As Russia sends its ships down through the English Channel on the way to the Middle East, NATO forces from the US, Britain and Canada are being moved to Eastern Europe in what is being reported as the “largest buildup of troops in the region since the cold war.” Tensions have not been higher in years.

The Catalyst for Armageddon: Jerusalem

Yet the real catalyst for Armageddon is going on in the committee meetings of UNESCO where a spirit of madness has gripped the floor. The Bible describes the frog-spirit forces that will gather the nations:

“For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” (Revelation 16:14)

These spirits of madness (the meaning of the word devil, translated from the Greek daimon), are at work in the halls of the nations of the world. UNESCO, the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation is charged with preserving culture and historical sites, but has become a propaganda tool of Islamic states. Reuters reported this past week:

During the past two weeks UNESCO tabled and passed a motion which effectively denies the Jewish connection to the Temple mount in Jerusalem.

“Israel on Wednesday recalled its ambassador to UNESCO for consultations after the U.N. culture body adopted a second resolution in two weeks that Israeli leaders said ignored Judaism's connection with one of Jerusalem's holiest sites.

According to a text provided by Palestinian officials, the resolution adopted by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee in Paris refers to the compound - revered by Jews as Temple Mount and by Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) - only as a "Muslim holy site of worship", just as a similar motion did on Oct. 13.

Before being recalled, the Israeli Ambassador to UNESCO, Danny Danon, addressed the organization. It is worth listening what he had to say:

Madam chair, members of the committee, you have just adopted yet another absolute resolution against the state of Israel, against the Jewish people, against historical truth, and one which stands in complete and utter contradiction to all values with which this integrating organization is supposed to stand for.

All this at a time when the forces of radical Islam are destroying the history and legacy of many nations, demolishing mosques and churches, and not even sparing archeological sites. All this at a time when the when the State of Israel is the only nation in the region which upholds these values, protects these places, while allowing freedom of worship equally to all religions.

If it were not so sad, we would find it funny, that an international organization, established for the purpose of documentation and preservation of history and heritage is extorted into being used into a tool to rewrite the annals of history.

The battle for Jerusalem did not start with the last vote, nor will it end with today’s. Israel is sovereign in Jerusalem and will continue to exercise its sovereignty there, while Palestinians and other Arab nations continue to toy with imaginary and absurd resolutions which put to shame those who place them on the agenda, as well as those who raise their hands in favour. Jerusalem’s future will be determined by the one and only historical truth, one which we will stand by with deep determination, willing to pay any price.

 The fate of this resolution shall be no different than that of UN resolution 3379, adopted in 1975, which equated Zionism with racism. That absurd resolution was cancelled 16 years later, but the moral stain still remains on all those who adopted it. It might take years in our case as well until the Jerusalem resolutions are irradiated from the annals of this organization.

In 1975 it was Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, the late Chaim Herzog, who tore the resolution to shreds in front of the entire world. I have no intention of doing it in front of you today. Not because of your dignity, not because of the dignity of this organization, but simply because this resolution paper is not even worth the energy needed for tearing it to shreds. It will be much simpler, and a lot more appropriate to place it in its rightful place, the garbage place of history. This is the garbage, and this is the resolution, and this is the place it. On the one hand it will become one with similar resolutions adopted with regards to the Jewish people. On the other hand, it might get a bit crowded, between uncountable UN Human Rights Counsel resolutions, the UN in New York resolutions, UNESCO resolutions, and other day political ideologies for the destruction of Israel, devised by past empires and dictators not worthy of us mentioning them. All of them have this in common, this disappeared off the stage of history, existing no more, while the people of Israel is alive and well, and the blue and white flight with the star of David, “Magen David,” is waving above Jerusalem, our eternal and united capital.

Like any Jewish groom in the past 2000 years, on my wedding day, just before giving myself to my beloved wife, I swore before one and all, “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand for get it’s skill.” “Im eshkachech Yerushalayim tishkach yemini.” As long “am-Israeli chaiy” (the people of Israel live), Jerusalem and its history will never be forgotten. Thankyou.

Arch of Titus in Rome depicting Roman destruction of Jerusalem, and taking of the Menorah

The ridiculous position of the Arab states, incorporated into this resolution is complete affront to history, as reported in the Jerusalem Post:

Netanyahu suggested that the Bible aside, UNESCO members should visit the Arch of Titus in Rome.

“On it one can see what the Romans brought back to Rome after they destroyed and looted the Second Temple on the Temple Mount 2,000 years ago. There, engraved on the Arch of Titus, is the seven-branched menorah that is the symbol of the Jewish People, and I remind you, is also the symbol of the Jewish state today,” he said.

“Soon, UNESCO will say that the Emperor Titus engaged in Zionist propaganda,” Netanyahu said.

“To say that Israel has no connection to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall is like saying that China has no connection to the Great Wall of China or that Egypt has no connection to the pyramids. By this absurd decision, UNESCO has lost what little legitimacy it had left,” Netanyahu added.

The gross distortion of the truth being carried out by these nations is not to be underestimated as a spirit of madness will eventually bring the nations down to Jerusalem to battle. We live in a day an age when basic scientific fact is on its head, when a boy can call himself a girl, and despite obvious biological evidence, the world accepts this as truth. It is a time lamented by the prophet Isaiah:

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; That put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, And men of strength to mingle strong drink:” (Isaiah 5:20–22)

This is the spirit of the age in which we live. White is ca lled black and everyone agrees, even though it obviously isn’t.

The Biblical Facts

The connection of Israel to the temple mount goes back to the beginning of time. This was the place where  Abraham took Isaac, inaugurating the connection between the mountain and the Jews:

“And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” (Genesis 22:1–2)

 It was to Jerusalem that King David brought the ark of the covenant:

“And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it.” (1 Chronicles 15:3)

Temple Built By Solomon                             The Temple Built By Nehemiah                               The Temple Built by Herod

It was here that Solomon built the first temple:

“Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.” (2 Chronicles 3:1)

In his speech of dedication Solomon identified the link between Jerusalem, the temple and the God of Israel, citing the words of the King of the Universe:

“Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel: But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.” (2 Chronicles 6:5–6)

In his prayer of dedication Solomon identified the temple mount as the place Jews were to pray toward for deliverance:

“Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee: That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place. Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.” (2 Chronicles 6:19–21)

After the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians, Israel returned and rebuilt it during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.  God confirmed his hand in this rebuilding:

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; His hands shall also finish it; And thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.” (Zechariah 4:9)

Again it was destroyed at the hands of the Romans in AD70, but this was only to last for a period of time, as David’s son, the Lord Jesus Christ, describes:

“And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)

That regathering has taken place during the past 100 years, fulfilling the words of all the prophets, and hopes of the people of Israel and believers of the Bible worldwide.

To deny the connection of the people of Israel with the Temple Mount and Jerusalem, is to deny the existence of God himself, or the truth of his word.

Palestinian Claim Doomed

For thousands of years the Temple mount was in the hands of the gentiles, either the Romans or Turks. This is not to be the case anymore. The Palestinian quest to dominate the temple mount, and erase Israel’s historical connection is doomed. It is reminiscent of the goal of the nations surrounding Israel during the period of the Babylonian invasion. They thought that the holy places would be theirs in possession, and ridiculed the people of God.

“Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD: Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession: Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people:  Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about… (Ezekiel 36:1–4)

And the arrogance of the nations went beyond this… similar to UNESCO they ‘appointed’ God’s land into their own possession with rejoicing:

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.” (Ezekiel 36:5)

UNESCO and world court will have no say over the land. Not because of historical claims, not because of archaeologic evidence, but because there is a God in heaven who is alive today, and his word is alive. It is HIS land and HE has appointed it once again to Israel… news flash, the times of the Gentiles are over!

The Catalyst for a Crusade

Yet, the nations of the world will not listen to reason. They are drunk with an intoxicating drink that will bring them down into the land… and the issue will be Jerusalem. It is when Jerusalem is in Jewish hands the nations again lift up their hands against God’s people.

“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, When I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, And will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, And will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.” (Joel 3:1–2)

The UNESCO vote was interesting because one of the few non-Muslim nations that voted in favour was Russia.

Among the nations who abstained, not having the spine to state their real feelings were Spain, France, Greece, Italy, and Ukraine, all who will join Russia in the future invasion of the Land as described in Ezekiel 38.

Among those who opposed the resolution were: the US, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and others, some of which will form the opposition to the Gogian invasion, as part of the nations of Ezekiel 38:13.

Zechariah records the same future event:

“For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; And the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; And half of the city shall go forth into captivity, And the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2)

However, although there will be tragic events, it will not be like previous invasions of Israel by the Babylonians and Romans… God will intervene:

Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, As when he fought in the day of battle.” (Zechariah 14: 3)

The Future of Jerusalem and Israel

The future of Jerusalem and Israel is certainly not in the hands of the United Nations, of the hostile nations of the world. It has been determined by Almighty God himself.

Jerusalem isn’t just any City… it is the city of Messiah:

“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, On the sides of the north, the city of the great King.” (Psalm 48:1–2)

It is the eternal capital of Israel. It is not just the place where the first and second temples were built as houses of prayer to the God of Israel, but will be the place where the third temple will shortly be build.

The Psalms tell us God’s thoughts on the situation, where God…

“… chose the tribe of Judah, The mount Zion which he loved. And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, Like the earth which he hath established for ever.” (Psalm 78:68–69)

This isn’t just historical, but eternal and soon to be established again:

“Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; And the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, And shall yet choose Jerusalem.” (Zechariah 1:17)

This prophecy is very specific, that Jerusalem again will be the centre of world worship. It doesn’t belong to the Palestinians, Muslims or Catholic nations of Europe and the Russias, but to the God of Israel:

 “For the LORD hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for his habitation.” (Psalm 132:13)

“And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, And shall choose Jerusalem again.” (Zechariah 2:12)

It is from here that a house of prayer will be built again:

“The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, That the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; And he will teach us of his ways, And we will walk in his paths: For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, And shall rebuke many people: And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruninghooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, And let us walk in the light of the LORD.” (Isaiah 2:1–5)

All nations will be invited to come and pray there, but only to the God of Israel.

So as we await this glorious time, let us join in the prayer of the Psalmist:

“If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.” (Psalm 137:5–6)

Thank you for listening to the Bible in the News, we leave you with the words of Psalm 137 sung in Hebrew, by Israeli’s living in Jerusalem today, in and of itself – a fulfillment of prophecy. This has been Jonathan Bowen joining you.