Watching Israel

Watching Israel - Gary Stearman - www.prophecywatchers.com

 

Watching Israel is not as easy as it might appear. There is nothing on Earth as complex as the politics of Israel, both inside and outside of the country given to the Jews. Its Embassy is now located in Jerusalem, which is still called the disputed capitol of Israel. Internally and externally, its enemies abound. Yet the nation moves forward as though there is no tension in the area. Benjamin Netanyahu, despite a number of challenges, remains as Prime Minister. Business and tourism remain robust.

 

But just southwest of Jerusalem, the Mediterranean coast (specifically Gaza) has become a stronghold of Hamas and the walled-off source of thousands of rockets. North of Israel, the land of Syria is literally paved with thousands more short-range rockets, along with jets and Russian-supplied missiles. And then there is Turkey, whose leader has aimed at the establishment of a caliphate that would extend across his own country, as well as Iraq and especially, Iran. The ayatollahs of this nation continually shout "Death to Israel!" and "Death to America!" They dream of the return of their immortal spiritual leader, the Mahdi. They devoutly believe he will lead them in conquering Israel, Europe and the Western World. South of Israel, Saudi Arabia dreams of expansion to the northernmost parts of its own territory.

 

But amazingly, in the midst of this storm, tiny Israel (and "tiny" must be emphasized) continues to exhibit a stolid calm. Prime Minister Netanyahu simply smiles and keeps walking forward at a brisk pace. When asked what he would do if an invader moved toward Israel, he flashes that smile and answers that Israel is prepared for whatever might come.

 

Israel is not without tumult and political chaos, but still exhibits what seems to be almost a supernatural calm. From the four corners of the Earth, Israeli tourism has expanded at an exponential rate. What's behind this seeming contradiction?

 

In asking this question, students of Bible prophecy have a kind of "insider" knowledge. Israel's modern regathering - through two World Wars and the military conflicts in the Middle East - has witnessed a series of miraculous victories. Without an air force, Israel celebrated aerial victories. Vastly outnumbered on the ground, Israel has won several wars. Assailed by global anti-Semitism, Israel smilingly moves forward. Their crops flourish; their industrial and scientific innovations abound, while those around them remain in medieval squalor.

 

It seems as though they believe the Holy Scriptures. Let's read from the Song of Moses, as he rhapsodizes about Israel's blessing, which extends to the present day:

 

"8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. 9 For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. 10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. 11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: 12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. 13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; 14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape" (Deut. 32:8-14).

 

The "apple of God's eye" means the pupil - the most sensitive part - of His eye. Read again:

 

"For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye" (Zech 2:8).

 

Students of Bible prophecy believe this, and so do the majority of Jews, including Benjamin Netanyahu! This may account for his smile.