May 18th 2012       Thought for the week

For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. Scripture tells us this in Isaiah 62:1 "For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp [that] burneth." I want to inform you that this Sunday is Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day), the 45th anniversary of the historic 1967 liberation and reunification of Jerusalem. On Jerusalem Day, Israelis will parade through the streets of Jerusalem to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967. This public holiday in Israel, which is marked on the 28th day of Iyar, is the most recent addition to the Hebrew calendar. So although Jerusalem was reunified on June 7, 1967, because of differences between the Gregorian and Hebrew calendars, Jerusalem Day falls on May 20th in 2012. On this day, during the Six Day War, the whole of Jerusalem once again came under Jewish sovereignty for the first time in 2000 years! As the Israel Defense Forces were about to take back the Old City of Jerusalem from Jordanian control on June 7, 1967, Colonel Motta Gur spoke these electrifying words: "All company commanders: we are sitting right now on the ridge and we’re seeing the Old City. Shortly we’re going to go in to the Old City of Jerusalem that all generations have dreamed about." Indeed, Jerusalem has long been the heart of the Jewish People. “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord. Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.’ We find this saying in Psalm 122:1&2 "[[A Song of degrees of David.]] I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. 2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem." Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.  Yom Yerushalayim is a Day to Praise the Lord! Let's read further down Psalm 122: 3&4 "Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: 4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD." Thousands of Israelis will travel to Jerusalem on this day to show solidarity with the city, and visit the Old City and the Western "Wailing" Wall. The celebrations will include state ceremonies and memorial services for soldiers who were killed in the fight for Jerusalem in 1967. There are also parades through Jerusalem, dancing, singing, teachings for school children on the importance of this city, and festive television programs. In particular, the Hallel, a special holiday prayer of praise and thanksgiving that recites Psalms 113-118, will be offered in synagogues. It is a time for the people to dance. Jerusalem Day is characterized by parades, music and dancing, and of course, the Israeli flag. Not everyone will rejoice, however. Many Muslim Arabs see this as a day of mourning and wear black or fly a black flag. Nevertheless, they have it wrong. This is most definitely a day of rejoicing, and Jews and Believers everywhere should give praise to God for His faithfulness and the prophetic fulfillment of Scripture. Ler's turn to Zechariah 1:16 "Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem." In fact, Jerusalem is mentioned over 600 times in Scripture; however it is not mentioned by name a single time in the Koran. Yet scripture tells is that many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. We see this in Isaiah 2:3 "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. You may be wondering just what did happen to Jerusalem. Scripture tells us that David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. We see this in 2 Samuel 5:4&5 "David [was] thirty years old when he began to reign, [and] he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah." Three thousand years ago David, the Jewish king whose prayers are recorded in the book of Psalms, established Jerusalem as the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel as we can see in 2 Samuel 5. And when David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, it forever became the spiritual capital of the Jewish People as we are told in 2 Samuel 6. God promised David that his seed would build a house for God’s name and that he would reign from David’s throne in Jerusalem. We see this in 2 Samuel 7:11-16 "And as since the time that I commanded judges [to be] over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. 12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took [it] from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever." We can also see that Nathan spoke these words to David in 1 Chronicles 17:11-15 "And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go [to be] with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. 13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took [it] from [him] that was before thee: 14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore. 15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David." Indeed, David’s son Solomon did build the First Temple in Jerusalem according to David’s plans and preparations Scripture tells us this in 2 Chronicles 3&4. Sadly, even Solomon’s walk with the Lord was compromised with idolatry. Moreover, many of the kings of Israel and Judah after Solomon were indifferent to the Lord God. Although there were times of revival, and the Temple did remain at the center of national life for Judah, the spiritual decline continued, despite the prophets’ warnings that the Temple would be destroyed and Israel sent into exile. We see this in Jeremiah 25:11 "And this whole land shall be a desolation, [and] an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years." Since Solomon built that First Temple, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice; first by the Babylonians in 586 BC, then by the Romans in 70 AC.

Jerusalem has been conquered and re-conquered no less than 44 times. Yet we are told of a Re-gathering of Israel. Please turn with me to Jeremiah 23:3 "And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase." Although there has always been a remnant of Jews living in Israel, many Bible scholars believe that the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 was a fulfillment of the prophesied worldwide re-gathering of the Jewish People found in Jeremiah 23. It is said that when Israel declared her independence in 1948, she was attacked by her neighboring Arab countries. Sadly, after Israel fought for her survival in the 1948 War of Independence, Jerusalem remained divided between Israel and Jordan, with Jordan controlling the Old City and East Jerusalem which includes where the Temples once stood. Under Jordanian rule, the Jewish residents of these areas were forced to leave. Many synagogues were decimated. However this situation was redeemed during the Six Day War of 1967, when after a period of intense hostility from Israel’s Arab neighbors, which once again threatened the destruction of the Jewish State, Israel, launched a pre-emptive strike on the Egyptian air force. In the resulting war between Israel and the Arab countries of Egypt, Syria and Jordan, the Arab armies were miraculously routed in just six days, and the Jews were back in charge of Jerusalem. With this knowledge one might wonder if the Times of the Gentiles Fulfilled, because scripture tells us that Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled in Luke 21:24 "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."

With Jerusalem back in Jewish hands, can it be said that the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled? To answer that, we must take a closer look at what is happening in Jerusalem. Although Israel technically has authority over the entire city, the Temple Mount is still under the administration of the Islamic Waqf, albeit with the consent of the Israeli government. According to Judaism, the Temple Mount is Mount Zion, the place where God dwells we see this in Isaiah 8:18 "Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me [are] for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion." It’s also believed to be the site of Mount Moriah, where Abraham bound Isaac to offer him as a sacrifice. Nevertheless, the Dome of the Rock was built on this spot in 692 CE, and it remains there to this day. Jews and non-Muslims are heavily restricted from going up on the Mount. Moreover, a defensive wall has had to be built to protect the city against Jihadist terrorist attacks and suicide bombers coming in from the Palestinian-controlled West Bank. With the Fig Tree Blossoming the Messianic Leaders Weigh in on Israel’s Re-gathering. Remember he told them this parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near in Luke 21:29-31 "And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; 30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." It is said that Howard Bass, the leader of Israeli Messianic congregation Nachalat Yeshua, said, “It’s clear after 45 years of Israeli 'sovereignty' over Jerusalem that it’s not 'united' and is still being trampled underfoot by Gentiles.” Even so, he added, "the 1967 recapture of Jerusalem was a marker of “God's ongoing work to restore His own possessions: the people of Israel, the city of Jerusalem, the land of Israel, and the whole Earth.” Paul Liberman, President of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, affirmed this move of God. During the early 1970’s there was speculation among Jewish Believers and Believers about whether the timing of the new Jewish revival was somehow connected to the 1967 Israel War "Romans 11:25, Luke 21:24" however today, that’s considered somewhat obvious. To illustrate his point, Liberman said, “Prior to 1967 there were two Christian evangelistic outreaches; that I know of; in a Jewish style of worship services." By 1975, there were eight functioning Messianic fellowships, whose leadership representatives were all on a panel at a national conference of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America. Today, it’s estimated there are 600–700 such groups worldwide, with a conservative estimate of 120 of them in Israel. I believe that even though Jerusalem remains a troubled city, Believers should take to heart God’s words through the prophet Isaiah: You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem praise in the earth as written in Isaiah. 62:6&7 "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, 7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth." So be warned; keep your faith strong and your feet firmly planted on the path of righteousness.

Rev. Dr. Karla Potter