The people of the book need to believe the book

In his recent article, “The self-fulfilling prophet of Israeli isolation,” writer Sebastien Levi laments how Netanyahu’s recent U.N. General Assembly address strengthened the notion that Israel is become more and more isolated, contradicting Yitzhak Rabin’s 1992 inaugural address which said, “No longer are we necessarily a people that dwells alone and no longer is it true that the whole world is against us. We must overcome the sense of isolation that has held us in its thrall for almost half a century.”

Much to our regret, the passage of 34 years has made a monumental difference in how the world has come to view the Jewish state. And no matter how badly Levi wants to put that on the words of one man, Israel is, indeed, hated, despised and on its way to total isolation for one reason only – because it did what it had to do to survive!

So, while Levi might believe that a more upbeat presentation of our country would help to advance a better image of Israel, that naïve and uninformed viewpoint is completely at odds with how the scriptures portray the way world nations will respond to the Jewish homeland as we approach the apocalyptic period known as “the end of days.”

Best expressed in Zechariah 14, it speaks of the “gathering of all nations to Jerusalem to fight against it.” Whether anyone likes it or not, this is what the book says, written by a Jewish prophet who was given a glimpse into the future.

And the reason we know it’s true, other than the fact that the scriptures should be believed as authentic, is that 20 years ago, everything we’re experiencing these days was completely non-existent.  

The thought of Jewish persecution was in no one’s mind. No one was protesting against Israeli policies, nor was the word Zionist used as a pejorative slur.

Men and women were not ashamed or afraid to wear a Jewish star, and hospital patients of that ethnicity did not have to think twice about registering their religion on admission forms.

Jews didn’t have to stop and consider which vacation destinations were safe for them and which weren’t. Public Chanukah festivities in town squares took place without incident. Synagogues and Jewish schools had no need of armed guards posted at their entrances. And competing countries in the Eurovision competition didn’t back out due to Israel’s participation.

All those things dramatically changed after October 7, 2023. In just three years, a seismic explosion has taken place, altering the way Jews are looked upon. No longer considered as everyone else, they have been relegated to the “others” category, made to feel less worthy, less loyal and less welcomed.

Nations have imposed sanctions, forbidding the sales or purchases of products made in Judea and Samaria, territory which has belonged to the Jewish people for thousands of years and considered undisputed – at least as the Bible is concerned.

So, when you think about the world of difference that has happened, over the course of just three short years, why would anyone think that Zechariah 14 is merely an age-old fairy tale which has no basis in truth?

Unlike evangelical Christians, Jews don’t always tend to take the scriptures literally. While they know that there is much historical and archeological accuracy, found in their pages, many do not necessarily believe that a man called Jonah was in the belly of a whale for three days and nights.

Likewise, the prophecies are not always held as literal events, awaiting their fulfillment. They are often seen as allegories with moral lessons attached to them. But with all of the foreboding signs we are witnessing, shouldn’t that convince just about everyone that what was foretold is about to occur?

How are we supposed to interpret the sudden burst of hatred and loathing which is being poured on one group of people, especially when half of them are not even connected to their ancestral homeland in any tangible way?

Why is the legitimate defense of their people characterized as a genocide when it is no different than the response of any other nation being attacked? And why are Israelis portrayed as oppressors and occupiers?

It’s because there is a coordinated effort to demonize the entire race, regardless of where they live or what political views they hold. Those leading the pack are Islamic invaders who have left their countries of origin in order to more effectively infiltrate Western societies where they can influence and even intimidate others into believing that the Jews amongst them are the problem.

Joined by the ignorant Woke who repeat what they are fed by social media and their equally uninformed peer groups, together, they have advanced a campaign of hate against the Jewish nation and anyone who shares that birthright.

Zechariah 14 is no longer a far-fetched prophecy, relegated to a far-off future date.  It has already begun, despite the fact that the war, spoken of in that passage, has not yet come to fruition. 

Other prophecies, such as Ezekiel 38 and 39, speak of a multi-national coalition, coming from the north to attack Israel, attempting to do away with them as a nation.

Zechariah 12 says that “Jerusalem will be made into a cup that causes reeling to all the nations with everyone against Jerusalem and Judah. All the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.”

This is not a self-made isolation, inflicted by prideful Israelis who thought that they would be better off without the rest of the world. It is, instead, a divinely, calculated plan, intended to send a message to the nations that God’s choice of Israel and her people is one which cannot be subverted and that anyone trying to undo His sovereign blueprint will, themselves, come to a bad end.

Consequently, there’s no use in seeking blame for why we suddenly find ourselves ostracized and delegitimized, as if we are the cause for this immense abhorrence coming our way.

Israel and the Jewish people will soon discover that what was prophesied some thousands of years ago is now relevant and current to their plight. It will read like today’s newspaper headlines, letting them know what comes next.

And finally, they will begin to personify the label, “The people of the book,” because they will recognize it as the unfolding of their story!