by Jerry Robinson
Originally Posted on 7/31/2006
Are the following events Divine in nature or are they simply mere coincidence? You be the judge.
Tomorrow, August 3, at sundown, many in Israel will fast during what is noted as the darkest day on the Hebrew calendar. Tisha b’ Av. (The 9th day of the month of “Av”).
The 9th of Av is a tremendously sobering day in the Jewish collective mind. And unless you are prone to believe in coincidence or chance, the following information should lead you to pray for the peace of Israel. The Bible instructs us, as Christians, to continually pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalms 122:6)
Consider the following tragic events that have transpired on this dark and sad day in Jewish history:
- “It was on this day that the twelve spies were sent by Moses to observe the land of Canaan.” (1) The bad report from ten of the spies caused fear and disillusionment amongst the Hebrew people, which led to their extended vacation in the wilderness for forty years.
- In 586 B.C., the First Temple was destroyed by the invading Babylonians and the Hebrews were taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar for a period of 70 years.
- In 70 A.D., the 10th legion of Rome, under Titus Vespasian, destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem thus fulfilling Jesus’ prophetic proclamations (Matt. 24:1-2) which led to the exile of the Jewish people from their homeland until May 1948 when the modern state of Israel was regathered, thus fulfilling another ancient prophecy (Ezekiel 36-39).
- The declaration of the crusades by Pope Urban II in 1095 A.D.
- The signing of an edict by King Edward I in 1290 effectively expelling the Jewish people from England.
- In 1492, the order to banish Spain’s large Jewish community was issued in the Alhambra decree.
- World War I officially began on the ninth day of Av in 1914.
- The first mass murders at the Nazi death camp, Treblinka, took place in 1942.
A Call to Prayer and Fasting
The Jewish state is currently under tremendous global pressure to stop defending itself from the onslaught of radical Muslims who deeply desire their destruction. Time will tell where everything is heading. But we know one thing for certain. The Eternal King of Israel, Jesus Christ, will one day return for His own and to make war against all those who have desired and sought Israel’s destruction. The plan of God cannot be thwarted forever. Come, Lord Jesus!
Jerry Robinson Ministries is advocating a time of fasting and prayer with our Jewish brothers and sisters in their time of distress and mourning. We will conduct this fast from sundown Tuesday to sundown Wednesday. (Others may choose to begin the fast on Wednesday evening at sundown and conclude it on Thursday evening at sundown. Both Wednesday and Thursday will overlap the actual Jewish fast.)
“If I forget thee, Jerusalem Let my right hand forget her cunning Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth If I remember thee not If I set not Jerusalem Above my chiefest joy.” (Psalms 137:5,6 KJV)
