What is the prophetic kiss of Esau? It is a kiss of betrayal. Historically, it is associated with when Jacob was instructed by the God of Israel to return to the land of Israel after living with Laban for 20 years (Genesis 31:1-2, 41). When Jacob returned to the land of Israel, he encountered his brother Esau. Being afraid that Esau wanted to kill him, Jacob tried to appease Esau with gifts (Genesis 32:3-5). However, Esau was prepared to make war with Jacob and greeted Jacob with a company of 400 men (Genesis 32:6).

When Jacob saw that Esau was prepared to make war with him, Jacob became greatly afraid and distressed (Genesis 32:7). Prophetically, Jacob’s encounter with Esau is referred to as Jacob’s Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7). Jacob’s Trouble is a term for the Great Tribulation.

We learn about the kiss of Esau in the Torah when Jacob meets Esau and they embrace each other. In Genesis 33:4, it is written:

And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

One cannot see the significance of the kiss of Esau by reading this verse in English, but the kiss of Esau can be seen in the Hebrew text. In a Torah scroll there are special dots over the over the phrase, “and kissed him.”

As explained by the rabbis, these dots are meant to be a prophetic warning regarding Esau’s embrace of Jacob. They are meant to represent teeth marks—a picture of a heart attitude of insincerity and hatred toward Jacob. It is a heart of betrayal. Outwardly, it looked like Esau was being friendly toward Jacob. Inside, however, Esau’s hatred toward Jacob was so strong that Esau wished he could kill Jacob. Therefore, the kiss of Esau is a prophecy of what Esau’s seed would do to Jacob’s seed in the time of Jacob’s Trouble.

Next, we are going to explain another very important Biblical principle to help us gain an even deeper insight into the prophetic kiss of Esau. It is based upon the principle that what happens to Israel happens to the Messiah and what happens to the Messiah happens to Israel.

After Yeshua made covenant (Galatians 3:16) with Abraham (Genesis 15), this covenant was extended to Isaac and Jacob and then to Jacob’s family. Because of a famine in the land of Canaan, Jacob and his family went to Egypt (Genesis 47:4). Based upon the covenant promise that Yeshua made with Abraham (Genesis 15:13-14), Jacob (Israel), the firstborn of the God of Israel, was redeemed from Egypt (Exodus 4:22).

What happened to Jacob in being redeemed from Egypt is prophetic of what happened to Yeshua the Messiah. Yeshua was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1). When Herod heard that the Messiah of Israel had been born, Herod was troubled (Matthew 2:3) because the Messiah would eventually be the King of the Jews and King of the world. As a result, Herod wanted to kill the baby Yeshua. However, an angel of the Lord instructed Mary and Joseph to flee to Egypt until the death of Herod (Mathew 2:13-14).

When Herod died, Mary and Joseph returned to the land of Israel. We are told in Matthew 2:15 that this was in fulfillment of Hosea 11:1. However, Hosea 11:1 doesn’t literally speak about the Messiah. It speaks about Jacob’s family who went to Egypt and was redeemed from Egypt. So how can the book of Matthew say that it fulfills what happened to the Messiah? It is because what happened to Jacob when he was redeemed from Egypt was a prophecy of what happened to the Messiah after He was born.

After Yeshua had His “last supper” (a Passover meal) (Luke 22:15), He was betrayed by Judas with a kiss (Matthew 26:47-49). After this, Yeshua was put on trial and falsely accused. From being falsely accused, he was sentenced to death. Likewise, what happened to Yeshua is prophetic of what will happen to Israel in the end of days.

Currently, Israel is being falsely accused by the Palestinians, the United States, Europe and the nations of the world over the issue of Jews, who they claim are living in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegally. Biblically, the West Bank is called Judea and Samaria. The United Nations now regards the West Bank and East Jerusalem as “occupied Palestinian territory.”

For many years, the United States protected Israel from one-sided resolutions at the UN Security Council. The US would do so by using its veto when any nation wanted to impose an arbitrary solution regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. This included when any nation wanted to condemn Jewish building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem by declaring them to be illegal. In February of 2011 the US vetoed such a resolution condemning the Jewish settlements. In December of 2014, the US again used its authority to prevent recognition of a Palestinian state at the Security Council.

On December 23, 2016, however, the US failed to block a Security Council Resolution that specified that Jewish homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem were illegal. In doing so, the US reversed its policy to veto any Security Council resolution that would attempt to impose a final judgment of disputed issues that were meant instead to be resolved through direct negotiations as specified in the signing of the 1993 Oslo Accords.

On November 29, 2012, for instance, the United States voted ‘no’ to a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a Palestinian state based upon 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. In explaining its vote, the US said that the Israel-Palestinian conflict should be resolved through direct negotiations. By reversing its November 29, 2012 vote in the General Assembly on December 23, 2016 at the Security Council, the Obama administration betrayed Israel. This betrayal marked a fulfillment of the prophetic kiss of Esau. When the US betrayed Israel that day, the US became a prophetic type of Esau.

With the US betrayal of Israel, Israel is now regarded by the international community as being in violation of international law because of the existence of Jewish homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. As a result, Israel is being put on trial on the world’s stage over this issue. Israel is being falsely accused by the nations—and will continue to be falsely accused. Judging Israel to be guilty, the nations may want to punish Israel in harsher ways in the future. In effect, the modern day State of Israel is being “crucified” by the nations. After the nations “crucify” Israel, she will be “resurrected” (the exile will end) (Ezekiel 37:12) and “raised to glory” (Israel will rule over the nations in the Messianic Era) by the Messiah.

After having been falsely accused from the December 23rd Security Council Resolution 2334, it is likely that Israel will be increasingly isolated in the world. The cries of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement will get louder and louder. Following Israel’s non-compliance with Resolution 2334, it is likely that there will be calls by the Palestinians and the Arab world to physically remove Jews from their homes and to even do so through war. This war is called Gog-Magog (Ezekiel 38 - 39). The Gog-Magog army will invade the “mountains of Israel” (West Bank and Jerusalem) (Ezekiel 39:2). It will create the greatest crisis in the modern history of Israel, leading to the events of the Great Tribulation. In the natural, this crisis will begin to look like the end of the modern day Jewish state.

However, just when it looks hopeless, Yeshua will intervene and judge the nations. While judging the nations, Yeshua will gather the 12 tribes of Israel and end their exile. In doing so, Yeshua will unite Joseph and Judah upon the “mountains of Israel,” which is the West Bank and Jerusalem (Ezekiel 37:15-24).

With the coming of the Messiah and the end of the exile of the 12 tribes of Israel, Israel will experience the final redemption. In doing so, Israel will be “resurrected” and “raised to glory” just like Yeshua.

So, what were the recent events that led to Obama’s betrayal of Israel and the fulfillment of the prophetic kiss of Esau? In explaining these events, we will show how they are prophetic of what historically happened to Yeshua.

Judas entered into a conspiracy to betray Yeshua (Matthew 26:4, 14-16). This was part of a premeditated plan, but there was an effort to hide the plan until it was implemented. Likewise, the Israeli government has publicly accused the Obama administration of colluding with the drafters of Resolution 2334 to ensure that it had just the right wording so that the United States would not veto the measure.

US Secretary of State, John Kerry visited New Zealand on November 13, shortly after the US presidential election, and took part in deep conversations over how its government–which held a non-permanent seat on the Security Council until the end of 2016–could engage in a UN-related initiative on the Middle East peace process. After the talks, NZ Foreign Minister Murray McCully raised the possibility of the US or New Zealand co-sponsoring a Security Council resolution.

Meanwhile, a high-level Palestinian delegation led by senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat met with Kerry at the US State Department on December 12. The main item on the agenda was a UN Security Council resolution drafted by the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority (PA) was interested in coming to an understanding with the outgoing administration of President Obama that would avoid a US veto of a Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements. Before the meeting, a senior official in PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ office said that the PA sensed that the Obama administration would not accept the existing Palestinian draft resolution; portions of it would have to be amended to avoid a US veto in the Security Council.

In early December, New Zealand shared a new Security Council draft text with Council members that were discussed at an informal meeting on December 13. New Zealand has been consulting with the parties, as well as the US, on the draft, and hoped to allow the Palestinians to pursue their own draft resolution on settlements prior to presenting their initiative. However, with New Zealand and several other interested members leaving the Council on December 31, New Zealand decided it could no longer postpone a discussion on action on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In Matthew 26:60, we are told that two false witnesses came forward to testify against Yeshua at His trial. This is prophetic of what recently happened to Israel.

The original Palestinian draft of a potential Security Council Resolution against Israel was amended. It was seen by the US on December 12. The Egyptians coordinated on the wording of the resolution it submitted with the PA. Egypt presented the amended version on behalf of the Palestinians on December 22. Due to pressure from Israel and US President-elect Donald Trump, the Egyptian government pulled its own draft resolution and requested a delay in the vote.

Before Judas betrayed Yeshua, Judas gave a sign of his betrayal (Matthew 26:48), which was a kiss. NBC News and Reuters reported that the Obama administration gave a sign to the Security Council that the US planned to abstain from a vote on Israeli settlements.

New Zealand, Venezuela, Malaysia, and Senegal asked Egypt to clarify by midnight of December 22 whether it planned to call a vote on the anti-Israel settlement resolution. When Egypt decided to not resubmit its resolution, the four nations decided on December 23 to submit the Egyptian draft resolution for them.

Esau is Rome (Obadiah 1:1. 11). When the Roman governor Pilate sat down on the judgment seat (John 19:13), he asked the question, “What shall I do with Yeshua?” (Matthew 27:22). This is a prophecy of what the US did to Israel. The US decided to abstain from voting on Resolution 2334, which called the West Bank and East Jerusalem “illegally occupied Palestinian territory.” The US had the power to veto the resolution. Instead, Resolution 2334 passed 14-0.

The highlights of Resolution 2334 is as follows:

Condemning all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and status of the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem… Reiterating its vision of a region where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders. In particular, the text of the Resolution:

1. Reaffirms that the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law.

2. Underlines that it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.

These statements call for the dividing of the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.

This is a fulfillment of the prophecy that the nations would divide the land of Israel (Joel 3:2) and the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2).

Yeshua identified that Judas would betray Him (John 13:21, 26). This was prophetic that Israel identified that it was the Obama administration that betrayed Israel. Israel testified that it had “ironclad information” that President Obama played an active role in both formulating and pushing for Resolution 2334. In fact, the office of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “The Obama administration not only failed to defend Israel from this harassment at the UN, it cooperated with it behind the scenes.”

When Yeshua identified that it would be Judas who would betray Him, Judas replied, “Master, is it I?” (Matthew 26:25). When the Obama administration was questioned about the UN resolution and how it came about, they denied that they helped to put it together, alluding to the idea that they knew nothing of it and only decided to abstain in the last hours at the UN.

When Pilate made his decision to allow Yeshua to be crucified, he said that he was innocent of the consequences of his decision (Matthew 27:24).

Both Judas and Pilate declared themselves innocent of their decisions. Their words were prophetic of the Obama administration’s response to their abstention vote that betrayed Israel. US Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said the US was innocent in drafting the text of Resolution 2334 and claimed that President Obama made his decision to not veto the resolution only hours before the vote. In doing so, the US blamed Israel for their decision suggesting that Israel brought this whole matter on themselves.

And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father … and he felt him and said… the hands are the hands of Esau. Genesis 27:22

Israel Minister of Environmental Protection Ze’ev Elkin claimed that Ukraine’s vote in favor of Resolution 2334 was not made by that nation’s own volition. “[The hands] are American hands,” Elkin said.

When Judas betrayed Yeshua, Yeshua referred to Judas as a friend (Matthew 26:50). This is prophetic in that when the Obama administration betrayed Israel, Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu told Secretary of State Kerry that the US was not a true friend of Israel saying, “Friends don’t take friends to the UN Security Council.”

When Yeshua was on trial, He was hit with a slap in the face (Matthew 26:67). This was prophetic in that when Israel was betrayed by the US, it was a “slap in the face.” In reaction to the vote, PA President Abbas called Resolution 2334 “a slap in the face to Israeli policy.” Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel would not accept the Resolution 2334 vote, adding that “Israel is a country with national pride and we do not turn the other cheek [when we receive a slap in the face].”

After Yeshua was betrayed by Judas, He was put on trial (John 19:13). This was prophetic in that after Israel was betrayed by the US, there was a “trial” of Israel by some of the nations in Paris on January 15th. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said that the conference would be a tribunal against the State of Israel, similar to the anti-Semitic trial of French Jewish artillery officer Alfred Dreyfus in 1894. This would be the modern version of the Dreyfus trial, except that this time “instead of one Jew in the defendant’s chair, the whole nation of Israel is there,” he said.

At least 70 countries attended the Paris peace conference. In their closing statement, these countries endorsed Resolution 2334, saying they welcomed international efforts to advance Middle East peace, including the adoption of that Resolution, which clearly condemned settlement activity, incitement and all acts of violence and terror, and called on both sides to take steps to advance the two-state solution on the ground; the recommendations of the Quartet on 1 July 2016, and the US Secretary of State’s principles on the two-state solution on 28 December 2016.

Therefore, the December 23rd Resolution, which called for the dividing of the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem, was endorsed by the nations of the world in a “trial” over the matter.

Because of Jacob’s encounter with Esau, he was left alone (Genesis 32:24). This was prophetic in that Israel would be “left alone” after the nation was betrayed. As a result of the adoption of Resolution 2334, Israel’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef said: “The US has forsaken Israel, and the Jewish state can now place its trust only in God. We can count on no one but our Father who art in heaven.”

Daniel was taken to Babylon (Daniel 2:48). The Southern Kingdom of Israel (House of Judah) was taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 25:9). In doing so, Jerusalem went into captivity (Jeremiah 1:3) and the Temple was destroyed (Jeremiah 52:12-14). The duration of the captivity of Jerusalem, the disruption of the Temple Service, and the removal of most of the Jewish people from the land of Israel was 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11).

As Daniel was coming to the end of the 70 year captivity into Babylon (Daniel 9:1-2), he began to pray for his sins and the sins of his forefathers (Daniel 9:3-19). This was a requirement for ending the exile of the nation of Israel and returning to the land of Israel (Leviticus 26:30-42). In doing so, Daniel prayed for the end of the captivity of Jerusalem (Daniel 9:16-19).

While Daniel was praying, the angel Gabriel came to explain the end of the exile and the end of the captivity of Jerusalem (Daniel 9:20-23). In revealing the answer to Daniel, Gabriel connected the 70 years of the historical Babylonian captivity (Daniel 9:1-2, Jeremiah 25:11) to a 70-week prophecy to end the exile of the Jewish people and Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24) in the last generation.

In the 70-week prophecy, the ending of the exile of the Jewish people and Jerusalem is connected to the death of Yeshua on the tree. Through His death on the tree, Yeshua would make provision to forgive the sins of Jacob (Isaiah 59:20) while also making a renewed covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-33) with them. The completion of the task of the redemption of the Jewish people and Jerusalem would be linked with Yeshua’s second coming (Acts 1:6) and “restoring the Kingdom to Israel.” This was restoring the Tabernacle of David that had fallen (Acts 15:16).

In Daniel 9:24, the root meaning of the Hebrew word “week” is shavuah. It most commonly means a unit of seven. For this reason, Daniel’s 70 week prophecy is most often interpreted as being a period of time of (70 x 7) or 490 years. Historically, from the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25) by a Persian king until the Messiah would be “cut off” or killed/crucified would be 69 weeks—483 years. This is a valid interpretation of the prophecy. However, Yeshua being “cut off” after 69 weeks was prophetic of the last generation which would witness the final redemption of the Jewish people and Jerusalem.

Given that what happens to the Messiah happens to Israel and vice-versa, the 70-week prophecy of Daniel not only relates to Yeshua’s first coming, but it is also connected to the last generation. The historical 70 year Babylonian captivity was prophetic of the captivity of the Jews and the land of Israel and Jerusalem in the final generation for also a period of 70 years.

When did Jerusalem go into captivity in modern times? It happened on November 29, 1947 when the UN General Assembly voted for a partition plan declaring the establishment of a Jewish state and an Arab state, and for Jerusalem to become an international city. This was UN Resolution 181.

From the defeat of the Turkish Ottoman Empire in World War I, the British gained control of the land of Palestine under the British Mandate. The British Mandate was to end with the implementation of the UN General Assembly vote of November 29, 1947. That date was designated to be May 14, 1948.

On May 14, 1948, Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, made a declaration to establish the State of Israel. In the declaration, the State of Israel declared acceptance of the UN General Assembly vote of November 29, 1947 saying, “The State of Israel is prepared to cooperate with the agencies and representatives of the United Nations in implementing the resolution of the General Assembly of the 29th November, 1947 …”

By accepting the November 29, 1947 vote, the State of Israel made a “covenant” with the UN General Assembly. The UN General Assembly represents all nations on the earth. In the Torah, the God of Israel told His people that when you come into the land of Israel, don’t make a covenant with the nations (Deuteronomy 7:1-2), By the State of Israel disobeying this commandment on May 14, 1948, Jerusalem went into modern captivity.

Jerusalem was partially liberated in June, 1967. However, the Temple Mount is still in dispute. Today, most Jews are not able to pray there. Israel annexed Jerusalem in 1980, declaring it to be the eternal capital of Israel. However, this declaration has not been accepted by the nations. As a result, the status of Jerusalem is still in dispute. For this reason, the nations today want a “two-state solution” to the Israel/Palestinian conflict according to the UN vote of November 29, 1947, which also called for Jerusalem to be an “international city.” 

How long is the modern captivity of Jerusalem? According to Daniel 9:24, the captivity is 70 weeks. The Hebrew word for “weeks” is shavuim. It is male plural of the root word, shavuah. The female plural of shavuah is shavuot. This is the Hebrew word for the Feast of Weeks or in Greek, the feast of Pentecost. In addition, in Hebrew grammar, 70 weeks can be interpreted as a collective unit (one) of 70—in other words, 70 years. 

How do we count 70 weeks for the last generation? We count 70 Feasts of Weeks or 70 shavuots or 70 years. Therefore, the first Shavuot in our count would be 1948.

As it relates to the last generation, Daniel’s 70 week prophecy would be a 70 year prophecy.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week … Daniel 9:27

Just as Yeshua the Messiah was “cut off” after 69 weeks, Jerusalem would be “cut off” after 69 weeks (years) in the last generation. In 2016, we celebrated Shavuot 69. After Shavuot 69, on December 23rd, the Resolution 2334 declared that East Jerusalem was “illegally occupied Palestinian territory.” It was a decree to “cut off” (divide) Jerusalem. The December 23rd Resolution 2334 vote made a decree that a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinians would be concluded within one year. It was confirmed with “many” (over 70 nations of the world during the Paris peace conference) on January 15th.

Article 8 of Resolution 2334 reads as follows:

1. Calls upon all parties to continue, in the interest of the promotion of peace and security, to exert collective efforts to launch credible negotiations on all final status issues in the Middle East peace process and within the time frame specified by the Quartet in its statement of 21 September 2010.

The Quartet (the US, UN, European Union, and Russia) who are designated mediators of the peace process issued a statement on September 21, 2010, which said the following:

The Quartet expressed its strong support for the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, which can resolve all final status issues within one year. The Quartet reaffirmed its full commitment to its previous statements, which provide that negotiations should lead to an agreement that ends the occupation that began in 1967 and results in the emergence of an independent, democratic, contiguous, and viable Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbors.

This is a fulfillment of Daniel 9:27. In Daniel 9:27, the word “confirm” is the Hebrew word, gabar. It means to “strengthen something that already exists.” The December 23rd Security Council vote was meant to “make strong” the “two-state solution” partition plan vote of the UN General Assembly on November 29, 1947. As specified in Article 8, the decree to “strengthen” the covenant of November 29, 1947” is for one week or one year. As a result, the duration of Jerusalem’s modern captivity is 70 years.

Secretary of State Kerry announced after the vote on December 23 that he would give a speech laying out his vision for a Middle East peace agreement. In his speech, he outlined six principles. The first two principles are as follows:

1. Peace must provide for secure and recognized borders, based on the 1967 lines, with mutually agreed land swaps and a contiguous state for the Palestinians.

2. The fulfillment of UN General Assembly Resolution 181, which called for two states for two peoples—the Jews and the Palestinians, with mutual recognition and full and equal rights for all their citizens.

As we see from Mr. Kerry’s proposal, he called for the dividing of the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem (Article 1) based upon strengthening the General Assembly vote of November 29, 1947 (Article 2).

The 70th Shavuot of Jerusalem’s modern captivity will be in 2017. What happens when the 70 years of Jerusalem’s captivity is over? The answer is given in Jeremiah 29:10, 12-14. It is written:

10For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

 

12Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. (KJV)

These verses describe the Jewish people crying out for the Messiah, and the Messiah’s hearing their cry (Jeremiah 29:12). At this time, the Jewish people will recognize the Messiah (Jeremiah 29:14). Finally, the Messiah will end the captivity of the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 29:14). These events did not happen after the historical 70-year captivity of the Jewish people into Babylon. Therefore, we can see that the historical 70-year captivity is a prophecy for the last generation.

After the 70-year period of the modern captivity of Jerusalem is over, we will enter into the Great Tribulation or Jacob’s Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7) as well as the “Day of the Lord.” It is during the time of Jacob’s Trouble that the exile of Jacob and Jerusalem will end. At the same time, the nations will be judged for dividing the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 30:10-11).

What is the “peace of Jerusalem?” It is the end of the exile of Jerusalem and the House of Jacob and the coming of King Messiah to rule and reign on the earth. While we are watching and waiting for the end of the modern 70 year captivity of Jerusalem (2017) and the start of the Great Tribulation and the “Day of the Lord,” what should we be doing? First, we should be watching (Matthew 24:42-43) while being faithful and wise servants of Yeshua (Matthew 24:45). Secondly, we should be preparing for the greater exodus when the Messiah will end the exile of the House of Jacob and return Joseph and Judah to the “mountains of Israel” (the so-called West Bank and Jerusalem) (Ezekiel 37:15-22). Thirdly, we should pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). As watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem (Isaiah 62:6), let us give the God of Israel no rest until He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62:7).

A final note from Monte:  I believe there is a 70 percent probability (excuse the pun) of Eddie’s assessment being correct for our future.