Focus On Jerusalem by Ed Wood

Zechariah 12:2-3 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people

 round about, when they shall be in siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered against it.

Zechariah 14:1-2 Behold the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem in battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifles, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off
from the city.

Mark 13:14 [Jesus said] But when shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken by Daniel the prophet standing where it ought not [Daniel 9:26-27, Revelation 13:11-15], (let him the readeth understand) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains. [Bracketed sections added.]

On September 23, 2011, the Palestinian Authority is scheduled to make a request for statehood recognition to the U.N. There are any number of ways this could go. The Security Council may approve it if the U.S. or other member doesn't veto it. If a veto does happen it could wind its way through the U.N. looking for a simple majority from all its member nations. One thing seems certain. If the PA bid fails,
there will likely be trouble from its disappointed proponents as they ramp up their hostility. If it succeeds . . . well, that looks like trouble, too, emboldening them resulting is . . . and you've probably guessed it . . . greater hostility as they flex their new political muscles.

Jerusalem itself is probably the most fought-over city on the planet from antiquity to the present. Even now it is a prime source of contention between Israel and its Muslim adversaries. Even now we see the shadows of Zechariah 12 falling across the world.

In Mark's account of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus is showing us a time some three and a half years into the Tribulation when the Antichrist drops all remaining pretenses and reveals himself to be the mortal enemy of God and Israel alike.

The first verses of Zechariah 14 show us an event that appears to be at the very end of the Tribulation when the armies of the Antichrist are about to finish of Israel forever, probably during the battle of Armageddon itself (Revelation 16:13-16). Here, half the city falls and considering that even now it has a prominent Arab section clamoring for autonomy it seems that this faction, if still present, would give little resistance to an army wanting to destroy its age-old Jewish enemies.

But Zechariah goes on to say that rout is not complete and if we continue reading chapter 14 we discover the reason - and that is the return of Jesus himself! (See also Revelation 19).

In the coming days, keep an eye on the events of the Middle East, because I believe what we see happening there bears a direct role in the events the Bible say must take place. From the time King David conquered Jerusalem from the Jebusites, it has always played a key role throughout human history and the Bible shows us that it will continue do so, even through the time that Jesus himself comes back to rule.

When he does, Jerusalem will at long last become the "city of peace" that God had always intended that it should be!

Keep watching!