Peace and Safety?

We hear many words today about the Palestinians and the Israelis finally being able to live together, side by side, in a place where there will be "peace and safety" at last. In fact, this is a goal that many of our recent Presidents have wished to achieve: bringing about the coveted "two state solution." Like it or not, the one tiny country of Israel in the Middle East affects every other country on this planet.

But no one has succeeded in bringing this solution forward. Even today, rockets were fired into Israel while the President was there. Peace and security, peace and safety. I don't see any sign of it on the horizon. The Israelis desperately want peace. Their backs are up against a wall. They are surrounded by enemies who want nothing more than to destroy them. And the Iranians nearly have their bomb ready to fire upon Israel. Just like Haman in the days of Esther.

Hasn't that always been the way? In the Old Testament we heard of the Philistines, the Amorites, the Midianites, the Canaanites warring against Israel for just a few examples. Goliath is the representative of them all,for he demonstrated fully the satanic plan to destroy the Jews, so no Messiah could ever come. David took 5 smooth stones, but he only needed one to sink the stone into Goliath's forehead. He overcame the wicked one through faith in God's plan to deliver him.

David relied on the Lord, not the stones:

1Samuel 17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

1Samuel 17:46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

Did you notice the very last words David said, "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel?"

But the Israelis today are making a tragic mistake. They are not looking to the One True Deliverer, the only One who can save them from their enemies. They are sadly looking to make a deal with men. One day, (I believe it could be very soon) they will make a deal with a specific man. The Bible calls him the Man of Sin, among many other names. This man will have very cunning words and he will, unlike all the times before, finally be able to broker a peace deal between the Palestinians and the Jews.

There will be "peace and safety." For exactly three and one half years the Jews will be fooled into thinking this Man of Sin is their Messiah, but then all hell will break loose. He (who is also known as the Antichrist) will slaughter a pig in the Holy of Holies in their temple in Jerusalem. Then the Great Tribulation, the most horrible time the earth will ever see, will begin. Jesus told His followers exactly what to do when that situation occurs in Matthew 24: 15- 44.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

When the Jewish people (desperately looking to others for peace right now) cry out in recognition to Jesus Christ, knowing that He all along was their true Messiah, then He will return with His saints and deliver His people Israel.

Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.

You see, the tiny nation of Israel, after being destroyed by Titus of Rome in AD 70, was scattered to the ends of the earth. In May 1948, by a miracle, God brought them together as a nation again. The prophetic time clock began ticking according to Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy then. God told the Jewish people through Zechariah the prophet:

Zechariah 12:3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

I believe that we are seeing that now. If anyone is reading this and is not sure what all this talk of coming trouble means I urge you to consider that Jesus Christ came into this world for all of us. He came to bear the sins of every man, woman, boy and girl. Though there are terrible things transpiring now, it is only going to get much worse when the Great Tribulation begins. When you place your faith in Him by trusting that He died upon the cross for you, and that God raised Him three days later because He was satisfied with Christ's payment for our sins, then you, too, can have eternal life, no strings attached.

This is the most important decision you will ever make. I beg you not to put it off. Jesus loved you so much He was willing to do that for you, and even if you were the only person on earth He still would have done it for you. His love for you is as high as the heavens, so receive Him while there is still time.