Israel’s Jerusalem Day

Jerusalem

Today, those in Israel celebrate ‘Jerusalem Day’:

May 17, 2015

Today, Israel celebrates 48 years since the reunification of Jerusalem during 1967’s Six Day War. The day was declared a religious holiday by the Chief Rabbinate in recognition of the miracles that took place during the war.

In 1948, the Jordanians conquered the eastern part of Jerusalem, including its Old City, forcibly expelling its Jewish residents. For the next 19 years, Jews were denied access to the Western Wall (Kotel), one of the Jewish nation’s most holy prayer sites. The Jordanians destroyed 48 of the 49 historic synagogues within the Old City and desecrated ancient graves located on the Mount of Olives by using them as latrines.

In 1967, Israeli paratroopers liberated the eastern half of the city, making their way to the Kotel at the base of the Temple Mount. Their experiences have inspired song and literature, and a photograph of forces standing at the Wall, taken mere hours later, is one of the city’s most famous images. http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/40198/jerusalem-day-marks-48-years-of-israels-undivided-capital/#YeMQ51ORGazRymeq.99

May 17, 2015

Jerusalem demographic stats released

The Jerusalem Municipality and the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies have published some statistics related to the city, two years ahead of the fiftieth anniversary of its unification. According to the Jerusalem Institute, updated to the end of 2013, Jerusalem has 829,900 inhabitants. Of these, 522,200 (63%) are Jewish and other non-Arabs, whereas 307,600 (37%) are Arabs. Of the Jews, 34% declared themselves to be ultra-Orthodox, 30% are religious, and 36% are secular or ‘traditional’. http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel/.premium-1.656782

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 may seem 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, based upon the biblical/Hebrew calendar.)

It would not surprise me if at some point, Syria will take overt or covert actions on this date.

Notice something about Jerusalem Day in the past:

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 shows that it will be taken over in Daniel 11:31-43.

But the main point I would like to make today is to remind people what happened about 48 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 items of possibly related interest may include:

Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Israel, 1948, and Prophecy Was the formation in 1948 of the nation of Israel prophetically significant? Was this event what Jesus referred to in His “parable of the fig tree”? Are most Israelites in the modern nation of Israel? Are most Jews in that nation? If the prophecies Jeremiah 23:3-6 and Ezekiel 34:13-30 do not point to 1948, when will those prophecies be fulfilled? Are there prophecies that will be fulfilled related to the nation of Israel? What was the first sign that Jesus said would be seen by a particular ‘generation’? When might that have happened? What are the signs that Jesus’ fig tree parable point to? This is a video.
Messianic Judaism Beliefs Differ from the Continuing Church of God Both groups keep the seventh-day Sabbath, but have important differences in doctrines and practices. Here is a link to a related sermon: Messianic Jewish Beliefs.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) 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-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? 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? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
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? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
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.
Egypt in Prophecy Does Egypt have a special role in end time prophecy? Will Egypt rise up and then be defeated. What does God teach will happen to those in Egypt? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Egypt and End Time Prophecy.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran in Prophecy. Here is a related video Iran In Prophecy.