On May 14, 1948, Israel declared her independence. For more than 50 years before that date Jewish people had been moving back to their homeland. This area, known as Israel in the Bible, had been subject to foreign control since before Jesus was born. In later years the Romans called the land “Palestine” (from the Philistines, who were earlier enemies of Israel). This was an insult to the Jewish people who had been driven away from their God-given land. The land was sparsely occupied by mostly Arab settlers, who were called “Palestinians” by virtue of living in Palestine. After the horrors of World War II, and the death camps of the Nazis, which destroyed 6 million Jews, the sympathy of much of the world was with them when they declared their rebirth as the nation of Israel in 1948. The big problem was that this act displaced many of the Palestinians who had lived there. Actually, the Palestinians were given the choice of staying and becoming Israeli citizens. Or they could move to the Gaza or West Bank areas. Some of them tried to move to nearby Arab countries, but were not permitted to do so. Therefore, they found themselves living in the difficult environment of refugee camps. On the very day that Israel declared their independence they were attacked by all of their neighboring countries. Miraculously, by God’s grace, they won that war. Since then they have had to fight several other wars to retain their existence. During the Six-Day war in 1967 Israel acquired additional areas, including the Golan Heights, the West Bank, and parts of the Sinai Peninsula.
The Islamic Revolution – Iran 1979
In 1979 Iran experienced a revolution, exiling the reigning leader, the Shah, and installing an Islamic government. This, in fact, became the Islamic Revolution. It was a reaction to the successes of the new nation of Israel, and signaled a rebirth of Islamic aspirations to rule the world that had been stopped by World War I. The Islamic Revolution also provided the environment that eventually gave rise to modern terrorism all over the world. Iran itself has not produced many terrorists, but the government of Iran encourages and sponsors terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. It must be noted that not all Muslims agree with this radical, militant view of Islam. It is generally claimed that only about 10% of them hold this position, but the majority do little or nothing to stop the rise of this dangerous trend. Iranians are not generally Arabs. They are mostly of Persian descent and are proud of their ancient history. These deep enmities go all the way back to Old Testament times. Modern nations that are descendants of Israel’s ancient enemies are at the heart of this struggle. There has always been tension between the descendants of Abraham‘s older son, Ishmael and his younger son, Isaac. Isaac, of course, was the father of Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Ishmael‘s large family became a significant portion of the Arabs–inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula. Joktan and Esau became patriarchs of many other Arab tribes in the same area (Genesis 10:25- 30; 25:1-34).
9/11 and Islamic Terrorism
Islamic terrorism shook the United States unexpectedly on September 11, 2001, when three hijacked airliners executed simultaneous attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington DC. A fourth plane, heading for either the Capital Building or the White House was forced to crash by the brave passengers aboard.
Afghanistan and Iraq
The sneak attack was planned by a fringe group of Islamic terrorists called Al-Qaeda, who were led by a Saudi Arabian zealot named Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden’s group was in Afghanistan, so the U.S. soon invaded that country. During this time Saddam Hussein, the dictator of Iraq (the ancient land of Babylon and Assyria), ignored numerous United Nations resolutions to stop development of nuclear weapons. It is still debated today whether or not they actually had nuclear weapons, it was known that they had and used other weapons of mass destruction to destroy their own Kurdish countrymen. After much debate, the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003 and is still there today, having high hopes of producing a free democratic nation in the area.
Threat from Iran
Now, again, a Middle Eastern nation is developing nuclear weapons, and doing so against the various resolutions that have been made by the United Nations. Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has engaged in the most hateful rhetoric against Israel, claiming they have no right to exist, and vowing to destroy them. And in his case, if they really do obtain nuclear weapons, they will probably use them, because he believes he is the forerunner of the Islamic Messiah, whom they call The Twelfth Imam. According to their worldview there must be an apocalypse first, and then their messiah can step forward to restore order.
The Quest for Peace
During the past several decades, terrorism has become a major problem in Israel and the surrounding nations. American Presidents and many other world leaders have taken the initiative of proposing various peace plans that would hopefully settle the tensions between Israel and the Palestinians that is at the heart of the problem. The whole world is eager to see peace in the Middle East because only then can they hope to see the decline of world-wide terrorism. One after another these various plans have failed to bring agreement and/or implementation.
A Two-State Solution?
Peace talks continue from year to year. One proposed solution is to establish a separate Palestinian state existing beside Israel in harmony. The Palestinians want all of the land they lost in the 1967 war, but Israel feels that those exact boundaries would leave them vulnerable to future attacks. For that reason they have established numerous Jewish settlements, presumably with the idea in mind that when a peace proposal is accepted, some settlements would be kept for security reasons and others could be traded with the Palestinians for certain areas necessary to Israel’s defense. There is also the question of whether or not to allow displaced Palestinians to return to Israel. The Palestinians insist on ―the right of return.‖ Israel‘s position has been that this is not negotiable because it would alter its Jewish character. So far the Palestinians have not been willing to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
What about Jerusalem and the Temple Mount?
Of greatest importance to both Israel and the Palestinians are the issues of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Both countries would want their capitals in Jerusalem. This might be accomplished by a division of the city, but numerous Israeli leaders have promised their people they would not give up any of Jerusalem in the future. However, there are indications that they might be willing to give up portions of East Jerusalem, which is populated primarily by Palestinians. The Temple Mount is sacred to both Jewish and Muslim people. This is undoubtedly the most difficult aspect of the peace process. A new Temple could be built for Jews without destroying the existing Islamic shrines there, but would either side ever agree to such a thing? See Chapter 10 – The Rebuilt Temple. A Temporary Peace Everyone is hopeful that a peace agreement can eventually be hammered out between the Israelis and the Palestinians. It should be added here that there could be more than one peace agreement before people would proclaim that “peace and safety” have finally prevailed. But when that effective agreement has been signed, it will be a shaky peace. 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 5:3 The scene will then be set for the opening acts of the Tribulation, according to Revelation Chapter 6. Without being dogmatic about the details, here is one possible sequence that could lead from the signing of a peace agreement to the events of the Tribulation. The first major development of the Tribulation is the opening of the First Seal. I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. – Revelation 6:1-2 The rider will be the coming world dictator, though he may not be recognized as such at the beginning. Riding a white horse symbolizes the fact that he will be accepted as some kind of messiah. (Jesus, the true Messiah will come on a white horse at the end of the Tribulation – Revelation 19.) As a military victor, this rider of the white horse may be the one who facilitates the peace process. But even if he does, this will probably not yet be the seven-year covenant predicted in Daniel 9:27. The reason for this is shown by the event that takes place when the Second Seal is opened. When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword. – Revelation 6:3-4 This war takes peace from the earth. It is a world war. But it is not the Battle of Armageddon, which comes at the end of the Tribulation. This war is at the beginning of the Tribulation, and is different than the Battle of Armageddon in many ways. Many prophecy scholars relate this war to the one described in Ezekiel, Chapters 38 and 39. That war is said to begin after Israel has been supernaturally restored as a nation (Ezekiel Chapters 36 and 37). It will take place at a time when it could be said, of Israel that it is, ―a land of unwalled villages,” and “a peaceful and unsuspecting people‖ (Ezekiel 38:11). The battle itself involves nations from many places. It is over quickly because The Lord intervenes by sending “fire and brimstone,” which could be literally the same as what happened to Sodom, or it could describe a nuclear war. Great wars are normally ended by a peace treaty, and since Israel is the object of the war, the treaty would be between Israel and her enemies. That might very well be the seven-year pact of Daniel’s vision.
Before or After the Rapture?
Will this temporary peace be before or after the rapture? It could be either before or after the signing of a peace agreement. This is one reason we live in any-moment anticipation of the rapture. There is no exact sign that accompanies this great event. It comes suddenly, so we should always be ready for it (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:10; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58).
