Here is a video version of the Bible in the News for this week:

In summary, we are looking at the most right-wing government in Israel's history.  The Religious Zionism party won an unprecedented 14 seats.  The current iteration of that party is the result of a merger of three parties the most significant ones being Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionist party and Oztma Yehudit, or Jewish Power.

Having the Jewish Power party with significant influence in the government could be interesting, and the world with its left-wing media is already getting excited.  Here is a brief summary of their platform:

Aliya

• Encourage the 10 million Jews who live outside of the land of Israel to come to Israel.
• Smooth the path for new immigrants.

Construction

• Control Illegal Arab construction.
• Remove the concept of the Green Line and encourage Jewish building with specific plans.

Emigration

• Recognition that those who act against the state are enemies of it.
• Smooth the path for those who would like to leave to do so.
• Expel terrorists.

Netanyahu himself could have interesting tricks up his sleeves as well.  When his previous government broke down, the ink on the Abraham accords was still wet, and it appears that he intends to push for more of the same there, especially an agreement with Saudi Arabia, and in that context, he states that he intends to end the Arab Israeli conflict.  That has raised suspicion that he intends to move forward with something like the Saudi peace initiative.  This is pointed out in this Israel National News article and the details of the Saudi plan can be found here.

Here are some verses to consider when thinking about these things.  First, God has a dim view of those who claim his land: Ezekiel 36:5.  Jordan appears to be neutral in Gog’s view: Daniel 11:40-42.  Jordan is a priority when the lord comes: Ezekiel 35:15, Isaiah 34:6, Isaiah 63:1.  Peace will come but may be a controversial peace: Ezekiel 38:14, Joel 3:8-9.

Here are a couple of those for you:

“4 Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head; 5 Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: 6 The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. 7 Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head: 8 And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it.”  – Joel 3:4-8

An interesting cross-reference to that verse is this, because it is about another time that the Jews were sold into the hand of their enemies. In both cases, God turns the actions onto the head of their enemies:

“3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: 4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage. 5 Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? 6 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.” – Esther 7:3-6

Lastly, note that the peace that comes seems to be related to Gog coming against God's people:

“14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? 15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: 16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.” – Ezekiel 38:14-16

Please come back for more Bible in the News next week, God willing.  This edition is brought to you by Tim Billington.