Good Morning Church! Do You Know Why Israel Matters?
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This week President Trump, made what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as, a historic and courageous proclamation.
On Wednesday the President acknowledged Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel, and pledged to move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
At the heart of this proclamation, is the absurd reality, that most of the world fails to recognize Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel, when in fact it has served as the capital city since 1948.
When the State of Israel was established, Jerusalem was named the capital of a sovereign Jewish state.
King David first declared Jerusalem the capital city of Israel over 3000 years ago.
With the rebirth of the nation, Israel could consider no other city as it’s capital. However, the city remained divided until 1967.
War broke out, at the very moment Israel regained their sovereignty in 1948.
At the end of that war a year later, Israel controlled west Jerusalem, and Jordan controlled the east side.
It wasn’t until the six day war of 1967, that the city was reunited under Israeli control.
But, due to the political implications of the city’s status, presidents and political leaders across the globe, have refused to recognize the city for the truth of what it is.
The proclamation by President Trump was indeed historic.
Christians across the globe are celebrating this moment, but do we really understand why?
First, It’s a fulfillment of prophecy.
Ezekiel 36:24–38 “For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel! “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited. ” Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’
God clearly has plans for HIS chosen people.
Second; The fact that Israel and the Jewish people still exist, is a miracle, and evidence of GOD.
History records that in 1897 England’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, at the First Zionist Congress was asked if he knew of any infallible proof of God’s existence. He responded “The Jew, sir, the Jew.”
We have clear, and undeniable evidence, of repeated attempts to wipe the Jewish people from the face of the earth, yet they endure, survive, and thrive.
Third; From a purely political perspective, Israel is a stabilizing force in a region that is responsible for many of the greatest sources of terror that threaten the world, and Israel is clearly one of our strongest allies.
After dubbing America, ‘The Great Satan’, in 1979 during the Iran Hostage crisis, Iranian leader Ruhollah Khomeini later tagged the nation of Israel as ‘The Little Satan’, in part because of their unwavering support of The United States.
Fourth; We are told those who are a blessing to Israel will be blessed.
First in the promise GOD made to Abraham when HE described the nation that would come after him.
Genesis 12:1 — 3 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. ”
Then again through the prophet Balaam, as he spoke about the children of Israel.
Numbers 24:9 “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!”
And Fifth and finally; Jesus was a descendent of the tribe of Judah.
The one who stood in our place, brought us back into fellowship with GOD, and made our adoption into the family possible, was a part of the nation of Israel. Through HIS sacrifice when we stand for Israel we are in fact standing up for our own.
Israel matters to America, and America matters to Israel.
God Bless!
LaVern Vivio
December 10, 2017
