Can There Be Peace In The Middle East?

     Please take a look at the video below so you will know more about what is really happening in the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The video is produced by the Messianic Jewish ministry Maoz Israel, whose ministry is preaching the Gospel to Israel. Then I would like you to read the articles I have linked below the video, which show the hypocrisy of Israel’s opponents in the peace process.

     Also understand this as you are considering these things, Israel is not going anywhere. However, their existence is for the purpose of bringing glory to God, and salvation to the world, both of which are the Biblical purpose for their creation. As God told Abraham, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Genesis 22:18 (NKJV). And as God said through the Prophet Jeremiah, “Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.”  Jeremiah 33:9 (NKJV). 

     All through the Old Testament, the prophets warned that Israel would be scattered throughout the nations due to their turning away from God, but that one day God Himself would bring Israel back. Even before Israel was scattered throughout the Babylonian Empire around the sixth century B.C., and way before Rome scattered Israel beginning in 70 A.D., Jeremiah wrote:

     “Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that they shall no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.”

Jeremiah 23:7, 8 (NKJV).

     God promised through Jeremiah, and in fact all of the prophets, that Israel will one day dwell safely in their own land. That peace, however, will only come when the Prince of Peace arrives for the second time, the God-Man Jesus Christ, Yeshua Moshiach, both the Son of David and the Son of God. Jeremiah also wrote of this saying:

          “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD,

     “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;

A King shall reign and prosper,

And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

     In His days Judah will be saved,

And Israel will dwell safely;

Now this is His name by which He will be called:

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Jeremiah 23:5, 6 (NKJV).

     Isaiah called this same Branch of David “the Branch of the LORD.” Isaiah 4:2b (NKJV). Because Jesus was fully man, a descendant of King David, and fully God, the second member of the Trinity, He was thus a Branch of both!  Because He was both fully man and fully God, He is the One who paid our debt to God on the cross, and gave us His Righteousness!

     The Prophet Zechariah spoke of the Messiah using the same title the “Branch,” and even foretold the words used by Pontius Pilot, “Behold the Man!” (John 19:5b (NKJV)):

     Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH!
From His place He shall branch out,
And He shall build the temple of the LORD;
     Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD.
He shall bear the glory,
And shall sit and rule on His throne;
So He shall be a priest on His throne,
And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

Zechariah 6:12b, 13 (NKJV).

     Isaiah described His reign as the Prince of Peace like this:

          For unto us a Child is born,

     Unto us a Son is given;

     And the government will be upon His shoulder.

     And His name will be called

     Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

          Of the increase of His government and peace

     There will be no end,

     Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

     To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

     From that time forward, even forever.

     The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah 9:6, 7 (NKJV).

Can There Be Peace In The Middle East? from maozisrael on Vimeo.


IAF Gaza Air Strikes Wound 4 Terrorists
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/139943

Palestinian Official: No Chance Of Serious Peace Talks With Netanyahu Government
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/palestinian-official-no-chance-of-serious-peace-talks-with-netanyahu-government-1.317681

September A Record Month For Missiles From Gaza
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/139931

PA Continues To Teach Denial Of Israel's Existence 
http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=3351

Lebanon Transformed: A Hizbullah Nation, Iranian Proxy
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/139945

     King David warned us to repent and put our faith in the Lord Jesus while we can when he wrote:

Now therefore, be wise, O kings;

     Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear,

     And rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,

     And you perish in the way,

     When His wrath is kindled but a little.

     Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Psalm 2: (NKJV).

     Jesus is coming back. By the look of how the world is hurtling towards the latter days events foretold by the prophets, He might be coming back very, very soon. If you have never repented from your own personal rebellion against God, and put your faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, that His death on the cross 2,000 years ago paid your personal debt to God, do it now! If you hear His voice, do as Jesus commanded, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15b (NKJV).

Who Really Wants Peace?

Photo Found At:  http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/09/14/israeli-palestinian-leaders-prepare-meet-clinton-says-time-ripe-peace/

     I find it very interesting that our world is so intent on forcing peace upon people who really want nothing to do with it. Granted, the biggest antagonist, Iran, is not part of nor will be bound by any peace negotiation. However, even Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority’s leader, who is directly involved with the peace negotiations, clearly doesn’t really want peace.

     They want to have their way, and that’s it! No true compromise is being sought after. This false sense of seeking peace is reminiscent of the way the false prophets in the days of Jeremiah were deceiving the people immediately before the Babylonians obliterated Judah:

     They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly,

Saying, “Peace, peace!”

When there is no peace.

Jeremiah 6:14 (NKJV).

     Those false prophets made people feel better by saying peace was coming, but that was deception. God told the people through Jeremiah that because they ignored the prophets and refused to repent, God would punish them through the Babylonians.

     Very interestingly, Jeremiah spoke of another time in the future when Israel would go through the worst time of trouble the world has ever seen, but that it would be for their good, to bring them to faith in the Messiah:

     We have heard a voice of trembling,

Of fear, and not of peace.
…

     Alas! For that day is great,

So that none is like it;

And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,

But he shall be saved out of it.

…

     But they shall serve the LORD their God,

And David their king,

Whom I will raise up for them.

Jeremiah 30:5b, 7, 9 (NKJV).

     The Prophet Zechariah also spoke of this time, describing it as a time when the world’s focus will be on Jerusalem with drunken-like madness:

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.

Zechariah 12:2, 3 (NKJV).

     I believe we are entering that time, which both Jeremiah and Zechariah spoke of. I believe it because the Bible says multiple times that the regathering of Israel and the time of Jacob’s trouble would occur in the latter days, “In the latter days you will consider it.” Jeremiah 30:24b (NKJV).

     Read the articles that follow and consider whether you believe peace is possible:

With Compromise Elusive, Mideast Talks Threatened By End Of Settlement Slowdown At Midnight

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/09/25/jewish-settlers-west-bank-prepare-end-building-freeze-races-rescue-talks/

Kassam On Negev; Leftists, Arabs Riot In Jerusalem

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/139766

Mahmoud Abbas: Israel Must Choose Between Peace And Settlement Construction

http://www.hamsayeh.net/hamsayehnet_iran-international%20news1707.htm

High Alert In Jerusalem As Arab Riots Continue

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/139760

Sha’ath: Only Netanyahu Can Save Talks By Extending Freeze

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=189293

     All of these things should cause you to recognize that the Bible is indeed real. Israel’s existence after 2,000 years of dispersion should be enough on its own, since the Bible repeatedly said they would be scattered and regathered in the latter days. If we are approaching the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, then Jesus Christ is soon to return, and He is the only One who will bring true peace.

     Moreover, if you have never repented of your sin and put your faith in Christ alone for salvation, do it today, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2b (NKJV). There is no time to delay. If you hear His voice, do as Jesus commanded, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15b (NKJV).

9/27/2010 UPDATE:

Lieberman: PA Refused To Accept Freeze For 9 Months
http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=189438