Editor’s Note: With the recent events that have taken place in the Middle East, AAU asked Carlin Lawrence to give an insight to what these events mean according to the Bible. What he has written this month may come as a shock or even a revelation to many. However, it is not old news, but prophecy that has been written for thousands of years.
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zechariah 12:2-3).
The conflict between the Jews and the Arabs is not new; it started in the days of Abraham (cf. Genesis 16-21).
This word “cup” is the Hebrew word “saph”. It is a cup used only to serve intoxication drinks. The people that seek to destroy Judah and Jerusalem will be so intoxicated with anger that their thinking is irrational. This desire for the destruction of Israel has poisoned their brain. “The cup of trembling,” is also used as a reference to the wrath of God that is to be poured out on Israel’s enemies (cf. Isaiah 51:17, 22-23). “A burdensome stone,” a stone too heavy for any man to lift. Only God can solve this problem; Bible prophecy is being fulfilled before our very eyes.
God chose the nation of Israel to bring the Messiah into the world. He promised to bless them if they would obey and serve Him, but they turned their back on God. God sent the prophets to warn them of the dire consequences of forsaking the Lord. “Then the Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other” (Deuteronomy 28:64).
Starting in about 720 BC, God used different kingdoms to conquer the nation of Israel and scatter them throughout the world. Titus, a Roman general, finished up this process in 70 AD when he and his army destroyed a large part of Jerusalem and over one million people were killed. The nation of Israel ceased to exist.
But God had not forgotten His promise to bring them back into the land again. “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land” (Ezekiel 37:21; cf. Isaiah 11:12).
For almost 2000 years the nation of Israel did not exist, but in May of 1948 Israel became a nation again. They are now dwelling in the land that God had promised their father Abraham (Genesis 12:7; 13:14-17; 15:7; 15:16; 17:8; 24:7).
The moment Israel became a nation Syria attacked from the north, Jordan attacked from the east and Egypt attacked from the south. Before the nation could take its first breath, it found itself in a struggle for survival.
These Arab nations were determined that the nation of Israel would not exist in the territory that was assigned to them by the UN resolution. Jordan took the West Bank, Egypt took the Sinai desert and Syria took the Golan Heights. The Jews held on to enough territory to establish a nation. That was a miracle of God.
In 1967, Syria, Jordan and Egypt, armed by Russia, planned to exterminate the nation of Israel. But the Lord was with Israel and in six days the Jews took the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt; they took the West Bank from Jordan and they took the Golan Heights from Syria. For the first time in over 2000 years Jerusalem became a united city under the control of the nation of Israel.
In 1973, the Arabs designed what they called, “The War of Extermination,” it is now called the “Yom Kippur War,” and again they attacked Israel. This surprise attack by Egypt and Syria on Yom Kippur nearly accomplished their goals of exterminating Israel. Israel began their counter attack and took back all of the Sinai Peninsula from the Egyptians and pushed them back into Egypt. The Israeli army was within about 17 miles of Damascus, Syria, when both Egypt and Syria called for a cease-fire. That was when the United States came into the picture and persuaded Israel to cease their military action and come to the peace table. Once again, the hand of God and many miracles spared Israel.
There will be a future war that will include most of the Arab nations, along with the help of other nations from north of Israel, who will attack Israel and seek to destroy it. At this time God will step in and destroy five-sixths of this invading army. It will take seven months to bury the dead, and Israel will use the leftover weapons of this war for fuel for seven years (Read Ezekiel 38-39).
This problem between Israel and the Arabs is not going to go away, it will only get worse. It may seem that some progress is being made, but it will only be a pseudo peace. The Arab countries do not want the nation of Israel to exist, history proves this. Arafat does not want a part of Israel for a Palestinian homeland; he wants all of Israel. Arafat wants Israel to cease to exist.
We need to remember that this is a spiritual battle; both God and Satan have assigned powerful angels to influence rulers and nations, especially in their policies for or against Israel. Behind the scenes there is a supernatural battle going on that is invisible to the human eye (cf. Daniel 10:18-11:1; Ephesians 6:12).
When the antichrist comes on the scene he will make a seven-year peace agreement with Israel. In the middle of the seven years he will break his agreement and cause what Jesus calls “an abomination that causes desolation” (cf. Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15).
Our world is headed for a “One World Government.” When this one world government comes together, the people will think that there is going to be a lasting peace. But the apostle Paul wrote, “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “peace and safety”, destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3). Jesus said, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matthew 24:44).
Jesus is coming back to this earth. Are you prepared to meet Him? Have you kept yourself from being polluted by the evil systems of this world? (James 1:27). Can you say that you have fought the good fight and kept the faith? (2 Timothy 4:7).