Why Israel?

Why Israel Sunday 17 Nov 2019 Pastor Graham Sunderland Why Israel During the last years of WW I Australian, British and some New Zealand troups fought against the Ottoman Turks in Palestine. The charge at Beersheba, by the Australian Light Horse, signalled a change for the Holy Land, and Israel. On 11 December 1917 General Allenby marched into Jerusalem and Palestine came under a British Mandate, through the Balfour Declaration in British parliament. In the 1920’s the Zion movement gained momentum, but the map for a Jewish Palestine was re-drawn to only include the land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. This was approved by the League of Nations in 1922. Much political discussion followed, and then the Nazi’s attempted to annihilate the Jewish race in the Holocaust of WW II. However on May 14 1948 the State of Israel was formed with only about 700,000 Jews living in the land. There have been many wars, restrictions on the Jews returning to the land, much hatred shown by most of the world, to this nation, and it’s people. Psalm 105:9-11 This is the covenant he made with Abraham and the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant “I will give you the land of Canaan as your special possession.” Map of Israel : and the west bank Israel as it was created in 1948, comprised a land area 13th the size of New Zealand. They are surrounded by hostile Arab nations, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Iran and Egypt. You can see te West Bank area is central to Israel, and the other conflict areas we hear and read about are the Golan Heights – near Damascus and the Gaza Strip on the Mediterranean towards Egypt. The Six Day War The Six-Day War took place from June 5 - 10 1967. The Israelis defended the war as a preventative military effort to counter an impending attack by Arab nations that surrounded Israel. The war was against Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Jordan. After the 1956 Suez Crisis, the United Nations had established a presence in the Middle East, especially at sensitive border areas. The United Nations was only there with the agreement of the nations that acted as a host to it. By May 1967, the Egyptians had made it clear that the United Nations was no longer wanted in the Suez region. Gamal Nasser, leader of Egypt, ordered a concentration of Egyptian military forces in the sensitive Suez zone. This was a highly provocative act and the Israelis only viewed it one way – that Egypt was preparing to attack. The Egyptians had also enforced a naval blockade which closed off the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli shipping. In response to the apparent mobilization of its Arab neighbours, early on the morning of June 5, Israel staged a sudden pre-emptive air assault that destroyed more than 90 percent Egypt’s air force on the tarmac. A similar air assault incapacitated the Syrian air force. Without cover from the air, the Egyptian army was left vulnerable to attack. On June 7th, many Egyptian tanks had been destroyed in the Sinai Desert and Israeli forces reached the Suez Canal. On the same day, the whole of the west bank of the Jordan River had been cleared of Jordanian forces. The Golan Heights were captured from Syria and Israeli forces moved 30 miles into Syria itself. An eastern front was also opened on June 5 when Jordanian forces began shelling West Jerusalem—disregarding Israel’s warning to King Ḥussein to keep Jordan out of the fight—only to face a crushing Israeli counterattack. On June 7 Israeli forces drove Jordanian forces out of East Jerusalem and most of the West Bank. The UN Security Council called for a cease-fire on June 7 that was immediately accepted by Israel and Jordan. Egypt accepted the following day. Syria held out, however, and continued to shell villages in northern Israel. On June 9 Israel launched an assault on the fortified Golan Heights, capturing it from Syrian forces after a day of heavy fighting. Syria accepted the cease-fire on June 10. The war was a military disaster for the Arabs but it was also a massive blow to the Arabs morale. Here were four of the strongest Arab nations systematically defeated by just one nation. 6 Day War Victory The success of the campaign surprised the world. However, it also gave the Israeli government a major problem for decades. By capturing the Sinai, the Golan Heights and the West Bank of the Jordan River, the Israelis gained areas of great strategic value. However, the West Bank also contained over 600,000 Arabs who now came under Israeli administration. This led many young Arabs into joining the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), a group that the Israelis deemed a terrorist organisation. U N Security Council Resolution 2334 At the United Nations Security Council, where New Zealand was an invited guest in 2016, our nation co-sponsored Resolution 2334. This declared that “Israel has no legal validity” to occupy and build settlements in East Jerusalem; and “that this constitutes a flagrant violation under international law” This was passed with 14 YES votes, and an abstention from the US. It is only recently that diplomatic relations between Israel and NZ have been restored. Amos 9:14 I will bring my exiled people of Israel back from distant lands, Seven reasons to pray for Israel - courtesy David Silver : Ps Stefan’s Dad – Out of Zion Ministries The letter of Paul the Apostle to the Romans, is an amazing source of the Lord’s view on Israel and how we, the Gentiles fit in. 1 God has not finished with Israel Romans 11:1-2a I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? ... No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. When God makes a declaration or a covenant ; he will stand by it His word is irrevocable 2 The Word of God Commands us to Isaiah 62:6b – 7 You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem, and makes her the praise of the earth. We, as born again believers, and a part of the “temple of God” have a duty to pray for Israel. 3 The Church has continued dependence on Israel : past present future Romans 11:17 ... And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree. The Church, comprised of a multitude of mainly non-Jewish races, has been able to grafted into the tree, that represents God’s chosen people. The Israelites. But do not let us get overconfident about whom we are : just let us remain believers in Christ Romans 11:20  Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. 4 The Jewish people’s fall has benefited the Gentiles Here we have God’s plan .. Romans 11:11 Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. Up until this point – aliens could be a part of Jewish worship, but here is Paul’s calling – to take the Gospel : The Good News : to the Gentiles Romans 11:15 For .. their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, The Jews – rejecting Jesus – opened up a way for us.  5 God Loves Israel We read in Romans “that all Israel shall be saved” We now know that they rejected Jesus as the Messiah ... Romans 11:28 Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob Jeremiah 31:3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. 6 Yeshua’s return is dependent on Israel’s salvation Acts 3:20-21 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.  21 For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. 7 We will be blessed when we bless Israel Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you Jews need the Good News Romans 11:12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it. V’s 13 I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this, V’s 14 for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them. Romans 11:15 For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead!