I read an article in The Times Of Israel that is an icon for the secular approach in the search for peace in the Middle East. The article contains the usual ambiguous statements about building bridges across issues that divide Arabs and Israelis and the two states as the only real solution to guarantee peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Then the article casually adds that the inside out approach, where the antagonists form the basis for a resolution, does not work. It is time for an outside in approach. Whatever an outside in approach means in real terms, it isn’t going to be good for Israel.
The fault with the international approach to peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and by extension the Arab world, is that world governments see the underlining cause as sociological rather than theological. There may be ways to bridge sociological gaps between Arabs and Israelis but there is no way to bridge the theological gaps.
From a Biblical perspective God’s plan is, and has always been, one state called Israel and includes the land Palestinians want for their own state. The Mosaic Law is clear that non-Jews may live in the land of Israel but they must not violate Jewish rule. Non-Jews living in Israel are not to corrupt the Jewishness of the state. A recent bill likely to pass in the Israeli Kinneret will declare Israel a Jewish state regardless of the ethnic makeup of its population. Israel now realizes that a two states solution alone will not allow it to maintain its Jewishness.
The Koran’s perspective is that any land that comes under Muslim rule is forever Muslim. All of Israel was once under Muslim rule and all of Israel must return to Muslim rule. Under Sharia Law non-Muslims may live in Muslim lands but they must not violate Muslim rule. Non-Muslims living under Sharia Law are not to corrupt the Islamic nature of the state. Iran, Hamas, and the majority of the Palestinian population view the two states solution as the first step to extending Muslim rule over all of Israel.
The world is tiring of the pursuit for peace between Israel and the Palestinians and wants a solution, any solution. Which brings us back to the outside in approach, political speak for an imposed solution. Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians will be happy with such a deal and it will take some muscle to do the imposing. The truth is that any imposed solution will not bring all of Israel under Muslim rule and will not guarantee peace for Israel. It will take more muscle than the world or the antichrist has to impose a peace solution for the land of Israel. It will take someone who can truly rule the world with an iron scepter.
That brings an interesting thought. Who are the people to be ruled with an iron scepter? People, today, fall into three categories concerning Jesus as the Christ. There are those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. There are those who accept Him as Savior but balk at His absolute rule over their lives, preferring to give little to no thought about “What Would Jesus Do”, WWJD. And last there are those who reject Jesus as Lord or Savior. The Tribulation removes any question concerning the lordship of Jesus Christ over the earth and concentrates the remaining inhabitants into either accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior or Lord but not Savior. It is the final battle with Gog and Magog after the millennial reign that removes the last of earths inhabitants that rejected Jesus as Savior and ushers in the everlasting kingdom of God.
Those looking to make peace, any peace, between Israel and the Palestinians will be greatly disappointed.
May God bless you in your study of His word.