useful for group study and discussion, though due to its length certain sections may have to be omitted and replaced by a verbal summary.

31 October, Destiny’s Date? (123 minutes) is available from Re-vived for £11.99. Also available from CFI, CMJ and on Amazon. You can also watch the trailer on Youtube.