If there ever was a metropolitan enigma, it is Jerusalem.  The “city of peace” has had more blood shed in her streets than any other city in history.  Yet God tells us in His Holy Scriptures that one day Jerusalem–the center of His universe–will be the fount from which peace will flow out to all inhabitants of earth.  This is hard to fantom for the nominal Bible reader.  In fact, there are some church denominations that have rejected Israel, whose capital is Jerusalem, because they do not believe what God said about the nation and the city.  People within those denominations will pay a terrible price for both their attitudes and their actions.  They who bless Israel will be blessed and they who curse Israel will be cursed.  The eyes of God are always on Jerusalem, though He most often does not like what He sees.

Jerusalem has both a storied and a convoluted history.  The city was created and ruled by the Word (Who became Jesus of Nazareth–Jn 1:1-4,14) initially, then later by a succession of kings, some of whom were among the worst of men.  Once populated by the most vile of humans, it will one day be populated by God’s Very Elect.  Having been host to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings–Jesus Christ–Jerusalem is now home to a mixed batch of reprobates (Jews and Muslims), both of whom have rebelled against the God of the Holy Scriptures.  The irony is that His chosen vessel–Abraham–was the progenitor of both groups through his sons Isaac and Ishmael.  Between its noble beginning and its ignoble end, the city will have seen the best and the worst of people walk her streets and sit on David’s throne.  The word “enigma” doesn’t quite tell the story.  One needs to read the Old Testament to see just how glorious a city can be and how derelict that same city can become.  However, one day her ancient splendor will pale by comparison to her eternal glory as she houses New Jerusalem, God, the Lord Jesus and Their Very Elect saints who, from there, will rule the earth then the entire universe.  Read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe.  Key Word–Caretakers.

The city and the nation surrounding her was foretold to be a problem to the rest of the world when Jacob, whose name God changed to Israel, prophesied on his death bed that his son Judah (the father of the “Jews”) would be the enemy of most all of mankind during the latter days of this world.  Judah’s hands would always be “on the neck” of other nations.  History has proven Jacob right.  In an international poll taken several years ago, the United States and Israel ranked number one and two respectively as the most hated nations on earth.  The United States is today called the “big Satan” while Israel is called the “little Satan.”

Jerusalem is a divided city.  Three religious groups claim her as the birthplace of and ground zero for their religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  The world’s other nations had for over 70 years refused to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.  U.S. President Donald Trump went against global consensus when he recognized the city as Israel’s capital and placed the American embassy there.  The irony in this situation is palpable.  One of the world’s most sinful men did what so-called Christian leaders have refused to do for fear of angering the rest of the world.  Bible believers know that God has a history of using the worst of men to accomplish His goals.  For example, He would not allow David–“a man after His own heart”–to build His Temple.  Rather, He chose one of Israel’s most sinful kings–Solomon– to build it.  More recently, He used Donald Trump to “drain the swamp” that is Washington, D.C.  And if I am right, He is going to do it again.

When Jacob/Israel was foretelling the character of Judah’s descendants, he compared them to a ferocious young lion resting in his lair.  Jacob asked, “Who will bother him?”  The Jews–the descendants of Judah–have lived up to their forefather’s prediction by beating every enemy who has come against them in modern times, even though they have had to overcome tremendous odds each time.  A young, powerful lion does indeed characterize the Jewish people in these latter days–the time element of Jacob’s prophecy.

We are living in the last days of the final era of man’s rule over the earth.  This Biblical Truth was proclaimed by the Apostle Peter following the coming of the Holy Spirit upon God’s people on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D.  At that time thousands of people from “every nation under the sun” had gathered in Jerusalem to observe the annual Holy Day.  Suddenly they heard a commotion (Jews speaking in their many languages).  Rushing to where the phenomenon was taking place, they asked Peter what was happening.  He replied: “THIS IS THAT which was spoken by the Prophet Joel (2:28) who prophesied, saying: ‘It shall come to pass IN THE LAST DAYS, declares God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh ….”  The last days of this world as we know it began on that day when the Holy Spirit fell on the Lord’s disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem, thereby creating the New Covenant Church of God and filling its original members with power from on high.  The infilling of the Holy Spirit gave the church power to obey God’s Law which, at that time, was  “written in their hearts” (Acts 2:1-18).

Another aspect of Jacob’s prophecy over his son Judah concerned the One Who would come from the tribe of Judah in the latter days.  He foretold that the scepter (staff of rulership over God’s people) would never leave Judah’s (his descendant’s ) hand.  This meant that a ruler from his (Judah’s) tribe (the “Jews”) would always be on God’s throne until Shiloe (the Messiah) comes who will gather from throughout the world the people of Israel unto Himself as a unified nation.  Christ began to do this on May 15, 1948 when the modern day nation called Israel was declared by the United Nations to be a self-governing geopolitical, social, economic and military entity.  The Jews, whose motto had been: “Next year in Jerusalem” had finally materialized after hundreds of years during which they had not had a homeland.  Who has ruled the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem since 1948?  Judahites, nicknamed “Jews” by the King James translators.  Has the nation been at peace at any time since?  No.  Does the world hate the Jews?  Yes.  Jews are the only group for which a word was coined to depict the entire world’s attitude against it–antisemitism.  Today antisemitism is on the rise throughout the world.  Jacob was right, Judah’s hand has indeed against most of the world since 1948.  Jerusalem has been a thorn in the eyes of the rest of the world since that time.  With the exception of the United States and Great Britain, any nation dealing with her feels like they are handling a “cluster of thorns.”  Israel refuses to do what most of the world wants her to do.  Beginning with the Six Day War in 1948, God has protected her from her enemies, just as He has protected America and Britain.  But His protection for those Israelite nations is about to end.  Read Who and Where is Israel Today?  Key word–Where?  As I have written, I believe that He is going to give the United States one more chance to humble herself and obey Him.  I also believe that, in the long run, she will not do so.  There may well be a “come to Jesus” moment for modern Israel.  However, as the history of her ancient ancestors indicate, she will soon turn away from the Lord.  The result will be the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord–a 3 1/2 year period of terror, death and destruction which, Jesus said, will be worse than the catastrophies that have ever afflicted mankind COMBINED (Mat. 24:21).  Read the Book of Revelation for details of what is coming on the nations of Israel–the United States, Great Britain and the Jews of the Middle East.  L.J.