The final status of Jerusalem is certain. No “talks” are going to decide it. There will be no “agreement”. There will be no successful “peace” plan from President Obama, Secretary Kerry or anyone else, no matter how devious or sincere, and there will be no lasting solution presented by the United Nations…
Oh, there will be plenty more talks, schemes, agreements and consultations, and there’ll be copious amounts of cajoling, pressure, persuasion, threats, rhetoric and argument. perhaps for years or decades more. There’s even going to be at least one more war. But all the promises, schemes, arguments and blood-letting will amount to nothing. No-one can change the ultimate outcome: the real final status of Jerusalem is fixed and unalterable.
THE TRAP IS SPRUNG
It’s fascinating to see an unbelieving world which sneers at the Bible, work so hard to fulfill Bible prophesies. Two and a half thousand years ago Zechariah, Joel and Ezekiel wrote that God would set a trap for the rebellious nature of man. It will cement the god-haters in their chosen destiny. Even Jesus referred to last-days events as a trap:
Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth (Luke 21:34-35).
The trap specifically spoken of by the prophets would be the world’s own obsession with Jerusalem, and with a determination to wrest the city from its rightful tenants. Jerusalem would become an itch the world just couldn’t resist scratching. The nations now anxious to divide Jerusalem and Israel ostensibly in the name of “peace”-but really in a deep abiding hatred for the Jew-will eventually resort to force:
I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished. And half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city (Zechariah 14:2 KJ21).
Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem (12:2).
THE WORLD’S OBSESSION WILL BE ITS DOWNFALL…
And in that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people. All who try to move it will injure themselves (12:3 NIV).
Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle (14:3).
On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem (12:9).
THE REAL FINAL STATUS
The final status of Jerusalem will begin to unfold when it’s re-claimed by the God who owns it, and who calls it “my land”. It belongs to Him: not to the UN, not to the Palestinians and not even to the Israelis:
In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land” (Joel 3:1-2).
Ultimately, Jerusalem will be replaced and superseded by the new, eternal city:
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband (Revelation 21:2 NIV).
In the New Jerusalem, God will dwell with people from throughout history who’ve loved him, and who didn’t jump into his trap at the climax of history. If you want to be one of those people, and don’t know how to get to this celestial Jerusalem, please read my post, “WHAT IS THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST?”
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