Friday, September 26, 2014

Peace in the Middle East- Will it Ever Come

Jewish People are Scattered The history of the Jewish people from the time they entered the Land of Promise to this very day is one of survival and persistence. During the history of the settlement of the promised land the Jewish people display the very human traits of obedience to God and obedience to a corrupt society.


After the death of Kings David and Solomon the Jewish people have all but forgotten their covenant with God. Even though they have forgotten the covenant, God has not. He will use circumstances and human failing as tools to remind the Jewish nation of His place in their life and in the flow of history.


During the time of disobedience and religious corruption a prophet tells of the division of the Land of Promise. Ten tribes will form the Northern Kingdom, called Israel and the two remaining will become known as the Kingdom of Judah. It will not take long until the brothers of Jacob are at such severe odds with each other that hatred against brother is common.


God will have His way in the affairs of mankind and it is He who allows all of this to take place. Soon armies from the land of Arabia and Persia invade and destroy the Land of Promise. The Jewish people are led away as slaves, dispersed into lands far from the Land of the Covenant.


Obedience to God is more relevant than time so He allows the Jewish people to learn some very hard lessons. After years of slavery two men come to the forefront to bring a sense of hope to the dispersed Jews. Nehemiah and Ezra, at two different locations, receive permission from their captors to return to Jerusalem.


Nehemiah returns with permission and access to supplies to rebuild the wall around the holy city. Ezra receives permission and access to supplies to rebuild the city and temple. At the completion of the rebuilding projects a great religious awakening takes place in the lives of the Jewish people.


The Old Testament comes to close with prophets warning the people that they must stay dedicated to God or corrective actions from God will follow.


The New Testament finds the religious life of the Jewish people controlled by corrupt and greedy leadership. The common people suffer under the hand of the Romans and their puppet Jewish leaders. Around forty years after the death of Christ the Jewish Zealots rebel against Roman rule and the city of Jerusalem is destroyed and the Jewish population flees.


More than 1800 years later the United Nations divides Palestine and in 1948 the Jewish people once again find a homeland with their name attached to it.


Now as to the final thoughts on this topic. It is my view that peace will never come to the Middle East, until the hateful character of man comes under the control of the, God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and His Christ. God alone can change the character of man and cure the evil within the human heart.

No comments:

Post a Comment