Nakba Day

“But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!” (2 Chronicles 6:18).

The above confession of Solomon, the son of David, at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem, reveals his spiritual capacity to understand that God cannot be enclosed in the walls of a man-built temple. What happend next is highly significant: “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house” (2 Chronicles 7:1). In the plainest words we can possibly find, it meant that God had accepted Solomon’s prayer and the sacrifice on the altar.  

Now the question: has God changed His mind about Israel, after they desecrated themselves with idols, or after they were sent in captivity to Babylon and later returned to rebuild the destroyed temple? The answer is rather simple: no. Why not? Because His supernatural act at the dedication of the temple, was a visible demonstration to the people of Israel that God is who He is; He is the same from eternity to eternity. He is the One who appeared unto Abraham with this irrevocable promise: “…Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18). That promise is irreversible, for God’s Word is eternal and will not change. 

The New Testament explains Abraham’s faith: “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Abraham is the father of faith; he knew that the various other promises regarding the nation and the land of Israel were of limited, temporary value. The ultimate destination is the city “whose builder and maker is God.” John, who wrote Revelation, testifies: “And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:10). That, incidentally, is our ultimate destiny; it is the eternal home for those who follow the Lamb.

In the meantime, however, the land of Israel and the Jewish nation—particularly the city of Jerusalem—will continue to be a controversy to the whole world. 

Nakba Day
On 30 May 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted the first resolution to commemorate Nakba Day (“Day of Catastrophe”), when Palestinians (Arabs) were driven from their homes in 1948 following the founding of the State of Israel. It seems that the UN organization, which represents the whole world of nations, has little else of urgency but to repeatedly target Israel with their condemnation. That, my friends, is an important issue when trying to understand Bible prophecy. As repeatedly mentioned, all 200+ nations of the world were established by force and deceit. Surely the Indians, the original inhabitants of the American continent (North and South), could also request a Nakba Day. That can also be said for Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

We do not wish to belittle or overlook the fact that the Arab population suffered tremendously; that’s always the case during war. Not only do the soldiers bear the consequences, but also particularly the women, children, and old people pay the horrible price of severe suffering. 

But why Israel? Because God, the Creator of heaven and earth, selected this country and this people for a specific purpose: to create salvation through the revelation of His Word, which “became flesh and dwelt among us.” The Bible is a Jewish book; Jesus was, is, and always will be a Jew. He is identified in Revelation 5:5: “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” Salvation, world peace, the environment, the oceans, and the air we breathe are not subject to the United Nations or to any country, whether friend or foe of Israel. As the old song goes, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.”

Citizenship
There is something else unique when it comes to the land of Israel. The people in the territories that were conquered with weapons of war, were privileged to obtain Israeli citizenship. Wikipedia reports:

Palestinians who returned to their homes in Israel after the war did not satisfy the conditions for citizenship under the 1952 law. This class of residents continued living in Israel but held no citizenship or residence status. A 1960 Supreme Court ruling partially addressed this by allowing a looser interpretation of the residential requirements; individuals who had permission to temporarily leave Israel during or shortly after the conflict qualified for citizenship, despite their gap in residence. The Knesset amended the Citizenship Law in 1980 to fully resolve statelessness for this group of residents; all Arab residents who had been living in Israel before 1948 were granted citizenship regardless of their eligibility under the 1952 residence requirements, along with their children. 

An article by UNwatch.org from 1 September 2022 was titled, “UN Condemns Israel 15 Times; Rest of the World 13.”

To obtain citizenship in Saudi Arabia, you must be a resident continuously for 10 years; must prove you have a way of earning a living legally; must be considered generally moral; and, must read, write, and speak fluent Arabic. The application is sent to the king, who is advised by the Ministry of Interior. They may or may not reject the application, with no reason given. Qatar? The most difficult nations to obtain citizenship from:

1. Qatar
2. Bhutan
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Kuwait
5. Switzerland

These few items supply overwhelming proof of the uniqueness of the land and people of Israel, exactly as Amos 3:2 states: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth…”

Midnight Call - 02/2023