A National Home at Last!
On November 29, 1947, the U.N. General Assembly (which included the vote of Russia's U.N. delegate!) voted to PARTITION PALESTINE between the Jews and Arabs — thereby establishing a national homeland for the Jews. The Arab members of the U.N. bitterly opposed the resolution and voted against it. But they were outvoted.
On May 14, 1948, the U.N. created state of Israel was born. The Zionists' dream of a national home for the Jews in Palestine had suddenly come true!
But the ARABS PROMPTLY DECLARED WAR on Israel as soon as it came into existence — and they have continued in a state of belligerence toward the state of Israel ever since. Nasser recently said: "We aim at the destruction of the State of Israel."
The FIRST ROUND of the Arab-Israeli war was fought in 1948. The Israelis were the victors.
The SECOND ROUND of the Arab-Israeli war was fought in 1956 — when Britain, France and Israel allied themselves against Egypt in an effort to regain control of the Suez Canal — which Nasser had seized.
In the 1956 war, the Israeli forces were again victorious. But under pressure from the U.N. and certain big-power nations, the Israelis finally disgorged their 1956 territorial gains. Pressure from the U.S. and threats from Russia forced the British and French to halt their war against Nasser.
Round Three — the Six-Day War
Then came ROUND THREE. The forces of Egypt blockaded Israel's Red Sea port in the spring of 1967. Israel declared it an act of war. In June, the whole world was stunned by Israel's decisive, lightning attack on Egyptian armies along Israel's border.
During this brief Six-Day War, tiny Israel almost totally disarmed the neighboring Arab nations who had vowed her complete destruction.
One hard fact was driven home during the Six-Day War. NEITHER AMERICA NOR RUSSIA CAN CONTROL THE EXPLOSIVE MIDDLE EAST! America cannot control Israel. Russia cannot control Egypt and the Arabs.
Many now realize the Middle East problem is so deep-seated that it seemingly defies all attempts to solve it.
The Super Powers, America and the USSR, appear unwilling to become embroiled in World War III over the Middle East — if they can prevent it! Everyone realizes, however, that the Mideast situation could, at any moment, take a turn for the worse that might drag both America and the Soviet Union into war — against their will!
World War III could be triggered by accident. The explosion could be the powder keg which would trigger a nightmarish nuclear holocaust — a conflagration enveloping the whole earth in indescribable destruction!
Nasser's humiliating, shattering defeat at the hands of the Israelis has left Egypt and other Arab nations respectful of Israel as a military power, but nonetheless still very bitter, demanding revenge. To embittered Arabs, the Six-Day War was just another round in their attempt to erase "Zionist" Israel from the map. They are reluctantly willing to bide their time. In Nasser's own words: "The Six-Day War was, in actual fact, the prelude to a war.
At the end of the Six-Day War many top military experts said it might take years for Egypt to properly retrain and completely re-equip her armed forces. Many of her officers and military men were either killed, wounded, captured, sacked or pensioned off.
In the meantime EGYPT'S ECONOMY IS a MUDDLED MESS!
Her Sinai oil wells have been taken over by Israel. And, in 1968, 80 percent of her fuel-production capacity was destroyed when Israeli shells hit her vast oil refineries at Suez — in retaliation for Egypt's [or was it the USSR's] sinking one of Israel's destroyers. Egypt's refineries near the Suez Canal were blasted again this year during a long series of artillery duels across the Suez. Egypt's lucrative tourist trade with the West has been shut off. Her rich revenues from the Suez Canal have evaporated.
To make matters worse, her cotton crops even before the Six-Day War were already mortgaged to the Russians in return for massive shipments of military hardware — most of which was either captured or destroyed by the Israelis in the lightning, Six-Day War.
And to make matters still worse, the Israelis now sit securely on the eastern bank of the Suez Canal — daring Nasser to try to use the Canal without their express permission! Also, Israeli supersonic bombers and fighter planes are now within minutes of the heart of Cairo and Alexandria.
Syria's plight isn't much better than Egypt's. Israel has Syria over a barrel — the barrel(s) of her big guns. Israeli troops now sit astride Syria's Golan Heights — just waiting the command to take Damascus if Syrian leaders provoke Israel with heedless commando-type raids.
Israeli reprisals into the heart of Lebanon have caused that Arab state to crack down hard on the Al Fatah commandos.
Furthermore, Israel may already possess her own crude, Israeli-made A-Bombs! Remember, Israel's first atomic reactor (at Nahal Rubin) began operating in July, 1960. Israel launched her first successful solid-fuel rocket on July 5, 1961, "for meteorological study," of course!
Israel stoutly denied a recent report in Der Spiegel that she already had at least five or six operational 20-kiloton atomic bombs.
Return of Jews Foreseen
Millennia ago the prophet ZEPHANIAH announced in advance that during our time the people of Judah (the Jews or "Israelis") would inhabit the coastal strip along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean.
"And the coast shall be for the remnant of the HOUSE OF JUDAH; they shall feed thereupon; in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity" (Zeph. 2:7).
In this same advance news report the people of Judah were pictured in possession of the ancient land where the Philistines (verses 5, 6) once dwelt. If you were to consult a map showing the territory anciently inhabited by the Kingdom of Judah, you would notice that the Jews did not then dwell along the sea coast of the Philistines. Anciently, Judah was an inland country, often without territorial access to the Mediterranean. So this advance news report in Zephaniah is a message for our day! The Israelis now possess the coast of the Philistines.
Recently, when touring the remains of old Ashkelon, I noticed a sign which the Jews had put up right within the ruins of this ancient city. On this sign was a quote from Zephaniah 2:7 which reveals that the Jews would possess this territory in our day. Yes, the Jews know they are fulfilling this prophecy!
ZECHARIAH also prophesied of the time when the city JERUSALEM would become "a burdensome stone to all nations" (Zech. 12:2, 3). (Aren't the dis-United Nations — all 126 of them — quite burdened down with the problem of what to do with Jerusalem?)
World leaders seem to overlook that God Almighty declared He would "make the governors of JUDAH [the men of prominence, like Dayan and Allon] like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem" (Zech. 12:6). This advance news report for our day reveals that the Jews would be much more powerful than their neighbors.
Even the "feeble" Jews of Judah are to be as strong and courageous "as David."
Another report says: "And Judah also shall fight at JERUSALEM . . ." (Zechariah 14:14). The preceding verses of the 14th chapter show the time setting is at the end of this age — just before the long-awaited Messiah returns to this earth to save mankind from being annihilated!
When Jews and Arabs Embrace!
Astounding as this may seem, your Bible reveals that the Jews and Arabs will settle their differences — will embrace each other in the near future. But not until some bitter lessons are first learned.
Ben-Gurion was right when he said: "It is possible for Arabs and Jews to go back and live together on the same land, as in the time when we were all sons of Abraham."
Today anti-Semitism is still rampant throughout the entire earth. Jews have been hated, maligned, cursed, persecuted and slaughtered for centuries. The brutal, cold-blooded murder of nearly six million Jews by the Nazis was merely the latest episode in this long, sad, weary chronicle of anti-Semitism!
But thanks to God Almighty, anti-Semitism is soon destined to disappear from this earth. "Many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in JERUSALEM, and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; in those days it shall come to pass, that TEN MEN shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a JEW, saying, we will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you" (Zech. 8:22-23).
At Last — A Happy Solution!
Yes, incredible as it may seem, the time is soon coming when the nations will look to the Jews with respect and honor, knowing that God (in the person of the Jewish Messiah) will be dwelling right in Jerusalem — among the Jews.
Has any nation found a solution to the Middle East muddle? Not the U.S., Britain, Russia, France — not even the United Nations. No human being nor nation has a workable solution to the explosive "Palestine question"! "The way of peace they have not known" (Rom. 3:17). Only God can untangle this knotty problem. The solution can only be brought about by a SUPERHUMAN BEING — the Messiah! It will take the Kingdom of God (literally established on this earth) — the only government possessing the needed wisdom and power — to solve this difficult Mideast problem (see Isa. 9:6, 7; Dan. 2:44, 7:21, 22, 27).
"And the Lord [the Messiah] shall be king over all the earth" (Zech. 14:9).
In the end, however, Egypt and all other nations will serve God:
"And the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be EGYPT my people, and ASSYRIA the work of my hands, and ISRAEL mine inheritance (Isa. 19:23-25).
Then shall all the earth overflow with abundance of peace, happiness, and prosperity. Then, at last, the Utopian age of the prophets shall have come to pass (see Isa. 2, 11; Micah 4).
It is during this time that the JEWS (the HOUSE OF JUDAH) and ISRAEL (the HOUSE OF ISRAEL, the ten tribes) will be joined together back in their Promised Land (Palestine) never again to be divided into two nations (Ezek. 37:15-28). Where those Ten Tribes are — where the ancient Assyrians migrated to — has been one of history's best-kept secrets.
Then there will be no more anti-Semitism — no more commando attacks against Israel — no more reprisals against Arab countries — no more Arab threats to annihilate Israel — no more Israeli military campaigns into Arab territory — no more homeless Arab refugees!
Yes, both Jews and Arabs will dwell together in peace and mutual respect in the wonderful World Tomorrow!