 | Reverend Terry G. Fox is Senior Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church. He is Chairman of the North American Mission Board, member of its Executive Committee and the FamilyNet Broadcast Communications Committee, as well as numerous other subcommittees. He's listed on the Who's Who Among Outstanding Corporate Executives. He is a sought after speaker and has traveled and ministered in many places in the United States, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Rev. Fox and his wife Barbara have three children. You may contact him at Immanuel Baptist Church, 1415 South Topeka, Wichita, Kansas, 67211; phone (316) 262-1452; or Fax (316) 262-4704. |
QUESTION: With all the troubles in the Middle East, I am wondering why it is that such a small region is always the top story, and how far back in history does this conflict go? Is this just coincidence, or is it because the conflict signals the end of the world?
***image1:left***QUESTION: With all the troubles in the Middle East, I am wondering why it is that such a small region is always the top story, and how far back in history does this conflict go? Is this just coincidence, or is it because the conflict signals the end of the world?
ANSWER: Most historians would not agree that it has "always" been a top story. Palestine was a minor province of ancient Rome. In 70 AD, Rome grew tired of the Jews' rebellions and sent an army under Titus, a General who later became Caesar, to destroy Jerusalem and drive the Jews from the area.
Over a half-million were killed, Jerusalem was destroyed and burned, and the Jews scattered around the Empire. Nearly 300 years later, the mother of Caesar Constantine became a Christian and influenced her son to declare Christianity the national religion. Persecution of Christians stopped and there was an interest in visiting the places where the Biblical history occurred. Churches were built over places where Jesus lived, taught, died and arose.
As the Roman empire faded and the Moslem empire covered the Middle East, European Christians continued to make pilgrimages to the Holy Land until the eleventh century when the Turks from Central Asia swept over Persia, the Middle East and Asia Minor (present day Turkey). They forbade the European pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and the Pope called a meeting of European leaders and proposed sending troops to capture the "Holy Lands" from the Moslems. Between 1100 and 1300 there were eight Crusades, some of which captured Jerusalem but were not supported enough to hold it for very long, but they worsened relations between the two religions.
After about 1300 the European powers turned their attention inward for the Renaissance and the Reformation, and outward for exploration and expansion into the "New World" (the Americas). Affairs of the Middle East were again of small concern. This remained true until the twentieth century.
In 1948, Jerusalem was a small city. Palestine was a poor, dry country, smaller than Kansas. Archeologists loved to dig there, but it was of slight interest to the political leaders of the world until 1948. Two things brought the world's attention: (1) The discovery of huge amounts of petroleum in the Middle East and North Africa. (2) The unstoppable desire of the Jewish people to return to their ancestral homeland, resulting from the slaughter of Jews by the Nazis and their lack of welcome from other countries. These two conditions were not connected: Golda Meir complained that Moses led the Hebrews around the Middle East for forty years and stopped in the only place without any oil.
In 1948, the British, who had a mandate over Jordan and Palestine, suddenly decided to leave the area and the United Nations recognized Israel and Jordan as nations. The United States was one of the first countries to formally concur.
The surrounding Arab nations invaded to prevent a Jewish nation in their midst, and this brought the attention of the world to this region.
During the past 55 years, this little space has both blossomed and suffered. A modern, democratic, industrialized nation has grown as thousands of Jews have immigrated each year. But three wars have been fought against Israel by its neighbors and internal warfare continues. As you say, it is a trouble spot.
Many Christians before the 1940's found it difficult to believe the Bible prophecies that the great nations of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa would choose up sides with or against Israel and go to a war-to-end-all-wars.
It is easy to visualize this today. Now to your second question: "Is this just a coincidence or does it signal the end of the world?" The correlation of Biblical predictions and the way events are happening leads many of us to believe that this is the fulfillment of prophecy. The Jews are returning from all over the earth to the land promised by God to Abraham nearly 4,000 years ago. They are speaking their old language; a language which had not been spoken for two millennia. They are returning while still rejecting Jesus as their Messiah. All as predicted!
But be careful. Biblical prophecies were not given to enable us to pre-write history, but it should enable those who know the prophecies to recognize them as they happen. Recent novels based on an interpretation of Bible predictions about to take place have had huge sales, showing that many Americans are concerned with your question.
The main personal issue for us is this: Am I ready if this should be the end? Jesus spoke constantly of life after death. His mission to earth was to open the way to Heaven. This must begin with a trusting submission to Him as Savior and Lord during our time here.