By the time Jesus of Nazareth come on the scene the Roman Empire was in control of the Holy Land and would remain in control for many years thereafter. The Jews controlled nothing except the Temple in Jerusalem, and then only at the behest of the Romans who ruled every aspect of Jewish life they desired to rule. Because of their sins, the Jews had lost control of their lives, their land and every aspect of their existence except the spiritual, which they had corrupted many years earlier. As had been the case in each of their many national downfalls, their defeat by the Romans was due to their rebellion against God. This pattern has persisted throughout the history of God’s chosen people. Instead of understanding why their nation had been destroyed and enslaved, which the Lord’s prophets had warned them would happen; instead of  returning to the Lord in true repentance and obedience to His Word, the Jews chose to rebel against the Romans in 70 A.D., then again in 132 A.D., each rebellion ending in defeat. Following their final defeat the Romans scattered them throughout the world, selling many of them into slavery to foreign people. Again, the objects of God’s wrath were His CHOSEN PEOPLE.

As a result of these debacles the Jews were without a homeland until 1948 when the modern nation misnamed “Israel” came into being. The nation is in reality Judea, meaning that it is inhabited by people of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi whom the King James translators nicknamed “Jews.” The true name for these people is “Judahites.” Since 1948 the Jews have been forced to fight for existence on a daily basis. All-out war was declared in 1948, 1967 and 1973. Israel routinely comes under attack in one form or another by the Arab nations that surround her with the exception of Egypt and Jordan, who have maintained an uneasy truce with the Jews for several years. Incredibly, the tiny slit of land on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea has remained the focal point of world hatred since its declaration of statehood, the city of Jerusalem being the focal point of global hate. Bible students are not surprised by this in that God warned the Israelites time and again concerning the results of their rebellion against Him. Time and again He has used heathen nations to defeat, destroy and enslave the Israelites. The nations of the so-called “Christian world” will soon experience the same treatment from the same God and for the same reason–rebellion against His Word.

The Old Testament Prophet Zechariah lived some 500 years before the time of Jesus Christ. In Zechariah 12:2,3 God spoke through him, saying: “… behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling to all the surrounding peoples when they lay siege against Judah (tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi) and Jerusalem. And in that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for ALL PEOPLE. All who take her away  will be cut to pieces, (even) though ALL NATIONS OF THE EARTH WILL BE GATHERED AGAINST HER.” In verse 9 He added: “In that day I will destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” Because Jerusalem has been fought over many times, it is necessary that we prove that Zechariah is referring to a time just ahead of us. God proves this for us in 14:1-4 by referring to the year following the Great Tribulation known Biblically as “the Day of the Lord.” “Behold, the Day of the Lord is coming …. For I will gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem. The city will be taken (from the Jews) …. Half of the city will go into captivity. …. And on that day His (Jesus’) feet will stand on the Mount of Olives … and the Mount of Olives will be split in two ….” None of these things have happened. Obviously, in order for Jerusalem to be “taken” from the Jews, the Jews will have to own the entire city. For this to happen, they would need to be in control of the surrounding lands also. This prophecy could only have been fulfilled since 1948 when the Jews claimed ownership of the Holy Land. L.J.