Introduction
The nations around Israel have been very much in the news, especially the Palestinians. As this is being edited, in late 2013, US Secretary of State John Kerry will return to the Palestinian territories and Israel to engage in peace talks at Ramallah on January 1 for an additional round of shuttle diplomacy with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The United States is seeking to broker an agreement on a “two-state solution” in which Israel would exist peacefully alongside a new Palestinian state. Previously, the Palestinians’ September 2011 submission at the UN to be formally recognized as a nation-state in its own right had been much in the news. The current head of this state-in-formation, Mahmood Abbas (President of Fatah), travelled all over Europe and in contact with China, Russia and other nations to persuade them to support the Palestinian application. All this in the face of clear Israeli opposition and a US veto in the Security Council. And in November 2012, the UN recognized the status of the Palestinians as a nation state. There were 138 votes in favor, nine against and 41 abstentions in a vote to upgrade the Palestinian Authority’s observer status at the United Nations to “non-member state” from “entity”.
What relevance does Ezek 35 and 36 have to all of this? Simply this: The Arab attitude reflected in this ancient prophecy is being replayed in our day, bringing about the full and complete fulfillment of these prophecies. So who is Mt. Seir in Ezekiel? Mt. Seir was the ancient/historical homeland of Edom (cp. Ezek 35:13). And Edom is the nation descended from Esau, the twin brother of Jacob.
Just as Esau hated his brother Jacob for taking from him his birthright and inheritance of the land (the blessing), and continually sought to reclaim it, so his descendants to this very day still seek to take back the land that was given to the descendants of Jacob.
Listen to the language of Ezek 35:
- 5: “perpetual hatred” — an historical, and almost cultural characteristic of the Middle Eastern Arab/Palestinians. They are well known for holding onto grievances generationally.
- 10: “these TWO nations and TWO these countries shall be MINE and WE will possess them (although the LORD was there).” The goal these descendants of Esau are very clear. And the language remarkably similar to the stated goals of the Palestinians!
- 36:2: “the ancient high places have become our possession.” High places = holy places of the Jewish people. Interestingly, almost all of Israel’s ancient holy places are found in the West Bank, and many are occupied by the Palestinians.
- 36:5: Edom with other nations “gave my land to THEMSELVES as a possession.”
Here is the same thinking, the same attitude, the same determination that is found in the descendants of Esau today (the Palestinians). So it is very much worth our time to think about what is going on now before our eyes and to see in this what God is seeking to accomplish.
What do the Palestinians want?
They want to be recognized as a nation with all it rights and privileges and protections afforded those recognized by the international community. They want this state to consist of the West Bank and Gaza.
This sounds fair enough, but it is not all. In November 2010, a major investigative poll of the West Bank and Gaza Palestinians was released by Greenburg Quinlan Rosner Research. The results were very interesting. The results indicated that ~60% of those polled from the West Bank and Gaza were very much in favor of a two-state solution. But the poll went on to uncover that the same 60% saw the two-state solution only as a first step towards a one state solution, one Palestinian state occupying all the land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. Additionally, almost 70% believed that an armed struggle is ultimately the only way they will gain back “their land”.
This is why every map in Palestinian textbooks and hanging in Palestinian homes have a glaring omission: Israel is nowhere to be found of these maps! As Ezek 35:10 says, “These two nations and these two countries shall be mine!”
But where are the “mountains of Israel” and why does Ezek 35 talk about “Mt. Seir” and not simply Edom or Esau? The reason become abundantly clear when one superimposes a map of the West Bank over the ancient mountains of Israel. They are identical. The “West Bank” is simply the modern term for Ezekiel’s “Mountains of Israel.”
And why Mt. Seir? Because we are being asked to see these two mountains, Mt. Seir and the Mountains of Israel, as being in bitter conflict, with Mt. Seir trying to reclaim the Mountains of Israel as their ancient homeland! This is nothing short of a prescription for a devastating war!
God’s purpose
Step back from this picture. Why is God allowing all this to happen? What is His purpose in all this?
Consider what Joel 3:1-2 puts before us. God’s intention is to bring the nations of the earth to judgment. For what reason? Because they scattered His people and divided His land. Note the critical emphasis of these words: Israel is HIS people. The land is HIS land. The nations are being judged for their presumption and arrogance in assigning to themselves what belongs solely to God!
And how will God judge them? He will “gather all nations to Israel for the purpose of war” (v.2). “Prepare for war! … Let all the men of war draw near … Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks in spears … Let the nations be wakened and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surround nations” (Joel 3:9-14).
It is startling to discover that the Young’s Literal translation in v. 9 of “prepare for war” is “sanctify a war”, that is, declare a holy war. (The same Hebrew word is translated sanctify in Joel 2:16.) In our modern day we hear that very cry coming from the Palestinians — “Jihad!” It means “holy war”. And this “holy war” will begin with the Palestinians.
Consider carefully Zech 12:2-3. What is a siege? “Anything that blocks or limits movement of people and goods (cf. Israel’s “siege” of Gaza). The Palestinians have a different word: “Intifada”, “The use of violence, struggle and martyrdom…for the liberation of our (Palestinian) lands from the Zionist occupation.” The Palestinians are on their third intifada which they define as “Diplomatic struggle, designed to isolate Israel in the International arena and force it to submit to all Palestinians.” It is only a matter of time before intifada and siege become interchangeable as the Palestinians begin to engage in a violent struggle to prevent Israel from occupying Palestinian territory.
Now consider the implications of v.2: A man that is reeling from drunkenness is the extreme example of uncoordinated movements. They are unable to achieve any success in their aggressive, physical disputes. God is making very plain that the Palestinian intifada/siege will fail again and again!
You might want to ponder the significance of the international intervention in Libya in 2011. On March 19, 2011, the United Nations Security Council approved resolution 1973 and authorized the use of “all necessary measures to… protect civilians”. This authorization was based on a new policy adopted by the international community, “The Responsibility to Protect.” In essence, this policy sets aside the sovereignty of states to handle their own internal conflicts when “a State is manifestly failing to protect its citizens from mass atrocities.” Does this new policy, coupled with the Libyan precedent, set in place the foundation for the international action indicated by Zech 14:2? Now ponder this passage. Where once they failed, now this enemy succeeds! What is the difference? “For I will gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem.” (v. 2). It is only through international help that the Palestinians can at last achieve their goal.
The suffering of Israel
The unmistakable implication of all these prophecies is that Israel will eventually suffer greatly in their conflict with the Palestinians. Zechariah says the two-thirds of the Jewish population in the land with die (Zech 13:8). Daniel tells us that these devastating conditions for his beloved people Israel will not end until “the power of the holy people has been completely shattered” (Zech 12:7).
And it will break God’s heart: “As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?”
We can sometimes be a bit cavalier about the loss of life indicated by Zechariah. God isn’t. He doesn’t want to redeem only one-third of His people, He wants to redeem all of them!
What God wants
So what does God want? He wants His people’s repentance; He wants them to return to Him:
“I will return again to my place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek my face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek me.” (Hosea 5:15)
“Now, therefore, says the LORD, turn to me with all your heart..rend your heart and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful..” (Joel 2:12-13)
“And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance. As the LORD has said, among the remnant whom the LORD calls.” (Joel 2:32)
And there will be a remnant from among His people, a people who will hear and repent and turn to their God in their time of crisis. And God will hear them and have compassion on them “when He sees that their power is gone, and there is no one remaining bond or free.” (Deut 32:36)
Then “the LORD will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; but the LORD will be a shelter for His people, and the strength of the children of Israel.” (Joel 3:16)
The end of the matter
“And there shall no longer be a pricking brier or a painful thorn for the house of Israel from among all who are around them, who despise them. .. And they will dwell safely there, build houses, and plant vineyards; yes, they will dwell securely, when I execute judgments on all those around them who despise them” (Ezek 28:24-26).
“And they shall no longer be a prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid. .. Thus they shall know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are My people, says the Lord GOD” (Ezek 34:28).
Here is seen the enduring passion of God for His people Israel. Despite all their turning away, their centuries of faithlessness and treachery, God will fulfill His abiding love — the Jewish people will finally become “My people”, and Yahweh will become “their God” forever. Why should we be concerned with all this?
Why be concerned? Because the nexus or meeting point of Israel’s redemption and our redemption is found in the man who finally delivers Israel from their enemies: “They will look on me whom they have pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only son..” (Zech. 12:10).
Only one man fits this description, bearing in his body the marks of crucifixion, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the one in whom we have placed our confidence; the one in whom God will bring to completion all He has promised for the Jewish people and for us who have been adopted into this divine family through Jesus Christ.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One