In this series so far, “Understanding the Middle East” (QB84 and QB85), I have highlighted the nature of the spiritual battle presiding over the events unfolding in the Middle East. A complex tapestry of prophetic and geopolitical threads is being woven together in both the seen and unseen realms. The reconciliation between the ancient scriptural oracles and current world events is becoming increasingly clear, with any haziness over the eschatological narrative lifting like morning fog scorched by the rising sun. A specific outcome awaits—a culmination of all that has gone before, converging to one final conclusion. The Middle East, with Jerusalem as the ultimate prize, is the arena where this endgame is unfolding.
Even a casual read through Jesus’ teachings on the end times and the apostles’ letters leaves no doubt: there is trouble ahead. The apostle John, entrusted with recording the Apocalypse, reveals that things will get much worse before the ultimate triumph of good over evil. When the Lord Jesus Christ returns in the fullness of His majesty, power, and authority, He will complete His Messianic commission, bringing salvation to all those ready and waiting for His glorious return. This is the eternal hope to which we have all been invited—not in what is now, but in what the final outcome shall be. No matter the suffering of this life, a glory awaits those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ that far outweighs the temporal trials we face.
The Contention Over Land
One of the core threads of this tapestry is the contention over land, where historical claims leave little room for harmony, and geopolitical and religious rights become confused. Consequently, the world seems more polarised now than ever before concerning Israel and Palestine, with a lasting solution beyond the aspirations of most. My aim in this series is not to advocate for one side against the other. I do not wish to be contentious or further polarise opinion—far from it! Instead, it is to take a step back from the labyrinth of social media opinion and geopolitical reporting and earnestly examine scripture for wisdom and understanding to discern world events with a compass calibrated to the Word of God rather than any other agenda or prejudice. Before aligning ourselves with either the Israeli or Palestinian perspective, we should ensure we have a comprehensive Biblical view, a lens through which we may identify some robust principles that can help formulate a clearer perspective and process thought and opinion. This way, we avoid being unwittingly recruited into a campaign that may fuel Satan’s seditious schemes.
Scriptural Conditions for Restoration
Previously, I highlighted how there are specific conditions and a timeline indicating why and when the Lord will fulfil His promise to bring Israel back from where she had been scattered among the nations. We saw in Deuteronomy 30:1-6 that a prerequisite for activating God’s promise of their return was a prior return of their hearts to Him, obeying His voice according to all He had commanded them. The onus is upon Israel to return in heart and soul to the Lord and His commands because the Lord’s promise of restoring Israel to their homeland is dependent upon this criterion.
Developing this concept of restoration further, we are familiar with 2 Chronicles 7:14, which reads: “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” This beloved verse is used in many contexts, but it essentially makes the connection that forgiveness of sin and healing of land are conditional upon the people’s heart, demonstrated through their repentance and humility in seeking the Lord. Connecting these two passages together, we observe that:
Restoration is not a work of man but of God, and it requires the penitence of a nation to procure His mercy and avert judgment.
Has Israel Met These Conditions?
The question naturally arises as to whether this condition of humility and repentance has been met, either in full or in part. While some debate may exist concerning this point, what we can be certain of, however, is that the day still tarries when Israel will accept Jesus as their Messiah (Luke 13:35). For, as Paul writes,
“(25) Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (26) And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob’; (27) ‘and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.'” – Romans 11:25-27 ESV
These verses and others demonstrate that as a nation, Israel has yet to acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah. That day awaits when the Lord will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on Him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over Him, as one weeps over a firstborn (Zechariah 12:10 ESV).
The Healing of the Land
Let’s stop and think for a moment. If the healing of the land is an act of God in response to a people’s repentance, yet the basis to forgive sins is no longer through the blood of bulls or goats (Hebrews 10:1-4) but through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus (Hebrews 9:12-14), then until Israel accepts their Messiah, it raises the question: how can their land be healed? Furthermore, if scripture indicates the salvation of Israel awaits the Day of the Lord, does that mean their land will remain under contention until Jesus returns? I believe so. Are we therefore without hope for peace in the Middle East? Certainly not. Indeed, we are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9). Ultimately, the answer to those prayers can only be found in the One who is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). But peace comes in many guises and is attainable at some level when there is a willingness to seek for it on all sides.
Conclusion and Looking Ahead
In summary, I have developed the concept that restoration of the land is only possible through the restoration of the relationship between Israel and God, and the basis of that relationship is through His Son, their Messiah, Jesus Christ. The principle here is simple: first relationship, then restoration. This applies on both individual and corporate levels. Through a personal relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior, our lives are restored from slavery to sonship, from darkness to light, from death to life. On a corporate level, a nation also has a relationship with God. He remains sovereign over all nations and holds each to account (Acts 17:26-31). Here’s what Jeremiah recorded concerning God’s relationship with nations:
“If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.” – Jeremiah 18:7-10
Everything God does is outworked through the legal protocols of righteousness and justice. He is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. When God delivered Israel from Egypt, He entered into a marriage contract with her on Mount Sinai. The Mosaic Covenant formalised the basis of their relationship and included conditions for their occupation of the land promised to Abraham. Additionally, it incorporated promises of restoration and return to their homeland should they be dispossessed due to any failure in upholding their covenant obligations.
The outworking of God’s promises is contingent upon the covenant in which those promises are made.
Next time, we’ll explore further the implications of both the Old and New Covenants as they pertain directly to the tumultuous hostilities in Israel and Palestine. That’s because the intricate dynamics of the Middle East conflict are deeply intertwined with prophetic and covenantal themes rooted in Scripture. The promise of land and restoration is directly linked to Israel’s spiritual return to God and acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah. While the current geopolitical landscape is fraught with tension and complexity, the biblical narrative offers a hopeful perspective. Restoration and peace are ultimately found in the fulfilment of God’s promises, centred on a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. As we engage with these profound issues, let us remain guided by Scripture, seeking to understand the deeper spiritual truths that inform our perspective and actions. In the end, true and lasting peace for the region and the world will come through the realisation of God’s redemptive plan, which surpasses all human conflict and division.
