THOSE TROUBLESOME SETTLEMENTS

This week Israel announced extensive plans for additional housing units to be built in East Jerusalem over the next few years. Of course, there was an immediate outcry from the Palestinians, who claim this as their land, with Israel as the accursed occupiers. And as would be expected both U.S. and European officials decried the action as blocking the way to peace. They never stop to consider that any time Israel has stopped construction, the PLO has always found some other excuse to not negotiate.

I wonder if anyone cares what Jehovah thinks. There is a rather comprehensive few verses of Scripture which gives us a very clear understandding of what God is about in all of this. "For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep [Israel] and look after them. . . .I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land" (Ezekiel 34:11, 13 emphasis added).

Can it be any clearer. God is bringing His people back to " their own land" and expects them to prosper and build "all the settlements" they need to provide for their population. Isn't it unique? The very term that is being used to provoke discussion and dissension is one to which God spoke long ago. The settlements are His idea. I wouldn't want to mess with them. God is superintending the activity of His nation even though most of the people there are not aware of His perfect plan for them.