Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the earth's foundation, and forms the spirit of man within him: “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it” (Zechariah 12:1-3). The conflict between the Jews and the Arabs is not new; it started in the days of Abraham (Genesis 16-21).
The word “cup” is the Hebrew word “staph,” it is a cup used only to serve intoxicating drinks. The people who seek to destroy Judah and Jerusalem will be so intoxicated with anger that their thinking is irrational. This desire for the destruction of Israel has poisoned their brain. “The cup of trembling” is also used as a reference to the wrath of God that is to be poured out on Israel’s enemies (Isaiah 51:17, 22-23). “A burdensome stone,” a stone too heavy for any man to lift. Only God can solve this problem; Bible prophecy is being fulfilled before our very eyes.
God chose the nation of Israel to bring the Messiah into the world. He promised to bless them if they would obey and serve Him, but they turned their back on God. God sent the prophets to warn them of the dire consequences of forsaking the Lord. “Then the Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other” (Deuteronomy 28:64). Starting in about 720 BC, God used different kingdoms to conquer the nation of Israel and scatter them throughout the world. Titus, a Roman general, finished up this process in 70 AD when he and his army destroyed a large part of Jerusalem, and the nation of Israel ceased to exist.
But God had not forgotten His promise to bring them back into the land again. “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land” (Ezekiel 37:21; Isaiah 11:12). For almost 2000 years the nation of Israel did not exist, but in May of 1948, Israel became a nation again. They are now dwelling in the land that God had promised their father Abraham (Genesis 12:7; 13:14-17; 15:7; 15:16; 17:8; 24:7).
The moment Israel became a nation, Syria attacked from the north, Jordan attacked from the east, and Egypt attacked from the south. Before the nation could take its first breath, it found itself in a struggle for survival. These Arab nations were determined that the nation of Israel would not exist in the territory that was assigned to them by the UN resolution. Jordan took the West Bank, Egypt took the Sinai desert, and Syria took the Golan Heights. The Jews held on to enough territory to establish a nation. That was a miracle of God.
In 1967, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt, armed by Russia, planned to exterminate the nation of Israel. But the Lord was with Israel, and in 6 days, the Jews took the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt; they took the West Bank from Jordan, and they took the Golan Heights from Syria. For the first time in over 2000 years, Jerusalem became a united city under the control of the nation of Israel.
In 1973, the Arabs designed what they called “The War of Extermination,” which is now called the “Yom Kippur War,” and again, they attacked Israel. This surprise attack by Egypt and Syria on Yom Kippur nearly accomplished their goal of exterminating Israel. Israel began their counterattack and took back all of the Sinai Peninsula from the Egyptians and pushed them back into Egypt. The Israeli army was within about 17 miles of Damascus, Syria when both Egypt and Syria called for a cease-fire. That was when the United States came into the picture and persuaded Israel to cease its military action and come to the peace table. Once again, the hand of God and many miracles spared Israel.
This problem between Israel and the Arabs is not going to go away; it will only get worse. It may seem that some progress is being made, but it’s only be a pseudo peace. The Arab countries do not want the nation of Israel to exist; history has proved this. The Arab nations do not want a part of Israel for a Palestinian homeland; they want all of Israel to cease to exist. We need to remember that this is a spiritual battle; both God and Satan have assigned powerful angels to influence rulers and nations, especially in their policies for or against Israel. Behind the scenes, a supernatural battle is going on that’s invisible to the human eye (cf. Daniel 10:18-11:1; Ephesians 6:12).
Our world is headed for a “One World Government” with a One World Leader, the Antichrist. When this one world government comes together, the people will think there will be a lasting peace, but they are wrong. The apostle Paul wrote, “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3). Jesus said, “So you also must be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matthew 24:44).
Jesus is coming back to this earth. Are you prepared to meet Him? Have you kept yourself from being polluted by the evil systems of this world? (James 1:27). Can you say you have fought the good fight and kept the faith? (2 Timothy 4:7).
