On Jan. 9th, ‘2005 the Palestinians will have voted for their new president. The primary candidate, interim Palestinian chief Mahmoud Abbas, who has been portrayed in the past as a moderate, has now been shown to have identical views and intentions as those of his predecessor Yasser Arafat.
Abbas has not only refrained from declaring he will disarm militant groups as is required by the "Road Map to Peace" initiative, but has even went as far as to vow on Jan. 1, ‘05 to protect the terrorists from Israeli justice.
Instead of denouncing the terrorism of organizations such as when Hamas fired rockets on Jewish villagers within Israel, Abbas said to them on Jan. 1st, "This is not the time for this kind of act." Abbas effectively left open for interpretation his concession that there is and will be an appropriate time to kill and maim the Jewish people.
On Dec. 30, ‘04, while appearing in Jenin, a joyous Abbas was photographed while personally being carried on the shoulder of Zakaria Zbeida, a notorious and wanted al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terrorist.
On Jan. 4, "05 Abbas publically called the nation of Israel "the Zionist enemy." All indications are that Abbas plans on leading a war against Israel.
As if to remove any doubt on his intentions there are his newly announced positions on the fate of Israel proper to review. On Dec. 31, ‘04 Abbas spoke his hard-fast terms against Israel which echoed the same undermining and destructive plans of Arafat. According to Abbas Israel must withdraw to the 1949 armistice lines. She must allow the return to Israel of millions of Palestinians whose families abandoned Israel to planned annihilation during the Arab invasion after its rebirth in 1948 and she is to capitulate sovereignty over Jerusalem so that the Palestinians can establish their capital in the Holy City.
Many believe the so-called Palestinian "right of return" will be the main obstruction to a peace agreement, but Scripture reveals the ultimate point of conflict will be over Jerusalem.
In Joel 3:2 we are shown that the parting of Israel's land will assuredly take place to some degree and will ultimately bring God's judgment, but Israel's unyielding position over Jerusalem we are told in Zechariah 12, will be an issue of bloody contention up to the very day Jesus Christ returns to the earth.
Perhaps after the end of the Arab-Israeli war prophesied to soon take place in Psalm 83, Israel will be willing to negotiate the parting of its lands in exchange for a peace and security covenant that recognizes Jerusalem as its capital.
In addition, as is prophesied in Daniel 9;27, she will at some point seek and obtain recognized authority to rebuild her Temple on the Temple Mount and to restore her ancient Temple rites. A basis for such a covenant has been in existence since 1993.
Seventy leaders of World Jewry signed the Jerusalem Covenant, May 19, 1993, in a special signing ceremony. Quoting from this document we remind those reviewing these messages that there is the fascinating possibility that this could in essence be the very covenant which the Anti-Christ of Dan. 9:27 will confirm with Israel for 7 years.
"AS OF THIS DAY...Jerusalem Day, the twenty-eighth day of the month of Iyar in the year five thousand seven hundred fifty-two; one thousand nine hundred and twenty-two years after the destruction of the Second Temple; forty-four years since the founding of the state of Israel; twenty-five years since the Six Day War during which the Israel Defense Forces, in defense of our very existence, restored the Temple Mount and the unity of Jerusalem; twelve years since the Knesset of Israel re-established Jerusalem, "unified and whole," as the "Capital of Israel;" "the State of Israel is the State of the Jewish People" and the Capital of the People of Israel.
We have gathered together in Zion, sovereign national officials and leaders of our communities everywhere to enter into a covenant with Jerusalem, as was done by the leaders of our nation and all the people of Israel upon Israel's return to our Land from the Babylonian exile wherein the people and their leaders vowed to "swell in Jerusalem, the Holy City."
ONCE AGAIN..."our feet stand within your gates, O Jerusalem - Jerusalem built as a city joined together" which unites the people of Israel to one another," and "links heavenly Jerusalem with earthly Jerusalem."
WE HAVE RETURNED...to the place that the Lord vowed to bestow upon the descendants of Abraham, Father of our Nation: to the City of David, King of Israel; where Solomon, son of David, built a Holy Temple and a Capital City; which with time became the Mother of all Israel; a City and the Mother of all enactments of Justice and righteousness, and for the wisdom and insights of the ancient world; where a Second Temple was erected in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. In this city the prophets of the Lord prophesied; in this City our Sages taught Torah; in this city the Sanhedrin convened in session in its stone chamber. "For here were the seat of justice and the Throne of the House of David," "for out of Zion shall go forth Torah, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.'"
In our next message, if the Lord is wiling, we will quote from the last part of this covenant.
Imagine if you would that a man predicted the future history of say the Incas for the next 2,000 to 3,000 years accurately, predicting the destruction of the empire, the dispersal of the people around the world, then the preservation of their identity, the rebirth of their nation on their native soil, the restoration of their culture and language, then the recapture of their ancient capital which was to become the focal point of global concern, wouldn't that be astounding and tangible proof of supernatural knowledge imparted by an all-knowing God?
The only true God has revealed these very facts and even more about the nation of Israel. With the first part of the Jerusalem Covenant still fresh in our minds declaring Jerusalem as the historic and future "Capital of Israel" and the "Capital of the People of Israel" which "links heavenly Jerusalem with earthly Jerusalem" let us point out a key prophetic passage for these last days.
God tells us in Zechariah 12:2-10 without dispute that (1) Israel would once more be restored as a nation in these last days (as of 1948 this has taken place), (2) that Israel would regain control of Jerusalem in the last days (this has also taken place as of 1967), (3) that the Jewish people and leaders will be great warriors shortly before the Lord establishes His Kingdom (this prophecy has been proven again and again by Israel in numerous wars against overwhelming odds), and (4) that the issue of Jerusalem would be a major point of international contention at the close of the age.
Without dispute this last days prophecy is also being fulfilled at this present time in history. What remains ahead according to God in Zechariah is (5) the destruction of the opposing countries who will one day soon come up against Jerusalem, and (6) the repentance of the Jewish people when they recognize as Savior the Son of God, Jesus Christ whom they and the world pierced on the cross almost 2,000 years ago.
In 1996, the Jewish nation celebrated the 3,000th anniversary of King David's proclamation of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Many nations along with the Vatican announced that they would boycott the celebrations planned by Israel throughout the year.
Only a few nations upon the earth recognize Jerusalem as the legitimate capital of Israel in 2005 and powerful entities like the United Nations and the European Union condemn Israel for its possession of Jerusalem as being in violation of so-called international law. Drastic events are on the horizon.
We find it beyond our understanding when we speak with Christians who have read Bible prophecy and then hear them declare that they do not feel that the end of this present age is close at hand. Don't be misled. Time is very short and one day very soon the Rapture of the Church to heaven will have taken place (II Thess. 4:15-18).
Today, this moment is the time to turn in faith to Jesus Christ, believing in His salvation for the forgiveness of your sins.
If you would like some free information which more thoroughly explains how and why Jesus Christ paid the full penalty for every believer's sins then write and ask for God's Plan for Salvation."