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!

We are living in a time when there is a widespread sense of impending international crisis. How do we see things from Heaven's perspective?

In the past week, Westminster has been buzzing with speculation that the Prime Minister will call a referendum on Europe as early as June this year. At the meeting of business leaders in Davos, Switzerland this week, David Cameron has been urging increased support for a deal that will bolster his campaign for Britain to stay in the European Union.

He called upon business leaders to make their voices heard in support of Britain staying within Europe. His appeal was strengthened by reports that Goldman Sachs had made a donation of a six-figure sum to the campaign to keep Britain in the EU as the Prime Minister threw his weight behind the campaign.

But most of Europe's leaders have other things on their minds, as the migrant crisis deepens. Donald Tusk, the current President of the European Council, said that Europe has two months in which to solve the migrant crisis - or the EU itself is likely to collapse. He was referring to the reduced numbers trying to enter Eastern Europe via Greece in the winter months, when the crossing from Turkey is particularly dangerous. He was forecasting that as soon as spring arrives, the vast flow of migrants and asylum seekers will be beyond control. 

EU Collapse?

Winter sets in in 'The Jungle' migrant camp, Calais.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has also warned that the European Union is in danger of fracturing in the coming months if the migrants cannot be stopped. Despite the winter weather, there are reports that 2,000 newcomers a day are finding their way into Europe.

Europe's open borders policy allowing all its citizens to move freely has already collapsed, with the closing of borders between many eastern European nations and - significantly - between Austria and Germany, as well as the closing of the 10-mile-long bridge between Denmark and Sweden.

The re-imposition of border controls has come about through the vast numbers coming from the war zones of Syria and Iraq, as well as North Africa via Italy, that are imposing impossible demands upon public services such as housing, health, education and employment. It simply is not possible to accommodate such large numbers in many communities in such a short time.

Europe's open borders policy has already collapsed and public services are pressurised. It is simply not possible to accommodate such large numbers in such a short time.

Culture Clashes

But the major pressure has been intensified by reports that have filled the media of sex attacks upon women and girls by asylum seekers and migrants, which have inflamed public opinion.

These incidents, which police and local authorities have tried to hide, are the inevitable result of the clash of cultures. Cultural integration simply cannot take place in a short space of time, neither can it be forced upon a community for which no preparation has been made and where no attempt has been made to ensure that the newcomers have even a basic understanding of the language and customs of the host society.

International Upheaval

The mistakes that have been made in Europe are horrendous and come at a time of increasing international conflict, economic uncertainty and political upheaval. There is a widespread sense of impending international crisis that is compounded by the economic chaos in China; the tensions in the Far East caused by North Korean boasts that they have exploded a hydrogen bomb; the expectation that Iran will flood the market with cheap oil that will destabilise the economy of oil-producing countries, the increasing complexity of the Syrian civil war and the brutal conflict being waged by the so-called Islamic State.

As if all this is not enough, the murder of Alexander Litvinenko in London has added to diplomatic tensions between Britain and Russia after an enquiry implicated President Putin in the assassination.

The EU migrant situation, with a host of other events around the globe, together compound a widespread sense of impending international crisis.

Heaven's Perspective

That's a brief roundup of just some of the things that are going on in the world. But what is the prophetic significance of these events? If it were possible to look at the state of the world from the heavenly places, what conclusion would be reached? I think our 'heavenly observer' might start by quoting Psalm 2; "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. Let us break their chains, they say, and throw off their fetters".

The evidence suggests that the whole world is in rebellion against its Creator. In Britain they are even teaching small school children that there is no such thing as 'gender' in an attempt to blot out the Creator of the Universe! The psalmist says that "the Lord God scoffs at them!" because he knows that one day they will be brought before him to account for their lives and the evil they have done. In fact, Jesus said it would be better for people who destroy the lives of children to have a millstone tied around their necks and drown in the sea than go on abusing children.

But on the bigger picture, the Bible tells us that there will come a time in world history when the rebellion of humans against the God of Creation becomes so great that their actions threaten to destroy the entire world. Before that happens, God will do something dramatic. He will shake all nations, and everything that human beings have created, from the great financial and political empires to the denominational structures that we call 'churches'. In fact, the only things that will not be shaken are the things that God himself has made. Isaiah describes the day when the great shaking of all creation reaches its climax. He says that "The pride of men will be humbled; and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day" (Isa 2:17).

The Bible tells of a time in world history when human rebellion against God will become so great that their actions threaten to destroy the entire world - but also that God will intervene.

None of us knows when all this will happen, but the year 2016 has certainly started with a lot of events which indicate that a significant milestone has been reached in world history. The advice of Jesus was when we see these things happening we should "watch and pray".