Today's news saddens me. Once again, we find God's scattered making another attempt at saving their nation. Next week, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom, will be in New York to address the United Nations General Assembly. And, Sharon will be speaking in the ancient Hebrew language of his people Read about it here.

Why does this make me sad? Because, I know better. I know that, despite Sharon's military maneuvering and strategic concessions, Sharon will never realize true peace for his people. You see, the word for "peace" in Hebrew is "Shalom." And, even though accompanied by his Foreign Minister who is named Shalom, Sharon -- a man known as the "old war horse" -- doesn't have the scriptural authority to speak peace to the nations. Only Jesus, Israel's returning Messiah, has that authority.

Through the Jewish prophet Zechariah we are told:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim. And the horse from Jerusalem; And the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; And His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth (Zechariah 9: 9-10 New American Standard Bible). 

Here we find a prophecy only partly fulfilled. As foretold in the passages above, and also in Daniel 9:26, after Jesus was first welcomed as king while riding a donkey into Jerusalem, He was later rejected and cut off from His people. And, exactly as foretold, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed and the Jewish people scattered among the nations. As predicted, their ability to make war was completely removed.

But, also as foretold, Jesus the Messiah didn't just go away. He went forth, through His followers, into all the nations to speak His message of peace. That's why, in the Gospel of John, we find Jesus telling His followers:

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (John 14:27). 

And, that's why Jesus prayed to His Father:

As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me (John 17:18-21).

Like it or not, where Jesus was received into the hearts of men, Jesus did bring peace to the nations. This was foretold. As the prophecy declared, "He will speak peace to the nations."

So, what do we find in Zechariah 9:9-10? We find a prophecy partly fulfilled. Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was received as king. Later, He was rejected and the city and the temple were destroyed. National Israel ceased to exist and Jesus, through His followers, went forth into the Gentile nations with His message of peace.

But, the Messiah's dominion isn't yet as Zechariah foretold. It's not:

From sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Yes, next week Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon may attempt to speak peace to the nations. He may even do so in the ancient Hebrew language of his people. But, according scripture, there is only One who has the authority to speak "shalom" to the nations. Unfortunately, it's not a new Israeli leader who appeared on the scene as an old war horse. 

It's the One who came on a donkey.

Jesus.