Jerusalem – and Benjamin Netanyahu
Please cast your mind back to 27 September 2012. On that day, 14 years ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He spoke of Jerusalem’s 3000-year history; he spoke of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; he spoke of the prophets.
That was very good and necessary, particularly before this assembly of nations. But at that time, he omitted one – indeed, the one crucial point. This history, stretching back millennia, is not first the history of Israel, but first and foremost the history of God. It was through His actions and words that we could and can see Him! And it is precisely this – the history of God – that constitutes the significance of Israel’s history for all of humanity.
Now Benjamin Netanyahu is due to speak in New York again, probably on Thursday, 24 September, at 2.00 pm New York time. I have therefore written to him, reminding him to address this omission before the whole world this year. Please find attached my letter of 20 September below.
Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu,
Am I reaching you right now on your flight to New York?
Then please recall September 27, 2012: your speech at the UN General Assembly.
At that time you said:
“Ladies and Gentlemen,
Three thousand years ago, King David reigned over the Jewish state in our eternal capital, Jerusalem. I say that to all those who proclaim that the Jewish state has no roots in our region and that it will soon disappear.
Throughout our history, the Jewish people have overcome all the tyrants who have sought our destruction. It’s their ideologies that have been discarded by history. The people of Israel live on. We say in Hebrew Am Yisrael Chai, and the Jewish state will live forever.”
That is the truth, and it had to be said in this place. Surely, it was no surprise to you that not all the delegates applauded!
Today I am writing to you so that you can now add in New York what you had left out then. For the history of Israel and Jerusalem is older than 3000 years, and it extends to the present day. It is first and foremost the history of the Holy One of Israel.
Abraham:
Remind the delegates in the UN General Assembly of Abraham: He wandered through this land of Canaan (which today, according to Roman usage, is called “Palestine”). The Highest promised him:
Then [God] said to him, “I am GOD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to assign this land to you as a possession.” (Genesis 15,18)
Jacob:
Remind the congregation in the UN General Assembly of Abraham’s grandson Jacob. When he had to go to Egypt because of the famine, the Almighty promised him:
“I Myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I Myself will also bring you back.” (Genesis 46,4)
Moses:
Remind them of Moses, to whom the Eternal One showed the whole land:
Moses went up from the steppes of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the summit of Pisgah, opposite Jericho, and GOD showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan;
all Naphtali; the land of Ephraim and Manasseh; the whole land of Judah as far as the Western Sea;
the Negeb; and the Plain—the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar.
And GOD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ‘I will assign it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not cross there.” (Deuteronomium 34,1-4)
But also remind them of the so-called Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32,1-43). Read it aloud in its entirety. This is how the history of Israel is to be understood: Set apart by the Holy One of Israel, secured by His promises, bound by His ordinances, focused on the Anointed One for whom they waited. And warned of all the punishments that would befall them if they turned away from their God.
And that is what they did. Thus, the Holy One of Israel had to destroy completely the holiest place in Israel, the Temple!
The Persians:
But please remind the delegates in New York what happened seventy years later: The Persian King Cyrus sent the Jews back to their land and had the Temple rebuilt. King Darius then ensured the final completion of the new Temple – Iranians still know this today! Therefore, greet the representatives from Iran and remember this ancient friendship between your two peoples!
The Messiah:
When the magicians from the East came to Jerusalem and asked about the new king, the scribes knew exactly where he would be born:
And you, O Bethlehem of Ephrath,
Least among the clans of Judah, from you one shall come forth To rule Israel for Me—One whose origin is from of old, from ancient times. (Micah 5,1)
But what a tragedy: The scholars remained where they were: in Jerusalem. They were only 10 km away from the son of David, who was born where it had been foretold – and did not go to see and honour the King!
Persecution, annihilation:
Seventy years later, the Second Temple was destroyed too. But even this was not the end: centuries of persecution, the annihilation of millions of Jews. Attacks by terrorists. Today hostility from governments and people in the West and East who do not know the history of the Holy One and His people because they do not want to know it.
Therefore, they also do not know the future of Israel.
Remember them of the Holy One of Israel! Then He will respond – to the world and to your nation.
With sincere regards,
Thomas Kopka
