Jerusalem Day in Israel

Jerusalem

Today, those in Israel celebrate ‘Jerusalem Day’:

Jerusalem Day (Hebrew: יום ירושלים‎, Yom Yerushalayim) is an Israeli national holiday commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in June 1967. The Chief Rabbinate of Israel declared Jerusalem Day a minor religious holiday to thank God for victory in the Six-Day War and for answering the 2,000-year-old prayer of “Next Year in Jerusalem”.

The day is marked by state ceremonies, memorial services for soldiers who died in the battle for Jerusalem, parades through downtown Jerusalem, reciting the Hallel prayer with blessings in synagogues, and saying the Pesukei Dezimra of Sabbath and High Holidays. (Wikipedia, viewed 04/30/2013)

(Now, the timing of this is a little strange from the Roman calendar perspective as the 6 day war was not until the month of June in 1967, but this is the day Israelis have chosen for this particular celebration, apparently based upon the biblical calendar).

It would not surprise me if Syria took overt or covert actions on this date.

Notice something about Jerusalem Day from last year:

Israeli ministers held a special cabinet meeting at Ammunition Hill on Sunday to celebrate Jerusalem Day when the Jewish state captured the Arab eastern sector 45 years ago during the Six-Day War.

Celebrations were lined up throughout the day with formal ceremonies, parties and the annual flag march through east Jerusalem to mark the “reunification” of the city which took place after the 1967 Middle East war.

For Israel, which annexed the eastern sector in a move not recognised by the international community, Jerusalem is its “eternal and undivided capital.” http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/israel-celebrates-45th-jerusalem-day-1.1300267

Despite, the above Israeli assertion about its capital, the Bible suggests that Jerusalem will be divided:

2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem;
The city shall be taken,
The houses rifled,
And the women ravished.
Half of the city shall go into captivity,
But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2)

The current conflict between Iran and Israel, combined with the unrest in Syria and the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists rising up in the Middle East, are setting the stage for the dividing of Jerusalem.

And even if there is no new regional conflict, news items have come out indicating the EU, as well as the current UN Secretary-General (Ban Ki-moon) want to divide Jerusalem now to partially satisfy many Palestinians. Possibly through the treaty of Daniel 9:27, the dividing will happen and the captivity of 1/2 of Jerusalem ultimately will come to fulfill Zechariah 14:2 (see Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided?).

But the main point I would like to make today is to remind people what happened about 46 years ago. Egypt’s leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser, called for the elimination of Israel and wanted to become the leader of the Islamic world–he essentially led the United Arab Command, which included Syria, Jordan, and some other Arab nations. Egypt and Iraq moved their military forces nearer to Israel. Israel seeing the danger, then put together a majority government, and decided to strike the Arabs before they were ready to attack Israel. Israel quickly won the war and got Jerusalem.

Fast forward to the present. Iran’s leaders have called for the elimination of Israel. In 2011, Iran put out a video where it claims that it will take over Jerusalem to prepare the way for the Imam Mahdi to rise up and leader the Islamic world. Iran has made a deal with Syria and some others. Iran has attempted to increase its military power, including nuclear pursuits. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has seen this as dangerous. Many believe Israel will attack Iran before it believes Iran will attack it.

Yet, while if this happens Iran and Syria (cf. Isaiah 17:1) may not end up well, Israel is kidding itself if it feels that it will get off relatively unscathed this time. Unlike the 1960s, Iran and its allies have better equipped militaries, better protected militaries, chemical weapons, biological weapons, longer range missiles, likely dirty bombs, possibly emp bombs, and also will more likely also use various terrorist tactics.

So, while those in Israel are celebrating today, they should realize that if they do try to take out Iran that this will not be like what happened in 1967. We all should watch (Mark 13:37).

Some articles of possibly related :

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.