The Vote

When the city came into view, he wept over it. “If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it’s too late. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They’ll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn’t recognize and welcome God’s personal visit.” Luke 19:42-44 (The Message Translation)

I do not have any special gifts as far as my faith is concerned, but I could not fail to see the significance of this verse after the recent UN vote to give the Palestinians a form of recognition as a nation, needing a country to call their own. Of course there is a long history of bad blood between the Jews and the Muslims, which goes way back to Biblical Old Testament times when Ishmael became the father of the Islamic faith, and Israel who became the father of many nations, and was Blessed by God.

Perhaps like many, you didn’t pay much attention to the vote in the United Nations. After all, it is not an unreasonable thing for a nation of people to want a piece of land to call their home. It is reasonable as long as that country wants to live in peace, and at peace (there is a difference) with its neighbours. I think that’s where those who voted against this ‘reasonable’ UN request were coming from. It is not unreasonable to show that those against were largely ‘Christian’ in outlook, and those for the recognition were mostly ‘Islamic’.

The people of Gaza and other areas who want some of ‘their land’ back, as they see it, are led and governed by Hamas, a terrorist group with strong ideological links to those of Iran. Do we need to be reminded that the majority of Islamic Palestinians, and all of Iran, do not recognise Israel as a nation, and have it on their open agenda to annihilate the Jewish nation, country and people? Have you looked at a map of the middle east, and where the State of Israel is located? Take note of the nations and their political and religious allegiances which surround it, and then read the verse again. This was the time when Jesus wept over Jerusalem and its people for rejecting Him, and He knew clearly what was ahead. Might be a good idea for us to take note too. Just saying!