jerusalem
After months of tribulation, protests, betrayal among Mossad, betrayal from the United States, rebellion among his own party, and chaos sown by Iran-backed terrorists, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did it. Hours ago, his coalition in the Knesset passed the first piece of legislation in his judicial reform package.

The bill curbs Israel’s courts from using the “reasonableness standard,” which allowed the courts to stop the government from making certain decisions they found “unreasonable.” And a judge could define “unreasonable” any way he or she wanted.

On January 18, Israel’s Supreme Court used the reasonableness standard to block Arye Deri from serving in Netanyahu’s cabinet. Deri was previously convicted of tax offenses. This would have barred him from serving the government per Israel’s Basic Law, but the Knesset updated the law last year and legislated an exemption for him. The court, however, determined that Deri’s past behavior made it “reasonable” to apply the old law. Netanyahu complied and removed Deri from the interior and health ministries.

Whatever one’s opinions regarding this controversial appointment, the Supreme Court should not be the body to bar Deri’s appointment. It overruled the legislature’s exemption to a law the legislature created.

As of today, this kind of judicial activism is history. The measure passed 64-0. (The opposition walked out of the vote in protest.)

Netanyahu’s appearance at the vote shows how determined he was. On Saturday night, a heart monitor detected something wrong, so he paid an impromptu visit to the hospital. It turns out the 73-year-old Netanyahu has an irregular heartbeat and was outfitted with a pacemaker. He left the hospital earlier today to make it to the vote.

Netanyahu has a long way to go before he fully implements his program. And the Knesset opposition isn’t going away anytime soon. That every opposition member walked out on the vote shows they consider the government to be illegitimate.

But today’s vote was a needed victory. Netanyahu has faced nonstop pushback from all sides. Barack Obama and Joe Biden undermine him at every opportunity. Iran has Israel surrounded with its proxy groups. Israel’s Supreme Court has been among Netanyahu’s more prominent adversaries. Now Netanyahu may be able to muzzle the Supreme Court once and for all.

It may look like Netanyahu has never had more opposition. But the left is screaming because he is about to neuter one of his biggest opposers. A Netanyahu government unfettered by an antagonistic Supreme Court will be able to go full steam ahead with its program. This will mean a stronger response to terrorism, stronger opposition to Iranian aggression, and greater cooperation with the moderate Arab world. This means, at least for the short term, a dramatically improved security situation. And when the security situation in Israel improves, everything improves.

In short, we may see a resurgence coming for the State of Israel—at least temporarily.

The Bible prophesies of such a resurgence. 2 Kings 14:26-28 show the ancient nation of Israel in an existential crisis. Circumstances were so bad that an enemy was about to “blot out the name of Israel from under heaven” through “bitter affliction.” But God saved Israel through King Jeroboam ii.

Other prophecies show there is to be a prophetic type of Jeroboam today. (See here for more information.) The Trumpet identifies this man as Donald Trump, who ruled another nation descended from ancient Israel. (To learn more, request a free copy of The United States and Britain in Prophecy, by Herbert W. Armstrong.)

Trump was ousted from the presidency in 2021 through illegitimate means. Events in the U.S. point more and more to a political crisis between Trump and the current U.S. government. The Trumpet expects Donald Trump to fight to come back to the White House. Verse 28 of 2 Kings 14 shows Jeroboam had to war in recovering his nation’s power.

The same verse also mentions him recovering ground for Judah, the ancient name for the Jewish people.

Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote the following for our latest print issue:

This verse ties the politics of the United States and the Jewish nation of Israel in the Middle East together. While he is warring for Americans against the deep state in the U.S., Donald Trump will recover something for the Israelis!

Now we see America and Judah under attack in the same way, by the same enemy. When Donald Trump wins his battle at home, he will also help Judah.

There is also a connection here to God’s work. Isaiah 40:9 shows that God’s Church in this end time has a message that must be delivered to “the cities of Judah.” That message is: “Behold your God!” A worsening security situation in Israel could severely hamper our ability to deliver that message.

It appears Mr. Trump may have to recover some of Judah’s freedom for God’s work to even be able to deliver God’s message to the cities of Judah.

This Israeli resurgence won’t happen fully until after Donald Trump regains the White House. During his first term, Trump got along well with Netanyahu and helped him out in many ways. God could be bolstering Netanyahu’s current position in preparation of the coming resurgence. Expect the latest vote to be an early victory for Netanyahu with many more to come.

To learn more, read “Bibi Is Back.”