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International News Title: A Thirteen State Solution for the Holy Land? A Thirteen State Solution for the Holy Land? Condensed from article by Joel Rosenberg, All Israel News, Jerusalem Constant tension, bloody wars, and failed negotiation attempts characterize the relationship between Jews and Arabs in the Land of Israel. Everyone involved in the conflict — like the vast majority of those watching from near or far — shares a deep longing for one thing: an end to this tragic struggle. Meanwhile, more and more western countries – Spain, Sweden, Norway, Ireland [and now the UK, Canada, Portugal and Australia] – have officially recognized the Palestinian state, and several other nations are considering similar steps. This comes as no surprise, since most political leaders in the Christian world ignore the fact that the globally forced two-state solution is rejected by both Israel and the majority of Palestinians, and they continue to think exclusively within the framework of a doomed proposal. But let us set the leaders aside and consider the millions of Christian believers. Everyone must have some kind of answer when our children – often influenced by social media or an anti-Israel channel – ask: What kind of solution could bring a real, lasting peace to the Israeli– Palestinian conflict? It's a hard question, and many deflect it by saying “peace will only come in the Messianic age.” That may be true, but it essentially repeats the false doctrine from before October 7 – that the Israeli–Palestinian conflict cannot be resolved, so we must focus on preserving some kind of status quo. If we want to provide a more substantial answer, we must first be willing to engage the question ourselves. That becomes all the more evident when we recognize that even casting a vote in an election is, by definition, a political act regardless of how privately or prayerfully it’s made. If we accept that kind of participation, we cannot dismiss the legitimacy of seeking a Biblical– grounded vision for political peace. What can we do for Israel, especially in these times of war, beyond prayer? A great deal. However, since this is a battle with spiritual roots, the most important thing is to walk in truth and preserve our thoughts and expressions from all forms of anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli, and anti- Palestinian hatred or propaganda. In the spirit of: “Blessed are the peace- makers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9). From a human point of view, this may seem quite impossible—but God’s Word helps by directing our attention to specific aspects of the coming peace, giving hope and reference points for how to relate to today’s seemingly hopeless situation. Chapters 47–48 of the book of Ezekiel contain a prophecy that is surprisingly relevant to this issue from both a geographical and socio- political perspective. Most believers hold that the Bible is God’s revealed Word—and therefore see the establishment of the State of Israel not as a coincidence, but as the fulfillment of biblical prophecies concerning the return of the Jewish people to the Holy Land in the last days. They reject the claim – commonly made by proponents of the replacement theology – that interpreting these prophecies as referring to the modern rebirth of Israel is a misreading. Rather, they view this fulfillment as clear evidence of the truth of Scripture and the faithfulness of God and His promises. That is why, for most Christians, Ezekiel’s vision is not merely symbolic. It provides a concrete prophetic frame- work for understanding Israel’s future in God’s plan for the next 1000 years of peace. Ezekiel 47–48 clearly defines two elements that are quite dramatic from today’s perspective: God’s will concerning modern Israel’s borders, and the legal status of those living within them. Today, it is especially timely to revisit the two themes, and to look at current events in their light. It is worth considering under what conditions they might be applied in order to create a win-win solution – one that allows both the Jews and Arabs in the Promised Land to win. God’s will concerning Israel’s borders In this prophetic text in Ezekial, God clearly designates the Jordan River as the future eastern border of Israel. This can help believers struggling with the dilemma of whether to support a two-state solution that would place Israel’s eastern border west of the Jordan River. Thirty times the Jordan is named as the eastern border of the land promised to Isaac and Jacob. [Editor: But three times the Euphrates is said to be the eastern edge of Israel’s jurisdiction in the last days. That can also be said to be true, as evidenced by Israel’s recent bombings of Islamic militants in Syria.and Lebanon. They are in Israel’s “extra jurusdiction.”] In designating the borders, God also orders the future division of the country into 13 parallel strips [or states] running north to south — including Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. God’s will concerning legal status of inhabitants of Holy Land “And it shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you; they shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells, there you shall give him his inheritance,” says the Lord God. (Ezekiel 47:22–23) This remarkable call builds upon the divine declaration found in the book of Judges: “Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not heeded My voice, I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died.” (Judges 2:20–21) It also reaffirms the prophetic directive repeatedly found in the Law of Moses: “One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you.” (Numbers 15:16) In Ezekiel, however, this principle is no longer presented merely as a legal standard, but as a practical command ensuring equal access to inheritance. In other words, within the borders defined above, every resident—whether Jewish or non-Jewish—will enjoy equal rights under God's covenantal order. How?!—one might rightly ask. That Israel should lose its Jewish character? That a demographic trend could again deprive the Jewish people of the land their ancestors received from God? No, that is not the case—such a scenario would contradict God’s revealed plan in the Bible. Then how? Within Israel’s current, internationally recognized borders, there are only six districts. Of these, only one has a Jewish population that is smaller in proportion than the non-Jewish population. Beyond these districts, however, there are millions of Arabs living in Judea and Samaria, about half a million Jewish settlers, and nearly two million residents in the Gaza Strip. What is really interesting is that if we take the latest statistical data from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics and the Palestinian Authority, examine the ethnic breakdown of each area’s population, and divide the territory stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean into 13 equal-width parallel districts based on the prophetic text—each district being approximately 0.286° latitude in height, covering the full north–south span of modern Israel from Metula to Eilat (≈3.72°)—then even when counting the entire population, Jews would still be in a minority in only two of the 13 districts. [Editor: In recent years, many Palestinian Christians have left the Holy Land because of the fighting between the Muslims and Jews. If peace can be restored and most of the Christians can be persuaded to return, then the Palestinians could easily be a majority in four states. Also, over a million Jews, like Joel, have converted to Christianity. Based on several verses in the Bible, we at LDC believe it is God’s will that Christians receive a part of the pie. Like Joel himself, we could be (and should be) the peacemakers, fulfilling Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers. For they will be called the Children of God.” ] Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread |
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