In a normal year, tens of thousands of Christians from all over the world would travel to Israel to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles. This year, Jerusalem’s streets are empty. Not only is there no one here from the nations, but Israelis are not even allowed to go far from their homes. Israel is in the midst of another very strict lockdown due to a second wave of COVID-19. There’s a string of very interesting events, however, that led up to this abnormal feast season in Israel.
On September 15th, 2020, the historic Abraham Accords were signed at the White House. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Israel were all present for the signing of normalization agreements, the likes of which have not been seen for 26 years. Most Christians (and many Jews) applauded the ratifying of peace. But a closer look at the speeches during the signings, and speeches given since then, have shown a very negative side to what the world has called peace. During their speeches at the White House, both the foreign minister for Bahrain and the UAE thanked Israel for stopping plans to annex parts of Judea and Samaria. Since then, both countries have reiterated in various speeches that this is what the accords were all about – stopping annexation in Israel’s heartland and moving towards the creation of a Palestinian state.
So were the Abraham Accords really genuine peace? Let’s look at the timeline.
On the same day that the Accords were signed, Hurricane Sally appeared on the Gulf of Mexico. It made landfall on the US Gulf Coast on the following day, September 16, as a Category 2 hurricane. Damage and flooding forced thousands of people to flee their homes.
We don’t have the space in this article, but there is factual documentation that every time the US has tried to divide the land of Israel, a natural or man-made disaster has struck the US within 24-48 hours. (See Eye to Eye: Facing the Consequences of Dividing Israel).
Back to the Abraham Accords. Let’s look at what Scripture says about true peace.
“Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off.” (Nahum 1:15)
In another passage we read:
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion,
‘Your God reigns!’” (Isaiah 52:7)
Let’s put the Abraham Accords through the biblical peace tester. According to Nahum and Isaiah, peace should consist of three things:
- Beautiful feet proclaiming salvation to Zion, saying: “Your God reigns.”
- Judah (Israel) should keep their appointed feasts.
- The wicked will no more pass through Israel.
Interestingly enough, when Prime Minister Netanyahu returned to Israel, he immediately proclaimed a lockdown, effective on September 18th, and extending through all three of the fall feasts.
Israelis have been restricted to their homes for Yom Kippur, Rosh HaShanah, and Sukkot. Sukkot is one of the biggest feasts to celebrate with family, friends, and neighbors. This year everyone has been in their own homes and sukkahs. Not only that, but the nations have been barred from coming to Israel for the Feast of Tabernacles, a feast that Zechariah prophesies that the nations will come to Israel for!
“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” (Zechariah 14:16)
The second factor in the biblical peace tester also fails. The nations that supposedly made peace with Israel immediately began touting that one of the main parts of the Abraham Accords a) stopped Israeli annexation of land in Judea and Samaria; and b) called for the creation of a Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as their capital. This is the opposite of beautiful feet proclaiming to Zion that their God reigns. A Palestinian terrorist state being established would call for the erradication of all Jews in the entire land of Israel.
This brings us to the third factor in the biblical peace tester. As soon as the Abraham Accords were announced, the Palestinian Authority rejected it, saying that the UAE and Bahrain had betrayed the Palestinian people. The PA has continually called for its own people to attack and murder Jews, as well as drive the entire nation of Israel into the sea. Clearly, the wicked are still being allowed to pass through the land.
According to the Bible, the Abraham Accords do not pass the biblical test for true peace. The results? A strict lockdown immediately began in Israel, with no one being allowed to celebrate Sukkot with their friends and family. In addition, the nations have been barred from coming to Jerusalem for the feasts.
We are grateful to President Donald Trump, historically the most pro-Israel American president in history, for all he has done to support Israel. From moving the embassy to Jerusalem, to recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israel, to declaring that Israeli settlement in Judea and Samaria is not illegal, President Trump has shown his unwavering and dedicated support for the Jewish people.
The Abraham Accords, however, do not call for real peace. Instead, they call for dividing the land of Israel and establishing a terrorist state inside her heartland.
As Christians, we need to pray for President Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and our Jewish brothers and sisters. Pray most of all, for the peace of Jerusalem.
Chag Sukkot sameach!
