BLOG

Ariel Sharon and Jerusalem: Part 2

In the New Testament, Jesus came to earth. He was the rightful king, not only of Israel but of the whole earth. The people rejected Him. They were given another 40 of grace years to repent, and then came the iron yoke once again--this time at the hands of Rome. In Matt. 22:7 Jesus prophesies this, once again telling us that Rome's armies were God's armies:

22:7 "But the king [God] was enraged and sent His armies, and destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire."

Obviously, Jesus was not trying to win friends and influence people. Modern critics insist that these words were put into the mouth of Jesus by his vengeful, hateful disciples many years later. I hope it is not yet a crime in America to believe the New Testament, because I do just that. Matt. 22:7 was fulfilled in 70 A.D.

In Luke 19:12-27 Jesus told another parable, where He went into a far country (heaven) to receive the kingdom from His Father. He then gave his servants assets [gifts of the Spirit] to invest in His absence. Verse 14 says, "But his CITIZENS hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us'."

When He (Jesus) returned to claim His kingdom, its says He will give rewards to those who used His assets wisely. But of the citizens who hated Him, He says in verse 27: "But these ENEMIES of Mine, who did not want Me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in My presence."

Who are the "citizens" of the Kingdom who turned out to be Jesus' "enemies" and who "hated" Him? Three guesses, and the first two don't count.

So this takes us back to the prophecy of Ariel in Isaiah 29. Who are God's "enemies" in verse 5? Men can blind themselves to this if they want, but clear vision shows that they are the ones who have become Jerusalem's occupiers. In fact, Jesus said of them in Luke 19:27, "BRING THEM HERE (Jerusalem) AND SLAY THEM IN MY PRESENCE."

This is the underlying purpose for Zionism in the plan of God. Returning to the land prior to repenting of their rejection of Jesus Christ was in itself a violation of the law in Lev. 26:40-43, where God clearly said, "If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers . . . in their acting with hostility against Me [Jesus]. . . then I will remember My covenant with Jacob. . ."

For God to bring them back to Palestine in an unrepentant state shows that they have been brought back for judgment and destruction, not to establish the Kingdom of God. I realize, of course, that there are many other Scriptures to address on this topic, but I have already addressed them in great detail in other books like "The Struggle for the Birthright." There is not space enough in this page to rehash all those issues.

The bottom line, however, is this: As Ariel Sharon goes, so goes the nation that calls itself "Israel." I have seen him to be a type and shadow of the nation for the past decade and have written much about him. I do not see his current medical condition as God's judgment against him per se for any sin peculiar to him. But I do see him as a sign of Ariel--the hearth of God--that God is about to use as a divine fireplace.