Israel is the key to all end-time prophecy.

Keep your eye on Jerusalem  


 

Dec 17

Dateline Jerusalem - Jim Fletcher

Israel alone

My good friend, Caroline Glick, is deputy managing editor for the Jerusalem Post. Her insights into the Arab-Israeli conflict are superb and invaluable for those in the pro Israel community. A native of Chicago, Caroline emigrated to Israel several years ago and is a captain in the IDF (reserves). As a political columnist, she is without peer. Look for her new book, Shackled Warrior: Israel and the Global Jihad (Gefen) early next year.

Recently, Caroline wrote that American-Israel relations are in crisis. I believe she’s right — scary as that is — but I also believe it’s better to be realistic rather than naïve.

The State Department doesn’t really try to hide the fact that it expects Israel to make lethal concessions to the Palestinians. The U.N. hisses and passes resolution after resolution condemning the Jewish state. Presidential candidates pledge their love to Israel, then abandon her once in office. All realistic signs point to Israel with her back once again to the sea, facing Pharaoh’s army.

That assessment also speaks to a specific prophecy given in Jeremiah (30:13,14), and answers a question I often hear: Will the U.S. ever abandon Israel? Many people would consider that my answer to that question (yes) is either wrong or too scary to contemplate. I contend that it points to the majesty and awesomeness of God in revealing His perfect will and plan for the world.

In the 30th chapter of Jeremiah, we are told that at some point, all Israel’s allies will abandon her. For some, the idea that America would abandon Israel is inconceivable. Yet God makes it clear that Israel’s physical salvation will not come from the U.N., or a friendly American president, or the 10th Mountain Division.

God will save Israel.

As it stands now, only the U.S., Great Britain (sometimes), and Micronesia (!) vote with Israel in the U.N.

With Israel’s lightning victory in the 1967 Six Day War, and subsequent defeats of Arab armies and terrorist groups, it has become almost fashionable to put our faith in military power. Certainly the Israel Defense Forces is elite and feared. The IDF deserves its reputation.

But I believe the Bible points to a time when Israel will be alone. This is, by the way, a parallel for our individual lives, when we sometimes find ourselves at the end of our rope. It is then God intervenes and reveals Himself to us. This strengthens our faith and lets us know that the Creator loves us. So it will be with Israel.

The Bible is so amazing in its attention to fulfilled prophetic detail. When all conventional wisdom mitigated against the return of an entire people to their ancient homeland…the Jews came back to Israel. When God promised that no weapon formed against Israel would prosper, Arab armies suffered puzzling defeat after defeat. When He promised that modern Jewish communities would be built on the ruins of ancient ones…well, just visit Israel and gaze in wonder at the thousands of red-tiled homes dotting hillsides.

It follows that if Israel is to find herself relying on her God alone in the last days, that is exactly what will happen. The point is, when God intervenes and saves her from a vast array of international enemies, no one will be able to explain it apart from divine intervention.

People can reject God. They can rail against his purposes. They can try to ignore him. But they cannot remove Him.

God works in the open. He paints history in living color. He is now filling a canvas with the glory of Israel, and we are all privileged to be able to see it.

All of us who love Israel and the Jews will continue to do so. We will not abandon her, though governments will.

All because God said it would be so. I love that.

Jim Fletcher is a member of the executive committee of the National Christian Leadership Conference for Israel (NCLCI). He can be reached at jim1fletcher@yahoo.com