The announcement would change decades of US foreign policy and has alarmed many Muslim countries.
Source: US to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital – BBC News
Are you wondering why this should matter to students of Bible prophecy?
Joel 3:1-2 is critical to an unfolding of the end-of-day’s prophecies. It states,
“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, (Joel 3:1-2 ESV)
Before the “gathering of the nations” can occur, the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem must be restored. Of course, the “fortunes” of Judah and Jerusalem includes not only the land but also the fruit of the land, i.e., the prosperity of the land and the Jews residing upon the land. Modern-day Israel is one of the most prosperous nations, per capita, in the world. The fortunes of Judah (not Jerusalem) began to be restored, in part, in the years following 1948 when the land was partitioned by the United Nations to the Jews and Arabs. The state of Israel was declared shortly thereafter by Israel. However, the partition plan was actually never put into place because the Arabs would not agree to it. Also, Jerusalem was not a part of Israel’s portion. It was to be a city without Arab or Jewish control but to be administered by the United Nations. However, war immediately broke out between the Arabs and Israel. Israel won this war. The land intended to be assigned to Israel by the UN did occur, but not through the Partition Plan, but by conquest of the Arabs by Israel. It was not until the 1967 Six-Day War that the remaining portions of land were miraculously obtained by Israel; but again, Jerusalem, although within the borders of the 1967 conquest, did not come under the dominion and sovereignty of the Jews. The Temple Mount, in fact, remained under the control of the Jordanian trust council that had administered it for centuries. And, even though Israel claimed Jerusalem as its capital, the world never recognized it as such, including America. The United Nations, in fact, considered Israel to be an “occupier” of the land; the Palestinians liken Israel’s presence in the land to that of Hitler and the Berlin wall. Thus, until the Temple Mount is under Jewish control and Jerusalem is recognized as the capital of Israel by the world, Joel 3:1 cannot be fulfilled.
In 1995, America’s congress passed the Jewish Embassy Act that recognized Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel. The laws implementation was delayed for four year. Also, beginning in 1999, the sitting U.S. president could delay the law’s implementation for another six month’s for security reasons. The delay had to be renewed every six months. This has occurred every six months since that time by every U.S. president. President Trump has indicated he will not sign the waiver to delay the implementation of the Embassy Act. Actually, Trump does not have to do anything — if he does not sign the six-month waiver, the Jewish Embassy Act will automatically go into effect, and the U.S. Embassy, etc., will be relocated from its current location in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; and U.S. allies will likely do the same. Their embassies are also in Tel Aviv!
The decision of President Trump has simply drawn the lines of decision into place. Joel 3 refers to a “valley of decision.” What is the decision that will line up the nations of the world to the Valley of Armageddon? The recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
“Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. 16 The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel. 17 “So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it. … 21 I will avenge their blood, blood I have not avenged, for the LORD dwells in Zion.” (Joel 3:14-21 ESV)
Do you think the relocation from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem of the embassies of the U.S. and her allies will cause conflict between the Palestinians (who claim Jerusalem as their capital) and the Jews (and the allies of Israel)? Do you think this conflict is going to spread among the nations of the world? I do. It will eventually encompass the Temple Mount so that Joel 3:1 will be completely fulfilled. Jerusalem and Judah will be restored. And then the end will unfold, piece by piece.
Jesus come quickly.
Blessings.
