Dating in Ezekiel The Babylonian Captivity was a period of time when the Jewish people were exiled in Babylon from their home in Israel. For many of their governments, which are rich enough to have economically solved the Palestinian refugee problem decades ago, it is useful to have Israel as a scapegoat to divert attention from the tyranny, failure and corruption of their own regimes. Resist the urge to glance at what the commentaries say until you have carefully observed the text. I said at the start that I was speaking to you as an historian, and so I say: No people in History have needed the right to self-defense and legitimacy more than the Jews of Israel, and that is what we in the Friends of Israel Initiative demand here today. Today we see God fulfilling this promise as Gods people return to their promised land. Philemon It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. The descendants of Abraham formed a nation (Israel) around 1300 BC after their Exodus from Egypt to Canaan under the leadership of Moses, and in 1004 BC King David established Jerusalem as the capital of the Kingdom of Israel. 3. Gods dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, Abraham! This covenant was ratified by God alone, meaning that the covenant is eternal and unconditional (Gen 15). Sixty-six percent said the Palestinians real goal should be to start with a two-state solution but then move to it all being one Palestinian state, link. 0000001836 00000 n We also see Gods amazing protection (as in the 6-day war), and God building a numerous people as in the birth of numerous sons and daughters. This speaks of two births of man: a physical birth through woman and a spiritual birth through Gods Spirit. Ephesians Tribe of Reuben History & Descendants of Jacob in the Bible | Who is Reuben, Son of Jacob? 597BC 715 Hezekiah becomes king of Judah. Instead, water is often used as a political weapon, and so authorized wells are not dug and leaks are not repaired. (see Acts 26:7, Jas1:1, Re 21:12 as support that these 10 tribes are not lost). 0000128230 00000 n Malachi The new pope who was elected was Martin V. His election effectively ended the schism. It explains the chosen paths of Hitler and Wilberforce for example; one man destroyed humanity whilst the other helped humanity. They failed to keep to the ways God had stipulated in the contract. DEFEATED BY ASSYRIA. tl_categories_checked(); Acts c(uqqAdd*Ab)CL@31T03g1fP9TT43h32M6_8=Ea'F:@b46r30\ Z@-r% [dO The later Assyrian kings Sargon II and his son and successor, Sennacherib, finished the demise of Israel's northern ten-tribe kingdom. Whilst involving the whole world, it is essentially a time of suffering for those Jews who have returned to the Promised Land. 2 Corinthians Lamentations FACT: the blessing came through Isaac, Jacob, Judah to Christ salvation for all mankind is of the Jews (Jn 4.22). Josiah sought to bring about national revival but it was not to last and the prophetess Huldah (2Ki 22:14, 15, 16, 17) told him that after his death God would bring judgment upon Judah, for they had forsaken God and burned incense to other gods. Their mission was to teach the world by their example and be Gods witness to the nations. The apostle John boldly tells us that all we observe was made through Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew). There the pope was heavily influenced by the French king. What is he told to do? Time ~ 7. The 1922 British Mandate for Palestine encouraged immigration (aliyah), 1948: On May 14 1948 the Jews proclaimed an independent State of Israel and the British withdrew from Palestine, 1882: Start of the first wave of emigration (the First Aliyah) to Palestine. Below are some of the key words and phrases you will be looking for. Jordan captures the eastern part of Jerusalem and Israel's historical heartland, Judea and Samaria. 1967 Six-Day War: after Egypt closed the Straits of Tiran on May 22, 1967, Israel launched an attack on Egyptian, Jordanian, Syrian, and Iraqi airports on June 5, 1967. www.simplybible.com Copyright Ron Graham 2001, "the priests and Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem". Note what Ezekiel is called to do and how he is to do it. There is a caveat here: this amazing transition to immortality is conditional, as explained below. (2Ki 22:8) King Josiah wept when he heard the Word of God for he saw the awfulness of Judah's sin and knew that God's wrath burned against them. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. And during the final war against Israel prophecy says that God will again clearly intervene to protect His people: Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle (Zech 14.3). Although He paid tribute money to the Assyrian Empire for a few years, he stopped doing so shortly after a new Assyrian ruler, King Shalmaneser V, assumed the throne in 727. Esther The Babylonian Captivity of the Jewish People: Origins The Babylonian Captivity occurred when the Jewish people faced exile from Israel. Their rulers were the descendants of King David. Timeline based on traditionally accepted timeframes and general consensus of a variety of sources, . 614 Persian conquest of the Holy Land. Muslims see Mecca as the holiest place in the Islamic world, and so turn their back on the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem when praying. So, on the one hand we see the Vatican demanding control over Jerusalems religious sites, link, the UN stating that Jerusalem should be the capital of both Israel and Palestine, and Palestinians claiming Jerusalem as their capital. Note that 144,000 = 12 12,000 where 12 = 5 (God's goodness) + 7 (completeness and spiritual perfection), link. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. I feel like its a lifeline. After many decades in exile, they were eventually freed by Cyrus the Great. The Fact of Israel's Captivity ( 2 Kings 17:1-6) After 200 years of existence as a nation, the ten northern tribes of Israel were conquered by the Assyrians and taken captive. Radical Islam is never going to accept the concept of an Israeli State, so the struggle is likely to continue for another sixty years, but the Jews know that that is less dangerous than entrusting their security to anyone else. Books ~ Jer, Lam, Eze, Dan, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Obadiah, [Joel] It is important to note that, despite the diaspora and subsequent persecution over the centuries, God always preserves a faithful remnant of His people. 622 BC (record next to 2Ki 22:3) 2Kings 22:1ff describes the incredible events during the reign of Josiah, the godly king over the southern kingdom of Judah at the time that the book of the law was found in the house of the Lord where it had been lost! The Millennial Age on earth provides a forum for the completion of Gods unconditional covenants with Israel the Abrahamic, Davidic, Palestinian and New Covenants. In 2015 the UN General Assembly adopted 20 resolutions against Israel, but only 3 against the rest of the world [UN Watch]. 2005: Israel unilaterally withdrew all of its military occupation forces and settlers from the Gaza Strip (evacuation of 8,500 Israelis from 21 Jewish settlements), but retained civil and security control of the West Bank. The ingathering commenced in the late nineteenth century and key dates in the historic restoration of Israel are as follows: Israels National Water Carrier (click to enlarge). First a few key points about the nation (people) of Israel: Israel may be three hundred miles long, thirty miles wide, but its three thousand years deep. This received a lot of backlash by other church members in Rome. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob came the Twelve Tribes of Israel (Judah, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan ) and they inhabited the land God gave them the area currently known as Israel, including the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. And during the end of the church age a remnant of Israel is grafted back into their own 'olive tree' (Rom 11.23) as they return to their God. 1980: Jerusalem, complete and united, is declared the capital of Israel (Knesset Basic Law, 1982: Hebrew becomes an official language of Israel (Hebrew and Arabic are currently official languages of Israel), 1984: Operation Moses a secret operation bringing approximately 8,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel from Sudan, 1988: Jordan formally renounced any claim to the lands (West Bank and East Jerusalem) that had been lost in the 1967 war, 1991: Operation Solomon a secret operation bringing approximately 14,400 Ethiopian Jews to Israel, 1994: Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty and Israel withdrew troops from Gaza and most cities and towns of the West Bank by 1996. All of western Palestine, from the Jordan to the Mediterranean remains legally open to Jewish settlement under the 1922 British Mandate for Palestine and Article 80 of the UN Charter. They elected their own Pope, Clement VII, to rule in France. Some sources say that it began as soon as King Nebuchadnezzar began to attack the city in 597 BCE, but others say it occurred in 586 CE, when Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylonian forces. Scholars date this migration from Ur somewhere between 1900 and 1750 BC, and the land in question was Canaan. 403 0 obj <> endobj ConformingToJesus Ministry - Copyright 2014-2023. Luke Select: all / none. Is he a fallen angel? It seems that mortality was the consequence of eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Chronology of Time Used by Archaeologist and Historians. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There are 21 governmental and intergovernmental entities (including the EU) that financially support Israeli NGOs, link, although some of these are politically biased and represent the interests of foreign governments, link. While in the Holy Land, youll be seeing things as old as 6,000 years. - Mythology, Overview, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite's Mystical Theology, Mark Antony of Rome: Biography, Facts & Death, Dante Alighieri: Biography, Works & Quotes, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Joel Notice when Ezekiel's mouth is shut and then later opened. In Deuteronomy 28:1-16, we read: 1If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 66 AD Jewish revolt against the Romans. 445-425 BCE - Nehemiah the Prophet Rebuilds the Walls of Jerusalem; City Confined to Eastern Hill. The UN has even resolved to raise the Palestinian flag at the UN headquarters after upgrading the Palestinians status to a non-member observer State even though no such state exists! Councils were held to try to resolve the issue. One third shall be left I will bring the one-third through the fire (and) they will call upon My name (and) I will say, This is My people' (Zech 13.8,9). Resurrection - Is it Taught in the Old Testament? The people all responded together, We will do everything theLordhas said. So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord. How long did he prophesy before the final fall of Jerusalem? This will be in terms of abundant agricultural produce grains, fruit and wine (Ezek 36.29,30) and nations will remark that desolate land has become like the garden of Eden (Ezek 36.35). At the outset it seems unfair on the rest of mankind. Obadiah Cities & Buildings Crowning his achievements was the building of the Temple in Jerusalem, which became the center of the Jewish people's national and religious life. All this of course requires water. The result of such unbiblical teaching is that the institutionalized church takes the worlds view and essentially rejects modern-day Israel, and so pays little attention to end-time prophecy about Israel. Joseph was to be blessed with precious things from the deep (Heb tehom: sea, abyss) lying beneath (Deut 33.13), Asher was to dip his foot in oil (Deut 34.24) and Zebulun and Issachar were to find treasures hidden in the sand (Deut 33.19). He proved that too, by His resurrection from the dead. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed,because you have obeyed me.. (Israel was sometimes called "Ephraim," named for the largest tribe; and sometimes called "Samaria," named for its capital city.) Much, indeed, in every way! The first group of returning exiles arrived in Judea sometime after 536 BC under the leadership of Zerubbabel, a second group returned under Ezra, and Nehemiah led the last group back in 444 BC, link. Make sure you note or mark when the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel. Despite the intervention of the God of Israel to protect her, two end-time wars against Israel must surely take their toll? The Babylonian Captivity of the Church was caused by Pope Clement V. He fled to Avignon after he appointed nine French cardinals. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, Father?, The fire and wood are here, Isaac said, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?. Israel was captured by Babylon in 597 BCE. Jeroboam reigns over the northern Kingdom of Israel from Samaria. 2 Ch 34,35. States & Territories Now there were two popes, and Catholics were unsure of who officially held authority. 458 BC Ezra returns to Jerusalem with second wave of Jews to continue rebuilding the Second Temple. After all, Israel is just some 8 million people living on land the size of Wales! While the Jewish people were exiled they faced immense pressure to conform to the culture of Babylon. Photo: Dror Feitelson Pikiwiki Israel [CC BY 2.5], Wikimedia. Sargon carried into captivity the rest of Israel ( 2 Kgs. Read each chapter carefully and do the following: a. Some 350,000 Jewish settlers live in the relatively lightly populated Area C, link. The electoral (voting) system is based on nation-wide proportional representation. The ones who spoke to other nations are clearly marked. "I will insist the Hebrews have [contributed] more to civilize men than any other nation", The amazing promise of eternal life with our Creator is, Benefits of Drug and Alcohol Rehab Abroad, 2020 Guide to Substance Abuse in Veterans, Returning to Work after Addiction Treatment, Finding Friends After Addiction Rehabilitation, Dangers of Drinking and Driving Quit Alcohol, Disclosing a Mental Health Condition to Others, Dangerous Drugs and their Serious Complications, Mesothelioma: the smoking asbestos cancer connection, Financial Burdens of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment, Explaining the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, House of Commons Speech Supporting Israel, Israel (the nation) is over 3,000 years old, Israel was destined to become a great nation, Israel was destined to be a blessing to all nations, Israel is also a chosen (unique) nation a special people planned to be Gods witness, Israel will exist as long as the sun, moon and stars exist, Israel, or rather a saved remnant, will enter Christs Kingdom age on this earth (the Millennium), God gave Israel her own land (ancient Canaan) through an unconditional covenant with Abraham, Through Abrahams descendants all nations would be blessed through Israels Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus), God renamed Abrahams grandson Jacob and called him Israel, Jacobs descendants were the twelve tribes of Israel (the Hebrew Israelites), Initially the term Jew referred to a member of the tribe of Judah, but later all Israelites were called Jews, In 1003 BC King David established Jerusalem as the capital of the Kingdom of Israel, In 922 BC the twelve tribes split into a southern kingdom (the House of Judah) and a northern kingdom comprising ten tribes (the House of Israel), Only four Gentile empires were destined to rule over Israel: Babylonian, Persian, Greek and Roman, All the tribes eventually rebelled against God and were scattered by the Babylonians throughout the nations (the diaspora), The Babylonians destroyed Israels magnificent temple (Solomons temple) in Jerusalem, Israels scattering was complete around 586 BC, A remnant of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, The rebuilt temple (the Second Temple) and Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, The Romans renamed the land of Israel (principally Judea) as Palaestina (modern Palestine), At the start of the 20th century Palestine was still a mix of many peoples, with no distinctive Jewish nation or Palestinian people, At the end of the age God gathers His scattered people into their promised land. They finally settled mainly in the area currently known as Israel, including the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights, although the tribes of Benjamin, Gad, Reuben and part of Manasseh settled east of the Jordan, Fig.2. When during the Second World War, the island of Malta came through three terrible years of bombardment and destruction, it was rightly awarded the George Medal for bravery; today Israel should be awarded a similar decoration for defending democracy, tolerance and Western values against a murderous onslaught that has lasted twenty times as long. During these years the ingathering from the nations into Israel has been remarkable, as shown by Jewish population statistics: 1882: 0.025m; 1918: 0.06m; 1948: 0.72m; 1965: 2.3m; 1985: 3.5m; 2005: 5.3m; 2014: 6.1m; link. Gradual decline of towns, commerce and Jewish communities, 1517 1917: Ottoman rule. These wars will directly glorify the God of Israel as He openly defeats the attacking forces. In chapter 8 of Pauls letter to the Romans he spoke a mystery. When? Its up to an individual to choose to believe in Jesus and be born a second time! Israel is often accused of being the aggressor in conflicts, whereas Israel claims she wages defensive war after provocation, link. When is Ezekiel to speak? Image: Central and Northern Arava R&D. Add to this the Hamas objective of replacing the Jewish State with an Islamic caliphate, link, then the two-state solution is clearly impossible! At the same time, however, we have Scythians, Parthians, Gauthei, and related peoples "suddenly appearing" in Asia with Hebrew names and customs! The critiques brought against the Catholic Church would only grow, later leading to the Protestant Reformation. Although Prince Philips mother, Princess Alice, is buried on the Mount of Olives because of her status as Righteous Among Gentiles, the Foreign Office ordained that his visit to his mothers grave in 1994 had to be in a private capacity only. At last, the Gentile nations acknowledge and value the unique role of the Jew: Still others become priests and keep charge of the (new) Jewish temple in Jerusalem (Isa 66.21, Exod 44.15). Also note to whom he is sent and why. These are the ones who are refined through suffering and go on into the Millennial world with Christ at His Second Coming. Where? In Jesus' day we see the remnant in Jews like John the Baptist, Simeon, Anna and others who 'looked for the redemption of Jerusalem'. The Unified Monarchy Saul Reigns: 1095 BC 1015 BC ( 1 Samuel 10:172:13) David Reigns: 1015 BC 970 BC ( 2 Samuel 1:1 1 Chronicles 19:1) They also have a 6-12 Social Studies Certification. Sennacherib the ruthless commander of the Assyrian army, made aseige. Bible prophecy over end-time Israel speaks of great blessings on the land. I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone though all nations of the earth are gathered against it (Zech 12.3), This latter war appears to be unique in that it is not primarily man against man, but man against God; it is commonly known as Armageddon (Rev 16.16, 19.19). Ascendant empire ~ Babylon. NOTE: Refer to the Timeline above to help get an overview of the timing of the prophesies of Ezekiel. [The CIA, Wikimedia]. Jeremiah If this is the same people group as in Rev 7, then we must also regard the latter as male virgins. Prior to the fall of the Parthian Empire (224 A.D.), we find many Semitic (descendants of Israel) tribes living within its borders and in the Scythian regions of South Russia. 1 Kings The if-then statement in these verses reveals that it was conditional. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. 0000004190 00000 n }. In todays terms, they settled mainly in the area currently claimed by Israel, including the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights, although the tribes of Benjamin, Gad, Reuben and part of Manasseh settled east of the Jordan. This is particularly true for orthodox Jews who believe that Jerusalem is center-stage of the land of Canaan promised to Abrahams descendants, and for Christians who believe that Jesus was crucified and resurrected in the city, and will soon return to the Mount of Olives just east of the Old City. startxref 722 BC Assyrians conquer and deport most of the northern Kingdom of Israel to Assyria. was the first King of the Jews. Exodus What Was the Babylonian Captivity of the Church? As you begin observing this final segment, read Ezek 40:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. In fact, these future borders are almost identical to the borders of ancient Israel given to Moses in Num 34.1-12 as he was about to divide up Canaan for the twelve tribes (enlarge map). It appears that we currently nearing the end of approximately 6,000 years of human government and the start of 1,000 years of peace on the earth the Millennial Age when Christ rules the earth (Zech 14.9). Paul is saying that both creation and man himself groan due to imperfection and mortality. 63 BC Jerusalem is captured by Roman general Pompey. | The Hub Is he the devil? The government is headed by the Prime Minister, who is elected in nationwide elections for a period of four years, and an elected President who has a largely apolitical ceremonial role. The book of Genesis says that God made a great promise to Abraham (the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant): through you I will bless all the nations. Proverbs InJohn 1:9-14, we read: The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. Ezekiel 40.2 and Zech 14.10 suggest that the millennial Jerusalem is elevated above a plain. Tap a Lookup below to generate a list oflessons. Yet we tend to treat Israel like a leper on the international scene, merely for defending herself, and threatening her with academic boycotts if she builds a separation wall that has so far reduced suicide bombings by 95% over three years. The Apostle John wrote in the book of Revelation that Eden will be restored and populated by all who believe in Jesus. Thanks! More , Image: Known oil and gas fields in the Levant Basin. In other words dont just title chapter 1 Gods Glory. Evidence highly suggests these peoples were the ancient Israelites who migrated into these regions after leaving captivity. 10Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you.11The Lord will grant you abundant prosperityin the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your groundin the land he swore to your ancestors to give you. Unfortunately, as long as Arab countries refuse to recognize Israel and continue to attack her, such cohabitation would seem to be impossible. From around 586 BC until modern times, the land of Israel or Holy Land was ruled by Gentile powers: World Government: The four historical empires in bold type (Babylonian, Persian, Greek and Roman) are in fact the four great empires prophesied to rule over Israel before the Second Coming of Christ (Dan 2.31-45). Why Daniel 9:24-27 Is One of Most Significant Passages in Scripture, Daniel Commentaries grouped by interpretative approach to Daniel 9:24-27, Evidence Supporting Unit of Time in Daniel 9:24-27 as Years, Summary Chart of Daniel's Seventieth Week, Daniel's Seventieth Week Charted in parallel with Daniel's other prophecies, Proverbs 18:10-Our Stronghold-C H Spurgeon, harlot (ries),adult-(ery) (tress) 39/175x. He enlarges the Temple Mount and rebuilds the temple. Her Majesty the Queen has been on the throne for 57 years and in that time has undertaken 250 official visits to 129 countries, yet has not yet set foot in Israel. She has been on the front line in the War against Terror and has been fighting the Wests battles for it, decades before 9/11 or 7/7 ever happened. DSST Western Europe Since 1945: Study Guide & Test Prep, Western Europe Since 1945: Certificate Program, CLEP Western Civilization II: Study Guide & Test Prep, Western Civilization From 1648 to Today: Certificate Program, Western Civilization 1648 to the Present: Help and Review, Western Civilization Since 1648: Homework Help Resource, ACCESS World History: Online Textbook Help, History 100: Western Civilization from Prehistory to Post-WWII, SAT Subject Test Chemistry: Practice and Study Guide, Create an account to start this course today. c. 837 BC-c. 800 BC [citation needed] King Joash of Judah. What are the events associated with the three key dates in red? This question is only meaningful in a spiritual (rather than secular) context. Note to whom or to what he was to speak and what the message was to be. These are children not born through a womans pregnancy, but born of God. Jerusalem were captured and the Temple and city walls were destroyed. It is an agreement with promises of delivery, but also with stipulations and penalty clauses. BY BABYLON, 586 BC 3RD SIEGE OF JERUSALEM described in 2Ki 25:1-21 Record this date in your Bible margin The siege began in 588 B.C. In contrast to other Middle Eastern countries, Israel has a western-style democracy. I would like to speak to you today as an historian, because it seems to me that the State of Israel has packed more history into her 62 years on the planet than many other nations have in six hundred. Israels climate change is certain since her God is faithful to His promises. Ancient Israels eastern border went down along the Jordan, ending at the Salt Sea (Num 34.12). He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. It became the most important symbol of the Jewish faith for several reasons. 19481949 The Arab-Israeli War; the Arabs refused to accept the newly established State of Israel. In the light of Israeli anti-discrimination law and Israels right to self-determination as a Jewish State, the accusation of racist against Israel is unjustified. More , Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us [Golda Meir, 1957], From my childhood, I have believed Jews and Arabs can live together, and I believe now they should live together. Israels King David asked a similar question. 0000177422 00000 n For when the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised, never to die again, and we shall all be changed. First led by Mattathias of the priestly Hasmonean family and then by his son Judah the Maccabee, the Jews subsequently entered Jerusalem and purified the temple. So, through Arab aggression, Israel temporarily lost land mandated to her through the 1922 Mandate for Palestine, and this was only regained in the 1967 6-day war. They were Hebrew Israelites. Nobel Prizes have been awarded to over 850 individuals worldwide, of whom some 23% were Jews or people of strong Jewish ancestry. NO! Ezekiel has many references to time and you will want to mark these in a distinctive way (e.g., a clock face in the margin). When God allowed the Israelites to be captured by the Assyrians he allowed this to happen at different intervals of time. Putting their trust in Western Civilization was never again going to be enough. Divestment is where investors refrain from investing in Israeli companies or in companies that trade with Israel, and consumers boycott Israeli products, especially products from Israeli settlements in so-called Occupied Palestinian Territory. Do not be amazed that I said to you, You must be born again.. Span ~ 200 years God said to Abram: Get out of your country, from your family and from your fathers house, to a land that I will show you. The Council of Constance was held in 1414, where all the popes who claimed the papacy were told they would either be forced out of office or would need to resign. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. This is why it is imperative that all believers today put repentance at the center of their spiritual life and make it part of their spiritual journey with the Lord. Other resolutions refer to the on-going Palestinian refugee problem, but many see this now as a political tool by Arab nations, link, link. So is there a deeper reason for the boycotts? 1956 After Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the company which administered the Suez Canal, a joint attack by the French and British was launched. . It is probably a blessing from God since they are His chosen people. Right at the beginning we read a mystery, namely, that the God of the Bible reproduces His kind. Before Moses died he blessed the tribes of Israel and some of these blessings involved blessing of the sea and the land. The Gentile nations at last acknowledge Jerusalem (Zion) as the Holy City (Isa 52.1): The Gentiles will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn the sons of foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you the sons of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel (Isa 60.3,10,14). In Genesis 22:1-18 we read how God tested Abraham. History indicates that Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah and Jerusalem initially in 604 BC. In the time of Moses God made such a contract with the people (nation) of Israel, although the Bible refers to it as as Gods covenant. As discussed, Israel failed and broke the contract, and so in the New Testament era the contract was offered to Gentiles namely the church. No voter ever votes for an actual person.