AFTER THIS WAR, WHAT SHOULD THE JEWS DO TO BE FURTHER BLESSED?
It is assumed that the power of the IDF will give Israel some level of victory; it may take another year. Then what should they do to ensure longer periods security and prosperity?
We should look at patterns from the past to give us a clue as to what God would want them to do next to be blessed. Just as Israel has once again returned to the Holy Land let us look at lessons from the past. They also return from exile in the 520 BC period. They were under great pressure to NOT rebuild the Temple of God then. Yet notice what happened when they ignored the pressure and pushed on ahead. Note first :
Ezra 4:4, “Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building,” (NKJV)
The surrounding nations put extreme pressure on the Jews not to rebuild the Temple of God.
Ezra 4:23, “Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease.”
With the backing of the Persian Empire through deceptive letters, they forced the Israelites to cease building the Temple of God.
TWO PROPHETS CAME ALONG AND SAID, “BUILD ANYWAY AND BE BLESSED”
God sent prophets to the nation to tell them how they could gain more of His favor and prosperity by pushing ahead with the second Temple regardless of threats.
Ezra 5:1-2, “Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. 2 So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them…"
The people stepped out on faith and obeyed the prophets (Bible authors ALSO) and built on faith.
Ezra 5:5, “But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, so that they could not make them cease till a report could go to Darius. Then a written answer was returned concerning this matter.
After dueling letters and legal maneuverings, the Israelites legal claim to be able to rebuild the Temple was discovered. Their neighboring nations were forced to allow it and to help. What a blessing and answer to their faith and obedience to the prophets and the Bible.
Ezra 6:7-8, “Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place. 8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews…of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.”
The powerful Emperor of the Persian Empire forced their neighbors to not only back off but to help finance and supply the building of the second Temple.
Ezra 6:14, “And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.”
Why did they prosper? Because they ignore political pressures and followed the Bible prophets and built the second Temple of God. What about the third Temple of God? Does God want it to be built? Yes, He does! The second Temple was needed as the place where Jesus and His disciples would preach the gospel.
Acts 2:45-46, “…and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,”
DOES THE PATTERN OF THE PAST APPLY AGAIN FOR ISRAEL?
When the captives returned to Jerusalem they started to rebuild the Temple but were sidelined by political pressures and abandoned the project. In 1948, Israel felt fortunate to get the approval from President Truman to start again a midst worldwide political pressure to the contrary. When they finally got the Old City of Jerusalem, they felt the pressure to not rock the status quo and to leave the Temple Mount alone. What did the prophets tell them to do anciently in this situation:
Haggai 1:7-9, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,’ says the LORD. 9 ‘You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.’”
Judah was blessed to be able to return to the Holy Land and have some level of prosperity but God was not fully blessing them in Haggai's days. Why? They had failed to build the Temple. Could this policy apply to the nation of Israel today? After the wars are over should rebuilding it become a spiritual objective –– a sign to God that the Jewish nation is going all the way in support of Jehovah and His prophets? The Jews will be all the way back in the Holy Land only when the Temple is back and rebuilt !
IS GOD HOLDING BACK FULL BLESSINGS?
Could this warning of the past apply now? Maybe yes and maybe no… for now! But let us speculate based on what the prophets’ messages were to those returning to the Holy Land in 520 BC. God was not happy with their giving in to pressures and stopping the construction of His house.
Haggai 1:3-4, “Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 ‘Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?’”
Putting the concerns of God above your individual desires is the message of the prophets. Does this message apply to them today and also to Americans as well?
Haggai 1:5-6, “Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Consider your ways! 6 You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.’”
We do not yet see this pattern except that certainly more blessings come to all who do God's will. This cannot be denied. God's work must be a high priority for true believers, in Israel and America.
Haggai 2:18-19, “‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD'S temple was laid-consider it:… But from this day I will bless you.’”
They finished the second Temple of God and were blessed with peace and prosperity. Could this happen again?
TIMING OF THE TEMPLE IS UNKNOWN
No one knows when Christ will return and when the Third Temple will be built. We can only speculate on the antecedents that will push this project. Maybe Judah has to experience some kind of tragedy before they build the Temple of God. But, after a victorious war with their neighbors, would it then be a smart time to rebuild? Your enemies are already mad at you but subdued, so why not then? What we all know is that it must exist before the second coming of the Messiah Christ. Jesus said so! It could be a number of years away or much sooner.
Matthew 24:3, “Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be thesign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’”
Matthew 24:15, “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place’ (whoever reads, let him understand),”
The beast will desecrate it (II Thess2:1-5).
ISSUES: DO BIBLICAL WARNINGS APPLY TO US IN THE MODERN WORLD?
