Prior to the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, there was no serious Palestinian movement for a homeland. Some will say to that, “Baloney! That was before the Israel’s military captured the West Bank and Old Jerusalem.”
To this I admit as being true. But here in lies the problem; in the six-day war, Israel captured Judea, Samaria, and East Jerusalem, not from Yasser Arafat, but from Jordan’s King Hussein. So why then were the Palestinians so sudden to discover their national identity after Israel’s victories?
Here’s the truth, a “Palestine” is no more real than the “Land of Oz.” The very first time the name “Palestine” was used was in 70 A.D. when the Romans committed genocide against the Jewish people, killing more than a million Jews. They destroyed both their Temple and the city, then declaring the land of Israel to be no more.
In 135 A.D., Rome’s Emperor Hadrian put down a second major revolt by the Jews. It was then he decided to erase the name of the Roman province of Judaea, and rename it “Province Syria Palaestina.”
From that time forward, the old city of Jerusalem would be known as Palestine. The name Palestine was derived from the Philistines, a giant (or Goliathian) people conquered by the Jews centuries earlier. You know the story of David and Goliath, who was also known as the Philistine Goliath of Gath,” 1 Samuel 17:23.
So, the truth of the matter is, a land called Palestine has never existed before or since as a self-governing entity. Over the centuries, the land of Israel has alternately been ruled by Rome, by Islamic and Christian Crusaders, by the Ottoman Empire and for a short time by the British after World War 1. After World War 2, it was the Brit’s who agreed to restore at least part of Israel to the Jewish people as their homeland.
There is no language known as Palestinian, no distinct culture and no land known as Palestine governed by Palestinians. Those we call Palestinians are in truth Arabs, they being indistinguishable from Jordanians, Syrians, Lebanese, Iraqis, etc.
The world seems to forget the Arabs control 99% of the land mass in the Middle East. Israel represents 1/10th of one percent of the land in the Middle East, but, for the Arab world, even 1/10th of one percent is too much.
The Arab’s problem is, Greed, Pride, Envy and Covetousness, they want it all! Any organization, religious or political leader who stick their noses into this Jerusalem problem can stop wasting their time. Any feeble attempt to rewrite or renegotiating peace treaties will not hold, neither will any attempts to enforce them. You will never hear this truth from anyone in politics today or from the international media. Why? “It’s not politically correct.”
There will be no peace until, “the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ returns.” These are God’s words, not mine.
Well, what about Islam’s holy sites? Answer, “There are none in Jerusalem!” Question, “What about the Dome of the Rock which supposedly represents Islam’s 3ed most holy site?” Answer, “Not true!” The Koran says nothing about Jerusalem, yet mentions Mecca hundreds of times. This leads me to one basic truth, there is no historical evidence to suggest Mohammed ever visited Jerusalem.”
So, the question, “How then did Jerusalem become the third holiest site of Islam?” Muslims cite a vague passage in the Koran concerning “The night journey.” It relates that, in a dream, Mohammed was carried by night “from the sacred temple (in Mecca) to the temple that is most remote (supposedly in Jerusalem), whose precinct we have blessed, that we might show him our signs …”
Sometime in the 7th century certain Muslim clerics identified the two temples mentioned in this verse as being in Mecca and Jerusalem. Hmmm, now let me think about this. First note the word “temples” mentioned in the verse, one in Mecca and the supposed other in Jerusalem. We all know the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D. Mohammed was born some 500 years after, about 570 A.D. Also, these so-called clerics cannot be speaking of the Dome of the Rock which hadn’t been completed until 692 A.D.
So, my question would be, “did Mohammed visit some Temple in Jerusalem unknown to the rest of mankind or some phantom Temple known only to himself? No! It’s all a bunch of bull! All lies conceived by Satan and his followers in an attempt to make Jesus Christ’s a liar concerning his return to Jerusalem at the top Mt. of Olives at his second coming.
Acts 1:9-10-11, “And when he (Jesus) had spoken these things, while they (the disciples) beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud (angelic host) received him out of their sight. And whole they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, you men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come (return) in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.”
Compare with,
Zechariah 14:3-4, “Then shall the LORD go forth and fight against those nations as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst therof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; –.”
The Palestinians really don’t have much to go on, leaving them little wiggle room and only a lie to stand on. This mystical dream of Mohammed is as close as the Palestinians will ever get to any connection to Jerusalem and the truth. So, their claim is more myth, or wishful thinking than anything else.
But what we do know as truth is, the Jews trace their roots back to Jerusalem, way back to 1900 B.C., to the days of Abraham and Sariah, to Moses, King David and Solomon; every history book will bear that out.
So, the obvious question is, “what’s the solution to the Palestinian and Jewish problem concerning Jerusalem and the land? Answer, “If there is one, it needs to begin with truth.” Following is the truth;
Zechariah 12:2-3, the LORD is speaking, “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”
I cannot speak for anyone else, but what Zechariah wrote is clear enough and good enough for me! Therefore, it appears, no amount of political negotiations or signed peace treaties will ever resolve this problem. God only knows how many wasted hours and money negotiators have spent, knowing neither the Palestinians nor Jews will ever give an inch.
The radicals of Palestine with Iranian support will continue to dig tunnels under Israel’s border fence, throw stones, burn tires, fire rockets, protest, kill any American and Jew they can get their hands on, strap bombs around their men, women and children, blow-up anything and everything of value, including their own towns, villages and people, they will not stop!
Let’s talk about Esau. He traded his birthright to Jacob, then attempted to finagle a second blessing from his father Isaac. Jacob had to go north to Haran and work for his father-in-law to build up his herds. Esau chased the Horites out of Petra and established the gorges and caves of Petra as the capital of his kingdom. The Jordanians of today were settled in biblical times by the Ammonites in the north, and the Moabites in the center were descendants of the sons of Lot through an incestuous relationship with his two daughters. The southern third of Jordan was Edom, the descendants of Esau.
Romans 9:10-13, “When Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by Isaac; for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls; it was said unto her (Rebecca) the elder (Esau the first born) shall serve the younger (Jacob). As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
So, according to the foreknowledge of God, Esau became a profane, licentious, and rebellious person. Esau’s descendants fought the army of Israel under the leadership of Moses. When Israel settled the Promised Land, the Edomites remained a bitter enemy, raiding, robbing, and killing.
King Amaziah of Judah became so exasperated with the Edomites continual aggression, his armies killed ten thousand south of the Dead Sea and took another ten thousand into Petra and threw them of the high cliffs.
Another piece that helps complete this puzzle; it was a common practice in ancient times to mongrelize a nation by the victorious armies and their people in order to destroy patriotism and racial identity. This had been accomplished by the Assyrians in Israel, producing the Samaritan’s. After, Babylon had conquered Judah, the Edomites were moved out of Edom to replace the Jews taken into captivity. Also, the Edomites helped Nebuchadnezzar destroy Jerusalem and the temple.
Psalms 137:7, “Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.”
After the Edomites left Petra, the Nabateans, descendants of Ishmael through Naboth, came up from Arabia and settled Jerusalem. The Edomites continued to carry the genes of Esau: dark skinned, hairy, riotous, highly emotional people. They were even despised by the Moabites and Ammonites. The family of Herod were Edomites, called Idumeans, by the Romans. After the destruction in 70 A.D, millions of Jews were killed and millions sold into slavery or dispersed into other nations. But, the Edomites were left in the land; and now, their descendants are the present-day Palestinians. To this very day they take the same actions and have the same motives as did their father Esau; rebellious, emotional and defiant.
Conclusion: every biblical prophet from Moses to the Apostle John foretold of the dispersion of Israel into all nations, this in 70 A.D., until the people of Israel were regathered (May 14th 1948) into the land the Lord God had promised to their great forefather Abraham. Now believing Jews and Gentiles wait patiently for the 2ed coming of their Messiah.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com