Israel Is the Hand on God’s World Clock
“Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock” (Jeremiah 31:10). From Biblical prophecy, we see that the restoration of Israel initiates the end-times judgments upon the whole world. Today, almost no one defends Israel’s claim to her ancient homeland, although this is inseparably connected with the Bible and the God of Israel. Bible-believing Christians are the last bastion. And even here, we see how a number of them are letting themselves be confused by world conspiracy theories and amillennialist wishes. The latter is a negative side-effect of the Reformation which took place 500 years ago, when the Church was put in place of Israel.

The whole Middle East conflict is actually the conflict between Islam and the Holy Scriptures. As both Jews and Christians are associated with the Bible, we are in the same boat in this confrontation. Whoever does not want to acknowledge this is sawing off the branch he is sitting on. According to the book of the prophet Zechariah, the whole world is being prepared, “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about…” (Zechariah 12:2). Over Jerusalem, the spirits are divided. The ever more godless world sympathizes with the Palestinians rather than the Jews. Yet we are experiencing the fourth verse of Psalm 83 today, above all in the Muslim world, “They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.”

As Bible-believing Christians, we should be watchful and recognize the Jewish aspect of the apocalyptic Armageddon, “For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land” (Joel 3:1-2). The world is becoming more and more anti-Semitic and anti-Christian. Our so treasured Western democracies have begun to classify Bible-believing Christians as dangerous, and to criminalize them. In addition to this, there is a morbid tolerance in the name of anti-discrimination, as also a demoralization to the point of shamelessness and perversion. The consumer society is prepared to pay a high price for the guarantee of a comfortable lifestyle, and is like a ripe apple hanging on a tree. Without the fear of God, the once so blessed Christian democracies mutate through a fearful decline of values and virtues, to become a judgment-ripe Babylon with the first name, Sodom. A man named Ulrich W. Sahm points to interesting connections concerning the unrest in the Arab countries, by saying that the so-called “little Satan,” Israel, was until now a bastion which protected Europe through its battle against Islamists. Now, an unprecedented scenario threatens us. The more Europe, and partly America, turns against Israel, the more they go downhill—from one crisis to another, from one natural catastrophe to another, and from one violent crime to even worse! Until…

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25). The salvation of people through the worldwide proclamation of the Good News is ultimately connected with the spiritual restoration of Israel.

“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” (Luke 21:24). Jerusalem serves as an apocalyptic barometer for us. As Israel has been on the list of nations for 63 years, the pressure of the enemies is increasing to the extreme. Even from Israeli government circles, we hear that the Jewish state has never felt so threatened since its founding as it does now. All the unrest and revolts in different Arab countries could ultimately backfire and lead to a tremendous explosion against Israel. Let us not be deluded, we are living in a lost world. According to the “prophetic calendar,” the time of the nations is coming to an end.

“For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:39). Through all the developments and dangers, Israel is inevitably being brought into such a hopeless situation that she can only cry out for divine intervention and protection. 

The Future of the Church Is Closely Connected with Israel
It is very significant that Jesus’ return is connected with a very specific place: the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Why Jerusalem if, according to the opinion of many Christian denominations and churches, God has nothing special planned for Israel?

In Acts 1, we read how the angel said to the disciples, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day’s journey” (verses 11-12). And the prophet Zechariah declares, “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof …and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee” (Zechariah 14:4-5). Together with all the Old Testament believers, we will be brought to the Mount of Olives, to Jerusalem, which is in Israel. 

At the end of the last book of the New Testament, the heavenly Jerusalem comes down from heaven to the earth, “And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel” (Revelation 21:12). We are reminded in the New Testament, then, that the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are engraved in the doors of the heavenly city, as also the names of the twelve apostles out of Israel, “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:14). This is the fulfillment of the promise through the prophet Isaiah, “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which

I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain” (Isaiah 66:22). Isaiah is not speaking here of the Church, but of the future of Israel, which any “normal” Bible reader can see from the context.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 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. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:2-4). What a tremendous vision of the kingdom of peace, with its seat in Jerusalem on Mount Zion!

“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). Here the redeemed are spoken of and their future task, which will proceed from Zion. This is why true Bible-believing Christians are simultaneously Christian Zionists, because they have been prophetically enlightened, and they believe in this kingdom of peace. They defend Israel’s claim to her homeland, which was promised her by God Himself. What about the Palestinians and the non-Jews that live there today? Here the following Word of the Lord is a signpost, “Thus saith the Lord against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The Lord liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people. But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 12:14-17). This means: either peaceful integration and identification, or the judgment of God, when they disqualify themselves as stubborn enemies.

Personal Orientation
It is a pity and extremely tragic that ever fewer Christians are on Israel’s side. To take a stand means swimming against the stream, including the mainstream which indoctrinates us through the mass media. As Christians, we must be well informed about the events and developments so that we are not overtaken by them. The end times are characterized by deception and sleepiness, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28). Our Lord Himself tells us to watch “these things,” like warning lights on the instrument panel of a car.

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me…Then shall they answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?” (Matthew 25:40 & 44). Here our Lord is not suddenly preaching a social gospel, but speaking of the attitude He expects of us toward the Jews. They are, ethnically speaking, doubtless the brothers of Jesus. Here we must ask ourselves, are we perhaps Christian anti-Semites? Paul warns the Christians of his time in Rome, “Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee” (Romans 11:18). The natural branches spoken of here are the Jews. A Spanish translation of the Bible translates this verse with, “No seas arrogante,” which means, “Do not be arrogant!” The opposite of this is to be humble, understanding and kind.

The five facts mentioned in this article series should cause us to love Israel, to defend Israel, to preach on Israel and to pray for Israel. And, as we are still living in the age of grace and are able to serve, we should pray for Israel and her enemies, and wish with all our hearts that many of them receive Jesus before it is too late.

I repeat:

1. Jesus was, is and remains a Jew (the lion out of the tribe of Judah).

2. Our whole Bible is Jewish.

3. The Jews are an impressive proof of God’s existence.

4. Israel is the hand on God’s world clock.

5. Our future is closely connected with Israel.

Therefore we support Israel with specific projects, show our solidarity through tours of Israel, seek contact with Jews in order to bring them closer to the Gospel, and take to heart the words of Psalm 122:6, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.”

(NAI0711/474)