In part one of this message we shared how the United Nations and its International Court of Justice are prime candidates for fulfilling the role of the judicial branch of the Anti-Christ's future world government. We shared that this world court has a constitution called the Rome Statute and that it is headquartered in the European Union which was founded by the Treaty of Rome.
The Roman origin of both of these entities was shown to have a direct correlation with Bible prophecy regarding the Anti-Christ.
We then shared how Israel has refused to ratify the Roman Constitution of the World Court due to the anti-Israel bias having been shown by its members and how a 7 year offer of immunity from prosecution has been offered to Israel if it will only submit to the court's authority.
These facts were also shown to harmonize with what God has foretold for Israel in these last days when the whole world will hate and sit in judgment of her and how the Anti-Christ will strengthen a 7 year covenant with Israel and her neighbors.
We will now look at the growing strength of the World Court, its unfair animosity against Israel and the probable issue at hand that will directly affect the course God has chosen for the fulfillment of His prophecies.
It is a sad fact that the vast majority of Israelis do not believe the words of God found in the Bible. Israel had been one of the chief proponents for the establishment of an entity such as the international Court of Justice, but were blind to the prophecies which warned them that to do so was like a man helping build his own gallows.
Constantly the Scriptures remind the people of Israel that the world is destined to side against her and that she will only find true justice at the hands of God's Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Instead, Israel has helped to build a Frankenstein, a monster destined to seek the destruction of its creator. The power of the World Court has taken root so that even the strongest ally of Israel, the United States is finding itself lined up in its sights. The United States recognized the fearful potential of the International Criminal Court, as it was known on the day of its formal birth in 2002, and immediately tried to distance itself from the court's control.
Quoting from an April 12, ‘02 Los Angeles Times article which headlined, "U.S. wary of new global tribunal" we read, "UNITED NATIONS - As dignitaries from around the world gathered at the United Nation's headquarters Thursday to celebrate the ratification of the International Criminal Court, State Department officials said the united states would take steps to "divorce" itself from the new global tribunal.
"A page in the history of humankind is being turned," Hans Corell, the U.N. Undersecretary for legal Affairs, said as the United Nations received ratification documents from 10 more nations in a ceremony here, passing the threshold of the 60 countries needed to put the court in business.
The Bush administration would like to see that page turned back, U.S. officials said a few hours later...In the packed U.N. chamber where delegates gathered Thursday morning to witness the ceremony, the U.S. seat was left conspicuously vacant - a deliberate signal, Prosper said, of U.S. disaffection. "We felt there was no role for us to play, and no need for us to attend," he said. "Our intention is to be divorced from the process."
The U.S. found itself in a quandary since former President Bill Clinton signed the original 1998 international agreement establishing the court. President Bush subsequently nullified Clinton's signature, maintaining that Americans do not fall under the court's jurisdiction. Through President Bush's efforts America was able to obtain 2 years of exemptions from the dictates of the World Court. This would soon change.
The United States concerns about becoming a target of the world court became a reality just 26 months later as was reported in a June 18, ‘04 associated Press article which headlined, "U.N. chief fights U.S. exemption to world court."
We quote, "United Nations - Defying the United States, Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the U.N. Security Council on Thursday to stop shielding American peacekeepers from international prosecution for war crimes...The Bush administration argues that the International Criminal Court - which started operating last year - could be used for frivolous or politically motivated prosecutions of American troops.
The 94 countries that have ratified the 1998 Rome Treaty establishing the court maintain it contains enough safeguards to prevent frivolous prosecutions...council nations that support the court say nobody should be exempt."
Just six days later it was reported in a June 24, ‘04 Baltimore Sun article that the U.S. would no longer have immunity from the world Court. In the article which was subtitled, "Soldiers may be prosecuted in International Criminal Court" it was stated that, "...immunity for U.S. troops will expire June 30...U.S. diplomats had sought to renew a two-year-old resolution that barred the court from prosecuting soldiers who are part of U.N.-mandated missions...[but] are not parties to the Rome Statute, which created the court...[the U.S. conceded] defeat Wednesday...[to] the court [which] is the world's first permanent tribunal for war crimes.'
The hard-wired fact of Bible prophecy that the restored Roman Empire and not the United States will be ruling the earth before the return of Jesus Christ is in evidence this very day. The prophecies which foretell that this last days Roman revival will align the world against Israel is foreshadowed in the defeat of the U.S. to gain immunity. If Israel's most powerful earthly ally could not withstand the court's growing power, how can Israel?
Since 2002 Israel has found itself on the receiving end of numerous unfair cases brought against it before the World Court, but not until July of 2004 has she been thoroughly placed under the court's condemnation. The issue is over a wall.
Unique and unheard of in modern history, the tiny nation of Israel is enclosing itself behind protective walls that stand as high as 26 feet in some places to protect its cities from terrorism.
The success rate of these wall for providing increased safety is beyond dispute. Yet, Israel had been condemned by the World Court and then the United Nations. It is of the greatest prophetic significance that Jerusalem is mentioned also in the court's condemnation.
A July 10, ‘04 Rocky Mountain News article which headlined, "Israel's wall condemned" reported that, "THE HAGUE, Netherlands - The highest U.N. court issued sweeping condemnation of Israel's occupation policies Friday.
The court sided with the Palestinians in declaring that Israel must tear down the 425-mile-long security barrier it is building in the West Bank.
In a sharply worded advisory opinion - far harsher than Israel expected - the International Court of Justice said Israel should compensate Palestinians harmed by the structure and return property confiscated for its construction.
In addition to finding that the barrier violates international law, the court also called for a negotiated peace settlement that would see the establishment of a Palestinian state "as soon as possible."
The 15 international judges were unexpectedly united in backing the majority of the decisions by a vote of 14-1. Only the American judge dissented, in line with Washington's position that the court is not the right venue to consider the security barrier.' The decision cannot be imposed on Israel, but the Palestinians and the Arab League said they would seek action at the United Nations to force Israel to comply.
The ruling came in response to a request by the U.N. General Assembly in December for an opinion on the legality of the barrier - a complex of high concrete walls, razor-wire fences, trenches and watch towers.
Much of it is near the pre-1967 border, but parts cut deep into the West Bank, isolating more than 200,000 Palestinians from their neighbors and livelihoods, the court found.
Palestinians say - and the court agreed - the barrier could lead to the demarcation of a new border and be "tantamount to de facto annexation." If security were the only issue, the Palestinians said, the barrier could be built on the Israeli side of the 1967 border.
"Israel is under an obligation to terminate its breaches of international law; It is under an obligation to cease forthwith the works of construction of the wall being built in the occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, to dismantle forthwith the structure therein situated," said the ruling, read by court president Shi Jiuyong of China.
The 59-page decision was far more critical than Israel anticipated, going beyond the issue of the wall to declare Israeli settlements illegal and to accuse Israel of taking action to deny Palestinians their right to self-determination."
On July 11, ‘04 the Denver Post reported in an article which headlined, "Palestinian -Israeli battle over barrier is moving from world court to the United Nations," that after bringing the case before the world body's members in the General Assembly, they would, "then go to the 15-nation Security Council, which can order action."
On Wednesday, July 21, ‘04 a Colorado Springs Gazette article which headlined, "U.N. demands Israel tear down barrier" reported, "The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution Tuesday demanding that Israel comply with a world court decision and tear down the barrier it is building to seal off the West Bank.
The vote was 150 in favor, 6 opposed - including the United States - and 10 abstentions.
The assembly's vote, like the opinion of the international court of Justice, is not legally binding, but both have symbolic value as international statements of support for the barrier's destruction."
Israel for now finds itself precariously protected from the actions of the U.N. Security Council by the sole veto power wielded by the United States; a country that in 2004 finds itself vulnerable to the same condemnation proceedings exercised by the World Court and the U.N. to condemn Israel.
The mention of Jerusalem in the Rocky Mountain News article was insignificant in comparison to what was more fully revealed by syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer in the July 18, ‘04 Co. Spgs. Gazette. Mr. Krauthammer reported that, "among various principles invoked by the International Court of Justice...is that...it is a violation of international law for Jews to be living in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem." Mr. Krauthammer then highlights the absurdity of this ruling by mentioning Jews have inhabited the Old City of Jerusalem since it became their capital 3,000 years ago.
The significance of all of this to students of Bible prophecy is overwhelming. By the panoramic prophecy found in Zechariah 12:1-9 Bible students already knew that those living at the close of the age would not only witness Israel being a nation once more, but that Judah would once again possess Jerusalem as the strength of its governors, that is its capital.
Prophecy students also know that the issue of Israel and her possession of Jerusalem will become the focus of global importance and disdain. The World Court in 2004 is making these prophecies a growing reality at an astounding pace.
How near might we be to the catching up of the Church to heaven by the Lord before the 7 year tribulation begins, as prophesied in I Thessalonians 4:15-18 can be considered in light of the issue of Israel's walled villages?
In Ezekiel 38:8 & 11 we are shown that Russia (Magog) and its confederates will one day invade Israel. It is to be a time of tangible safety for Israel and a time when its population is living in unwalled villages. That is not now, nor can it be during the latter part of the 7 year Tribulation Period when all the world is set on destroying Israel.
In order for Israel to be dwelling safely in unwalled villages the present wall being built must be taken down and a substantial peace treaty must be put in place. The United Nations World Court of Europe is being empowered to one day, in the not too distant future, coerce Israel into accepting a 7 year peace covenant or else face a global consequence.
Soon major Middle East wars and acts of terrorism will shake the nations. The political climate will then be ideal for a war-torn world to accept the solutions imposed by a global authority that has proven its interests go far beyond the walls of Israel.
Israel will agree to take down its wall in compliance with a peace covenant that will be intended to last 7 years. In exchange, Israel will be ostensibly granted 7 years of immunity from global prosecution and will be supported in rebuilding God's Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
During the first 3 ½ years of this peace treaty, after the walls have been dismantled by Israel, the Russian invasion of the Middle East, described in Chapters 38 & 39 of Ezekiel, will transpire.
At the mid-point of the 7 years the issue of the Jewish worship at the Temple In Jerusalem will become a major point of contention by the Anti-Christ according to Daniel 9:27 and he will break the covenant. He will then reveal his satanic nature during the last 3 ½ years as he, "...opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God..." according to II Thessalonians 2:3-4.
Jerusalem will then become a whirlpool, drawing all the nations to Israel as they prepare to meet their destruction when Jesus Christ returns to the Mount of Olives (see Rev. 19:11-21 & Zech. 14:3-4 & 9-12).
In the June 24, ‘04 Baltimore Sun article we shared where it was reported how the Rome Statute has made possible "the world's first permanent tribunal for war crimes" and in related articles how the focus of the E.U. based court is to judge against Israel's God ordained rights to her land.
The truth of the matter is, it is the world that is going to soon be judged by God and its Anti-Christ leader will find himself one day standing before the one and only true permanent tribunal after he has used his awful authority to torment and kill the tribulation saints during the final 3 ½ years of his broken covenant.
Quoting from Daniel 7:25-27 we read, "He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.
‘But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever.
‘Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him."
Jesus Christ is coming soon to call up every born again member of His Church to join Him in heaven. He must do so before the 7 year countdown between Israel and the Anti-Christ can restart the countdown to the close of the age as is prophesied in Daniel Chapter 9. The signing of the covenant is not far off and the Rapture of the Church to glory is even nearer.
Today, this very moment, is the time to believe in the Risen Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Don't put it off, your life can come to an end at any moment and you will be lost forever.