UNESCO—Theater of the Absurd
Today’s Text: Genesis 12:3
ISRAEL ED

Every decision has consequences. None, however, carry the magnitude of reciprocal outcomes as those impacting God’s Chosen People and the State of Israel.

GENESIS 12:3

I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you . . .

The United Nations has a record of anti-Israel resolutions, but the recent ridiculous decision by the World Heritage Committee (WHC) operating under the umbrella of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) confirms its anti-Israel and anti-Semitic agenda. In the wake of the WHC’s decision to designate the Temple Mount and Western Wall as a Muslim holy site, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointedly labels UNESCO as “the theatre of the absurd.”

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

Despite petitions with more than 70,000 signatures calling for reconsideration, the World Heritage Committee approved Draft Resolution 40COM 7A.13 entitled “Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls.” (1) By referring to the Temple Mount as “Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif” (terms utilized only by Islam), the WHC designated this ancient, historically-documented Jewish property exclusively as, “a Muslim holy site of worship”. (2)

Please, be alert to the intent behind the content of this document. There is no deference for the two Jewish Temples—either Solomon’s Temple or Zerubbabel’s Temple—that stood on the site with more than 3,000 years of Jewish history central to Judaism and by extension to Christianity or the documented purchase of the land by Israel’s monarch, King David (see 1 Chron. 21:21-28; 2 Chron. 3:1).

Sunset aerial view of the Temple Mount (Hebrew: הַר הַבַּיִת‎).

The city of Jerusalem is specifically identified with the nation of Israel at least 660 times in the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament) and almost 150 times in the New Testament of the Bible. These statistics do not include indirect references to Jerusalem in both Old and New Testaments. Conversely outlandish, Jerusalem is never mentioned in the Qur’an—not even once!

Does that any raise red flags in your mind?

FOUNDATIONAL EVIDENCE

When the school term started this past year, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reminded Israeli students,

“The Bible is the basis for why we are here, why we have returned here, why we stay here.” (3)

Despite public protest and with blatant disregard for the presence of historical artifacts, those who were granted charge for the administration of the Temple Mount (Jordan) following the Six-Day War have been allowed to wantonly remove at least 10,000 tons of history from the site without archaeological supervision—which is an illegal activity in Israel. (4)  At first, the dirt was dumped into the local landfill making salvage impossible. After much protest, however, loads were then dumped onto piles into the Kidron Valley.

Archaeologists immediately initiated the Temple Mount Sifting Project. They began the painstaking process of filtering through the valuable rubble and have since recovered indisputable evidence of the Jewish presence on the Temple Mount dating as far back as the First Jewish Temple period (1,000  B.C. –  586 B.C.)—a minimum of 1,500 years before the emergence of Islam.

Second Temple Model on the Israel Museum Campus, Jerusalem, Israel.

You may remember that a few weeks ago, a dedicated group of individuals associated with the Temple Mount Sifting Project retrieved a gold bell presumed to have fallen from the hem of a high priest’s garment dated to the Second Temple period. (5)  The oldest Muslim artifact found to date is from the 1800’s.

ANALYSIS

The UNESCO draft resolution not only disrespects the obvious ties of the Jewish people to the Temple Mount, the enemies of Israel are given carte blanche to destroy millennia of evidence buried and awaiting discovery by credentialed archeologists.

In point of fact, UNESCO creates a serious and an unprecedented scenario with the approval of Draft Resolution 40COM 7A.13. 

By thus limiting the Temple Mount and Western Wall to a Muslim site, archaeological investigation on and around the location—which has unearthed profound and abundant evidence of the Jewish presence and connection—could now ludicrously be charged with desecration of this purported “Muslim holy site.” (6)

Blatantly anti-Semitic, the obvious intent adds credence to the vitriolic assertions of Israel’s enemies who publicly voice their desire to not only wipe-out the Jewish people from the land God gave to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but from the very annals of history.

CONCLUSION

UNESCO, an international body charged with promoting peace and unity among the nations, is in reality guilty of blatant and consistent discrimination against the Jewish people.

UNESCO’s actions violate its self-proclaimed mandate.

George Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984, reflects the chilling significance of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee resolution:

“Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.” (7)

Based on God’s warning in Genesis 12:3, people of faith—those who genuinely understand their biblical mandate to unconditionally love the Jewish people and Israel—have an obligation to denounce UNESCO’s anti-Semitic determination to delegitimize God’s Chosen People.

Be a voice! Alert others to the atrocity of the World Heritage Committee’s approval of Draft Resolution 40COM 7A.13. And then, contact your government representatives urging them to join the growing number of colleagues who favor denouncing and defunding the United Nations and UNESCO.

Charles E. McCracken is an international Bible teacher, long-time friend of Israel and advocate for the Jewish people. Rev. McCracken authentically communicates biblical truth making his presentations relevant for those seeking to understand the significance of Israel and the church in Bible prophecy. He staunchly supports the nation of Israel and the Jewish people’s right to exist and live in peace.

© Charles E. McCracken 2016, devotional comments only. Repost/Reprint with permission from the author. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (Emphasis added).

ENDNOTES:
1) Raphael Ahren, “UNESCO adopts another resolution ignoring Jewish link to Temple Mount”, Times of Israel, October 26, 2016
2) “Transcript of UNESCO decision”, The Jerusalem Post, October 28 2016.
3) “NETANYAHU TELLS ISRAELI STUDENTS: STUDY THE BIBLE”, WND Daily, September 4, 2016.
4) Melanie Lidman, “Debris removed from Temple Mount sparks controversy”, The Jerusalem Post, January 1, 2013.
5) Temple Mount Sifting Project website.
6) Raphael Ahren, “UNESCO adopts another resolution ignoring Jewish link to Temple Mount”, Times of Israel, October 26, 2016
7) Orwell, George, 1984, (New York, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: 1987), Kindle Edition, 248.

IMAGE CREDITS:
1) Sunset aerial view of the Temple Mount (Hebrew: הַר הַבַּיִת‎). By Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons – Enhancement: MKM Portfolios
2) Second Temple Model on the Israel Museum Campus, Jerusalem, Israel. Photo from the Charles E. McCracken Collection Archives – Enhancement: MKM Portfolios 

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