The Coming Siege against Jerusalem and Judea

ed note–as we have pointed out here as of late, one cannot understand the happenings taking place in the Middle East without first understanding the events surrounding 70 A.D. with Rome’s destruction of Judea, leading to the ‘dispersal’ and its attending 2,000 years of ‘suffering, persecution and anti-Shemitism’, all of which culminated into those events taking place within the last 100 years vis a vis the ‘in-gathering’ of Jews from the 4 corners and the creation thus of the ‘Jewish state’.

Besides this, one cannot understand the political gears turning on both a micro and macro level, without first understanding that the destruction of Judea in 70 AD considered to be the most tragic of all circumstances taking place in Jewish history, is not considered some isolated event in the past, but literally, a festering, throbbing wound that has existed for 2,000 years and which reached its climax in that seminal moment–no pun intended–in what today has become the ‘tragedies of tragedies,’ the Hollerco$t.

Having said that, as this Oped appearing in one of the most Jewish of all Jewish publications, the Times of I$rael, makes clear, the events of long-ago yesteryear, specifically 70 A.D. are still very much alive in the minds of today’s Jews who are out to make the great, great, grandchildren of yesterday’s Romans pay for the crimes of the forefathers, not only in resurrecting this Frankenstein creation known as the Jewish state, but as well, fighting her wars for her throughout the world in the interests of paying both principle and interest on that injury known as 70 A.D. and in the process, seeing to it that Rome and its modern day representation–the Christian West–are erased from the pages of history in the same way as recounted and celebrated in biblical stories surrounding the destruction of Egypt, Persia, and Greece.

Times of Israel

Last week, UN envoy Nickolay Mladnenov, the special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, delivered his first report to the UN Security Council on the progress of UNSC Resolution 2334 since it was passed last December.

“The resolution calls on Israel to take steps ‘to cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem.’ No such steps have been taken during the reporting period,” Mladnenov reported.

Ignoring historical and present realities, the resolution unjustly condemns the State of Israel for its “occupation of Jerusalem”. It further calls for the intensification and acceleration of efforts to achieve the U.N.’s vision for “peace and security”, in which Jewish settlements in Judea and East Jerusalem, including the Old City and the Temple Mount — half of Yerushalayim — are illegal. It also calls for “practical ways and means to secure the full implementation of its relevant resolutions”.

The stage is being set for the final act in HaShem’s plan to bring about the change of heart among the nations and Yisrael (Israel) required to inaugurate the Messianic Era. How long will it be before the U.N. escalates in accordance with the language of 2334?

HaShem’s servants the Prophets speak cleary about what is coming. Whereas in the past individual nations came against Yerushalayim and the Jewish people, HaShem has declared the day will come when not one but kol goyei ha’aretz, all the nations of the Earth, will besiege Yerushalayim and Yehudah (Judea).

As Zekharyah HaNavi (the Prophet Zechariah) records,

Thus declares HaShem, Who stretched out the heavens and founded the Earth and formed the spirit of man within him: ‘Behold, I will make Yerushalayim a cup of trembling to all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Yerushalayim will also be against Yehudah. . . . and all the nations of the Earth will gather against it.’
— Zekharyah 12:1b-2,3b

There should be little doubt as to the truth of these words.

Before the destruction of the First Temple, the word of HaShem came to Yirmeyahu HaNavi (the Prophet Jeremiah) demanding teshuvah (repentance) of the Jewish people. For twenty three years, Yirmeyahu warned of dire consequences that would follow if the Jewish people failed to repent, including the destruction of Yerushalayim and the Temple, and exile.

Yirmeyahu declared this message persistently, but sadly his words largely fell on deaf ears. Finally, HaShem sent Yirmeyahu to the Jewish people to say He was bringing Nevukhadnetzar (Nebuchadnezzar), king of Bavel (Babylon), against the the Kingdom of Yehudah (Judah), the Jewish people. The whole land would become a ruin and a waste and the Jewish people would serve the king of Bavel in exile seventy years, and so it happened.

After this, a righteous Jew named Daniyel (Daniel), who had been prime minister of Bavel, fasted and prayed to HaShem for mercy, confessing his sin and the sin of his people. While he was still praying, HaShem’s messenger/angel Gavriyel (Gabriel) appeared to him to give him understanding.

Among other things, Daniyel was told Yerushalayim would be rebuilt for a specific period in troubled times, yet during which certain aspects of HaShem’s plan would be accomplished, until a then unnamed people would destroy the city and the Holy Place. This was fulfilled on schedule by Roma (Rome) in the year 70 of the common era, when Titus destroyed Yerushalayim and the Second Temple.

Before that, however, Daniyel had also received word that a Greek king would profane the Temple and would take away the regular elevation offering, setting up an abomination of desolation, and seducing with flattery those who violate HaShem’s covenant, but the people who knew their G-d would stand firm and take action. This was fulfilled in the events we commemorate each year in the festival of Chanukah.

As acknowledged everyday during Birkhot HaShakhar (the Morning Blessings), HaShem is not bound by time; and His dominion is in all generations (Tehillim / Psalms 145:13).

As HaShem says,

I am G-d and there is no other. I am G-d and there is none like Me, revealing the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel will stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose…
— Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 46:9b-10

Barukh HaShem, His word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (Tehillim / Psalms 119:105).

He has told us all the nations will gather against Yerushalayim and Yehudah, and what is the United Nations but all the nations of the Earth united together as one?

And should it surprise us if, under the guise of peace-keeping, U.N. Peacekeepers — a military made up primarily of infantry who are “first and foremost members of their own national armies and are then seconded to work under the command and control of the UN” (Military, UN.org) — are deployed against Yerushalayim and Yehudah to enforce the U.N.’s version of peace and security?

But as HaShem says through Yoel HaNavi (the Prophet Joel),

For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Yehudah and Yerushalayim, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Yehoshafat (Jehoshaphat), and I will enter into judgement with them there over My people and My inheritance Yisrael, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up My land…
— Yoel (Joel) 4:1-2 (Hb.)

As Yeshayahu HaNavi says of that day,

…the adversaries of Yehudah will be cut off…’
— Yeshayahu 11:13b

Leading up to this, HaShem has spoken of difficult times for the inhabitants East Yerushalayim, including a temporary exile (cf. Zekharyah 14:2), but He has also provided us with the key for nullifying harsh decrees, and that is teshuvah (Yirmeyahu 18:7-10).

Then HaShem will go forth to fight against those nations, as a day He fights on a day of battle. . . . And this will be the plague with which HaShem will strike all the peoples that wage war against Yerushalayim: their flesh will consume away while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth. . .Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Yerushalayim will go up year after year to worship the King, HaShem of Armies, and to keep the Festival of Sukkot.
— Zekharyah 14:3,12,16

Are you ready for the Kingdom of Heaven?