HOLY LAND MIRACLES

By Daymond Duck

 

More than 3,000 years ago, the city of Jerusalem was established under the rule of King David. He wanted to build a temple for God in Jerusalem, but that was left to his son, King Solomon and the existence of a Temple was dependent upon the faithfulness of the Jewish people (II Sam. 7:12-13; I Kings 5:5; 6:12-13).

 

They were faithful for many years, but because of sin, God gave Israel, Jerusalem and the temple into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and he destroyed them (Dan. 1:1-2).

 

After many years, the temple was partially restored and Jerusalem was rebuilt, but the Jews, their city and the temple remained under foreign domination.

 

After many more years, King Herod made improvements to the temple and when Jesus came along it was recognized as one of the most beautiful buildings on earth.

 

The Disciples called this to His attention on His last visit to the temple and He said it would be destroyed again (Matt. 24:2). The Roman Empire did that in 70 A.D.

 

But not all of the surrounding towns and communities were destroyed. It wasn't easy, but some towns and communities continued on and they even grew over the next 1700 years or so. Miracle of miracles the Jews were never completely put off of the Promised Land.

 

Some stayed there continuing to believe that Israel would become a nation again, and Jerusalem and the Temple would be built again.

 

But there were also squatters in the land and it would take a miracle to ever re-establish Israel, rebuild Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.

 

One miracle occurred in 1917 when the British government issued the Balfour Declaration saying it looked with favor on the establishment of Palestine as a national home for the Jewish people.

 

Another miracle occurred in 1922 when the League of Nations formalized the Balfour Declaration and the word "Palestine" was understood to mean all of Palestine including Judea, Samaria and the area now occupied by Jordan would be a national home for the Jewish people.

 

Another miracle occurred in 1948 when Israel was in full possession of all    of the land that the UN had allocated for Israel, and the Jews proclaimed the existence of the nation of Israel. Pres. Truman immediately recognized it and five nations attacked Israel the next day. Miraculous things happened and Israel which was now just one day old quickly defeated all of them.

 

The miracles kept coming. Israel was attacked by Jordan, Egypt and Syria in 1967. Israel conquered East Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, the West Bank and the Golan Heights. And because Israel captured those areas in a defensive war Israel now legally owned those areas under International Law.

 

God gave those areas to Israel in the days of Abraham (Gen. 17:7-8) and now God had given those areas to Israel under Man's own International Law.

 

Since International Law says the land now legally belongs to Israel, the UN is not supposed to take it away from Israel. If the UN doesn't want Israel to have it, they have to try to help the Palestinians steal it or try to put pressure on Israel to try to force Israel to voluntarily give it back.

 

This is significant because God said the day will come (at the end of the age) when He will put the Jews back on the land, they will rebuild their cities, live in them, plant vineyards and never be put off of the land again (Amos 9:14-15).

 

Daniel, Jesus, Paul and John even taught that they will rebuild the Temple at the end of the age (Dan. 9:26; Matt. 24:15; II Thess. 2:4; Rev. 11:1-2).

 

In 1987, a group of religious Jews founded an organization called The Temple Institute. Their group soon started constructing equipment, furniture, vessels, clothing, etc. to be used at a rebuilt Temple. Their group even started working to re-establish Jewish worship on the Temple Mount.

 

At one time, its Executive Director was a rabbi named Yahuda Glick that was born to Jewish parents in Brooklyn, New York.

 

In Oct. 2014, a Muslim terrorist tried to assassinate rabbi Glick by shooting him four times at point blank range. Miracle of miracles rabbi Glick survived.

 

In 2015, an unusual series of events (should we call them miracles) caused this strong advocate for rebuilding the Temple to suddenly be thrust into a political position in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political party. Yes, a rabbi that wants to rebuild the Temple suddenly and unexpectedly became a Jewish politician.

 

In 2005, a young Baptist farmer from Tennessee named Tommy Waller moved to Israel. He planted a vineyard (Amos 9:14-15) and started a ministry called Ha Yovel. He met Yahuda Glick and they became good friends. Is that a coincidence or a miracle?

 

On Nov. 8, 2016, a man named Donald Trump who was born in the same state Yahuda Glick was born in (New York), was elected president of the U.S. Among other things, candidate Trump promised to be a good friend to Israel, support the building of Jewish settlements on the West Bank and even to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.

 

On Jan. 20, 2017, Donald Trump is scheduled to be inaugurated as president of the U.S. and Tommy Waller's group, Ha Yovel, has arranged for Yahuda Glick and two others to attend the inauguration, the inaugural ball, Congressional meetings, receptions and rallies in Washington, DC.

 

This Jewish rabbi and or politician that wants to rebuild the Temple will meet the president of the U.S. and several U.S. politicians about 68 years after the founding of Israel (on May 14, 1948).

 

Is this event a miracle? A politician from Israel has never before attended a U.S. Presidential inauguration.

 

Is this timing a miracle? Many believe 68 years is almost one generation and everything Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24 must soon be fulfilled.

 

In what is supposed to be the last week of Pres. Obama's Administration it appears that there may be more efforts to restrict Israel's activities in East Jerusalem and on the Temple Mount. This writer doesn't know what will happen, but it is clear that Mr. Obama can't stop God from performing miracles to fulfill His Word.

 

FYI: June 7, 2017 will be the 50th (one Jubilee) anniversary of the 1967 reunification of Jerusalem. Mr. Waller is asking pastors and churches to join with Israel in recognizing that event. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus happened in Jerusalem, the church began in Jerusalem, our roots are in Jerusalem, etc.