Belgian-Israeli woman denied passport renewal because she lives beyond Green Line: 'Palestinian territory' - ynetnews

Joel 3:1-2 is a prophecy of the Day of the Lord, where God promises to gather all nations for judgment because they have 'divided up my land.' The original context refers to the scattering of Israel and the partitioning of the Promised Land by foreign powers. The plain sense is that God views the land of Israel as His own possession, and He will hold nations accountable for how they treat it.

The phrase 'divided up my land' is a direct indictment of any action that carves up or redefines the territory God gave to Abraham and his descendants. This is not merely about ancient invasions; it applies to any modern attempt to partition or delegitimize Israeli sovereignty over the land.

Belgium's refusal to renew a passport for a woman living in Judea and Samaria is a contemporary act of 'dividing up' God's land. By treating the area beyond the Green Line as 'Palestinian territory' rather than part of Israel, Belgium is participating in the international effort to partition the land.

This action aligns with the very behavior Joel condemns—nations that scatter God's people and divide His land. The prophecy warns that God will enter into judgment with such nations, not only in the final day but through the historical consequences of opposing His covenant purposes for Israel.

Isaiah 62:6-7 is a call for intercessory watchmen to pray without ceasing for Jerusalem's establishment as a praise in the earth. The original context is the post-exilic restoration, where the prophet urges persistent prayer for Jerusalem's full redemption and glory.

The principle is that God's people are called to actively and continuously pray for Jerusalem's vindication and exaltation.

The verse does not promise that Jerusalem's establishment will be easy or uncontested; rather, it assumes ongoing opposition that requires vigilant prayer. The 'watchmen' are to remind God of His promises until Jerusalem is made a 'praise in the earth.'

The Belgian passport denial is a reminder that Jerusalem and the land of Israel are still contested and not yet fully established as a 'praise in the earth.' The nations continue to resist God's purposes for the land, and this resistance manifests in diplomatic and administrative actions.

Believers are called to be watchmen who pray without ceasing for Jerusalem's full restoration and recognition. This news event should stir the Church to intercede for Israel, that God would confound the schemes of the nations and establish Jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth, just as He promised.