"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people..." (Zech. 12:2-3).
Zechariah was not alone in his warning; we see the same trembling described in Isa. 51:17-20; Jeremiah 30:5-7; Ezekiel 26:15-16; and Daniel 10:4-17.
The conflict between Israel and the Arab nations began much like man's conflict with Satan: over food! (Gen. 29:21-34; Gen. 3:1-15). The sons of Esau have hated the sons of Jacob (Israel), and the "sons of Satan" hate the elect of God (the Jews - Isa. 42:1; 45:4; 65:9; etc.). The Arab hatred has spilled over toward all the sons of God, because we support and pray for Israel (Gen. 12:1-3; Jn. 1:12; Rom. 8:14; Phil. 2:15; 1 Jn. 3:1-2).
You may have noticed in the passage quoted from Zechariah, that the whole world will eventually succumb to the "disease" known as anti-Semitism! That is because, before Israel's day of trembling, born again believers will be removed from this orb. God, in what believers call "the Rapture," will remove all His children (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:49-53; 1 Th. 4:13-18; Rev. 4:1)! Scripture teaches that the Church, which is made up of born again believers, will not experience the wrath of God:
"And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come" (1 Th. 1:10). "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Th. 5:9).
In fact, the Word clearly teaches that the wrath of God, a.k.a. "the Tribulation" (Mt.24:29), "the Time of Jacob's Trouble" (Jer. 30:7), and "Daniel's Seventieth Week" (Dan. 9:24-27), have nothing to do with the Church, but is meant to "open the eyes of Israel" that they may recognize Jesus was, in fact, their Messiah (Jn. 1:11; Rom. 11:1-36)!
All the signs are happening today - trust in Jesus while there is still time!
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