Bible Prophecy Provides Evidence That God Exists For All To SEE

The Middle East and Bible Prophecy

THE Middle East is the most keenly watched area of the world. And little wonder; it is central to the economic stability of the world. Conflicts in the Middle East inevitably draw in the major powers and for many years it has been the most likely place for World War Ill to begin.  This explains the urgency for lasting peace treaties and long-term security arrangements.

Why The Middle East?

When we ask why the Middle East should be so important we have only to consider one word-oil. The world's economies are dependent upon Middle East oil.  After the Yom Kippur war in 1 973 the Arabs used the oil weapon to devastating effect.  The price of oil was raised and supplies were cut. The following ten years are known as 'the oil decade'.  Western economies were severely disrupted, suffering the crippling burdens of inflation, recession and unemployment.  Developing countries spurred on by the high price of oil sought to exploit their own natural resources and borrowed heavily from western banks.  The fall in oil prices in the 80s bankrupted these countries who now cannot repay the interest on the loans let alone the loans themselves. The consequence is that all nations, strong and weak, have been drawn closer into the politics of the Middle East.

But the Middle East has only relatively recently been so important.  The recent history of the area can be divided into three phases:

Phase 1:The first phase began in the last century when Britain, France and Russia developed their imperialist ambitions.  Whoever controlled the Middle East controlled the trade routes to India. What became known as the 'Eastern Question' was the policy of Britain to prop up Turkey as a buffer against Russian ambitions to obtain a Mediterranean seaport.  The First World War saw the end of this phase with Britain and France replacing Turkey as protectors of Palestine, Arabia, Mesopotamia and Syria.

Phase 2:The second phase occupied the period between World War I and World War II.  To understand what happened then we need to recognize the new force which emerged towards the end of the 19th century-Zionism, the movement to create a homeland for the Jews in Palestine.  In 1917 the British Foreign Secretary announced what was known as the Balfour Declaration which committed the British Government to support the idea of a national home for the Jews in Palestine.  Part of the letter is reproduced below:

The "Balfour Declaration"

The Declaration went on to say that nothing should be done to infringe the rights of the Palestinians.  Yet ancient conflicts reawakened as Arab as well as Jewish nationalism grew.

Phase 3:The League of Nations after the First World War gave Britain the Mandate over Palestine which she held until 1948.  In 1948 Israel declared itself an independent State, and was formally recognized by the United Nations.  So began the third phase of Middle East politics and the bitter conflicts which have continued ever since.

But Who could Have Foreseen . . .?

Looking back over this history it is easy to identify the factors which led to the present situation.  But in the last century who could have predicted that out of the conflicting ambitions of the World powers would come the State of Israel-the most troubled and potentially explosive place on earth?  One noted historian wrote in 1980:

"A century ago geo-politicians could have foreseen the continued colonization by Russia and the United States of the empty lands to the East and West; but who could have foreseen that far more astounding colonization in the eastern Mediterranean, the creation of the State of Israel? We may like it or not . . . we may deplore it as the last western crusade, the latest venture of western imperialism, seeking not trade but settlement . . . but we cannot deny that it is an extraordinary historical achievement.  How little the British who listened to its early advocates foresaw the present consequences" (Hugh Trevor-Roper, History and Imagination)

Readers may be surprised to learn that Bible students did dare to predict what would happen-and got it right.  Take the following example written by a Christadelphian in 1848, long before Zionism was born:

"The restoration of Israel is a most important feature in the divine economy. It is indispensable to the setting up of the kingdom of God . . . the restoration of the Jews is a work of time, and will require between 50 and 60 years to accomplish . . . there are two stages in the restoration of the Jews, the first is before the battle of Armageddon; and the second after it . . . the pre-adventual colonization of Palestine (i.e. the settlement of the Land before the return of Christ) will be on purely political principles; and the Jewish colonists will return in unbelief of the Messiahship of Jesus."

The writer, Dr. John Thomas, was not a prophet; simply an ardent student and believer of Bible prophecy.  But how could a Bible student be so confident that the land, which was for centuries a wilderness of little consequence, would become the most important place on earth?  The following is intended to answer that question and to show how the Bible maps out world events in advance, so that men and women may understand that God is controlling affairs according to a pre-determined plan.

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God Rules In The Kingdom of Men

In this article about Bible prophecy, John Shepley explains that God is in control of the world and has a glorious plan for its future.

As this article unfolds he will consider what prophecy is and look at some of the things it says about the Time of the End. Even though the immediate future for the world looks quite depressing, the good news is that there is a sure promise of a better time to come, when God’s kingdom is established here.

God in Control

One of the fallacies of human governments today is that they think they are in control. This, of course, is brought about by humanistic thinking that man is the master of his own destiny. Even though the problems which confront civilization today seem insurmountable, man is confident in his own ability to solve them and bring about a better world.

The Bible, however, gives us a different and more realistic perspective. It shows us that God is in control and that events in the world are unfolding according to His predetermined plan.

At a time of national unrest when the future of the nation of Judah seemed to be in the balance, the prophet Isaiah gave this word from God:

“Remember this, and show yourselves men; recall to mind, O you transgressors. Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’ Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it” (Isaiah 46:8–11)

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10–11).

Although these words were spoken specifically about ancient kings – of Assyria, Babylon and Persia – who went about trying to accomplish their own desires, they give us a timeless insight into the fact that it is God who is really in control.

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Israel - A Nation Reborn

About the time the writing of the Bible was completed, the Jews and their land had been separated. Just as the prophets of God had warned, they were scattered throughout the nations.

That’s why you’ll find Abrahams, Isaacs and Jacobs in most telephone directories – they are  descendants of people who once lived in the land of Israel.  For nearly 2000 years the Jewish people, who remained distinct and different wherever they lived, had no land they could call “home”.  But that was about to change.  For the very prophets who had predicted their dispersion also foretold their regathering, and there was more to it than that.  The prophets said that the scattered Jewish people would return to their land so that their long-awaited Messiah could come to rescue them and to save the world.  That was something faithful Jews have been awaiting for generations – a Messiah or Saviour who would come to deliver them.  But he has to come to Israel at a time when there are Jews in Jerusalem if the prophecies are to be properly fulfilled.  The trouble was that for over 1900 years there was no Jewish nation to save and there were hardly any Jews living in or near Jerusalem.

No Jewish nation – no Messiah!

All Change!

Everything changed in 1947 when the United Nations voted to partition Palestine and to create Jewish and Arab states. In May 1948 Israel was declared an independent state.  David ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister, referred to the circumstances that had led up to the decision of the United Nations:

1. The Land of Israel, he said, was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped.  Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the eternal Book of Books.
2. Their history of dispersion, though, he said, they never ceased to pray and hope for their return to it and for the restoration of their political freedom.
3. Their attempts to resettle, the support they had already received, and now their acceptance by the United Nations among the nations of the world.
4. The catastrophe which had recently befallen them – the massacre of millions of Jews in Europe – which clearly demonstrated the urgency of solving the problem of Jewish homelessness; Then he made this statement:
5. I hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish state in the land of Israel to be known as the State of Israel … Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the ‘Ingathering of the Exiles’; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.