Territory for Terrorism; A Collision Course with God by Doug R.

Territory for Terrorism; A Collision Course with God by Doug R.

According to the international community and the news media, the reason for the continuous state of war between Israel and the Arabs is because Israel is illegally occupying Arab land.

By endless repetition this line of political propaganda has been engraved upon people’s minds by feeding on the ignorance of the populace.

The Arabs, however, were making war against Israel when the Arabs held the land and that is how they came to lose it in the first place.

Israel’s very existence is the problem, irrespective of ANY boundaries. When the Arab world demands a ‘just peace’, it is saying in effect that ‘peace’ can only come when Israel no longer exists and there are ‘JUST’ Arab nations in the Middle East.

The 1967 "Borders".

Most of the Western world has been blinded into believing that the possible establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders of the West Bank and Gaza Strip would result in a cessation of hostilities between the Palestinians and Israel.

Others have rightly pointed out that such a move would only be an interim measure, used by Arab leaders as a platform to the eventual eradication of the State Of Israel. Hence any negotiations towards such an agreement would seem futile in the least.

Indeed, it is almost a forgone conclusion today that a Palestinian state should be established on the lands of the West Bank (Biblical Judea & Samaria) and Gaza. Hardly anyone questions this assumption.

Those familiar with an objective and accurate of the Middle East will be only too aware that Palestinian/Arab/Islamic demands do not and will not end at the 1967 border. The Palestinian/Arab/Islamic world has repeatedly reaffirmed his strategy of conquest of territory in stages. The present generation of Palestinians has been indoctrinated in the belief that Israel, all of it, is theirs, and that nothing could be more glorious and honourable than to die reclaiming it.

Many will remember how in full view of the cameras and an International audience, upon the lawn of the White House on 13 September 1993, the late Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin, called for an end to bloodshed and the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. He shook the hand of Yasser Arafat and pledged his commitment to resolve the conflict through negotiations. Arafat made the same verbal commitment in relation to negotiations being the only way forward.

How many though are aware that on the very same day, Yasser Arafat made the following broadcast in Arabic on Jordanian TV;

"Since we cannot defeat Israel in war, we do this in stages. We take any and every territory that we can of Palestine, and establish sovereignty there, and we use it as a springboard to take more. When the time comes, we can get the Arab Nations to join us for the final blow against Israel."

Land for peace ?

The "peace process" whose main watch-word is "territories for peace", involves a paradox whereby a minuscule democracy is being forced to provide its totalitarian enemies - scores of times its size - the only thing it lacks: territory. In exchange, the surrounding tyrannies are being asked to provide the one and only thing that they lack - peace.

Since the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, Israel has transferred control of 98% of the Palestinian Arab population to the PLO in addition to large swaths of land.

However, in exchange for land, Israel has not received peace. Instead it has been subjected to suicide bombers, suicide machine gunners, drive-by terrorists, snipers, mortar bombs, car bombs, fire bombs, grenades, booby traps, explosive packages, remote controlled explosives, forest fires, lynching, and kids bludgeoned to death. Yet still Israeli leaders are prepared to cede more territory.

It has been readily forgotten that the Israeli government, together with many International entities, only agreed to recognise and speak to Arafat and the PLO at the very outset, on the firm agreement that they refrain from, condemn and utterly renounce, terrorism and attend the negotiating table. Instead, the PLO has embraced terrorism at every opportunity and walked away from the negotiating table in favour of violence.

The Israeli government, which is obligated, like all other governments, to protect its people and provide for their security, must use the military force necessary to put an end to the Palestinian terrorism that Yasser Arafat & Mahmoud Abbas have refused to deal with themselves. Yet in so doing, the Jewish state has been subjected to widespread international criticism and even it’s sovereign right of self defence has been brought into question.

The construction of a "security fence" to prevent such terrorism has also been internationally condemned and Israel subjected to ridiculous accusations of "apartheid".

Yet, as the Jewish state cedes more of it’s Biblical homeland to those hostile to it’s very existence, these areas are being "ethnically cleansed" of all Jews. The Palestinian Authority and the Arab regimes insist that the residents of every Jewish community in Judea, Samaria, Gaza and much of Jerusalem must be expelled, for one reason only - because they are Jews. No such allegations of "apartheid" here. The thunderous silence from the international community in relation to this expulsion of Jews speaks volumes in itself.

In the midst of the peace talks and endeavours to bring a solution to the "Palestinian Problem" certain distortions of history are being purveyed by those who would see Israel abandon territory, including Jerusalem, given to her by God, and ultimately her final destruction. Some of these twistings of history are so frequently portrayed in the front line of the world media that by constant repetition they become received truth in the minds of journalists, politicians, and the public at large. (These distortions have already been dealt with in other articles on this site. )

The Bible versus Politics.

The world perceives the Palestinian/Arab - Israeli conflict on a "human plane", with little reference or understanding of the "spiritual" battle which dates back to the fall of man in the Garden of Eden.

The Biblical oath made by God to Abraham millennia ago in relation to the Holy Land is now being "challenged" in the "world court of public opinion".

Sadly, many Christian groups have failed to recognise the Bible's own program for peace as initially determined in the Eternal, unconditional Covenant with Abraham, as outlined in the Biblical book of Genesis.

Subsequently some Christian groups have mistakenly endorsed the plan of another Arab "state" within the Land promised as an Everlasting inheritance to the Jewish people.

In so doing they are in agreement with the apportioning of God's Land to a people who do not recognise the Lord God of Israel, worship Him or even recognise the right of His own people to exist. Indeed, a people who worship another God (Allah) and who are sworn to the eradication of His own people, the Jews.

The Lord God of Israel, Himself, has declared that the Land belongs to Him, with the Jews as His stewards. He has unequivocally stated that the Land is not to be divided or sold and promises judgement upon whoever would divide up the Land.

"The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me" Leviticus 25;23

As I have already outlined in my article entitled "The Covenant With The Jews", http://www.whosepromisedland.co.uk/article.php?article=11God made an everlasting covenant with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (the Jews) in relation to the Land of Canaan, with specific reference to the boundaries.

http://www.whosepromisedland.co.uk/article.php?article=11

When the Creator of the Universe, the Lord God of Israel Himself, devotes so much of His Word to the Land, His Covenant and His people, is it not wise to listen to what He says ?

His Word is replete, not only with references to the boundaries of the Land promised to the Jews as an eternal inheritance, but also with His Promises pertaining to their regathering to the Land in the latter days, immediately preceding the return of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps some reference can be made to these within the context of how the international community and the Arab world still demand that the Jewish state cede areas of this Covenant territory.

The Exile, Persecution, Regathering and Restoration of Israel.

One of the many themes of prophecy in the Holy Bible is that of the dispersion and restoration of the nation of Israel.

The theme of the dispersion and restoration of the nation of Israel is one of the major focuses in the Bible. There is verse after verse in the Bible about the rebirth of Israel.

The prophets Ezekiel and Zechariah devote entire chapters to this theme.

The prophecy about the rebirth of Israel from a world-wide dispersion is not a Biblical footnote. This theme is written on page after page by prophet after prophet for all to clearly see.

The pivotal fact that Abraham's descendants would literally inherit the Land forever was ritually symbolized in Genesis 15:7-21.

The symbolic action of only <b<ONE Person (God) passing through the severed, acceptable, sacrificial animals is what reveals the land portion of the Abrahamic Covenant unconditional.

In other words, it is God alone who will fulfil it.

A deep sleep fell upon Abram and he was not allowed to pass through with God.

It was not a Covenant made between the two with a conditional requirement being placed upon Abram. As the Scripture states, "On that day the Lord (Himself) made a covenant with Abram saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates..." (Gen. 15:18).

With God alone moving through the animal pieces, this reveals that the fulfilment of this covenant depends only upon God's sovereign hand of unconditional grace through submissive faith, not man's works.

Normally both parties in a covenant would walk through the pieces, placing an equal requirement upon both participants, but here only God unilaterally passes through.

Removal of blessings does not constitute nullification of the eternal, unconditional Covenant.

God made it clear that He would remove His blessings from the children of Israel if they were disobedient to Him but His word is clear that He will never reject or withdraw His own loving commitment to them.

It is important to recognise that the sending of the children of Israel into exile is presented in the Bible as the "withdrawing of God's blessing from Israel for the purpose of punishment and discipline" , NOT as the removal of His love, commitment OR the pledge of His covenant promises.

During the Jewish exile in Babylon, Ezekiel wrote incredibly detailed prophecies about the coming World-wide dispersion and rebirth of the nation of Israel.

In beautifully written language with awesome imagery, the Old Testament prophet gives a detailed look of God’s plan for Israel and the nations. Entire chapters of Ezekiel are devoted to the dispersion, restoration, and events that happen after the restoration.

Prophet after prophet in the Bible tell of the restoration of Israel after being dispersed into all the world.

God sent prophets to Israel to warn them of the coming judgment on the nation, but these same prophets also comforted the Jewish people by telling them the nation would be restored.

The prophets also spoke of the coming of the Messiah with the prophecies revealing that, before the return of the Messiah, the nation had to be restored to their Land.

When the prophets spoke about the rebirth of Israel, it was based on the everlasting Covenant with Abraham. The message of the prophets was not new. These prophecies, repeated time and again, were given to comfort the children of Israel and warn the world that the Covenant with Abraham was still in effect.

It is clear from Scripture that when the Jews returned from their world-wide dispersion and the nation was reborn, it would be the final return.

There will be no further dispersions of the Jewish people into all the World.

For this reason, the events that are unfolding before our very eyes in Israel at this time are so significant.

God is working in the affairs of the nations to bring what was written in the Bible to a conclusion.

Some Scriptural references.

It is extremely important for Christians to understand God’s plan for Israel. His word weaves a thread of understanding about the Nation of Israel throughout the Hebrew-Christian Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation.

The World is now entering the final stages of God’s prophetic plan for our age. The entire script has already been written by the prophets. It is there for everyone to read, understand and believe.

Based upon this same unconditional Covenant, Israel is back in their ancient, promised homeland today for the purpose of soon receiving its Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Many Scriptures outline these issues with clarity; these are only a few.

"...And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an EVERLASTING COVENANT, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, ALL THE LAND OF CANAAN, as an EVERLASTING POSSESSION, and I will be their God." (Genesis 17;5-8).

"As as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes and I will make him a great nation. BUT MY COVENANT I WILL ESTABLISH WITH ISAAC, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year." (Genesis 17; 19 - 21).

"....I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to YOU and YOUR descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will BRING YOU BACK TO THIS LAND; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." (Genesis 28;13-15).

"For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.......Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you will inherit the land. And I will set your boundaries from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you." (Exodus 23; 23, 24, 30-33)

"I will scatter you among the nations and draw out a sword after you; your land shall be desolate and your cities waste.....You shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up....then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land....YET FOR ALL THAT, WHEN THEY ARE IN THE LAND OF THEIR ENEMIES, I will NOT cast them away, nor shall I abhor them, to utterly destroy them and break MY Covenant with them; for I AM THE LORD THEIR GOD." (Leviticus 26; 44)

"And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." (Genesis 28; 13-15)

"And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD will drive you......When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice, '(for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them..." (Deuteronomy 4; 27, 30,31)

" Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known-wood and stone. And among those nations you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul. Your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life. In the morning you shall say, 'Oh, that it were evening!' And at evening you shall say, 'Oh, that it were morning!' because of the fear which terrifies your heart, and because of the sight which your eyes see." (Deuteronomy 28; 64-67)

"And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the LORD will drive you." (Deuteronomy 28; 37)

"I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries, and remove your filthiness completely from you. You shall defile yourself in the sight of the nations; then you shall know that I am the LORD." (Ezekiel 22; 15-16)

"My God will cast them away, Because they did not obey Him; And they shall be wanderers among the nations." (Hosea 9; 17)

"And the LORD said to Moses: "Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, 'Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?...For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands." (Deuteronomy 31; 16, 17, 39)

"Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations.." (Nehemiah 1; 8)

And the LORD said, "Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked according to it, but they have walked according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them, therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink. "I will scatter them also among the Gentiles, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. And I will send a sword after them until I have consumed them." (Jeremiah 9; 13-16)

"...then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight. Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and will hiss, and say, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?' Then they will answer, 'Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore the LORD has brought all this calamity on them.'" (1 Kings 9; 7-9)

"..then I will uproot them from My land which I have given them; and this house which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this land and this house?' Then they will answer, 'Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore He has brought all this calamity on them.'" (2 Chronicles 7; 20-22)

"But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate." (Zechariah 7; 14)

"...thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like rotten figs that cannot be eaten, they are so bad. And I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence; and I will deliver them to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth-to be a curse, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, because they have not heeded My words, says the LORD, which I sent to them by My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; neither would you heed, says the LORD." (Jeremiah 29; 17-19)

"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east And from the land of the west; I will bring them back, And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people And I will be their God, In truth and righteousness....But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,' says the LORD of hosts. For the seed shall be prosperous, The vine shall give its fruit, The ground shall give her increase, And the heavens shall give their dew-I will cause the remnant of this people To possess all these." (Zechariah 8; 7,8,11,12)

"And it shall come to pass That JUST AS YOU WERE A CURSE AMONG THE NATIONS, O house of Judah and house of Israel, SO I WILL SAVE YOU AND YOU SHALL BE A BLESSING. Do not fear, Let your hands be strong." (Zechariah 8; 13)

" Behold, I WILL GATHER THEM OUT OF ALL THE COUNTRIES WHERE I HAVE DRIVEN THEM, in My fury, and in great wrath; I WILL BRING THEM BACK TO THIS PLACE, and I will cause them to dwell safely. They shall be My people, and I will be their God; then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them, And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul. For thus says the LORD: 'Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them..." (Jeremiah 32;37-42)

'For behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,' says the LORD. 'And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.'"....

Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,' says the LORD, 'Nor be dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar, And your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, And no one shall make him afraid. For I am with you,' says the LORD, 'to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, Yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished.'

For thus says the LORD: 'Your affliction is incurable, Your wound is severe. There is no one to plead your cause, That you may be bound up; You have no healing medicines. All your lovers have forgotten you; They do not seek you; For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, With the chastisement of a cruel one, For the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased. Why do you cry about your affliction? Your sorrow is incurable. Because of the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you.

Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; Those who plunder you shall become plunder, And all who prey upon you I will make a prey. For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,' says the LORD, 'Because they called you an outcast saying: "This is Zion; No one seeks her."'

Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob's tents, And have mercy on his dwelling places; The city shall be built upon its own mound, And the palace shall remain according to its own plan....... You shall be My people, And I will be your God.'".....The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until He has done it, And until He has performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days you will consider it. (Jeremiah 30; 3, 10-24))

"The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I HAVE LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you, You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria; The planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food......

Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice......

Behold, I will bring them from the north country, And gather them from the ends of the earth, Among them the blind and the lame, The woman with child And the one who labours with child, together; A great throng shall return there..."Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, And declare it in the isles afar off, and say, 'HE WHO SCATTERED ISRAEL WILL GATHER HIM AND KEEP HIM AS A SHEPHERD DOES HIS FLOCK...."

For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, And ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he.....There is hope in your future, says the LORD, That your children shall come back to their own border....

Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "They shall again use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I bring back their captivity......Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast, And it shall come to pass, that as I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to throw down, to destroy, and to afflict, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the LORD. (Jeremiah 31; 3-28)

Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name): If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the LORD, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever." Thus says the LORD: "If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, says the LORD. (Jeremiah 31; 35-37)

"Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west; I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth.." (Isaiah 43; 5,6)

"Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel."'....Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God." (Ezekiel 11; 17-20)

"I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out." (Ezekiel 20; 34)

"Thus says the Lord GOD: "When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am hallowed in them in the sight of the Gentiles, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob. 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. Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God."'" (Ezekiel 28; 25,26)

"It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea. He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth." (Isaiah 11; 11,12)

"So I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds. When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name-when they said of them, 'These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.' But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went. "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. "And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. "Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. "Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. "Not for your sake do I do this," says the Lord GOD, "let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!" 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. "The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. "So they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.' "Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it. ...."

"I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, And no longer shall they be pulled up From the land I have given them," Says the LORD your God." (Amos 9; 14-15).

The valley of Dry Bones; Ezekiel ch37.

The Bible uses this prophetic picture in the book of Ezekiel to show the utter hopelessness of the nation of Israel. The nation appeared to be completely devoid of life with no hope of ever living. The process that follows is of considerable significance.

To the natural eye, Israel had no hope. The nation was destroyed. The people were dispersed into all the world. Their language had disappeared, and they were persecuted and rejected from country to country.

The vision of the valley of the dead bones was a perfect picture of the nation of Israel after its destruction in 70 AD until it’s rebirth in 1948. They appeared to have no hope and after the Holocaust their future had perhaps never seemed darker.....

But, Ezekiel does not end with the hopelessness. He shows that by a sovereign act of God, the nation would be reborn.

Initial re-gathering in unbelief followed by spiritual restoration.

Ezekiel’s prophecy clearly indicates that Israel will initially be re-gathered in unbelief before being spiritually restored.

The graveyard of scattered, dry bones, came together and initially formed skeletons which were then followed by sinew and flesh. Last of all God breathed life into them.

This prophecy shows the gradual restoration of the Jewish people to their ancient Land. Ezekiel's vision is that Israel returns to its land in stages: first the dry bones, then flesh, and finally breath (the spirit) when they are spiritually restored.

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Ezekiel 37: 1-10

Ezekiel then goes on to explain the vision. The prophet calls the nations of the world Israel’s graves. The coming together of the bones into a body is the nation being reborn.

Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.....And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: Ezekiel 37:11-12 , 21-25

Time after time, over and over again, the Bible connects the dispersion and rebirth of Israel with the everlasting covenant. When the nation is reborn the Bible is crystal clear, it will be because of God honouring His covenant.

<"Occupied Territories".

For decades now, hardly a day has passed without some mention in the international media of Israel's supposedly illegitimate presence on Palestinian lands.

This "illegal" presence is invoked to explain the origins and persistence of the conflict between the parties, to show Israel's allegedly brutal and repressive nature, and to justify the worst anti-Israel terrorist atrocities.

Any Biblical context or reference to God’s Covenant is conspicuous by it’s absence.

Furthermore, when we hear the term ‘occupied territories’ it is never in the context that the territories concerned, which were once indeed the historical and Biblical homeland of Israel, have themselves been occupied by intruding nations for approaching 2,000 years.

The Biblical Land of Israel, despite having a continual Jewish presence throughout the Diaspora, has been subjected to many expeditions of conquest and occupation, each introducing new settlers.

The most significant occupations in recent times being the Ottoman and British, not to mention the Arabs in recent years. The Jewish claim to the Land stemming back some 4,000 years being conveniently ignored or sidestepped.

After the Roman occupation ending in 330AD, the region that eventually became known as "Palestine" was then occupied by numerous empires; Byzantines (330-638AD), Arabs (Fatimids & Abbasids), and Turks (Seljuks) (638-1099AD), Crusaders (1099-1291AD), Mamluks (1291-1516AD), Ottomans (1516-1917AD), British (1917-1948AD). Israel was reborn in 1948 and exists to the present day.

From that time even to the rebirth of the Jewish State in 1948 a Jewish presence STILL remained in the Land despite the area being conquered by numerous foreign occupiers.

The name "Palestine" is the 'anglicised' term for "Syria Palaestina", the name given by the Romans when they defeated the kingdoms of Israel & Judah in AD135. A name given to utterly remove any Jewish connection from the territory, when Jerusalem was simultaneously renamed "Aelia Capitolina".

"Palestine" itself has NEVER existed as a 'sovereign' nation with it's own people, culture and capital city. 

Until the rebirth of Israel in 1948 it was just a regional land occupied by foreign empires.

Despite the repeated use of the term "Palestine" in political and media circles including the House of Commons in London, it is a fact that "Palestine" as a social, political, national, regional, religious or geographic entity of any description does not exist at this time and has not done so since 1948.

The use of the term is a distortion and shows an inherent bias against the Jewish state, yet such a term is continually used in political and media circles with full knowledge of the reality.

I have covered this particular aspect in some detail in my article entitled "Where Is This Land Palestine ?"

http://www.whosepromisedland.co.uk/article.php?article=35</b?

For the sake of political expedience in the international political arena, the 4,000 year Jewish heritage to areas of Gaza and Biblical Judea & Samaria is being trodden underfoot to try and bring about the creation of a racially-ethnically Arab state which is "free of Jews". Hitler had a word for such - "Judenrein"

Whole Jewish communities, towns and villages are now scheduled for uprooting. A process which will consist of expelling thousands of families from their homes, schools, synagogues and businesses in order that the Covenant Land can be divided up amongst Arabs at the behest of the international community.

International law is being re-written with a political agenda. There are few who are morally outraged by a "peace plan" that calls for the expulsion of Jews from their homes?

God has mightily blessed the Arabs.

God truly loves the Arabs just as much as He loves the Jews. He has mightily blessed the Arab world, which now occupies one tenth of the world’s land mass, the largest area occupied by any ethnic group.

The Arabs of today occupy 22 nations... 99½% of the ENTIRE Middle East land mass while Israel has only a ½ of 1% speck on this same map. But sadly, in the eyes of the Arab world, that is still too much land for the Arabs to spare. They want it all.

God has the final say.

The entire planet, not only the Land of Israel belongs to God: "The Earth is the Lord's and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it" (Psalm 24:1).

Since the entire world belongs to God, He has the right to apportion it as He chooses, and He specifically gave the nations their lands based on the Jewish people's right to the Land of Israel!

"When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. For the Lord's portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance" (Deuteronomy 32:8-9).

"Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep." (Psalm 121;4)

God’s Land Covenant has NOT been rescinded.

Israel's sin and resulting exile from the Land of Israel never annulled God's covenant with His Chosen People, nor did it permanently abrogate our right to the Land of Israel:-

"Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, nor shall I abhor them, to utterly destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD." (Leviticus 26:44-45).

Personal Study Encouraged.

In closing, I would encourage ALL individual readers to prayerfully analyse the Holy Bible in relation to the issues raised and not to take my own word pertaining to such contentious and pivotal matters.

The writer believes that the Holy Bible is the very Word of God - inspired, infallible, and inerrant - with all 66 books of the Bible being written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit.

I personally believe that the individual books are therefore unified in plan and purpose and the Message that they provide is complete and consistent.

It is therefore essential that any accurate study of the Holy Bible must arrive at conclusions which are entirely consistent with the facts in the 'whole' of God's Word.

The times in which we now live require, even demand, such an approach when the subjects being studied are God’s Land, His People (the Jews) and Biblical prophecy.

I feel that no more subject is appropriate for such an approach than Scriptures relating to the Holy Land where real time events and locations are readily accessible.

Scripture is certainly it's own best interpreter and by comparing Scripture with Scripture any ‘seeming contradictions' can be harmonised. No interpretation being valid if it does not genuinely harmonise with all other passages of Scripture relating directly to the same issue. If the Holy Bible is the Word of God then it cannot be contradictory.

It is the sincere opinion of the writer that individuals should not build their theology on a passage of Scripture in isolation from its context. Such measures have resulted in not only genuine misunderstandings of the Scriptural message but have also facilitated the rise of a number of cults and the propagation of

heresies.

The first principle that should be adopted in the view of the writer is that all Scripture is to be understood in it's most normal, natural sense allowing for ‘obvious figures of speech' etc.. Taking Scripture at face value, the Bible suddenly becomes alive in a fresh and vivid way. No longer does the reader need to look for an obscure ‘spiritualised' or ‘allegorised’ interpretation but rather for the literal understanding of events that have actually occurred or will happen sometime in the future.

The method of interpretation of the Holy Bible needs to be consistent and without contradiction - and not governed by a theological predisposition or school of thought wherein the Bible can perhaps be twisted to whatever an individual's theology would have it say.

If we are simply reading preconceived ideas into Scripture, or looking for vindication of doctrines which we already hold, we are not seeking truth. We are merely seeking justification for our personal beliefs.

Thank you for your time and patience.