“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications : and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zech. 12:10).
In last month’s issue of The Tidings we mentioned that Israel’s occupancy of the land of Palestine was not in fulfilment of those prophecies that have to do with her future glory she will experience when the Lord gathers her children from all regions of the earth. Her presence there today is for a very different reason, though it will be recognised that events about to happen to the infant nation will lead up to her exaltation when the Lord of Glory returns and reigns in her midst.
Two reasons for Israel’s presence in Palestine were outlined in our last article ; first, she is to fulfill her roll as victim to the King of the north when, in fulfilment of Ezekiel 38, He will come down as a flood to cover the land, and second, Christ said that it would be an unmistakable sign in the last days of the nearness of His advent. Israel’s final and complete gathering back to the land covenanted to their father’s can only be realised when Christ is in the earth.
The Jew’s latter day occupancy of the land was to he marked with great trouble, both for Israel and for the nations about her. Zechariah foretells the unrest and turbulence that would characterize both Israel and her assailants in the last days : “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in siege both against Judah and Jerusalem. In that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people : all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered against it” (Zech. 12:2-3).
The colourful, though bloody history of Israel bears its testimony to the literality of the prophet’s words. This prophecy seems to find its greatest fulfilment in our day, when all nations are engaged in the most extensive arms race in recorded history. There are many reasons why Israel should occupy such an important position in the eves of the world today, but we shall not at this time enter into them. Suffice it to say that she is to be the centre of world conflict in the latter days and will be a source of extreme trouble for those nations that persecute her. That this prediction does have reference to the time of the end, when all nations are allied against Israel is apparent from what the prophet declares in verse 8, “In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
In a similar vein, Zechariah graphically depicts the series of happenings to take place in Israel’s land at the time of the end, when all nations are gathered against her. “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle: and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifed. and the women ravished ; and half the city shall go into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city” (Zech. 14:1-2).
It will be noticed that the siege of Jerusalem is of the Lord, for He it is who shall summon the armies of the Gentiles against the ancient people. The intent and Purpose of this conflict is two fold ; first, it is for the punishment of the rebellious people as well as the Gentile nations, and second, that His name might be glorified in the sight of all people as he effects the emancipation of the Jews and a decisive victory over her enemies. The prophet continues his detailed outline of this event : “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle.”
The tone of this account seems to imply that the Jews will be in full possession of the city of Jerusalem. The prophecy has to do with Israel in the land, and suggests no other people in the city itself. From this and other scripture dealing with the latter days, it also seems reasonable to suppose that Israel, in the very near future, will regain much of the land now in the hands of Jordan ; perhaps as far east as the Jordan River.
The settlement in Palestine currently, though outwardly one of peace and quietness, actually is one of extreme insecurity and impending danger. Her geographical position in the midst of Communist – influenced Arab states, places her in an extremely precarious position. The great gathering of the world’s leading military powers, is bound to have a disastrous effect on the infant nation and will, in all likelihood, give rise to the time of Jacob’s trouble, spoken of by Daniel (Dan. 12:1). It is to be in the midst of Israel’s greatest crisis, that “Michael, the great prince,” shall stand for her redemption.
This Divine deliverance of Israel from the hands of her enemies will have a profound and sobering effect upon her. It will be then that God will take away the veil of ignorance that is upon the eyes of Israel, and they shall gaze upon the Prince of Life whom their fathers slew. In the words of Zechariah, quoted at the beginning of this article, can be seen the overwhelming remorse and contriteness that will come upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Ezekiel proclaims, concerning them : “Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and for your abominations” (Ezek. 36 :31) .
A great mourning will then be proclaimed throughout the land of Israel, as the redeemed shall look upon Him whom they pierced; a mourning that is compared to the lamentation for Josiah, who was slain on the plains of Megiddo. Zechariah then proceeds to describe the deep feeling of repentance that is to humble God’s people : “In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn, every family apart ; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart ; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart” (Zech. 12:11-12).
It will be noticed that Israel is partially restored when this revelation takes place. They are situated in Palestine, apparently oblivious to the terrible calamities about to befall them. Their city is taken by the enemy and half the population is transported to slave camps. Then, in the midst of Jacob’s trouble when all hope has vanished and complete annihilation seems inevitable, the “Lord shall go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle.” Zechariah then elaborates on certain details of Israel’s redemption, terminating in the establishment of the Kingdom of God, when “the Lord shall be king over all the earth,” and when there shall “be one Lord, and His name one” (Verse 9).
The servants of God, in these chaotic times, recognise the true position of the Jews and understand the meaning and purpose of their new-born state. The finger of God has written in the Scriptures the destiny of Israel. She and the world are plunging unanswerable to that predetermined day of reckoning, and the followers of Christ can only repeat the words of the Apostle Paul: “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:1-2).
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One