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ing such an opportunity because of
Syrian opposition to the American–
supported peace process.
Moreover, Jordan's ruler is said
to be dismayed over U.S. ties to the
state of Israel that have broadened
to become what sorne cal! a "strate–
gic cooperation." The King has
concluded th is further weakens
American credibili ty throughout
the moderate Arab world.
Headlng for Clímax
The new strain of " holy war" is
threatening to sweep over the
whole of the Middle East. This
most pivota! piece of global real
estate is destined to feature promi–
nently in an end-time clímax fore–
told in your Bible.
According to prophecies re–
vealed to the ancient prophet Dan-
attempting lo stabilize the volatile
Middle
East~
will sweep into tbe
" Giorious Land" - the Palestine
region (Dan. 11 :41, Revised Au–
thorized Version). Many countries
will be taken over.
Significantly those ancient lands
described as "Edom, Moab, and the
prominent people of Ammon"
--comprising the area of the king–
dom of Jordan today- will escape.
The reason could be because of Jor–
dan's deepening economic ties with
Europe, as well as the decision of
Jordan's King to remain wary of
entanglements with his near neigh–
bors. Jordan is quietly replacing
war-ravaged Lebanon as the com–
mercial center of the Arab Middle
East. Reports the October
17 ,
1983,
Middle East Times:
"Jordan has caught the eye of
Lebanese thought tbat arrival of
U.S.
"peacekeepiog,, forces in Beirut in 1982 could
calm civil unrest, encourage national reconstruction. Tbese bopes have vanisbed.
iel, a conflict centering on the Mid–
dle East will presage the end of this
present civi lization of man and the
establishment of the government of
God over all nations.
As in the Middle Ages, and
today again in Lebanon, Islam and
Christianity will clash, on ly this
time the direct reason will be eco–
nomic as well as religious- very
likely the impending cutoff of criti–
ca! oi l supplies over the issue of the
fu ture of J erusalem and the West
Bank.
Military forces out of Europe,
40
the European Economic Communi–
ty and will probably be playing a
major role in the EEC's future
relations with the Middle East."
World's Biggest Burden
The United States thoughl, naive–
ly, it could enter Lebanon as a
"peacekeeping" force. l nstead,
America and other Western powers
are being sucked inexorably into
the swirl ing vortex of the Middle
East, with all of that region's
unbridgeable divisions and implac–
able animosities.
In the final analysis, all the strife
in the Middle East is centered
around the "Glorious Land," and
its legendary city, Jerusalem. Who
will control this much fought-over
city? The Jewish state of Israel?
The A ra b world- if so, which
branc h of Is lam? Or will it be
established as a n international city,
as proposed by the Pope?
It
is always tempting to try to
" bring peace" to the Middle East.
Almighty God prophesied, howev–
er, that men would fail abysmally
in this attempt. Through the
prophet Zechariah, God foretold
that " it shall happen in that day
that
1
will make Jerusalem a very
heavy stone for all peoples; a ll who
would heave it away will surely be
cut in pieces, though all nations of
the earth are gatbered against it"
(Zech. 12:3, RAV).
Yes, even if "all nations"-a
prophet ic term for a powerful
United Nations' police force–
should try to bring peace, they will
fail.
Not long ago Jordan's King Hus–
sein remarked: "The Almighty in
his wisdom, did not make Je rusa–
lem that important and touchy a
point in the hearts and souls of all
of us- J ews or Christians or Mos–
lems- except to offer us a chal–
lenge to Jearn how to respect each
other and live together. Jerusalem
must be the essence of peace, a
symbol of peace."
Not many years from now Jeru–
salem will represent more than
the mere aspi rat ion for peace.
Jt
will be the very fountainhead of
peace, for the benefit of nations
around the world.
"For out of Zion shall go forth
the law, and the word of the Lord
from
Jerusalem"
( l sa. 2:3, last
part). "Great peace" will be the
result of divine intervention in
human nature a nd affairs, with
humans everywhe re lea rnin g to
love a nd obey God 's law ( Ps.
119:165) .
Jerusalem will be the capital of
the government of the kingdom of
God in the coming World Tomor–
row. It wi ll no longer be the chief
bone of content ion between major
nations and religions.
But until that happy day dawns,
more tragic lessons will have to be
written in blood.
o
The
PLAIN TRUTH