God Will Bring Middle East Peace

Now two peoples, Jews and Arabs, are locked in an epic struggle on several fronts in the Middle East. The news media daily chronicles this great drama. Syrians want Israel to give them the Golan Heights, yet refuse to shake Israeli hands at negotiations. Syrians say, "Give us the land and then we'll negotiate." Palestinian Arabs want more land from Israel yet lapse upon previously agreed commitments to end terrorism. What, realistically, would this "peace," arranged by fallen man, be like? Very cold at best.

To the worldly, not enlightened by the prophetic lamp of the Scriptures, the struggle is merely political. It is not. Surely, at the very heart of Middle East struggles lies the question, "Who is the true God?!"

Is God the mighty Jehovah of Judeo-Christian belief or Allah of the Muslim faith? The final outcome of the struggle between Jews and Muslims will answer the question. We firmly believe God will vindicate himself.

Where Christians stand on this issue is of utmost importance. Do we support the Arab side of the land struggle? If so, we may unwittingly be opposing our God. The prophet Ezekiel shows us God's perspective on the contested land and the embattled Jewish people. Speaking to the invading forces of Gog at the time of Israel's final battle, God warns, "And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes." Ezekiel 38:16

The phrases "my people" and "my land" emphasize that centuries after the Diaspora, God still considers the Jews his people and the Land of Israel his land. Note that this occurs before Messiah is revealed to the Jews. Zechariah 12:10. The land of Israel and the Jewish people are inseparable—by Divine decree! God promised the land to Abraham and his seed after him-passing from Abraham to Isaac, then to Jacob and on to the twelve tribes of Israel. The promise still remains.

Stephen's public discourse recorded in Acts 7:5 confirms this. Though Jesus had proclaimed the House of Israel "desolate" just before his crucifixion, Stephen subsequently made a profound observation. Although God promised the land to Abraham, "he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child." Two points are confirmed. First, the resurrection of the dead (Abraham must be raised to inherit the Divine promise of the land) and, second, the Land of Israel would be possessed by Abraham's seed in the last day-the great day of Restitution. Acts 3:19-21

Turning again to the land issue, if Allah's Islamic people succeed in wresting the land of Israel from the Jewish people—the promises and prophecies of the Judeo—Christian Bible will have failed! The Bible would be invalidated; the Koran exalted. Friends, we are full of faith that God's word will not return to Him void. The Bible will be magnified and vindicated. The Jewish people will receive the Biblically promised land. They will do so even if the whole world opposes them-for God, who wills it to be so, is on their side.

The prospect of Israeli-Arab peace and resolution of territorial conflict under human solutions are painfully epitomized in Hebron. We hear of Hebron's little band of Jewish residents and their struggles to thrive as a community. We were there a few years ago, here's what we learned . . .

A Brief History Lesson

Many are unaware of the modern history of the Jews in Hebron. Until 1929 there was a thriving Jewish community there. Jewish merchants and citizens lived in peaceful coexistence with their Arab neighbors. Civility characterized their interaction. Additionally, Jewish physicians and nurses ran the sole health clinic in Hebron. They provided the Arab community a large amount of charitable care, being the only source of health care available to the Arabs.

Riots plagued Jerusalem prior to 1929, instigated by Arabs. The result of these riots was murderous persecutions of Jews in the "City of Peace." Hebron, however, remained quiet. Harmony between Jews and Arabs prevailed until Arabs from Jerusalem came to foment uprisings in Hebron. The quiescent way of coexistence there was soon to be shattered.

Britain ruled over the Holy Land at the time under the provision of the League of Nations 1920 Mandate. British officers, as eyewitnesses recalled, told Hebron's Jewish community leaders that they were short on weapons and couldn't guarantee British protection of Hebron's Jews should the Arabs attack them. Unfortunately, the British made sure the Arabs were also informed.

This helped trigger the bloody month of August 1929 in Hebron. Arabs began attacking Jews. With knives, axes, machetes, picks-whatever they could find—Arabs raged in indiscriminate attacks of violence. Strong young Jewish men brutalized, and also women, the elderly and even tender young children. When Arab fury was satiated, for the time being, 67 of Hebron's Jews had been slaughtered. Many others were mutilated. Photographs of the survivors keep the story fresh. Pictorial records of victims' horrible wounds jarred our Christian sensibilities deeply.

Having their fill of Jewish blood the rioters began to turn on the British, who were standing by to watch the melee. Seeing the advancing mob, an officer on horseback drew his pistol and fired two shots into the air. The riot stopped immediately. If only the officer had fired his precious two bullets an hour or two earlier, much human suffering would have been averted.

The survivors were told that their safety could no longer be guaranteed. They had to leave their homes, synagogues, businesses and fields without any financial compensation. Suffering such material loss compounded the pain of their physical wounds. The Jewish medical clinic was closed, the Arabs had deprived themselves of adequate health care. The Jewish community of Hebron faded and, after the 1948 War of Independence, was completely gone. The Jordanian Army occupied Hebron until the '67 War—banning all Jews from that sacred city.

In 1979, Jews finally began to return to their homes and synagogues left behind for a half-century. What drew them there? What could impel them to move to such an inhospitable place—whose bloody past looms over the present? Quite simply and powerfully—the Word of God.

Scriptural Reasons

Hebron is called the "Mother of Israel." Jewish roots here are deep—the result of a history that goes back thousands of years. Abram dwelled in Mamre, which is in Hebron. Genesis 13:14-18 Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah in Hebron for 400 shekels of silver. Genesis 23:17-20 Joshua took Hebron as part of the promised land of Canaan. Joshua 14:6-14 Hebron was one of the six Cities of Refuge. Joshua 21:13 David began his reign over Judah in Hebron. 2 Samuel 2:1-4 In Hebron David was anointed king over all Israel. 2 Samuel 5:1-3 It is of interest that Hebron is not mentioned at all in the Koran.

The Tomb of the Patriarchs holds the bones of the Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their wives-the parents of the Jewish people. Is it any wonder that the Jews are compelled to live here beside their ancestors? Their deep roots of faith yearn to be connected with the land and cities God gave to their fathers. The Bible assures us that one day their hopes will be thoroughly satisfied.

Christians Beware

Some Christians embrace the concept of Replacement Theology. Briefly stated, that means Israel has been everlastingly superseded by the Christian Church. Supposedly, Israel's national role in God's plan is finished. (We do not agree. Limited space does not here permit a verse-by-verse consideration of Romans, Chapter 11. We commend careful study of the chapter. It powerfully confirms Israel's present and future role in God's plan.)

Generally the traditional Christian churches tend to hold Replacement Theology's tenants. Having lost sight of the Biblical promises to Israel as existing any longer, these churches actively support the Muslim cause. They say that Israel should give up land. In December 1996 they sponsored a full-page advertisement in THE NEW YORK TIMES calling for Israel to give up sole administration of Jerusalem. Doubtless they will apply more pressure as negotiations for the final status of Jerusalem heat up.

Ironically, in supporting Islam's aims, these Christians are hurting the cause of Christ. Islam's goal is world domination. Listen to their fiery rhetoric, "The governments of the world should know that Islam cannot be defeated. Islam will be victorious in all the countries of the world, and Islam and the teachings of the Koran will prevail all over the world. Only then will their Jihad [Holy War] be complete." "We shall export our revolution to the whole world. Until the cry 'Allahu Akbar' resounds over the whole world, there will be struggle. There will be jihad." We note the burgeoning growth of mosques in the United States and Europe, the nations of so-called "Christendom."

PLO flags covered with Arabic script are displayed in public gatherings. Their popular message—"First we will kill the Saturday people and then we'll kill the Sunday people."

Christians must support the message of our Bible. Israel, dwelling in its God given land as a blessor nation, is part of that message. The God of Israel, not of Islam, shall reign over all the earth. "As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD." Numbers 14:21

Concluding Thoughts

Hebron is an example, a microcosm of the larger struggle. That larger contest for possession of the land will greatly intensify when the issues of final redeployment and sovereignty over Jerusalem come to the bargaining table. Remember God's promises regarding the land and the people of Israel. As Christians, perceiving the role of the Jewish people in the plan of God, may our faith give us the courage to make a stand and speak up for truth.

Christian leaders and governments are exerting tremendous pressure on Israel to give up land. United States leaders want Israel to give the Golan Heights to intransigent Syrians and more land to Palestinian Arabs to achieve "peace." There is sad irony in God's Israel suffering (temporary) loss of land because professed Christians unwittingly choose to side with the position of Islam's Allah. God will bring peace to the Middle East—not man.

"Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD." Ezekiel 38:23