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Transcript 514B — Will There Ever be Peace in Israel?
HC: Good evening. Welcome to Open Forum.
CALLER: Yes. Can you relate Jeremiah 8:11 with current events in Israel?
HC: The question is, does Jeremiah 8:11 relate to what is happening today with Israel?
Well, let's look at it. There we read, "For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace, Peace, when there is no peace."
Well, yes, in a real sense that does relate. The context of Jeremiah 8 is the Israel that existed about 2500 years ago, particularly as the nation of Judah. Jeremiah is writing just a few years before they were destroyed by the Babylonians, because of the wrath of God against them. They had become increasingly apostate; they had gone after other gods; they had not been faithful in their worship of God. And so God brought judgment against them.
And yet the prophets in Israel, that is, those who were not the true prophets, were saying that all is well. There is peace. They gave what we might call the cosmetic treatment to the situation. They papered over whatever seemed to be problems and said everything is going to be all right. Everything is going to be good. God will not forsake us.
But the prophet Jeremiah, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said no, there is no peace. God's wrath is upon us, and God is going to destroy us by the Babylonians, because we have not repented. And that's very much the case in the world today, and particularly what's happening in Israel today, and not only in that nation but in many nations. People are desperately seeking a political peace. And they may even think that they've found the beginning of some kind of a political peace. But there is no peace. Wars are going to continue right up until the end. God's judgment is gradually drawing closer, at a very rapid rate, as a matter of fact. And there will be retribution. It is going to come. I think really there is a direct parallel.
CALLER: And isn't it true also that Israel is not to expect any peace on earth, that is, until the latter days?
HC: The question is: Is Israel ever going to have peace on this earth, that is, Israel as a nation? According to the Bible, no, they never will. They never will, on this sin cursed earth, on this earth as it now exists, on this side of eternity. We read in Luke 21:20, "When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation has come nigh." And then the language goes on to indicate that they will be trodden underfoot, and they will remain so until the times of the Gentiles are completed, that is, until the end of time.
And so I really expect, on the basis of this, that Israel will be eventually destroyed and will not rise again. Christ will return and bring to pass the New Heavens and the New Earth.
Now of course there's a double meaning to Luke 21. That is also talking there, I believe, about the spiritual Israel, spiritual Jerusalem, which is the body of believers and which also is surrounded by enemies that want to destroy it, and who will be successful in silencing the Gospel. And perhaps the two events will be simultaneous. It could well be that the destruction of literal Jerusalem and the silencing of the true Gospel will be simultaneous events, just shortly before Christ Himself returns on the clouds of glory.
CALLER: All right. Thank you very much.
HC: Thank you for calling. Good night.