Jerusalem’s ‘Near’ Future [v292]
JUNE 2023
When someone is special or ‘chosen’, there tends to be a bit more ‘focus’ placed upon them to help achieve their ultimate goal—which sometimes means more intense ‘discipline’ and ’struggle’. Israel—and Jerusalem specifically—will be experiencing much of this in the ‘NEAR’ FUTURE, to finally achieve its ‘destiny’.
INTRODUCTION
The Bible is very clear: The world is headed toward a time when, in my words, “all hell will break loose on the face of the earth,” especially against Israel, and it will happen primarily around Jerusalem.
As I mentioned in last month’s post, conflict in Israel has been a reality whenever it has existed as a nation. Whether it was the Egyptians, Amalekites, Midianites, Moabites, Ammonites, Amorites, Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, or Romans, the nation of Israel has always been persecuted by its neighbors. So then, why does this happen? Well, according to the Bible, it is because God has a special plan for the nation of Israel, and Satan wants to ‘defeat’ that plan.
Satanically influenced hatred of Israel—and especially for the God of the Bible—is the reason Israel’s neighbors have always wanted to see Israel destroyed. Whether it is Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, Haman, the ‘Prime Minister’ of Persia, Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany, or Rouhani, the current President of Iran, attempts to completely destroy Israel will always fail—because God ‘promised’ that the Jews will never be eliminated (Jeremiah 31:36).
The persecutors of Israel will come and go until the Second Coming of Jesus—when they will be eliminated. The thing is, the Bible tells us specifically about what will happen to Israel, Jerusalem, and its persecutors in the “Last Days” (“End Times”), all starting with its reinstitution as a nation in 1948:
– There will be a mass return of Jews to the Land of Israel
– The Land will bloom and prosper
– Their neighbors will continually attack them
– There will be an invasion, from the North, that will come for their “booty”—they will be victorious and take over more land
– The Antichrist will make a seven-year covenant of “peace” with Israel and its neighbors
– The third Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem
– The Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel
Now, the Bible says that there will be terrible conflict in the Middle East after the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel—a time period known as the “Tribulation” (also called the “time of Jacob’s trouble”)—that will end with the Jews finally recognizing Jesus as their Messiah. Jesus will then ‘physically’ return to the earth, and the Jews will be regenerated and restored to a right relationship with God the Father!
So, could what is taking place in Israel today indicate that the ‘end’ is near? Well, I and many others believe the answer to that question to be a resounding “Yes!” Anti-Semitism is on the rise like no other time since before World War II and Islamic regimes and ideologies are primarily fueling this rise. With the increase in the number of Muslims in Europe, fear of offending Muslims causes the most secular regimes of the world to wreak of anti-Semitism, for secular people often turn their backs on supporting Israel to appease Muslims riddled with anti-Semitism. NOT ‘fair’ and very frustrating for ANY nation!
Jesus described the End Times as “labor pains” a woman has just before the birth of their baby (Matthew 24:6-8). It seems that is what the current times are looking like. One just wonders whether the ‘pains’ are just like a mom starting to have contractions, whether a mom’s water just broke and is probably going to have a really long ‘night’—or longer—before the baby comes, OR if she is fully ‘dilated’ to a “10” and the baby IS ‘COMING’—SOON!
Well, biblically, Israel and Jerusalem are God’s labor stage ‘identifiers’ for the start of the ‘last’ of the “Last Days” of this earth as we know it. As previously mentioned, Israel was re-established as a nation in 1948, which had never happened to any other nation in history. [ God put His ‘hourglass’ on the ‘table’ ]. Then, in 1967, Israel regained control of Jerusalem, its historical capital city. [ God then ‘flipped over’ the hourglass, starting the ‘last’ of the Last Days ].
[ Note: A more detailed history of Israel is in last month’s post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/why-jerusalem-v291/ ]
[ VIDEO: “What Is Israel’s Role In The End Times?” – Got Questions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PxhoPLnbJ4 ]
Now, in two previous posts (March and April 2023), I detailed HOW Jerusalem will, one day, be “Heaven on Earth” during the Millennial Kingdom (https://markbesh.wordpress.com/heaven-on-earth-v289/) and then it will BECOME the Eternal City where God will actually ‘reside’ with His ‘children’ forever (https://markbesh.wordpress.com/home-at-last-v290/).
Then, in last month’s post (June 2023) I detailed WHY Jerusalem is so ‘SPECIAL’ (https://markbesh.wordpress.com/why-jerusalem-v291/). HOWEVER, there are MANY ‘THINGS’ that need to happen in Israel, around Jerusalem, and to the Jewish people from now until then.
So, this post will be kind of like “The Phantom Menace” ‘prequel’ (that told the story ‘before’ the original Star Wars trilogy). I will look back to before the Eternal City exists, going forward from today to the Millennial Kingdom (which is the 1,000 years of ‘Heaven on Earth’, just before the “New Jerusalem” and the Eternal State).
Let’s then start with the current ‘situation’ in Israel, especially in Jerusalem.
<<< TABLE OF CONTENTS >>>
CURRENT ‘SITUATION’
TEMPLE MOUNT
PREPARATIONS FOR THE TEMPLE
DISASTER IN ‘IRAN’
DESTRUCTION OF ‘DAMASCUS’
JORDANIAN ‘DISPERSION’
EGYPTIAN ‘TAKEOVER’
‘PSALM 83’ WAR
ISRAEL’S ‘GREAT’ ARMY
TERRITORY ‘EXPANSION’ OF ISRAEL
THE ‘RAPTURE’
PRE-TRIBULATION ‘GAP’
SUPERNATURAL DECEPTION
EMERGENCE OF A ‘GREATER’ ISRAEL
GOG AND MAGOG WAR
‘MOTIVATION’ FOR THE INVASION
A ‘PRECONDITION’
‘RUSSIA-IRAN’ ALLIANCE
‘RUSSIA-TURKEY’ ALLIANCE
GOD ‘DEFEATS’ THE NORTHERN COALITION
‘BURIAL’ OF ENEMY INVADERS
‘BURNING’ OF THE ENEMY’S WEAPONS
A ‘SHIFT’ IN THE BALANCE OF POWER
ARRIVAL OF ‘THE’ ANTICHRIST
“CONVENTIONAL” WAR
‘FALSE PROPHET’ ARRIVES ON THE SCENE
“ONE WORLD” RELIGION
THE ‘TRIBULATION’
OVERFLOWING ‘SCOURGE’
ANTICHRIST’S ‘COVENANT’ WITH ISRAEL
144,000 ‘EVANGELISTS’
THE TWO WITNESSES
BUILDING OF THE ‘THIRD TEMPLE’
THE ‘GREAT’ TRIBULATION
‘ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION’
JEWISH ‘REMNANT’ STARTS TO FLEE
JEWISH ‘GENOCIDE’
“BOWL” JUDGMENTS
“MARK OF THE BEAST” IMPLEMENTED
JEWISH ‘REMNANT’ HIDES
THE ‘CAMPAIGN’ OF ARMAGEDDON
ANTICHRIST ASSEMBLES HIS ‘ALLIES’ FOR WAR
COMMERCIAL ‘BABYLON’ IS DESTROYED
‘FALL’ OF JERUSALEM
ANTICHRIST MOVES AGAINST ‘REMNANT’
NATIONAL ‘REPENTANCE’ OF ISRAEL
JESUS’ ‘SECOND COMING’
THE ‘KINGS OF THE EAST’
EUPHRATES RIVER ‘DRIES UP’
FINAL “BOWL” JUDGEMENT
THE ‘FINAL’ BATTLE ERUPTS
VICTORY ‘ASCENT’ TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
75-DAY ‘INTERIM’
MILLENNIAL KINGDOM
FAITHFUL ‘REMNANT’ RETURNS TO ISRAEL
RESURRECTION OF JEWISH ‘SAINTS’
MILLENNIAL ‘GOVERNMENT’
‘RESTORED’ JERUSALEM
‘FOURTH TEMPLE’
MILLENNIAL ‘FEASTS’
JERUSALEM BECOMES THE ‘MOST IMPORTANT CITY’ IN THE WORLD
‘GENERAL’ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MILLENNIUM
‘PEACE’ AT LAST
SATAN’S ‘FINAL’ REBELLION
‘FINAL’ REBELLION
SATAN ‘CAST’ INTO LAKE OF FIRE
[ A ‘GLORIOUS’ REMINDER: THE ‘NEW’ JERUSALEM ]
WRAP-UP
WHY IS ISRAEL ‘SPECIAL’?
‘CHOSEN’ PEOPLE
SATAN ‘HATES’ ISRAEL/JERUSALEM
THE ‘DECEPTION’ OF SATAN
IS GOD ‘FINISHED’ WITH THE JEWS?
THE TIME TO ‘FAVOR’ ZION HAS COME
PROPHECIES STILL ‘NEED’ TO BE FULFILLED
WE ARE IN THE ‘LAST’ OF THE “LAST DAYS”
THE ‘STAGE’ IS BEING SET
THE ‘CONVERGENCE’ OF END-TIME PROPHECIES
‘SIGNS’ OF THE “END TIMES”
THE ‘WRAP-UP’ OF GOD’S PLAN
JERUSALEM ‘COUNTDOWN’
‘RUNNING OUT’ OF TIME
GOD’S IRREVOCABLE ‘PROMISES’
NO NEED TO ‘FEAR’!
THE ‘HARVEST’ IS READY
BELIEVER (Gentile/Messianic Jew), THIS IS WHAT YOU ‘CAN’ DO!
— Staying Informed
— Support Messianic Ministeries
— ‘Pray’ For The Peace Of Jerusalem
UNBELIEVER, THIS IS WHAT YOU ‘NEED’ TO DO!
HUMANITY’S ULTIMATE ‘DESTINY’
JERUSALEM’S ‘DESTINY’
<<< SUMMARY >>>
The following is a collection of ‘snippets’ from the post that aims to give you the overall ‘gist’ of this post.
[ 20-30 Minute Read ].
CURRENT ‘SITUATION’
Hardly a day goes by when we do not hear a mention of the nation of Israel, the city of Jerusalem, or the Jewish people in general. Why do these people occupy such a singular position in the world today? Why does the nation Israel play such a prominent role in the world today—since it is a VERY small country? Yet, the nation is often at the center of international debate and controversy.
As one looks down at the nation of Israel from space, they come to realize just how small it is. Israel stretches only 263 miles from north to south, and its width ranges from 71 miles at its widest point to only nine miles at its narrowest point. To the northeast, Israel faces a 47-mile border with Syria, and to the north, a 49-mile border with Lebanon. To the east, Isreal has a 147-mile border with Jordan, and to the southwest, Israel borders Egypt. Directly south, Israel has a small ‘gap’ onto the Red Sea. [ Israel is about the size of New Jersey, and 32 Israels could fit into the state of Texas. ]
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “Militant Islam rejects any territorial or political solution. It wants the dissolution of the state of Israel. And this is the problem; this is the source of the problem. This is why it’s becoming so dangerous, because how can you negotiate with someone who wants your destruction?”
Israel is living in a tough neighborhood. The nations that would like to get rid of the Jewish people are very close and MANY indeed (indicated by the map below). They say that they want to “wipe it off the map.”
[ MAP: Muslim Countries Surrounding Israel – Shaun Venish ]
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HOWEVER, possibly Psalm 83 (that notes Israel’s ‘adjacent’ neighbors) and, for sure, Ezekiel 38-39 (an Islamic coalition that includes Russia) tell us that there will be some invasions upon Israel—when they are “at peace”—that will almost eliminate them from the face of the earth!
So, in a way—possibly “blinded” as the Bible declares in Romans 11:8)—Netanyahu is trying REALLY ‘HARD’ to ‘broker’ a peace in the Middle East with the Arabs. Sadly, as the Bible foresees, that WILL NOT happen. A HUGE invasion of Israel IS ‘COMING’, and many say, if things continue escalating at the ‘geometric’ rate that they have been in the past few years, it WILL NOT be long before this happens!
———
So, why is such an ‘insignificant’ nation so hated by its neighbors? Well, attempts to destroy the Jewish people throughout history have been nothing more than Satan’s attempt at self-preservation. His thinking has been that if he can destroy the descendants of Abraham—the father of the Jewish people and the one whose lineage will produce the Messiah—then he could keep his own destruction from happening. Well, that DIDN’T HAPPEN—since Jesus ‘arrived’ a bit over 2,000 years ago!
The thing is, Satan actually means “the great deceiver,” and he just might be so ‘good’ at it that he has even deceived himself into believing that he can keep the decree of his own destruction from being fulfilled! WHAT?! Having failed at keeping Jesus from being born (having ‘used’ King Herod to decree that all the boys two-years-old and under be killed – Matthew 2:16-18), then destroying the Jews is the ‘next best thing’ (since God declared they would never be eliminated – Jeremiah 31:36).
This is the basis and rationale of all anti-Semitism. It is a logical, systematic, and calculated effort orchestrated by Satan himself to destroy the Jews and preserve his life (to keep Genesis 3:15 from being fulfilled). Sorry to burst Satan’s ‘bubble’, but that AIN’T going to happen! However, since Satan still ‘reigns’ over this earth—for just a short while—it WILL make things for the Jews and Israel REALLY ‘BAD’ for the near future!
TEMPLE MOUNT
Probably the most ‘contentious’ few acres of land on the earth is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. As I said in last month’s post, “Jerusalem as the ‘center’ of the world, and the Temple Mount the center of Jerusalem.” In fact, Jewish tradition teaches that this site was the starting point for the ‘creation’ of the world.
The Temple Mount is of paramount importance to Judaism. This is ‘hallowed ground’ for the Jews, believed to have been a holy site long before the existence of the Temple. Sitting atop the Temple Mount today—where the Jewish temple once stood—are several important Islamic holy sites, including the Dome of the Rock—a Muslim shrine built 1,300 years ago—and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Now, according to the Jewish tradition Mount Moriah was the Garden of Eden, and when God drew from the dust to form Adam (Genesis 2:7), he drew it from the peak of Mount Moriah. When Abraham bound Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:2), He did so on the very spot where the Jewish Temple would one day stand. When Jacob dreamed of angels (Genesis 28:10-18), his head was resting on Mount Moriah’s rock. So then, when the Holy Temple was finally built, the Shekhinah (God’s divine Presence/Glory) ‘settled’ there (2 Chronicles 5:2-14).
[ more…]
PREPARATIONS FOR THE TEMPLE
Just a few days after the Jewish people had reunited the city of Jerusalem during the 6-day war 1967, Gershon Salomon had the unique opportunity of being shown around the Temple Mount. It was not long after that Gershon started a movement called the “Temple Mount Faithful.” This group formed an organization to encourage the Jewish world to follow the biblical mandate to once again establish God’s house in Jerusalem.
The Temple Mount Faithful might have started the process to rebuild the Temple in 1967 if the Israeli government had not given control of the Temple Mount to the Jordanians under an arrangement designed to appease the Arab world.
The control of the Temple Mount and the preparation to build a Jewish Temple on the spot now occupied by the Muslim Dome of the Rock has been a point of great concern in the Arab world. Primarily, a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount would jeopardize the Muslim Palestinian ambition to name Jerusalem as their state capital.
The thing is, ancient Jewish prophets predicted that there will be a major conflict over Jerusalem in the last days. The Bible also predicts that there WILL BE a third Jewish Temple at the same location as the two previous temples. This mandate has motivated a segment of Orthodox Judaism to actively prepare for the construction of this coming Temple.
The Temple Institute
Right now, there is another Jewish group in Jerusalem making preparations for the Third Temple—the “Temple Institute.” It is a collective of scholars headed up by Rabbi Israel Ariel. These leaders have studied the Old Testament requirements for preparing the priest, the priestly garments, the musical instruments, and the implements for the sacrifices and worship at the Temple.
[ more…]
DISASTER IN ‘IRAN’
One of the biblical prophecies that forgoes the ‘coalition’ invasions that will come against Israel is mentioned by Jeremiah. He tells of a time, in the future, when God will judge “Elam” (the southwestern part of Iran). He talks about an awesome catastrophe, devastation, and a holocaust (Jeremiah 49:35-38).
One possible scenario for this is that Israel might strike the Bushehr reactor—because of ‘intel’ that they are given about nuclear weapon(s) being produced there (since Iran has declared that it will use missiles to destroy the Jewish state)—which would most likely create a nuclear disaster requiring Iranians in that area to evacuate.
[ more…]
DESTRUCTION OF ‘DAMASCUS’
Another prophecy by Jeremiah (and Isaiah) refers to the city of Damascus being destroyed, in one night, because they were trying to ‘do something’ (a nuclear attack?) to the Jews (Jeremiah 49:23-27). However, it backfires and overnight the oldest continuously inhabited city in recorded history (dating back to the time of Abraham) will be reduced to rubble and become a ruinous heap. Isaiah 17:9 says that the “children of Israel”—the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)—will be involved in the actual destruction, not as an aggressor, but as defending its existence.
If this happens before the Psalm 83 war, leading members of the 22-member Arab League are going to be very concerned about what happened and will doubtlessly be very concerned about their capital cities, thinking that Israel just might be on the ‘warpath’. This could also be a major reason that the “Psalm 83 War” would morph out of this event.
The prophecy also says that Damascus will never be rebuilt again.
[ Note: It is also possible that Damascus could be destroyed DURING the Psalm 83 war ].
JORDANIAN ‘DISPERSION’
Even though Israel and Jordan presently have a peace agreement, there are several ‘unfulfilled’ war prophecies. (These biblical predictions are found in Jeremiah 49, Zephaniah 2, Isaiah 11, Ezekiel 25, Obadiah 1, Psalm 83, and Amos 1-2.)
The prophecy informs that Jordan will ‘tremble’ as troubling events close in on all sides of its borders. Jeremiah 49:5a says, “Behold, I am going to bring terror upon you, says the Lord GOD of hosts, from all your neighbors” In other words, terrorizing geopolitical events surrounding Jordan will destabilize the nation. This type of terror has never overtaken this territory until now.
According to Jeremiah 49:1-6, the instability that occurs within the country burgeons into an epic biblical war against Israel. This prophecy pronounces that Amman Jordan, like Damascus, will be destroyed. This destruction will be caused by the IDF and it also involves the toppling of other cities in Central and Southern Jordan.
[ more…]
EGYPTIAN ‘TAKEOVER’
Egypt presently has a fragile peace treaty with Israel, but this prophecy points out that this pact is ‘paper-thin’. (It is implied that Egypt ‘confronts’ Israel, and in the process, provokes a powerful retaliatory response from Israel. Israel will invoke the curse-for-curse in kind ‘clause’ in Genesis 12:3 to come against Egypt.)
There will then come a day when Egypt will be ‘terrified’ of Israel—probably because of what their “exceedingly great army” did against the ten-member confederacy during the Psalm 83 war. The prophet Isaiah tells us that Israel will ‘establish’ itself in five Egyptian cities (Isaiah 19:16-19), and these cities will “speak the language of Canaan” (which is Hebrew). One city will likely meet with destruction at the hands of the Israeli army, and will be aptly renamed to “the City of Destruction,” implying that it was destroyed by Israel before being taken over by Israel. As a result, Egypt’s economy will entirely collapse soon and quickly.
[ Note: This just might be a part of the Psalm 83 War. ]
‘PSALM 83’ WAR
Some bible prophecy scholars—notably Bill Salus—believe that Psalm 83 has never been completely fulfilled, and that this could be a ‘regional’ war with Israel’s surrounding Arab neighbors coming together to attack. This will be because, when Palestinians realize they will not get a state and when they realized Jerusalem will not be its capital, they will try to seize Jerusalem.
It says in Zechariah 12:2 that “Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples.” They will then, at some point, because diplomacy will not work for them, attack the Jews. I think we are seeing the beginnings of this with all the terror attacks that are happening. It looks like they are ‘hinting’ that there will be a Third Intifada. Israel has said that this is something they will not tolerate again.
Psalm 83 then states that the immediate neighbors of Israel will launch to wipe out Israel as a nation. The nations described as being a part of this nefarious effort are those with a common border with Israel:
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Since the events leading up to the Arab-Israeli war probably created a worldwide crisis (possibly due to OPEC-induced oil shortages), and other countries will, surprisingly, be happy to see the Arabs defeated, since they are no longer fearful of terrorism and being in dire straits because of their oil-dependent economies as Israel gets the OPEC flow back into world markets. Ezekiel proclaims: “The whole earth will rejoice when I make you [Mount Seir] (the Arab confederacy) desolate” [ Ezekiel 35:14 ].
This war amounts to the final conflict that ends the Arab-Israeli conflict.
ISRAEL’S ‘GREAT’ ARMY
The IDF defeats their Arab enemies and resolves the Mideast conflict militarily. They exist these days to deal with their Arab foes. (The emergence of the exceedingly great Israeli army is in Ezekiel 37:10, Obadiah 1:18, Jeremiah 49:2, Ezekiel 25:14, Isaiah 11:14, 17:9, and Zechariah 12:6.)
TERRITORY ‘EXPANSION’ OF ISRAEL
With the conclusion of the Holocaust in 1947, the International community arguably ‘forced’ the Arabs to accept a Jewish State in their ‘neighborhood’—with the UN resolution (GA 181) appropriating 8,019 square miles of the area from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River for the “state” of Israel—and this will now be tremendously expanded.
[ more…]
THE ‘RAPTURE’
Although this is not ‘directly’ related to the Jewish people, it WILL affect them in the near future after this happens. This will essentially be the end of the “Church Age”—the “fullness of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:25)—and God will remove the “hardening” and “blindness” of the Jews and then start to ‘deliver’ the nation of Israel (Zechariah 14:3).
The Rapture of millions of believers will change everything and affect everyone that remains on the planet. There will be drastic changes we can’t even imagine now, as the world tries to control the chaos. People will be trying to restore some semblance of order and normalcy in their lives. [ The Antichrist may be starting to be in the ‘limelight’ at this point and may attempt to explain away the vanishing millions, while attempting to lure those remaining into a false sense of safety and hope ].
———
[ FYI: For all the details about the “Rapture,” vie this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/final-tribulation-v246/ ].
[ more…]
PRE-TRIBULATION ‘GAP’
This time-gap hypothesis is based upon the premise that it is not the Rapture that triggers the start of the Tribulation period, but it is the confirmation of the covenant by the Antichrist between Israel and some other party(s) that triggers the Tribulation period (Daniel 9:27; Isaiah 28:15, 18).
SUPERNATURAL DECEPTION
The worldwide disappearance of millions of people will likely warrant more than just a simple scientific explanation. The thing is, biblical prophecy says that the Devil will unleash all of his power through signs and lying wonders in the immediate aftermath of the Rapture.
You can bet the Devil has something powerfully deceptive in his ‘bag of tricks’. It could involve fallen angels and demons masquerading as extra-terrestrials from outer space who claim that they are superior to people and that mankind is not alone in this universe. This would blow a huge hole in the biblical narrative. Presently, the U.S. is beginning to divulge some of its classified findings on the UFO phenomenon. It will be interesting to see how this scenario develops in the near future.
[ more…]
EMERGENCE OF A ‘GREATER’ ISRAEL
After the Psalm 83 War, Israel became significantly large in land mass. This resulted from annexing the formerly occupied Arab lands (identified in Obadiah 1:19-20; Zephaniah 2:9; and Jeremiah 49:2). The IDF has also become an exceedingly great army (in fulfillment of Ezekiel 37:10, 25:14).
Since prophecy mentions that Israel is “dwelling securely,” it is possible that they feel ‘comfortable’ now because of the land ‘buffer’ they now have with their neighbors and the strength of their military that they tear down the walls and remove all the checkpoints within the country.
Because of the Psalm 83 War ‘spoils’ and probably additional finds of natural gas and oil, they have also increased their wealth and influence.
[ Related Note: The United States has, in the past, been a supporter of Israel. However, just recently, that support has waned a bit. Some biblical scholars believe the mention of the “young lions of Tarshish” in Ezekiel 38:13 may just be the U.S.—identified as a “protester” of the Gog and Magog invasion. However, it seems that the U.S. will not be in a position to fight on behalf of Israel. (This implies that between now and this invasion that the U.S. will slip from its present superpower status.) ]
GOG AND MAGOG WAR
The prophet Ezekiel stated that there would be an all-out against Israel by a massive Northern assault Force after they became a nation again (Ezekiel 37). The goal of this force will be to utterly obliterate the Jewish people. This threat will completely eclipse ISIS and play a key role in God’s end-time drama.
[ Note: This is probably the second “Seal” judgment (Matthew 24:6-7)—the “Red Horse” (which represents war and bloodshed)—that unleashes great warfare out on the earth (Revelation 6:3-4) with neighboring countries setting their ‘sights’ on exterminating Israel (Ezekiel 38; Daniel 11). ]
[ MAP: Gog and Magog War “Outer Ring” Countries – Bill Salus ]
So, what nations make up this assault force? Well, Ezekiel 38:1-6 specifies Rosh, Magog, Meshach and Tubal, Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah.
Essentially, it will be a Russian-Islamic Alliance that will involve Iran and Turkey as key players. A comparison of Ezekiel’s prophecy with ancient historical records, theological discoveries, and current linguistic studies reveals the identity of these various nations:
[ more…]
‘MOTIVATION’ FOR THE INVASION
Not only do Muslims hate the Jews because they believe the land of Israel belongs to them by divine right, they also want Israel’s wealth. Ezekiel states that the invaders want Israel’s “silver and gold,” “livestock,” and “goods.”
It is estimated that Israel has natural gas reserves of more than 40 trillion cubic feet (top 25 in the world), and has recently discovered a large oil field. (Many experts believe that there is more oil under Israel than in Saudi Arabia, by more than 100 billion barrels!) Moreover, the mineral resources of the Dead Sea are worth virtually trillions of dollars. All in all, whoever controls the land of Israel can look forward to an incalculable large economic boost. Russia may also view the land of Israel as being a strategic location from a military perspective.
A ‘PRECONDITION’
A precondition for this end-times invasion is that Israel must be living in security, at rest, and unsuspecting. Ezekiel says that when this invasion force moves against Israel, it will be “an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages” (Ezekiel 38:11, 14).
From a timing standpoint, this invasion cannot take place until this state of security and rest exists for Israel. Most prophecy experts believe that this invasion will take place after the Rapture of the Church but before the beginning of the Tribulation period.
‘RUSSIA-IRAN’ ALLIANCE
Over the past few decades, Russia and Iran have developed strong ties, largely military in nature. This is extremely relevant, for no such alliance has ever existed previously in the history of these nations. Formerly, the relationship between Russia and Iran was characterized by sheer hatred. However, things have changed and Iran is today spending billions annually purchasing military equipment from Russia.
It is also highly significant that Iran’s anti-semitism has just reached unprecedented levels—they have declared that they now possess the capability to destroy Israel, boasting that they have more than 150,000 missiles and enough enriched uranium for “several” nuclear weapons (January 2023).
‘RUSSIA-TURKEY’ ALLIANCE
Russia has also been building a relationship with Turkey in recent times. This is a bit of a surprise since Turkey has long been committed to the NATO alliance.
The thing is, in 2016 there was an attempted coup in Turkey and Vladimir Putin made Turkey’s President Erdogan aware of it before it happened. It wasn’t long after this that Erdogan called Putin “My dear friend.” Since then, Erdogan has pledged close relations for the future—including a military alliance. Putin has taken advantage of this ‘crack’ in the NATO alliance.
So, it looks like this Northern military coalition prophesied by Ezekiel is slowly, but surely, coming together these days.
GOD ‘DEFEATS’ THE NORTHERN COALITION
Gog and his allies will totally disregard any diplomatic protests against the invasion of Israel. When these nations invade the land of Israel, it will look like the biggest mismatch in history. Israel will be completely surrounded and, this time, the Jewish people will not be able to overcome their enemies by their own strength and ingenuity. Yet, God will come to rescue His people. God will intervene and win the battle for Israel (Ezekiel 38-39).
Referring back to the above “Muslim Countries Surrounding Israel” map reveals how tiny a piece of real estate Israel is when compared to the Islamic lands that surround her. On her own, Israel will stand virtually no chance of survival against the massive Northern military coalition. However, against all odds, Israel will be victorious. God Himself will ‘show up’ and become Israel’s protector (Ezekiel 38:18-22):
– There will be a massive earthquake (Ezekiel 38:19-20)
– There will be infighting among the invading troops (Ezekiel 38:21)
– There will be an outbreak of disease (Ezekiel 38:22a)
– There will be torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur (Ezekiel 38:22b)
This will be what one might describe as the “One-Day War”—or even the “One-Hour War”—since God will quickly and completely annihilate the Islamic invaders from the face of the earth by supernatural means—a great earthquake (38:19-20); infighting among the troops of the various and nations (38:21); disease (38:22a); and, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur (38:22b).
In short, the destruction of the northern military coalition will be a powerful testimony to God’s power and a ‘testament’ to His promises (Ezekiel 38:23; 39:6-7; 39:28).
‘BURIAL’ OF ENEMY INVADERS
The number of slain invaders will be staggering. The casualties will be so vast that nothing but a deep valley will suffice for their corpses (Ezekiel 39:11). It will take a full seven months to accomplish the gruesome task of burying all the bodies.
‘BURNING’ OF THE ENEMY’S WEAPONS
Another task that Israelis will engage in is the burning of the enemy’s weapons. This will take seven years!
This then brings up an interesting point since the Bible mentions that Israelites will take flight from Jerusalem at the middle of the Tribulation. So, prophecy experts suggest that this northern invasion will take place at least 3-1/2 years prior to the beginning of the Tribulation, and be completed by the midpoint of the Tribulation.
A ‘SHIFT’ IN THE BALANCE OF POWER
Following God’s destruction of the massive Northern military coalition, there will be a shift in the world’s balance of power—both politically and religiously. This shift will make things much easier for the Antichrist.
Prophecy scholar Arnold Fruchtenbaum said of this:
“The eastern balance of power will collapse with the fall of Russian forces and her Muslim allies in Israel and the destruction of Russia itself. With the Eastern power destroyed, open the way for a one-world government.”
Another prophecy expert, John Walvoord said that with Russia out of the way, the revived Roman Empire will fill the void, proclaim control of the Mediterranean area, and the Antichrist will proclaim himself dictator—fulfilling the Scriptures (Revelation 13:4-8).
Then, with Muslim forces no longer being a threat, this would be an advantageous time for the Antichrist to sign a peace pact with Israel (Daniel 9:27).
This, in turn, likely explains why Israel will finally be able to rebuild its Temple on the Temple Mount—exactly where the Dome of the Rock stands today. If the Muslim armies are decimated by God prior to the beginning of the Tribulation, then this major obstacle to Israel’s rebuilding of their Temple will have been removed, since there will be ‘MUCH’ LESS Muslim resistance.
ARRIVAL OF ‘THE’ ANTICHRIST
After the Rapture of the believers in Jesus—and probably the Gog and Magog War—the “man of lawlessness is revealed.” This is THE “Antichrist.” Although he will be the embodiment of evil—Satan in the flesh—he will appear on the world’s stage as a ‘good’ man of unity and peace.
This will be the ultimate diplomatic coup of history. When this occurs, the world will be in awe. There will be such a sense of wonder at his greatness and charisma that the worship of Hitler in Nazi Germany will seem minuscule compared to the worship of the Antichrist. All the world will feel that there is—at last—peace in the Middle East. What a joyful celebration it will be!
Now, remember, today, Israel is composed of mostly secular Jews who desperately long for peace. They will see the Antichrist as the long-awaited to their daily prayers. HOWEVER, the Antichrist will be an individual who will be ‘possessed’ by Satan (as he possessed Judas). We are told in Revelation 13:2 that Satan gives to the Antichrist, “His power, his throne, and his great authority.” Daniel says that the Antichrist’s power will be mighty, “but not by his own power.”
He will be a Gentile that will come out of the revived Roman Empire (Daniel 7:7-8) and become He will become the world dictator at the beginning of the Tribulation period.
When he comes to power, he will go to the Middle East for the purpose of establishing a peace between the Jewish people and their Islamic-Arab neighbors, who are enemies of Israel today.
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One might wonder how one man will be able to convince the entire world to follow him and give him all the power and authority over a global government. Well, the fact is, the world has been waiting for just such a man for centuries. Mankind has been striving to create a ‘utopian’ world ever since they first attempted to ‘reach heaven’ by building the Towel of Babel.
Only in this generation could one person be able to rule over the entire economy of the world, since the technology required is pretty much here today.
When the Antichrist negotiates the treaty that brings true peace to the Middle East and enables the Jews to rebuild their Temple, it begins a seven-year time period the Bible calls “The Tribulation.”
“CONVENTIONAL” WAR
The Bible then states that a major “conventional” WORLD WAR will break out soon after the ‘one-world’ government is established.
Although the Antichrist is going to rise to power in Europe through cunning and deception, intrigue, and his charismatic personality, he will have to resort to military power to conquer the world, because Asia, Africa, and Latin America have spent the last 200 years casting off the ‘shackles’ of European colonialism and they’re not suddenly going to suddenly surrender their sovereignty peacefully to a new European dictator no matter how dynamic, brilliant, and charismatic he may be.
The Antichrist will ultimately achieve “authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation” (Revelation 13:7), and this authority will be achieved through which results in the death of one-fourth of humanity (Revelation 6:8) [ About 1.5 billion based on today’s population ].
The Bible indicates that the “conventional” war will then ‘morph’ into a nuclear holocaust, resulting in the deaths of ANOTHER ONE-THIRD of mankind (another 1.5 billion people – Revelation 9:15). This means that in the first two ‘major’ wars of the Tribulation, MORE THAN ONE-HALF OF HUMANITY WILL DIE!
‘FALSE PROPHET’ ARRIVES ON THE SCENE
At this point, we are introduced to another “beast” who rises up out of the earth, literally “the land.” Just as the sea is a prophetic symbol for the Gentile nations, the land is a symbol of Israel, thus the implication here is that this beast will be a Jew, and later referred to as the “False Prophet.”
This nefarious character serves as the Antichrist’s right-hand man. He exercises the authority of the Antichrist, carrying out both political and religious duties. Spiritually the False Prophet serves as the head of a one-world religion, seeing to it that everyone worships the Antichrist. He will dazzle and deceive people with great signs, including giving ‘life’ to a statue of the Antichrist in the Temple (maybe a Hologram). His demonic religious system will consist of people drawn from all the world’s religions. The False Prophet will argue in the name of “tolerance” that there are many roads to God, that God has revealed himself in religions like Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Animism, and the New Age Movement—to name only a few. He will tell people they can pray to whatever god they please as long as they accept the Antichrist as the ‘messiah’ of their god.
Using his ‘pulpit’, the False Prophet—who might end up being a Roman Catholic pope—will bring before the world a new mystery religion displaying many signs and miracles that will unite all the diverse religions on earth by worshipping the Antichrist. [ The “Mystery of Babylon” just might be the false religious system of the “Great Harlot” (God has always used a woman to represent the church) that deceives all the people of the world, and might even be ‘administered’ by the Vatican ].
“ONE WORLD” RELIGION
Religion will flourish during the first half of the Tribulation in the false religious system called “Babylon,” the great “Harlot.”
Revelation 17:9b may give us a clue about where the headquarters of the Harlot religion will be: “The seven heads are seven hills, on which the woman sits.” Rome has always been referred to as the city that was built on seven hills.
So the potential candidate for this would be the Roman Catholic Church—and if stays mostly intact after the Rapture, then this well-established worldwide religious institution could easily be embraced by humanity. It also purports to be the “one true Church.”
The Bible tells us that the Harlot will be an ‘apostate’ ecumenical church that will embrace all world religions (except for ‘biblical’ Christianity). [ Something Pope Francis has a strong focus on doing today ].
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In the times we live in now, ‘humanism’ has, more and more, been taking over the role that religion used to play. Mankind is more and more self-reliant, being governed by itself, rather than being led by God.
Now—and increasing until this time—the thinking for many people is that of a secular mindset, reasoning that religion is the primary ‘problem’ in the world—being the cause of all the trouble between people and the cause of all the wars.
It’s not difficult to imagine that the Antichrist and False Prophet will ‘preach’ that all religions pretty much say that same thing, and the world needs just one religion—especially to throw off the ‘shackles’ of religions like Christianity, and become ‘liberated’ from its ‘repressive’ requirements. It’s not difficult for me to imagine, because of the mindset today, that there would be a massive following for a person who proposes to do this then.
THE ‘TRIBULATION’
The entire Tribulation period is a time of a variety of ‘problems’ that the whole world goes through, building to a ‘fever pitch’ at the midpoint, and then increasing in intensity for 3-1/2 years until Jesus returns to save a ‘remnant’ of Jews, rids the earth of Satan and his ‘compadres’, and then takes everyone that have believed in Him into His 1,000-year reign called the “Millennium.”
[ VIDEO: “Israel and the Tribulation” – Amir Tsarfati:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0Y42ewSoVE ]
[ NOTE: The following ‘events’ are focused on what the Israelis and Jerusalem will go through in the ‘Tribulation’. There are a few other events that Christians will experience that are detailed in these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/final-tribulation-v246/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/mankinds-destiny-v247/ ].
So, there are a few ‘major’ reasons for the ENTIRE Tribulation period:
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OVERFLOWING ‘SCOURGE’
The Bible speaks about a “scourge”—that comes in two phases—that overtakes the earth and concerns Israel. It, most likely, motivates Israel to become a signatory in the false covenant that triggers the start of the seven-year Tribulation period.
Another probable thinking of Israel’s leaders is the belief that all this will hasten the coming of the Messiah and, in turn, the beginning of the glorious Messianic Kingdom age. [ However, the prophet Isaiah warns that the covenant will be short-lived: “Your covenant with Death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not last” – Isaiah 28:18a ].
They probably also sign the treaty so as not to be the next ‘victim’ of the “Mystery, Babylon” Harlot world religion (a global world religion – Revelation 17)—which will probably not be too tolerant of religions related to the God of the Bible. So, they do this to ‘appease’ her temporarily since, in their estimation, once the Messiah comes, He will eliminate the pagan Harlot religion altogether.
ANTICHRIST’S ‘COVENANT’ WITH ISRAEL
The Antichrist will seize upon people’s desperate need to rebuild something better from the rubble left behind from the “Gog and Magog” war, and his mastery of diplomacy will be put to speedy use around the world.
He will enter into a ‘covenant’ with Israel for seven years. (This accord will actually be a confirmation of God’s covenant with Abraham that Israel would always have a homeland in the Promised Land – Genesis 15:18). Since Israel will be operating from a position of extreme ‘empowerment’, this treaty probably will not have anything to do with stopping Palestinian terrorism (since they essentially ‘wiped them out’). The Antichrist puts this accord forward in an attempt to neutralize the stature of the Jewish people and their God, who has once again made His holy name known throughout the nation of Israel (Ezekiel 38:16-39:7).
Primarily, the Israelites will want the treaty for the ‘unrestricted’ ability to rebuild the third Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount and to, once again, perform animal sacrifices. Since most of the Muslim countries that would oppose something like this were most likely decimated in the “Psalm 83” and “Gog and Magog” wars, this will probably not be much of an issue. Some estimate that it would only take 3 to 4 months to complete the Temple (since it looks like EVERYTHING—just waiting on the Red Heifers testing for gray hairs—is ready as of this month).
144,000 ‘EVANGELISTS’
Since the Church will be absent (because they were raptured), God will “seal” (divinely protect) 144,000 Jewish, Apostle-Paul-type Jewish evangelists for special ‘evangelistic’ service throughout the seven-year period of the Tribulation preaching Yeshua (Jesus) as the Jewish Messiah (Revelation 14:1-4). Supernaturally, God is going to preserve them through the entire Tribulation period, and their work WILL yield a ‘mighty’ HARVEST of souls (Revelation 7:9-14).
The 144,000 come from the 12 ancestral tribes—12,000 from each tribe. Now, during my research of this, I came across something fascinating, and it just reinforced, for me, another example of how I think the Bible is God-inspired.
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THE TWO WITNESSES
The two witnesses arrived on the scene just after the “false covenant” (treaty) was confirmed by the Antichrist between Israel and another party (probably the Harlot world religion). The timing and placement of their arrival seem to be strategic—kind of a ‘rebuttal’ to the ‘dangerous’ covenant between Israel and the Harlot.
The two witnesses will preach from the Temple Mount in the city of Jerusalem for the first 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation period. They will call the world to repentance, warning that God’s final outpouring of judgment is coming, and that eternal Hell will follow for those who do not repent and place their faith in Jesus.
Their identity has been a matter of great speculation (Possibly Elijah, Enoch, or Moses). If they are Moses and Elijah, they would also be able to point out some things that related to their past ministries.
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BUILDING OF THE ‘THIRD TEMPLE’
So then why do the Jews want to build a third Temple? Well, to them, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was never simply a building or structure, but an earthly ‘dwelling place’ for the divine presence of God.
Rabbi Moses Maimonides, a medieval Jewish philosopher and Torah scholar, said that the Temple has eternal significance. He wrote in Hilchos Bais HaBechirah (The Laws of God’s Chosen House) that the Temple had two primary purposes:
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[ VIDEO: “Holy Temple Myth Busters” – The Temple Institute:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E66BgO-9eGU ]
THE ‘GREAT’ TRIBULATION
The second half of the Tribulation will be especially intense. Jews living during that time will find life and survival extremely difficult. In fact, it will be Satan persecuting the Jews ‘through’ the Antichrist (Revelation 12:12).
‘ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION’
Essentially, at the midpoint of the Tribulation period, the “Abomination of Desolation” begins the “Great Tribulation” period.
The first of these events will be the stopping of the animal sacrifices by the Jews in the Temple. The prophet Daniel foretells this event, “Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate” [ Daniel 11:31 ].
The Antichrist will explain that the sacrifices are no longer needed because he is the Messiah and God. Then he will sit in the Temple, blaspheme the God of the Bible, and claim to be god (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Apparently, the Antichrist will not only defile the Temple, but he may also make it the permanent ‘throne’ from which he rules (2 Thessalonians 2:4) for a time.
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JEWISH ‘REMNANT’ STARTS TO FLEE
The Antichrist’s extermination campaign prompts many Jews to flee, “into the wilderness” to a special place where they will be protected and nourished by God for the last half of the Tribulation. Daniel indicates the location of the wilderness safe place where the Jews will flee. He states that the Antichrist will conquer all of the Middle East except Edom, Moab, and Ammon. These are areas that are all included in modern-day Jordan (the area the Israelites annexed in the “Psalm 83” war). The wilderness hideaway in Jordan is likely to be the remarkable box-canyon city of Petra (Bozrah). It is a city whose buildings are carved out of the walls of the surrounding canyon. In its heyday, about 400 years before Jesus, it contained a population of tens of thousands.
JEWISH ‘GENOCIDE’
Satan has an insane hatred for the Jews. He hates them with a passion. He hates them because they are the chosen people of God. He hates them because through them God gave the world the Scriptures. He hates them because through them God gave the world the Messiah. He hates them because God has promised, over and over and over in His Word, that one day He is going to bring a great remnant of the Jews to salvation in Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah. Satan wants to destroy the Jews so that God cannot keep that promise!
So, the focus of the Antichrist’s slaughter will shift from the Gentile nations to the Jewish people. He will pick up where Hitler left off with a maniacal attempt to annihilate the Jewish people from the face of the earth. (This is one of the reasons that Jesus referred to the last half of the Tribulation as the “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21). Not because this half will be ‘worse’ than the first half, but because the wrath of Satan will be focused on the Jews.)
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“BOWL” JUDGMENTS
So, finally, the third ‘set’ of judgments is instituted, which are called the “Bowl” judgments:
– A plague of festering sores is targeted at those who took the Mark of the Beast, committing themselves to the Antichrist
– Every living thing in the ocean dies.
– All the rivers and freshwater springs are turned to blood and ‘die’.
– The sun is allowed to scorch people with fire
– Pain and suffering intensify, and the people gnaw their tongues in agony
– The Euphrates River dies up and the kings of the East make their way to the final Middle East battle, and their destruction at Armageddon
– A final earthquake splits Jerusalem into three parts, the cities of the world collapse, and mountains disappear
The ‘Great’ Tribulation will be unleashed upon the Earth, and it’s not a pretty picture (Revelation 6-18). No one in their right mind will want to be around in those days! Plagues, famines, death, terror, and asteroids pounding the Earth will be so bad that, bring to Jesus, “Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short” [ Matthew 24:22 ].
“MARK OF THE BEAST” IMPLEMENTED
It is at this time that the Antichrist and the False Prophet will have total control of the world’s economy, and all commerce on a global scale—including the local level. The False Prophet will fully implement the economic system, known as the Mark of the Beast (Revelation 13:16-18).
The Greek word used for the ‘Mark’ is “charagma,” which means, “to engrave upon” or “stamp.” So, this ‘Mark’ might just be in the form of a ‘tattoo’—which no longer carries the ‘stigma’ that it once did in many cultures. (Many people today in the U.S. wouldn’t think twice about getting a tattoo in order to express support for something they truly believe in.)
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JEWISH ‘REMNANT’ HIDES
The restoration of Israel will include the confession of Israel’s National sin (Leviticus 26:40-42; Jeremiah 3:11-18; Hosea 5:15), following which Israel will be saved, nearby fulfilling the Apostle Paul’s prophecy (Romans 11:25-27). In dire threat from the forces of the Antichrist at Armageddon, Israel will plead for their newly found Messiah to return and deliver them (they will “mourn for Him as for an only son” – Zechariah 12:10), at which point they’re Deliverance will surely come (Romans 10:13-14). Israel’s leaders will have finally realized that the reason the tribulation Has Fallen upon them—perhaps due to the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment of scripture, the testimony of the 144,000 evangelists, or the two witnesses.
[ Later, in the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will finally experience the full possession of the Promised Land and the reestablishment of the Davidic throne. It will be a time of physical and spiritual blessing, the basis of which is the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). ]
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THE ‘CAMPAIGN’ OF ARMAGEDDON
The word “Armageddon” comes from the Hebrew word “Har-Magedone,” which means “Mount Megiddo” and has become synonymous with the future battle in which Jesus will intervene and destroy the armies of the Antichrist (Revelation 16:16; 20:1-3). There will be a multitude of people engaged in the battle of Armageddon, as all the nations gather together to fight against Jesus.
The exact location of the Valley of Armageddon is unclear because there is no mountain called Meggido. However, since “Har” can also mean hill, the most likely location is the hill country surrounding the plain of Meggido, some 60 miles north of Jerusalem. More than 200 battles have been fought in that region. The plain of Megiddo and the nearby plain of Esdraelon will be the focal point for the battle of Armageddon, which will rage the entire length of Israel as far south as the Edomite city of Bozrah (Isaiah 63:1). The Valley of Armageddon is also famous for two great victories in Israel’s history: Barak’s victory over the Canaanites (Judges 4:15) and Gideon’s victory over the Midianites (Judges 7). Armageddon was also the site for two great tragedies: the death of Saul and his sons (1 Samuel 31:8), and the death of King Josiah (2 Kings 23:29-30; 2 Chronicles 35:22).
Because of this history, the Valley of Armageddon became a symbol of the final conflict between God and the forces of evil. The word “Armageddon” only occurs in Revelation 16:16. It speaks of the kings who are loyal to the Antichrist gathering together for a final assault on Israel. At Armageddon “the cup filled with the wine of the fury of [God’s] wrath” (Revelation 16:19) will be delivered, and the Antichrist and his followers will be overthrown and defeated.
“Armageddon” has become a general term that refers to the end of the world, not exclusively to the battle that takes place in the plain of Megiddo. Napoleon is reported to have once commented that this site is perhaps the greatest battlefield he had ever witnessed.
However, in a sense, Armageddon is a ‘battle’ that really never takes place. There’s a common misconception that the Battle of Armageddon is executed as one large battle between good and evil—it’s actually a ‘label’ for a sum total of SEVERAL BATTLES (eight “stages”) that take place when Jesus returns. That’s why scholars call it a “Campaign” consisting of: the assembling of the armies; the destruction of Babylon; the fall of Jerusalem; the armies at Bozrah; the national regeneration of Israel; the Second Coming of Jesus; the battle of the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and the victory ascent upon the Mount of Olives.
ANTICHRIST ASSEMBLES HIS ‘ALLIES’ FOR WAR
When the Antichrist becomes absolutely insanely obsessed with destroying the Jews and the Saints, he will gather his armies, once and for all, to exterminate the Jews. Demonic spirits “go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty…And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon” [ Revelation 16:14, 16 ].
Related to the sixth Bowl judgment, the Euphrates River will be dried up, making it easier for the armies “of the east” to assemble—who are, as most theologians think, from the Orient, primarily from China (but it could be any county east of the Euphrates River). It is interpreted that there will be over 200 million (yes, with an “m”) “soldiers” that will come! (It is estimated that there were 25-30 million soldiers involved with the ‘entire’ Second World War). [ Scholars say that this might be human soldiers (although that would be a logistical ‘nightmare’), or because of recent technology, it could be drones or even ‘Chimeras’ ].
[ Note: Some scholars put forth the idea that just as the Antichrist seems to be completely victorious, he hears “rumors from the East and from the North” that deeply disturb him (Daniel 11:44; Revelation 16:12). He retreats with his armies to the area “between the seas” (corresponds to the “Valley of Armageddon”). This might be because the Antichrist has restricted the oil supply to the world—because his needs are so great, or has used so much for his wars—and the nations of the world are ‘starving’ for oil, and see an opportunity to rebel against him. However, when they get all their armies to the Euphrates River, their ‘focus’ is changed—probably by Satan himself—and they decide to combine with the Antichrist’s armies to exterminate the Jews ].
COMMERCIAL ‘BABYLON’ IS DESTROYED
As was mentioned previously, the Antichrist will shift his headquarters from Jerusalem to Babylon, which will become the global commercial center—likely the control of all the oil fields in the Middle East (and all the money that they generate).
Ironically, as the Antichrist is assembling his armies to attack Jerusalem (in “stage one” of the Campaign), God will cause a military force to attack his headquarters in Babylon and utterly destroy it! (Jeremiah 50:13-14, 23-25, 40; Isaiah 13:19; Revelation 18:21). The invading army will be “from the north”—probably Syria with a reconstituted army from Russia. (Jeremiah 50:9, 41-42).
When this happens, the Antichrist will not be present in the city. He will be told of its destruction by messengers (Jeremiah 50:43; 51:31-32). He becomes all the more enraged.
‘FALL’ OF JERUSALEM
Motivated by a desire to destroy the people of God, the Antichrist will move his troops south to join an international coalition assembled to attack Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:1-3; 14:1). This will be the final campaign of the battles of Armageddon, and it appears to be focused on that eastern section of the city which includes the Temple Mount, where the Antichrist had early established his religious base (Daniel 11:45a).
From the description of the battle as recorded in Zechariah 12-14, it seems that the Jewish resistance will recover the eastern portion of the city and the Temple Mount (Zechariah 12:5-9; Micah 4:11-5:1), and they will lose the western half which will be exiled (Zechariah 14:2). The text is not explicit about which part of the city will be held by the Jewish remnant, most believe it will be eastern Jerusalem and the Temple Mount for a few reasons:
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ANTICHRIST MOVES AGAINST ‘REMNANT’
If you recall, in the middle of the Tribulation, when the Antichrist ‘desolated’ the Temple, many Jews fled to the desert—perhaps in Bozrah/Petra—to escape the genocide (Matthew 24:15-31; Revelation 12:6, 14). Well, the Antichrist has not forgotten that, and now will go there to ‘finish the job’—to exterminate them. From an earthly perspective, even though is an easily defensible place, they are helpless and hopeless.
NATIONAL ‘REPENTANCE’ OF ISRAEL
When the troops are gathered at Armageddon, news of Israel will realize they have nowhere to turn but God to save them from extermination. They will do what many non-believers do in a life-and-death situation. They will cry out to God: “Save us! Send us the Messiah! He is our only hope!”
God WILL answer their prayers and the Messiah will appear in the clouds. To their shock and amazement, it will be Jesus:
“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory”
[ Matthew 24:30 ].
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JESUS’ ‘SECOND COMING’
The prayers of the Jewish remnant are answered!!! Jesus returns bodily to save them, and EVERYONE WILL KNOW!—obvious to everyone near and far (Revelation 19:11-16). [ “Apokalupsis” is the Greek word used to describe the Second Coming of Jesus. It carries the basic meaning of “revelation,“ “visible disclosure,“ “unveiling,“ and “removing the cover“ from something that is hidden ].
This is the moment the world has been waiting for since the beginning of time!!!
THE ‘KINGS OF THE EAST’
The Kings of the East appear to be among the first ‘grouping’ of kings to make their way to Armageddon for the final battle between the Antichrist and his armies against Jesus in, “that Great Day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:14). Upon arriving, they will rendezvous with all the other armies in order to kill the remaining one-third of the Jewish remnant.
EUPHRATES RIVER ‘DRIES UP’
It is interesting to note that God uses the sixth “Bowl” judgment so that the “Kings of the East” (China and several other Asian countries) can cross to do battle against Jesus with the Antichrist armies. The thing is, in light of the fact that this event happens when the supernatural and paranormal are the new normal, this might be attributed to the Antichrist—likely convincing the Kings of the East that they will be victorious in this upcoming battle.
FINAL “BOWL” JUDGEMENT
The seventh Bowl is the last and final judgment—the greatest and most severe weather that has ever hit our planet. There will be flashes of lightning and an earthquake so severe that, “no earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake” [ Revelation 16:18 ].
Giant hailstones, “each weighing about a hundred pounds” fall on the people. The sun and moon will be darkened. Islands are flooded, and mountains disappear. It literally wipes out entire cities!
As the earth shakes mightily beneath the feet of the Kings of the East’s armies and canon ball-sized hailstones are pummeling them from above, they muster up enough courage to complete their match to the Valley of Armageddon.
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[ VIDEO: The Valley of Jehoshaphat, Jerusalem – The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zb6qiYB5wU ]
With the outpouring of the seventh and final Bowl judgment, the wrath of God is complete: “It is finished!” [ Revelation 21:6b ]. HOWEVER, there are still some prophetic events to occur—the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and all the armies are wiped out!
THE ‘FINAL’ BATTLE ERUPTS
While the battle between the Messiah and the Antichrist will begin at Bozrah, it will apparently continue all the way back to the eastern walls of Jerusalem which overlook a section of the Kidron Valley, which is also known as the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
Among the very first casualties will be the Antichrist himself. Having ruled the world with great power and having spoken against the true Son of God, the counterfeit ‘son’ will be powerless before the True Son. “You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck” [ Habakkuk 3:13 ].
The simplicity with which Jesus will slay the Antichrist’s armies is INCREDIBLE! No weapons, guns, tanks, or bombs. Jesus MERELY ‘SPEAKS’, “with the breath of His mouth,” and they are all instantly ‘destroyed’. All drop dead in their tracks.
VICTORY ‘ASCENT’ TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
After the actual fighting is completed, there will be a victory ‘ascent’ up the Mount of Olives: “Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one-half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward” [ Zechariah 14:3-4 ].
75-DAY ‘INTERIM’
There is a 75-day ‘transition’ that separates the end of the Tribulation from the beginning of the “Millennium” (“milli” = 1,000; “annum” = years). During this brief interim, a number of significant events transpire:
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MILLENNIAL KINGDOM
The Jewish people will FINALLY GET what God had ‘PROMISED’ them way back to their ‘father’ Abraham in the 1,000-year “Millennium” period:
“In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of His people”
[ Isaiah 11:11 ].
The first topics addressed will specifically focus on what the Jewish people will ‘experience’ during the onset of the Millennium Kingdom period—since it is primarily about them experiencing God’s long-ago promises.
FAITHFUL ‘REMNANT’ RETURNS TO ISRAEL
Having confined Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet, and also destroyed all the bad Kings and their armies, Jesus then focuses on restoring and repopulating the planet.
The process of repopulation appears to begin with the return of the Jews back to the homeland of Israel. The ‘remnant’ from Petra will leave that area (Edom) since it will be an uninhabitable wasteland during the Millennium (Isaiah 34:9-10).
Then, to facilitate the additional people (Genesis 22:17), some biblical scholars suggest that the Promised Land will increase in size from the current (2023) 8,500 square miles (about the size of New Jersey) to approximately 300,000 square miles (about as large as modern-day Turkey).
[ MAP: Promised Size Of Promised Land (Genesis 15:18-19) ]
Now, since the Millennium is not characterized by wars, it presupposes that most of the additional Arab territories will be ‘acquired’ prior to the Millennium (Isaiah 2:4, 19:16-18; Jeremiah 49:2; Obadiah 1:19-20), some of which would be gained because of the possible Psalm 83 war.
In addition to this, in the Millennium there will be MUCH longer lifespans, so the number of Jews could, over time, easily reach and/or exceed the populations of China or India (Genesis 22:17).
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RESURRECTION OF JEWISH ‘SAINTS’
For the returning Jews that might be mourning the loss of their loved ones that got killed by the Antichrist, they just may discover that, if they became believers in Jesus during the Tribulation, they will be ‘RESURRECTED’ to live in the Millennium period!
Now, possibly, these resurrected saints could be ‘matched up’ with their ancestral tribes and be ‘aligned’ by ancestry. What a FANTASTIC family reunion!
MILLENNIAL ‘GOVERNMENT’
Biblical scholar Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum summed up well what the Millennial government will be like:
“The Messianic Kingdom will be administered through an absolute monarchy with a definite chain of command and lines of authority. The absolute monarch will be the person of Jesus the Messiah. The delegated authority will be split into two branches: a Jewish branch of government and a Gentile branch, each intern having a chain of command.”
The Jewish branch of government will consist of Jesus as the monarch, King David as the ‘Prime Minister’, the 12 Apostles, many of the Old Testament judges, and the Jewish people (Psalm 72:8; Revelation 19:16b).
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‘RESTORED’ JERUSALEM
The prophet Ezekiel appears to give us a foretaste of the ‘framework’ of what Jerusalem will look like in the Millennium (Ezekiel 40:2). It will be “beautiful” and elevated on a “mountain” on its “sides of the north (Ezekiel 48:1-2). Jesus’ throne will be there (Jeremiah 3:17), and the glory of God will ‘reside’ inside the Temple (Ezekiel 44:4).
Because of these new ‘features’, the restored Jerusalem will be given a new name: “THE LORD IS THERE” (Ezekiel 48:35b).
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‘FOURTH TEMPLE’
The prophet Ezekiel mentions that there will be a final Temple—the fourth one—that “the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord” [ Ezekiel 43:5-7 ]. He also details the specific dimension and functions of this new Temple (Ezekiel 40:5-43:37).
[ PLAN VIEW: Millennial Temple Complex – M. J. Beattie ]
Now, the most important thing to note is that the Millennial sacrificial system WILL NOT be a reinstatement of the Mosaic system—since Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice has taken away sin and has caused the Mosaic law of sacrifices to be abolished (Hebrews 7-10).
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MILLENNIAL ‘FEASTS’
The Millennial Feast will also be a bit different than the current ones, since they will serve as a means of ‘restoring fellowship’ for the Millennial saint.
The Feast of Tabernacles—also known as Sukkot—celebrates the reality that in the Millennium, God will dwell with His people. (The origin dates back to the time of the Hebrew exodus out of Egyptian captivity – Exodus 25:8-9.) Again, sadly, over time during the Millennium the saints’ descendants will have to be reminded that Jesus, God, is dwelling with them, so this will stay as an annual reminder—as it does today. The prophet Ezekiel mostly devotes a portion of his writings to tell us about the Millennial Feasts:
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JERUSALEM BECOMES THE ‘MOST IMPORTANT CITY’ IN THE WORLD
“In that day [at the beginning of the Millennium],” declares the LORD, ‘I will assemble the lame, and gather the outcasts, even those whom I have afflicted. I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcasts a strong nation, and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion [the Temple Mount in Jerusalem] from now on and forever.’”
Pastor and bible scholar John MacArthur explains the word “forever”: “The Hebrew term does not always mean ‘without end’, but signifies a long, indefinite period of time, the length of which is always determined by the context. Here it refers to the 1,000-year reign of Messiah on earth.”
Jerusalem in the Millennial kingdom will be greater in extent than King David’s or even King Solomon’s kingdoms, since the LORD will rule and reign over His people, from there, from that day forever.
‘GENERAL’ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MILLENNIUM
Imagine a time when there will be no more poverty, and every person will have all that their heart desires! Imagine that there will be no prisons, no hospitals, no mental institutions, no army bases, no gambling ‘dens’, no bars, no houses of ill repute, and no homes for the aged and the infirm. The wolf and the lamb, the calf and the lion, and a little child and the serpent will all play together! The implements of war will be relics of the past.
Longevity of life will return as in the days before the Flood of Noah. “No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed” [ Isaiah 65:20 ]. (That means that a normal lifespan will be multiple hundreds of years.) All who die during the Millennium will be resurrected at the end of the Millennium (Revelation 20:4-5) to face their ‘final’ judgment.
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‘PEACE’ AT LAST
There is a day coming when Israel will no longer have to constantly be on high alert. A day is coming in which the term anti-semitism will be relegated to ancient history. A day is coming in which the Jewish people will have complete peace and serenity. In that day, they will have turned to Jesus for salvation, entered into his Millennial Kingdom, and received the blessed covenant promises God made to them long ago. God is a promise keeper (Numbers 23:!9; Joshua 23:14; 1 Kings 8:56), and is truly faithful!
In fact, these covenants will find their ultimate fulfillment in the future Millennial Kingdom over which Jesus Will personally rule. This Kingdom is a common theme throughout Scripture (Revelation 20:2-7; Isaiah 65:18-23; Ezekiel 34:25-29; Daniel 7:13-14; Micah 4:1-7; and Zephaniah 3:9-20).
[ FYI: For more details about the Millennial Kingdom, view these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/mankinds-destiny-v247/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/kingdoms-past-present-and-future-v262/ ]
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SATAN’S ‘FINAL’ REBELLION
Just when we think we are done with Satan—bound in the bottomless pit—he RETURNS! But, it is not a jailbreak. He is released by God. Satan is allowed to have one final ‘fling’. Why? It is God’s final ‘TEST’ of mankind (Revelation 20:7-9).
Satan’s violent hatred of God and Jesus will not be altered by his 1,000 years of imprisonment in the abyss! When he is released, he will immediately set out on his final act of rebellion (Revelation 9:20-21; 16:9; 16:11; 16:21).
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‘FINAL’ REBELLION
Satan will collect the deceived nations from “the four corners of the earth” (Revelation 7:1; Isaiah 11:12). Rebels will come from all over the globe.
Amazingly, the number of rebels will be like the “sand of the seashore”—a figure of speech used in the Bible to describe a vast, uncountable multitude (Genesis 22:17). As mentioned previously, the ideal conditions of prosperity and peace that will prevail during the Millennium, coupled with the long life spans of its inhabitants, will lead to a massive population explosion. Vast numbers of those people will join Satan in his final act of rebellion against God.
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SATAN ‘CAST’ INTO LAKE OF FIRE
The Devil, who deceived all of the Saints, will be “thrown into the Lake of Fire and brimstone.“ There he will join the Antichrist and the False Prophet, who, by that time, will have been in that place of torment for 1,000 years (Revelation 19:20).
Finally, all three persons of the satanic ‘trinity’—Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet—will suffer THEIR DIRE ‘DESTINY’. Now they all will receive their just do!
In addition to them, all demons who have ever served under Satan will all be thrown into the Lake of Fire: “The eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels” [ Matthew 25: 41 ].
[ A ‘GLORIOUS’ REMINDER: THE ‘NEW’ JERUSALEM ]
The FINAL, FINAL place for the repentant Jew will be the “New Jerusalem” enjoying INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP with the Trinity—God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit—forever!
After the 1,000-year Millennial Kingdom, the heavens and earth will pass away. God will remove all vestiges of sin and darkness from the previous creation. The world in which radical Muslims continued to attack the Jews will be replaced by a world in which there is perfect unity and love among all the redeemed, matter their Earthly ethnicity.
Today’s Jerusalem is always on high alert. She is surrounded by Arab and Muslim nations who would like to wipe her off the map. The threat is constant and never-ending. However, such will NEVER be the case again in the New Jerusalem!
Contrasting The Present Jerusalem With The New Jerusalem
There are some definite differences between today’s earthly Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem. Below are a few of the notable contrasts:
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SO, Heaven on Earth WILL EXIST SOMEDAY, and it will be ‘WAY’ MORE than anyone could EVEN ‘IMAGINE’! (Ephesians 3:20).
The “sixty-four dollar question” (from the 1948 CBS radio quiz show “Take It Or Leave It”) for you is: “Are ‘YOU’ SURE that you are going to ‘live’ in the New Heaven and on the New Earth?”
If not, you need to MAKE ‘SURE’… NOW!!!
WRAP-UP
The Bible is very clear: The world is headed toward a time when “all hell will break loose” on the face of the earth, especially against Israel—and it will happen primarily around Jerusalem. HOWEVER, it has all been part of God’s ‘redemption’ plan for His ‘CHOSEN’ people, the Jews—who, with God’s help, have survived against incredible odds all these years.
[ FYI: For many details about Israel’s/Jerusalem’s history, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/why-jerusalem-v291/ ].
WHY IS ISRAEL ‘SPECIAL’?
So, why should anyone even pay ANY attention to Israel? Well, at the very least, as I have tried to show, it doesn’t seem that Israel is like ANY other nation on the planet. I’m thinking that it just might have to do with something ‘Sovereign’ at work!
The Bible says that there are tangible things that God is doing with Israel and the Jewish people that were meant to be a ‘sign’ to the world. The Jewish people are the only family that God of the Bible made an ‘everlasting’ “Covenant” with.
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[ Note: Years later, after Abraham died, God confirmed His Covenant directly with Isaac (Genesis 26:2-5) and then with Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15), and changes his name to “Israel.” He has 12 sons, who become the 12 tribes of Israel. ]
[ FYI: For more details about why Israel/Jerusalem are so ‘special’, view last month’s “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/why-jerusalem-v291/ ].
‘CHOSEN’ PEOPLE
God’s Word affirms that the Jews are God’s “chosen people”: “You are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession” [ Deuteronomy 7:6 ].
“Chosen People” is not a grant of superiority, but rather a charge of responsibility. It is an aspiration, not an adjective, and the phrase is precatory, not descriptive. God ordered Jews to be ‘role models’, to teach, by example, His existence and His active presence in the world, and on the stage of history, however, they have not always done what He had instructed them to do.
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SATAN ‘HATES’ ISRAEL/JERUSALEM
Satan hates God with all of his being since he became so impressed with his own beauty, intelligence, power, influence, and position that he began to desire the glory and honor that belonged to God alone. God said “No.”
The ‘created’ angel of God—called Lucifer (“the star of the morning”)—then lost his exalted position by God ‘casting’ him out of Heaven onto Earth, and he became Satan (“the accuser”) in the form of a serpent:
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Now, the ‘ultimate’ goal of God’s choice of the Jews as His chosen people was to produce the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would be the Savior of the world—and JESUS is what Satan HATES!
So, for thousands of years, Satan has demonstrated an intense and insatiable ‘fervor’ to COMPLETELY ‘ELIMINATE’ the Jewish people.
THE ‘DECEPTION’ OF SATAN
Satan’s strategies have been successful in keeping the Jews from embracing their Messiah. It is no accident that Israel’s capital city, Jerusalem, is back in the hands of the Jewish people, where Jesus said he would come when the Jewish people, at last, will cry out to him, “Baruch haba b’Shem Adonai” (“Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” – Matthew 23:38-39; Luke 13:35).
The ‘blindness’, we are told, must come off their eyes for all Israel to be saved:
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IS GOD ‘FINISHED’ WITH THE JEWS?
God has preserved the Jewish people not only because of His love for the faithfulness to Abraham, but also because Israel plays a ‘VITAL’ ROLE in His plan for world redemption—which includes both the First and Second Comings of Jesus.
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THE TIME TO ‘FAVOR’ ZION HAS COME
One of the most important points is that there is a ‘’direct’ connection between the salvation of Israel and the return of Jesus to this earth. In fact, the turning of the Jewish people to Jesus and embracing Him as their Messiah and the fulfillment of God’s promise that all Israel will “know me, from the least to the greatest” (Jeremiah 31:34) is probably the greatest single sign that we are truly in the Last Days. This seems to indicate that JESUS IS ‘SOON’ TO RETURN. However, the Jewish people MUST recognize and embrace Jesus as Messiah for them to make it into the Millennium.
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PROPHECIES STILL ‘NEED’ TO BE FULFILLED
Jesus’ First Coming clearly fulfilled the ancient prophecies that depicted the Messiah would be rejected and suffer for the sake of His people. However, there are a few other ancient prophecies that were not fulfilled and, for this reason, many Jews reject Jesus as Messiah. A few of those as-yet unfulfilled prophecies are:
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WE ARE IN THE ‘LAST’ OF THE “LAST DAYS”
I am convinced from everything I see around me that we are in the FINAL ‘MINUTE’ preceding the return of Jesus to the earth. Israel and Jerusalem have been restored, God has been regathering His people into Israel, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed throughout ALL the nations of the world. The stage seems to be ‘set’!
[ FYI: For more details about humanity being in the last ‘minute’ of existence (the “Doomsday Clock”), view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/final-tribulation-v246/ ].
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THE ‘STAGE’ IS BEING SET
Again, it appears that we may very well be living in the day in which God’s promises to Israel will come to full and final fruition. Prophecy expert John Walvoord was confident that, “In the present world scene there are many indications pointing to the conclusion that the end of the age may soon be upon us. These prophecies related to Israel’s coming day of suffering and ultimate restoration may be destined for fulfillment in the present generation… Never before in the history of the world has there been a confluence of major evidence of preparation for the end.”
This “confluence of major evidence”—all related to the fulfillment of end-time prophecies, or the stage being set for their fulfillment— is impressive indeed. Today we are witnessing the following:
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THE ‘CONVERGENCE’ OF END-TIME PROPHECIES
In this post, I focused most of my attention on all the trials and tribulations that Israel/Jerusalem will experience from today until they arrive in the New Jerusalem.
From a strictly human perspective, Israel’s and Jerusalem’s problems seem insurmountable. It seems as though things are ‘spinning out of control’ and it’s just a matter of time before Israel ‘goes up in flames’. However, God has other plans.
As prophecy expert, Thomas Ice has said: …
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These and many other signs that relate to Israel are really important, since the Jews are God’s prophetic ‘time clock’. What I mean by this is that the Bible often ties a prophesied future event with something that will happen to the Jews. The Bible instructs us to watch the Jews, and when a prophesied event concerning them occurs, then we can be sure that the next prophesied event will also occur.
Dr. David Reagan, of “Christ in Prophecy Ministries,” has come up with six categories that he says indicate that we are “living on borrowed time”:
– The Signs of Nature (Most intense earthquakes, storms, and famines in history)
– The Signs of Society (Increased humanism, materialism, hedonism, and sexual perversions)
– The Spiritual Signs (Increase in cults, false christs, heresies, skepticism, apostasy, and occultism)
– The Signs of World Politics (Increase in wars, and the desire of a global government)
– The Signs of Technology (Nuclear weapons, computers, and the Internet)
– The Signs of Israel (Returning to its land and becoming a State)
[ For all the details of Dr. Reagan’s thoughts on this, consider getting his book, “Living on Borrowed Time: The Imminent Return of Jesus,” or find “50 Reasons We Are in the End Times” in the “Resources” area on this previous post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/blessed-hope-v245/ ].
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‘SIGNS’ OF THE “END TIMES”
From the recent increase in the number and intensity of hurricanes and earthquakes to the rise of ISIS, Hamas, and Hezbollah, many people are asking whether these specific events are ‘signs’ of the End Times. Well, the short answer is that we really can’t be sure, but I—and MANY bible scholars—believe that we are in, at least, the “11th hour” (and the scientists that make the “Doomsday Clock” prediction say the last “two minutes”).
More than 10 years ago, Christian evangelist Billy Graham wrote, “We see the storm clouds gathering and events taking place that herald the second coming of Jesus Christ.”
So, the following list is from the video below that does a great job in discussing the top 10 ‘signs’ to look out for to determine if we are in the “last days”:
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[ VIDEO: “How Do We Know That Jesus Is Coming Back Soon?” – Lamb & Lion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14S2X7FQ9h0 ]
Now, we cannot know the exact day and hour of Jesus’ return, and He stated this point-blank: “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” [ Matthew 24:36 ]. However, since the previous 10 signs—and many others Jesus provided throughout the Gospels—are happening more frequently and with increasing intensity, the believer can know that they are now living in the ‘season’ of His return! “Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door” [ Matthew 24:33 ].
THE ‘WRAP-UP’ OF GOD’S PLAN
In the Last Days, there will be a fulfillment of the great ‘outpouring’ spoken by the prophet Joel:
“I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days”
[ Joel 2:28-29 ].
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JERUSALEM ‘COUNTDOWN’
We live in a unique time in history. The prophecies of Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Isaiah—as well as other prophets—are literally coming to pass before our very eyes—in our day. This is something that believers even 100 years ago would not have been able to easily see—as it is now! Palestine was a desolate ‘bog’.
Only 150 years ago (in 1867), Mark Twain wrote about the currently fertile Jezreel Valley this way:
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‘RUNNING OUT’ OF TIME
Although Satan has failed miserably to thwart God’s plan to bring his redeemer into the world through the Jews, he will not surrender. The battle between good and evil is a fight to the finish… for the earth. Fully aware that his time is running out, satan continuously stops up his efforts to escape the ‘death’ sentence pronounced over him in the Garden (Genesis 3:15).
Well, I presented, in the past two month’s posts, that Jerusalem WILL BE a believer’s final ‘Home’ for ETERNITY. The question is, are ‘YOU’ SURE that you are going to Heaven after you die, and live in a place the Bible calls the “New Jerusalem”?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksu-zTG9HHg&t=6129s
[ VIDEO: “Welcome To The Celestial City” – “The Pilgrim’s Progress” movie (by RevelationMedia) ]
If YOU ARE NOT ‘SURE’, I strongly encourage you to MAKE ‘SURE’… NOW!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbHf1Q7_tro
[ VIDEO: “How Can I Know FOR SURE That I Will Go To Heaven” ]
GOD’S IRREVOCABLE ‘PROMISES’
God is faithful to all His promises and to His Covenant people Israel. As we watch, with sadness, the events shaking the world, we know that the sovereign God of the Bible is still in control. He continues to work out His plans and purposes, drawing all people to Himself.
There are two key promises that I want to point out. Firstly, God made Abram look all around in all directions, and said, “All the land that you see, I will give to you in your offspring, forever” [ Genesis 13:15 ]. This is clearly a promise for the land. Here, God is promising Abram and his descendants the land of Israel. It is upon this promise in the coming Covenant that the Jewish people have based their ownership of the land for thousands of years.
Secondly, God promised that Abraham’s descendants would be as innumerable as the dust of the Earth. This refers not only to the Jewish people but also to the Christians who claim Abraham as their ‘spiritual’ Father. In this promise, we see that only the Jewish people have a claim to Israel.
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NO NEED TO ‘FEAR’!
I believe that theologian Robert Lightner is correct when he says that, “When viewed from the perspective of Scripture, history is more than the recording of events of the past. Rather, what has happened in the past, what is happening now, and what will happen in the future is all evidence of the unfolding of the purposeful plan devised by the personal God of the Bible.” Lightner continued to say that “all the circumstances of life—past, present, and Future—fit into the Sovereign plan like pieces of a puzzle.”
The believer NEED NOT ‘FEAR’ what is coming upon the world. Jesus, speaking in the context of the prophetic future, instructed his followers: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me” [John 14:1 ].
So, don’t worry. Trust God. It’s God’s simple ‘recipe’ for the correct outlook in the end times.
[ FYI: For more details about being fearless, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/fearful-of-world-war-iii-v278/ ].
THE ‘HARVEST’ IS READY
At least for me, I am sensing that God’s plan for the redemption of Israel is going to be fulfilled REALLY SOON! So, Time is short. Are you ready?
Pastor John MacArthur says, “While the tribulation period will be a time of judgment, it will also be a time of unprecedented redemption for the Jews” (Revelation 7:14, 6:9-11, 20:4; Isaiah 11:10; Matthew 24:14).
King David admonished the people of Jerusalem to, “Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. Old Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces” [ Psalm 122:6-7 ].
So then, depending on what ‘kind’ of person you are—spiritually speaking (a believer or an unbeliever)—there are some things you can and should do.
BELIEVER (Gentile/Messianic Jew), THIS IS WHAT YOU ‘CAN’ DO!
We are barraged daily with skewed, biased reports and myriads of opinions about events in the Middle East from a variety of media outlets of all political persuasions—so, there are no easy answers. However, there are some biblical perspectives that a believer can look to if they want to ‘minister’ in this complex ‘situation’. They can become/stay informed about Israel, Jerusalem, and the ‘goings on’ in the Middle East; they can support Messianic ministries that are ‘on the ground’ in Israel and Jerusalem ministering and sharing the Gospel to the Jewish people; and they can “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6).
— Staying Informed
“All Israel News”
“All Arab News”
— Support Messianic Ministeries
“Jews For Jesus”
“Chosen People Ministries”
“One For Israel”
“Behold Israel”
— ‘Pray’ For The Peace Of Jerusalem
There will be no peace in the region or in our troubled world until the Prince of Peace establishes true peace. Most Christians are familiar with the exhortation, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6). But how do we pray? How can there ever be peace? The word for peace in Hebrew is shalom which means “to bring to completion or wholeness.” God has a plan for this Land and People that will come to pass. This plan ultimately points to the triumphant return of Yeshua (Jesus) to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. So, believers can pray for God’s plans to come to completion in this troubled region, and for the Jewish Messiah to be revealed in the hearts of Jews (and Arabs alike). Only then will true wholeness—true shalom—will be realized.
Dr. Gary Hedrick, President of the Messianic organization, “Christian Jew Foundation Ministries (CJFM),” suggests that there are seven reasons to pray for Jerusalem and the Jewish people: …
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Then, Hedrick suggests 10 reasons why the Christian should then go the ‘next step’ and take the Gospel to the Jewish people:
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These are but a few of the many reasons why the believer must ‘stand’ with their friends in Israel. They need us now more than ever—and we need them. Again, the believer is instructed to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” [ Psalm 122:6-7 ].
Praying is something EVERY ‘BELIEVER’ CAN DO—and SHOULD DO—on a daily basis! NOW, just ADD the JEWISH PEOPLE to your ‘list’!
UNBELIEVER, THIS IS WHAT YOU ‘NEED’ TO DO!
Understanding the prophetic events that will occur over the next several years is only part of the equation. It is good to recognize events we will face in the future, but WHAT ACTIONS should we take as a result of this knowledge? “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had an understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” [1 Chronicles 12:32 ].
Most people focus on the physical aspect of preparation. Commonly asked questions are: What can I invest in to guarantee my security? How much food should I store up? Should I move to a remote area and live off the land?
Well, the problem is, no one knows the complete answers to these questions. We have no idea what the economy will look like after the “Gog and Magog” war. It is impossible to judge the availability of food or access to shelter, electricity, and water.
However, whether it’s tomorrow or over the next few decades, SPIRITUAL PREPAREDNESS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ‘necessity’. Matthew 6:31-33 clearly tells us how to prepare, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?… But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
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HUMANITY’S ULTIMATE ‘DESTINY’
I mentioned in the introduction paragraph that Israel—and Jerusalem specifically—will be experiencing much angst in the ‘NEAR’ FUTURE to finally achieve its prophesied ‘destiny’.
Well, in the larger ‘picture’, God’s ULTIMATE DESTINY for HUMANITY is the total SANCTIFICATION of everyone who will believe in Jesus (1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 John 3:2).
God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, has provided the ‘remedy’ for the sin we inherited, and this remedy is available to everyone: “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you” (Acts 13:38).
[ more…]
JERUSALEM’S ‘DESTINY’
Yes, Jerusalem is a part of the world, and therefore, a ‘part’ of humanity, HOWEVER, as I mentioned at the end of last month’s post, JERUSALEM IS KIND OF ’SPECIAL’, in A FEW ways.
Jerusalem is a city with no ‘equal’ on earth. History has shown that Jerusalem has the uncanny ability to adapt and persevere regardless of the obstacle at hand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCIpbI7VR8o&t=10s
[ VIDEO: “Why Is Jerusalem So Important?” ]
HOWEVER, for the Jewish people that do not have a ‘relationship’ with Jesus—are not a “Messianic” Jew—there are times that they will go through in the ‘NEAR’ FUTURE that will be MANY TIMES more ‘horrific’ that the Holocaust!
Now, Israel has ‘disobeyed’ many times—over all the centuries since Abraham—and were ‘punished’ for those times. The thing is, God has not and will not never fully ‘reject’ them (Leviticus 26:44-45). God will never abandon His ‘chosen’ people, but it is going to be ‘COSTLY’ for them. TWO-THIRDS of them will be killed during the “Great Tribulation” for their UNBELIEF!
So, the last ‘chapter’ of this long and turbulent ‘romance’ between Israel and God is COMING ‘VERY’ SOON. Even though Israel is VERY ‘SPECIAL’ to God and He is “very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion” [ Zechariah 1:14; 8:2a ], He MUST ‘PUNISH’ UNBELIEF—whether that be the Jew OR the Gentile!
HOWEVER, being VERY merciful, God will save ONE-THIRD of the Jews (Zechariah 13:8)
[ VIDEO: “Israel and the Tribulation” – Amir Tsarfati:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0Y42ewSoVE&t=1859s ]
Messianic Jew, Amir Tsarfati goes on to say that the one-third that will be brought through the fire “will be tested.” However, he then says: …
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As a BELIEVER, the GOOD ‘NEWS’ is that they WILL NOT have to experience the horror of the Tribulation. They are never told to watch for the Antichrist, rather they are told to look for Jesus—coming in the clouds to take them into Heaven via the “Rapture.”
Believers are assured that they will be “delivered from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). That is a ‘GLORIOUS’ PROMISE! That is why the Apostle Paul calls the Rapture the believer’s “Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:13). It is also the reason that he tells the believer to “comfort one another” with the promise of the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
HOWEVER, as an UNBELIEVER, you have NO ‘HOPE’ and you are going to ‘EXPERIENCE’ THE TRIBULATION, and may never get ‘through’ the entire seven-year period!
I pray that this ‘SCARED’ you, so you will get ‘PREPARED’!
[ For more details on the “Blessed Hope,” view this “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/blessed-hope-v245/ ].
Then again, God IS ‘ABUNDANTLY’ MERCIFUL and wants NO ONE TO ‘PERISH’! (2 Peter 3:9). But, He has offered ONLY ONE ‘WAY’ for that to happen: faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior to atone for your sins and be resurrected to life (Heaven) when you die!
IT IS CLEAR that the Bible presents that faith in Jesus is THE ONLY ‘WAY’ to God. So, what are you going to do with that information? What are you going to ‘do’ with Jesus?
[ FYI: For more details about Jesus being the ‘only way’ to Heaven, view these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/the-only-way-v253/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/two-choices-one-way-v254/ ].
Now, will you let the musings of humans carry more ‘weight’ than the ‘love letter’ of God (the Bible)? PLEASE DON’T! Take Jesus at His word. Repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus’ sacrifice for those sins. You will find that there is an ‘indescribable’ joy at comes from being set free from the penalty of sin!
So, again, what is your decision about Who Jesus really is? It is THE MOST IMPORTANT question you will EVER ANSWER!!!
[ FYI: For more details on this “most important” decision you will ever make, consider reading this on my “The Search for Meaning” website:
http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q12_d1_1of10.html ].
So, the question is, are ‘YOU’ SURE that you are going to Heaven after you die, and live in a place the Bible calls the “New Jerusalem” for ALL ETERNITY?
If YOU ARE NOT ‘SURE’, I strongly encourage you to MAKE ‘SURE’… NOW!!!
I pray you will make this question about Jesus’ exclusivity of being the ONLY ‘WAY’ to God and Heaven your ONLY AMBITION until you answer it for yourself—whether JEW OR GENTILE—and DO SO with all the VORACITY you can muster!
Your ‘ETERNITY’ depends on it!
<<< END OF SUMMARY >>>
<<< ALL THE DETAILS >>>
The following is a comprehensive presentation of the topic that follows the ‘headings’ laid out in the Table of Contents.
CURRENT ‘SITUATION’
Hardly a day goes by when we do not hear a mention of the nation of Israel, the city of Jerusalem, or the Jewish people in general. Why do these people occupy such a singular position in the world today? Why does the nation Israel play such a prominent role in the world today—since it is a VERY small country? Yet, the nation is often at the center of international debate and controversy.
As one looks down at the nation of Israel from space, they come to realize just how small it is. Israel stretches only 263 miles from north to south, and its width ranges from 71 miles at its widest point to only nine miles at its narrowest point. To the northeast, Israel faces a 47-mile border with Syria, and to the north, a 49-mile border with Lebanon. To the east, Isreal has a 147-mile border with Jordan, and to the southwest, Israel borders Egypt. Directly south, Israel has a small ‘gap’ onto the Red Sea. [ Israel is about the size of New Jersey, and 32 Israels could fit into the state of Texas. ]
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “Militant Islam rejects any territorial or political solution. It wants the dissolution of the state of Israel. And this is the problem; this is the source of the problem. This is why it’s becoming so dangerous, because how can you negotiate with someone who wants your destruction?”
Israel is living in a ‘tough’ neighborhood. The nations that would like to get rid of the Jewish people are indeed very close and MANY (indicated by the map below). They say that they want to “wipe it off the map.”
[ MAP: Muslim Countries Surrounding Israel – Shaun Venish ]
The thing is, the Bible reveals, through its prophets, about how these nations will come against Israel in the Last Days. Again, a ‘secular’ person, Netanyahu invoked biblical prophecy during his UN address a decade ago, as he echoed the ancient Biblical words of the prophet Isaiah who, as Netanyahu said, “Taught us nearly 3,000 years ago in Jerusalem to speak truth to power”… and continued saying, “For the sake of Zion, I will not be silent. For the sake of Jerusalem, I will not be still. Until her justice shines bright, and her salvation glows like a flaming torch” [ Isaiah 62:1].
Then, just a few years ago, Netanyahu said that the normalization of ties between Israel and Arab states (“Abraham Accords”) is a realization of biblical prophecy:
“Remarkably, here in the Middle East, we have been actively making progress in realising the biblical prophecy of ‘peace on earth’, or at least this part of the earth. This past year, and with the active help of the United States and President Trump, we have moved forward with the Abraham Accords, achieving historic breakthroughs between Israel and the Arab world.”
“After 26 years without a new peace treaty, we’ve had four new agreements in less than four months and this is just the beginning. This is a new and revolutionary change. It will make a better life, a better place for all the people of the Middle East. It will make for a better world.”
Netanyahu continued: “More and more Arab countries are rethinking traditional hostile attitudes towards Israel and are seeking reconciliation with the Jewish state. Instead of regarding Israel as their enemy, they increasingly regard us as a friend, as an ally, a vital ally and a vital partner.”
[ Note: In September 2020, Israel signed two normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain at the White House. In October, Sudan agreed to normalize relations with Israel. In December 2020, Morocco signed an agreement of ties with Israel. ]
Now, King David, who wrote prophetically in so many of his Psalms, exhorts us in this way, “Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:15). In fact, the Hebrew expression in Psalm 34 implies running and chasing peace, almost ‘hunting’ it down. Indeed, the Bible repeatedly conveys God’s desire that we should be peacemakers, doing our best to live at peace with everyone. [ There are also scriptural reasons to be encouraged by the new links of peace forming in the south with several positive references to Sheba and Dedan (the Persian Gulf area) in relation to Israel in biblical prophecy. One example is from Isaiah 60:6, with similar hints in Psalm 72:10 and Ezekiel 27. ]
HOWEVER, possibly Psalm 83 (that notes Israel’s ‘adjacent’ neighbors) and, for sure, Ezekiel 38-39 (an Islamic coalition that includes Russia) tell us that there will be some invasions upon Israel—when they are “at peace”—that will almost eliminate them from the face of the earth!
So, in a way—possibly “blinded” as the Bible declares in Romans 11:8)—Netanyahu is trying REALLY ‘HARD’ to ‘broker’ a peace in the Middle East with the Arabs. Sadly, as the Bible foresees, that WILL NOT happen. A HUGE invasion of Israel IS ‘COMING’, and many say, if things continue escalating at the ‘geometric’ rate that they have been in the past few years, it WILL NOT BE LONG before this happens!
Anthony Cordesman, an American national security analyst, who has served as a director of intelligence assessment in the office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, wrote: “If Tehran gets the bomb and a nuclear exchange with Israel occurs, some 16 million to 28 million Iranians would be dead within 21 days, in between 200,000 to 800,000 would die. Jordan would also suffer severe radiation damage from an Iranian strike on Tel Aviv.” He estimates that “It is theoretically possible that the Israeli State, economy, organize society might just survive, but Iran would not survive as an organized society.”
Furthermore, Cordesman expects that Israel would need to keep a reserve strike capability to ensure that no other power would capitalize on the Iranian strike. Such a reserve might target key Arab neighbors such as Syria, Egypt, and the Persian Gulf states. He goes on to describe the potential horrific outcome: “A full-scale Israeli attack on Syria would kill up to 18 million people within 21 days, and a Syrian recovery would not be possible. At the same time, a Syrian attack on Israel with all of its chemical and biological warfare assets would kill up to 800,000 Israelis. But, Israeli society would still recover.”
Then, what if Israel attacks Eqypt? Well, again, Cordesman says that there would be the deaths of tens of millions of people, and it would mean the end of Eqypt as a functioning society. Furthermore, he says that the oil wells, refineries, and ports along the Gulf would also be targets in the event of a mass nuclear response by Israel. The resulting nuclear contamination would mean the permanent loss of oil from the Middle East!
Cordesman sums it up this way: “Being contained within the region, such a nuclear exchange might not be Armageddon for the human race; but it would certainly be Armageddon for the global economy.”
So, why is such an ‘insignificant’ nation so hated by its neighbors? Well, attempts to destroy the Jewish people throughout history have been nothing more than Satan’s attempt at self-preservation. His thinking has been that if he can destroy the descendants of Abraham—the father of the Jewish people and the one whose lineage will produce the Messiah—then he could keep his own destruction from happening. Well, that DIDN’T HAPPEN—since Jesus ‘arrived’ a bit over 2,000 years ago!
The thing is, Satan actually means “the great deceiver,” and he just might be so ‘good’ at it that he has even deceived himself into believing that he can keep the decree of his own destruction from being fulfilled! WHAT?! Having failed at keeping Jesus from being born (having ‘used’ King Herod to decree that all the boys two-years-old and under be killed – Matthew 2:16-18), then destroying the Jews is the ‘next best thing’ (since God declared they would never be eliminated – Jeremiah 31:36).
This is the basis and rationale of all anti-Semitism. It is a logical, systematic, and calculated effort orchestrated by Satan himself to destroy the Jews and preserve his life (to keep Genesis 3:15 from being fulfilled). Sorry to burst Satan’s ‘bubble’, but that AIN’T going to happen! However, since Satan still ‘reigns’ over this earth—for just a short while—it WILL make things for the Jews and Israel REALLY ‘BAD’ for the near future!
TEMPLE MOUNT
Probably the most ‘contentious’ few acres of land on the earth is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. As I said in last month’s post, “Jerusalem as the ‘center’ of the world, and the Temple Mount the center of Jerusalem.” In fact, Jewish tradition teaches that this site was the starting point for the ‘creation’ of the world.
[ Note: There are more details about Jerusalem being the location of the ‘creation’ of the world in last month’s post. ]
The Temple Mount is of paramount importance to Judaism. This is ‘hallowed ground’ for the Jews, believed to have been a holy site long before the existence of the Temple. Sitting atop the Temple Mount today—where the Jewish temple once stood—are several important Islamic holy sites, including the Dome of the Rock—a Muslim shrine built 1,300 years ago—and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Now, according to the Jewish tradition Mount Moriah was the Garden of Eden, and when God drew from the dust to form Adam (Genesis 2:7), he drew it from the peak of Mount Moriah. When Abraham bound Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:2), He did so on the very spot where the Jewish Temple would one day stand. When Jacob dreamed of angels (Genesis 28:10-18), his head was resting on Mount Moriah’s rock. So then, when the Holy Temple was finally built, the Shekhinah (God’s divine Presence/Glory) ‘settled’ there (2 Chronicles 5:2-14).
The thing is, Jewish life has historically centered around Jerusalem and then in and around the Temple—which has always been, and MUST BE, located on the Temple Mount.
In the past—and in the future—for the Jews to be able to really worship and ‘connect’ with God, it has been ‘prescribed’ that they must sacrifice animals to atone for the sins of the people, and it must be facilitated in the Temple by a priest. In addition to that, this third Temple has a unique and additional purpose for its existence: their Messiah will return when it is built! Rabbi Meir Kahana said, “I know that the day the Third Temple is completed, the Messiah I will come.”
PREPARATIONS FOR THE TEMPLE
Just a few days after the Jewish people had reunited the city of Jerusalem during the 6-day war 1967, Gershon Salomon had the unique opportunity of being shown around the Temple Mount. It was not long after that Gershon started a movement called the “Temple Mount Faithful.” This group formed an organization to encourage the Jewish world to follow the biblical mandate to once again establish God’s house in Jerusalem.
The Temple Mount Faithful might have started the process to rebuild the Temple in 1967 if the Israeli government had not given control of the Temple Mount to the Jordanians under an arrangement designed to appease the Arab world.
The control of the Temple Mount and the preparation to build a Jewish Temple on the spot now occupied by the Muslim Dome of the Rock has been a point of great concern in the Arab world. Primarily, a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount would jeopardize the Muslim Palestinian ambition to name Jerusalem as their state capital.
The thing is, ancient Jewish prophets predicted that there will be a major conflict over Jerusalem in the last days. The Bible also predicts that there WILL BE a third Jewish Temple at the same location as the two previous temples. This mandate has motivated a segment of Orthodox Judaism to actively prepare for the construction of this coming Temple.
The Temple Institute
Right now, there is another Jewish group in Jerusalem making preparations for the Third Temple—the “Temple Institute.” It is a collective of scholars headed up by Rabbi Israel Ariel. These leaders have studied the Old Testament requirements for preparing the priest, the priestly garments, the musical instruments, and the implements for the sacrifices and worship at the Temple.
[ Note: Artisans have already created ALL of the items needed to operate the Third Temple, and the priests are being trained in their assignments. ]
For the first time in almost 2,000 years, there are people preparing to carry out services at a future Temple in Jerusalem. The people involved in the preparations are fervently dedicated to the cause.
Moreover, Rabbi Ben-Dahan affirms that “We are all here to declare that we have returned to Jerusalem, and God-willing we will prepare the hearts [of the people] to return to the Temple Mount as well and to rebuild the Temple. We aren’t embarrassed to say it: ‘We want to rebuild the Temple on the Temple Mount.’” The thing is, at present, the Temple Mount area is a dangerous, highly volatile place. Security experts now believe that the Temple Mount is the most dangerous square mile on the planet!
So, the Temple will likely not be built until the Tribulation period begins (unless a natural occurrence like an earthquake happens or even one of the many missiles that are being lobbed into Israel destroys it). However, the stage is now being set for this rebuilding. The instruments of worship have also been fabricated, architectural plans are completed, the Sanhedrin has been reinstituted, and the High Priest has already been selected—all being a harbinger for the rebuilding of the Temple.
[ FYI: Learn about what the Temple Institute is doing: https://templeinstitute.org/ and see a walkthrough of the proposed Temple:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2IkxmwkayM ]
Now, for students of biblical prophecy, this Temple Mount movement confirms one of the most outstanding ‘signs’ of the Second Coming of Jesus. Though there has always been a desire to build a third Temple in Jerusalem, there has never been so much progress toward making it happen as has been done in the past few decades. (For many bible scholars, this is strong evidence that Jesus’ return truly is near.)
DISASTER IN ‘IRAN’
One of the biblical prophecies that forgoes the ‘coalition’ invasions that will come against Israel is mentioned by the prophet Jeremiah. He tells of a time, in the future, when God will judge “Elam” (the southwestern part of Iran). He talks about an awesome catastrophe, devastation, and a holocaust (Jeremiah 49:35-38).
One possible scenario for this is that Israel might strike the Bushehr reactor—because of ‘intel’ that they are given about nuclear weapon(s) being produced there (since Iran has declared that it will use missiles to destroy the Jewish state)—which would most likely create a nuclear disaster requiring Iranians in that area to evacuate.
Another scenario—which is probably more likely—is that the Bushehr reactor will fail by itself, or an earthquake will occur ‘helping’ that happen (Many say it is a nuclear disaster waiting to happen.) It is a 40-year-old facility (originally built by the Germans), with a 30-year-old cooling system, and no one trained in the facility to handle a nuclear disaster (like Fukushima). Being in an earthquake-prone area (a 6.8 magnitude occurred in 2000) also increases the possibility of a disaster.
A study concluded that if there was a nuclear disaster at Bushehr that “only” 10% of the Iranian population would be affected since there is a big mountain range nearby. However, the study continued to say that the wind patterns are such that the radiation would get into the water supply and they estimated that, within a day, 42% of their population could be adversely affected, and maybe even killed.
Additionally, most of their desalinization plants, which are also in the same area, would be affected.
[ Note: Because of this study, Iran’s leadership decided to build the world’s largest pipeline for water by 2020 that will go inland throughout all those Gulf states. It is estimated to cost $10.5 billion ].
Now, even though they are concerned about a nuclear disaster in that area, Iran has contracted Russia to build two more nuclear reactors there. (Probably a ‘rouse’ to cover up the building of plants to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons.)
All this to say, Israel may—or may not—be associated with a disaster that the prophet Jeremiah has predicted in southern Iran.
DESTRUCTION OF ‘DAMASCUS’
Another prophecy by Jeremiah (and Isaiah) refers to the city of Damascus being destroyed, in one night, because they were trying to ‘do something’ (a nuclear attack?) to the Jews (Jeremiah 49:23-27). However, it backfires and overnight the oldest continuously inhabited city in recorded history (dating back to the time of Abraham) will be reduced to rubble and become a ruinous heap. Isaiah 17:9 says that the “children of Israel”—the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)—will be involved in the actual destruction, not as an aggressor, but as defending its existence.
If this happens before the Psalm 83 war, leading members of the 22-member Arab League are going to be very concerned about what happened and will doubtlessly be very concerned about their capital cities, thinking that Israel just might be on the ‘warpath’. This could also be a major reason that the “Psalm 83 War” would morph out of this event.
The prophecy also says that Damascus will never be rebuilt again.
[ Note: It is also possible that Damascus could be destroyed DURING the Psalm 83 war ].
JORDANIAN ‘DISPERSION’
Even though Israel and Jordan presently have a peace agreement, there are several ‘unfulfilled’ war prophecies. (These biblical predictions are found in Jeremiah 49, Zephaniah 2, Isaiah 11, Ezekiel 25, Obadiah 1, Psalm 83, and Amos 1-2.)
The prophecy informs that Jordan will ‘tremble’ as troubling events close in on all sides of its borders. Jeremiah 49:5a says, “Behold, I am going to bring terror upon you, says the Lord GOD of hosts, from all your neighbors” In other words, terrorizing geopolitical events surrounding Jordan will destabilize the nation. This type of terror has never overtaken this territory until now.
According to Jeremiah 49:1-6, the instability that occurs within the country burgeons into an epic biblical war against Israel. This prophecy pronounces that Amman Jordan, like Damascus, will be destroyed. This destruction will be caused by the IDF and it also involves the toppling of other cities in Central and Southern Jordan.
“Therefore behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, “when I will cause the battle cry to be heard against Rabbah (Amman, Jordan) of the Ammonites; it shall become a desolate mound, and its villages shall be burned with fire; then Israel shall take possession of his (land) inheritance, says the Lord”
[ Jeremiah 49:2-3 ].
Jeremiah also points out that it is guilty of enlarging its borders at Israel’s expense (Jordan is located within the borders of the “Promised Land” given to the Israelites through Abraham – Genesis 15:18). So, from a biblical perspective, Jordan is ‘trespassing’ on property that was granted to Israel by God, and this land will be taken over by Israel and used to secure and enlarge its borders. It appears that Israel takes much of Jordan (Jeremiah 49; Zephaniah 2).
EGYPTIAN ‘TAKEOVER’
Egypt presently has a fragile peace treaty with Israel, but this prophecy points out that this pact is ‘paper-thin’. (It is implied that Egypt ‘confronts’ Israel, and in the process, provokes a powerful retaliatory response from Israel. Israel will invoke the curse-for-curse in kind ‘clause’ in Genesis 12:3 to come against Egypt.)
There will then come a day when Egypt will be ‘terrified’ of Israel—probably because of what their “exceedingly great army” did against the ten-member confederacy during the Psalm 83 war. The prophet Isaiah tells us that Israel will ‘establish’ itself in five Egyptian cities (Isaiah 19:16-19), and these cities will “speak the language of Canaan” (which is Hebrew). One city will likely meet with destruction at the hands of the Israeli army, and will be aptly renamed to “the City of Destruction,” implying that it was destroyed by Israel before being taken over by Israel. As a result, Egypt’s economy will entirely collapse soon and quickly.
[ Note: This just might be a part of the Psalm 83 War. ]
‘PSALM 83’ WAR
Some bible prophecy scholars—notably Bill Salus—believe that Psalm 83 has never been completely fulfilled, and that this could be a ‘regional’ war with Israel’s surrounding Arab neighbors coming together to attack. This will be because, when Palestinians realize they will not get a state and when they realized Jerusalem will not be its capital, they will try to seize Jerusalem.
It says in Zechariah 12:2 that “Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples.” They will then, at some point, because diplomacy will not work for them, attack the Jews. I think we are seeing the beginnings of this with all the terror attacks that are happening. It looks like they are ‘hinting’ that there will be a Third Intifada. Israel has said that this is something they will not tolerate again.
Psalm 83 then states that the immediate neighbors of Israel will launch to wipe out Israel as a nation. The nations described as being a part of this nefarious effort are those with a common border with Israel:
“Arab Confederacy” (“Inner Circle” countries)
– “Edom”: Jordanians (“Tents of Edom” – Southern Jordanians)
– ‘Assyria”: ISIS, Syrians, and Northern Iraqis
– “Gebal”: Hezbollah and Northern Lebanese
– “Tyre”: Hezbollah and Southern Lebanese
– “Philistia”: Hamas of the Gaza Strip (Muslim Brotherhood)
– “Hagarenes”: Egypt
– “Ishmaelites”: Saudi Arabia
– “Moab”: Palestinians and Central Jordanians
– “Ammon”: Palestinians and Northern Jordanians
– “Amalek”: Arabs of the Sinai
[ MAP: Psalm 83 War “Inner Circle” Countries – Bill Salus ]
The second half of Psalm 83 is a prayer for Israel’s victory. The outcome of the war is not specifically stated in Psalm 83, but we know from other Scriptures that Israel will be victorious. (“That in the end times, Israel will be like a firepot among pieces of wood, and a flaming torch among sheaths so that that they will consume on the right hand and on the left all the surrounding peoples” – Zechariah 12:6). They are going to be like David against Goliath.
The Arab population of these countries presently is 180 million, compared to Israel’s meager 8 million. This means there are about 22 Arabs to every Jew. [ Note: In Israel’s past they won conflicts with these kinds of odds: Gideon’s 300 versus 120,000 Midianites (Judges 8:10), was 400 to 1. Even the victories in 1948 and 1967 were of this magnitude ].
The Jewish prophet Obadiah, in a mysterious vision (Obadiah 1:1-21), identifies future names and places that can finally be deciphered in these present times. It tells of how this Palestinian generation will be judged for the historical crimes their Edomite fathers previously committed, and the current crimes they presently perpetuate against the Jewish people. The execution of this judgment upon the Palestinians will be delivered through the military might of Israel. In addition to this, Obadiah 1:19-20 implies that as a direct result of the Jewish conquest over the Palestinians (alluded to in verse 18), Israel will be significantly increased in both size and prosperity. It then states (verse 21) that Jewish sovereignty will be exercised over the conquered territory.
The intent of the annihilation will ‘boomerang’ on the Arab nations and will result in their overwhelming defeat. This will then produce great territorial expansion and enhanced national resources for Israel. It will also finally create peace for Israel—for a short while.
The thing is, the Psalm 83 confederate advance is a direct assault against the covenant God made with Abraham. It is an attempt to kill the Jewish people and confiscate their land. The preservation of both are critical elements contained within the covenant.
In keeping with the Israeli conquest over the Palestinians and the Jordanians, Zephaniah alludes to the ‘shriveling up’ of their respective gods (Zephaniah 2:10-11), which now so happens to be Allah. Islam will start to diminish in scale and influence.
But the security provided by Psalm 83 War will not last long because the Arab nations will turn to their natural ally Russia and cry out for help. The Russians will be delighted to respond to the Arab cry for help because they have always dreamed of taking over the oil fields of the Middle East.
Since the events leading up to the Arab-Israeli war probably created a worldwide crisis (possibly due to OPEC-induced oil shortages), and other countries will, surprisingly, be happy to see the Arabs defeated, since they are no longer fearful of terrorism and being in dire straits because of their oil-dependent economies as Israel gets the OPEC flow back into world markets. Ezekiel proclaims: “The whole earth will rejoice when I make you [Mount Seir] (the Arab confederacy) desolate” [ Ezekiel 35:14 ].
This war amounts to the final conflict that ends the Arab-Israeli conflict.
ISRAEL’S ‘GREAT’ ARMY
The IDF defeats their Arab enemies and resolves the Mideast conflict militarily. They exist these days to deal with their Arab foes. (The emergence of the exceedingly great Israeli army is in Ezekiel 37:10, Obadiah 1:18, Jeremiah 49:2, Ezekiel 25:14, Isaiah 11:14, 17:9, and Zechariah 12:6.)
TERRITORY ‘EXPANSION’ OF ISRAEL
With the conclusion of the Holocaust in 1947, the International community arguably ‘forced’ the Arabs to accept a Jewish State in their ‘neighborhood’—with the UN resolution (GA 181) appropriating 8,019 square miles of the area from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River for the “state” of Israel—and this will now be tremendously expanded.
The thing is, after Israel’s conquest of the surrounding nations in the Psalm 83 war, and their subsequent ‘appropriation’ of the conquered lands, Israel’s territory will likely grow 125 times its present size to over 1,000,000 square miles! This territorial expansion will likely engulf much of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and parts of Saudi Arabia, and the Jews will feel justified in stretching their sovereignty over all these lands since they remember that it was given to their patriarchal father, Abraham: “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates” [ Genesis 15:18 ].
Ezekiel also prophesied this: “And I will multiply on you man and beast, and they shall multiply and be fruitful. And I will cause you to be inhabited as in your former times, and will do more good to you than ever before” [ Ezekiel 36:11a ].
The Bible is clear that God will restore unto Israel their fortunes and the precious real estate of the Twelve Tribes of Israel—the land He ‘deeded’ to Abraham and his decedents: “For all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever” [ Genesis 13:15 ]. This is the “Promised Land” that Joshua distributed to the Twelve Tribes: “So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments” [ Joshua 11:23a ].
As a result of the IDF victories, Israel will enlarge its borders into Southern Lebanon, Jordan, and parts of Egypt. They will also possess the Gaza, where the Hamas are, and the entire West Bank (Obadiah 1:19-20; Jeremiah 49:2; Zephaniah 2:9; Isaiah 19:18).
[ Note: After Muslim countries are soundly defeated—as a result of the Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38 wars—this will likely cause Moslems throughout the world to question the supremacy of Allah. ]
THE ‘RAPTURE’
Although this is not ‘directly’ related to the Jewish people, it WILL affect them in the near future after this happens. This will essentially be the end of the “Church Age”—the “fullness of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:25)—and God will remove the “hardening” and “blindness” of the Jews and then start to ‘deliver’ the nation of Israel (Zechariah 14:3).
The Rapture of millions of believers will change everything and affect everyone that remains on the planet. There will be drastic changes we can’t even imagine now, as the world tries to control the chaos. People will be trying to restore some semblance of order and normalcy in their lives. [ The Antichrist may be starting to be in the ‘limelight’ at this point and may attempt to explain away the vanishing millions, while attempting to lure those remaining into a false sense of safety and hope ].
When the Church is raptured, their ‘restraining’ of lawlessness (via the Holy Spirit) will be gone, and Satan will then have much more ability for ‘mayhem’. However, the Holy Spirit will not be totally gone—because there would be total anarchy—and will be primarily bringing the ‘elect’ to faith in Jesus during the Tribulation period. [ The Holy Spirit will aid the coming Tribulation believers as they endeavor to live holy lives, and protect the 144,000 Jewish ‘witnesses’ (evangelists) as well as the “two witnesses” (discussed later). ]
Israel—and the whole world—will be deceived by the extraordinary ‘power’ and gifts of the Antichrist. the thing is, once the ‘Restrainer’ (the Holy Spirit) is ‘removed’—via the indwelling in believers (the Church), there will no longer be a ‘restraint’ on evil, and ALL ‘HELL’ will break loose for 3-1/2 years!
[ FYI: For all the details about the “Rapture,” vie this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/final-tribulation-v246/ ].
After the rapture of the Church, the Holy Spirit will continue His work in bringing people to salvation, but He will no longer ‘baptize’ them into the mystical ‘body’ of Christ, the Church, nor will He entirely hinder Satan from bringing his ‘evil’ schemes to fruition. However, the Holy Spirit WILL ‘focus’ His efforts on saving as many Jews as He can (Romans 11:26).
Now, an important aspect of all this is that there is nothing that must be prophetically fulfilled before this happens. The Rapture is a ‘signless’ event, in contrast to the “Second Coming,” which has seven years worth of ‘signs’ beforehand. It’s no wonder that the Apostle Paul said, “The hour has come for you to wake from sleep for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” [ Romans 13:11-12 ]. James also said that, “The coming of the Lord is at hand” [ James 5:8 ]. The fact that the Rapture CAN ‘OCCUR’ AT ANY MOMENT should spur all believers on to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with as many as they can—especially Jewish people, since they will now be more ‘open’ to it since their “blindness” has just been removed (Romans 11:25) and telling them that there IS a ‘WAY’ to avoid God’s wrath in the coming “tribulation period”!
[ FYI: For more details about “spiritual blindness,” view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/are-you-blind-v252/ ].
PRE-TRIBULATION ‘GAP’
This time-gap hypothesis is based upon the premise that it is not the Rapture that triggers the start of the Tribulation period, but it is the confirmation of the covenant by the Antichrist between Israel and some other party(s) that triggers the Tribulation period (Daniel 9:27; Isaiah 28:15, 18).
SUPERNATURAL DECEPTION
The worldwide disappearance of millions of people will likely warrant more than just a simple scientific explanation. The thing is, biblical prophecy says that the Devil will unleash all of his power through signs and lying wonders in the immediate aftermath of the Rapture.
You can bet the Devil has something powerfully deceptive in his ‘bag of tricks’. It could involve fallen angels and demons masquerading as extra-terrestrials from outer space who claim that they are superior to people and that mankind is not alone in this universe. This would blow a huge hole in the biblical narrative. Presently, the U.S. is beginning to divulge some of its classified findings on the UFO phenomenon. It will be interesting to see how this scenario develops in the near future.
Satan will then realize that this ‘event’ has now started God’s final, final days and he now has to ‘unleash’ his campaign of supernatural surprises. According to 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7, nothing will now hinder the religious ‘double jeopardy’ that Satan has prepared to deceive humanity.
Many people who are left behind will wonder what happened to all those people. As they attempt to return to their normal lives, a ‘paranormal’ reality (“AI”?) promises them a better future. However, global chaos will be mounting and the world will likely become increasingly lawless. [ This just might be the time when the Russian-Arab coalition invades Israel (“Gog and Magog War”). ]
This also might be the time that will necessitate the formation of a one-world government to restore international order, and it could be the setting of the ‘stage’ for Satan’s point man, the Antichrist, to become the ‘savior’ of the world.
EMERGENCE OF A ‘GREATER’ ISRAEL
After the Psalm 83 War, Israel became significantly large in land mass. This resulted from annexing the formerly occupied Arab lands (identified in Obadiah 1:19-20; Zephaniah 2:9; and Jeremiah 49:2). The IDF has also become an exceedingly great army (in fulfillment of Ezekiel 37:10, 25:14).
Since prophecy mentions that Israel is “dwelling securely,” it is possible that they feel ‘comfortable’ now because of the land ‘buffer’ they now have with their neighbors and the strength of their military that they tear down the walls and remove all the checkpoints within the country.
Because of the Psalm 83 War ‘spoils’ and probably additional finds of natural gas and oil, they have also increased their wealth and influence.
[ Related Note: The United States has, in the past, been a supporter of Israel. However, just recently, that support has waned a bit. Some biblical scholars believe the mention of the “young lions of Tarshish” in Ezekiel 38:13 may just be the U.S.—identified as a “protester” of the Gog and Magog invasion. However, it seems that the U.S. will not be in a position to fight on behalf of Israel. (This implies that between now and this invasion that the U.S. will slip from its present superpower status.) ]
GOG AND MAGOG WAR
The prophet Ezekiel stated that there would be an all-out against Israel by a massive Northern assault Force after they became a nation again (Ezekiel 37). The goal of this force will be to utterly obliterate the Jewish people. This threat will completely eclipse ISIS and play a key role in God’s end-time drama.
[ Note: This is probably the second “Seal” judgment (Matthew 24:6-7)—the “Red Horse” (which represents war and bloodshed)—that unleashes great warfare out on the earth (Revelation 6:3-4) with neighboring countries setting their ‘sights’ on exterminating Israel (Ezekiel 38; Daniel 11). ]
[ MAP: Gog and Magog War “Outer Ring” Countries – Bill Salus ]
So, what nations make up this assault force? Well, Ezekiel 38:1-6 specifies Rosh, Magog, Meshach and Tubal, Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah.
Essentially, it will be a Russian-Islamic Alliance that will involve Iran and Turkey as key players. A comparison of Ezekiel’s prophecy with ancient historical records, theological discoveries, and current linguistic studies reveals the identity of these various nations:
– Rosh apparently refers to modern-day Russia
– Magog refers to the geographical area in the southern portion of the former Soviet Union—probably including the former Southern Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and possibly even Northern parts of Afghanistan.
– Meshech and Tubal refer to the geographical territory to the south of the Black and Caspian Seas—which is now Turkey.
– Persia is modern Iran
– Cush refers to the geographical territory to the south of Egypt on the Nile River—known today as Sudan.
– Put is a land to the west of Egypt and is modern-day Libya (This may extend beyond Libya, including portions of Algeria and Tunisia).
– Gomer apparently refers to part of the geographical territory in modern Turkey.
– Beth-togarmah also apparently refers to modern-day Turkey.
[ Note: “Gog” is a person and the leader of this coalition, from the geographical area of Magog. ]
There are several intriguing things about the prophecy of these attacking nations that immediately grab one’s attention. First, this specific alignment of nations has never occurred in history, although it seems to be occurring in the present day. All these nations are now ‘aligning’ with each other. This lends credence to the idea that we are living in the End Times, and that the ‘stage’ is presently being set for this invasion.
Secondly, these nations are predominantly Islamic, and their hatred of Israel is what will motivate this invasion. Finally, Ezekiel mentions that the invading force will include “many nations with you” (Ezekiel 38:15), which just might include Iraq.
‘MOTIVATION’ FOR THE INVASION
Not only do Muslims hate the Jews because they believe the land of Israel belongs to them by divine right, they also want Israel’s wealth. Ezekiel states that the invaders want Israel’s “silver and gold,” “livestock,” and “goods.”
It is estimated that Israel has natural gas reserves of more than 40 trillion cubic feet (top 25 in the world), and has recently discovered a large oil field. (Many experts believe that there is more oil under Israel than in Saudi Arabia, by more than 100 billion barrels!) Moreover, other experts say that the mineral resources of the Dead Sea are worth virtually ‘TRILLIONS’ OF DOLLARS! All in all, whoever controls the land of Israel can look forward to an incalculable large economic boost. Russia may also view the land of Israel as being a strategic location from a military perspective.
A ‘PRECONDITION’
A precondition for this end-times invasion is that Israel must be living in security, at rest, and unsuspecting. Ezekiel says that when this invasion force moves against Israel, it will be “an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages” (Ezekiel 38:11, 14).
From a timing standpoint, this invasion cannot take place until this state of security and rest exists for Israel. Most prophecy experts believe that this invasion will take place after the Rapture of the Church but before the beginning of the Tribulation period.
‘RUSSIA-IRAN’ ALLIANCE
Over the past few decades, Russia and Iran have developed strong ties, largely military in nature. This is extremely relevant, for no such alliance has ever existed previously in the history of these nations. Formerly, the relationship between Russia and Iran was characterized by sheer hatred. However, things have changed and Iran is today spending billions annually purchasing military equipment from Russia.
It is also highly significant that Iran’s anti-semitism has just reached unprecedented levels—they have declared that they now possess the capability to destroy Israel, boasting that they have more than 150,000 missiles and enough enriched uranium for “several” nuclear weapons (January 2023).
‘RUSSIA-TURKEY’ ALLIANCE
Russia has also been building a relationship with Turkey in recent times. This is a bit of a surprise since Turkey has long been committed to the NATO alliance.
The thing is, in 2016 there was an attempted coup in Turkey and Vladimir Putin made Turkey’s President Erdogan aware of it before it happened. It wasn’t long after this that Erdogan called Putin “My dear friend.” Since then, Erdogan has pledged close relations for the future—including a military alliance. Putin has taken advantage of this ‘crack’ in the NATO alliance.
So, it looks like this Northern military coalition prophesied by Ezekiel is slowly, but surely, coming together these days.
GOD ‘DEFEATS’ THE NORTHERN COALITION
Gog and his allies will totally disregard any diplomatic protests against the invasion of Israel. When these nations invade the land of Israel, it will look like the biggest mismatch in history. Israel will be completely surrounded and, this time, the Jewish people will not be able to overcome their enemies by their own strength and ingenuity. Yet, God will come to rescue His people. God will intervene and win the battle for Israel (Ezekiel 38-39).
Referring back to the above “Muslim Countries Surrounding Israel” map reveals how tiny a piece of real estate Israel is when compared to the Islamic lands that surround her. On her own, Israel will stand virtually no chance of survival against the massive Northern military coalition. However, against all odds, Israel will be victorious. God Himself will ‘show up’ and become Israel’s protector (Ezekiel 38:18-22):
– There will be a massive earthquake (Ezekiel 38:19-20)
– There will be infighting among the invading troops (Ezekiel 38:21)
– There will be an outbreak of disease (Ezekiel 38:22a)
– There will be torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur (Ezekiel 38:22b)
This will be what one might describe as the “One-Day War”—or even the “One-Hour War”—since God will quickly and completely annihilate the Islamic invaders from the face of the earth by supernatural means—a great earthquake (38:19-20); infighting among the troops of the various and nations (38:21); disease (38:22a); and, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur (38:22b).
In short, the destruction of the northern military coalition will be a powerful testimony to God’s power and a ‘testament’ to His promises (Ezekiel 38:23; 39:6-7; 39:28).
‘BURIAL’ OF ENEMY INVADERS
The number of slain invaders will be staggering. The casualties will be so vast that nothing but a deep valley will suffice for their corpses (Ezekiel 39:11). It will take a full seven months to accomplish the gruesome task of burying all the bodies.
‘BURNING’ OF THE ENEMY’S WEAPONS
Another task that Israelis will engage in is the burning of the enemy’s weapons. This will take seven years!
This then brings up an interesting point since the Bible mentions that Israelites will take flight from Jerusalem at the middle of the Tribulation. So, prophecy experts suggest that this northern invasion will take place at least 3-1/2 years prior to the beginning of the Tribulation, and be completed by the midpoint of the Tribulation.
A ‘SHIFT’ IN THE BALANCE OF POWER
Following God’s destruction of the massive Northern military coalition, there will be a shift in the world’s balance of power—both politically and religiously. This shift will make things much easier for the Antichrist.
Prophecy scholar Arnold Fruchtenbaum said of this:
“The eastern balance of power will collapse with the fall of Russian forces and her Muslim allies in Israel and the destruction of Russia itself. With the Eastern power destroyed, open the way for a one-world government.”
Another prophecy expert, John Walvoord said that with Russia out of the way, the revived Roman Empire will fill the void, proclaim control of the Mediterranean area, and the Antichrist will proclaim himself dictator—fulfilling the Scriptures (Revelation 13:4-8).
Then, with Muslim forces no longer being a threat, this would be an advantageous time for the Antichrist to sign a peace pact with Israel (Daniel 9:27).
This, in turn, likely explains why Israel will finally be able to rebuild its Temple on the Temple Mount—exactly where the Dome of the Rock stands today. If the Muslim armies are decimated by God prior to the beginning of the Tribulation, then this major obstacle to Israel’s rebuilding of their Temple will have been removed, since there will be ‘MUCH’ LESS Muslim resistance.
ARRIVAL OF ‘THE’ ANTICHRIST
After the Rapture of the believers in Jesus—and probably the Gog and Magog War—the “man of lawlessness is revealed.” This is THE “Antichrist.” Although he will be the embodiment of evil—Satan in the flesh—he will appear on the world’s stage as a ‘good’ man of unity and peace.
This will be the ultimate diplomatic coup of history. When this occurs, the world will be in awe. There will be such a sense of wonder at his greatness and charisma that the worship of Hitler in Nazi Germany will seem minuscule compared to the worship of the Antichrist. All the world will feel that there is—at last—peace in the Middle East. What a joyful celebration it will be!
Now, remember, today, Israel is composed of mostly secular Jews who desperately long for peace. They will see the Antichrist as the long-awaited to their daily prayers. HOWEVER, the Antichrist will be an individual who will be ‘possessed’ by Satan (as he possessed Judas). We are told in Revelation 13:2 that Satan gives to the Antichrist, “His power, his throne, and his great authority.” Daniel says that the Antichrist’s power will be mighty, “but not by his own power.”
He will be a Gentile that will come out of the revived Roman Empire (Daniel 7:7-8) and become He will become the world dictator at the beginning of the Tribulation period.
When he comes to power, he will go to the Middle East for the purpose of establishing a peace between the Jewish people and their Islamic-Arab neighbors, who are enemies of Israel today.
In addition to deception, diplomacy, and a promise of peace and safety, the Antichrist will rise to power by using the same tactics employed by politicians throughout history. He will offer his ‘coattails’ and make it a smooth ‘ride’ to the top for the ones who support him—making them rulers, giving them ‘booty’, and offering them the ‘carrot’ of more power. Following his lead will hold many perks, but resisting him will come at a very great price!
He will come to power through deception and be a master of intrigue, ‘elevating’ himself as God—and will offer peace and security to a war-torn world.
He will be able to perform “signs and miracles” to convince the world that he fulfills all the messianic prophecies in the Bible, and those of all religions around the world. Eager to take Jesus’ place and rule over the earth, the Antichrist will even ‘counterfeit’ His own death and resurrection. The world comes to the realization that no one can ‘stand’ against this guy, and they submit their power and authority over to him.
In addition to the Antichrist’s ‘supernatural’ ability to win people to his position through diplomacy, it may even be possible that the Arab world will accept him as the returning “12th Imam” of Islamic prophecy.
One might wonder how one man will be able to convince the entire world to follow him and give him all the power and authority over a global government. Well, the fact is, the world has been waiting for just such a man for centuries. Mankind has been striving to create a ‘utopian’ world ever since they first attempted to ‘reach heaven’ by building the Towel of Babel.
Only in this generation could one person be able to rule over the entire economy of the world, since the technology required is pretty much here today.
When the Antichrist negotiates the treaty that brings true peace to the Middle East and enables the Jews to rebuild their Temple, it begins a seven-year time period the Bible calls “The Tribulation.”
“CONVENTIONAL” WAR
The Bible then states that a major “conventional” WORLD WAR will break out soon after the ‘one-world’ government is established.
Although the Antichrist is going to rise to power in Europe through cunning and deception, intrigue, and his charismatic personality, he will have to resort to military power to conquer the world, because Asia, Africa, and Latin America have spent the last few hundred years casting off the ‘shackles’ of European colonialism and they’re not suddenly going to suddenly surrender their sovereignty peacefully to a new European dictator no matter how dynamic, brilliant, and charismatic he may be.
The Antichrist will ultimately achieve “authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation” (Revelation 13:7), and this authority will be achieved through which results in the death of one-fourth of humanity (Revelation 6:8) [ About 1.5 billion based on today’s population ].
The Bible indicates that the “conventional” war will then ‘morph’ into a nuclear holocaust, resulting in the deaths of ANOTHER ONE-THIRD of mankind (another 1.5 billion people – Revelation 9:15). This means that in the first two ‘major’ wars of the Tribulation, MORE THAN ONE-HALF OF HUMANITY WILL DIE!
‘FALSE PROPHET’ ARRIVES ON THE SCENE
At this point, we are introduced to another “beast” who rises up out of the earth, literally “the land.” Just as the sea is a prophetic symbol for the Gentile nations, the land is a symbol of Israel, thus the implication here is that this beast will be a Jew, and later referred to as the “False Prophet.”
This nefarious character serves as the Antichrist’s right-hand man. He exercises the authority of the Antichrist, carrying out both political and religious duties. Spiritually the False Prophet serves as the head of a one-world religion, seeing to it that everyone worships the Antichrist. He will dazzle and deceive people with great signs, including giving ‘life’ to a statue of the Antichrist in the Temple (maybe a Hologram). His demonic religious system will consist of people drawn from all the world’s religions. The False Prophet will argue in the name of “tolerance” that there are many roads to God, that God has revealed himself in religions like Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Animism, and the New Age Movement—to name only a few. He will tell people they can pray to whatever god they please as long as they accept the Antichrist as the ‘messiah’ of their god.
Using his ‘pulpit’, the False Prophet—who might end up being a Roman Catholic pope—will bring before the world a new mystery religion displaying many signs and miracles that will unite all the diverse religions on earth by worshipping the Antichrist. [ The “Mystery of Babylon” just might be the false religious system of the “Great Harlot” (God has always used a woman to represent the church) that deceives all the people of the world, and might even be ‘administered’ by the Vatican ].
“ONE WORLD” RELIGION
Religion will flourish during the first half of the Tribulation in the false religious system called “Babylon,” the great “Harlot.”
Revelation 17:9b may give us a clue about where the headquarters of the Harlot religion will be: “The seven heads are seven hills, on which the woman sits.” Rome has always been referred to as the city that was built on seven hills.
So the potential candidate for this would be the Roman Catholic Church—and if stays mostly intact after the Rapture, then this well-established worldwide religious institution could easily be embraced by humanity. It also purports to be the “one true Church.”
The Bible tells us that the Harlot will be an ‘apostate’ ecumenical church that will embrace all world religions (except for ‘biblical’ Christianity). [ Something Pope Francis has a strong focus on doing today ].
The Apostle John says that “she is the mother of all Harlots.” It just so happens that Catholicism considers the “Blessed Mary” to be the “mother” of the church, as well as a “co-redemptrix” (praying to her to intercede for one’s salvation). The many ‘apparitions’ of her worldwide, would also ’play well’ with many of the other religions in the world. (Mary is the most venerated woman in Catholicism, and is also highly regarded within Islam). Signs and wonders working in tandem with the existing doctrines, dogmas, and catechisms of Roman Catholicism could put billions into spiritual ‘bondage’.
John also describes her as a “women dunk with the blood of the saints” (Revelation 17:6). This could possibly be talking about Catholicism’s past inquisitions and general killing of those “saints” (believers) who opposed it [ Catholics have a bloody history of killing non-Catholic Christians (Protestants), who they deem heretics ].
So, for the first half of the Tribulation, the “prostitute” will reign unchallenged. The deception, Jesus tells us, will be so great that, if it were possible, even the elect would fall for it (Matthew 24:24). But, the Antichrist will see her as a challenge to his own power and program (Revelation 17:16-18).
Eventually, the Harlot will lose favor with the Antichrist, who will want to receive the world’s worship for himself (since he is now “King of the World”). He will not share the adoration of the world with the prophets and priests of the false religion, no matter how obsequious or fawning they may be. Once the Antichrist gains the world’s amazed attention by his miraculous return from the dead (Revelation 13:3, 12, 14), with the coalition of ten nations under his control, he will ‘destroy’ the one-world “Harlot” religious system and declare himself God, demanding to be worshiped.
In the times we live in now, ‘humanism’ has, more and more, been taking over the role that religion used to play. Mankind is more and more self-reliant, being governed by itself, rather than being led by God.
Now—and increasing until this time—the thinking for many people is that of a secular mindset, reasoning that religion is the primary ‘problem’ in the world—being the cause of all the trouble between people and the cause of all the wars.
It is not difficult to imagine that the Antichrist and False Prophet will ‘preach’ that all religions pretty much say that same thing, and the world needs just one religion—especially to throw off the ‘shackles’ of religions like Christianity, and become ‘liberated’ from its ‘repressive’ requirements. It is not difficult for me to imagine, because of the mindset today, that there would be a massive following for a person who proposes to do this then.
[ Note: In June 2023, St. Paul’s Church in Furth, Germany presented a church service that was generated by ChatGPT. Hmmm. (More details in the “Articles” section below. ]
THE ‘TRIBULATION’
The entire Tribulation period is a time of a variety of ‘problems’ that the whole world goes through, building to a ‘fever pitch’ at the midpoint, and then increasing in intensity for 3-1/2 years after that until Jesus returns to save a ‘remnant’ of Jews, rids the earth of Satan and his ‘allies’, and then takes everyone that have believed in Him into His 1,000-year reign called the “Millennium.”
[ VIDEO: “Israel and the Tribulation” – Amir Tsarfati:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0Y42ewSoVE ]
[ NOTE: The following ‘events’ are focused on what the Israelis and Jerusalem will go through in the ‘Tribulation’. There are a few other events that Christians will experience that are detailed in these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/final-tribulation-v246/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/mankinds-destiny-v247/ ].
So, there are a few ‘major’ reasons for the ENTIRE Tribulation period:
– To ‘conclude’ the times of the Gentiles
– To ‘evangelize’ the Jews; National conversion
– Bring about a worldwide ‘revival’
– To bring ‘judgment’ upon the world
– To ‘purge’ the Jewish people
– To bring to an ‘end’ to Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet
– To make an ‘end’ to sin
– To ‘seal up’ prophecy
– To ‘anoint’ Jesus as King
Specifically, the Bible characterizes the problems as “judgments.” The first ‘set’ are called the “Seal” judgments:
– Antichrist arrives on the scene
– Great warfare breaks out
– Great famines
– One-fourth of the population are killed
– The martyrs are translated into Heaven
– Devastating earthquakes and unusual astronomical phenomena occur
– Silence in Heaven for half an hour (just before the next ‘set’ of judgments)
Then, there are the “Trumpet” judgments:
– One-third of the world’s vegetation is consumed
– One-third of the seas will become blood, a third of the ships sink, and one-third of the ocean life dies
– One-third of the freshwater worldwide becomes bitter and many people die
– One-third of the day becomes dark and three angels announce three coming “Woes”
– A plague of demonic locusts attack the unbeliever for five months
– Another onslaught of a supernatural ‘army’ (200M) kills one-third of humanity
– Heaven is ‘opened’ and a severe hailstorm and earthquake happen
Now, in addition to going through all the ‘general’ judgments noted above, the Jews will be doing a variety of ‘specific’ things. Starting at the beginning of the first half of the Tribulation period, they will be:
– Converting the weapons of the Gog and Magog invaders into energy. As mentioned this will take seven years and this campaign should be well underway, likely beginning at least 3-1/2 years prior to the beginning of the Tribulation period.
– Burying the corpses of the Gog and Magog invaders in the future city of “Hamonah,” probably a territory that Israel does not yet possess. This will take seven months.
– Gaining world renown for their military might and natural resources
– Constructing the third Temple, restarting animal sacrifices, and reinstating the Mosaic Law
OVERFLOWING ‘SCOURGE’
The Bible speaks about a “scourge”—that comes in two phases—that overtakes the earth and concerns Israel. It, most likely, motivates Israel to become a signatory in the false covenant that triggers the start of the seven-year Tribulation period.
Another probable thinking of Israel’s leaders is the belief that all this will hasten the coming of the Messiah and, in turn, the beginning of the glorious Messianic Kingdom age. [ However, the prophet Isaiah warns that the covenant will be short-lived: “Your covenant with Death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not last” – Isaiah 28:18a ].
They probably also sign the treaty so as not to be the next ‘victim’ of the “Mystery, Babylon” Harlot world religion (a global world religion – Revelation 17)—which will probably not be too tolerant of religions related to the God of the Bible. So, they do this to ‘appease’ her temporarily since, in their estimation, once the Messiah comes, He will eliminate the pagan Harlot religion altogether.
ANTICHRIST’S ‘COVENANT’ WITH ISRAEL
The Antichrist will seize upon people’s desperate need to rebuild something better from the rubble left behind from the “Gog and Magog” war, and his mastery of diplomacy will be put to speedy use around the world.
He will enter into a ‘covenant’ with Israel for seven years. (This accord will actually be a confirmation of God’s covenant with Abraham that Israel would always have a homeland in the Promised Land – Genesis 15:18). Since Israel will be operating from a position of extreme ‘empowerment’, this treaty probably will not have anything to do with stopping Palestinian terrorism (since they essentially ‘wiped them out’). The Antichrist puts this accord forward in an attempt to neutralize the stature of the Jewish people and their God, who has once again made His holy name known throughout the nation of Israel (Ezekiel 38:16-39:7).
Primarily, the Israelites will want the treaty for the ‘unrestricted’ ability to rebuild the third Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount and to, once again, perform animal sacrifices. Since most of the Muslim countries that would oppose something like this were most likely decimated in the “Psalm 83” and “Gog and Magog” wars, this will probably not be much of an issue. Some estimate that it would only take three to four months to complete the Temple (since it looks like EVERYTHING—just waiting on the Red Heifers testing for gray hairs—is ready as of this month).
144,000 ‘EVANGELISTS’
Since the Church will be absent (because they were raptured), God will “seal” (divinely protect) 144,000 Jewish, Apostle-Paul-type Jewish evangelists for special ‘evangelistic’ service throughout the seven-year period of the Tribulation preaching Yeshua (Jesus) as the Jewish Messiah (Revelation 14:1-4). Supernaturally, God is going to preserve them through the entire Tribulation period, and their work WILL yield a ‘mighty’ HARVEST of souls (Revelation 7:9-14).
The 144,000 come from the 12 ancestral tribes—12,000 from each tribe. Now, during my research of this, I came across something fascinating, and it just reinforced, for me, another example of how I think the Bible is God-inspired.
Back in Jesus’ time, naming a child was very important, and it was intended to illustrate the kind of person they would be when they grew up. Well, the following is the order the 12 tribes are given in Revelation 7:5-8 to make up the 144,000 ‘evangelists’ that would be preaching the Gospel during the Tribulation, and the meaning of their name:
Judah = I will praise the Lord
Reuben = He is looked on me
Gad = Given good fortune
Asher = Happy am I
Naphtali = My wrestling
Manasseh = Making me to forget
Simeon = God hears me
Levi – Attached to me
Issachar = Purchased me
Zebulun = Dwelling
Joseph = God will add to me
Benjamin = Son of his right hand
Now what’s fascinating about this is that if you take these twelve names and line up the meanings of their names the way they’re given in this verse, this is what it says:
“I will praise the Lord for He has looked on me and given good fortune. Happy am I, because of my wrestling, God is making me to forget. God hears me and is attached to me. He has purchased me a dwelling and will add to me the Son of His right hand.”
Now, isn’t that amazing?! The odds that those names would create a coherent sentence are astronomical, but then add in that when one associates Jesus with the “son,” it becomes the whole story of salvation, the story of redemption! TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE! BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL!! DEFINITELY, GOD INSPIRED!!!
THE TWO ‘WITNESSES’
The two witnesses arrived on the scene just after the “false covenant” (treaty) was confirmed by the Antichrist between Israel and another party (probably the Harlot world religion). The timing and placement of their arrival seem to be strategic—kind of a ‘rebuttal’ to the ‘dangerous’ covenant between Israel and the Harlot.
The two witnesses will preach from the Temple Mount in the city of Jerusalem for the first 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation period. They will call the world to repentance, warning that God’s final outpouring of judgment is coming, and that eternal Hell will follow for those who do not repent and place their faith in Jesus.
Their identity has been a matter of great speculation (Possibly Elijah, Enoch, or Moses). If they are Moses and Elijah, they would also be able to point out some things that related to their past ministries.
Moses would be able to stand before the Jewish Temple and explain to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah, and that their reinstated animal sacrifices and the Third Temple were not going to be able to atone for their national sins, nor usher in the coming of the Messiah.
Elijah, on the other hand, would be able to point out the errors of the Harlot of Roman Catholicism (the idolatrous, false religion “Queen of Heaven” character “Jezebel” mentioned in the letter to the Church a Thyatira, which might just be represented by the “Virgin Mary” – Revelation 2:20), is killing believers (in Revelation 17:6) just like Jezebel did during his time (1 Kings 18:4).
A further thematic connection between Jezebel and the Catholic Virgin Mary is ‘goddess’ worship. Believe it or not, the “Queen of Heaven” of Roman Catholicism (the Virgin Mary) is very much like a goddess to the millions of people who visit her shrines worldwide—and they come from all faiths and religions! Jezebel, a personal devotee to the goddess Asherah (for fertility), during the time of Elijah, funded 400 prophets to ‘serve’ her. Elijah could sound the ‘alarm’ about the false Roman Catholic ‘goddess’ in the End Times, since he did the same thing about Jezebel’s pagan goddess Asherah.
At the end of their ministry, when the two witnesses have said all they need to say, the Antichrist will kill them, and their bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for 3-1/2 days and will be refused burial (The refusal to bury a corpse was, in biblical times, the greatest possible insult to a Jewish person – Psalm 79:2-3).
The people of the earth will rejoice and will “give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets” (Revelation 11:10). However, something amazing will happen. The lifeless corpses suddenly stand up, full view of the Internet feeds, and God calls these witnesses up to Heaven in the sight of everyone (Revelation 11:12). The whole world will surmise that the Antichrist’s murderous activities have just been overruled by the ‘real’ God.
Think of it, the earth will be so evil that people will rejoice over the death of these two righteous men. HOWEVER, they will be suddenly resurrected and caught up to Heaven before the eyes of all mankind as the world watches on ‘Television’/Internet. At that point, God ‘shakes’ Jerusalem with a terrible earthquake in retribution, and seven thousand people are killed in the survivors are terrified. Some of the inhabitants are so terrified that they turn their hearts to God.
BUILDING OF THE ‘THIRD TEMPLE’
So then why do the Jews want to build a third Temple? Well, to them, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was never simply a building or structure, but an earthly ‘dwelling place’ for the divine presence of God.
Rabbi Moses Maimonides, a medieval Jewish philosopher and Torah scholar, said that the Temple has eternal significance. He wrote in Hilchos Bais HaBechirah (The Laws of God’s Chosen House) that the Temple had two primary purposes:
– To reveal to mankind the divine presence of God, which dwelt above the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant
– To facilitate the offering of the required sacrifices
So, since the destruction of the second Temple in AD 70, the Jewish people now worship the God of Israel in their local community synagogues and in the study of Torah. In addition to that, the Jewish people can no longer offer sacrifices. In fact, 202 out of the 613 Mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah cannot be performed without a Temple.
The Jews believe that when the Holy Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, the ‘soul’ of creation departed, and the world became a shell of its former self. This is all because of the Shechina, the divine Presence that shines forth from the Holy Temple and illuminates the whole world with the knowledge of God, became hidden.
Jews—and many other non-Jews—believe that Mount Moriah in Jerusalem is the center of the universe, the place where God chose to connect all of creation with one another.
The Jews believe that it is the Holy Temple that enables all of humanity to engage in a direct, dynamic relationship with God, and provides the opportunity for every individual to rise to our greatest potential. The prophet Haggai said that “In this place I will grant peace” [ Haggai 2:9 ], and the prophet Isaiah stated that “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations” [ Isaiah 56:7 ].
The Torah clearly states that “You shall make for Me a sanctuary—it’s a ‘mitzvah’
to build the Temple, and the great Maimonides enumerates it as one of the eternally-binding ‘commandments’.
However, primarily, the Jews believe that when they build the third Temple, the Messiah (Jesus) will return to earth to make this world into the place that it was meant to be.
[ VIDEO: “Holy Temple Myth Busters” – The Temple Institute:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E66BgO-9eGU ]
THE ‘GREAT’ TRIBULATION
The second half of the Tribulation will be especially intense. Jews living during that time will find life and survival extremely difficult. In fact, it will be Satan persecuting the Jews ‘through’ the Antichrist (Revelation 12:12).
‘ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION’
Essentially, at the midpoint of the Tribulation period, the “Abomination of Desolation” begins the “Great Tribulation” period.
The first of these events will be the stopping of the animal sacrifices by the Jews in the Temple. The prophet Daniel foretells this event, “Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate” [ Daniel 11:31 ].
The Antichrist will explain that the sacrifices are no longer needed because he is the Messiah and God. Then he will sit in the Temple, blaspheme the God of the Bible, and claim to be god (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Apparently, the Antichrist will not only defile the Temple, but he may also make it the permanent ‘throne’ from which he rules (2 Thessalonians 2:4) for a time.
Even more insulting to the Jewish people, the Antichrist will erect an image of himself in a ‘wing’ of the Temple. This is the “image of the Beast” that everyone will be required to worship in order to receive their ‘Mark’ of loyalty (the “Mark of the Beast,” which is also required to buy or sell anything). Every person alive will be required, under penalty of death, to worship the Antichrist, or at the very least, bow before the image of their new ‘god’, that will be set up in the Jewish Temple. [ i.e. like King Nebuchadnezzar did with his “golden statue” (Daniel 3:1-15) ].
The Jews, of course, will be horrified by these actions, and they will revolt.
This is the single most important ‘sign’ that the Tribulation will then have given way to the “Great Tribulation,” and there will now be 3-1/2 years of the most horrendous affliction to have ever descended on the world. It will tremendously worsen the already-severe persecutions—similar to the difference between “labor” and “hard labor” when a woman is having a baby.
When the Antichrist claims to be god, things will ‘turn south’ rapidly for the Jews who are living in Jerusalem. Jesus pointed out how bad things will be and how the Jews in the city will need to flee for their lives (Matthew 24:15-21). In other words, when these horrific circumstances begin to unfold, Jesus urges the Jews living in Jerusalem at that time to forget about their personal belongings and get out of town with the utmost haste. Time spent Gathering things might mean the difference between life and death. Then, from this point forward, the distress for the Jewish people will ‘ESCALATE’ DRAMATICALLY (Jeremiah 30:7).
As a result of this invasion, the Antichrist will “pitch the tenants of his Royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain” [ Daniel 11:45 ]. This describes the Antichrist’s setting up a military and political base in Jerusalem—between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea—and particularly on the Temple Mount (“the Beautiful Holy Mountain”). It is possible that Jerusalem becomes the political and religious center of his rule and the place from which the False Prophet issues and enforces the “Mark of the Beast” as a sign of allegiance to the Antichrist’s government and godhood (Revelation 13: 16-17).
This will also commence the persecution of the Jewish people (Isaiah 66:5-6; Matthew 24:16-22) that will characterize the remainder of the Tribulation. However, on the other hand, it will begin an underground resistance to the Antichrist policies by a dedicated band of Jewish rebels whose main objective may be to retake the Temple Mount (Zechariah 12:8-13:2; 14:4).
JEWISH ‘REMNANT’ STARTS TO FLEE
The Antichrist’s extermination campaign prompts many Jews to flee, “into the wilderness” to a special place where they will be protected and nourished by God for the last half of the Tribulation. Daniel indicates the location of the wilderness safe place where the Jews will flee. He states that the Antichrist will conquer all of the Middle East except Edom, Moab, and Ammon. These are areas that are all included in modern-day Jordan (the area the Israelites annexed in the “Psalm 83” war). The wilderness hideaway in Jordan is likely to be the remarkable box-canyon city of Petra (Bozrah). It is a city whose buildings are carved out of the walls of the surrounding canyon. In its heyday, about 400 years before Jesus, it contained a population of tens of thousands.
JEWISH ‘GENOCIDE’
Satan has an insane hatred for the Jews. He hates them with a passion. He hates them because they are the chosen people of God. He hates them because through them God gave the world the Scriptures. He hates them because through them God gave the world the Messiah. He hates them because God has promised, over and over and over in His Word, that one day He is going to bring a great remnant of the Jews to salvation in Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah. Satan wants to destroy the Jews so that God cannot keep that promise!
So, the focus of the Antichrist’s slaughter will shift from the Gentile nations to the Jewish people. He will pick up where Hitler left off with a maniacal attempt to annihilate the Jewish people from the face of the earth. (This is one of the reasons that Jesus referred to the last half of the Tribulation as the “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21). Not because this half will be ‘worse’ than the first half, but because the wrath of Satan will be focused on the Jews.)
Even though the Antichrist will be very successful in his war against the Jews [ the Bible indicates that two-thirds of the Jewish people will be killed by the Antichrist during this time (Zechariah 13:8) ], however, he will fail in his ultimate goal of ‘totally’ annihilating all the Jews. The Scriptures repeatedly tell of a great remnant of the Jews will live to the end of the Tribulation at which time they will receive Jesus (Yeshua) as their Messiah (Isaiah 10:20-23; Zechariah 12:10; Romans 9:27-28; and Romans 11:25-26).
Pastor David Jeremiah, in his book “Agents of the Apocalypse,” suggests that “The Devil hates Israel because, from a biological perspective, Christ came from this nation. Satan wants to destroy Israel, its people, and home when the Messiah returns to earth and establishes his promised Kingdom” [ Re: Matthew 2:16 ].
In his perverted thinking, Satan may be reasoning that if he can destroy the Jews then he can prevent the Second Coming of Jesus and save himself from defeat, since Jesus said He will come again only when the Jewish people are endangered at Armageddon and cry out for deliverance from Him as their divine Messiah (Zechariah 12:10).
Now, even though God will preserve a remnant of Jews through this persecution, this should not be taken to mean that virtually all Jews will survive, for they will not. “In the whole land,” declares the Lord, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God’” [ Zechariah 13:8-9 ].
God will progressively purge out the unbelievers among the Jews. Prophecy expert Thomas Ice said, “Like the metallurgist, will use the fire of the tribulation to purge out the unfaithful.”
[ Note: In view of his utter failure to destroy the Jews, an infuriated Satan will then resort to war against a ‘related’ group, Christians, who are the spiritual offspring of the ‘woman’ Israel (Galatians 3:29). ]
It is no wonder that Isaiah says, “The earth will reel to and fro like a drunkard and totter like a shack” [ Isaiah 24:20 ]. During the last half of the Tribulation, the havoc that will be wrought by this satanic trio will be so great that the earth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled. Jesus emphasized the horrendous nature of this period by stating that if it were not cut short by God, no one would be left alive!
So, you have Satan behind the scenes ‘pulling the springs’ of the Antichrist (the false political leader), who is, in turn, directing the False Prophet (false religious leader) to deceive the entire world.
This apparently corresponds to the coming time of Satan’s wrath when “he knows that his time is short!” (Revelation 12:12-17).
“BOWL” JUDGMENTS
So, finally, the third ‘set’ of judgments is instituted, which are called the “Bowl” judgments:
– A plague of festering sores is targeted at those who took the Mark of the Beast, committing themselves to the Antichrist
– Every living thing in the ocean dies.
– All the rivers and freshwater springs are turned to blood and ‘die’.
– The sun is allowed to scorch people with fire
– Pain and suffering intensify, and the people gnaw their tongues in agony
– The Euphrates River dies up and the kings of the East make their way to the final Middle East battle, and their destruction at Armageddon
– A final earthquake splits Jerusalem into three parts, the cities of the world collapse, and mountains disappear
The ‘Great’ Tribulation will be unleashed upon the Earth, and it’s not a pretty picture (Revelation 6-18). No one in their right mind will want to be around in those days! Plagues, famines, death, terror, and asteroids pounding the Earth will be so bad that, bring to Jesus, “Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short” [ Matthew 24:22 ].
“MARK OF THE BEAST” IMPLEMENTED
It is at this time that the Antichrist and the False Prophet will have total control of the world’s economy, and all commerce on a global scale—including the local level. The False Prophet will fully implement the economic system, known as the Mark of the Beast (Revelation 13:16-18).
The Greek word used for the ‘Mark’ is “charagma,” which means, “to engrave upon” or “stamp.” So, this ‘Mark’ might just be in the form of a ‘tattoo’—which no longer carries the ‘stigma’ that it once did in many cultures. (Many people today in the U.S. wouldn’t think twice about getting a tattoo in order to express support for something they truly believe in.)
This ‘Mark’ is essentially the ‘anti-Shema’ (the “Shema” is an ancient Jewish prayer of allegiance to God that’s found in the Book of Deuteronomy, that was ‘placed’ on the forehead and hand as a symbol of devoting all a Jews thoughts and actions to the one true God). But at this time, the Antichrist will demand everyone’s allegiance and he forces everyone to worship him.
Economic control will be used to force the citizens of the world to comply with the dictates of the one-world government and the one-world religion. The plan will be to give everyone on earth their own unique identification number that will be necessary to ‘function’ in society. If any individual does not submit, obey, and pledge allegiance to the Antichrist and his supreme authority, that person’s number will be invalidated and they will not be permitted to hold a job, buy food, or to ‘participate’ in any way in the global economy. The thing is, the technology required to pull this off is available today!
So this means that those people who accepted Jesus and became Christians after the Rapture will be forced to make a very difficult choice. Those who chose to worship the Antichrist may escape physical death, however, they will, in effect, be ‘selling’ their souls to the devil! “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name” [ Revelation 14:9-11 ]. Any person who expressed loyalty to the Antichrist and his cause will suffer the wrath of a holy and just God. The full force of God’s divine anger and unmitigated vengeance will be experienced by these people! (Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 25:15-16).
Even though the Antichrist presents that the ‘Mark’ is a choice—albeit a ‘choice’ with very grave consequences for not complying—his motive is primarily loyalty and worship—Satan’s goal from the beginning of time!
Indwelt by Satan now, the Antichrist will eagerly seek to kill the followers of his most despised enemy, God, and will work to ‘stamp out’ the spread of the Gospel during the Tribulation. It’s not in his interests to force the Mark on those who are loyal to the God of the Bible, and leave them alive to reach even one more should for Jesus.
JEWISH ‘REMNANT’ HIDES
The restoration of Israel will include the confession of Israel’s National sin (Leviticus 26:40-42; Jeremiah 3:11-18; Hosea 5:15), following which Israel will be saved, nearby fulfilling the Apostle Paul’s prophecy (Romans 11:25-27). In dire threat from the forces of the Antichrist at Armageddon, Israel will plead for their newly found Messiah to return and deliver them (they will “mourn for Him as for an only son” – Zechariah 12:10), at which point they’re Deliverance will surely come (Romans 10:13-14). Israel’s leaders will have finally realized that the reason the tribulation Has Fallen upon them—perhaps due to the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment of scripture, the testimony of the 144,000 evangelists, or the two witnesses.
[ Later, in the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will finally experience the full possession of the Promised Land and the reestablishment of the Davidic throne. It will be a time of physical and spiritual blessing, the basis of which is the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). ]
All this is to say that the prayers of the Jewish remnant will be answered! The Messiah will return personally to rescue His people from danger. The very same Jesus who ascended into heaven will come again at His second coming (Acts 1:9-11), and He will save his people!
Scripture reveals that Jesus will return first to the Mountain Wilderness of Bozrah/Petra, where the Jewish Remnant is endangered (Isaiah 34:1-7, 63:1-6; Habakkuk 3:3; Micah 2:12-13). They will not be endangered for long (Revelation 19:11-16).
This means that instant Deliverance will come to the Jewish remnant, and all who stand against Israel will be defeated. As mighty as the Antichrist will be during the tribulation period, and despite his claims to deity, in the face of Jesus he will be ‘easily’ slain by a word from his mouth (2 Thessalonians 2:8), and all the forces of the Antichrist will also be destroyed, from Bozrah/Petra all the way back to Jerusalem (Joel 3:12-13; Zechariah 14:12-15; Revelation 14:19-20)! Jesus will then victoriously Ascend to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:3-4).
Against all earthly odds, the Jewish ‘remnant’ will be rescued by their Divine Messiah, Jesus. Their blindness will finally be gone, forever! They will have the privilege of entering into Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom, where they will enjoy the Fulfillment of God’s ancient Covenant promises to Israel!
THE ‘CAMPAIGN’ OF ARMAGEDDON
The word “Armageddon” comes from the Hebrew word “Har-Magedone,” which means “Mount Megiddo” and has become synonymous with the future battle in which Jesus will intervene and destroy the armies of the Antichrist (Revelation 16:16; 20:1-3). There will be a multitude of people engaged in the battle of Armageddon, as all the nations gather together to fight against Jesus.
The exact location of the Valley of Armageddon is unclear because there is no mountain called Meggido. However, since “Har” can also mean hill, the most likely location is the hill country surrounding the plain of Meggido, some 60 miles north of Jerusalem. More than 200 battles have been fought in that region. The plain of Megiddo and the nearby plain of Esdraelon will be the focal point for the battle of Armageddon, which will rage the entire length of Israel as far south as the Edomite city of Bozrah (Isaiah 63:1). The Valley of Armageddon is also famous for two great victories in Israel’s history: Barak’s victory over the Canaanites (Judges 4:15) and Gideon’s victory over the Midianites (Judges 7). Armageddon was also the site for two great tragedies: the death of Saul and his sons (1 Samuel 31:8), and the death of King Josiah (2 Kings 23:29-30; 2 Chronicles 35:22).
Because of this history, the Valley of Armageddon became a symbol of the final conflict between God and the forces of evil. The word “Armageddon” only occurs in Revelation 16:16. It speaks of the kings who are loyal to the Antichrist gathering together for a final assault on Israel. At Armageddon “the cup filled with the wine of the fury of [God’s] wrath” (Revelation 16:19) will be delivered, and the Antichrist and his followers will be overthrown and defeated.
“Armageddon” has become a general term that refers to the end of the world, not exclusively to the battle that takes place in the plain of Megiddo. Napoleon is reported to have once commented that this site is perhaps the greatest battlefield he had ever witnessed.
However, in a sense, Armageddon is a ‘battle’ that really never takes place. There’s a common misconception that the Battle of Armageddon is executed as one large battle between good and evil—it’s actually a ‘label’ for a sum total of SEVERAL BATTLES (eight “stages”) that take place when Jesus returns. That’s why scholars call it a “Campaign” consisting of: the assembling of the armies; the destruction of Babylon; the fall of Jerusalem; the armies at Bozrah; the national regeneration of Israel; the Second Coming of Jesus; the battle of the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and the victory ascent upon the Mount of Olives.
ANTICHRIST ASSEMBLES HIS ‘ALLIES’ FOR WAR
When the Antichrist becomes absolutely insanely obsessed with destroying the Jews and the Saints, he will gather his armies, once and for all, to exterminate the Jews. Demonic spirits “go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty…And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon” [ Revelation 16:14, 16 ].
Related to the sixth Bowl judgment, the Euphrates River will be dried up, making it easier for the armies “of the east” to assemble—who are, as most theologians think, from the Orient, primarily from China (but it could be any county east of the Euphrates River). It is interpreted that there will be over 200 million (yes, with an “m”) “soldiers” that will come! (It is estimated that there were 25-30 million soldiers involved with the ‘entire’ Second World War). [ Scholars say that this might be human soldiers (although that would be a logistical ‘nightmare’), or because of recent technology, it could be drones or even ‘Chimeras’ ].
[ Note: Some scholars put forth the idea that just as the Antichrist seems to be completely victorious, he hears “rumors from the East and from the North” that deeply disturb him (Daniel 11:44; Revelation 16:12). He retreats with his armies to the area “between the seas” (corresponds to the “Valley of Armageddon”). This might be because the Antichrist has restricted the oil supply to the world—because his needs are so great, or has used so much for his wars—and the nations of the world are ‘starving’ for oil, and see an opportunity to rebel against him. However, when they get all their armies to the Euphrates River, their ‘focus’ is changed—probably by Satan himself—and they decide to combine with the Antichrist’s armies to exterminate the Jews. ]
COMMERCIAL ‘BABYLON’ IS DESTROYED
As was mentioned previously, the Antichrist will shift his headquarters from Jerusalem to Babylon, which will become the global commercial center—likely the control of all the oil fields in the Middle East (and all the money that they generate).
Ironically, as the Antichrist is assembling his armies to attack Jerusalem (in “stage one” of the Campaign), God will cause a military force to attack his headquarters in Babylon and utterly destroy it! (Jeremiah 50:13-14, 23-25, 40; Isaiah 13:19; Revelation 18:21). The invading army will be “from the north”—probably Syria with a reconstituted army from Russia. (Jeremiah 50:9, 41-42).
When this happens, the Antichrist will not be present in the city. He will be told of its destruction by messengers (Jeremiah 50:43; 51:31-32). He becomes all the more enraged.
‘FALL’ OF JERUSALEM
Motivated by a desire to destroy the people of God, the Antichrist will move his troops south to join an international coalition assembled to attack Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:1-3; 14:1). This will be the final campaign of the battles of Armageddon, and it appears to be focused on that eastern section of the city which includes the Temple Mount, where the Antichrist had early established his religious base (Daniel 11:45a).
From the description of the battle as recorded in Zechariah 12-14, it seems that the Jewish resistance will recover the eastern portion of the city and the Temple Mount (Zechariah 12:5-9; Micah 4:11-5:1), and they will lose the western half which will be exiled (Zechariah 14:2). The text is not explicit about which part of the city will be held by the Jewish remnant, most believe it will be eastern Jerusalem and the Temple Mount for a few reasons:
– Because of the presence of the temple, this area would be the most fiercely defended and laughed to fall
– The fact that the text mentions the part of the Mount of Olives that “is in front of Jerusalem on the east” directly across from the Temple Mount
– The Mount of Olives will be split in two and the two sides will move north
This east-west escape route would go directly from the eastern side of the city, and probably directly from the Temple Mount, across the Kidron Valley, and through the Mount of Olives toward the Judean desert. The only way to access this route would be from the eastern part of the city, so it seems reasonable that this is the area that would be in the possession of the Jewish remnant.
Still, another evidence that this battle may include the Temple Mount is implied by the contrast between the nations gathered against Jerusalem ‘for’ battle (Zechariah 14:16; Isaiah 2:2, 56:7). In the latter instance, the focus of ‘adoration’ is the Temple Mount. To complete the contrast, the former instance should have, is it focused, an ‘assault’ on the Temple Mount.
Jerusalem will fall and be ravaged in the face of this overwhelming attack force. The Antichrist armies will gain initial victory, however, as we will see, remnants will later attain ultimate victory through the direct intervention of their Messiah, Jesus.
As noted previously, Jews will exit Jerusalem—literally running for their lives. They will flee to the deserts and mountains, perhaps in the area of Bozrah/Petra, 80 miles south of Jerusalem.
Once Jerusalem is destroyed, the Antichrist will target the remnant of Jews. The Jews will sense impending doom about to descend upon them as the forces of the Antichrist gather in the rugged wilderness, poised to attack and annihilate them. They will be helpless, and, from an earthly perspective, will be utterly defenseless.
ANTICHRIST MOVES AGAINST ‘REMNANT’
If you recall, in the middle of the Tribulation, when the Antichrist ‘desolated’ the Temple, many Jews fled to the desert—perhaps in Bozrah/Petra—to escape the genocide (Matthew 24:15-31; Revelation 12:6, 14). Well, the Antichrist has not forgotten that, and now will go there to ‘finish the job’—to exterminate them. From an earthly perspective, even though is an easily defensible place, they are helpless and hopeless.
NATIONAL ‘REPENTANCE’ OF ISRAEL
When the troops are gathered at Armageddon, news of Israel will realize they have nowhere to turn but God to save them from extermination. They will do what many non-believers do in a life-and-death situation. They will cry out to God: “Save us! Send us the Messiah! He is our only hope!”
God WILL answer their prayers and the Messiah will appear in the clouds. To their shock and amazement, it will be Jesus:
“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory”
[ Matthew 24:30 ].
Israel’s leaders will have finally realized the reason why the Tribulation has fallen on them—perhaps because the Holy Spirit will enlighten their understanding of Scripture, or because of the testimony of the 140,000 Jewish evangelists or the memory of the two witnesses.
The remnant is acutely aware that their ‘days are numbered’. However, ‘miraculously’, the Jews’ spiritual blindness is now removed, and they ‘FINALLY’ call out to their Messiah, Jesus, and experience national regeneration! (Hosea 6:1-3; Joel 2:28-29; Leviticus 26:40-42; Jeremiah 3:11-18; Hosea 5:15). The Bible indicates that this collective repentance takes two days (Zechariah 12:2-13:1; Matthew 23:37-39; Isaiah 53:1-9), following which Israel will be saved, thereby for filling Paul’s prophecy in Romans 11:25-27.
When the Jews see it is Jesus, they will mourn differently. Yes, there will be great conviction of sin knowing that they and most of their forefathers rejected God’s son as Messiah for almost 2,000 years. However, mourning will be overpowered by God’s grace as they cry out for his mercy, while knowing they deserve his judgment. Amazingly, will show them His awesome grace:
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit[a] of grace and supplication. They will look on Me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son”
[ Zechariah 12:10 ].
There will be both individual and corporate mourning of the whole people group that has been so blessed and yet so hardened against God’s Son, Jesus:
“On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo”
[ Zechariah 12:11 ].
The Jews mourning over their sin and crying out for the grace of God will lead to a huge momentum change at Armageddon. It will shift from the Antichrist, an unstoppable force in destroying Israel, to Jesus, coming to save Israel from extermination. However, even more, He will come to save them from their sins.
God has NOT given up on His ‘chosen’ people, and He never will. He has great plans for Israel. In that Great Day of the Lord, all the world will see it. It will be God’s ultimate show of grace.
Just as Jesus’ First Coming was the turning point in all of history, His Second Coming will be the turning point in all of history for the Jews that He has come to save. It is one of the two big reasons Armageddon will be the climactic event in all of history.
JESUS’ ‘SECOND COMING’
The prayers of the Jewish remnant are answered!!! Jesus returns bodily to save them, and EVERYONE WILL KNOW!—obvious to everyone near and far (Revelation 19:11-16). [ “Apokalupsis” is the Greek word used to describe the Second Coming of Jesus. It carries the basic meaning of “revelation,” “visible disclosure,” “unveiling,” and “removing the cover” from something that is hidden ].
This is the moment the world has been waiting for since the beginning of time!!!
THE ‘KINGS OF THE EAST’
The Kings of the East appear to be among the first ‘grouping’ of kings to make their way to Armageddon for the final battle between the Antichrist and his armies against Jesus in, “that Great Day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:14). Upon arriving, they will rendezvous with all the other armies in order to kill the remaining one-third of the Jewish remnant.
EUPHRATES RIVER ‘DRIES UP’
It is interesting to note that God uses the sixth “Bowl” judgment so that the “Kings of the East” (China and several other Asian countries) can cross to do battle against Jesus with the Antichrist armies. The thing is, in light of the fact that this event happens when the supernatural and paranormal are the new normal, this might be attributed to the Antichrist—likely convincing the Kings of the East that they will be victorious in this upcoming battle.
FINAL “BOWL” JUDGEMENT
The seventh Bowl is the last and final judgment—the greatest and most severe weather that has ever hit our planet. There will be flashes of lightning and an earthquake so severe that, “no earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake” [ Revelation 16:18 ].
Giant hailstones, “each weighing about a hundred pounds” fall on the people. The sun and moon will be darkened. Islands are flooded, and mountains disappear. It literally wipes out entire cities!
As the earth shakes mightily beneath the feet of the Kings of the East’s armies and canon ball-sized hailstones are pummeling them from above, they muster up enough courage to complete their match to the Valley of Armageddon.
After dodging the barrage of heavenly-sent ‘bombs’, they discover that the earthquake they experienced was so mighty that many of the towns were reduced to rubble (Revelation 16:19). They continue on because many of the cities they came from have been destroyed. (Babylon is likely the location here called “the great city” that is split into three sections.) They “they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe” [ Revelation 16:21b ].
The thing is, God probably used this ‘judgment’ as the primary objective of getting all of these world armies in range to the Valley of Jehoshaphat:
“I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land”
[ Joel 3:2-3 ].
[ VIDEO: “The Valley of Jehosaphat: Where God Will Judge the Nations” – The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zb6qiYB5wU ]
With the outpouring of the seventh and final Bowl judgment, the wrath of God is complete: “It is finished!” [ Revelation 21:6b ]. HOWEVER, there are still some prophetic events to occur—the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and all the armies are wiped out!
THE ‘FINAL’ BATTLE ERUPTS
While the battle between the Messiah and the Antichrist will begin at Bozrah, it will apparently continue all the way back to the eastern walls of Jerusalem which overlook a section of the Kidron Valley, which is also known as the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
Among the very first casualties will be the Antichrist himself. Having ruled the world with great power and having spoken against the true Son of God, the counterfeit ‘son’ will be powerless before the True Son. “You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck” [ Habakkuk 3:13 ].
The simplicity with which Jesus will slay the Antichrist’s armies is INCREDIBLE! No weapons, guns, tanks, or bombs. Jesus MERELY ‘SPEAKS’ “with the breath of His mouth,” and they ALL ARE INSTANTLY ‘DESTROYED’!
VICTORY ‘ASCENT’ TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
After the actual fighting is completed, there will be a victory ‘ascent’ up the Mount of Olives by Jesus: “Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when He fights on a day of battle. On that day His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one-half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward” [ Zechariah 14:3-4 ].
75-DAY ‘INTERIM’
There is a 75-day ‘transition’ that separates the end of the Tribulation from the beginning of the “Millennium” (“milli” = 1,000; “annum” = years). During this brief interim, a number of significant events transpire:
– The Antichrist in the False Prophet will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20)
– Satan will also be ‘bound’ in the bottomless pit from this point until the very end of the Millennium (Revelation 20:1-3)
– The earth starts to be restored (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:10-13)
– The Old Testament Saints will be resurrected from the dead (Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2)
– The Saints who died during the Tribulation are resurrected from the dead (Revelation 20:4)
– The governmental structure of the Millennial Kingdom will probably be set up during this time (2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 20:4-6) [ Jerusalem will be the ‘headquarters’ for the global government during the Millennium. ]
– The Eternal Law will be established (Ezekiel 37:24)
– A covenant of everlasting peace will be given to the Jews (Ezekiel 37:26)
– The Abomination of Desolation will be taken down (Daniel 12:11)
As you can see, God IS NOT ‘done’ with the Jewish people, and WILL NOR ‘disappoint’ the Jewish descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by FULFILLING ‘EVERY’ last unfulfilled promise that He gave to their patriarchal fathers. God will fulfill all of His promises during the Millennium period.
After Jesus wins the war at Armageddon, the likely sequence of events regarding the return of the Jew to the Land might be:
– Jesus ascends up to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:3-4)
– Jesus establishes His throne in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 3:17)
– Jesus pours out the Spirit of grace upon the Jews (Ezekiel 36:27; Zechariah 12:10-14)
The national mourning will likely occur for the duration of the first 30 days of the Interval Period, because there is historical precedent for 30 days in the cases of Moses and Aaron (Deuteronomy 34:5-8).
So then, following this 75-day interval, Jesus will set up His Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20).
MILLENNIAL KINGDOM
The Jewish people will FINALLY GET what God had ‘PROMISED’ them way back when to their ‘father’ Abraham in the 1,000-year “Millennium” period:
“In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of His people”
[ Isaiah 11:11 ].
The first topics addressed will specifically focus on what the Jewish people will ‘experience’ during the onset of the Millennium Kingdom period—since it is primarily about them experiencing God’s long-ago promises.
FAITHFUL ‘REMNANT’ RETURNS TO ISRAEL
Having confined Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet, and also destroyed all the bad Kings and their armies, Jesus then focuses on restoring and repopulating the planet.
The process of repopulation appears to begin with the return of the Jews back to the homeland of Israel. The ‘remnant’ from Petra will leave that area (Edom) since it will be an uninhabitable wasteland during the Millennium (Isaiah 34:9-10).
Then, to facilitate the additional people (Genesis 22:17), some biblical scholars suggest that the Promised Land will increase in size from the current (2023) 8,500 square miles (about the size of New Jersey) to approximately 300,000 square miles (about as large as modern-day Turkey).
[ MAP: Promised Size Of Promised Land (Genesis 15:18-19) ]
Now, since the Millennium is not characterized by wars, it presupposes that most of the additional Arab territories will be ‘acquired’ prior to the Millennium (Isaiah 2:4, 19:16-18; Jeremiah 49:2; Obadiah 1:19-20), some of which would be gained because of the possible Psalm 83 War.
In addition to this, in the Millennium there will be MUCH longer lifespans, so the number of Jews could, over time, easily reach and/or exceed the populations of China or India (Genesis 22:17).
So, if these population and territory estimates, hypothesized above, are anywhere near accurate, the nation of Israel could turn out to be the most ‘densely’ populated country on the earth during the Millennium. (So, probably, the balance of the territory God promised the Jews will then be given to the Jews during the Millennium—probably on an as-needed basis.)
Then, an impending ‘boom’ in the Jewish population will precipitate the need for more than just an enlarged territory, but will also necessitate increased housing accommodations and food supplies—since the ruined cities from the wars will need to be ‘refreshed’. Well, the prophet Ezekiel says that when God restores the remnant of Israel, He will beautify the desolated areas in Israel and rebuild its ruined cities (Ezekiel 36:33-38). So, probably, in anticipation of the coming population boom, the restoration of the cities will likely happen early on in the Millennium (Amos 9:13-15).
In addition to that, the prophet Isaiah says that Israel will experience a tremendous increase in daylight, which will extend the growing season for food, increase the pastures for flocks, and even the time for tourism.
These and other things will make Israel a highly esteemed nation by the international community (Isaiah 49:22-23; Zephaniah 3:20), be a place where international laws will be established and where world political leaders will convene (Isaiah 2:3, 60:11), become the most popular destination for tourism and holy pilgrimages (Isaiah 2:2-4, 60:3-4; Zechariah 14:16), and will become, probably, the wealthiest nation on the planet by capitalizing on its abundant natural resources (Isaiah 60:5-11). [ Note: Experts estimate that the Dead Sea, with all its minerals, is probably the most valuable natural resource on the planet—more than all the oil in the Middle East! ]
RESURRECTION OF JEWISH ‘SAINTS’
For the returning Jews that might be mourning the loss of their loved ones that got killed by the Antichrist, they just may discover that, if they became believers in Jesus during the Tribulation, they will be ‘RESURRECTED’ to live in the Millennium period!
Now, possibly, these resurrected saints could be ‘matched up’ with their ancestral tribes and be ‘aligned’ by ancestry. What a FANTASTIC family reunion!
MILLENNIAL ‘GOVERNMENT’
Biblical scholar Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum summed up well what the Millennial government will be like:
“The Messianic Kingdom will be administered through an absolute monarchy with a definite chain of command and lines of authority. The absolute monarch will be the person of Jesus the Messiah. The delegated authority will be split into two branches: a Jewish branch of government and a Gentile branch, each intern having a chain of command.”
The Jewish branch of government will consist of Jesus as the monarch, King David as the ‘Prime Minister’, the 12 Apostles, many of the Old Testament judges, and the Jewish people (Psalm 72:8; Revelation 19:16b).
The headquarters location will be set up in accordance with the Davidic Covenant—the ancient city of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:4-5, 7:12-13; Isaiah 9:7, 16:5).
Jesus will rule with a “rod of iron.” Even though Jesus is identified as the “Prince of Peace,” this kind of peace apparently requires the skillful use of ‘force’ to maintain this peace among still sometimes ‘rebellious’ humans (Proverbs 22:15, 23:13-14, 29:15). The disciplinary instructions in these Proverbs passages find application because the ‘mortals’ that enter into the Millennium will still have a sin ‘nature’ (though substantially less since Satan and his demons are no longer about). However, they will pass this nature on to their offspring.
This “iron fist” policy will be the ‘backbone’ of Jesus’ global government. All those placed into political positions will be required to execute their duties in strict compliance with His laws. Just like God the Father, Jesus will judge righteously, perfectly, and will rebuke and chasten those He loves.
This ‘section’ opened with a quote from the scholar Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum so, fittingly, I will close with more of his insight. It sums up what the Jewish branch of government will look like in the Millennium:
“The chain of command in the Jewish branch of the government is from the Messianic King to David, to the Twelve Apostles, to the princes, to the judges and counselors, over all Israel, which will be serving as the head of the Gentiles. The rod of iron that will characterize the role of the government in the kingdom will be implemented through various fears and positions of authority.”
‘RESTORED’ JERUSALEM
The prophet Ezekiel appears to give us a foretaste of the ‘framework’ of what Jerusalem will look like in the Millennium (Ezekiel 40:2). It will be “beautiful” and elevated on a “mountain” on its “sides of the north (Ezekiel 48:1-2). Jesus’ throne will be there (Jeremiah 3:17), and the glory of God will ‘reside’ inside the Temple (Ezekiel 44:4).
Because of these new ‘features’, the restored Jerusalem will be given a new name: “THE LORD IS THERE” (Ezekiel 48:35b).
It will have a new ‘district’ that will be “compact together” (“tightly joined”) which will reside the Fourth Temple (Ezekiel 45:3), housing for the Temple priest and Levite ministers (Ezekiel 45:5, 48:10), and designated “sections” for King David (Ezekiel 45:7).
Even though, according to the prophet Isaiah, the city “shall be open continually,” according to the prophet Ezekiel, there will be 12 ‘gates’ that will bear the names of the 12 tribes of Israel—with 3 gates on each of the north, south, east, and west sides (kind of like the 12 pearly gates that will be a part of the eternal city of Jerusalem).
So, if there are gates, then there are ‘walls’. Ezekiel tells us that each side of the city will be “4,500 cubits,” which is about 6.750 feet or 1.28 miles. Now, even though these will be physical walls, Jesus will act as a “wall of fire” personally safeguarding any unprotected areas from unwanted intruders (Zechariah 2:1-5).
Zechariah tells us that Jerusalem will be called the “City of Truth, The Mountain of the Lord of Hosts, and the Holy Mountain.” It will be a marvelous sight for all spectators to behold!
So, Jerusalem will be the “center of the world” again during Jesus’ Millennial reign:
“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem”
[ Micah 4:1-2 ].
‘FOURTH TEMPLE’
The prophet Ezekiel mentions that there will be a final Temple—the fourth one—that “the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord” [ Ezekiel 43:5-7 ]. He also details the specific dimension and functions of this new Temple (Ezekiel 40:5-43:37).
[ PLAN VIEW: Millennial Temple Complex – M. J. Beattie ]
Now, the most important thing to note is that the Millennial sacrificial system WILL NOT be a reinstatement of the Mosaic system—since Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice has taken away sin and has caused the Mosaic law of sacrifices to be abolished (Hebrews 7-10).
Some suggest that the Millennial sacrifices will be a kind of Jewish ‘memorial’ for the awful price that Jesus had to pay for their salvation. The Temple system will thus allegedly function much like the Lord’s Supper does today for the Christian (1 Corinthians 11:25-26).
The sacrifices will also emphasize ‘commemorative’ aspects: A means of restoring fellowship for the Millennial saints, and a ritual cleansing for ritual uncleanness (Ezekiel 44:9).
Another explanation for the reinstituted sacrifices is that they are intended to remove ceremonial uncleanness and prevent defilement from polluting the purity of the Temple environment. So, the sacrifices will relate only to the removal of ritual impurities in the Temple as fallen-though-redeemed human beings remain on Earth.
Then, one of the ‘functional’ purposes for the Millennial sacrifices is to remind people of their need to receive Jesus as their means of receiving a ‘circumcised’ heart, since there will be people born during the Millennial period that will need to make their own personal decision to make Jesus their Savior.
MILLENNIAL ‘FEASTS’
The Millennial Feast will also be a bit different than the current ones, since they will serve as a means of ‘restoring fellowship’ for the Millennial saint.
The Feast of Tabernacles—also known as Sukkot—celebrates the reality that in the Millennium, God will dwell with His people. (The origin dates back to the time of the Hebrew exodus out of Egyptian captivity – Exodus 25:8-9.) Again, sadly, over time during the Millennium the saints’ descendants will have to be reminded that Jesus, God, is dwelling with them, so this will stay as an annual reminder—as it does today. The prophet Ezekiel mostly devotes a portion of his writings to tell us about the Millennial Feasts:
“‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In the first month on the first day you are to take a young bull without defect and purify the sanctuary. The priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the upper ledge of the altar and on the gateposts of the inner court. You are to do the same on the seventh day of the month for anyone who sins unintentionally or through ignorance; so you are to make atonement for the temple.
“‘In the first month on the fourteenth day you are to observe the Passover, a festival lasting seven days, during which you shall eat bread made without yeast. On that day the prince is to provide a bull as a sin offering for himself and for all the people of the land. Every day during the seven days of the festival he is to provide seven bulls and seven rams without defect as a burnt offering to the Lord, and a male goat for a sin offering. He is to provide as a grain offering an ephah for each bull and an ephah for each ram, along with a hin[q] of olive oil for each ephah.
“‘During the seven days of the festival, which begins in the seventh month on the fifteenth day, he is to make the same provision for sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings and oil”
[ Ezekiel 45:18-25 ].
JERUSALEM BECOMES THE ‘MOST IMPORTANT CITY’ IN THE WORLD
“In that day [at the beginning of the Millennium],” declares the LORD, ‘I will assemble the lame, and gather the outcasts, even those whom I have afflicted. I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcasts a strong nation, and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion [ the Temple Mount in Jerusalem ] from now on and forever.’”
Pastor and bible scholar John MacArthur explains the word “forever”: “The Hebrew term does not always mean ‘without end’, but signifies a long, indefinite period of time, the length of which is always determined by the context. Here it refers to the 1,000-year reign of Messiah on earth.”
Jerusalem in the Millennial kingdom will be greater in extent than King David’s or even King Solomon’s kingdoms, since the LORD will rule and reign over His people, from there, from that day forever.
‘GENERAL’ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MILLENNIUM
Imagine a time when there will be no more poverty, and every person will have all that their heart desires! Imagine that there will be no prisons, no hospitals, no mental institutions, no army bases, no gambling ‘dens’, no bars, no houses of ill repute, and no homes for the aged and the infirm. The wolf and the lamb, the calf and the lion, and a little child and the serpent will all play together! The implements of war will be relics of the past.
Longevity of life will return as in the days before the Flood of Noah. “No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed” [ Isaiah 65:20 ]. (That means that a normal lifespan will be multiple hundreds of years.) All who die during the Millennium will be resurrected at the end of the Millennium (Revelation 20:4-5) to face their ‘final’ judgment.
The Bible also reveals that all married couples will continue to have children throughout the Millennium. Now, even though the Millennium will involve the perfect government of Jesus, it will also include ‘fallen’ human beings. These people will give birth to babies and raise children, some of whom will not necessarily choose to follow Jesus. As long as they do not externally rebel against the government of Jesus, they are permitted to live during the Millennial Kingdom. But, all ‘outward’ rebellion will be stopped instantly.
The Bible also reveals that those who enter into the Millennial Kingdom will enjoy some very unique physical blessings:
– The ‘curse’ that the earth has been under since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden will be lifted. The earth itself will begin to bloom and blossom so that even the desert will no longer be parched and dry (Isaiah 35:1).
– There will be a blessed and enhanced environment (Isaiah 35:1-2)
– Rain and food will be plentiful (Isaiah 30:23-24)
– Animals will live in harmony with each other and with humans (Isaiah 11:6-9)
– Physical infirmities and illness will be removed (Isaiah 29:18; Isaiah 33:24)
– Prosperity will prevail, resulting in joy and gladness (Jeremiah 31:12-14)
– The earth will experience a great population explosion. Most likely, by the end of the Millennium, there will be more people on the face of the earth than ever before in the history of mankind.
The Bible then reveals that Jesus will institute a perfect government, and it will have these characteristics:
– It will be global (Psalm 2:6-9; Daniel 7:14)
– It will be centered in Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-4; Jeremiah 3:17)
– He will reign on the throne of David (Jeremiah 23:5-6)
– It will be perfect and effective (Isaiah 9:6-7)
– It will bring lasting global peace (Micah 4:3-4)
In short, Jesus’ government will yield an ideal ‘climate’ for living on Earth. He will succeed where all human governments have failed before!
There will also be great spiritual blessings during the Millennial Kingdom (Jeremiah 31:31-34):
– The Holy Spirit will be present, and will indwell all believers (Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 36:27; Ezekiel 37:14; Joel 2:28-29)
– Righteousness will prevail around the world (Isaiah 46:13; Isaiah 51:5; Isaiah 60:21)
– Obedience to Jesus will prevail (Psalm 22:27; Jeremiah 31:33)
– Holiness will prevail (Isaiah 35:8-10; Joel 3:17)
– Faithfulness will prevail (Psalm 85:10-11; Zachariah 8:3)
– All the world’s residents will worship Jesus (Zachariah 8:23)
– God’s presence will be made manifest (Ezekiel 37:27-28; Zachariah 2:10-13)
How AWESOME this will be!
HOWEVER, the thing is, the ‘heart’ of man is going to be no different during this Millennial period than it was before the Tribulation. Sin will be less because Satan and his demonic hoards will be restrained, but there will still be sin and rebellion in people’s hearts, because all humans are born with a sin nature. According to Jesus, the evil that is in the world comes from ‘within’ man. All Satan does is multiply it through temptation. In fact, that is one of the purposes of the Millennium. God is going to use the Millennium to prove that Satan’s ‘religion’, humanism, is ‘bankrupt’ when it purports that the way to change the world is to change society. Humanists take that position because they believe that evil is rooted in society. But the Word of God says that evil is rooted in the fallen nature of man, and that the only way to change the world is to change people’s ‘hearts’!
As the Millennium commences, the Temple has been built and the nations of the earth are coming there to worship the true God and Jesus there. Prosperity reigns in a paradise regained. The ‘Garden of Eden’ is back and it is worldwide! Poverty and injustice are unknown. Everyone has their heart’s desire. It will be an INCREDIBLE TIME!
The bloom of youth is on everyone’s cheek. Cemeteries are crumbling relics of the past and tears no longer flow! The “Golden Age” has dawned!
Jesus’ reign is righteous. Sin is visited with swift and certain judgment. It’s everything that you could never even imagine—BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS!
‘PEACE’ AT LAST
There is a day coming when Israel will no longer have to constantly be on high alert. A day is coming in which the term anti-Semitism will be relegated to ancient history. A day is coming in which the Jewish people will have complete peace and serenity. In that day, they will have turned to Jesus for salvation, entered into His Millennial Kingdom, and received the blessed covenant promises God made to them long ago. God is a promise keeper (Numbers 23:19; Joshua 23:14; 1 Kings 8:56), and is truly faithful!
In fact, these covenants will find their ultimate fulfillment in the future Millennial Kingdom over which Jesus Will personally rule. This Kingdom is a common theme throughout Scripture (Revelation 20:2-7; Isaiah 65:18-23; Ezekiel 34:25-29; Daniel 7:13-14; Micah 4:1-7; and Zephaniah 3:9-20).
[ FYI: For more details about the Millennial Kingdom, view these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/mankinds-destiny-v247/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/kingdoms-past-present-and-future-v262/ ]
Now, just to be clear about the ‘viewpoint’ I come from about the Millennium, I am a “pre-millennialist,” but there are two other interpretations: Amillennialism and post-millennialism.
An “Amillennialist” believes the Millennium on earth is NOT ‘LITERAL’, and Jesus is reigning in the spiritual realm right now. Amillennialists interpret Revelation’s prophecies about the Millennium as pure symbolism. They take all the promises given by God to Israel in the Old Testament and apply them to the New Testament Church.
The “Post-millennialist” view believes that Jesus is coming AFTER the 1,000 years of peace on the earth (the Rapture). The thing is, there are not many post-millennials around today since their theory about the world is getting better and better is rapidly being disapproved by the reality that our world is getting worse and worse (which is what the Bible teaches).
The “Pre-millennialist” then believes that Jesus must come BEFORE the Church can enjoy 1,000 years of peace on earth. Jesus will come in power (His Second Coming) and He will rule and reign from Jerusalem. God will give His nation Israel a second chance to repent, and they rise to political prominence.
[ In this day and age, the Pre-millennialist’s goal is to ‘prepare’ people for the Second Coming of Jesus by preaching the glorious saving Gospel. (Just one thing I’m trying to do with this post!) ].
[ FYI: For many more details about the Millennial Kingdom, click on the following link:
https://www.preceptaustin.org/the_millennium_3 ].
SATAN’S ‘FINAL’ REBELLION
Just when we think we are done with Satan—bound in the bottomless pit—he RETURNS! But, it is not a ‘jailbreak’—he is released by God. Satan is allowed to have one final ‘fling’. Why? It is God’s final ‘TEST’ of mankind (Revelation 20:7-9).
Satan’s violent hatred of God and Jesus will not be altered by his 1,000 years of imprisonment in the abyss! When he is released, he will immediately set out on his final act of rebellion (Revelation 9:20-21; 16:9; 16:11; 16:21).
By exposing the ‘seed’ of rebellion that is in people’s ‘hearts’, he will do this by persuading the nations to rebel against Jesus. At this point, you are probably wondering, “Why would people rebel after experiencing 1,000 years of peace, righteousness, and justice?” Well, just think about what it would be like to live under, “the rule of the rod of iron.” The ‘flesh’ wants all the pleasures of the world, drugs, gambling, illicit sex, and pornography, and Jesus will not ‘allow’ these things to happen. Any attempt to indulge in the ‘lusts’ of the flesh will be met with swift and sure justice. Violators would be tried before ‘perfect’ judges. There will be no appeal, because the judge’s decision will be perfect. So, people on the ‘surface’ will say, “We praise you, Jesus!,” but there will be seething rebellion in their ‘hearts’, and Satan is going to expose that rebellious spirit.
As was mentioned previously, though the initial inhabitants of the Millennial Kingdom were all ‘redeemed’, they still possessed a sinful human nature. As all parents have done since the Fall, they will pass that ‘corruption’ on to their offspring. Each successive generation throughout the Millennium will be made up of sinners in need of salvation, many will come to saving faith in Jesus. But, amazingly, despite the most moral society the world has ever known, many others will love their sin and reject Jesus (Romans 8:7). Even the utopian conditions of the Millennium will not change the sad reality of human depravity. As they did during Jesus’ incarnational presence on the earth (in the first century), sinners will refuse His grace and Lordship in these ‘final’ centuries.
So, Satan will rally the nations of the earth against Jesus: “When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison. He will go out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog. He will gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:7-8). Satan will move his forces against Jerusalem with a frenzied fervor.
‘FINAL’ REBELLION
Satan will collect the deceived nations from “the four corners of the earth” (Revelation 7:1; Isaiah 11:12). Rebels will come from all over the globe.
Amazingly, the number of rebels will be like the “sand of the seashore”—a figure of speech used in the Bible to describe a vast, uncountable multitude (Genesis 22:17). As mentioned previously, the ideal conditions of prosperity and peace that will prevail during the Millennium, coupled with the long life spans of its inhabitants, will lead to a massive population explosion. Vast numbers of those people will join Satan in his final act of rebellion against God.
The rebel forces will “come up on the broad plain of the earth and surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city” (Jerusalem).
Yet, like Armageddon 1,000 years earlier (Revelation 19:11-21), the “battle” will, in reality, be an ‘EXECUTION’. As the rebel forces move in for the attack, “fire will come down from heaven and consume them” (Revelation 20:9). They will be INSTANTLY EXTERMINATED! Satan’s forces will be physically killed, and their souls will go into the ‘realm’ of punishment, awaiting their final sentencing to eternal Hell (Revelation 20:11-15).
When God let Satan out of the bottomless pit, he was demonstrating to the world two great principles: Punishment is not the answer; Changing the environment is not the answer. It is the human ‘heart’ that must be changed, and that can be done only through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I read years ago that archeologists opened the tomb of one of the Egyptian pharaohs who had been dead for thousands of years. Inside the tomb, they found some grains of wheat, and decided to conduct an experiment.
They put those grains into the right environment with moisture in the warm sun. Those grains of wheat, that had been lying there for thousands of years, began to sprout! Isn’t that amazing?
Well, that is the same way it is with sin in the human ‘heart’. Our salvation is never from ‘within’ us because we only have the seeds of sin in our hearts. Our salvation can only come from ‘without’ (2 Corinthians 4:7)—Jesus.
So, many people may be asking at this point, “Will humanity ever say goodbye to sin?” Well, the answer is, “Yes,” when God abolishes Satan’s rule, his authority, and all of his power at the end of time (1 Corinthians 15:24-25)—and believers will be ‘perfected’ and incapable to sin!
SATAN ‘CAST’ INTO LAKE OF FIRE
The Devil, who deceived all of the Saints, will be “thrown into the Lake of Fire and brimstone.“ There he will join the Antichrist and the False Prophet, who, by that time, will have been in that place of torment for 1,000 years (Revelation 19:20).
Finally, all three persons of the satanic ‘trinity’—Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet—will suffer THEIR DIRE ‘DESTINY’. Now they all will receive their just do!
In addition to them, all demons who have ever served under Satan will all be thrown into the Lake of Fire: “The eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels” [ Matthew 25: 41 ].
[ A ‘GLORIOUS’ REMINDER: THE ‘NEW’ JERUSALEM ]
The FINAL, FINAL place for the repentant Jew will be the “New Jerusalem” enjoying INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP with the Trinity—God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit—forever!
After the 1,000-year Millennial Kingdom, the heavens and earth will pass away. God will remove all vestiges of sin and darkness from the previous creation. The world in which radical Muslims continued to attack the Jews will be replaced by a world in which there is perfect unity and love among all the redeemed, matter their Earthly ethnicity.
Today’s Jerusalem is always on high alert. She is surrounded by Arab and Muslim nations who would like to wipe her off the map. The threat is constant and never-ending. However, such will NEVER be the case again in the New Jerusalem!
Contrasting The Present Jerusalem With The New Jerusalem
There are some definite differences between today’s earthly Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem. Below are a few of the notable contrasts:
– In today’s Jerusalem there is a constant need for various structures to be rebuilt or repaired. No such repair will ever be necessary in the New Jerusalem
– Today’s Jerusalem is populated mostly by unbelieving Jews, throw some Believers in Jesus are also present. The New Jerusalem will be populated only by believers
– In today’s Jerusalem, there are some people who go hungry and thirsty. There will never be a sense of hunger or thirst in the New Jerusalem
– Today’s Jerusalem has much crime and rebellion. The New Jerusalem will have perfect righteousness and everyone will live in submission to the Divine King, Jesus
– In today’s Jerusalem there are many broken relationships among people. All relationships in the New Jerusalem will be perfect and loving.
– In today’s Jerusalem many people have various diseases. In the New Jerusalem, everyone will know perfect health.
– In today’s Jerusalem there are many graveyards. In the New Jerusalem death will be entirely foreign to everyone’s experience.
– In today’s Jerusalem, there are many attacks from without. The New Jerusalem will know perfect peace, and there will be no attacks from the outside.
There will be many other contrasts, but the point is obvious: Existence in the New Jerusalem will be completely unlike the Jews’—and Gentiles—experience on Earth. The redeemed Jews in the New Jerusalem will FINALLY be incredibly blessed!
[ FYI: For more details about the New Jerusalem as well as the New Heavens and New Earth, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/home-at-last-v290/ ].
C.S. Lewis, trying to explain how staggeringly unbelievable Heaven will be said, “Our ability to imagine what eternity will be like is like two infants in a womb talking about what they will be doing once they’re born and are 25 years old.”
The Apostle Paul said, that on earth we “see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” [ 1 Corinthians 13:12 ].
SO, ‘Heaven on Earth’ WILL EXIST SOMEDAY, and it will be ‘WAY’ MORE than anyone could EVEN ‘IMAGINE’! (Ephesians 3:20).
The “sixty-four dollar question” (from the 1948 CBS radio quiz show “Take It Or Leave It”) for you is: “Are ‘YOU’ SURE that you are going to ‘live’ in the New Heaven and on the New Earth?”
If not, you need to MAKE ‘SURE’… NOW!!!
WRAP-UP
The Bible is very clear: The world is headed toward a time when, in my words, “all hell will break loose on the face of the earth,” especially against Israel, and it will happen primarily around Jerusalem. HOWEVER, it has all been part of God’s ‘redemption’ plan for His ‘CHOSEN’ people, the Jews—who, with God’s help, have survived against incredible odds all these centuries.
[ FYI: For many details about Israel’s/Jerusalem’s history, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/why-jerusalem-v291/ ].
WHY IS ISRAEL ‘SPECIAL’?
So, why should anyone even pay ANY attention to Israel? Well, at the very least, as I have tried to show, it doesn’t seem that Israel is like ANY other nation on the planet. I’m thinking that it just might have to do with something ‘Sovereign’ at work!
The Bible says that there are tangible things that God is doing with Israel and the Jewish people that were meant to be a ‘sign’ to the world. The Jewish people are the only family that God of the Bible made an ‘everlasting’ “Covenant” with.
What is happening right now with the land of Israel was foretold by the prophet Ezekiel, when “My people Israel” return to the land (Ezekiel 36:8-12). We are watching a nation do things that no other nation has done before, and all of these are culminating in our day. They have been coming back to their land, they became a State” (in 1948), and they ‘resurrected’ their language and their heritage. Israel—with God’s help—has done some amazing things in recent times!
“Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the LORD, have spoken and will do it”
[ Ezekiel 36:36 ].
It seems that God is doing all this so that all the other nations will ‘look’ to Him—via Israel—before it’s TOO ‘LATE’ (the coming “Tribulation”):
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/final-tribulation-v246/ ).
Another possible reason why Israel is never far from the news headlines is that, in some mysterious way (as the Bible suggests), all the nations are being judged by the way they have ’treated’ Israel. In other words, all the nations on earth are ‘connected’ to Israel whether they know it or not (or even ‘like’ it).
God promised Abraham, the ‘father’ of Israel, that He would bless all those who blessed his nation, and curse all those who cursed Abraham’s “nation”:
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you”
[ Genesis 12:2-3 ].
Then, a bit later after Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem, He said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” [ Genesis 12:7b ].
It is surprising to many that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, all agree that God (or Allah) promised to give the land of Canaan to the children of Israel. Yes, they all ‘agree’ about this!
The Bible and the Koran, both call the Holy Land, the “Promised Land” because God promised to give it to the children of Israel. God made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the children of Israel that he would give the land of Canaan to them and their descendants. Remarkably, almost 4,000 years later, this land IS the modern-day State of Israel!
God then made Abram look all around in all directions, and said, “All the land that you see, I will give to you in your offspring, forever” [ Genesis 13:15 ]. This is clearly a promise for the land. Here, God is promising Abram and his descendants the land of Israel. It is upon this promise that the Jewish people have based their ownership of the land for thousands of years. Secondly, in this promise, we see that only the Jewish people have a claim to Israel.
[ Note: Years later, after Abraham died, God confirmed His Covenant directly with Isaac (Genesis 26:2-5) and then with Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15), and changes his name to “Israel.” He has 12 sons, who become the 12 tribes of Israel. ]
[ FYI: For more details about why Israel/Jerusalem are so ‘special’, view last month’s “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/why-jerusalem-v291/ ].
‘CHOSEN’ PEOPLE
God’s Word affirms that the Jews are God’s “chosen people”: “You are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession” [ Deuteronomy 7:6 ].
“Chosen people” is not a grant of superiority, but rather a charge of responsibility. It is an aspiration, not an adjective, and the phrase is precatory, not descriptive. God ordered Jews to be ‘role models’, to teach, by example, His existence and His active presence in the world, and on the stage of history, however, they have not always done what He had instructed them to do.
The fact that the Jews are God’s chosen people means that they have been held to a higher ‘standard’. From those who are given much, much is required (Luke 12:48), or as God said through one prophet, “You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins” [ Amos 3:2 ].
Israel’s responsibilities have included keeping and preserving the Law (Joshua 22:5); being “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6); and bringing “renown and praise and honor” to the Lord (Jeremiah 13:11). Their high calling is straight from the God who chose them out of all the nations of the earth.
The miraculous history of the Jews further demonstrates the everlasting nature of God’s Covenant with them. While other nations, people, groups, and civilizations have risen, fallen, and in some cases totally disappeared, the Jewish people have persisted, not only in their existence but, more importantly, in their distinct identity as God’s “chosen people.” The Jews can trace their existence back almost 4,000 years. No other group currently living in, or claiming of right to, the Holy Land even comes close to this. The ability of the Jews to defy the seemingly inevitable pattern of civilizations eventually dying out and disappearing speaks to the continuance of God’s covenant with the Jews!
The ultimate goal of God’s choice of the Jews as His chosen people was to produce the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would be the Savior of the world. Jesus had to come from some nation or people, so God chose Israel. God first promised the Savior/Messiah after Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3). Later, God specified that the Messiah would come from the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12). Later still, He narrowed the Messiah’s ancestry to the line of David (2 Samuel 7). Throughout their history, the people of Israel were aware of their “chosen” status before God (see 1 Kings 3:8; 8:53; Psalm 105:43; Isaiah 43:4; 65:9; and Amos 3:2). The fact that God has an eternal future for Israel is evident in that five-sixths of the Bible bears directly or indirectly upon them—Jesus being the central figure who brought the Jews and Gentiles together (Ephesians 2:14).
Now, even though Israel has ‘disobeyed’ many times—and was punished for those times—God will never ‘fully’ reject them (Leviticus 26:44-45). In short, God will never abandon His chosen people no matter what they do—but it’s going to be ‘costly’ for them. [ Again, that’s what the “Great Tribulation” is all about. ]
So, the last ‘chapter’ of this long and turbulent ‘romance’ has yet to be written. This is why Israel is VERY ‘SPECIAL’ to God and why He is “very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion” [ Zechariah 1:14; 8:2a ]. Zechariah continues by saying that God “will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My house will be rebuilt” [ Zechariah 1:16b ].
Now, God will finally finish ‘dealing’ with His chosen people and give to them everything He promised them originally.
SATAN ‘HATES’ ISRAEL/JERUSALEM
Satan hates God with all of his being since he became so impressed with his own beauty, intelligence, power, influence, and position that he began to desire the glory and honor that belonged to God alone. God said “No.”
The ‘created’ angel of God—called Lucifer (“the star of the morning”)—then lost his exalted position by God ‘casting’ him out of Heaven onto Earth, and he became Satan (“the accuser”) in the form of a serpent:
“How you are fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit”
[ Isaiah 14:12-15 ].
Then, since God is perfect and ‘untouchable’, Satan goes after God’s ‘children’, and especially His “chosen people”:
“For you [Israelites] are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth”
[ Deuteronomy 7:6 ].
God continues by saying:
“It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers”
[ Deuteronomy 7:7-8a ].
The fact that the Jews are God’s chosen people means that they have been held to a higher ‘standard’: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” [ Luke 12:48b ], and as God said through the prophet Amos, “You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins” [ Amos 3:2 ].
Israel’s responsibilities have included keeping and preserving the Law (Joshua 22:5); being “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6), and bringing “renown and praise and honor” to God (Jeremiah 13:11). Their high calling is straight from the God who chose them out of all the nations of the earth.
Now, the ‘ultimate’ goal of God’s choice of the Jews as His chosen people was to produce the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would be the Savior of the world—and JESUS is what Satan HATES!
So, for thousands of years, Satan has demonstrated an intense and insatiable ‘fervor’ to COMPLETELY ‘ELIMINATE’ the Jewish people.
THE ‘DECEPTION’ OF SATAN
Satan’s strategies have been successful in keeping the Jews from embracing their Messiah. It is no accident that Israel’s capital city, Jerusalem, is back in the hands of the Jewish people, where Jesus said he would come when the Jewish people, at last, will cry out to him, “Baruch haba b’Shem Adonai” (“Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” – Matthew 23:38-39; Luke 13:35).
The ‘blindness’, we are told, must come off their eyes for all Israel to be saved:
“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins’”
[ Romans 11:25-27 ].
Satan failed miserably the first time Jesus came. Jesus’ crucifixion was a ‘setback’ for him, yet he remains on the loose and active, bringing deception, murder, and violence to prevent Jesus from returning. In fact, Jesus remains in the heavens until the restoration of all things:
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets”
[ Acts 3:19-21 ].
If you have eyes to see, you will understand that the ‘backbone’ of the whole end-time scenario—the spinal cord, if you will—is the Jewish people. To Satan, they are the ‘jugular’ and Satan believes that cutting off the jugular leads to the death of God’s redemptive plan. Israel’s demise is the last piece of the puzzle. It serves as a ‘gulf’ in the state of mind that cannot be bridged.
From the first century until now, Satan’s primary ‘target’ has been Israel and the Jewish people. He knows that when Jesus the Redeemer returns for His own, he will fulfill God’s covenant promises to Abraham, and Satan will be destroyed!
If you understand this, you know what to look for in the last days. When you understand what Satan is trying to do—and why—then you can fast-forward to the book of Revelation, identify Satan’s targets and understand how he thinks. He is in the final battle to preserve his life. He is compelled to keep Jesus from coming back and making Genesis 3:15 from happening.
Yet, all of Satan’s efforts to destroy the Jewish people—through Cain, the Canaanites, Pharaoh, Haman, Herod, the Romans, the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, Hitler, and now Iran’s leaders—have failed and will continue to fail. For God’s laws are higher and greater than all others. His Word will always prevail. Israel WILL triumph!
Israel, the Promised Land, Jerusalem, and the Israelites will remain… forever!
IS GOD ‘FINISHED’ WITH THE JEWS?
God has preserved the Jewish people not only because of His love for the faithfulness to Abraham, but also because Israel plays a ‘VITAL’ ROLE in His plan for world redemption—which includes both the First and Second Comings of Jesus.
“‘The days are coming’, declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.’… ‘This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time’, declares the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest’, declares the Lord. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’”
God acknowledges here that, although the people of Israel have been rebellious and sinful, He will never ‘reject’ them. In essence, He is saying, “I have the right to reject the Jewish people because of all they have done, but I will not… ever! Instead, I will give them a new and better covenant.”
Jesus declared that “They [Jerusalem] will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” [ Luke 21:24 ]. This is exactly what happened during the Six-Day War in 1967. After almost 2,000 years of Gentile occupation and control, Jerusalem came back under Jewish control. This was a ‘DIRECT’ FULFILLMENT of Bible prophecy and marked a ‘transition point’ in biblical history. It has signaled the end of the time of the Gentiles, and a return to God’s promised restoration of Israel.
THE TIME TO ‘FAVOR’ ZION HAS COME
One of the most important points is that there is a ‘’direct’ connection between the salvation of Israel and the return of Jesus to this earth. In fact, the turning of the Jewish people to Jesus and embracing Him as their Messiah and the fulfillment of God’s promise that all Israel will “know me, from the least to the greatest” (Jeremiah 31:34) is probably the greatest single sign that we are truly in the Last Days. This seems to indicate that JESUS IS ‘SOON’ TO RETURN. However, the Jewish people MUST recognize and embrace Jesus as Messiah for them to make it into the Millennium.
The “fullness” referred to in Romans 11:25 is about time. Just as God had an appointed time to ‘pour out’ the Holy Spirit over 2,000 years ago (on Pentecost), He has a preordained, established time to fully ‘restore’ Israel as a nation to Himself by removing their ‘blindness’. Many believe THAT TIME IS UPON US NOW!
Since 1967, estimates say that there are more Jews who believe in Jesus than at any time since the first century! It looks like the ‘blindness’ of the Jewish people has begun to be removed. This perhaps is the clearest sign that we are in the last days and that the coming of Jesus is drawing near!
PROPHECIES STILL ‘NEED’ TO BE FULFILLED
Jesus’ First Coming clearly fulfilled the ancient prophecies that depicted the Messiah would be rejected and suffer for the sake of His people. However, there are a few other ancient prophecies that were not fulfilled and, for this reason, many Jews reject Jesus as Messiah. A few of those as-yet unfulfilled prophecies are:
– He did not bring world peace (Isaiah 2:1-4)
– The entire world did not acknowledge him is the one true God (Zechariah 14:9)
– The wolf does not lie down with the lamb (Isaiah 11:6-7)
– The lion does not eat straw like an ox (Isaiah 11:6-7)
– He did not destroy Israel’s enemies (Isaiah 29:4-6, 42:13).
These are just a few of the key messianic promises that rabbis use to deny the Messiahship of Jesus. Yet, a simple explanation lies in the New Testament: the Messiah WILL FULFILL fulfill all these prophecies and finally accomplish God’s ultimate plan for the redemption of the world when He RETURNS A ‘SECOND’ TIME.
Sadly, many Jews have abandoned the idea of a literal Messiah altogether. Instead, they now refer to a “Messianic Age,” which is nothing more than a euphemism for an ultimate, ‘UTOPIAN’ SOCIETY that will one day be brought about through a commitment to social justice and helping the needy. Now, these things are not necessarily bad, but they are NOT the ‘ultimate’ redemption that God has promised from the beginning.
WE ARE IN THE ‘LAST’ OF THE “LAST DAYS”
I am convinced from everything I see around me that we are in the FINAL ‘MINUTE’ preceding the return of Jesus to the earth. Israel and Jerusalem have been restored, God has been regathering His people into Israel, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed throughout ALL the nations of the world. The stage seems to be ‘set’!
[ FYI: For more details about humanity being in the last ‘minutes’ of existence (the “Doomsday Clock”), view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/final-tribulation-v246/ ].
Prophecies concerning the Last Days described terrible times ahead, and many certainly applied to the world we live in right now:
“There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people”
[ 2 Timothy 3:1-5 ].
In the Last Days, scoffers will stop and follow their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this coming that He promised? It’s been over 2,000 years and He has not returned!” (2 Peter 3:3-4; Matthew 24:9, 13-14). [ God is being ‘patient’ so that more come to know Him before the End Times ‘tribulations’ begin (2 Peter 3:9) ].
The thing is, a growing expectation of the soon-coming of Jesus is visible throughout the observant Jewish community, not only in Israel but in many other countries as well. Messianic excitement permeates the air. You can literally ‘feel’ it. However, what they do not yet ‘see’ is that the Messiah they are longing for will turn out to be Jesus! When He returns, He will fulfill all the remaining messianic prophecies not yet completed. He will bring true and lasting peace to the earth. Sadly, they do not see this yet, but they will—and I, as well as many many others, Believe this will happen VERY ‘SOON’!
THE ‘STAGE’ IS BEING SET
Again, it appears that we may very well be living in the day in which God’s promises to Israel will come to full and final fruition. Prophecy expert John Walvoord was confident that, “In the present world scene there are many indications pointing to the conclusion that the end of the age may soon be upon us. These prophecies related to Israel’s coming day of suffering and ultimate restoration may be destined for fulfillment in the present generation… Never before in the history of the world has there been a confluence of major evidence of preparation for the end.”
This “confluence of major evidence”—all related to the fulfillment of end-time prophecies, or the stage being set for their fulfillment—is impressive indeed. Today we are witnessing the following:
– A massive falling away from the faith
– Spread embracing of doctrinal error
– A profound moral decline
– A growing tolerance for all things evil
– A widespread outbreak of a variety of sexual sins and perversions
– The steady diminishing of religious freedom
– The ever-increasing Global persecution of God’s people
– Israel and Jerusalem being a relentless ‘sore spot’ for the world
– An ever-escalating conflict in the Middle East
– Tremendous efforts being made toward rebuilding the Jewish temple
– The stage being set for a massive invasion of Israel by Russia and Muslim nations
– The steady rise and influence of globalism
– Political and economic steps toward the establishment of the revived Roman Empire
– The emergence of a cashless society in preparation for the Antichrist’s control of the world economy during the Tribulation
Today, with all these things happening and all the Middle East issues, they seem to indicate that are ready to ‘boil over’—preliminary “birth pangs”—and possibly ‘pull in’ some other ‘outlying’ countries to be involved.
With Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine and threats to other neighbors kindling renewed Cold War fears, many scholars of eschatology are asking themselves, “Is this a signal for the development of the long-awaited ‘Magog’ coalition (Ezekiel 38)?”
Well, most scholars of biblical prophecy believe that the “Gog and Magog” invasion is NOT imminent. It doesn’t look like the Russians are coming anytime soon, since there are OTHER prophetic ‘developments’ that MUST OCCUR FIRST.
Israel must be “dwelling securely” (“Yashab Betach” – Ezekiel 38:8); “Dwelling without walls” (Ezekiel 38:11); A “nation at peace” in the Middle East (Ezekiel 38:11); One of the wealthiest nations in the world (Ezekiel 38:13); Having recently acquired a “great plunder” (Ezekiel 38:13); and is recognized as a sovereign nation internationally (Ezekiel 38:8). These are definitely not a reality today.
So then, if the stage is not set for the Ezekiel invasion, what needs to happen to ‘set the stage’ for this ‘Goliath’ event?
Well, in fulfillment of Ezekiel 37:10, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) needs to become an “exceedingly great army.” It so happens that the Bible says that they will achieve this title after they decisively defeat the Arab forces now surrounding them. Again, scholars are putting forth the idea that this is the conflict that is mentioned in Psalm 83.
Then freed from further Arab torment, Israel will bring down its walls, dwell securely, and resemble the “latter years” nation described in Ezekiel 38:8-13. Jews worldwide will make a massive “Aliyah” (immigration back to Israel), and the nation will expand its borders and exploit the resources of their defeated Arab foes.
Only then will Russia and Iran will look upon Israel as if it was a ripe ‘carrot’ dangling upon a string, and they will covet to have what they have. The Russians and Iranians will ‘lick their chops’ and assemble a nine-member coalition, and to invade Israel.
So you see, the current tiny nation of Israel isn’t that nation that Ezekiel 38 talks about, but it does seem that current events are ‘telling’, and all of this is ready to start unfolding.
Again, the End Times’ ‘hourglass’ made its final ‘flip’ back in 1948, when Israel become a nation again after a long and worldwide dispersion—and Israelites have been streaming back into Israel ever since! [ This is the ‘vision’ of the “dry bones in Ezekiel 37, when the Lord miraculously brings scattered bones back together. The chapter portrays Israel as becoming a living, breathing nation, seemingly brought together from the dead. ]
Now the ‘grains’ of sand are rapidly descending downward into the lower chamber. I, and many biblical scholars, believe that mankind is ‘racing’ toward the expiration date for this present earth! I am thinking that the ‘end of the age’ may be ‘SOON’ UPON US!
[ FYI: For more details about this ‘stage setting’, view these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/last-generation-v249/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/when-will-something-important-happen-v274/ ].
THE ‘CONVERGENCE’ OF END-TIME PROPHECIES
In this post, I focused most of my attention on all the trials and tribulations that Israel/Jerusalem will experience from today until they arrive in the New Jerusalem.
From a strictly human perspective, Israel’s and Jerusalem’s problems seem insurmountable. It seems as though things are ‘spinning out of control’ and it’s just a matter of time before Israel ‘goes up in flames’. However, God has other plans.
As biblical prophecy expert, Thomas Ice has said:
“If one looks at the contemporary situation relating to Israel, without the aid of the Bible, it appears hopeless for God’s covenant Nation. However, true reality takes into account the will and plan of God, which means that Israel will not be destroyed as a nation no matter how desperate their situation becomes… No matter how dark it may look for Israel, God will keep his promises to the only nation on planet Earth that he has made an everlasting Covenant with. No matter what happens to the modern nation of Israel in our day, we know that she will not be destroyed or pushed into the sea. The Lord God of Israel is in charge of history and he will keep his promise of salvation to his elect nation as they come to realize during the tribulation that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the stone which the builders rejected. The Jewish people will come to realize that it is only through their Messiah, Jesus, that their sins will be removed and they will be restored to a right relationship with God.”
The thing is, many more ‘signs’ that the Bible tells us to look for that will signal the Lord’s soon return—in addition to the ‘major’ ones I just mentioned—are ’converging’ today as never before. All of the different end times ‘signs’ are coming together for the first time ever—clearly indicating that we are living in the ‘season’ when Jesus will return to take all His believers, past and present, back with Him to the “place” He has prepared for them in His Father’s ‘house’ (John 14:2-3).
Jesus prophesied that the Jews would be dispersed from Jerusalem and be led captive among all the nations (Luke 21:24). But, then He added that one day they would return to re-occupy Jerusalem, and when that happens, the end-time events will occur that will lead to His return. The even more amazing thing about this is that the prophet Isaiah foretold of this 700+ years before Jesus lived: “In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth” [ Isaiah 11:11-12 ].
The worldwide regathering of the Jews began in ‘earnest’ at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1900, there were only 40,000 Jews in Palestine, but by the end of World War II, their number had risen to over 600,000. Today, there are more than 9.3 million (June 2023) in the Land who have come from all over the world. This means that there are now more Jews in Israel than were killed in the Holocaust. The prophet Jeremiah said twice that when history is completed, the Jewish people will look back and conclude that their worldwide regathering was a greater miracle than their deliverance from Egyptian captivity!
Intricately linked to their regathering is what most experts say is the end times’ “cornerstone’ prophecy”—a “great phenomenon” that happened just 70 years ago—the re-establishment of the State of Israel, which occurred on May 14, 1948.
Again, the prophet Isaiah tells of this, too: “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?” [ Isaiah 66:8 ]. Well, as we saw in 1948, yes it can!
Also, the fact that Israel has been ‘reborn’ in the EXACT SAME piece of real estate that it was scattered from 2,000+ years ago would be amazingly significant, but it’s even more so since the Bible says, “You know when this happens, this is going to begin the generation that’s going to see all these things come to pass” [ Matthew 24:34 ]. Even though there are a few interpretations of the word “generation” (“race,” the Jews or “sinful humanity”), most scholars think that it means that within the lifetimes of the actual people who are experiencing all of the end times ‘signs’ will experience His return.
In addition to returning to the Land, Ezekiel tells us that the physical land would go from desolation to bounty (“On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited” – Ezekiel 36:33-35). If you don’t know, Israel it is like a ‘garden’ over there today, with them being THE experts worldwide on soil reconditioning and water conservation.
Another amazing thing, that has never happened before is that the Hebrew language, which was ‘dead’ for over 1,800 years, has come back again (Zephaniah 3:9). The only known language to ever have been ‘resurrected’ and put into daily use!
This tiny nation (no bigger than New Jersey), so happens to be the ‘focus’ of world politics. All the nations of the world are coming against Israel over the issue of the control of the nation’s capital, the City of Jerusalem. Even though the United States has put its embassy there and is encouraging other nations to do the same, the Vatican wants the city to be put under its control, the United Nations wants it to be internationalized, the European Union is determined to divide it between the Arabs and the Jews, and the Arabs want all of it. Israel says it will never surrender any of it.
The thing is, this was also prophesied by Zechariah in 520 BC: “And it shall come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; and all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it” [ Zechariah 12:3 ].
These and many other signs that relate to Israel are really important, since the Jews are God’s prophetic ‘time clock’. What I mean by this is that the Bible often ties a prophesied future event with something that will happen to the Jews. The Bible instructs us to watch the Jews, and when a prophesied event concerning them occurs, then we can be sure that the next prophesied event will also occur.
Dr. David Reagan, of “Christ in Prophecy Ministries,” has come up with six categories that he says indicate that we are “living on borrowed time”:
– The Signs of Nature (Most intense earthquakes, storms, and famines in history)
– The Signs of Society (Increased humanism, materialism, hedonism, and sexual perversions)
– The Spiritual Signs (Increase in cults, false christs, heresies, skepticism, apostasy, and occultism)
– The Signs of World Politics (Increase in wars, and the desire of a global government)
– The Signs of Technology (Nuclear weapons, computers, and the Internet)
– The Signs of Israel (Returning to its land and becoming a State)
[ For all the details of Dr. Reagan’s thoughts on this, consider getting his book, “Living on Borrowed Time: The Imminent Return of Jesus,” or find “50 Reasons We Are in the End Times” in the “Resources” area of this previous post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/blessed-hope-v245/ ].
Add to all this the tremendous increase in the global economy in the past 30-40 years (which global government and global religion can’t be far behind) and the meteoric increase in technology (which the Bible prophesies all will happen in the last days), it really looks like we are in that final ‘season’ of this earth the ‘way’ it is now.
To me, it seems that the EVIDENCE IS ‘OVERWHELMING’. We are living in the days when all of these things have even been possible in the past 2,000 years, let alone actually happening concurrently. It seems to me that God is ‘shouting’ from the heavens, “Jesus is coming soon!”
‘SIGNS’ OF THE “END TIMES”
From the recent increase in the number and intensity of hurricanes and earthquakes to the rise of ISIS, Hamas, and Hezbollah, many people are asking whether these specific events are ‘signs’ of the End Times. Well, the short answer is that we really can’t be sure, but I—and MANY bible scholars—believe that we are in, at least, the “11th hour” (and the scientists that make the “Doomsday Clock” prediction say that it is the last “two minutes”).
Many years ago, Christian evangelist Billy Graham wrote, “We see the storm clouds gathering and events taking place that herald the second coming of Jesus Christ.”
So, the following list is from the video below that does a great job in discussing the top 10 ‘signs’ to look out for to determine if we are in the “last days”:
1: False Messiahs (Luke 21:8)
2: Wars (Luke 21:9-10)
3: Earthquakes (Matthew 24:7)
4: Famines (Mark 13:8)
5: Pestilences (Luke 21:11)
6: Fearful events (Luke 21:11)
7: Signs in the sky (Luke 21:11)
8: Persecution of Christians (Luke 21:12-19)
9: Jerusalem surrounded by armies (Luke 21:20-24)
10: Return of Jesus (Luke 21:25-29)
[ VIDEO: “How Do We Know That Jesus Is Coming Back Soon?” – Lamb & Lion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14S2X7FQ9h0 ]
Now, we cannot know the exact day and hour of Jesus’ return, and He stated this point-blank: “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” [ Matthew 24:36 ]. However, since the previous 10 signs—and many others Jesus provided throughout the Gospels—are happening more frequently and with increasing intensity, the believer can know that they are now living in the ‘season’ of His return! “Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door” [ Matthew 24:33 ].
THE ‘WRAP-UP’ OF GOD’S PLAN
In the Last Days, there will be a fulfillment of the great ‘outpouring’ spoken by the prophet Joel:
“I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days”
[ Joel 2:28-29 ].
The fulfillment of this first is one of Satan’s greatest fears, and he is working around the clock to try to prevent it from happening. He knows that the end result of life from the dead will result in his death sentence being carried out as prophesied in Genesis 3:15. He understands that the only way to keep this from being fulfilled is the ‘destruction’ of the Jewish people—which WILL NOT happen! Rather, there will be the “restoration of all things”:
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets”
[ Acts 3:19-21 ].
When Jesus returns, there will be a return to a Garden of Eden-like environment, a world that will operate as it was originally intended.
[ FYI: For more details about what it will be like in the future when God restores everything to the way He originally intended it, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/home-at-last-v290/ ].
Now, throughout the years, God has not forgotten the Jews whom he has chosen and loves so much. His grace will be lavishly poured out on them when Israel is surrounded and seemingly doomed on the day of Armageddon. When they cry out to God to send the Messiah to save them from extermination, He will not only do so, but through His grace, He will also lead the Jews of Israel to nationwide repentance and faith. This leads to VERY GOOD ‘NEWS’:
“And so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodlessness from Jacob. This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins’”
[ Romans 11:26-27 ].
All of Israel WILL BE ‘SAVED’. They will be saved when their Deliverer, Jesus the Messiah from Zion (Jerusalem), comes to bring judgment on the Antichrist and his followers. It will be the ‘CLIMACTIC’ MOMENT in all of history.
It will be ‘DOUBLY’ GOOD NEWS for Israel. The Jews will not only be saved physically from extinction, but they will also be saved spiritually: “He will remove ungodliness from Jacob” (Romans 11:26).
Jacob was the grandson of Abraham. He was a lying, scheming mama’s boy until he had an all-night ‘wrestling match’ with God—his ‘dark night of the soul’. After this encounter, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, from which the nation of Israel comes. Jacob represents sinful man—before his life is transformed by God’s grace and power. The Deliverer, Jesus, the Messiah, comes at this climactic moment of history to save the Jews, Jacob (now Israel), from their sin.
God’s new Covenant with these redeemed Jews at the end of the age will be the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy, “and their sin will be remembered no more” (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
They then will be ‘filled’ with the Holy Spirit. The law of God and their desire to please Him will be ‘written’ on their hearts, and they will then live in a way that is pleasing to Him.
At last, all that God had hoped for when He chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob WILL BE ‘REALIZED! It will be glorious. There will be rejoicing among all of God’s “chosen” people as never before!
Yes, ALL Jews are chosen by God but, sadly, MOST Jews have NOT ‘CHOSEN’ to embrace that calling! This has broken the ‘heart’ of God, as He has blessed the Jews with so much. Yet, like any father of a ‘prodigal child’, He still longs for them to come ‘home’ in repentant faith.
As one reads Jesus’ story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), it depicts how the father longed for him to come home. God’s love and longing—the ‘parent’ of prodigal Israel, WILL NOT STOP. This is why when all of Israel comes to repentant faith in Jesus as their Messiah, Savior, and Lord at the time of Armageddon, there will be REJOICING in Heaven AS NEVER BEFORE!
JERUSALEM ‘COUNTDOWN’
We live in a unique time in history. The prophecies of Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Isaiah—as well as other prophets—are literally coming to pass before our very eyes—in our day. This is something that believers even 100 years ago would not have been able to easily see—as it is now! Palestine was a desolate ‘bog’.
Only 150 years ago (in 1867), Mark Twain wrote about the currently fertile Jezreel Valley this way:
“There is not a solitary village throughout its whole extent-not for thirty miles in either direction. There are two or three small clusters of Bedouin tents, but not a single permanent habitation. One may ride ten miles hereabouts and not see ten human beings… Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes… desolate and unlovely.”
However, two millennia ago, the Apostle Paul declared that—being ‘inspired’ by the Holy Spirit—there will be a time in the future when “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26) and that God has a continuing purpose for His people, “who He foreknew.” Citing the prophet Isaiah, Paul looks forward to a day when “The deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is My Covenant with them when I take away their sins” [ Romans 11:26-27 ].
The ‘Deliverer’ Paul was talking about was Jesus. He said, previously to Paul’s writings, that He will return to His “own homeland” and to “His own people,” after the Great Tribulation. Then, at that time, they WILL ‘RECEIVE’ HIM, welcoming Him as their Messiah and proclaiming “Baruch haba b’shem Adonai” (“Blessed is He who comes in the name of Lord”).
Even further back, God set His love ‘on’ Israel more than 4,000 years ago when He told Abraham to “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you” [ Genesis 12:1 ]. Then, God gave him an extraordinary promise:
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you”
[ Genesis 12:2-3 ].
So, to protect and prosper God’s purpose for Abraham in the world, He promised to bless or curse the friends and enemies of Israel. That categorical commitment is still in force and has been witnessed across time from the ‘Prime Minister’ in Ahasuerus’ court, Haman, in the 4th century BC (the Book of Esther) to the 20th century’s Adolph Hitler—and many in between!
The thing is, God has placed NO ‘CONDITIONS’ on His promise to Abraham and His descendants. The land was an “everlasting possession” given in perpetuity to God’s people because, as the psalmist said:
“He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit’”
[ Psalm 105:8-11 ].
Now, even though Israel has ‘disobeyed’ many times—and was punished for those times—God will never ‘fully’ reject them (Leviticus 26:44-45). In short, God will never abandon His chosen people no matter what they do—but it’s going to be ‘costly’ for them. [ That’s what the “Great Tribulation” is all about, which will be discussed in more detail in the next month’s post. ]
The last ‘chapter’ of this long and turbulent ‘romance’ has yet to be written. This is why Israel is VERY ‘SPECIAL’ to God and why He is “very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion” [ Zechariah 1:14; 8:2a ]. Zechariah continues by saying that God “will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My house will be rebuilt” [ Zechariah 1:16b ].
So now, do YOU think Jerusalem is at all ‘SPECIAL’? If not, why not?
[ One suggestion from me would be to consider reading last month’s post, “‘Home’ At Last!!!”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/home-at-last-v290/ ].
‘RUNNING OUT’ OF TIME
Although Satan has failed miserably to thwart God’s plan to bring his redeemer into the world through the Jews, he will not surrender. The battle between good and evil is a fight to the finish… for the earth. Fully aware that his time is running out, satan continuously stops up his efforts to escape the ‘death’ sentence pronounced over him in the Garden (Genesis 3:15).
Well, I presented in the past two month’s posts, that Jerusalem WILL BE a believer’s final ‘Home’ for ETERNITY. The question is, are ‘YOU’ SURE that you are going to Heaven after you die, and live in a place the Bible calls the “New Jerusalem”?
[ VIDEO: “Welcome To The Celestial City” – “The Pilgrim’s Progress” movie (by RevelationMedia) ]
If YOU ARE NOT ‘SURE’, I strongly encourage you to MAKE ‘SURE’… NOW!!!
[ VIDEO: “How Can I Know FOR SURE That I Will Go To Heaven” ]
GOD’S IRREVOCABLE ‘PROMISES’
God is faithful to all His promises and to His Covenant people Israel. As we watch, with sadness, the events shaking the world, we know that the sovereign God of the Bible is still in control. He continues to work out His plans and purposes, drawing all people to Himself.
There are two key promises that I want to point out. Firstly, God made Abram look all around in all directions, and said, “All the land that you see, I will give to you in your offspring, forever” [ Genesis 13:15 ]. This is clearly a promise for the land. Here, God is promising Abram and his descendants the land of Israel. It is upon this promise in the coming Covenant that the Jewish people have based their ownership of the land for thousands of years.
Secondly, God promised that Abraham’s descendants would be as innumerable as the dust of the Earth. This refers not only to the Jewish people but also to the Christians who claim Abraham as their ‘spiritual’ Father. In this promise, we see that only the Jewish people have a claim to Israel.
God promised to regather the exiles from the four corners of the earth and He promised to reestablish Israel. It just took an awfully long time and people gave up and got ‘frustrated’ during the wait. However, what a great reminder this is for a believer to hold on to God’s promises and not give up! Though it may have lingered… wait for it… IT WILL CERTAINLY ‘COME’! [ Referring to the soon-coming Rapture of the Church. ]
As mentioned previously, the Bible explicitly outlines the territory that God gave the Jewish people. God Himself set the land apart for his people. He initiated an everlasting covenant relationship with Abraham, taking full responsibility for carrying out that Covenant. That Covenant was then passed down to Isaac, to Jacob, and ultimately to the entire nation under Moses at Mount Sinai. The Old Testament is a record of his faithfulness to the Jewish people, and keeping his promises despite their rebelliousness. This is an incredible gift that God gave to Israel and no one else!
The ‘Nature’ Of The Covenant
The Bible presents passage after passage showing that God’s Covenant with Abraham and the Israelites was an ‘EVERLASTING’ COVENANT. No timetable was included and there were no conditions or clauses that, if triggered, would end the Covenant.
“Forever” and “eternal” convey that this was not an ordinary agreement with ordinary terms, conditions, and time constraints, because God Himself took the sole responsibility for this Covenant, and neither party could break it. That means that there is absolutely no way for the covenant—or the Jews’ exclusive right to ownership of the holy land—to ever cease. The Jews retain this exclusive and eternal, right to this day, and into eternity!
The miraculous history of the Jews further demonstrates the everlasting nature of God’s Covenant with them. While other nations, people, groups, and civilizations have risen, fallen, and in some cases totally disappeared, the Jewish people have persisted, not only in their existence but, more importantly, in their distinct identity as God’s “chosen people.” The Jews can trace their existence back almost 4,000 years. No other group currently living in, or claiming of right to, the Holy Land even comes close to this. The ability of the Jews to defy the seemingly inevitable pattern of civilizations eventually dying out and disappearing speaks to the continuance of God’s covenant with the Jews!
Promise Being ‘Fulfilled’
Now, I do not claim to understand all of the ‘intricacies’ of all the issues fully, and I do not mean to insinuate that Israel does everything ‘right’ all of the time and that we should refrain from criticizing them when it does do wrong. However, for me, it is ‘uncanny’ that they have been around for 4,000+ years, conquered and reconquered many times over, occupied by foreign powers, have had many masters, have been ‘dispersed’ all over the world, have had rockets shot at them frequently, have had many terrorist attacks, have gone to war multiple times, have been overly restricted about how they can worship on their Temple Mount, and all the countries of the world think they can ‘boss’ them around all the time.
HOWEVER, even after all that—and more—they continue to be one of the world leaders in high-tech developments and medical advancements, and still send help, aid, and relief around the world when there is a disaster—even to their ‘enemies’! (They saved lives and send aid to Turkey and Syria in the wake of the recent earthquake.)
With all that ‘oppression’ all the time from so many people and nations worldwide, I’ve got to believe that it is the God of the Bible—Who promised that He would bring them back into the Land and bless them—that has their ‘back’ and is going to fulfill His promises to them:
“I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land… You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God”
[ Ezekiel 36:24, 28 ].
Now, that FINAL ‘BLESSING’—which is going to be PHENOMENAL—isn’t going to come without some angst. Israel is going to have to go through the soon-coming seven-year Tribulation to get that blessing—and it’s NOT going to be ‘pretty’!
NO NEED TO ‘FEAR’!
I believe that theologian Robert Lightner is correct when he says that, “When viewed from the perspective of Scripture, history is more than the recording of events of the past. Rather, what has happened in the past, what is happening now, and what will happen in the future is all evidence of the unfolding of the purposeful plan devised by the personal God of the Bible.” Lightner continued to say that “all the circumstances of life—past, present, and Future—fit into the Sovereign plan like pieces of a puzzle.”
The believer NEED NOT ‘FEAR’ what is coming upon the world. Jesus, speaking in the context of the prophetic future, instructed his followers: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me” [John 14:1 ].
So, don’t worry. Trust God. It’s God’s simple ‘recipe’ for the correct outlook in the end times.
[ FYI: For more details about being ‘fearless’, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/fearful-of-world-war-iii-v278/ ].
THE ‘HARVEST’ IS READY
At least for me, I am sensing that God’s plan for the redemption of Israel is going to be ‘FULFILLED’ REALLY SOON! So, time is short. Are you ready?
Pastor John MacArthur says, “While the Tribulation period will be a time of judgment, it will also be a time of unprecedented redemption for the Jews” (Revelation 7:14, 6:9-11, 20:4; Isaiah 11:10; Matthew 24:14).
King David admonished the people of Jerusalem to, “Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. Old Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces” [ Psalm 122:6-7 ].
So then, depending on what ‘kind’ of person you are—spiritually speaking (a believer or an unbeliever)—there are some things you can and should do.
BELIEVER (Gentile/Messianic Jew), THIS IS WHAT YOU ‘CAN’ DO!
We are barraged daily with skewed, biased reports and myriads of opinions about events in the Middle East from a variety of media outlets of all political persuasions—so, there are no easy answers. However, there are some biblical perspectives that a believer can look to if they want to ‘minister’ in this complex ‘situation’. They can become/stay informed about Israel, Jerusalem, and the ‘goings on’ in the Middle East; they can support Messianic ministries that are ‘on the ground’ in Israel and Jerusalem ministering and sharing the Gospel to the Jewish people; and they can “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6).
— Staying Informed
There are a variety of ‘reliable’ sources of information about what is happening in Israel, Jerusalem, and the Middle East. One that I have been using for a while is “All Israel News.” The editor-in-chief is Joel C. Rosenberg. He lives in Jerusalem, has been a Middle East analyst for years, is an Evangelical leader, is a best-selling author of non-fiction books that are ’thrillers’ that use the Middle East as a backdrop, and is the founder of “The Joshua Fund,” which is a non-profit organization that mobilizes Christians to “bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus” and provides humanitarian relief work in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and in Egypt.
All Israel News is a news and commentary site based in Jerusalem that is focused on Israel and the broader Middle East, bringing together in one place all of the most important events and trends in the region from a wide range of existing news sites, as well as providing fresh, original and exclusive reporting, polls, interviews and analysis.
The eyes of the nations are increasingly riveted on Israel and her Arab and Muslim neighbors, the Epicenter of the momentous events that are shaking our world and shaping our future.
Website: https://allisrael.com/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM6rYOOGwOY&t=9s
Rosenberg also is the Editor-in-chief for “All Arab News,” which is a news and commentary site focused on the Middle East and North Africa, bringing together in one place all of the most important events and trends in the region from a wide range of existing news sites, as well as providing fresh, original and exclusive reporting, polls, interviews and analysis.
The eyes of the nations are increasingly riveted on the Middle East and North Africa, the Epicenter of the momentous events that are shaking our world and shaping our future.
Website: https://allarab.news/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh0A5jGFO8k
— Support Messianic Ministeries
There are MANY really good ministries that ‘support’ Israel and the Jews with humanitarian aid for the ‘PRESENT’ time, which IS important. However, there are a bit less of them that can help the Jew for ‘ETERNITY’ by presenting the ‘true’ Gospel of Jesus Christ, that will ‘ATONE’ for the sins ONCE AND FOR ALL! (The feast of “Yom Kippur” is a ‘day’ of atonement that the Jew must go through every year for their sins.)
The following are the ones that I have been supporting for decades, after determining that their FIRST goal is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the Jewish people.
“Jews For Jesus”
They exist to support the Jewish person in exploring Jewish life with faith in Jesus. Many Jewish people have never heard that following Jesus is a viable and thriving expression of Jewish life.
They want Jews to have the opportunity to experience the spiritual richness they have found in being Jewish and following Jesus.
What They Do
In over a dozen cities around the world, our staff promotes Jewish faith in Jesus, facilitates Jewish community, and offers spiritual care and local services to support you on your spiritual journey.
– Promote Jewish Faith in Jesus
– Facilitate Jewish Community
– Provide Local Services
You can be Jewish and be for Jesus.
God Made You Jewish on Purpose
You are chosen to know the King of the Universe and to be a light that leads others to find Him. That is the calling that God gave to Abraham, Sarah, Moses, David, Esther, and so many of our ancestors: to know the Creator personally and to experience the peace and love that can only be found in Him.
Billions of people from different countries, cultures, and languages have discovered as followers of the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus), that close relationship with the God of Israel—the relationship promised to us in the Hebrew Scriptures.
But as Jewish people, sometimes we get the impression that Jesus isn’t supposed to be for us, or that in order to follow Jesus, we would have to abandon our Jewish heritage and identity. We’ve had those kinds of doubts ourselves, but when we dug in and investigated, we found that just the opposite was true.
Website: https://jewsforjesus.org/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/jewsforjesus
“Chosen People Ministries”
They exist…
to glorify God, proclaim the Gospel to the Jew first and also to the Gentile, and develop resources and programs to accomplish this task.
They place…
the worker above the work.
They are concerned with…
and promote the welfare of the Jewish community.
They are…
a board-governed organization whose ministry is planned and implemented by missionaries and supported by the administrative staff.
They are dependent on…
God’s provision for the Mission through the prayer and financial support of fellow believers.
The mission was founded in Brooklyn, New York in 1894 by Rabbi Leopold Cohn, a Hungarian Jewish immigrant with a zeal to share the knowledge of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah with God’s chosen people. Today, Chosen People Ministries serves in eighteen countries across the globe. Our outreach programs include evangelism and discipleship, Messianic Centers and congregations, equipping the local church for Jewish evangelism, digital evangelism through our Isaiah 53 Campaigns and I Found Shalom videos, and benevolence work. With your help, we will continue proclaiming the Good News through Jesus the Messiah to Jewish people around the world.
One of the challenges that the Jewish people have faced over the centuries is how to preserve our heritage while looking to the future. This may also sum up the goal of Chosen People Ministries. Although when compared to Jewish history, our more than 128-year-old existence seems a mere drop in the bucket of eternity, we must also look ahead—even as we act as responsible stewards of our traditions.
Fortunately, God has blessed us with a dedicated Board, a staff of seasoned servants of Messiah, and a contingent of young people, who add tremendous vitality and vision through which the entire Mission is energized. It seems that the Lord is honoring our commitment because our work is expanding at a rapid pace. We are finding that Jewish people across the globe are becoming more and more receptive to the Gospel as the Lord opens their hearts and minds to the life-giving message of Jesus the Messiah.
Our present growth is built upon the strong foundation established by the founders of Chosen People Ministries. In 1892, Rabbi Leopold Cohn, a recent immigrant to New York City from Hungary, was walking on the Lower East Side of Manhattan among thousands of other new Jewish immigrants when he heard a Jewish preacher proclaiming the Gospel in the Yiddish language. Rabbi Cohn stopped to speak with this man and eventually gave his heart to the Messiah. After receiving his theological training and leading his wife, Rose, to the Lord, Rabbi Cohn established the Brownsville Mission to the Jews. From these humble beginnings, Chosen People Ministries now serves the Jewish people all over the world.
I am grateful for our heritage. Yet I also am able to rejoice that in many ways, Chosen People Ministries is now more vital than ever. We have changed some of our means of communication—I like to joke that Rabbi Cohn probably did not have as effective a website as we do today—but in the midst of change and utilizing modern technology, we continue to hold fast to the rabbi’s vision of evangelizing and discipling Jewish people worldwide.
Our core doctrinal position has not changed in more than a century. We believe with all our hearts that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and that Jesus is the promised Messiah of Israel – and that the simple message of His death and resurrection has the power to transform the lives of Jews and Gentiles.
Our international headquarters is located in the heart of New York City. This also happens to be within half a mile of the United Nations and the headquarters of dozens of worldwide Jewish organizations. This is most fitting because it is our most fervent prayer to God—as it was the Apostle Paul’s—that Israel might be saved and fully realize its calling to be a “light unto the nations.”
We have a great heritage and a bright future because God is faithful! With your prayers and partnership, we hope to keep proclaiming the Gospel until we see Him face to face.
Website: https://www.chosenpeople.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ChosenPeopleUSA
“One For Israel”
They know there are many ways to bless Israel, but they believe… THE BEST WAY TO BLESS ISRAEL IS WITH JESUS
Established in 1990, One For Israel began as a Bible college and has since expanded to a multi-faceted ministry with the express goal of reaching Israelis with the Good News of Yeshua, training and equipping the Body of Messiah in Israel, and blessing our community with Yeshua’s love.
The story and ministry of One For Israel is part of something much larger—the miraculous restoration of the Jewish people and the miraculous unity between Jewish and Arab believers in Jesus.
We are seeing not only the physical restoration of Israel after a 2000-year exile, but a spiritual revolution is taking place right in front of our eyes. Jewish people are returning to their God and accepting the Messiah in numbers not seen since the early church! Not only that, but many Arab people are coming to the Lord and many Arab believers are finding a deep unity with their Jewish brothers and sisters.
One For Israel exists to do ministry within this miracle.
We are Jews and Arabs, together serving Messiah Jesus, sharing the Gospel with Israel and the world, making disciples, training leaders, and blessing our communities in the name of Yeshua.
Website: https://www.oneforisrael.org/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ONEFORISRAEL
“Behold Israel”
Behold Israel is a non-profit organization led by native Israeli Amir Tsarfati. Our mission is to provide reliable and accurate reporting on developments in Israel and the region. Amir’s live updates and teachings, based on God’s Written Word, sift out the truth on current events amidst global media bias against Israel.
Through our website, free app, social media, and Amir’s teachings in multiple languages, we are able to reach communities worldwide. His teachings abroad and in the land explain the central role of Israel in the Bible as a blessing to the nations and a way to bring them to the Word of God and the Messiah.
Telegram is the one-stop shop for daily updates from Amir related to current events in the Middle East and what’s taking place around the world. Furthermore, the latest ministry announcements and updates can also be found on this platform. To those of you who are not interested in downloading an app or don’t have access to a smartphone, for your convenience, you can choose to visit the URL by clicking the button below. We look forward to seeing you on Telegram!
Telegram: https://t.me/s/beholdisraelchannel
Website: https://beholdisrael.org/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/beholdisrael
— ‘Pray’ For The Peace Of Jerusalem
There will be no peace in the region or in our troubled world until the Prince of Peace establishes true peace. Most Christians are familiar with the exhortation, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6). But how do we pray? How can there ever be peace? The word for peace in Hebrew is shalom which means “to bring to completion or wholeness.” God has a plan for this Land and People that will come to pass. This plan ultimately points to the triumphant return of Yeshua (Jesus) to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. So, believers can pray for God’s plans to come to completion in this troubled region, and for the Jewish Messiah to be revealed in the hearts of Jews (and Arabs alike). Only then will true wholeness—true shalom—will be realized.
Dr. Gary Hedrick, President of the Messianic organization, “Christian Jew Foundation Ministries (CJFM),” suggests that there are seven reasons to pray for Jerusalem and the Jewish people:
– Because of the promise of God’s blessing
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper” [ Psalm 122:6 ]
– Because of our indebtedness to the Jewish people
“They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings” [ Romans 15:27 ].
– Because of their priority in God’s plan
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” [ Romans 1:16 ].
– Because of Israel’s need for spiritual illumination
“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in” [ Romans 11:25 ].
– Because it’s an investment that will yield future dividends
“I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew” [ Romans 11:1-2 ].
– Because of the resurgence of anti-Semitism in our generation
“It is sad to see that anti-Semitism is creeping into the Church—even the Evangelical Church, fundamental Christianity.”
– Because they are the key to God’s future blessings for the nations of the world
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you”
[ Genesis 12:2-3 ].
[ FYI: More details about each one of these reasons is available in Dr. Gary Hedrick’s book, “Why We Should Pray for Jerusalem and the Jews.” Book info is in the “Resources” area below. ]
Then, Hedrick suggests 10 reasons why the Christian should then go the ‘next step’ and take the Gospel to the Jewish people:
– Because we have all received knowledge of God and salvation from the Jewish people
“You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews” [ John 4:22 ].
– Because there is a blessing for those who bless the descendants of Abraham and a curse on those who curse them
“Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed’” [ Genesis 12:1-3 ].
– Because the Lord is jealous for Zion and angry with those who have persecuted the Jewish people
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I am zealous for Jerusalem And for Zion with great zeal. I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease; For I was a little angry, And they helped—but with evil intent” [ Zechariah 1:14-15 ].
– Because the priority of evangelism in the New Testament is to the Jewish people
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of [Messiah], for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Gentile) [ Romans 1:16 ].
– Because God’s heart is for their salvation
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved” [ Romans 10:1 ].
– Because God’s chosen method of reaching them is the preaching of the gospel.
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” [ Romans 10:14-15 ].
– Because the Jewish people are being restored to the land of Israel in fulfillment of Bible prophecy in preparation for their spiritual rebirth
“For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” [ Ezekiel 36:24-26 ].
– Because a time of great troubles lies ahead from which only the Messiah Jesus can bring salvation
“Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it” [ Jeremiah 30:7 ].
“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” [ Zechariah 12:10 ].
– Because these events are a sign that we are living in the last days of this age during which time God will move among Jewish people
“And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled… Then He (Jesus) spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near” [ Luke 21:24; 29-30 ].
– Because God’s purpose is to bring the elect remnant of Israel to salvation
“And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins’” [ Romans 11:26-27 ].
The existence of Israel from its beginning is truly a miracle, and the fact that Israel exists to this present day is a ‘testament’ to the Lord’s timeless promise.
These are but a few of the many reasons why the believer must ‘stand’ with their friends in Israel. They need us now more than ever—and we need them. Again, the believer is instructed to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” [ Psalm 122:6-7 ].
Praying is something EVERY ‘BELIEVER’ CAN DO—and SHOULD DO—on a daily basis! NOW, just ADD the JEWISH PEOPLE to your ‘list’!
UNBELIEVER, THIS IS WHAT YOU ‘NEED’ TO DO!
Understanding the prophetic events that will occur over the next several years is only part of the equation. It is good to recognize events we will face in the future, but WHAT ACTIONS should we take as a result of this knowledge? “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had an understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” [1 Chronicles 12:32 ].
Most people focus on the physical aspect of preparation. Commonly asked questions are: What can I invest in to guarantee my security? How much food should I store up? Should I move to a remote area and live off the land?
Well, the problem is, no one knows the complete answers to these questions. We have no idea what the economy will look like after the “Gog and Magog” war. It is impossible to judge the availability of food or access to shelter, electricity, and water.
However, whether it’s tomorrow or over the next few decades, SPIRITUAL PREPAREDNESS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ‘necessity’. Matthew 6:31-33 clearly tells us how to prepare, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?… But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
The best thing an individual can do to equip themselves for future events, and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, is to be BORN AGAIN! Jesus told Nicodemus that he wouldn’t see or enter the Kingdom of God unless he was “born again of the water and the Spirit” [ John 3:5b ].
Protestant preacher Allen Parr gave this analogy for why one should prepare and find out what is going to happen in the End Times:
“Well let me put it to you like this. One of the things that I love to do is I love to watch a good sporting event. And so often I’m not home to be able to watch it. So I record the event in hopes of being able to watch it later. And so I’m looking forward to getting home.
I don’t know who won. I’m looking forward to the suspense the thrill of a last-minute shot or a last-second game buzzer-beater or something like that. But every so often somebody spoils it for me and tells me who won the game before I actually get a chance to watch it. Now, on one hand, I‘m disappointed because I‘m robbed of the opportunity to see how this game actually played out. On the other hand, if my team won, I‘m happy, because that relieves all the stress, all the worry, all the doubt, and all the anxiety, that I would experience if I was watching that game. Well, in the same way, whenever you and I already know who wins in the end [ Jesus ], it can take away all sorts of anxiety in this life, whenever we’re facing different battles. Because we already know in the end who wins the war, that’s the reason why we want to study end-time events. It gives us assurance that we know that God is in control.”
The glorious, comforting truth is that those who humble themselves and accept God’s offer of salvation will find Him gracious. Fittingly, the last words of the Bible, “the grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen,” are an expression of God’s grace toward fallen humanity. The Lord of glory, as He promised in Scripture, offers Heaven to those who, in light of His certain return, accept His gracious invitation and return to Him.
So, get your spiritual ‘house’ in order TODAY! Repent of your sins, ask God for forgiveness, and then ‘turn away’ from those sins. Nothing on this earth is worth losing your soul for all eternity!
HUMANITY’S ULTIMATE ‘DESTINY’
I mentioned in the introduction paragraph that Israel—and Jerusalem specifically—will be experiencing much angst in the ‘NEAR’ FUTURE to finally achieve its prophesied ‘destiny’.
Well, in the larger ‘picture’, God’s ULTIMATE DESTINY for HUMANITY is the total SANCTIFICATION of everyone who will believe in Jesus (1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 John 3:2).
God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, has provided the ‘remedy’ for the sin we inherited, and this remedy is available to everyone: “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you” (Acts 13:38).
The mystery of evil and why God has allowed its reality with all of the suffering it causes may never be fully known in this world, but Scripture assures that evil is temporary. Once the culmination of God’s redemptive plan is complete, Jesus Christ will have destroyed the Devil’s work forever (1 John 3:8).
Some have wondered why God created beings who could sin. The thing is, the alternative would be to create beings unable to choose right and wrong. In that case, angels and humans would be like ‘robots’, unable to truly show love and affection to God. He could have either made sin impossible, or He could make beings free to choose, but He could not logically do both. So, without an ability to choose, no being can have a ‘meaningful’ relationship with God and there would never be a meaningful experience of His mercy, love, justice, and righteousness. The fullness of God’s nature and glory would not be on display.
The existence of sin is negative (Romans 6:23), but it is not the end of the story. Satan will ultimately be defeated. His end has been declared, and his evil will not continue forever (Revelation 20:7–10).
[ FYI: The following will give you an idea of how God will finally put an END TO EVIL!:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/final-tribulation-v246/ ].
JERUSALEM’S ‘DESTINY’!
Yes, Jerusalem is a part of ‘humanity’, HOWEVER, as I mentioned at the end of last month’s post, JERUSALEM IS KIND OF ‘SPECIAL’, in A FEW ways.
Jerusalem is a city with no ‘equal’ on earth. History has shown that Jerusalem has the uncanny ability to adapt and persevere regardless of the obstacle at hand.
[ VIDEO: “Why Is Jerusalem So Important?” – One For Israel ]
HOWEVER, for the Jewish people that do not have a ‘relationship’ with Jesus—who are not a “Messianic” Jew—there are times that they will go through in the ‘NEAR’ FUTURE that will be MANY TIMES more ‘horrific’ that the Holocaust!
Now, Israel has ‘disobeyed’ many times—over all the centuries since Abraham—and were ‘punished’ for those times. The thing is, God has not and will never fully ‘reject’ them (Leviticus 26:44-45). God will never abandon His ‘chosen’ people, but it is going to be ‘COSTLY’ for them during the soon-coming Tribulation period. TWO-THIRDS of them will be killed during the “Great Tribulation” for their UNBELIEF!
So, the last ‘chapter’ of this long and turbulent ‘romance’ between Israel and God is COMING ‘VERY’ SOON. Even though Israel is VERY ‘SPECIAL’ to God and He is “very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion” [ Zechariah 1:14; 8:2a ], He MUST ‘PUNISH’ UNBELIEF—whether that be the Jew OR the Gentile!
HOWEVER, being VERY merciful, God will save ONE-THIRD of the Jews (Zechariah 13:8).
[ VIDEO: “Israel and the Tribulation” – Amir Tsarfati:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0Y42ewSoVE&t=1859s ]
Messianic Jew, Amir Tsarfati says that the one-third of the Israelites that will be “brought through the fire” (of the Tribulation) “will be tested.” However, he then adds:
“In other words, only those that will choose life will eventually have life. And we know what life is. And now we are coming to the point where those whose name is written in the Book are now being saved and there is now a spiritual restoration.
“God wanted a relationship with Israel—Israel decided the religion, not a relationship.
“God told them: ‘I miss the days when we had relationship.’ And now after those seven terrible years, after this horrific, horrific Satanic persecution, they will see the hand of God. They will see the Messiah. They will understand. They will look at Him whom they pierced, and they will come back to Him, just as He asked them to. For a personal relationship—from a religion to relationship.
“Ezekiel said that after the physical restoration, ‘Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; And I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. And Then you shall dwell in the land’—Once again, the connection with the land—‘You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers and you shall be My people, and I will be your God.’” [ Ezekiel 36:25-28 ].
“Jeremiah chapter 31 says: ‘Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord’ [ Jeremiah 31:31-32 ].
“The Lord says: ‘I was a husband to Israel… Israel was a nation, like my wife, I brought them out of Egypt by hand, I took them’ But, that covenant, that Mosaic covenant was not enough, was not good enough, it was not the last one, it was a temporary one to show them their sinful nature.
“‘But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days’, says the Lord: ‘I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me’ [ Jeremiah 31:33-34c ].
“ALL of Israel will be saved at the very end and all of them will know Him…
“‘… from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar, The Lord of hosts is His name: “If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the Lord, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever’” [ Jeremiah 31:34d-36 ].
“Basically what God says, as long as the sun is here and the moon and the stars are there, Israel is a nation before Me, I will never leave them nor forsake them.
“And I want to conclude with that amazing verse of the prophet Malachi, Malʾaḫi. ‘For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob’ [ Malachi 3:6 ].
“As long as God is the same, His plans are the same, His heart is the same, His love is the same and He’s not changed.
“Some people say that God forgot about Israel. Some people said that the church has replaced Israel. If you say that, that means you say that God changed. You say that God is no longer the same God, because God says: ‘I am the Lord, I do not change.’
“And He says: ‘’Therefore, you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob’. You’re not done. You have hope and a future. Because I am the Lord God of Israel. “I love you… Just come back to Me… return to Me and I will return to you.’”
The Bible is very clear: The world is headed toward a time when, in my words, “all hell will break loose on the face of the earth,” especially against Israel, and it will happen primarily around Jerusalem. This great ‘climax’ is referred to as the “Apocalypse,” “Armageddon,” or the ‘FINAL’ “TRIBULATION.” When that occurs, where will you ‘be’ at that time? Will you be in Heaven with Jesus, or on earth with Satan?
As a BELIEVER, the GOOD ‘NEWS’ is that they WILL NOT have to experience the horror of the Tribulation. They are never told to watch for the Antichrist, rather they are told to look for Jesus—coming in the clouds to take them into Heaven via the “Rapture.”
Believers are assured that they will be “delivered from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). That is a ‘GLORIOUS’ PROMISE! That is why the Apostle Paul calls the Rapture the believer’s “Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:13). It is also the reason that he tells the believer to “comfort one another” with the promise of the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
HOWEVER, as an UNBELIEVER, you have NO ‘HOPE’ and you are going to ‘EXPERIENCE’ THE TRIBULATION, and may never get ‘through’ the entire seven-year period!
I pray that this ‘SCARED’ you, so you will get ‘PREPARED’!
[ For more details on the “Blessed Hope,” view this “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/blessed-hope-v245/ ].
Then again, God IS ‘ABUNDANTLY’ MERCIFUL and wants NO ONE TO ‘PERISH’! (2 Peter 3:9). But, He has offered ONLY ONE ‘WAY’ for that to happen: faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior to atone for your sins and be resurrected to life (Heaven) when you die!
IT IS CLEAR that the Bible presents that faith in Jesus is THE ONLY ‘WAY’ to God. So, what are you going to do with that information? What are you going to ‘do’ with Jesus?
[ FYI: For more details about Jesus being the ‘only way’ to Heaven, view these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/the-only-way-v253/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/two-choices-one-way-v254/ ].
Now, will you let the musings of humans carry more ‘weight’ than the ‘love letter’ of God (the Bible)? PLEASE DON’T! Take Jesus at His word. Repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus’ sacrifice for those sins. You will find that there is an ‘indescribable’ joy at comes from being set free from the penalty of sin!
So, again, what is your decision about Who Jesus really is? Well, it is THE MOST IMPORTANT question you will EVER ANSWER!!!
[ FYI: For more details on this “most important” decision you will ever make, consider reading this on my “The Search for Meaning” website:
http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q12_d1_1of10.html ].
So, the question is, are ‘YOU’ SURE that you are going to Heaven after you die, and live in a place the Bible calls the “New Jerusalem” for ALL ETERNITY?
If YOU ARE NOT ‘SURE’, I strongly encourage you to MAKE ‘SURE’… NOW!!!
I pray you will make this question about Jesus’ exclusivity of being the ONLY ‘WAY’ to God and Heaven your ONLY AMBITION until you answer it for yourself—whether JEW OR GENTILE—and DO SO with all the VORACITY you can muster!
Your ‘ETERNITY’ depends on it!
[ Excerpts by: Bryant Wright; Bill Salus; Mark Hitchcock; Ron Rhodes; Jonathan Bernis; John Ankerberg; Jimmy DeYoung; The Temple Institute; The Messianic Jewish Bible Society; Precept Austin; Bruce Hurt; Got Questions; Randall Price; Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries; Rabbi Chaim Richma; Dr. Mitch Glaser; Thomas Ice; Dr. David Reagan; Dr. Nathan Jones; Joel C. Rosenberg; All Israel News; All Arab News; Jews For Jesus; Chosen People Ministries; One For Israel; Behold Israel; Allen Parr; Dr. Gary Hedrick; Amir Tsarfati ]
RELATED POSTS:
“Why ‘Jerusalem’?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/why-jerusalem-v291/
“‘Home’ At Last!”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/home-at-last-v290/
“‘Heaven’ On Earth?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/heaven-on-earth-v289/
“There’s No Place Like ‘Home’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/theres-no-place-like-home-v288/
“Greatest ‘Fear’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/greatest-fear-v287/
“Preparing For The ‘Future’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/preparing-for-the-future-v286/
“‘HOW’ To Prepare To Meet Someone Important”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/how-to-prepare-to-meet-someone-important-v276/
“‘WHEN’ Will Something Important Happen”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/when-will-something-important-happen-v274/
“‘WHERE You Return To”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/where-you-return-to-v273/
“A Sense Of ‘Urgency’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/a-sense-of-urgency-v269/
“Mankind’s ‘Destiny’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/mankinds-destiny-v247/
“‘Final’ Tribulation”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/final-tribulation-v246/
“A ‘Place’ To Retire”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/a-place-to-retire-v221/
‘PRAYER’ OF REPENTANCE
In the Bible, there is a parable that Jesus told about a Pharisee and a tax collector praying the Temple. He notes that the tax collector didn’t even dare to lift his eyes toward Heaven as he prayed. Instead he “beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner’”—and Jesus said that the tax collector “went home justified,” he had been “born again” and ‘reconciled’ by God. (Luke 18:9-14).
If you are ‘sensing’ something like that right now, let me strongly encourage you to HUMBLE YOURSELF, CRY OUT to God, and PLEAD for Him to mercifully ‘SAVE’ YOU! None of us have a ‘claim’ on our salvation, nor do we have any ‘works’ that would cause us to deserve it or earn it—it is purely a gift of Divine grace—and all any of us can do is ask. So, CONFESS YOUR SINS and acknowledge to God that you have no hope for Heaven apart from what He provides through Jesus. [ See Psalm 51 ].
There is no ‘formula’ or certain words for this. So just talk to God, in your own words—He knows your ‘heart’. If you are genuinely sincere, and God does respond to your plea, one will usually have a sense of joy and peace.
Jesus said, “He that comes to Me, I will not cast out” [ John 6:37 ].
[ FYI: This is a great sermon on the “Call to Repentance” by John MacArthur from his book “The Gospel According to Jesus”: https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/90-22/the-call-to-repentance (Transcript: http://www.spiritedesign.com/TheCallToRepentance-JohnMacArthur(Jul-27-2019).pdf) ].
[ NOTE: If you have ‘tasted the kindness of the Lord’, please e-mail me—I would love to CELEBRATE with you, and help you get started on your ‘journey’ with Jesus! ].
<<< RESOURCES >>>
“Israel Under Fire: The Prophetic Chain of Events That Threatens the Middle East”
by John Ankerberg, Jimmy DeYoung, and Dillon Burroughs
Israel Under Fire has the key ingredients for readers who track today’s news, scriptural predictions, and Israel:
– Penetrating evaluation of Middle East events
– Expert understanding of Bible prophecy and end-times happenings
– Incisive Q-and-A with religious and political leaders such as Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli prime minister; Moshe Arens, three-time Israeli defense minister; and Adnan Husseini, Yasser Arafat’s cousin and Palestinian Authority spokesman
Ankerberg and DeYoung, co-host of Day of Discovery and noted prophecy expert, examine signs that point―now―toward apocalyptic conflict:
– Temple rebuilding: Jewish religious leaders plan it on a site still controlled by Islam.
– Threats to Israel: internally, a burgeoning Arab population; externally, instability from the Palestinians’ Hamas–Fatah split.
– Iran’s intentions: to “wipe Israel off the map”…possibly utilizing nuclear weapons.
Readers will gain unparalleled insight into the massive historical currents converging on Israel…and promising to generate inescapable consequences for the West.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0736925848/
“Israel Under Fire” (DVD)
by John Ankerberg, Jimmy DeYoung, and Dillon Burroughs
In 120 eye-opening minutes, apologist John Ankerberg and journalist Jimmy DeYoung document many signs that point—right now—toward apocalyptic conflict in the Middle East, including explosive issues such as
preparations for rebuilding the Jewish temple on one of Islams holiest place
external and internal threats to Israel from Palestinian Arabs
Irans nuclear capability and intention to wipe Israel off the map
Adding to the visual impact is incisive Q-and-A footage with figures such as Israeli politicians Benjamin Netanyahu and Moshe Arens and Palestinian Authority spokesman Adnan Husseini. Conversations with numerous rabbis, religious leaders, and other guests round out some of the most exclusive video available on current Middle East spiritualpolitical issues.
The Israel Under Fire DVD offers viewers unmatched insight into the events now being generated by peoples, alliances, and religions—events that will unavoidably involve North Americans and the other billions of the globe.
INTRO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMEvrxgv3O0
DVD: https://www.amazon.com/Israel-Under-Ankerberg-Jimmy-DeYoung/dp/0736925856/
“Epicenter 2.0: Why the Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future”
By: Joel C. Rosenberg
In his first groundbreaking nonfiction book, now with updated content, New York Times best-selling author Joel C. Rosenberg takes readers on an unforgettable journey through prophecy and current events into the future of Iraq after Saddam, Russia after Communism, Israel after Arafat, and Christianity after radical Islam. You won’t want to miss Joel’s exclusive interviews with Israeli, Palestinian, and Russian leaders, along with previously classified CIA and White House documents. New content includes the most up-to-date information since the hardcover release in 2006, a new poll about American attitudes toward the Middle East and prophecy, and transcripts of interviews conducted during the interview process for the Epicenter DVD-video.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1414311362/
“ISIS, Iran, Israel: And the End of Days”
By: Mark Hitchcock
What’s Next for the Middle East…and How Will It Affect Us?
Iran has repeatedly declared its intention to destroy Israel. ISIS continues to gain ground, leaving a trail of death and terror in its wake. And Russia is inserting itself into Middle Eastern affairs in a power play prophesied long ago.
ISIS, Iran, Israel is an updated edition of the book Iran and Israel by prophecy scholar Mark Hitchcock, with all-new information on ISIS, Russian involvement in Syria and Iran, and the state of relations between Israel and Iran. Hitchcock brings a strong biblical perspective to the latest conflicts, while answering important questions such as…
– Where did ISIS come from—and why are its tactics so brutal?
– Are we on the road to the Apocalypse?
– Will there ever be peace in the Middle East?
– What can we expect in the days to come?
– How are events in the Middle East affecting America today?
– An eye-opening survey of where things stand and how it all ties in with Bible prophecy.
BOOK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07b1vCMpl2E
“The Stage Is Set: Israel, the End Times, and Christ’s Ultimate Victory”
By: Bryant Wright
Even a cursory glance at the news is enough to convince us that the world is falling into chaos. But we haven’t seen anything that compares to what will happen in the final events leading to the second coming of Jesus Christ.
For anyone who longs to know what the future holds–and especially for those who look for a glimmer of hope in our broken world–highly respected pastor and Bible teacher Bryant Wright offers a book that shows God has not lost control over his creation. In fact, he has a sovereign plan that includes ultimate victory for the church and the salvation of his people, Israel. God’s timeless promises offer hope to believers who are grieved at the state of the world. Wright carefully illuminates the signs of the times that point toward his glorious appearing and millennial reign, and answers common questions, such as:
– What does the Bible say about the antichrist?
– What will be the future of Israel?
– Where is Armageddon, what will happen there, and why?
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Stage-Set-Christs-Ultimate-Victory/dp/0801019516/
“Israel on High Alert: What Can We Expect Next in the Middle East?”
By: Ron Rhodes
The Middle East has long been spiraling out of control, causing global uncertainty and fear. What does this turmoil mean for Israel, and why has peace been so elusive?
In Israel on High Alert, author and Bible teacher Ron Rhodes offers a clear view of the situation—and future—faced by Israel. You will explore
– the history of the current Middle East conflict
– what Scripture says about the ongoing battle and God’s plans for Israel
– how the events in the Middle East affect us today
Touching on everything from mainstream and radical Islam to the current efforts to rebuild the Jewish temple, this book will guide you through the past, present, and God-ordained future for the nation of Israel. Find assurance in knowing that even amid chaos and uncertainty, God’s plan is already in action—and it will never fail.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Israel-High-Alert-Expect-Middle/dp/073697122X/
“The Coming Islamic Invasion of Israel”
By: Mark Hitchcock
Writing 2,500 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel predicted a Russian-Islamic invasion of Israel in the last days. The third book in Mark Hitchcock’s fascinating prophecy series explains the relevance of this prediction to today’s world. First, he establishes how the current global scene sets the stage for this event and focuses on the identity of the invading nations (those mentioned in Ezekiel are like a Who’s Who of Israel’s current enemies). Hitchcock then considers the time and motives for their attack. Finally, he discusses God’s dramatic intervention that will pave the way for the Antichrist’s worldwide empire.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Islamic-Invasion-Israel-Answers/dp/1590527887/
“God’s Promise and the Future of Israel”
By: Don Finto
God’s promise and timing have intersected in our day. Witness the Jewish return to Israel, the rise of Messianic Jewish believers, and the shifting of the church’s power center from the West to Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the fastest-growing segments of the Body of Christ in our day. This has brought about many questions as the church comes to grips with these sweeping changes. What does Scripture say about the future of the nation of Israel? What is right and wrong about the Messianic Jewish movement? Where do the Arab nations fit in to God’s plan? How does this all affect the church, and how can the church fulfill its role in this end-time scenario? Don Finto explores these questions and shows how to navigate the new landscape in this illuminating book.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Promise-Future-Israel-Finto/dp/0800796497/
“What About Us?”
By: Eitan Shishkoff
“What About Us?” is the question many sincere Christians are asking when it comes to Israel. They see God’s ancient promises coming true in this small miracle nation. Do the Scriptures touch on the relationship of Jesus and Gentiles at the end of the age? Eitan Shishkoff approaches these questions as a Messianic Jew who has lived in Israel for 20 years. Using experiences gathered while connecting with believers on nearly every continent, he focuses on friendship as the answer. Read What About Us? to discover your role in the drama of Israel’s restoration.
Here is what people are saying about the book:
Eitan has lived what he is writing, and has an exceptional vantage point for showing how essential this union is, in preparation for the return of our King. —Don Finto, Pastor Emeritus, Belmont Church, Nashville, Tennessee
It is essential that Jesus’ disciples embrace God’s end-time purposes regarding Israel and the Church. Eitan has written a book from the Father’s heart that will help us pursue those purposes. I urge you to read this book. —Mike Bickle, International House of Prayer, Kansas City, MO
I guarantee that anything Eitan shares, preaches, teaches, or in this case, writes, will bless and enlarge your heart for the God of Israel and her people. I promise! —Paul Wilbur, Recording Artist, Integrity Music
Eitan Shishkoff has written a very special book. It is personal, warm and solid in theology. It relates Jews and Gentiles together in mutual purpose with maturity and balance. I heartily recommend it. —Daniel Juster, Tikkun Ministries International
This is a very important and readable book by a respected Messianic Jewish leader, living in Israel. He is saying to believers in every nation, “We need you!” I can’t think of a better person to write this book. —Dr. Michael L. Brown, President, FIRE School of Ministry
This message of “What About Us?” is one every follower of Jesus—Jew and Gentile—needs to have imparted to them. I am confident the Father has brought about this book for this season of human history, for “such a time as this.” —David McQueen, Senior Pastor, Beltway Park Baptist Church, Abilene, Texas
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/What-About-Us-Eitan-Shishkoff/dp/0985990864/
“Unlocking the Prophetic Mysteries of Israel: 7 Keys to Understanding Israel’s Role in the End-Times”
By: Jonathan Bernis
We are witnessing things today that the prophets of Israel longed to see.
God is fulfilling His Word in our generation!
If you want to understand what God is doing in these last days, you must understand what He is doing with Israel. It is here that the Bible’s prophecies regarding the end of the age will all unfold.
Jonathan Bernis, host of the internationally popular television program Jewish Voice
– With Jonathan Bernis, with this fascinating book unlocks a greater knowledge about the last days. The book explores questions such as:
– What crucial role does Israel play in the last days?
– Why is anti-Semitism on the rise worldwide, and what is at its root?
– What is the seed promise, and why is Satan so angry about it?
– What profound promise did God make to Abraham that applies to you today?
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Unlocking-Prophetic-Mysteries-Israel-Understanding/dp/1629991406/
“Israel and the Church: The Prodigal Heirs”
By: Chuck Missler
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Has God abandoned Israel? Has the Church “replaced” Israel? What does the Bible say? As we watch the world events, it is clear that Israel is following her prophetic scenario, and a new chapter is about to be written—and there may be a big surprise on our near horizon!
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Israel-Church-Prodigal-Chuck-Missler/dp/1578216869/
“THE VISIONS: Understanding the End Time Prophecies in the Book of Daniel”
By: Robert I. Adams
New York Times best-selling author, Joel Richardson, has this to say about THE VISIONS:
“Robert Adams is a refreshingly clear and cogent thinker and writer. This easy to digest book on the prophecies of Daniel will help every student of the Scriptures gain a great introductory understanding of this most critical end time manual.”
The book the prophet Daniel wrote is more relevant today than ever before. It’s vital we get a grasp of what it reveals because it contains world-changing prophecies that await their fulfillment. Within the book of Daniel, there are five major prophecies that, from our point of view, begin in history and end in the future. These prophecies converge in the end time and they show us details of what will happen both before and at the return of Christ. THE VISIONS will help you explore these predictions and comprehend the divinely ordained oracles the prophet Daniel received. The author presents his findings in an orderly and easy-to-follow manner. He shows how the visions in Daniel’s book are tied together and form a portrait of the time of the end.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/VISIONS-Understanding-Time-Prophecies-Daniel/dp/B08M21XM5K/
“A Rabbi Looks at the Last Days: Surprising Insights on Israel, the End Times and Popular Misconceptions”
By: Jonathan Bernis
A Rabbi Offers a Fresh Look at the End Times
Few topics capture the imagination of believers like the last days. Yet fear and incorrect teachings continue to surround this topic. Rabbi Jonathan Bernis, by contrast, offers with warmth and clarity a unique and surprising perspective on the end times.
Many see explosive turmoil in the Middle East and the mark of the beast as signs of the return of the Messiah. Bernis points out an even clearer and more immediate sign: the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies regarding the restoration of the land of Israel and the regathering of the Lost Tribes of Israel–which is happening in record numbers right now. This book unpacks surprising and life-changing insights on Israel, the last days, and the Messianic hope of every believer.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Rabbi-Looks-Last-Days-Misconceptions/dp/0800795431/
“The Middle East Meltdown: The Coming Islamic Invasion of Israel”
By: Andy Woods
We live in one of the most interesting time periods of history. The Lord seems to be setting the stage for His return as never before. One of these major stage-setting trends that we are currently seeing is the rise of a coalition of nations that harbors a hostile intent toward Israel. No matter which presidential administration comes into office in this nation and no matter how the calendar turns, this is an issue that does not seem to go away.
The prophet Ezekiel foresaw these things 2,600 years ago in a vision along the Chebar River in Babylon. Now, respected Bible Prophecy teacher, Dr. Andy Woods, explains the vision of Ezekiel.
– WHO will be involved in the coming Islamic invasion of Israel?
– WHEN will it take place?
– WHY will all this happen?
– WHAT will the war look like?
– HOW will this all come together to fulfill Ezekiel’s prophecy?
Dr. Woods concludes with seven powerful points of application.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Middle-East-Meltdown-Islamic-Invasion/dp/1945774002
“The People, the Land, and the Future of Israel: Israel and the Jewish People in the Plan of God”
By: Darrell L. Bock and Mitch Glaser
What does the Bible teach about the role of the Jewish people and the nation of Israel today? What is God’s plan for the future of Israel and the neighboring countries? How can believers in Jesus be part of God’s peace process in the Middle East?
The People, the Land, and the Future of Israel walks through the Bible’s account of the role of Israel and the Jewish people—both now and in the future. Each contributor offers a profound insight into God’s unfolding plan and purpose for the nation of Israel as the Scripture depicts them. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of both current and future events in the Middle East as described in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament.
Features an extensive foreword by best-selling author Joel Rosenberg who addresses the question, Will there ever be peace for Israel and her neighbors? Each chapter includes a scannable QR code that links to a short video introduction by the author of that chapter, introducing its topic. Discussion questions in each chapter aid book group and classroom discussion.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/People-Land-Future-Israel-Jewish/dp/0825443628
“Israel Always: Experiencing God’s Pursuit of You Through His Chosen People”
By: Christopher J. Katulka
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“A succinct and compelling survey of everything Israel!”
—J. Randall Price, author, professor, archaeologist
God’s faithfulness to Israel is an incredible affirmation of His unconditional goodness, and as we discover His heart for His chosen people, we better understand His heart for us. Israel’s story begins with God’s promise to make Abraham a great nation, and to this day, His hand continues to guide and protect the Jewish people.
Israel Always is a sweeping journey through Israel’s prolific history, its modern-day influence, and its promised future, highlighting the continuous throughline of God’s provision for His people. Bible scholar and Israel expert Christopher Katulka draws on relevant scriptures, careful research, and firsthand experience to illuminate why
– Israel plays such a central role in the Bible’s narrative, as well as in Bible prophecy
– understanding Jewish culture and tradition enriches our understanding of Christianity
– the Jewish people continue to be a wrongly yet widely persecuted group
– lasting peace continues to be a challenge for the Middle East
Insightful and informative, Israel Always will enrich your understanding of the Bible, enhance your appreciation for Israel, and elevate your awareness of God’s steadfast love for all His people—including you—today.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0736983120/
“Explore God’s Heart for Israel: Discover Israel’s Importance for the End Times”
By: Gaylyn R. Williams
What if your prayers for Israel could hasten the Lord’s return?
Do you know what is on God’s heart?
When we are in love, we long to know the heart of our beloved. Similarly, to grow in our relationship with God, we must understand what is on His heart. What does He care about most? What makes Him happy or sad?
God’s Heart for Israel is a collection of three books, all of which examine what God is most passionate about, with a focus on his passion for Israel: Explore God’s Heart for Relationships, Explore God’s Heart for The Return of Christ and Explore God’s Heart for Keeping His Word.
Bible studies and prayer guides invite you to share in God’s great passion for Israel—and learn how you can play a part in His plans for the end times.
For example, did you know that Aliyah—Jewish people returning to live in Israel—is a precursor to Christ’s return? This movement is already underway—but there’s much more to happen, and God has a part for you to play.
This life-changing book will leave you challenged and empowered to encounter the Father heart of God.
Dean Bye, Founding Director of Return Ministries
This book is timely and significant as we are invited into one of the greatest movements of God in history.
Debbie Kellogg, Founder and Director of Cyrus Foundation
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Explore-Gods-Heart-Israel-Importance/dp/B0C2S71NV6/
“The Holy Land Key: Unlocking End-Times Prophecy Through the Lives of God’s People in Israel”
By: Ray Bentley and Genevieve Gillespie
Don’t Just Read Prophecy. Step into Its Fulfillment.
The study of prophecy inspires elaborate timelines and speculation about which world leader might rise to power in the last days. But meanwhile, it’s far too easy to miss the significant prophetic signs contained in stories of biblical characters, in God’s creation, and in the lives and actions of today’s Israelis and Palestinians.
The Holy Land Key opens our eyes to little-known aspects of prophecy, including:
– God’s master plan revealed in the seven Feasts of the Lord
– The ingathering of God’s people, and the ways Israelis are hearing from God today
– Significant prophetic patterns discovered in the lunar cycle
– Awe-inspiring testimonies to God’s glory spelled out in the night sky
– Glimpses of God’s future kingdom revealed in the stories of well-known figures from Scripture
For decades, author and pastor Ray Bentley has partnered with God’s people in Israel, including Judea and Samaria, the area known as the West Bank. There, he witnesses the fulfillment of prophecy firsthand. This is your introduction to prophetic signs that God reveals in sometimes unexpected ways. He does not want us to miss the work he is doing to usher in the coming Kingdom.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Land-Key-Unlocking-End-Times/dp/0307732061/
“God’s Plan and Purposes for the Jewish People”
Learn about God’s plan and purposes for the Jewish people in this 64-page booklet written by Chosen People Ministries’ president, Dr. Mitch Glaser.
BOOK: https://store.chosenpeople.com/gods-plan-and-purposes-for-the-jewish-people/
“Light to the Nations Israel: End-time fulfilment of Israel and the Church’s calling to kingdom partnership in Messiah”
By: Yoni Barber
Israel’s primary calling has always been to love God and to be a light to the nations – that is being in covenant with Israel’s Messiah and faithfully radiating his glorious light out to the world. As worldwide darkness deepens that light will begin to shine with penetrating brightness.
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Isaiah 60:1-3
This book unveils the place where Israel’s ‘Light to the Nations’ calling and the calling of the worldwide Church intersect. Satan has tried to destroy that relationship, yet God is drawing Israel and the Church into a joint purpose – together pushing back the darkness.
The fusion of Israel and the Church’s destiny is transformational. It is like a giant release of nuclear energy in the spiritual realm, an essential element of end-time global revival and harvest.
Are you ready to find your place in this unprecedented identity, calling and destiny?
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Light-Nations-Israel-fulfilment-partnership/dp/B0B4HHXFW8/
“The Coming Last Days Temple”
By: Randall Price
Jerusalem’s last Temple was destroyed by Rome in A.D. 70, and the Muslim Dome of the Rock currently sits on the Temple Mount. With the Israeli-Arab conflict raging and the Temple Mount at the center of the controversy, what will the future bring? The Bible is surprisingly rich with answers – with prophecies about the future Temple found in both the Old and New Testaments. Some claim these prophecies are purely symbolic, but are they? Does the Bible give evidence that we can expect a literal Temple and even a restored sacrificial system? What about the magnificent Temple prophesied by Ezekiel? Right now in Israel, plans are will underway to construct a new Temple. From drawing up the blueprints to detailing the furnishings to preparing for the new priesthood, much is being done for what could be the most significant building effort of our time. In The Coming Last Days Temple, Dr. Randall Price surveys the latest developments and offers a fascinating perspective on how they fit with Bible prophecies about the Temple.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1565079019/
“Jerusalem Nightmare: Israel in the end times according to Habakkuk”
By: Richmond Shee
As you delve into the ominous pages of “Jerusalem Nightmare,” be prepared to confront the terrifying truth that lies within. Its penetrating analysis of the ancient book of Habakkuk foretells a grim fate for Israel in the end times, where written prophecies portend both doom and salvation. The antichrist and the false prophet will rise, luring Israel into a web of deceit and corruption. The satanic trinity will be unleashed upon Israel, whipping up a storm of death and destruction upon the Jews. As the pages turn, a chilling revelation emerges: Jerusalem, the Holy City, is the “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” But all hope is not lost. The book also reveals four awe-inspiring visions of the second coming of Jesus Christ, who will descend from the heavens to save the nation of Israel from utter annihilation. Brace yourself for an epic battle between good and evil as you turn each page of “Jerusalem Nightmare.”
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Jerusalem-Nightmare-Israel-according-Habakkuk/dp/B0BW23BYXQ/
“The Imminent Invasion of Israel”
By: Derek Walker
Ezekiel 38 and 39 is an amazing End-Time Prophecy about a massive Invasion of Israel from the Far North, led by Russia and supported by a number of Islamic nations, including Iran. This massive invasion will result in one of the greatest ever Divine Interventions, as God moves in Judgement. The result will be great and world-wide political, religious and spiritual changes. Learn how everything has just now come perfectly into place for these dramatic events to happen. In other words, they are now imminent (they could happen at any time)! It is essential that believers are ready, for when the God of the Bible eveals His Mighty Power to all nations in obvious fulfillment of Prophecy, we will have a wonderful opportunity to lead many to Christ.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Imminent-Invasion-Israel-Revised-Expanded/dp/1658617487/
“The End Times Focus on Israel” (DVD)
By: Lamb & Lion – David Reagan
Discover God’s plan for Israel in the end times and how it relates to His soon return! How does Israel fit into the end time pattern of prophesied events? Do the Jewish people have any right to the land of Israel? Can Israel continue to exist in the midst of the sea of Arab people who surround it? Is there any hope for peace in the Middle East? Where does ISIS fit into the end time picture of events? What is the relevance of events in the Middle East to the Church and the average Christian today? What do events in the Middle East tell us, if anything, about the timing of the Lord’s return? These and many other questions are answered in this one hour presentation by Dr. David Reagan that was videotaped before a live audience.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/End-Times-Focus-Israel/dp/B01DTH3MU0/
“Jerusalem Countdown” (DVD)
By: Pure Flix
Based on the Best Seller by Pastor John Hagee with over 2 million books sold and awarded the Dove Foundations “Family Seal of Approval” Jerusalem Countdown is recommended for ages twelve and above. The Middle East is in turmoil, Israel’s preeminent Ally is thrust into an impending war. When nuclear weapons are smuggled into America, FBI Agent, Shane Daughtry (David A.R White) must fing them before they are detonated. The clock is ticking and the only people who can help are arms dealer (Lee Majors), a retired Agent (Stacy Keach) and CIA Deputy Director played by Randy Travis. Nuclear holocaust on American soil threatens global stability and the impending destruction of the world is coming to fruition in this film of international terror. The prelude to Armageddon has begun… This highly popular end-times action thriller mirrors current events in the Middle East and also features well-known Christian stars Jaci Velasquez and Anna Zielinski.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Jerusalem-Countdown-Blu-ray-White/dp/B007701TG0/
“Daniel’s Prophecies Unsealed: Understanding the Time of the End”
By: James Harman
Great Experience. Great Value.
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In this timely analysis of Daniel’s five supernatural visions the reader will:
– Discover the destiny of America
– Learn the four cases of the Abomination of Desolation described by Daniel
– Find out where the False Prophet will come from
– Realize where the Psalm 83 nations fit into the end times
– Understand the true meaning of the 70 weeks of Daniel
– Detect where Daniel alludes to two Raptures “Go your way Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end…none of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.” (Daniel 12:9-10)
The Archangel Michael*** told Daniel that the prophecies would be sealed until the time of the end. Discover how the prophecies in the book of Daniel are being unsealed in the events taking place today.
Since Daniel was told that the wise will understand the message and lead many to righteousness, while the wicked will not grasp its meaning and will continue in their wickedness, it is imperative for everyone living in these end times to diligently examine and attempt to comprehend the vital message Daniel has recorded for us.
Daniel’s visions were given for those living at the time of the end. The wise will diligently search the word of the Lord and ask for wisdom in order to understand God’s plan as outlined in Daniel’s five visions.
When Jesus came the first time, the wise men of the day were aware of His soon arrival and they were actively looking for Him. Daniel’s visions were given in order for people to know what to expect during these lasts days. Jesus is coming again very soon. Now, more than ever, we must prepare. We need to ask ourselves if we are really ready. Just as important, are we helping others prepare? Today, those who are wise will be passionately sharing this message and helping others prepare. Those doing so will “shine like the stars forever and ever.”
May the Lord grant us a heart of wisdom to understand the time we are living in so we can prepare for what lies ahead! ***Bible commentators do not agree who spoke to Daniel in his closing vision. Possibilities include the angel Gabriel (Matthew Henry), the Archangel Michael (Hengstenberg), and a preincarnate appearance of Christ, a Christophany (Young). Who spoke to Daniel is not as important as the message that he was given.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Daniels-Prophecies-Unsealed-Understanding-Time/dp/0963698494/
“Israel In Prophecy”
By: Richard Hill
God has a prophetic plan for Israel and His chosen people in the last days. Are you ready to see it unfold? God loves the Jewish people-“the apple of His eye”-with all His heart, and by studying Israel in Prophecy: A Chronology, you’ll learn that Israel is the missing link of end times prophecy. Whether you are of Jewish heritage, a believer of the Bible, or a follower of the Messianic Jewish movement, Dr. Hill’s teaching will inspire you to discover how Israel is God’s timepiece for prophecy. With powerful insight on the end times, Dr. Hill warns of the coming holocaust and encourages believers to share Yeshua-Jesus-with the Jewish people while praying for the peace of Jerusalem and Israel. Centering upon the Jewish Roots of Israel today, Dr. Hill uncovers the biblical truth of coming events such as the Ezekiel War, the One-World Order, Pre-Trib. Rapture, Jacob’s Trouble (the Tribulation Period), the Second Coming of Yeshua, Armageddon, the Messianic Millennial Kingdom, the War of Gog and Magog 2, the Great White Throne Judgment, and the Eternal Kingdom, including the New Jerusalem. Dr. Richard Hill has served as Messianic Pastor of Beth Yeshua Messianic Congregation in Las Vegas, NV since 2003. He has also held the role of Ministry Representative with CJF Ministries since 2000. Dr. Hill received his Ph.D. from Antioch Baptist Seminary in 2010. He is the author of Freedom in Messiah: A Messianic Jewish Roots Commentary on the Book of Galatians.
Dr. Hill has been teaching every topic in Israel in Prophecy: A Chronology for the past twenty-four years. For more information on Dr. Hill and his collective works, please contact: Richard Hill P.O. Box 36156 Las Vegas, NV 89133 (702) 256-0840 http://www.bethyeshualv.org http://www.cjfm.org
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Israel-Prophecy-Richard-Hill/dp/1545642559/
“ISRAEL, GLOBALISM, AND THE 2ND COMING OF CHRIST: UNDERSTANDING CURRENT WORLD EVENTS IN LIGHT OF BIBLE PROPHECY”
By: Rick McGough
How does the return of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland, the establishment of the modern State of Israel, the controversies over the city of Jerusalem, the Great Reset and the move toward Globalism, the movement toward Programmable Digital Currencies, ESG Scores, COVID-19 policies and responses, current developments in America, preparations for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple, the increase of lawlessness, the rise of false christs an false prophets, predictions for the world in 2030, Sustainable Development Goals, waves of Revival, and many other modern developments fit with how end time Bible prophecies describe the world in the days leading up to the 2nd coming of Christ? Rick McGough deals with these questions and other similar issues in “Israel, Globalism and the 2nd Coming of Christ”. In addition, this book deals with the questions of “What are God’s plans for the last days?” and “How should Christians respond and live in the last days?” This book will help inform and inspire Christian readers and will help non-Christian readers understand and consider what the Bible has to say about the things happening in the world we live in today.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/ISRAEL-GLOBALISM-COMING-CHRIST-UNDERSTANDING/dp/B0BZC3N5WK/
“Northern Storm Rising: Russia, Iran, and the Emerging End-Times Military Coalition Against Israel”
By: Ron Rhodes
Almost 2700 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel detailed a massive end-times attack against Israel. The coalition he describes is still making headlines today. Bible scholar Ron Rhodes analyzes current events in the light of biblical prophecy and empowers readers to “interpret the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:3).
This up-to-date assessment of the situation in the Middle East reveals vital information about…
financial and political ties between the group of nations north of Israel
Muslim leaders’ growing antagonism toward Israel and the United States
Iran’s development of nuclear weapons and the resulting threat to global security
the polarization of nations supporting extremist Islam and the rest of the world
globalization and its role in setting the stage for a cataclysmic war
Readers will grow in their confidence in God, for to Him, “the nations are like a drop in a bucket” (Isaiah 40:15).
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Northern-Storm-Rising-End-Times-Coalition/dp/0736921745/
“Psalm 83, the Missing Prophecy Revealed How Israel Becomes the Next Mideast Superpower”
By: BILL SALUS
An ancient prophecy written over 3000 years ago reveals that the Arab states and terrorist populations, which presently share common borders with Israel, will soon confederate in order to wipe Israel off of the map.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Missing-Prophecy-Revealed-Becomes-Superpower/dp/B00HTJZEBK/
“Nuclear Showdown in Iran, Revealing the Ancient Prophecy of Elam”
By: Bill Salus
Missiles cloud Mideast skies over the Persian Gulf. Iran shuts down the Strait of Hormuz. Arab oil is choked off to world markets. Hezbollah and Hamas launch scores of missiles into Israel. Terror cells initiate cycles of violence in America. Global economies begin to collapse. Radioactivity permeates the skies over Bushehr’s nuclear reactor. Countless Iranian’s hastily seek refuge into neighboring nations. The Arabian Gulf becomes a cesspool of contamination. Desalinization plants can’t process the polluted waters. A humanitarian crisis burgeons out of control. A disaster of epic biblical proportion has finally arrived in the Middle East! About 2600 years ago the Hebrew prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel issued parallel end times prophecies concerning modern-day Iran. Today the rogue country is becoming a nuclear nation and aggressively advancing its hegemony throughout the greater Middle East. Nuclear Showdown in Iran, Revealing the Ancient Prophecy of Elam is a non-fiction thriller taking the reader on a journey of discovery through the eyes of the prophets and the minds of today’s key national players. Can anything good come from the evil that is about to befall us? The ancient prophecy of Elam will reveal what God has ordained, what the prophets saw and what you need to know and do now.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Nuclear-Showdown-Revealing-Ancient-Prophecy/dp/0988726041/
“Isralestine: The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East”
By: Bill Salus
ISRALESTINE; The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East Set to explode in the not so distant future, is a devastating war in the Middle East. The Jews will fight off Arab aggression and end terrorism once and for all! ISRALESTINE; The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East, boldly unveils significant Bible prophecy that has eluded the discernment of today’s great scholars. Once upon a foretold time the Jewish people were to meet with a holocaust type condition, out from which they would return back to their ancient homeland of Israel. They would begin as refugees, but promptly emerge into an exceedingly great army. As per Psalm 83, destiny’s design for this great army is a head to head confrontation with a formidable Arab confederacy consisting of Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, Jordanians, Saudi Arabians and Egyptians. This Arab coalition has been developing in its fledgling stages since 1948 and will climax and officially confederate in the very near future. The Israeli Defense Force will decisively defeat this offensive and prove to be the “exceedingly great army” of Ezekiel 37:10. They will expand their territory, become regionally superior, take prisoners of war and exploit the resources of these conquered Arab nations. In that condition they will become one of, if not the wealthiest nations on earth. It is from that position of empowerment that the Jews will dwell securely in the Middle East. Subsequently the world stage is set for the Russian – Iranian led coalition of nations, which will form against Israel as prophesied in the book of Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39. This non-fiction thriller is carefully designed to cautiously navigate the reader through the end time’s calendar.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Isralestine-Ancient-Blueprints-Future-Middle/dp/0988726017/
“The Now Prophecies” – 2018
By: Bill Salus
God’s word to Noah was to prepare NOW for a worldwide flood. God’s word to Joseph was to prepare Pharaoh and Egypt NOW for seven years of famine. God’s word to Jeremiah was to prepare the Jews NOW for seventy years of exile into Babylon. The key word in these historical examples was NOW! What does God’s Word say for us to prepare for NOW? What are the tough decisions we need to make? The NOW Prophecies book identifies the biblical prophecies that were written centuries ago for THIS GENERATION! These ancient inscriptions predict powerful events that will profoundly affect everyone. This book makes it easy to understand how to get ready NOW for what to expect in the near future!
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Now-Prophecies-Bill-Salus/dp/0988726076/
“The Next Prophecies” – 2019
By: Bill Salus
The NEXT PROPHECIES is book two of a trilogy that attempts to chronologically order the prophetic events of the end times.The NEXT PROPHECIES is the sequel to The NOW PROPHECIES book.The NEXT PROPHECIES will happen soon after The NOW PROPHECIES and the stage is presently being set for their fulfillment!The NEXT PROPHECIES include:–The Ezekiel 38, “Gog of Magog” invasion,–The Pre-Tribulation Time-Gap Mystery,–Satanic Supernatural Deception, (Super-Signs and Lying-Wonders),–The Rise of the Antichrist, (The Lawless One),–The Revealing of Mystery Babylon, (The Harlot World Religion),–The Opening of the Seal Judgments, (The 4-Horsemen of the Apocalypse),–World Wars, Famines and Pestilences,–The Decline of Islam, (Allah loses his Akbar),–The False Covenant that triggers the Tribulation Period,–Christian Martyrdom, (The Fifth Seal Saints),–The Two Mysterious Witnesses of Revelation.The NEXT PROPHECIES book prepares the reader for powerful future world events! Don’t get LEFT BEHIND to face The NEXT PROPHECIES!
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Next-Prophecies-Bill-Salus/dp/0692176179/
“The Last Prophecies: The Prophecies in the First 3.5 Years of the Tribulation” – 2019
By: Bill Salus
The LAST Prophecies is book three in an end times prophecies book series. It is the sequel to The NOW Prophecies and The NEXT Prophecies.The LAST Prophecies explores the biblical prophecies listed below that happen within the first 3-1/2 years of the dreaded Seven-Year Tribulation Period. –The Terminal Generation (What it is and How to Escape it)–How Israel Gains World Renown after Ezekiel 38–The Coming Third Jewish Temple–Supernatural Signs and Lying Wonders–The Harlot Religion of “Mystery Babylon”–The 144,000 Hebrew Evangelists–The Two Witnesses–A Worldwide Christian Revival –The 3 Phases of Christian Martyrdom–The Seven Seal Judgments –The Seven Trumpet Judgments–The Unholy Harlot and Antichrist Alliance–The Ten Kings and Other Kings in the TribulationAncient prophecies are about to roll off of their parchments and pound down on the pavement packing a powerful global punch. Don’t get LEFT BEHIND to face The LAST Prophecies of the Tribulation Period!
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Prophecies-First-Years-Tribulation/dp/0578563290/
“The Final Prophecies: The Prophecies in the Last 3-1/2 Years of the Tribulation” – 2020
By: Bill Salus
It’s midway through the Seven-Year Tribulation Period and the Jews are performing animal sacrifices in their Third Temple. Wars, pandemics and famines plagues the planet. Amidst the chaos, humanity cries out for help and a one-world religion empowered by supernatural signs and wonders emerges and responds. Meanwhile, The Antichrist becomes the world’s #1 political hero. He appoints ten kings to set up a Utopian Society on earth. When it looks like things are getting better, two prophets on the streets of Jerusalem predict that the worst is yet to come!The FINAL Prophecies, The Prophecies in the Last 3 ½ Years of the Tribulation, is book four of an end time series and below are just a few of the prophecies it explores: –Satan and the fallen angels are cast down to the earth,–Mystery Babylon and the Harlot world religion,–The rise of the Antichrist and False Prophet,–The Image of the Beast and Mark of the Beast,–The cashless global economy of the Antichrist,–The Antichrist attempts Jewish and Christian genocide,–The WRATH of GOD pours out of the Seven Bowl Judgments,–The Antichrist assembles his armies for Armageddon,–The Second Coming of JESUS CHRIST!
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Final-Prophecies-Last-Years-Tribulation/dp/0578759772/
“The Millennium Prophecies” – 2021
By: Bill Salus
Jesus Christ is about to return and set up His 1000-year Messianic Kingdom upon the earth. The MILLENNIUM Prophecies and the NEW JERUSALEM book explains what this future period will be like. Some of the topics explored are:
The Seventy-Five Day Interval that precedes the MILLENNIUM,
The Faithful Jewish Remnant Returns to Israel,
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb, (Jesus Christ Weds His Church),
The Role of the Christian Church in the MILLENNIUM,
The Resurrections of the Old Testament and Tribulation Saints,
The Fates of Satan, Antichrist, False Prophet, Fallen Angels and Demons,
The Judgment of the Sheep and Goat Gentiles,
The General Living Conditions in the MILLENNIUM,
The Millennial Jerusalem, Temple and Twelve Tribal Territories,
Why Christ Rules from Jerusalem with a Rod of Iron,
The Jewish and Gentile Governments in the MILLENNIUM,
Mankind Maintains a Sin Nature in the MILLENNIUM,
The Second Gog of Magog invasion after the MILLENNIUM,
The White Throne Judgment, Second Death and Lake of Fire,
The Aftermath of the MILLENNIUM and then the Eternal Order,
The NEW JERUSALEM is the City of Gold,
When God Wipes Away Every Tear and Death is No More.
Discover why the Bible says more about the MILLENNIUM than any other period in the past, present or future, including the First and Second Comings of Jesus Christ and the Seven-Year Tribulation Period. This book encourages Christian believers, warns non-believers and instructs everyone on how to get a PERSONAL PASSPORT into the MARVELOUS MILLENNIUM!
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Millennium-Prophecies-Bill-Salus/dp/1737790106/
“The Temple and Bible Prophecy: A Definitive Look at Its Past, Present, and Future”
By: Randall Price
Are the biblical prophecies about a future temple merely symbolic, or do they point to a new physical Temple and even a restored sacrificial system? Are we to interpret Ezekiel’s description of a magnificent new Temple figuratively or literally? And are Israel’s current, ongoing preparations to rebuild the Temple truly a significant sign of the end times?
This comprehensive a study of the Jewish Temple helps readers answer to these questions and more. It also provides
a fast–paced history of the Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple, Zerubbabel’s Temple, and Herod’s Temple
an enlightening look at God’s eternal purpose for the Temple
a concise explanation of why the Temple disappeared and why it must reappear
Formerly titled The Coming Last Days Temple.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Temple-Bible-Prophecy-Definitive-Present/dp/0736913874/
“Who is Israel?”
By: Matt Furse
What is the “Great Commission” for every believer? Preaching the gospel to every creature, or building a Zionist State? How did Christians in America get so far off track? Find out, in this insightful book! Who is Israel? The Christian community is divided over this question. Modern Bible versions have muddied the waters. For decades, seminaries have unwittingly led their students astray. Pastors are confused. People are misguided. The end is near, and many are unprepared. In this hard-hitting treatise Pastor Matt Furse explains how the “theology train” got off the track, what this false doctrine is doing to our country, and what the Bible-believer needs to be prepared for in the days ahead. Eschatology cannot be rightly divided until Israel is properly defined. Who is Israel? Do you know? “Who Is Israel?—Yesterday, Today, and Forever” is the most complete book about Israel as a nation and people I have ever read… Pastors today are totally unaware that Judaism, the religion of the Jews, dismisses the truth of the Old Testament and has adopted other gods… Pastor Matt Furse carefully explores the decadent false religion of the Jews and demonstrates the damage that so-called “Judeo-Christianity” is doing to our society and to the Church. His is a truthful account that must be understood by pastors and laymen if the Christian Church is to recover from its apathy and become again a fire-house of God’s Truth. I highly recommend this outstanding book.” —Texe Marrs Austin, Texas March 15, 2016
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Who-Israel-Matt-Furse/dp/0578175843/
“Stealing From Israel: Understanding the Time When Israel’s Enemies Will Plunder their People, Property and Prosperity”
By: Darren M. Thompson
Israel is in the wrong place. Jesus said in the New Testament that the mountains will be vacated, Israel will run to these mountains and the mountains will become a safe place for Israel from its enemies. Currently 70% of Israel’s people live on the beach and only 10% live in the mountains. One day Israel will be surrounded by new hostile nations within its own borders. Israel will have to move to the mountains or be destroyed. What will set these events into motion? These events will be started by the transformation of the fourth driest nation on earth into a veritable oasis. The water for this oasis will be provided by one of the largest and ingenuous civil engineering projects in the Middle East under consideration: the Red Sea/Dead Sea Canal. This is where “Stealing From Israel” begins.Darren M. Thompson is a rocket scientist, researcher, Bible teacher, prophecy conference speaker and author that has been writing for over 15 years. His eclectic range of talents are reflected in his writing and provides a unique perspective in the biblical prophecy genre. His research provides fresh information not available elsewhere and his story-telling keeps the reader engaged until the end of the book. This is his second book on biblical prophecy. His most popular book, also on biblical prophecy, is “Living in the Age of the Ram and the Goat”. He has written two books on biblical chronology: “The Fourth Day: Why the Bible is Historically Accurate” and “Why the Bible is Historically Accurate (2nd Ed.).”The following is a list of features found in “Stealing From Israel”.- The events described in this book are pre-tribulational events, events that occur prior to the book of Revelation and very possibly in our lifetime. Since “Stealing From Israel” and “Living in the Age of the Ram and the Goat” are pre-tribulational there is some overlap in events and these books should be considered as complementary works.- “Stealing From Israel” makes the case that the Old Testament is very relevant to our times. This book explains how places such as the Shatt Al-Arab, the Al Harim Ash Sharif, the Saint George’s Vineyard and the Israel Security Fence that borders the West Bank were all prophesied by the Old Testament thousands of years prior to their existence.- “Stealing from Israel” will also introduce you to an Antichrist that you are not used to. Many of us are familiar with the concept of the Antichrist, an evil man possessed by Satan that kills anyone that doesn’t worship him, as described in the book of Revelation. “Stealing From Israel” answers the following question, “What will the Antichrist be like before he meets Satan?”-“Stealing From Israel” is based on analysis of the Old Testament books of Isaiah chapters 15-17 and Jeremiah chapters 48-49.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Stealing-Israel-Understanding-Property-Prosperity/dp/B08GFRZDTQ/
“Yeshua: The Only Hope For Israel”
By: Tom Stolz
God has a plan to make one new man (Ephesians 2:15) in His Son from both the Jewish and Gentile nations. The emnity that has broken the earth since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden is resolved in the person of Jesus. This beautiful plan that God has isn’t accomplished apart from us. It is in following Jesus into a Spirit-led life that God leads us into a unified Bride centered on Jerualsem, the city God has chosen for Himself to dwell with man.
Jesus prayed for, thought on, and longed for, Jerusalem to be reconciled to Him. He prophesied that Jerusalem would not see Him again until she invited Him as Messiah back into the city. All of the shaking of our day points to the soon-coming fullfillment of this key prophetic truth: Jesus is still waiting for the Jewish nation. Simultaneously, the Jewish nation’s need for a Messiah who changes the heart of Israel before He changes the politics, the army, or the economy, grows by the day. Deep division in the Jewish nation cries out for rebirth only Jesus can provide. Israel will be born again!
“Yeshua” (ישוע) is the name Jesus Christ would have been called by His friends. It is a derivative of Joshua, a common name in Jesus’ day. His name means “salvation.” Yeshua is truly the only hope of salvation, not just for the Jewish nation, but for all.
Jesus is a Jewish man. When you become part of His body, you become part of a Jewish man’s body. My prayer for this 21-Day Prayer devotional is that you would grow not only in your understanding of what Israel needs, but what you need, as a follower of Yeshua, to worship Him in Spirit and Truth, which is to see Him for who He really is. Praying for Israel and learning to see who she really is, is what will cause all who interecede for her to see eye to eye as Jesus returns.
Isaiah 52:7-8 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, With their voices they shall sing together; For they shall see eye to eye When the LORD brings back Zion.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Yeshua-Israel-21-Day-Prayer-Devotional/dp/B0C12D8SLK/
“Why We Should Pray for Jerusalem and the Jews”
By: Dr. Gary Hedrick
A powerful appeal for Bible-believing Christians to uphold and pray for the Jewish people and their Holy City (Psalm 122:6).
BOOK: https://store.cjfm.org/product/71/why-we-should-pray-for-jerusalem-and-the-jews
“Israel and the Last Days”
By: Hal Lindsey
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Israel-Last-Harvest-Pocket-Books/dp/0890819114/
“Revealing Revelation: How God’s Plans for the Future Can Change Your Life Now”
By: Amir Tsarfati
Tour the Final Book of the Bible
Revelation was written because God wants us to know what the future holds. For Christians, the prophetic truths within provide wisdom, reassurance, and discernment—while for unbelievers, Revelation is a plea to receive God’s grace while there is still time.
Bestselling author Amir Tsarfati examines what Revelation makes known about the end times and beyond. Guided by accessible teaching that lets Scripture speak for itself, you’ll take a closer look at the
timeline of what believers and nonbelievers will experience before, during, and after the tribulation
plan that the Lord has specifically prepared for the people of Israel in the end times
encouragements, challenges, and warnings Jesus Himself gave to prepare us for His return
Revealing Revelation provides an eye-opening look at what lies ahead for every person in the end times—either in heaven or on earth. Are you prepared for what is to come?
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Revealing-Revelation-Plans-Future-Change/dp/0736985247/
“Israel and the Church: An Israeli Examines God’s Unfolding Plans for His Chosen Peoples”
By: Amir Tsarfati
“Amir Tsarfati tells the prophetic story of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and in the process helps his readers to comprehend God’s unique purpose and plan for both Israel and the Church. His refutation of Replacement Theology is profound and yet easy to understand. This book answers a lot of questions many prophetic writers are afraid to ask.”
—Dr. David Jeremiah
As the day of the Lord rapidly draws near, we must appreciate God’s plans for all His people
To truly grasp Bible prophecy, we must first understand how God’s promises to Israel complement His vision for the church. While some believe God has forsaken Israel for the church, this goes against the nature of the faithful Lord we find in Scripture.
In his latest book, native Israeli and bestselling author Amir Tsarfati makes clear what the Bible says about God’s unique master plans for His two chosen groups, Israel and the church. Amir gets to the heart of key questions, such as…
– Do the promises God made to the Old Testament nation of Israel still apply to the Jewish people today?
– Has God replaced rebellious Israel with the church?
– Now that the church exists, does Israel possess a distinct role in the present age?
– How are current events in Israel relevant to the church?
– What should the church’s attitude be toward Israel?
Israel and the Church provides a fascinating look at all that God has prepared for His two peoples—and why it’s so relevant to us today!
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Israel-Church-Israeli-Examines-Unfolding/dp/0736982701/
“The Day Approaching: An Israeli’s Message of Warning and Hope for the Last Days”
By: Amir Tsarfati
Are You Noticing the Signs of the Times?
In the Bible, Jesus spoke about the signs that would make it clear His return is near. What are those signs? And are they evident today?
As a Jewish native Israeli who is a Christian, Amir Tsarfati has a distinct perspective that weaves biblical history, current events, and Bible prophecy together to shine light on the mysteries about the end times. From his vantage point in the Middle East and through careful Bible study, Amir points to evidence that informs us the return of the Lord is imminent.
In The Day Approaching, you will learn…
– God’s plans for the world, Israel, the church, and you
– That the signs of Christ’s return are visible all around us
– About the smoke screen of deception that will lure people away from truth
– How even now God is revealing Himself to people and changing their hearts
– Of the wonders that await us in Jesus’ future millennial kingdom
As you seek hope and clarity about earth’s final days, let the Bible alone be the resource you turn to for answers.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Day-Approaching-Israelis-Message-Warning/dp/0736981055/
“The Case for Zionism: Why Christians Should Support Israel”
By: Thomas Ice
The modern state of Israel has been a nation for almost 70 years. When she was formed and fought her early wars of existence, most Bible-believing Christians believed there was a real connection with what was going on in the Middle East and Bible prophecy that predicts an end-time return of the Jews to their land. While support for Israel remains high in most evangelical communities, we are seeing the beginning of a decline, especially among younger evangelicals, who question whether modern Israel really relates to end-time Bible prophecy.
The Case for Zionism attempts to bring together biblical, historical, and legal arguments for the legitimacy of the startup nation known as Israel as it:
– Explains controversies such as antisemitism and Replacement Theology
– Details the biblical and legal rights of Modern Israel
– Explores the prophetic nature and future of Israel.
In this presentation, Thomas Ice answers many of the contemporary arguments being used by both secular and religious communities to undermine what he believes is the hand of God at work in our own day.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Case-Zionism-Christians-Should-Support/dp/0892217537
“The 50 Final Events in World History: The Bible’s Last Words on Earth’s Final Days”
By: Robert J. Morgan
Enjoy a great reading experience, with a $3.25 credit back to spend on your next Great on Kindle book when you buy the Kindle edition of this book. Learn more about Great on Kindle, available in select categories.
View Kindle Edition
How much do you know about the end of the world?
In The 50 Final Events in World History, beloved and respected pastor Robert J. Morgan takes readers on a journey through end-times prophecy, walking step-by-step through the end of the world to the dawn of the new kingdom of heaven.
Heard of worldwide pandemics? Weapons of mass destruction flashing through the air? Global water and air contamination? The nation of Israel restored after 2,000 years, encircled by hostile nations and buffered by the nation of Jordan? Air evacuations with machines having two wings? Threats from Russia and Asia? Extremism in Turkey? Clamor for globalization? Hand implants for commerce and security? The gospel penetrating unreached places? Violent persecution? Cascading wickedness? The world falling apart?
All of this is predicted in the book of Revelation.
If you find yourself baffled and maybe even a little intimidated by end times and the book of Revelation, The 50 Final Events in World History will be a
– comprehensive yet easy-to-understand overview of the book of Revelation,
– resource you can turn to again and again,
– helpful tool that translates the events of Revelation both literally and sequentially, and
– guide to interpret present circumstances as well as future events.
Revelation is the Bible’s final words on the world’s last days. The key is understanding its simple sequence of events–one after another, clearly laid out–the fifty final events in world history.
This is information we need to know now since we might soon be on the doorstep of event #1.
BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/50-Final-Events-World-History/dp/0785253866/
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
SPECIAL ‘GENERAL’ RESOURCE
“ApologetiX Songbook”
(An interactive PDF)
It features the lyrics to every song on every CD and every “download” from 1993-2020
Special features:
- indexed by title, original song, original artist, subject, and Bible verse
- each song’s page has icons showing what albums it appears on
- each song’s page has a commentary from lyricist J. Jackson
- each album’s page includes liner notes and track listing
- print any pages you like or use for slides in church
- photos from ApologetiX’s debut concert in 1992
- discography of out-of-print cassettes
- downloadable in PDF format
New features in this edition:
- all song commentaries from J. Jackson updated and expanded
- also indexed by year when original song spoofed was a hit
- J.’s original handwritten rough lyrics to 40 ApX classics
- scads of photos from ApX 25th-anniversary concerts
- list of 40 ApX parodies most likely to be redone
- over 200 new parodies and journal entries
- list of the first ApX concerts in each state
- six new full-length feature articles
- DVD discography and synopses
- never-before-seen rare photos
- lyrics for over 700 parodies
- over 1000 pages!
Interactive features:
- click on any page number in indexes or TOC to go to that page
- click on any album icon to go to its liner notes and track listings
- click on any song title on an album page to go to that song
Note: This e-book is a download-only and doesn’t include sheet music.
The songbook is available for a donation of $50 or more. After we receive your donation, we’ll send you a follow-up email with the link.
Get the Songbook for a donation:
http://www.apologetix.com/store/store.php#songbook
Songbook Demo Video: https://rumble.com/vfazhl-apologetix-songbook-2020-demo.html
“THE SEARCH FOR MEANING” WEBSITE
This site presents discussions on the 12 most commonly asked questions about the Christian faith.
The 12 discussions are accessed by the “tabs” at the bottom of the page. The tabs are numbered 1-12. Roll your mouse over them and you will see the question displayed at the right. Click on the number to select that question.
Within each question (i.e. tabs 1-12), there are subtopics (or dialogues) to select that appear as smaller tabs underneath the numbered tabs. Roll your mouse over them and the title of these topics is also displayed to the right. Click on the open rectangle to select that dialogue.
For each question (1-12), a link to related resources and an optional flowchart is provided. To access this material, click on the respective words, “Related Resources” or “Options Flowchart.”
To play a more detailed discussion of the subject, between two people, select the desired dialogue and click on “Play Audio Dialogue.”
In the upper right-hand corner of the page, there is an icon that looks like binoculars looking at a question mark. Click on this icon to return to the homepage.
In the upper right-hand corner of a “Related Resources” page, there is an icon that looks like some books. Click on this icon to get to an “overview” page that has links to all of the resources for all of the questions. There also are additional “appendices” for most of the questions.
In the upper right-hand corner of a “Flowchart” page, there is an icon that looks like an Org chart. Click on this icon to get to an “overview” page that has links to all of the flowcharts.
http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q1_d1_1of10.html
[ Content by: Bill Kraftson and Lamar Smith; Website by Mark Besh ]
“FRUITS OF THE BEATITUDES” WEBSITE
(The ATTITUDES of Jesus that produce the CHARACTER of Jesus)
CLICK ON THE LINK to view:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/
FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/FruitsOfTheBeatitudes/
[ Mark Besh ]
[ P.S.: If you would like to investigate further about what it really means to “believe,” visit the following link:
http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q10_d1_1of10.html ].
<<< ARTICLES >>>
“Prime Minister Netanyahu to Make Bible Priority”
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is back and eager to lead Israel including making the Bible a central part of Israeli society.
By Jason Silverman | Dec 30, 2022 at 10:40 am | Topics: Bible, Israeli Government, Benjamin Netanyahu
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Israeli president Isaac Herzog and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pose for a group picture of the new government with Israeli Ministers at the president’s residence in Jerusalem, on December 29, 2022. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
Here are three central issues for Netanyahu’s incoming government.
Bring the Bible back
First, strengthening Jewish identity and affinity with Jewish history and tradition was not only a campaign slogan for some of the parties but was covered thoroughly in the coalition agreements.
For some, calling to strengthen Jewish identity in Israel can be understood as potentially leading to religious coercion on non-religious and non-Jewish populations such as banning the possession of Chametz (food containing leaven that is forbidden during Passover). However, one clause in the agreement between the Religious Zionist Party is less spoken of in public discourse, highlighting public education as its primary target. Setting the identity of the political parties aside, this issue should actually garner a broad Zionist consensus among Israelis from all over the political spectrum. [ more… ]
[ Israel Today ]
ARTICLE: https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/prime-minister-netanyahu-to-make-bible-priority/
“Netanyahu: Normalisation realises biblical prophecy”
December 26, 2020 at 12:23 pm
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Wednesday that the normalisation of ties between Israel and Arab states is a realisation of biblical prophecy, Israeli media reported.
“Remarkably, here in the Middle East, we have been actively making progress in realising the biblical prophecy of ‘peace on earth’, or at least this part of the earth,” Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post reported Netanyahu stating.
“This past year, and with the active help of the United States and President Trump, we have moved forward with the Abraham Accords, achieving historic breakthroughs between Israel and the Arab world,” he added.
“After 26 years without a new peace treaty, we’ve had four new agreements in less than four months and this is just the beginning,” The Times of Israel reported Netanyahu expressing.
“This is a new and revolutionary change,” he added. “It will make a better life, a better place for all the people of the Middle East. It will make for a better world.”
Morocco foreign minister: ‘Normalisation talks with Israel started in 2018’
Netanyahu claimed: “More and more Arab countries are rethinking traditional hostile attitudes towards Israel and are seeking reconciliation with the Jewish state.”
The Israeli prime minister reiterated that these countries stopped considering Israel as their enemy. “Instead of regarding Israel as their enemy, they increasingly regard us as a friend, as an ally, a vital ally and a vital partner,” he affirmed.
In September, Israel signed two normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain at the White House. In October, Sudan agreed to normalize relations with Israel. This month, Morocco signed an agreement of ties with Israel.
[ Middle East Monitor ]
ARTICLE: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201226-netanyahu-normalisation-realises-biblical-prophecy/
“The Abraham Accords, A Peace Deal with Biblically Prophetic Importance”
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…and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. – (Isaiah 2:4)
On September 15th 2020, President Donald J. Trump will host the signing of the “Abraham Accord,” a groundbreaking Middle East peace treaty effectively normalising relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. In signing the accord, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) joined Egypt and Jordan as the only Arab nations to make peace with Israel. It may open a new era. Fellow Gulf nations Bahrain and Oman signalled their support, while Saudi Arabia did not oppose it.
Front page of Khaleej Times of Dubai hailing UAE-Israel peace agreement, image via Twitter feed of Yiftah Curie (c), 2020
The Abraham Accord will prove to be the moment when the grievances of the past no longer overpowered the promises of the future in the Middle East. In addition to peace between former enemies, the region and indeed the world will benefit from economic prosperity. There is a younger generation in the region that deserves better, safer and more prosperous lives. Immediately following the normalisation Israeli and Emerati companies signed agreements to work together for a cure for Covid 19, as well as cooperation in the fields of health, infrastructure, science, agriculture and energy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said,
Peace is a good thing and peace unites moderates, two of the most advanced economies in the world – Israel and the United Arab Emirates… We’re fighting Iran and the radicals who are trying to overthrow our order in the Middle East, subjugate people and propagate terrorism. So, this is good for peace, good for security, and good for prosperity. I think it’s good for the United States and good for Israel.
King David, who wrote prophetically in so many of his Psalms, exhorts us in this way, “Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:15). In fact, the Hebrew expression in Psalm 34 implies running and chasing peace, almost hunting it down. Indeed, the Bible repeatedly conveys God’s desire that we should be peacemakers, doing our best to live at peace with everyone. There are also scriptural reasons to be encouraged by the new links of peace forming in the south with several positive references to Sheba and Dedan (the Persian Gulf area) in relation to Israel in biblical prophecy. One example is from Isaiah 60:6, with similar hints in Psalm 72:10 and Ezekiel 27.
Those who bless Israel will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:13)
[ Dr. Tuvia Book ]
“Netanyahu Invokes Biblical Prophecy During UN Address”
(Click here to see how Netanyahu invokes Biblical prophecy in past UN addresses.)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly on Monday, warning the international community of the growing threat of militant Islam.
The prime minister jumped right in to tackling the issue of the increasing visibility and violence wrought by Islamist terrorists across the globe.
“Our hopes and the world’s hope for peace are in danger. Because everywhere we look, militant Islam is on the march,” Netanyahu said. “It’s not militants. It’s not Islam. It’s militant Islam.”
Netanyahu made clear that all people, regardless of race or religion, were threatened by Islamist terrorists. “Typically, its first victims are other Muslims, but it spares no one. Christians, Jews, Yazidis, Kurds – no creed, no faith, no ethnic group is beyond its sights. And it’s rapidly spreading in every part of the world,” he explained.
The prime minister reiterated that the “ultimate goal” of militant Islamists is to “dominate the world.” Likening the growth and strength of militant Islamists to cancer, Netanyahu warned, “left unchecked, the cancer grown, metastasizing over wider and wider areas. To protect the peace and security of the world, we must remove this cancer before it’s too late.” [ more…]
[ Lea Speyer ]
ARTICLE: https://www.israel365news.com/286730/netanyahu-invokes-biblical-prophecy-un-address/
“5 Times Netanyahu Brought Biblical Prophecy to Life at the UN“
Speaking Monday night to world leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invoked Biblical prophecy during his address to the UN General Assembly, clearly telling the world that Israel will not stand idly by as the Jewish nation’s enemies try to slander and destroy the nation.
Joshua 1:7
Isaiah 9:1
Prophets of Isaiah, Amos and Jeremiah
Amos 9:14-15
Isaiah 62:1
[ Lea Speyer ]
ARTICLE: https://www.israel365news.com/286740/see-netanyahu-biblical-prophecy-past-un-speeches/
“THE KEY TO UNLOCK ALL BIBLE PROPHECY–Understanding God’s Eternal & Biblical Purposes For Jerusalem“
When Jesus told His disciples and us about the future he built every word of it around one spot on earth. In theological circles, this message (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) is called the Olivet Discourse. Jesus framed His words about the rest of the history of this planet by the sight of Jerusalem in all its earthly glory spread in front of Him.
Look again at Christ’s very first words in Matthew 24:2. All that He says about His second coming is introduced by those words. He said to keep your eye on Jerusalem. I am ascending from the Mount of Olives (the center of Jerusalem then and now) and I am returning to the Mount of Olives.
As we turn to the subject again of Christ’s coming and those incredibly detailed snapshots He left us in Matthew 24, we are focusing on Jerusalem. According to the Lord, the end of the world centers around Jerusalem.
As mentioned over 800 times in God’s Word —Jerusalem is a very important place. It was in Jerusalem that God promised Christ’s coming as the Lamb of God to Abraham. It was here that David was promised a future son that would have an endless kingdom. It was here God worked.
JERUSALEM IS GOD’S CITY
There are three reasons why Jerusalem is so vital: because Jerusalem is GOD’S CITY, GOD’S CLOCK, AND GOD’S CANVAS.
GOD’S CITY because He has chosen Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:36).
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npvk_VPvDW0
“Israel’s Prophetic Timeline“
Past, present, future: The nation of Israel has a timeline that was initiated when God called out Abraham to make a people for Himself. The promises God made to Abraham endured through his descendants and the prophets, and they continue to stand true alongside the church’s existence today. Why did God see fit to make a nation for Himself? While the nation of Israel has a beginning, does it also have an expiration date? Join Amir on a journey from Genesis to Revelation in his teaching, “Israel’s Prophetic Timeline”, as he reveals how the word of God displays the fullness of the Lord’s plans for His chosen people.
[ Amir Tsarfati ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMxuYtmhjyI
“THE GREATEST PROPHETIC SIGN OF THE END–Watch Jerusalem“
THE CENTER OF THE PROPHETIC UNIVERSE:
Watch Jerusalem (Matthew 24:15-16). When Jesus told His disciples and us about the future he built every word of it around one spot on earth. In theological circles, this message (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) is called the Olivet Discourse. Jesus framed His words about the rest of the history of this planet by the sight of Jerusalem in all its earthly glory spread in front of Him.
Look again at Christ’s very first words in Matthew 24:2. All that He says about His second coming is introduced by those words. He said keep your eye on Jerusalem. I am ascending from the Mount of Olives (the center of Jerusalem then and now) and I am returning to the Mount of Olives.
As we turn to the subject again of Christ’s coming and those incredibly detailed snapshots He left us in Matthew 24, we are focusing upon Jerusalem. According to the Lord, the end of the world centers around Jerusalem. [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vex_b8YrWR4
“The New Sanhedrin”
In 2004 on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, a new Sanhedrin arose after an absence of more than 1,400 years. Staffed by Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox rabbis who want Israeli life to conform to the Torah and rabbinical law, the Sanhedrin has been a great indicator that the stage is being set for the last days, as foretold in Bible prophecy.
The new court supports rebuilding the Temple, reinstating the priesthood, and resuming sacrifices and opposes giving biblical Jewish land to the Arabs.
In Jesus’ day, the 70-member Sanhedrin composed the Supreme Court of the Jewish people. It administered activities at the Temple and also elected the high priest.
Today the Sanhedrin is playing more and more of a role in Israeli society. In November 2006 it held an alternate summit in Jerusalem while the Middle East Peace Summit was taking place in Annapolis, Maryland.
Called the New Jewish Congress, it spoke of the importance of erecting the Temple on the Temple Mount, restoring the sacrificial system, and reinstituting Temple worship.
Because of the outcome of the Annapolis Peace Conference and the political push for Israel to abandon its communities in Judea and Samaria, there is now a move to establish a separate Jewish state if the Israeli government forsakes the settlers.
Well-known Israeli Torah scholar Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpe told me recently that if the Israeli government does not want Judea and Samaria, the Jewish settlers living there do. And they will, he said, if need be, establish a second Jewish state there.
He also told me the settlers would fight for the right to stay on land that he and others believe God has given them. When I asked if they would fight the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), he said they would not; but they do not want the IDF to fight the settlers either.
Rabbi Wolpe did say that each Jewish father and husband would protect his home and family
in any way necessary to keep them from becoming “homeless.”
The clear implication is that the settlers will take up arms if the government attempts to remove them from the land.
When I asked him if the creation of a second Jewish state was a possibility or simply a dream, he replied, “David Ben Gurion, the first prime minister of Israel, had a dream in 1948 that became a reality.”
[ Jimmy DeYoung ]
“Amir Tsarfati on Israel & The COMING Tribulation: Bible Prophecy Update
On this week’s episode of The Watchman show, host Erick Stakelbeck is joined by Amir Tsarfati, founder of Behold Israel, to discuss Amir’s new book, “Has the Tribulation Begun?” Are we in the last days? And what is Israel’s prophetic destiny? Amir breaks it all down plus Ambassador David Friedman joins Erick in Jerusalem to discuss Israel’s ancient Biblical claim to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.
[ The Watchman ]
COMMENTARY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA4WZdH6WB4
“Israel Under Fire”
Jim Cantelon welcomes Jimmy DeYoung in this special three part series.
Jimmy is the Author of “Israel Under Fire” Journalist / TV Host
[ 100Huntley ]
PART 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjXoGwKyKuo
PART 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlLejNBVE_0
PART 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoXoFWKteww
“Amir Tsarfati: Judaism, Zionism, & Antisemitism”
Throughout history, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have played a central role in biblical and world affairs. After all, Israel is the only nation ever to have a covenant with God – a covenant concerning them as a people and their land. Following the initiation of this covenant, hatred for them as a people and nation quickly surfaced and exists to this day, even spouting from the mouths of celebrities. What is Judaism? What is Zionism? Why are the two, when paired together, such a driving force for Antisemitism? Join Amir on a tour through biblical and world history as he brings clarity to “Judaism, Zionism, & Antisemitism”.
[ Amir Tsarfati ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRBiFBwK-lc
“Unbelievable: Iron Dome Challenged by Iran’s Hypersonic Missiles”
Today on Marking the End Times, I am talking about major recent developments in Iran. I discuss Iran’s claim to having a hypersonic missile and the effects this may have on Israel since it can avoid the Iron Dome, and what it means for end times prophecy.
[ Mark Hitchcock ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqWiIIicCiM
“‘We’re Living in the End Times’: Israel’s Prophetic Place in the Bible, Headlines”
Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, founder of Israel Today Ministries and author of the book, “Hope Rising: Messianic Promise,” decried “growing anti-Semitism” that he said has gone “global” once again.
Johnson said 2023 is an important year for Israel, as it marks the nation’s 75th anniversary — something the prophecy scholar said was predicted in Scripture.
“What is so unprecedented in human history is that a people had been scattered throughout the world for two and a half millennia, and they came back to the exact area that they were birthed,” he said. “That’s unprecedented. God said that would happen.”
Johnson detailed his belief in the importance of recognizing Israel’s significance in Scripture, prophecy — and today. [ more…]
[ CBN News – Interview of Dr. Jeffrey Johnson ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7FtSJd-DRw
“Bible Prophecy: God Will SHAKE Israel In END TIMES | Joel Rosenberg | Inside The Epicenter”
Bible Prophecy: God Will SHAKE Israel In END TIMES | Joel Rosenberg | Inside The Epicenter. Do you know the power of God in fulfilling his promise? In this episode of Inside The Epicenter with Joel Rosenberg, Dr. Carl Moeller sits with Joel to discuss why he loves Israel. They discuss Israel’s prophesied rebirth and resurrection as a sovereign nation-state in the end times. They delve into the significance of various prophecies in the Bible, including Ezekiel 36 & 37, and how they have been fulfilled in modern-day Israel. They touch on a range of topics, from Israel’s population growth, the significance of trees and vineyards, and how the land has been rebuilt to the impact of tourism on the country. Listen to this episode to find out!
(05:40) Dry bones vision about the rebirth of Israel.
(08:52) Jews settle in unexpected places and God’s promise.
(13:04) God fulfills the promise of blooming deserts.
(16:55) Israel is known for the Jaffa oranges export.
(22:38) Rebuilt ancient ruins and skyscrapers in Tel Aviv.
(25:57) Israel: traffic, taxes, growth, prophecy – invest.
(30:09) Israel tourism: Rich in history and vibrancy today.
(31:55) Ezekiel 37 prophecy fulfilled in Israel.
(36:30) Israel’s history, consequences of not listening to God, the irony of atheists founding the state, God using them, and all Israel will be saved.
(40:39) Focus on Israel, pray, and learn more.
Verse: Ezekiel 36:10 – I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.
[ Joel Rosenberg ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rBr8-obISg
“Bible Prophecy: God Will SHAKE The House of Israel In END TIMES | Joel Rosenberg | TBN Israel”
On The Rosenberg Report, host Joel Rosenberg reveals biblical evidence of what to expect in Israel and across the globe before Jesus’ second coming. Do recent world events support what Scripture reveals? Don’t miss this powerful insight from Joel Rosenberg!
0:00 Intro
0:38 Gog and Magog Prophecy
4:25 Prophecy of Future Devastation
5:30 The Great Tribulation
7:20 God Will “Shake the Nations” in End Times
9:55 God Sends Earthquakes to Wake People Up
[ TBN Israel ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mggmGEn4UVI
“Signs of the End Times”
Are you ready for Christ’s return? For 2,000 years, followers of Christ have been looking for His prophesied reappearance. Could the heightened turmoil in today’s world be a sign that it is imminent? What should we be looking for? Join hosts Mart DeHaan and Jimmy DeYoung as they explore what the Bible says about Christ’s return. If He is coming soon, we should all be ready.
[ Our Daily Bread ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC_JMPLkJRE
“The Pre-Tribulation Prophecies Official Trailer”
The prophecies that will likely happen before the Seven-Year Tribulation Period.
[ Bill Salus ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awBw2AoPuiM
“Bill Salus: Showdown with Iran”
Bill Salus burst on the prophetic scene 12 years ago with a series of little known prophecies that focused our attention on the future wars coming to the Middle East. Suddenly, Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38-39, Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49-51 began to take on new relevance. And just this week, ancient Persia, modern-day Iran, found itself in President Trump’s crosshairs. Are the shocking events of this week a portent of things to come in 2020? And which one of these ancient prophecies will find its fulfillment first? Will Damascus be destroyed? Will Russian and Iran partner up to attack Israel? Will Iran suffer a nuclear calamity? Will Israel face a multi-sided battle from its immediate neighbors? Gary and Bill discuss the simmering situation in Iran and when we could see these long-awaited prophecies begin to take shape? It appears a fuse has been lit in the Middle East. Is Gog and Magog just over the horizon?
[ Prophecy Watchers ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjMYv34CU3Y
“PROPHETIC RUSSIA & IRAN–BOTH ARE IN THE BIBLE!”
Ezekiel 38-39 & Gog & Magog, and the Fight for Jerusalem
Jesus explained world events would be tied to Jerusalem in Matthew 24, where Jesus also saw a Jewish Temple rebuilt and part of the Tribulation events.
So for this Temple to be built (that Paul, John, and Daniel also saw prophetically, with Christ), something must happen during the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). That may be what we are seeing happening all around us in the world events touching upon the Nation of Israel.
Are we Living for Heaven Today? [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LwoIxmehFs
“RUSSIA DOESN’T STOP AT UKRAINE–GOD SAYS THEY INVADE JERUSALEM & PROMPT THE FINAL WAR OF ARMAGEDDON!”
The current war in Ukraine grinding on into a second year–is just part of the staging for the BIG event.
Russia has been on deck to mount a future invasion of Israel from the time of Ezekiel 2,600 years ago writing down God’s Word from ancient Babylon. The inexorable grind of the prophetic gears continues unstoppably to this moment.
WATCH UKRAINE–but keep your eye on JERUSALEM. That’s the REAL target that Satan will never stop until he ravages it at the END.
Jerusalem is God’s Countdown Clock for Humanity’s Survival [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT5ye6dKVqo
“THE UNSTOPPABLE FINAL WAR OF GOG & MAGOG–ACCORDING TO JESUS”
Jesus explained world events would be tied to Jerusalem in Matthew 24, where Jesus also saw a Jewish Temple rebuilt and part of the Tribulation events.
So for this to Temple to be built (that Paul, John, and Daniel also saw prophetically, with Christ), something must happen during the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). That may be what we are seeing happening all around us in the world events touching upon the Nation of Israel.
Are we Living for Heaven Today? [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wFMEzjqnQ0
“JESUS DESCRIBED WHAT THE END OF DAYS LOOKS LIKE–IT IS KIND OF LIKE THE WORLD LOOKS NOW!”
What does the world look like when Jesus comes back?
We can know if we read His messages about His Second Coming. And if we read carefully we see a very clear picture He describes.
Most of what Jesus described were events and elements that have always been somewhere on earth occurring—but He tells us that when these events and elements begin to go global, watch for Him.
So what do we see at the end?
Here is another look at the next few elements of the world when Jesus Returns.
I like to call them 25 trends that are present when Christ returns.
What are some of them? We will actually in the days ahead look at these in detail, but here they are in summary.
We have already seen from the Scriptures the first ten.
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgpeoXMR4Yw
“Salus on Psalm 83”
Does Psalm 83 foretell the next Middle East war? Find out with guest Bill Salus on the show Christ in Prophecy.
[ Christ In Prophecy interviews Bill Salus ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC-pjcCsoYI
“THE EZEKIEL 38 AND PSALM 83 PROPHECIES/PART 7”
A number of commentaries have pointed out that collectively, the specific nations listed in this Psalm as seeking to destroy Israel have never yet jointly existed in history, which indicates this may have a dual fulfillment, both ancient and future. [ more…]
[ John G Weldon, PhD ]
ARTICLE: https://jashow.org/articles/the-ezekiel-38-and-psalm-83-propheciespart-7/
“START WATCHING THE NEWS PROPHETICALLY–EZEKIEL 37-39 IS GOD’S PLAN FOR THE BATTLE OF JERUSALEM”
When Jesus told His disciples and us about the future he built every word of it around one city on earth named Jerusalem (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21).
Jesus framed His words about the rest of the history of this planet by the sight of Jerusalem in all its earthly glory spread out in front of Him.
Jerusalem is the trigger that will set off the grand finale for planet Earth.
JERUSALEM is the Trigger
Twenty-six hundred years ago God foretold that the fate of the entire planet Earth would hinge upon one city.
The Fight for Jerusalem, and all the events leading up to that fight, is the spot in the news that you should keep your eyes riveted—if you want to know what God has planned for this world.
“No city has been coveted and fought over as much as Jerusalem, the City of Peace. Babylonians, Macedonians, Ptolemies, Seleucids, Romans, Byzantines, Persians, Arabs, Seljuks, Crusaders, Mongols, Mamelukes, Turks, British, and Jordanians are only some of the conquerors whose names have fluttered across the pages of its bloody and anguished past. Jerusalem is a sacred city – a city that has played a role in history out of all proportion to its economic importance or size!”
Here, briefly, are the periods In Jerusalem’s fascinating history so far. Then we will look at what may soon be in the world’s headline news reports. [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg3lJpiEPJA
“What are Gog and Magog?”
What are Gog and Magog? When will Gog and Magog attempt to destroy Israel? What modern nations represent Gog and Magog?
[ Got Questions ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVdaZtRNDcs
“The Great Tribulation”
Updated: Tue, 01/31/2023 – 11:50 By admin
The term Great Tribulation was first used by Jesus in Matthew 24:15 in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25), in which He addressed His Jewish disciples Peter, James and John (Mark 13:3) who had asked Him “when will these things be (destruction of the Temple – Mt 24:2), and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Mt 24:3) There are two other uses of the exact phrase “great tribulation” in the Revelation…
Revelation 2:22+ ‘Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.
Revelation 7:14+ I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
At the outset, it should be noted that while some writers use tribulation and Great Tribulation interchangeably, it is more accurate to distinguish these terms because the “Tribulation” as commonly used refers to the entire future seven year period of Daniel’s Seventieth Week (see discussion of Daniel 9:27 below). On the other hand Great Tribulation refers to the last three and one-half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week. It should also be noted that while the seven year period of Daniel is frequently referred to as “The Tribulation” it is difficult to find a Scripture that supports this designation. Some writers refer to Jesus’ use of the word “tribulation” in Mt 24:9 as a reference to the seven years of Daniel, but that interpretation is not conclusive. Nevertheless, because the term is so ingrained in the literature, we will use the term “Tribulation” as a synonym for Daniel’s Seventieth Week. [ more…]
[ Precept Austin ]
ARTICLE: https://www.preceptaustin.org/the_great_tribulation
“What is the End Times Tribulation?”
What is the End Times Tribulation? If you’re looking for a Tribulation definition and explanation of these seven years of tribulation, watch this Tribulation video. In it, Pastor Nelson with Bible Munch uses the Bible to explain what happens during Daniel’s 70th week and the Great Tribulation time within it, which all follows after many signs of the end times and the Pre Tribulation rapture.
[ GotQuestions ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4j40k1ndjI
“Those Who Survive”
What happens to planet Earth after the destruction that takes place during the tribulation? Hear from some Bible verses that speak on God’s Wrath and what happens to those that survive through the end of the tribulation. Listen to Pastor Jack answer a few of your questions and more on this episode.
[ Jack Hibbs ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gamxnkV8M8M
“What Is The Tribulation?”
According to biblical prophecy, the Tribulation is a seven-year period that will begin immediately following the Rapture. Evil will spread without restraint. The diseases, natural disasters, wars, and devastation we see in our world today are but a taste of the atrocities to come. Toward the end, the Antichrist will sit at the center of the Tribulation’s evil as he personifies Satan.There is nothing we can do to prevent the Tribulation from occurring, but we can equip ourselves with a thorough knowledge of God’s Word. It reveals everything we need to know about earth’s final days. [ more…]
[ David Jeremiah ]
ARTICLE: https://davidjeremiah.blog/what-is-the-tribulation/
“How can I know if what is happening in Israel is a sign of the end times? – Podcast Episode 158”
What is Israel’s role in the end times? What does the Bible say about Israel in relationship to eschatology? What end times prophecies involve the nation of Israel? A conversation with Pastor Jack Hibbs.
[ Shea Houdmann
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEX3wEHCQV0
“IRAN vs. JERUSALEM & ISRAEL–God’s Promised Huge Event In Prophecy That TRIGGERS THE END”
Please turn with me to the second to the last Old Testament book called Zechariah. There God gives us the key to understanding His plan for the last days of Earth. Everything in God’s mind centers upon one place, one city, one word and that is JERUSALEM.
When Jesus told His disciples and us about the future he built every word of it around one spot on earth. All that He says about His second coming is tied to Jerusalem. Jesus said keep your eye on Jerusalem. I am ascending from the Mount of Olives (the center of Jerusalem then and now) and I am returning to the Mount of Olives. According to the Lord, the end of the world centers around Jerusalem.
The most mentioned place in the Bible is a city called Jerusalem. [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOYDz7GVv6s
“GOD SAYS A GLOBAL DISASTER IS COMING–JERUSALEM’S COUNTDOWN & THE WARNING TO THE WORLD”
One Huge Event in Prophecy.
Please turn with me to the second to the last Old Testament book called Zechariah. There God gives us the key to understanding His plan for the last days of Earth. Everything in God’s mind centers upon one place, one city, one word and that is JERUSALEM.
When Jesus told His disciples and us about the future he built every word of it around one spot on earth. All that He says about His second coming is tied to Jerusalem. Jesus said keep your eye on Jerusalem. I am ascending from the Mount of Olives (the center of Jerusalem then and now) and I am returning to the Mount of Olives. According to the Lord, the end of the world centers around Jerusalem.
The most mentioned place in the Bible is a city called Jerusalem. [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=savStutv0xA
“ONE HUGE EVENT IN PROPHECY–TRIGGERS EVERYTHING!”
Everything in God’s mind centers upon one place, one city, one word and that is JERUSALEM.
When Jesus told His disciples and us about the future he built every word of it around one spot on earth. All that He says about His second coming is tied to Jerusalem.
Jesus said keep your eye on Jerusalem.
I am ascending from the Mount of Olives (the center of Jerusalem then and now) and I am returning to the Mount of Olives.
According to the Lord, the end of the world centers around Jerusalem. [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lw9nn9gkkU
“Marking the Times Episode 157 Israel Update”
[ Mark Hitchcock ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hywBzmve9Tk
“IRAN vs. JERUSALEM THIS TRIGGERS WORLD WAR III ACCORDING TO GOD!”
What TRIGGERS World War III?
One amazing element is forming before our eyes. The study and teaching of prophecy aren’t supposed to be an intellectual pursuit of their own. The point isn’t to memorize all the seals and bowls and trumpets in the book of Revelation…. set dates and times regarding the Rapture…. or get into pointless and contentious arguments over the timing and sequence of End Times events.
Rather, God gave us prophecy to motivate and mobilize the Church to live lives of holiness….and preach the Gospel to all nations before He comes…and make disciples of all nations before He returns. The PROPHETIC center of the Universe is in the Middle East!
Were Iran’s drones used to attack the LARGEST oil production site in the world Saudi Arabia? Is that important to prophetic world events?
Without question, prophecy is central to the Holy Scriptures. Yet very few pastors, priests, or ministry leaders are teaching Bible prophecy today.
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kHOU7l_kFc
“JERUSALEM BIRTH-PANGS–WHY DID GOD MAKE THAT CITY THE NERVE CENTER OF WORLD?”
WHY IS JERUSALEM—THE NERVE CENTER OF THE WORLD TO GOD?
JERUSALEM: A LESSON IN GOD’S KINGSHIP: When you are chosen by God there is no limit to what all He can do with you! When God picked Jerusalem it was unknown and would have ended up like any other of the vanished cities whose ruins dot the globe. But no, He said I put My name there forever! And what has happened? JERUSALEM has become:
– The NERVE center of the world GEOGRAPHICALLY Ezekiel 5:5
– The SALVATION center of the world SPIRITUALLY John 4:22
– The STORM center of the world PROPHETICALLY Zechariah 14:1-8
– The GLORY center of the world ULTIMATELY ISAIAH 2:1-5
Four thousand and one hundred years ago, yes 41 centuries ago God made a promise called a covenant with a man we know named Abraham. God did not only speak this promise, it was dramatically displayed by a ceremony called “cutting a covenant”. In the style we know was known to Abraham from his culture God took the slaying, dividing and laying out of sacrificial animals on the ground as a setting for His Promise made to Himself and for Abraham that could never be broken. We call this Promise the Abrahamic Covenant.
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2wJtuscyKQ
“WE ALL JUST TOOK A BIG STEP TOWARD THE END–BEWARE OF THE COMING WRATH OF GOD”
Do you know, we just took a giant step toward the end of the world in 2021-2022?
Did you know COVID-19 has started the ball rolling toward global governance like nothing else ever has?
We have had for the first time, every nation on Earth working together to stop the spread. We’ve had worldwide events in the past, like the world cup, or 9/11, or the Superbowl, or wars, or whatever, but never anything like this.
Did you know, God’s wrath can be held in no longer when the man of sin, the Anti-Christ is revealed. The man of sin or Anti-Christ is Satan masquerading as Jesus Christ, inside a human. That beast called the Anti-Christ governs the whole world and his rise triggers the coming wrath of God. We just took a giant step toward that. Beware of the coming wrath of God. [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GARkuXwWccY
“Israel’s Future is a Major End Times Super Sign”
In this week’s episode of Marking the End Times, I dive deeper into Israel’s future. I’ll be discussing 7 key events or mile markers that will help us understand what’s in store for the nation of Israel.
If you’re a paid subscriber, you’ll have access to the full episode where I’ll be answering questions like “Is hell only for Satan and his angels or will people go?” and “What happens to people who never hear about the Gospel?”
[ Mark Hitchcock ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olmoCDVa4Co
“Israel: Epicenter for the End Times”
Jimmy Evans is the Founder and CEO of MarriageToday, a ministry and nationally syndicated television program devoted to helping couples thrive in strong and fulfilling marriages and families. He is Senior Pastor of Gateway Church, one of the largest churches in the nation.
When I was a young Christian, I had no idea of the significance of Israel or the Jewish people. I was new to the faith and newly married. One day, when my wife and I were casually browsing a Christian bookstore, I saw a poster on the wall. It bore one simple word, Israel, along with a picture of a menorah.
I didn’t really know what it meant, but couldn’t take my eyes off that poster. After staring at it for a few minutes, I approached the bookstore owner at the front counter. “What does that poster mean?” I asked him. He proceeded to tell me about the nation of Israel and the Jewish people from the Bible’s perspective. [ more…]
[ Jimmy Evans ]
ARTICLE: https://www.christianpost.com/voices/israel-epicenter-for-the-end-times.html
“A Brief Overview of God’s Plan and God’s Purpose for the Jewish People”
Support for Israel and the Jewish
people is wavering among many
Christians today.
This is too bad because, for the first
time in recent history, Jewish attitudes
towards Christians and the Gospel are
changing – for the better! Many Jewish
people, including some of my own notyet-believing family members, now
understand that true Christians are the
best friends of the Jewish people. [ more…]
[ Mitch Glaser – Chosen People Ministries ]
PDF: https://chosenpeople.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Gods-Purpose-for-the-Jewish-People.pdf
“Why Must They Suffer?”
Why must Israel suffer like never before during the 7 year tribulation? The apple of God’s eye, the Jews, are a people that have been persecuted like no other. We read about it not only throughout the pages of Holy Writ, but in the annals of history as well.
Olivier Melnick joins us to discuss this very topic. I will be the first to say that it’s not an easy one to discuss. We must be very understanding and compassionate as we embrace this subject, because under the banner of Christianity, Jewish people have been killed and have suffered tremendously.
Again, though the subject of the coming chastening of God’s people can be a difficult one, it’s a necessary one. Why? Because the Bible says it will happen. It should propel us even more to share Jesus with as many as we can because you never know if the Lord will use you as a means to reach one of God’s people, the Jews! What a privilege! My you be blessed in our discussion and be challenged to get out and share Jesus! We are living on borrowed time.
[ Serpaents & Doves ]
VIDEO: https://rumble.com/v2qwd5o-why-must-they-suffer.html
“This Is How Antichrist Will Rise To Power”
[ Tom Hughes ]
COMMENTARY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIm-P2mnSv8
“The Antichrist, Who Is He And Where Does He Come From?”
In the End Times or Last Hour or The End of Days, or at that time a man will arise to oppose all that is Jesus Christ and His Last Days followers. He will do so more than anyone else in human history. He will be proclaiming to be the true Messiah, the Antichrist will seek world domination, and will attempt to destroy all followers of Jesus Christ and the nation of Israel.
[ Jack Hibbs ]
SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2qD6PLlufc&t=11s
“Signs of the Coming Antichrist”
Pastor Jack shares a special Bible teaching regarding the days in which we are living and what the Bible has to say about them. Don’t allow fear and confusion to trouble you. Let’s look into His word together so that we can have hope, knowledge, and expectation of Christ’s near return.
[ Jack Hibbs ]
PART 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-koZIJhfVJ8
PART 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAWdRD56HRQ
PART 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5Ss_ZObErk
“Signs Of The Coming Antichrist”
Who is the Antichrist, what will he do, and why do we as Christians need to know about him?
[ Jack Hibbs ]
SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6YAqLXm5-A
“Antichrist – Coming Of The Lawless One”
In a world filled with division, wars, and rumors of wars, the Antichrist’s promise of peace will secure the affection of the masses. But that peace will be short-lived, and he will then reveal his true colors as a demonic, destructive tyrant.
[ Jack Hibbs ]
SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRk_-DjQN2U
“The Antichrist – A Man Possessed By Satan”
The Willful King, the Son of Perdition, the Idol Shepherd—these are all names to describe a man who will be possessed by Satan to bring terrible harm to the entire world. Get ready to hear more about the Antichrist now.
[ Jack Hibbs ]
SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLCSJfLfcyU
“Antichrist – Mr. 666”
Under the guise of security and convenience, the Antichrist will introduce a cashless economy to the world. But before long, he will use that system to control who can buy and sell. Find out why that’s not good in today’s episode of Real Life TV.
[ Jack Hibbs ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO1_DSMvMEY
“When Can Antichrist Be Revealed?”
There are many candidates for the Antichrist, but believers err when trying to pin the tail on the donkey. Truth is he can’t be revealed until the restrainer is removed at the Rapture. Watch this analysis by Christine Darg.
[ Jerusalem Channel – Christine Darg ]
COMMENTARY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2Vme_eji9Y
“The Seven Year Antichrist Peace Treaty”
This week on Marking the End Times, I discuss the importance of the coming peace treaty between Israel and the Antichrist. This peace treaty can be found in Daniel 9, which I refer to today in the program.
[ Mark Hitchcock ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8mL-1aBDUU
“Is The War of Gog & Magog Coming?”
Joel Rosenberg: Is The War of Gog & Magog Coming? Is it possible that we are witnessing Old Testament prophecies being fulfilled? Having researched the subject for more than 20 years, Joel C. Rosenberg provides helpful insight on the prophecy concerning Gog and Magog found in Ezekiel. He outlines who the modern-day players are, including Russia, Iran, Sudan, and Turkey, what parts of the prophecy have already come to pass and which pieces appear to be falling into place now.
[ Joel Rosenberg ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvo2IQGPdOs&t=14s
“Gog and Magog”
Gog and Magog is a term used often to describe an end-times war. The Bible indicates that there will be two different wars with the same name. Only one of those wars you want to see and live through! Which one? When? Where?
[ Amir Tsarfati ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVZ5G31rfls
“The Future Battle for Jerusalem | ZECHARIAH 14 | God, Israel, Bible Prophecy”
In this episode of The TŌV Podcast, we explore the future, end times battle over Jerusalem as described by Zechariah 14. What will happen to the Holy City? Will God play any part in this climactic battle? What about Jesus, the Jewish Messiah—will He be involved? Enjoy this Bible study through one of the most exciting passages related to God, Israel, and Bible prophecy!
[ Levi Hazen – Life In Messiah ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L20dq_fJrRk
“The Antichrist Revealed – Revelation 13:1-10”
The subject of the Antichrist is one of the most speculated, debated, and ridiculed subjects in all of Scripture. Who he will be, where he’ll be from, and what he will do is the theme of countless books, movies, and dissertations, as well as jokes and memes. But this is a serious subject. There are over 100 passages in the Bible that describe this person. Revelation 13 is one of the more famous. Let’s consider six characteristics of this leader who will live up to his terrible name.
This teaching is from the series The End Is Near? with Skip Heitzig from Calvary Church.
[ Skip Heitzig ]
SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEgTZXUa1VY
“What is the abomination of desolation?”
What is the abomination of desolation? Will the antichrist defile the end times Temple in Jerusalem? Didn’t Antiochus Epiphanes perform the abomination of desolation in the second century BC?
[ Got Questions ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqqjNnncUrQ
“TRIBULATION FACTS–WHO GOES THROUGH THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION & WHY?”
Who is the Tribulation for?
Does God plan to allow believers to endure the time of His Wrath called the Great Tribulation?
Who escapes and who doesn’t?
These are all questions we cover in the Q&A session.
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa8_VAs0ygY
“What is the Great Tribulation?”
The Tribulation is a future time period when the Lord will accomplish at least two aspects of His plan: 1) He will complete His discipline of the nation Israel (Daniel 9:24), and 2) He will judge the unbelieving, godless inhabitants of the earth (Revelation 6 – 18). The length of the Tribulation is seven years. This is determined by an understanding of the seventy weeks of Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27; also see the article on the Tribulation). The Great Tribulation is the last half of the Tribulation period, three and one-half years in length. It is distinguished from the Tribulation period because the Beast, or Antichrist, will be revealed, and the wrath of God will greatly intensify during this time. Thus, it is important at this point to emphasize that the Tribulation and the Great Tribulation are not synonymous terms. Within eschatology (the study of future things), the Tribulation refers to the full seven-year period while the “Great Tribulation” refers to the second half of the Tribulation.
It is Christ Himself who used the phrase “Great Tribulation” with reference to the last half of the Tribulation. In Matthew 24:21, Jesus says, “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall.” In this verse Jesus is referring to the event of Matthew 24:15, which describes the revealing of the abomination of desolation, the man also known as the Antichrist. Also, Jesus in Matthew 24:29-30 states, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days . . . the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” In this passage, Jesus defines the Great Tribulation (v.21) as beginning with the revealing of the abomination of desolation (v.15) and ending with Christ’s second coming (v.30).
Other passages that refer to the Great Tribulation are Daniel 12:1b, which says, “And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time.” It seems that Jesus was quoting this verse when He spoke the words recorded in Matthew 24:21. Also referring to the Great Tribulation is Jeremiah 30:7, “Alas! for that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s distress, But he will be saved from it.” The phrase “Jacob’s distress” refers to the nation of Israel, which will experience persecution and natural disasters such as have never before been seen.
Considering the information Christ gave us in Matthew 24:15-30, it is easy to conclude that the beginning of the Great Tribulation has much to do with the abomination of desolation, an action of the Antichrist. In Daniel 9:26-27, we find that this man will make a “covenant” (a peace pact) with the world for seven years (one “week”; again, see the article on the Tribulation). Halfway through the seven-year period—”in the middle of the week”—we are told this man will break the covenant he made, stopping sacrifice and grain offering, which specifically refers to his actions in the rebuilt temple of the future. Revelation 13:1-10 gives even more detail concerning the Beast’s actions, and just as important, it also verifies the length of time he will be in power. Revelation 13:5 says he will be in power for 42 months, which is three and one-half years, the length of the Great Tribulation.
Revelation offers us the most information about the Great Tribulation. From Revelation 13 when the Beast is revealed until Christ returns in Revelation 19, we are given a picture of God’s wrath on the earth because of unbelief and rebellion (Revelation 16-18). It is also a picture of how God disciplines and at the same time protects His people Israel (Revelation 14:1-5) until He keeps His promise to Israel by establishing an earthly kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6).
[ Got Questions ]
“END TIMES TIMELINE SUMMARY”
Bible prophecy is NOT ‘cut-and-dried’ and there are many experts that disagree on the ‘fine points’ of what will happen in the end times and when they will happen. I have presented the most up-to-date thinking about this—that I have settled on (for now).
However, I am not proposing that this is THE answer. A variety of interpretations are provided in the “Resources” section of this previous post for you to determine your own conviction about this. [ more…]
PRE-TRIBULATION (Time “Gap”)
[ more…]
THE TRIBULATION (First Half)
[ more…]
THE “GREAT TRIBULATION” (Second Half)
[ more…]
[ FYI… AFTER THE TRIBULATION ]
[ more…]
[ Mark Besh – “Life’s Deep Thoughts” blog, August 2019 ]
ARTICLE: https://markbesh.wordpress.com/final-tribulation-v246/
“WHEN EARTH BECOMES A LIVING HELL—That’s What Happens When People Get What They Really Want!”
In the final days, mankind’s unending fight with God will, at last, bring them the freedom they have always wanted—life without God. What does life become without God? That is what we will see as we go through the sixteenth chapter of Revelation.
Life apart from Jesus Christ is nothing less than a living hell. [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF7jP4Qjb9o
“What Is The Purpose Of The Tribulation?”
Those who do not believe the rapture of the church occurs prior to the tribulation often speak of the tribulation being used to “purify” the church. Unfortunately, this undercuts the glorious truth that believers are already purified and justified by faith in Christ. What, then, is the purpose of the tribulation? The Bible gives several reasons for this future time of trouble. [ more…]
THE TRIBULATION PREPARES ISRAEL FOR THE COMING KINGDOM
[ more…]
THE TRIBULATION REVEALS GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY OVER HIS CREATION
[ more…]
THE TRIBULATION REVEALS THE CHARACTER AND CORRUPTION OF SATAN
[ more…]
THE TRIBULATION REDEEMS A HOST OF BELIEVERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
[ more…]
THE TRIBULATION REVIVES ISRAEL FOR HER MESSIAH
[ more…]
[ Stephen Davey ]
ARTICLE: https://www.wisdomonline.org/blog/what-is-the-purpose-of-the-tribulation?lang=English
“Petra and the End Times”
While in Israel, Pastor Derek Neider teaches on end times events and explains the part the site of Petra plays in them.
[ Derek Neider ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-riYylyRwY
“Petra in End-Time Prophecy”
Christine Darg summarizes a teaching that she preached in the open air in the rose red city of Petra, Jordan. Is Petra the End-Time sheepfold of the Lord for Israel, who flees from the Anti-Christ?
[ Christine Darg – Jerusalem Channel ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm1Sl_H-rzk
“What is the significance of the city of Petra in the Bible?”
The city of Petra is not mentioned in the Bible by that name; rather, it is called by its Hebrew name, Sela in Isaiah 16:1 and 2 Kings 14:7. Both Petra and Sela mean “rock,” an appropriate name, since much of the city is carved into sandstone cliffs. Petra is located about fifty miles south of the Dead Sea and 170 miles southwest of modern Amman, Jordan.
Petra’s main access is via a narrow crevice called the Siq, which winds for about a mile through mountainous terrain. The Siq provided an excellent natural defense for Petra’s inhabitants. Many moviegoers are familiar with the Siq and the treasury building of Petra, which were featured in the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Petra was in the land of the Edomites, who were descendants of Esau. Israel and Edom were constantly at odds, starting with Edom’s refusal to allow Moses and the Israelites passage through their land on their way to Canaan (Numbers 20:18-21). During the kingdom years, King Saul and King David both fought the Edomites (1 Samuel 14:47; 2 Samuel 8:13-14). During the reign of King Jehoshaphat, Edom invaded Judah and was repelled (2 Chronicles 20). Later, King Amaziah fought against Edom, and he took control of Petra, renaming it “Joktheel” (2 Kings 14:7).
When King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, the Edomites gave aid and comfort to the enemy (Psalm 137:7). For this, they were strongly condemned by the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Obadiah (Isaiah 34:5-8; Jeremiah 49:16-18).
For centuries, Petra seemed secure in its unassailable fortress of rock, but today its ruins lie uninhabited, in fulfillment of the prophetic word: “‘As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown, along with their neighboring towns,’ says the LORD, ‘so no one will live there; no people will dwell in it’” (Jeremiah 49:18).
[ Got Questions ]
“Israeli Lawmaker Proposes DIVIDING Temple Mount; Hamas Threatens WAR”
On today’s Watchman Newscast, host Erick Stakelbeck breaks down a proposal by an Israeli lawmaker that would see Jerusalem’s Temple Mount divided between Muslims and Jews. The suggested plan would end the so-called “status quo” at the holy site and grant Jews permission to pray there. Hamas reacted to the proposal with threats of war. Will this lawmaker’s plan gather steam and could it hasten talk of a Third Temple?
[ The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck ]
COMMENTARY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFQJ7a09nHQ
“The Next Temple”
From the onset of creation, God has desired to dwell among His people. Even after sin entered the world, God graciously provided the means for this to take place. In his message, The Next Temple, Amir Tsarfati explains how the nature of God’s presence with His people has changed throughout the ages. However, understanding these changes sparks new questions – Will there be another temple in Jerusalem? If so, what is the purpose? Where is God’s presence with His people today? Where will it be in the future?
[ Amir Tsarfati ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_g390mfFYs
“The Third Temple Is Coming!!!”
On this episode of Countdown 2 Eternity, Pastors James and Don will discuss the coming temple and what it all means. What does the Bible say about it? What should we expect? What will it be used for?
[ James Kaddis – Interview of Don Perkins ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj0LZV085HM
Temple Mount Tensions Rising in Recent Days”
This week on Marking the End Times, I want to talk about the Temple Mount, or what I call the “prophetic hot spot.” I will explain the recent tension surrounding the Temple Mount and its significance.
As a subscriber, you will be able to watch the full episode where I answer questions such as, “I’ve been told that humans are controlling the earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters that are happening. Is that possible? Would God allow that?” as well as, “For the people who die for their faith during the 7-year Tribulation, where do they go?”
[ Mark Hitchcock ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VouVAL0s_1k
“The Temple Location”
Mondo gets interviewed by Kym Duarte of LifeClips Podcast about a myriad of Biblical subjects.
[ Mondo Gonzales ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lK6ArklqiM
“The Third Temple is FINALLY Being Built But Something STRANGE Is Happening Now!”
The rapture of the church is the next major event that is scheduled to take place according to God’s agenda for prophetic operations. And there is still unfinished business with regard to the predictions before the Rapture can take place. Which is a matter of time; it might take place at any moment. In point of fact, the only thing that is preventing it from happening right now is the kindness and compassion of God, who is long-suffering.
Thus, the fact that there are no signals of the Rapture does not change the fact that there is at least one key piece of evidence that it is very near at hand. On the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where the current Jewish Temple now stands, this sign indicates the current state of preparations for the construction of the new Jewish Temple. Thus, keep watching this video to see what will happen if the third temple is built.
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[ The Upworld ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5e2Yd9NyHU
“Time of Jacob’s Trouble”
Pastor Barry Stagner’s message on the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord; The Tribulation.
[ Barry Stagner ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUnxHXHmbNs
“The Jewish People and Time of Jacob’s Trouble”
[ Dr. Rich Freeman ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej9jnknTCu0
“Barry Stagner: The Time of Jacob’s Trouble”
Pastor Barry message on the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord; The Tribulation.
[ Barry Stagner ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROU-3-kOA0g
“Jacob’s Trouble”
Jeremiah 30:7 tells of a coming time of terrible trouble for Israel but that it will ultimately lead to their salvation. But why is it important for us to understand this? As it turns out the past, present and future of the Jews are tightly interwoven with our own salvation, our present circumstances, and what will become of us during this time of wrath.
[ Brett Meador ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRIquIij4CA&t=1338s
“Amir Tsarfati: Israel and the Tribulation”
God disciplines those He loves. For the nation of Israel, this time of correction is called Jacob’s Trouble, or the Tribulation. In Israel and the Tribulation, Amir Tsarfati looks at Israel’s rebellion against God before the period of correction begins, the peace and the horror the nation will experience during that time, and the spiritual restoration that will take place when the seven years conclude. Israel abandoned the relationship that God loved for religion which He hates. It is the remnant that survives the Tribulation who will return once again to the relationship the Lord wants.
[ Amir Tsarfati ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gA73gZb6IQ
“SEVEN HORRIBLE YEARS AHEAD–WHO SURVIVES & WHAT IS GOD’S PLAN FOR THE END”
The Seven-Year Tribulation: Who Goes Through it & Why?
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jxe4fZqjMg
“ARMAGEDDON & WHY IS JERUSALEM THE MOST MENTIONED PLACE IN THE BIBLE?”
Tonight we are headed to a city made by God called the New JERUSALEM,
It has Twelve Gates named after the 12 JEWISH Apostles,
There are Twelve Foundations named after the 12 Tribes of ISRAEL,
God sits on a hill called ZION, [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XuuYdszNsc
“THE ARMAGEDDON BATTLE–Who Will Be There & Who Won’t Be There?”
God has staked His name on one nation—Israel. No city on planet Earth has the history of God’s city—Jerusalem! For over 4,000 years Jerusalem has been the city of God. Look with me at this timeline of God’s association with Jerusalem.
Well over 4,000 years ago, Jerusalem was the city of Melchizedek (a type of Christ [see Genesis 14]) and Abraham’s offering of Isaac; over 3,000 years ago Jerusalem was the city of David, the city of Solomon, and of God’s personally designed temple.
God calls it “My City” (Hosea 5:15).
Two thousand years ago Jerusalem was the place of Christ’s Crucifixion—now a place sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. In A.D. 70 the temple (built by Herod) was destroyed. The first temple (Solomon’s) was destroyed in 586 B.C. The second temple was built by Zerubbabel, and then greatly enlarged and embellished for over 40 years by Herod. In A.D. 685-691 the Dome of the Rock was built over the same area, and in A.D. 1520-1566 Suleman the Magnificent added the present walls. Today this city of less than a square mile is the focus of most of the nations of the world for one reason: God has chosen Jerusalem to be the focal point for His plan for the end of the world!
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVi9NWDY6lY
“The Battle Of Armageddon!!!”
On today’s episode of Countdown 2 Eternity, Pastors James and Don will discuss the Battle of Armageddon! What is it? What is it NOT? When does it take place? What about Gog and Magog? How does it all come together and what should we know?
[ James Kaddis – Interviews Don Perkins ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tew9FgdXjxI
“HUMANITY’S SURVIVAL IS TIED TO JERUSALEM ZECHARIAH GIVES THE CLEAREST PICTURE OF THE END “
This month I am teaching a group of pastors who serve local churches on three continents–they all share something in common, they are bi-vocational.
They work a day job to pay for their expenses as they evangelize and train new believers. What a thrill to see their hunger.
I have been assigned Ezekiel, Daniel & Zechariah as my class list.
This is a distilled class compilation of my overviews of the book flowing from the opening Q&As from past classes.
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CadJE7qUELE
“THE LONG WAR BETWEEN SATAN & ISRAEL”
Revelation 12:1-17
1/3 of the world population of Jews were murdered in the WWII Holocaust. 2/3s of the world population of Jews will be murdered in the Tribulation Holocaust (Zech. 13:8).
Who will be driving this anti-Semitism and why?
Poised to begin the second half of the Tribulation, Revelation 12 reveals the who and why of the Tribulation Holocaust.
Several of the symbols are interpreted in the chapter itself so we will read the entire chapter. [ more…]
[ Grace Community Church of Ramona ]
PDF: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/http://gccramona.com/gccmain/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/140525AM_notes.pdf
“The Coming Beast System”
Join Gary Stearman and Brandon Holthaus as the examine the relentless Deep State drive towards complete global control of the population, coinciding with the march towards the Mark of the Beast system and the soon arrival of the Antichrist.
[ Prophecy Watchers – Interviews Brandon Holthaus ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIEo7JB61lU
“Jack Hibbs interviews Bill Salus regarding Psalm 83”
Psalm 83 says “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation…” Is this simply Israel’s ancient enemy talking? Or does it predict a future Middle East war? Tune in this week to Pastor Jack and Bill Salus.
[ Jack Hibbs ]
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Klsb6fxpc&t=7s
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6kedmhdtyw
“Does Psalm 83 Describe Israel’s War BEFORE Gog & Magog? Bible Prophecy Update”
On today’s Watchman Newscast, host Erick Stakelbeck is joined by author Bill Salus of Prophecy Depot Ministries to break down the Bible’s mysterious Psalm 83 passage and whether it describes a future war between Israel and its enemies, led by Iran and its proxies. Some say this passage was already fulfilled in 1967 or 1948. However, Salus believes these events have yet to take place and will transpire before the war of Gog and Magog. Could Psalm 83 set the stage for Gog/Magog showdown as described in the Book of Ezekiel?
[ The Watchman With Erick Stakelback ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvatAvvJjRQ
“Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38, and the Coming Battles for Israel”
“Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7)
End-time experts are talking a lot about the Gog-Magog war of Ezekiel 38–39, a prophecy that predicts a powerful confederacy, apparently led by Russia, that is destined to someday invade Israel. Some think that its fulfillment is even knocking at our door.
But a lesser known prophecy is gaining momentum and importance for our day: Psalm 83, in which a different confederacy attempts to wipe out Israel.
This psalm seems to be addressing current issues in the Middle East—nations conspiring to destroy Israel.
Psalms-IDF-Yom-HaZikaron-Israeli-soldier-Ezekiel 38An Israeli soldier and his girlfriend read from the Book of Psalms (Tehillim) during a visit to the grave of a friend who died defending Israel.
Asaph’s Vision of a Future War
“O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads.” (Psalm 83:1–2)
Psalm 83 is more than a prayer or a plea to God for vengeance on Israel’s enemies; it reveals that a 10-member confederacy wants to destroy the Chosen People and possess the Promised Land.
This psalm, however, was not written during a time of war. It was written some 3,000 years ago by King David’s worship leader, Asaph, during a time of great prosperity, liberty, and peace. [ more…]
[ Bibles For Israel ]
ARTICLE: https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/psalm-83-ezekiel-38-and-the-coming-battles-for-israel/
“The Sound of the Horsemen”
Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. – Revelation 6:1-2
[ Barry Stagner: ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC2vAiXSioY&list=RDLVROU-3-kOA0g
“The War of Ezekiel”
The war of Ezekiel is one of the most frequented topics among prophecy teachers and followers today and for good reason. The events concerning the war are lining up right before our eyes.
[ Barry Stagner ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS6JIdJDJnk&list=RDLVROU-3-kOA0g
“Will there be an end times temple in Jerusalem?”
The Bible mentions that some end-times events will occur in a temple in Jerusalem (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15). Second Thessalonians 2:4, speaking of the Antichrist, tells us, “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” Before the end times can occur, a temple must be present for these events to occur in.
There is still the “small” problem of the Islamic Dome of the Rock being on the site where the Jewish temple is supposed to be. Muslims believe this is the place from which Mohammed ascended into heaven, making it the third most sacred of Muslim shrines. For the Jews to take over this place and build a temple upon it would be unthinkable in today’s political climate. But during the tribulation, the building of the Temple will come about, protected by the Antichrist (Daniel 9:24-27).
When we see the Temple being constructed, we can be sure the end times are indeed upon us. The Antichrist will be reigning, the Church will already have been raptured, and the first half of the tribulation will have passed. But there will still be time for people to come to Christ for salvation.
[ Got Questions ]
“JESUS TOLD US–KEEP YOUR EYE ON EVENTS HAPPENING IN ISRAEL!”
We are on the final lap of teaching NextGeneration, in-country, self-supported missionaries in this month’s courses. Through the end of this month, we are teaching Old Testament Theology, Personal Discipleship & Eschatology using Jesus’ favorite End Times prophet named–DANIEL!! [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1lA4fy6mWk
“What is the fullness of the Gentiles (Romans 11:25)?”
In Romans 11 Paul makes a compelling observation—an affirmation he refers to as a mystery—that a partial hardening has happened until “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25, ESV). The context helps us understand the meaning of the partial hardening and what is the fullness of the Gentiles.
In the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul catalogs the mercies of God in God’s provision of righteousness through the gospel. First, in Romans 1:1—3:20 Paul considers the universal human need for God’s righteousness, as all are unrighteous and separated from God. Then in Romans 3:21—4:25 Paul lays out how God applied righteousness through faith to all who believe in Jesus, outlining three different and significant types of descendants of Abraham: 1) ethnic Israel (Romans 4:1), 2) believing Gentiles (Romans 4:11), and 3) believing Jews (Romans 4:12). These three sets of descendants of Abraham are especially important for understanding the partial hardening and the fullness of the Gentiles that Paul talks about in Romans 11. [ more…]
[ Got Questions ]
ARTICLE: https://www.gotquestions.org/fullness-of-the-Gentiles.html
“Amir Tsarfati: The Fullness of the Gentiles”
The prophet Hosea spoke of a time when the LORD would bring in a people who were once not His. The Apostle Paul reinforces this truth in the book of Romans when he explains how God is currently working to bring in “the fullness of the gentiles” after Israel’s rejection of the Messiah. Are we living in the times of the gentiles today? What does God have in store for His chosen people of promise in the future? Dive into these Biblical truths in this teaching by Amir Tsarfati.
[ Amit Tsarfati ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27RuOrK-BGI
“What is the purpose of the thousand-year reign of Christ?”
The millennium (also known as the millennial kingdom) is the 1,000-year reign of Jesus after the tribulation and before the Great White Throne Judgment of the wicked. During the millennium, Jesus will reign as king over Israel and all the nations of the world (Isaiah 2:4; 42:1). The world will live in peace (Isaiah 11:6–9; 32:18), Satan will be bound (Revelation 20:1–3), and, at the beginning, everyone will worship God (Isaiah 2:2–3). The purpose of the 1,000-year reign is to fulfill various promises God made to the world. Some of these promises, called covenants, were given specifically to Israel. Others were given to Jesus, the nations of the world, and creation. Jesus’ 1,000-year reign will be a time of promises kept. [ more…]
[ Got Questions ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VzA9e6_zLQ
“Israel in the Millennium”
During the Battle of Armageddon Messiah Jesus will return to earth destroying all armies arrayed against the Holy City of Jerusalem. Following their defeat, they will be judged and put to death. The False Messiah and the False Prophet will be thrown alive into The Lake of Fire. Satan will be bound in chains and thrown into the Bottomless Pit for 1,000 years unable to influence powers, principalities or people. There will be a resurrection of the righteous of all ages, a rewarding of martyred saints of the Tribulation and the establishment of the kingdom reign of the Messiah on earth lasting for a millennium.
Jerusalem will be the capital of this kingdom whose authority covers the whole earth. There will be topographical changes, especially in Israel. These accommodate the rebuilding of Jerusalem complete with the largest Temple ever constructed there, about 1 mile square in size. Other important changes include the Mt. of Olives splitting and creation of the River of Living Water flowing southeast into the Dead Sea year round. The ground will no longer be hostile to man and the enmity within the creation caused by the fall of mankind will be reversed. With the King of all the Earth, the Judge, and Son of God ruling this epoch will be characterized by peace, prosperity, righteousness, justice and holiness. It is as close to perfect as this world will ever be. [ more…]
[ Moshe Gold ]
ARTICLE: https://www.jewishawareness.org/israel-in-the-millennium/
“JESUS EXPLAINS THE 3 EVENTS THAT TRIGGER HIS SECOND COMING–DO YOU KNOW THEM?”
Jesus Gave a Summary of the Future Before the Lord’s Supper
Look at the incredible message about Christ’s coming to bring in His Father’s rule on earth. Look at how much Jesus says as we survey Matthew 24-25.
The 3 essential points Jesus gave to His disciples, and to us, were: [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uSoD6Osjoc
“Amir Tsarfati: The Second Coming of Jesus”
There is a chronological sequence of events regarding the end times. Often, Christians see the second coming of Jesus and the rapture of the Church as the same event, when in reality, they are years apart and for different purposes. According to the Bible, when is the second coming of Jesus? What is the purpose? Will Jesus be coming for us…or with us? Join Amir as he teaches what the Bible has to say concerning the return of Jesus Christ!
[ Amir Tsarfati ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NXzhMjIUMM
“Examining The Signifcance of Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital”
My wife and I were graduate students at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem when our daughter was born at nearby Hadassah Hospital. We were so proud, and we felt our kinship to the Land of Israel was nearly complete — until we went to the American Consulate in Jerusalem to get our daughter’s first U.S. Passport. The line designated for “country of birth” read “Jerusalem,” not “Israel.” When I inquired of a consulate official, I was told bluntly, “the U.S. does not recognize Jerusalem as part of Israel.”
It has now taken 70 years for the U.S. to officially change that policy and finally recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. For many who are not apprised of the facts but have only heard political propaganda through the mainstream media, this act of recognition may seem troublesome. Some media have even explained it as President Trump’s attempt to reward pro-Israel evangelicals whom he credited with his election victory. So, let’s review the facts from historical, religious, and political perspectives. [ more…]
[ Dr. Randall Price ]
ARTICLE: https://www.liberty.edu/journal/article/examining-the-significance-of-jerusalem-as-israels-capital/
“The Great Day of God the Almighty”
Reference: Revelation 16
[ Tommy Nelson ]
SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF45au65dSE
“A Year in Messianic Judaism”
The rhythm of a year is established through changing seasons and the marking of special days. The biblical feasts that God commanded Israel to observe create the framework of a Jewish year. In Leviticus chapter 23, God called these holy days moadim (mo-eh-DEEM), or “appointed times.” They are appointments initiated by Him to meet with His people on special occasions throughout the year. These moadim form the life cycle of a year in Messianic Judaism, and are known to contain foreshadowing of events associated with the first and second comings of Yeshua (Jesus).
Common to Messianic Judaism is a deep love for Israel and what affects her as a nation, including her significant days of remembrance. Below is a brief look at the Jewish feasts and other holidays of note observed in Messianic Judaism. [ more…]
[ Jewish Voice Ministries ]
ARTICLE: https://www.jewishvoice.org/read/blog/year-messianic-judaism
“How did Jesus fulfill the meanings of the Jewish feasts?”
Messianic rabbis suggest that Jesus is life were mirrored in the seven “Moadim,” the appointed times/festivals of the biblical calendar found in Leviticus 23.
——————–
The way in which Jesus fulfilled the Jewish feasts is a fascinating study. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the Jewish prophet Amos records that God declared He would do nothing without first revealing it to His servants, the prophets (Amos 3:7). From the Old Covenant to the New, Genesis to Revelation, God provides picture after picture of His entire plan for mankind and one of the most startling prophetic pictures is outlined for us in the Jewish feasts of Leviticus 23.
The Hebrew word for “feasts” (moadim) literally means “appointed times.” God has carefully planned and orchestrated the timing and sequence of each of these seven feasts to reveal to us a special story. The seven annual feasts of Israel were spread over seven months of the Jewish calendar, at set times appointed by God. They are still celebrated by observant Jews today. But for both Jews and non-Jews who have placed their faith in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, these special days demonstrate the work of redemption through God’s Son.
The first four of the seven feasts occur during the springtime (Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Weeks), and they all have already been fulfilled by Christ in the New Testament. The final three holidays (Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles) occur during the fall, all within a short fifteen-day period.
Many Bible scholars and commentators believe that these fall feasts have not yet been fulfilled by Jesus. However, the “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13) for all believers in Jesus Christ is that they most assuredly will be fulfilled. As the four spring feasts were fulfilled literally and right on the actual feast day in connection with Christ’s first coming, these three fall feasts, it is believed by many, will likewise be fulfilled literally in connection to the Lord’s second coming.
In a nutshell, here is the prophetic significance of each of the seven Levitical feasts of Israel:
1) Passover (Leviticus 23:5) – Pointed to the Messiah as our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7) whose blood would be shed for our sins. Jesus was crucified during the time that the Passover was observed (Mark 14:12). Christ is a “lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19) because His life was completely free from sin (Hebrews 4:15). As the first Passover marked the Hebrews’ release from Egyptian slavery, so the death of Christ marks our release from the slavery of sin (Romans 8:2).
2) Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6) – Pointed to the Messiah’s sinless life (as leaven is a picture of sin in the Bible), making Him the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Jesus’ body was in the grave during the first days of this feast, like a kernel of wheat planted and waiting to burst forth as the bread of life.
3) First Fruits (Leviticus 23:10) – Pointed to the Messiah’s resurrection as the first fruits of the righteous. Jesus was resurrected on this very day, which is one of the reasons that Paul refers to him in 1 Corinthians 15:20 as the “first fruits from the dead.”
4) Weeks or Pentecost (Leviticus 23:16) – Occurred fifty days after the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and pointed to the great harvest of souls and the gift of the Holy Spirit for both Jew and Gentile, who would be brought into the kingdom of God during the Church Age (see Acts 2). The Church was actually established on this day when God poured out His Holy Spirit and 3,000 Jews responded to Peter’s great sermon and his first proclamation of the gospel.
5) Trumpets (Leviticus 23:24) – The first of the fall feasts. Many believe this day points to the Rapture of the Church when the Messiah Jesus will appear in the heavens as He comes for His bride, the Church. The Rapture is always associated in Scripture with the blowing of a loud trumpet (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:52).
6) Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27) – Many believe this prophetically points to the day of the Second Coming of Jesus when He will return to earth. That will be the Day of Atonement for the Jewish remnant when they “look upon Him whom they have pierced,” repent of their sins, and receive Him as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10 and Romans 11:1-6, 25-36).
7) Tabernacles or Booths (Leviticus 23:34) – Many scholars believe that this feast day points to the Lord’s promise that He will once again “tabernacle” with His people when He returns to reign over all the world (Micah 4:1-7).
Should Christians celebrate these Levitical feast days of Israel today? Whether or not a Christian celebrates the Jewish feast days would be a matter of conscience for the individual Christian. Colossians 2:16-17 tells us, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Christians are not bound to observe the Jewish feasts the way an Old Testament Jew was, but we should not criticize another believer who does or does not observe these special days and feasts (Romans 14:5).
While it is not required for Christians to celebrate the Jewish feast days, it is beneficial to study them. Certainly, it could be beneficial to celebrate these days if it leads one to a greater understanding and appreciation for Christ’s death and resurrection and the future promise of His coming. As Christians, if we choose to celebrate these special days, we should put Christ in the center of the celebration, as the One who came to fulfill the prophetic significance of each of them.
——————
The prophetic symbolism of the feast of trumpets is immense. Messianic rabbis say that this feast will be directly filled in the last days, and we are entering that period now.
The seven trumpet blast that released the judgments of God upon the earth (in Reveleation 8) directly parallel to the plagues of Egypt before the exodus. To read them is horrifying
The popular song, “Blow the trumpet in Zion” is interpreted that it is proclaiming the blessings of victory that all should be looking forward to with great expectation and excitement. . However, this song is talking about the shofar blast warning that the prophet Joel talked about—preparing for the “Day of the Lord”—darkness, gloom, and disaster!
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near,
2 a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains
a great and powerful people;
their like has never been from of old,
nor will be again after them
through the years of all generations.
However, another ‘shofar’ is mentioned, and this one is to announce a divine gathering—the Rapture of the Church:
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; 17 then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words”
[ 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 ].
On the threshold of the fall feasts
The profits of the Old Testament wrote much about the millennial kingdom in the prophetic fulfillment of the fall feasts. They were looking toward the day when a Messiah would take his throne in Jerusalem and assume his rightful position as King of Kings and Lord of lords. Many believe that we are on the threshold of the prophetic fulfillment of the fall feasts.
Every year, millions of Jewish people all over the world celebrate these appointed days that point so clearly to their messiah, and yet they look through ‘veiled’ eyes.
[ Jonathan Bernis (From his “A Rabbi Looks at the Last Days” book ]
“How did Jesus fulfill the meanings of the Jewish feasts?”
The way in which Jesus fulfilled the Jewish feasts is a fascinating study. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the Jewish prophet Amos records that God declared He would do nothing without first revealing it to His servants, the prophets (Amos 3:7). From the Old Covenant to the New, Genesis to Revelation, God provides picture after picture of His entire plan for mankind and one of the most startling prophetic pictures is outlined for us in the Jewish feasts of Leviticus 23.
The Hebrew word for “feasts” (moadim) literally means “appointed times.” God has carefully planned and orchestrated the timing and sequence of each of these seven feasts to reveal to us a special story. The seven annual feasts of Israel were spread over seven months of the Jewish calendar, at set times appointed by God. They are still celebrated by observant Jews today. But for both Jews and non-Jews who have placed their faith in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, these special days demonstrate the work of redemption through God’s Son. [ more…]
[ Got Questions ]
ARTICLE: https://www.gotquestions.org/Jewish-feasts.html
“What Are the Moedim? The 7 Appointed Times”
The Moedim
The Jewish people are unparalleled in culture and tradition — especially when it comes to times of festivities. All throughout the year, the Jewish holidays (moedim) abound. These days and weeks with major significance to the people of Israel. From the single-day celebration of Purim in the spring to the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah in winter.
The Hebrew Definition of Moedim
There are, however, seven appointed times that take the greatest precedence on the calendars of the Jewish people. Israel calls these appointed times the moedim (מועדים). Though this Hebrew word can be defined as “appointed times,” this definition fails to give the word true justice in its translation. [ more…]
[ Dustin Herron ]
ARTICLE: https://firmisrael.org/learn/what-are-the-moedim/
“The appointed times of the Messiah’s Return found in ancient Jewish festivals”
Could it be that the Fall Biblical festivals celebrated by Jewish people around the world have amazing insight into the Return of our Messiah!? Most Christians are aware that it was on the appointed day of Passover that our Messiah was crucified, some are aware that it was the Biblical feast of First fruits that He was Resurrected and the appointed day of Shavuot 50 that the Holy Spirt was poured out on the church. Dr. Erez Soref dives into the Biblical Appointed days in the fall and uncovers how they celebrate the past deliverance and our Messiah’s return to come!
[ One For Israel Ministry ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6BN0m2us34
“Prophecy of the King’s return hidden in the mystery of the Feast of Trumpets”
Today if you greet someone in Israel with happy feast of trumpets, they’ll look at you like you fell off the moon. Dive into this exciting theory of how this festival day not only points to the coming of the Lord in power to Mount Sinai but also the return of our King and Messiah to the mount of olives in power and Glory. It’s a exciting theory that’s new to us in many ways, but it’s NOT about trying to pick dates and times!!! But hopefully seeing these amazing prophecies fulfilled and foreshadowed through modern and ancient traditions will strengthen your faith and have you look with anticipation to our King’s return.
[ One For Israel Ministry ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlm5bS8DAjE
“Prophecies of End times events and the work of our Messiah in the Feast of Tabernacles”
The Feast of Tabernacles has beautiful significance for us today and deep prophetic insight into the Kingdom to come. Join us as Professor David Mishkin dives into the amazing claims that Jesus made during this festival, how our Messiah fulfills these prophetic events for us personally today and in the Kingdom to come! We also take a look at Israeli society today, how it’s celebrated and key insights to discover more of the Father’s heart in these festivals.
[ One For Israel Ministry ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDyXBDaVrM4
“Prophecies hidden in the Feast of Tabernacles”
Dr. Erez Soref dives into the modern and ancient traditions of the Feast of Tabernacles and how it foreshadows the wedding festival of the Lamb, and our state tabernacling here on earth.
[ One For Israel Ministry ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_JrqesAS9c
“ONE HUGE EVENT ON GOD’S PROPHETIC HORIZON”
A series of events described in detail 2,600 years ago has been murky, fuzzy and out of focus for all of those centuries until recently. Let me just briefly point out what God says. Turn with me to Ezekiel 36-39. These chapters describe what I like to call—
Ezekiel Chapter 36-37 describes the scattered Israelites as a pile of bones—dry and dead. Then the Lord sends forth a call, stirring the hearts of scattered Jewish people all over the world; their slow return back to the geographic area now called Israel; their rebirth as a sovereign nation called Israel, and the formation of an exceedingly great army. [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haNahubTEbI
“9 WARS of the END TIMES | Guest: Dr. David Reagan”
What wars will break out in the end times? Find out with guest Dr. David Reagan along with hosts Tim Moore and Nathan Jones on the television program, Christ in Prophecy!
[ Lamb & Lion ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSam37kVyX0
“9 Prophesied Wars Of The End Times | with Tom Hughes & Dr. Nathan Jones”
[ Hope For Our Times ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb0r9jNGjJQ
“Jerusalem: The Key to the Apocalypse”
[ Cities Of The Underworld (S2, E1) ]
While most of the world’s population considers Jerusalem a holy land, for billions of people it is considered ground zero for Armageddon. See more in Season 2, Episode 1, “Underground Apocalypse.”
[ History Channel ]
DOCUMENTARY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX6vV8P-tyo
“Looks Like Jesus is Coming Soon!”
In this video I show how it looks like Jesus is coming very soon at the rapture! Sermon preached at The First Baptist Church in Lowell, Indiana on May 24th, 2023.
[ Robert Breaker ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIG9IwNPc3M
“It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Apocalypse”
The world IS beginning to look a lot like Apocalypse. . . and the Almighty seems to be taking his time in sending Jesus back, but God is just being patient, explains Jerusalem Channel presenter Christine Darg. The Lord is not willing that any should perish but that all should repent.
[ Christine Darg ]
COMMENTARY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd_mHBmogRs
“The GREATEST End Times SIGN”
What is the greatest of the end times signs? Find out with guest Dr. David Reagan along with hosts Tim Moore and Nathan Jones of the Lamb & Lion Ministries evangelism team as they provide their Prophetic Perspectives
[ Christ In Prophecy – Interviews David Reagan ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxOSb5iOAUU
“The Rapture and Israel”
Pete and I will talk about the Rapture and Israel.
[ Soothkeep – Interviews Pete Garcia ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DV5b0zyris
“The Rapture: Left Behind! — The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly”
Hi all you watchmen and watchwomen! I will be interviewing Scott Townsend, the founder of iamawatchman.com and rapturekit.org. We will discuss the the bad, the ugly, and the good about missing the rapture. We will especially dive into the good — a HUGE warning following by a second chance to believe the gospel. This is where the church comes in. Anyone who actually listens to the message of the rapture itself will be seeking more instruction on what just happened and how to get right with God. Rapture kits are your opportunity to continue your ministry after the rapture. Though he be raptured, yet he speaketh. The rapture kit offered via rapturekit.org is not only an attractive, professionally executed package, but it is chock full of Bibles and literature and media. While you can order the kits ready to go, you can also download the files, install them yourself on thumb drives, and make your own custom cuts. Join Scott and I as we talk about the rapture, the gospel, being left behind, and your options for continuing to testify after the rapture with rapture kits.
[ Soothkeep – Interviews Scott Townsend ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t4Y9LurnQs
“Israel’s Escape to Petra, the Mountain Stronghold”
Petra, meaning “Rock” in Greek, is a deserted city south of the Dead Sea in Jordan. In antiquity it was known as Seir, metropolis of the Edomites. In later times, the Nabateans settled in the mountain stronghold of the dislodged Edomites and called their capital Petra. The city is situated in a rift valley which extends from the Kidron Valley in Jerusalem through the Dead Sea and further south. Indications are that an earthquake and volcanic activity occurred here, forming a big canyon with rocky ravines and steep cliffs. The remains of the spectacular city consist of temples, tombs and dwellings carved out of the sandstone cliffs. The only entrance to the city is through a narrow gorge almost two kilometres in length, which can easily be guarded and even blocked if necessary, thus rendering Petra a very safe refuge. [ more…]
An impressive scene greets the traveller when the multi-coloured sandstone formations of the most famous ghost town in the world looms up before him. Added to this is the mystery of the city’s history as well as the expectation that, according to Revelation 12:6, it might serve as a refuge to a remnant in Israel when the Antichrist will order the worldwide genocide of Jews, lasting for the last 3½ years of the tribulation period. Despite the absolute desolation of Petra its role in history is not yet past.
South of the narrow gorge that offers access to Petra is a valley of between 1½ and 5 kilometres wide. About 3 kilometres south of the entrance to Petra is the Fountain of Moses (Ain Musa). During their journey through the wilderness Moses led the Israelites along this valley to the gates of Petra. From that point, they intended passing through Edom’s territory on their way to the Promised Land, but the hostile Edomites twice refused their request. [ more…]
[ Prof. Johan Malan ]
ARTICLE: https://www.bibleguidance.co.za/Engarticles/Petracity.htm
“Kidron Valley, Jerusalem, Israel: Judgment, Wine Press of God, Valley of Jehoshaphat, Tribulation!”
See a video about the Kidron Valley (Valley of Jehoshaphat) that talks about the judgments and the Wine Press of God’s wrath. Learn about the Great Tribulation, Christ’s second coming, blood flowing up to the horses’ bridle, the gathering of the nations, and more.
[ Holy Land Site ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JEkM0imfok
“The Valley of Jehosaphat: Where God Will Judge the Nations”
[ The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck – Interviews Jamie Elgrod ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zb6qiYB5wU
“What the Bible Says About the Millennium”
Mondo gets interviewed by Kym Duarte of LifeClips Podcast about a myriad of Biblical subjects.
[ Prophecy Watchers – Mondo Gonzales ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAa0VvpHm9c
“Will all Israel be saved in the end times (Romans 11:26)?”
Romans 11:26 plainly says, “All Israel will be saved.” The question that arises is: “What is meant by Israel?” Is the future “Israel” literal or figurative (i.e., referring to the ethnic Jews or referring to the Church)? Those who take a literal approach to the promises of the Old Testament believe that the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be restored to a right relationship with God and receive the fulfillment of the covenants. Those who advocate replacement theology basically affirm that the Church has completely replaced Israel and will inherit God’s promises to Israel; the covenants, then, will be fulfilled only in a spiritual sense. In other words, replacement theology teaches that Israel will not inherit the actual land of Israel; the Church is the “new Israel,” and ethnic Israel is forever excluded from the promises—the Jews will not inherit the Promised Land as Jews per se. [ more…]
[ Got Questions ]
ARTICLE: https://www.gotquestions.org/all-Israel-saved.html
“Jerusalem’s Destiny – [ Zechariah 14 vv. 1 – 11 ]”
[ Tim Cantrell ]
SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-P8yYPsCBs
“JERUSALEM: Infamous End or Glorious Destiny?”
Discouragement was the mood of the day. Disappointment was in the heart of every Jew. They were disillusioned. If God himself had let them down, where could they turn? Was there nothing ahead but disaster and doom? This was the attitude of that small band of Jewish people who had returned to the city of Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity.
Eighteen years earlier, this little group of refugees had returned to their city, their hearts overflowing with joy and gladness. With great expectation they had begun to clear the rubble of the horrible destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Within seven months the Levitical sacrificial system had been restored. In the second month of their second year back in the land, they had valiantly laid the foundation of the Temple (Ezra 3:8).
Things had been going well. The work was progressing. Then, the axe fell! The adversaries in the land conspired against the Jews to keep them from building the Temple on the foundations already laid. By force, they were made to stop their work (Ezra 4). [ more…]
[ Fred Hartman ]
ARTICLE: https://israelmyglory.org/article/jerusalem-infamous-end-or-glorious-destiny/
“What is the cause of all the anti-Semitism in the world?”
Why does the world hate the Jews? Why is anti-Semitism so rampant in so many different nations? What is so bad about the Jews? History has shown that at various times over the last 1,700 years the Jews have been expelled from over 80 different countries. Historians and experts have concluded there are at least six possible reasons: [ more…]
[ Got Questions ]
ARTICLE: https://www.gotquestions.org/anti-Semitism.html
“THE CALLING AND MISSION OF ISRAEL”
The future observance of Sukkot by the nations of the world is connected with Israel’s election and mission. The universal nature of God’s plan for the Jewish people stretches back to His covenant with Abraham. In that holy agreement, God promised,
“And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3).
Israel’s election must always be linked with her mission to the Gentiles. From faithful Abraham’s seed, God would raise up His chosen people, Israel, to be a blessing to the nations! Israel was chosen to be God’s vehicle of blessing to the world!
Moses wrote regarding the choosing of Israel,
“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.” (Deuteronomy 7:6-7).
God’s choice of Israel was not based upon Abraham’s merit or the obedience of the nation. God chose Israel because He decided to love the nation.
“… the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 7:8).
God’s electing love falls upon unworthy sinners as He is a God of grace and a God of purpose. Often, His election is linked to a particular purpose He wants to accomplish, and He chooses and uses whomsoever He wills – including Israel. Rarely in Scripture do those whom God chooses to use deserve the privilege!
God chose the Jewish people as His means to bless all mankind. God chose to love the Jewish people, and through this nation, to express His love for the world. Israel’s chosenness did not mean to assure individual Jewish people of personal salvation. Rather, God’s choice guarantees the chosen nation of ultimately fulfilling His plan, as God never fails to keep His promises. So, although it may seem like God limited His line of promise by choosing one nation above others, His redemptive plan has always been universal so that His plan of redemption would be offered to the entire world.
This is why the Apostle Paul wrote,
Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11:12-15)
[ Chosen People Ministries ]
“Why did God choose Israel to be His chosen people?”
Speaking of the nation of Israel, Deuteronomy 7:7-9 tells us, “The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.”
God chose the nation of Israel to be the people through whom Jesus Christ would be born—the Savior from sin and death (John 3:16). God first promised the Messiah after Adam and Eve’s fall into sin (Genesis chapter 3). God later confirmed that the Messiah would come from the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12:1-3). Jesus Christ is the ultimate reason why God chose Israel to be His special people. God did not need to have a chosen people, but He decided to do it that way. Jesus had to come from some nation of people, and God chose Israel.
However, God’s reason for choosing the nation of Israel was not solely for the purpose of producing the Messiah. God’s desire for Israel was that they would go and teach others about Him. Israel was to be a nation of priests, prophets, and missionaries to the world. God’s intent was for Israel to be a distinct people, a nation who pointed others towards God and His promised provision of a Redeemer, Messiah, and Savior. For the most part, Israel failed in this task. However, God’s ultimate purpose for Israel—that of bringing the Messiah into the world—was fulfilled perfectly in the Person of Jesus Christ.
[ Got Questions ]
“Who Are God’s Chosen People?”
From Genesis 12 through the book of Revelation, we find the story of God developing a people for Himself. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the people of God, who they are, and how and why we want to be counted amongst them. In Genesis 17:7, God established His covenant with Abraham, telling him, “I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.” That covenant applies to the Jewish people—and its promises extend to us, through our faith in Jesus.
[ Allen Jackson ]
SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc1ueRF4_7s
“Are the Jewish People Still the Chosen People?”
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession.” (Deuteronomy 7:6)
The Jewish People are often called the Chosen People, a term that has caused many to accuse God of favoritism and the Jews of being smug elitists who think that God prefers them over all other nations and peoples.
“Chosenness” is so strongly associated with favoritism and arrogance that even some Jewish people reject this term. Yet, the idea of God choosing Israel runs throughout Scripture. Here are a few verses:
“But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham My friend.” (Isaiah 41:8)
“You His servants, the descendants of Israel, His chosen ones, the children of Jacob.” (1 Chronicles 16:13; see also Psalm 105:6)
“For the LORD has chosen Jacob to Himself, and Israel for His peculiar treasure.” (Psalm 135:4) [ more…]
[ Bibles For Israel ]
ARTICLE: https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/abraham-chosen-people/
“THE CALLING AND MISSION OF ISRAEL”
The future observance of Sukkot by the nations of the world is connected with Israel’s election and mission. The universal nature of God’s plan for the Jewish people stretches back to His covenant with Abraham. In that holy agreement, God promised,
“And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3).
Israel’s election must always be linked with her mission to the Gentiles. From faithful Abraham’s seed, God would raise up His chosen people, Israel, to be a blessing to the nations! Israel was chosen to be God’s vehicle of blessing to the world!
Moses wrote regarding the choosing of Israel,
“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.” (Deuteronomy 7:6-7).
God’s choice of Israel was not based upon Abraham’s merit or the obedience of the nation. God chose Israel because He decided to love the nation.
“… the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 7:8).
God’s electing love falls upon unworthy sinners as He is a God of grace and a God of purpose. Often, His election is linked to a particular purpose He wants to accomplish, and He chooses and uses whomsoever He wills – including Israel. Rarely in Scripture do those whom God chooses to use deserve the privilege!
God chose the Jewish people as His means to bless all mankind. God chose to love the Jewish people, and through this nation, to express His love for the world. Israel’s chosenness did not mean to assure individual Jewish people of personal salvation. Rather, God’s choice guarantees the chosen nation of ultimately fulfilling His plan, as God never fails to keep His promises. So, although it may seem like God limited His line of promise by choosing one nation above others, His redemptive plan has always been universal so that His plan of redemption would be offered to the entire world.
This is why the Apostle Paul wrote,
Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11:12-15)
[ Chosen People Ministries ]
“God’s Order of Events”
Few people love the study of God’s Word like our old friend Don Perkins. He has traveled the world teaching Bible prophecy, a subject that’s off limits in many churches today. Outside of America, the subject seems to be ignored by the masses, as amillennialism and replacement theology seem to be the favored methods of biblical interpretation. Join Mondo Gonzales and Don Perkins as they tackle this important subject.
[ Prophecy Watchers – Interviews Don Perkins ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsrU7wEzsd0
“Bible Prophecy – God’s Order of Events”
Evangelist Don Perkins examines Bible prophecy as a whole, taking you through several topics that include what Bible prophecy is and why you should study it. With close looks at various historical ages mentioned within the Bible, Perkins gives a concise Biblical chronology of the past, present, and future. To learn more about Don Perkins and his ministry, head over to http://www.according2prophecy.org.
[ Don Perkins ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QaKZ689H54
“8. Israel’s Blindness”
Almost every aspect oif the predicted future for Israel constitutes a decisive factor in the structure of prophetic interpretation. The construction that is placed upon passages in Scripture dealing with the future of Israel inevitably determines the whole scope of eschatology. One of the obvious facts which all systems must face is that Israel is just as surely in the New Testament as in the Old, and the phenomena of the preservation of Israel as a distinct people through centuries of dispersion have called for some adequate explanation.
Among those who take Scripture seriously, two attitudes have emerged. Some have denied any future to Israel, attempting to find all of Israel’s future included in the Christian church, i.e., whatever future is assigned to them is identical with that of Gentile believers. Others have held that there is a future day of blessing for Israel as a distinct people. The former view is held by those who follow an amillennial interpretation of prophecy, while the latter view is held by the postmillennial and premillennial systems of interpretation. With the current disrepute of postmillennielism, it has remained for the premillennial and amillennial systems to uphold their respective interpretations. The issue is rather clearly drawn, though too often the premises assumed settle the argument before it begins. It is the thesis of this discussion that the amillennial viewpoint involves a distortion of numerous passages of Scripture and an oversimplification of eschatology which is not warranted by the prophetic Word. The issue of Israel’s future should be settled by investigation into the plain statements of Scripture regarding it. To this end, the present article deals with a crucial and important doctrine in the eschatology of Israel, viz., the subject of Israel’s spiritual blindness. It is predicted in Scripture that the present blindness of Israel will in the future be removed and that certain important results will follow. The nature and importance of this doctrine will be evident in its effect on the structure of eschatology. [ more…]
[ John F. Walvoord ]
ARTICLE: https://bible.org/seriespage/8-israel-s-blindness
“What is Israel’s role in the end times?”
Are we in the End Times? Do the attacks on Israel reveal that these are the last days? What is Israel’s role in the end times? What does the Bible say about Israel in the End Times? In this video, Pastor Nelson with Bible Munch answers the question, “What is Israel’s role in the end times?”.
[ Got Questions ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PxhoPLnbJ4
“Something BIG is Coming!”
Most people seem to intuitively understand we won’t return to the relatively tranquil world of 2019. Since the arrival of the pandemic three years ago, the world has witnessed widespread social unrest, crippling inflation, bank failures, lawlessness, violence, war, rumors of war, and more.
As a result, many people are filled with anxiety as they wait for what comes next. And have no doubt, something big is coming. But it’s not what most people think. Because unless you have the correct worldview, it’s impossible to understand what’s happening and where all this global turmoil is leading.
In today’s video, we discuss why we’re seeing these events, how they follow a pattern, and what is the BIG event that’s coming.
[ Britt Gillette ]
COMMENTARY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4URT0PPBto&t=1070s
“Is This The Beginning Of The Gog-Magog War?”
[ Tom Hughes & Don Perkins ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKUDpFqAltg
“Israel, The Jewish People, and Jesus
Why Preach the Gospel to the Jewish People?
For many Christians, the keystone verse, Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,” is the clarion call for Jewish evangelism. However, Jewish evangelism remains a controversial and sensitive issue.
It is well known that, over the centuries, the relationship between Jewish people and Christians has often been troubled and, for the Jewish people, even lethal. Many Christians today are properly ashamed of this—so much so that they think that the kindest thing they can do for Jewish people is to delete them from the Great Commission and leave them alone. This chapter will make the case that this often-well-intended sentiment is not only misguided, it is also highly unscriptural. In addition, as we shall see, there are other far-reaching reasons for Christians to bring a gospel witness to Jewish people in addition to saving Jewish souls, important as that may be.
It cannot be denied that the overwhelming majority of Jewish people throughout the centuries have, indeed, rejected the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. Why this is so is a deeply troubling matter—and not a new question. [ more…]
[ Chosen People Ministries ]
PDF: https://www.chosenpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Israel_Jewish_People_Jesus.pdf
“The MILLENNIUM PROPHECIES”
What does the Bible prophesy about the Millennium? Find out with guest Bill Salus along with host Tim Moore on the television program, Christ in Prophecy!
[ Christ In Prophecy – Bill Salus ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdYm1769m7w
“THE LAST GENERATION—ONLY GOD CAN OFFER THEM HOPE”
Did you know that ONLY GOD can offer HOPE for the LAST GENERATION?
It is such a joy to teach the NextGeneration, FrontLine missionaries, and now this group of new believers why the Early Church LOVED the Book of Revelation. They saw everything in one place: God’s Attributes Illustrated, and Christ’s Power so vividly portrayed. God wanted His Church to KNOW the PLAN, so He sent it as the CONCLUSION to the Bible. That is what we have TODAY. [ more…]
[ John Barnett ]
TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h8ePhcxEuI
“Hundreds attend ‘soulless’ AI-generated church service”
ChatGPT sermon told attendees to not fear death
Hundreds of people have attended an AI-generated church service in Germany, involving virtual avatars delivering sermons written by ChatGPT.
The 40-minute service at Saint Paul’s church in Fürth received mixed reactions from the Protestant congregation, the Associated Press reported, with the avatars occasionally causing unintentional laughter.
Some church members even refused to speak along when the digital avatar read out the Lord’s Prayer.
“There was no heart and no soul,” said Heiderose Schmidt, a 54-year-old IT worker who attended the service. [ more…]
[ Anthony Cuthbertson ]
ARTICLE: https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/ai-church-service-chatgpt-b2356508.html
“Hundreds attend church service generated by ChatGPT”
The artificial intelligence chatbot asked the believers in the fully packed St. Paul’s church in the Bavarian town of Fuerth to rise from the pews and praise the Lord.
The ChatGPT chatbot, personified by an avatar of a bearded Black man on a huge screen above the altar, then began preaching to the more than 300 people who had shown up on Friday morning for an experimental Lutheran church service almost entirely generated by AI.
[ KTLA 5 ]
ARTICLE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBw5ii2BdLA
“1/4 Brits say they would take spiritual advice from a robot priest”
A quarter of UK adults say they would be comfortable taking spiritual advice from an artificial inteligence priest.
The findings of a survey conducted by ComRes on behalf of Premier’s The Big Conversation have been released ahead of the second episode of the new series.
The Youtube series brings together leading thinkers to examine some of life’s big questions.
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Whether Artificial Intelligence could be the key to human immortality is explored in the latest episode which is being made available on podcast and video from Friday 23 April 2021.
Hosted by Justin Brierley and featuring leading AI specialists, Nick Bostrom (Oxford University Professor) and Rosalind Picard (Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor), the debate examines some of the big questions being addressed by some of the world’s top thinkers – including the potential for good and bad as a result of the advancement of technology and Artificial Intelligence. [ more…]
[ Premier Christian News ]
“The CHILLING Power of Revelation & Decoding The End Times”
Robert J. Morgan joins Eric Metaxas to discuss transitioning into new life stages with God, faith, and how the Book of Revelation reveals the glory of Jesus. Learn a deeper understanding of the Bible’s final book as Morgan shares from his new book, “The 50 Final Events In World History.”
[ Eric Metaxas Interviews Robert J. Morgan ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZuKinwDY1s
“What is the end times timeline?”
Got Questions Ministries takes a pretribulational approach to eschatology. From that perspective, here is the order of end-times events that the Bible reveals: [ more…]
[ Got Questions ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4maQdxXAD_k
“THE REVELATION PROPHECY CHART”
The Revelation Prophecy Chart provides a visual display of the events found in the book of Revelation. Each event correlates with chapters in the book of Revelation and reveals the biblical timeline of the end times.
[ David Jeremiah ]
ONLINE CHART: https://www.davidjeremiah.org/onlineprophecychart/chart
(PDF available)
“God’s Plan for Israel—and the World – Romans 11:25-27”
Can God be trusted? More to the point, can God’s promises be trusted? If He promised to the Jews a kingdom, won’t their rejection of Christ cancel out His promises to them? Wouldn’t that mean that God is finished with Israel as a nation? Does their blindness forfeit God’s blessing? Today we’ll get the big-picture view of Israel, the church, and the kingdom age, and I think you will have a few loose ends tied up about God’s future plan for the world.
[ Skip Heitzig ]
SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jlU07NjYGQ
“Should Christians support the nation of Israel?”
Christians should definitely support the nation of Israel. We must remember that Israel, the nation, is very special to God. We read in Deuteronomy 7:6-8 these words: “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” [ more…]
[ Got Questions ]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8AAUXsXPXQ
“How should Christians respond to the situation in Israel?”
We are barraged daily with skewed, biased reports and myriads of opinions about events in the Middle East from media outlets of all political persuasions. There are no easy answers here. There are, however, some Biblical perspectives we maintain as we seek to minister in this complex environment.
God loves both Jew and Arab
God loves Jew and Arab equally. For those who support Israel, we must remember that God is not “against” the Arabs, nor does He hate them. God does not love the Jews and hate the Arabs. The Lord loves all of His creation and wants none to perish. Yeshua died for all people, Jew and Arab alike, and desires each member of His beloved creation to be reconciled to Him. We recognize it is our responsibility and privilege to pray faithfully, asking the Lord to touch, heal, reveal Himself and save both Israelis and Palestinians. He is the only way to true peace and understanding.
The Land was given to Israel
Beginning with chapters 12 and 15 of Genesis, there are hundreds of Scriptures that make this truth clear: The Land was given by God as part of His everlasting covenant with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Regardless of what the U.N. decides or decided in 1948, we affirm that the Bible itself is Jewish People’s Land deed to Israel. We don’t condone every decision that modern, and in many cases, secular Israeli leaders make, but we do support Israel’s right to exist because of God’s unconditional promises in His Word.
Islam is not a religion of peace
Fundamental Islam is a religion committed to world and land domination. Anyone who is not a Muslim is an infidel. One of the pillars of the Muslim faith is Jihad, or Holy War. One of their most cherished, oft-repeated goals is the annihilation of Israel. Arab groups and neighbors in the region have made it clear there is no possibility of co-existence with Israel. Only complete destruction will do. The reality is that Islam, fundamentally, is NOT a peaceful, loving religion. There have been countless acts of atrocity, massacre and inhumanity in tyrannical, Muslim-controlled countries where Christians are being imprisoned, tortured and even crucified.
Jihad not only sanctifies terrorist attacks, but also mandates the destruction of all infidels. Who is an infidel? Anyone who is not a devout Muslim, especially Westerners; Jews and Christians alike.
Until Messiah establishes peace…
There will be no peace in the region or in our troubled world until the Prince of Peace establishes true peace. Most Christians are familiar with the exhortation, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6). But how do we pray? How can there ever be peace? The word for peace in Hebrew is shalom it means “to bring to completion or wholeness.” God has a plan for this Land and People that will come to pass. This plan ultimately points to the triumphant return of Yeshua to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. We must pray for God’s plans to come to completion in this troubled region, and for the Messiah to be revealed in the hearts of Jews and Arabs alike. Only then will true wholeness – true shalom – be realized.
[ Jonathan Bernis ]
“Israel in the Land as an Eschatological Necessity”
John Samuel Feinberg is an American theologian, author, and professor of biblical and systematic theology. He is currently serving as chair of the Department of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is noted for his expertise in theodicy.
[ Dr. John S. Feinberg ]
PRESENTATION: https://www.chosenpeople.com/israel-in-the-land-as-an-eschatological-necessity/
“Israel and Jewish Evangelism Today”
Mitch Glaser (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary) is the President of Chosen People Ministries. He speaks and writes widely on Jewish evangelism and Messianic Judaism. He is co-editor with Darrell Bock of four academic volumes published by Kregel Publications and has authored numerous books and articles.
[ Dr. Mitch Glaser ]
PRESENTATION: https://www.chosenpeople.com/israel-and-jewish-evangelism-today/
“WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT “ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED”? (ROMANS 11:26)”
Paul assures us in Romans 11:26 that, “All Israel will be saved”. That’s quite a statement! What does he mean, exactly? Who is included in “All Israel”? There are four main views regarding the identity of “all Israel” in Romans 11:26. We favor the latter view, and will explain why, by looking carefully at the meaning and context of the words that Paul uses in Romans 11.
The four views are that “all Israel” means:
The Jews – Every Jew ever lived is “all Israel” and therefore automatically saved.
Although rarely believed in today, according to this view, any Jew ever lived (past, present and future) who considered himself as a Jew according to the Law of Moses and the traditions of the Rabbis, is saved. This view is not only far-fetched, but also stands in complete contradiction to what Jesus thought about God and Himself.
The church – Jews and Gentiles deemed to have been saved throughout all generations.
Otherwise known as “replacement theology”, this view equates “all Israel” to the church, as “the Israel of God”. However, this view becomes hard to maintain in the light of Romans 11:28, if the use of the pronoun “they” is followed through to its logical conclusion.
The chosen remnant – all Jewish believers within ethnic Israel that have been saved throughout history.
This notion indicates that the hardened stance of the Israelite nation is partial and thus a remnant portion among the Jews will continue to face God’s salvation until the end of the modern times. [ more…]
[ Eitan Bar – One For Israel ]
ARTICLE: https://www.oneforisrael.org/messianic-perspective/what-does-it-mean-that-all-israel-will-be-saved/
“What is FIRM? // Discover your Role in the Story of Israel”
When Jesus came and walked these streets, He invited you into the story.
Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
The good news went around the globe… and now it’s time to bring it back to where it began.
We see a day where people like you develop a love for Israel and step into their role in the story of the family of God.
FIRM – Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries is a non-profit based in the heart of Jerusalem.
– We connect believers around the world to Israel in a gospel-centered way
– While strengthening and uniting local ministries here in the Land.
The story continues and you’re invited to discover your part.
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcQ3MgmiIAA
“Why Preach the Gospel to the Jewish People?”
For many Christians, the keystone verse, Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,” is the clarion call for Jewish evangelism.
However, Jewish evangelism remains a controversial and sensitive issue.
It is well known that, over the centuries, the relationship between Jewish people and Christians has often been troubled and, for the Jewish people, even lethal. Many Christians today are properly ashamed of this—so much so that they think that the kindest thing they can do for Jewish people is to delete them from the Great Commission and leave them alone. This chapter will make the case that this often-well-intended sentiment is not only misguided, it is also highly unscriptural. In addition, as we shall see, there are other far-reaching reasons for Christians to bring a gospel witness to Jewish people in addition to saving Jewish souls, important as that may be.
It cannot be denied that the overwhelming majority of Jewish people throughout the centuries have, indeed, rejected the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. Why this is so is a deeply troubling matter—and not a new question.
It is, in fact, this question that the apostle Paul addressed in the book of Romans, especially in chapters nine through eleven. Yet, Paul used this question to usher us into some of the most profound truths there are about the role of the Church and the role of the Jewish people as history presses toward its appointed goal. [ more…]
[ Chosen People Ministries ]
PDF: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.chosenpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Israel_Jewish_People_Jesus.pdf
“WHY IS JEWISH EVANGELISM SO IMPORTANT?”
I am often asked why we believe Jewish evangelism is so important. This is a great question to which I love to respond!
Our motivation for Jewish evangelism begins with thanksgiving to God who chose the Jewish people.
As Jesus Himself said, “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22).
Without the Jewish people, we would not have the Bible or the Messiah Himself! This is fundamental and basic, but there are many clear passages in Scripture that also support the case for the importance of Jewish evangelism. [ more…]
[ Chosen People Ministries ]
ARTICLE: https://www.chosenpeople.com/jewish-evangelism-important-2/
“What’s the veil over the eyes of the Jewish people?”
We start our series on prayer with Dr. Soref sharing key insights on how to Pray for Israel. Why should we pray for Israel and what should be our focus? We’re seeing amazing spiritual breakthroughs and a open door to share the Gospel like never before.
[ One For Israel Ministry ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paPzS9opjM0
PLAYLIST (“Pray For Israel”): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXiBkdTbRi-zv-o7SjkRvYLCyRMiZQd9V
“Understanding the culture and challenges of new believers”
Dr. Broshi explains the spectrum of Jewish culture and how to pray with understanding for each community.
[ One For Israel Ministry ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk_3Ajwu1PA
“Is Jesus the Messiah? How can He be God?”
In this special episode of Pod for Israel, we sit down with Dr. Craig Keener to discuss the Messiahship and Divinity of Yeshua.
[ One For Israel Ministry ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp_B315fUIw
“10 Reasons Why We Should Bring the Gospel to the Jewish People”
[ CJF Ministries – Gary Hedrick ]
ARTICLE: https://www.cjfm.org/resources/statements/10-reasons-why/
“Jewish Professor Finds Jesus”
We invite you to join us for Conversations with Jewish Believers in Jesus, hosted by Jeff Morgan. In this interview, Jeff talks with Dr. Seth Postell.
[ Jews For Jesus Ministry ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nm5HykVnnI
“Orthodox Rabbi Puts His Faith In Jesus”
We invite you to join us for Conversations with Jewish Believers in Jesus, hosted by Jeff Morgan. In this FULL episode, Jeff talks with Rabbi Aaron Allsbrook.
[ Jew For Jesus Ministry ]
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvclrAY-sro
“HOW SHOULD WE PRAY FOR ISRAEL?”
The Psalmist encourages us to pray for Israel, but believers may not fully appreciate the reasons why God instructs us to pray specifically for Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). Yet, our motivation to pray for the peace of Jerusalem is embedded in the very words of the Psalmist themselves.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.”
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is a prayer for physical and spiritual peace – which only comes through the Prince of Peace. Praying for peace reminds us that human beings are incapable of creating peace for themselves and that only God can bring peace to a broken world this side of heaven (Phil 4:6-7) and in the world to come (Isa 2:2-4; 11:6-9).
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is, in reality, praying for Jesus to return, as peace will only come to the world when He takes His rightful throne in Jerusalem and reigns forever (Matt 23:37ff; Rev. 11:15). Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is a way of asking God to implant His peace in the hearts of both Jews and Gentiles by personally accepting the Prince of Peace as Lord of their lives. [ more…]
[ Dr. Mitch Glaser ]
ARTICLE: https://www.chosenpeople.com/how-should-we-pray-for-israel/
PRAYING FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM PRAYER WITH A PROMISE (PSALM 122:6)
Pray for Israel
The psalmist encourages us to pray for Israel, but believers may not fully appreciate the reasons why God instructs us to pray specifically for Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). Yet, our motivation to pray for the peace of Jerusalem is embedded in the very words of the psalmist: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you.’”
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is a prayer for physical and spiritual peace—which only comes through the Prince of Peace. Praying for peace reminds us that, as human beings, we are incapable of creating peace for ourselves and that only God can bring peace to a broken world— both on this side of heaven (Philippians 4:6–7) and in the world to come (Isaiah 2:2–4; 11:6–9).
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is, in reality, praying for Jesus to return, as peace will only come to the world when He takes His rightful throne in Jerusalem and reigns forever (Matthew 23:37; Revelation 11:15). Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is a way of asking God to place His peace in the hearts of both Jewish people and Gentiles by personally accepting the Prince of Peace as Lord of their lives.
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem also brings blessings to those who pray, especially as God views our prayers as blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:3). God still has plans for His chosen people. As Paul reminded us, “They are beloved for the sake of the fathers” (Romans 11:28).
Five Ways to Pray for Israel
The following might give you some ideas about how to pray for the peace of Jerusalem more effectively:
- Pray for Jewish Israeli and Palestinian leaders to both negotiate a temporary, politically based peace and to also find peace in their hearts through accepting Jesus. These are the people we should pray for at this time: the Israeli prime minister and members of the Knesset, the Palestinian leaders, and our leaders in the United States.
We can pray that God guides these leaders to make decisions that bring peace instead of war and suffering for their citizens.
- Pray for the work of God’s people in bringing the message of the gospel to the almost 200,000 Holocaust survivors living in Israel. During the recent conflict with Hamas, our staff was able to provide care for many of these survivors, both materially and spiritually. One of them describes the peace of heart he has now experienced through receiving Jesus as Messiah and Lord:
“Something happened in my life when I went to Poland on a Chosen People Ministries—Israel trip for Holocaust survivors. I received a Bible, which I read day and night while we were in Poland. Since then, I have dedicated myself to reading Scripture and studying. I was baptized and know fully that Jesus the Jewish Messiah has died and conquered death for me!”
Your prayers can make a difference serving this treasured community, which may die out within a decade.
- Pray for the quiet reconciliation efforts of Jewish and Arab believers in Israel seeking to encourage one another by developing deeper relationships between the Jewish and Palestinian Church. There are more than 140 Messianic congregations in Israel, ranging from small house fellowships to established places of worship. Pray that the work of the Prince of Peace will grow among Jewish Israelis and Palestinians and that they can provide a powerful witness of Messiah’s reconciliation among their neighbors.
- Pray for God to help the church to be better informed about what is happening in Israel and to find ways to glean information for continued prayer outside of the slanted approach of the media.
- Praying for the peace of Jerusalem reminds us of our blessed hope! Even though peace is elusive today, it is still our prophetic destiny. As Isaiah the prophet wrote, “And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples; and they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war” (Isa 2:4).
The shalom we are seeking is now available for all people, as this peace transcends the terror of ISIS, the wars with Hamas, and whatever conflict or suffering this world thrusts upon us. Jesus said, “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).
His peace is all we need today to keep our hearts from being consumed with fear. His peace is our destiny, as one day the Prince of Peace will arrive from heaven and establish His throne in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2; 9:6–7)
Praying for Israel and the Jewish people reminds us of the shalom the Lord has planned for all humanity. There is a beautiful Jewish prayer that sheds new light on Psalm 122:6, May He who makes peace in the heavens make peace descend upon us and all Israel, and let us say, “Amen!”
“How to Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem”
BIBLE TEACHINGS ON ISRAEL, MESSIANIC BIBLE TEACHINGS
What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? FIRM Founder Dr. Wayne Hilsden shares great insight regarding this Bible command from his life experience.
Guided by the King of Israel
My wife Ann and I left Canada in 1983, moved to Israel, and cofounded a congregation called King of Kings. Then, six years ago, we founded this ministry – the Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries (FIRM). Today, FIRM shares offices on the 14th floor of a building in central Jerusalem with the Summit – a place for prayer and intercession.
From our windows, we can see almost the entire city – looking west, we can see the Parliament of Israel (the Knesset), the Supreme Court and other governmental institutions. Turning east, we see the old city of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.
A Reason to Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem
Many times, we pray not knowing for sure that we are praying according to the will of God. But when it comes to praying for Israel’s salvation, we should have no doubt concerning God’s will. For it is God’s will that all Israel be saved, as Paul revealed in Romans 11:26 and 27: [ more…]
[ BY WAYNE HILSDEN – FIRM ]
ARTICLE: https://firmisrael.org/learn/how-to-pray-for-the-peace-of-jerusalem/
“5 REASONS TO PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM”
I come to you at a critical time in United States history — following the election of our 45th president — with an important request: Please pray for Jerusalem!
As a Messianic Jew and leader of one of the oldest Jewish missions in the world, my heart longs to see a favorable relationship between America and the nation of Israel, and I know yours does too.
So today, I am issuing a call to prayer for our new presidential administration — and others in national and church leadership positions — to seek the face of the Jewish Messiah for the good of His chosen people.
Here are the top five reasons why it is important to pray for the peace of Jerusalem —
Because the re-establishment of the nation of Israel in the Land is a sign of God’s faithfulness. It’s hard to believe that modern Israel was re-established such a short time ago, but it is a signpost of God’s faithfulness to His covenants and promises. The survival of the Jewish people and their return to the Promised Land of Israel is a clear testimony that God keeps the promises of His Word.How much more, then, can we trust Him to honor His promise in Genesis 12:3 to bless those who bless Israel?
Pray because Israel is our best ally in the Middle East. The United States and Israel share a long history — with the U.S. being one of the first to recognize Israel in 1948.Since Israel’s founding as a nation, she has been supported by the U.S. military and also by our presidents — and the Jewish people have proven to be loyal allies and valuable friends in the Middle East. Our prayers for Israel keep this alliance strong.
Pray because of the many Jewish people who are coming to the Messiah! By God’s grace — and thanks to the prayers and generosity of friends like you — Israelis and other Jewish people across the globe are open to the Gospel, Hebrew-speaking congregations are growing, and many younger Israelis are coming to faith in Jesus the Messiah! Two years ago, when Chosen People Ministries first began seeing this growth, I said that I hadn’t seen such vitality of the Good News in my 40+ years of ministry. Yet the growth continues to exceed my expectations today!Our God is great, ever-faithful to His people — and I know He delights to hear and answer our prayers for Israel to discover the Messiah she has waited for!
Pray because the Jewish people gave the world the Bible and the Messiah! The Good News came out of Israel — and it is our joy and privilege to pray that they, too, will receive it. And not only to pray, but to actively share this loving and transformational message of the Messiah with Jewish seekers — person-to-person, heart-to-heart.
Pray because Psalm 122:6 actually commands us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. This Psalm — attributed to King David — instructs the people of God: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you.’”And it’s interesting to note: the very name Jerusalem includes this hope for peace.The last part of Jerusalem, “salem,” comes from the Hebrew word “shalom,” which means peace, wholeness and completeness.When we pray for the peace of Jerusalem we are praying for the cessation of temporal hostilities — such as terror and missile attacks, and the enmity that exists between Israelis and Palestinians. But most of all, we are praying for the eternal peace that will come with the return of the Messiah.
Our hope is for the personal peace of those who live in the Holy Land!
And there is a blessing — “may they prosper who love you” — attached to this call to prayer that hearkens back to the Abrahamic Covenant outlined in Genesis 12:3:
“I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
It is remarkable that the promise in Psalm 122:6 is for those who “love Jerusalem,” and therefore we understand that the these prayers are motivated by love for God’s holy city.
The root of the Hebrew term used for “prosper” is shalah, which can be translated as to “put at ease” or to “quiet.” The prosperity described is therefore not a material blessing, but a quality of soul and life. This enables those who love Jerusalem to enjoy personally a similar peace as is enjoyed by God’s chosen city.
Those who bless Israel are participating in the unfolding of God’s promises to the Jewish people — and praying for the peace of Jerusalem is one of the most important ways you and I can do this. When we do, we will receive what money can never buy — His presence in our lives, which is the very source of both shalom and shalah!
Thank you for praying for the peace of Jerusalem — for the Prince of Peace to reign in the hearts of individuals in the Land of Israel and across the globe — and for God’s chosen people to experience the abundant life that the Messiah promised so many years ago (John 10:10).
Please also remember to pray for the work of Chosen People Ministries in Israel.
Thank you in advance for your prayer and partnership. I pray that the Lord will fill your heart with thanksgiving and joy!
Yours in Messiah,
[ Dr. Mitch Glaser – Chosen People Ministries ]
<<< SONGS >>>
“Dry Bones”
Ezekiel cried dem dry bones
Ezekiel cried dem dry bones
Ezekiel cried dem dry bones
Now I hear the word of the Lord
Ezekiel connected dem dry bones
Ezekiel connected dem dry bones
Ezekiel connected dem dry bones
Now I hear the word of the Lord
Well, your toe bone connected to your foot bone
Your foot bone connected to your heel bone
Your heel bone connected to your ankle bone
Your ankle bone connected to your leg bone
Your leg bone connected to your knee bone
Your knee bone connected to your thigh bone
Your thigh bone connected to your hip bone
Your hip bone connected to your back bone
Your back bone connected to your shoulder bone
Your shoulder bone connected to your neck bone
Your neck bone connected to your head bone
I hear the word of the Lord!
A dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around
A dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around
A dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around
I hear the word of the Lord!
Disconnect dem bones, dem dry bones
Disconnect dem bones, dem dry bones
Disconnect dem bones, dem dry bones
I hear the word of the Lord
Well, your head bone connected from your neck bone
Your neck bone connected from your shoulder bone
Your shoulder bone connected from your back bone
Your back bone connected from your hip bone
Your hip bone connected from your thigh bone
Your thigh bone connected from your knee bone
Your knee bone connected from your leg bone
Your leg bone connected from your ankle bone
Your ankle bone connected from your heel bone
Your heel bone connected from your foot bone
Your foot bone connected from your toe bone
I hear the word of the Lord, oh well
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
I hear the word of the Lord, mmh
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
Now I hear the word of the Lord
[ Delta Rhythm Boys ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVoPG9HtYF8
“Dry Bones”
Chorus
these dry bones are gonna raise
these dry bones are gonna raise
says the Lord, these dry bones are gonna raise
Verse
these dry bones lay dead in the grave
these dry bones lay dead in the grave
when along came the Lord, he said, arise my love
when along came the Lord, he said, arise my love
Bridge
and if i don’t know, then i am not here
and if it’s not true, then i am long dead and gone
and if i don’t know my savior’s touch
you can call me a liar, but i know his love
Outro
I have spoken and i will do it, declares the Lord
I have spoken and i will do it, declares the Lord
I have spoken and i will do it, declares the Lord
I have spoken and i will do it, declares the Lord
hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
[ Amy Mahon – Eternal Worship Live ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hPgEzWGvAM
“Song of Ezekiel”
Son of man can these dry bones live?
Son of man can these dry bones live?
I hear the sound of the prophet
Declaring the word of the Lord
And I hear the voice of Ezekiel
Prophesying to these dry bones
Live again, live again
Those who were sleeping
Those in the grave
Live again, live again
Those who were sleeping
Those in the grave live again
I hear the sound of an army
A nation preparing for war
And I can hear Judah assembling
Praises and weapon of war
Live again (live again), live again (live again)
Those who were sleeping
Those in the grave
Live again (live again), live again (live again)
Those who were sleeping
Those in the grave live again
Breathe of God from the four winds blow
Breathe life again, to these dry bones
Breathe of God from the four winds blow
Breathe life again, to these dry bones
Arise, arise, arise
Here and now
Arise, arise, arise
Here and now
Oh arise
I hear the voice of the watchman
Cry from his place on the wall
Awaken the remnant of Zion
Salvation for all Israel
[ Paul Wilbur – “The Paul Wilbur Collection” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcZeIAR9rsw
“Blow the Trumpet in Zion”
They rush on the city; they run on the wall.
Great is the army that carries out His Word.
They rush on the city; they run on the wall.
Great is the army that carries out His Word.
The Lord utters His voice before His army.
The Lord utters His voice before His army.
They rush on the city; they run on the wall.
Great is the army that carries out His Word.
They rush on the city; they run on the wall.
Great is the army that carries out His Word.
The Lord utters His voice before His army.
The Lord utters His voice before His army.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion.
Sound the alarm on My holy mountain.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion.
Sound the alarm.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion.
Sound the alarm on My holy mountain.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion.
Sound the alarm.
Sound the alarm.
Sound the alarm!
[ Gaither Vocal Band ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw29XOd2TEA
“Baruch Haba”
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
Blessed is He who comes
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
Who comes in the name of the Lord
Now arise, oh Lord
Come to your resting place
You and the ark of your might
Then we will rejoice
As we’re clothed with your righteousness
And celebrate our love
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
Blessed is He who comes
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
Who comes in the name of the Lord
Now arise, oh Lord
Come to your resting place
You and the ark of your might
Then we will rejoice
As we’re clothed with your righteousness
And celebrate our love
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
Blessed is He who comes
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
Who comes in the name of the Lord
Of the Lord
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
Blessed is He who comes
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
Who comes in the name of the Lord
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
Blessed is He who comes
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
Who comes in the name of the Lord
Who comes in the name of the Lord
Come, come, come
Come…, come to your rest in me
Come to your rest in me
Baruch haba
Baruch haba
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
Baruch haba
Baruch haba
We welcome you Lord
We welcome you Lord
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
We welcome you Lord
Baruch haba b’shem Adonai
[ Paul Wilbur ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puV9nGwbhO4
“Blow The Trumpet In Zion”
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion;
Sound the alarm in My Holy Mountain.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion;
Sound the alarm… Sound the alarm.
Sound the alarm?
They rush on the city, they run on the wall
Great is the Army that carries out His Word.
They rush on the city, they run on the wall
Great is the Army that carries out His Word.
The Lord utters His voice, before His army,
The Lord utters His voice, before His army.
They rush on the city, they run on the wall,
Great is the Army that carries out His Word,
They rush on the city, they run on the wall,
Great is the Army that carries out His Word.
The Lord utters His voice, before His army,
The Lord utters His voice, before His army.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion;
Sound the alarm in My Holy Mountain.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion;
Sound the alarm…
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion;
Sound the alarm in My Holy Mountain,
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion;
Sound the alarm…
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion;
Sound the alarm in My Holy Mountain.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Zion;
Sound the alarm… Sound the alarm.
Sound the alarm.
[ Randy Rothwell, Integrity’s Hosanna! Music ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHY0BRNWUuE
“Jerusalem My Destiny”
I have fixed my eyes on your hills,
Jerusalem, my Destiny!
Though I cannot see the end for me,
I cannot turn away.
We have set our hearts for the way;
this journey is our destiny.
Let no one walk alone.
The journey makes us one.
Other spirits, lesser gods,
have courted me with lies.
Here among you I have found
a truth which bids me rise. (Refrain)
See, I leave the past behind;
a new land calls to me.
Here among you now I find
a glimpse of what might be. (Refrain)
[ Rory Cooney ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG6thyHErVc
<<< APOLOGETIX SONGS >>>
“Bible Countdown”
(Parody of “The Final Countdown” by Europe)
We’re living together
But still it’s their world
They’re making a comeback
On earth, who can quarrel?
I guess they will show us disdain We’re losing ground (losing ground) Would they laugh if Jesus came again?
It’s the Bible countdown
The Bible countdown
We’re hated for Jesus (Jesus)
And will we stand tall?
‘Cause maybe they’ll see us
And they’ll become like Paul, yeah
It’s colder than five years ago
But they still need found (still need found)
Make sure that we don’t miss a soul
As the Bible counts down
The Bible counts down
The Bible counts down (Bible counts down)
(Oh) ho-oh-oh-oh-oh
The Bible countdown
Oh-oh
It’s the Bible countdown
The Bible countdown
The Bible countdown (Bible countdown)
Oh
It’s the Bible countdown We’re living forever
The Bible countdown
[ ApologetiX – “Only a Glorified Cover Band” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwBsM73Iav4
“In Armageddon Valley (Someday)”
(Parody of “Pleasant Valley Sunday” by The Monkees)
The global clock moves down to zero while the armies march along
They surround Israel’s weakened sides; They’re just about to throw their bombs
In Armageddon Valley someday (someday)
Christ’s returning in the air
Rows of thousands that have that have called His name
And no one seems too scared
Jesus displays his power today. He’s got His soldiers on platoon.
They met the Beast who can’t believe he got defeated there so soon
In Armageddon Valley someday (someday)
Fiercest battle in the land
Bible explains about a war like this
And the simple don’t understand
The future comforts those
who know He won their souls
They’re lookin’ forward to this scene
Armageddon day
It isn’t so far away
You need to change your loyalty
Da da ta ta…
In Armageddon Valley someday (someday)
Christ’s returning in the air
In Armageddon Valley someday
Fiercest battle in the land
In Armageddon Valley someday (Armageddon Valley someday)…
[ ApologetiX – “Biblical Graffiti” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK75BbqY6aQ
“Life In The Last Days”
(Parody of “Life in the Fast Lane” by “The Eagles”)
It’s sorta hard to understand, but it’s totally awesome
And it’s eternally finished
Who wrote it up? It was John the Apostle
And the Lord said it won’t diminish
He had fantastic revelations of the future news
Sent here from Jesus, sent here for you
When he saw Jesus comin’, John fell down as dead
He told him, Grab your tablet and write this down instead
Life in the last days — sure to make you lose your mind
Life in the last days — yeah, heh
He saw four horsemen, holding the reins
Of colorful stallions, who brought different things
He who rode the white conquered, and the red one brought war
And the black one brought famine; then pale horse number four
There was death in the saddle, ridin’ out through space
He had Hades right behind him, killed a fourth of the human race
All of the people, were trying to hide
When the earth started shakin’ and the moon turned to blood — the sun was
Black in the last days — sure to make you lose your mind
Life in the last days — yeah, heh
Life in the last days — everything prophesied
Life in the last days — yeah, heh
So much to tell you; I’ve got one verse. Man didn’t heed the stop signs
And the earth got worse and worse
If you’re a Christian, baby, you don’t need to fear a thing
If you’re not, go read the Bible ‘cause there’s more than I can sing
There’s a false messiah, the people will think he’s Christ
The world will take his number, but they’ll have to pay his price
They’ll look up and they’ll see Jesus and they’ll know that they’ve lost
He won the war when He was dyin’ on the cross and it was
Life in the last days — sure to make you lose your mind
Life in the last days — yeah, heh
Life in the last days — everything prophesied
Life in the last days — yeah, heh
[ ApologetiX – “The Boys Aren’t Backing Down” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDdcSY_VgvE
“Babel, Babel”
(Parody of “Rebel Rebel” performed and written by David Bowie)
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo
We got some others in the world
They’re not sure if they should boil us in oil
They hate – the Israelites
They say, let’s go and unite
It’s like reading the Second Psalm
It’s like glancin’ at the Book divine
The Lord laughs at their pagan hordes
The world roars at His warning voice
They put me down – and they all scoff
Attacking things that put them off
Babel, Babel – their former address
Babel, Babel – that place was a mess
Babel, Babel – how could they know
God’s plans – they just move slow
Told ya
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo
We got the mother of all wars
We’re just – not sure when but we’re sure of the source
He hates — the Israelites
He hates men sold out to Christ
He likes peace and he likes it false
He loves tramplin? on the Book divine
He’s got plans and he plays his part
He wants war and he comes with force
He hooked the crowd – but they are wrong
Their crafty kiiing – he put them on
Rebel nations – their forward address
Revelation – 16:16 says – it’s
Armageddon – how could they know
God’s plans – they just move slow
Told ya
Uhh!
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo
Babel, Babel – the Torah says
Babel, Babel – a snake’s in the grass
Babel, Babel – why don’t they know
God’s plans – they just move slow
Told ya
Their former address – was facin’ a mess
In chapter 11 of old Genesis
They got the — translation of the languages
Now and — news live and their cameras and crews
Who wanna — be there when the battle ensues
‘Cause they love distress
But the dude won’t have success
Because he’s facin’ the best
But how could they know
I said, how could they know
So what you ought to know
The Revelation described
In chapter 19 long ago
Their man is doomed to lose and Christ defeats their troops
Because his forward address
Is a lake of regrets
Ooh – their faith is amiss
Ooh ooh — so how could they know
Heh heh — how could they know
Heh
[ ApologetiX – “I Know You Are but What Am I?” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mMADfBIs2w
“Holy Land”
(Parody of “Hold My Hand” by Hootie & the Blowfish)
When the Lord above — planned some land for this
He walked us through the water — around the wilderness
With a little piece — of some ground for me
We’ll take the land together –- we’ll take the Promised Land
‘Cause God’s got a land for you — ahhh
A land that He promised you
Yes, today — choose who you plan to serve
The land is full of idols here — they’re gonna make you swerve
So get rid of — them can’t you see they’re vile
We’ll take ’em all together — drop ’em on a pile, ’cause
God’s got a land for you — God’s got a land for you
A land that He promised you — it’s a land He promised you and
Holy land — goin’ to a whole new land
Holy land — I’ll take you to a place where you can be
Holy land — after Deuteronomy, because
God’s gonna give you the best of — the best of the land
See, it was waiting — and we were wasting time
Till we — walked across the Jordan — and fought the Canaanties
And there’s still more — and you must clean it out
We don’t wanna deal with compromises
Don’t wanna give an inch of ground, ’cause
God’s got a land for you — God’s got a land for you
A land that He promised you – ah, it’s a land He promised you– ohhh
Holy land — goin’ to a holy land
Holy land — I’ll take you to the Promised Land
Holy land — pledge allegiance to the Lord ’cause
God’s gonna give you the best of — the best of the land
LEAD Yeah-eah
Awwwww
Everyone, won’t you listen, listen, listen
Holy land — goin’ to a whole new land
Holy land — I’ll take you to a place for you and me
Holy land – it’s a place you’ll wanna be, because
I-I-I oh-oh-oh know, know – know, know, know
Holy land — goin’ to a holy land
Holy land — I’ll take you to the Promised Land
Holy land – maybe we can’t escape the world, but
God’s gonna give you the best of, the best of the land
Ah-ah — the best of the la-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-and
Joshua 24:15
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves
this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond
the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as
for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
[ ApologetiX – “Only a Glorified Cover Band” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2FJO3YnWtc
“The Book of Life”
(Parody of “Walk of Life” by Dire Straits)
Woo hoo — ah woo hoo
Ah woo hoo
Here comes Johnny bringing scrolls he’s holding
He got illuminated, some might say
Here comes Johnny saying, I got a vision
Found in the Bible on the latest page
It’s got real action and raw emotion
Oh yeah, the boy can say
The Revelation — he wrote it
And Terminator’s right ’bout Judgment Day
Dude, it’s wrong about the mean and ugly robot
But still there’s someone that arrives
Yeah, have you been logged — into the Book of Life?
Yeah, into the Book of Life
Ah woo hoo!
Here comes Johnny gonna tell what the Lord said
And He tells us what ensues
He’ll come down here with the power and the glory
Bad deeds He’ll not excuse
He wants compassion, He wants devotion
Oh yeah, and boisterous faith
But hesitation revolts Him
He’s turning out the lights at the end of the day
But some will have a single-minded moment
And choose the Son of God tonight
Yeah, those who were logged — into the Book of Life
Yeah, into the Book of Life
Mm mm mm mm mm — mm mm mm
Woo hoo hoo
Here comes Johnny bringing holy warning:
Hey, Babylonia, take heed what I say
Here comes Johnny sayin’ my God is comin’
Now you’re in trouble gonna make you pay
He saw your actions, He saw your motives
Oh yeah, and choices made
And yet He gave us the notion
Eternity’s a nice time if you’re saved
And after all Messiah did upon the cross
He saves us from the coming trouble and the strife
If you’ve been logged — yeah, into the Book of Life
Mm … into the Book of Life
Ah woo hoo
Woo hoo hoo
Woo hoo hoo
Ah woo hoo
Woo hoo hoo
Yeah, into the Book of Life
[ ApologetiX – “Alien Invasion” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCVnz_RwyrY
“Casket Place”
(Parody of “Basket Case” by Green Day)
Do we have much time to live until we find
A lot of things are happening all at once?
Violent crime explodes – the Lord has many foes
Morality is low – they’re proud about it
Sometimes I think this world’s asleep
Soon we just might be history
It all keeps adding up — I think I’m waking up
I’m not just paranoid — I’m not alone
I went to great lengths – to analyze these things
It’s just like back in Second Timothy now
I read through some more in Matthew 24
To get some signs when God will bring the first round
Sometimes I think this world’s asleep
3:1 through 5, Second Timothy
It all seems bad enough – I think I’m packin’ up
He might just tarry more – He might just come
Oh oh
Last days soon unfold – so you better know God
LEAD
Sometimes I think this world’s asleep
Keep your eyes on the Middle East
The whole scene’s getting rough – I think that backs it up
And I just can’t ignore – the signs I’m shown
[ ApologetiX – “I Know You Are, but What Am I?” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS5JzHdnonI
“Revelation Man”
(Parody of “Secret Agent Man” by Johnny Rivers)
There’s a man who seems just like a savior
With everyone he meets he gains their favor
Oh, with every move he makes,
Another hand he shakes
Odds are he won’t give you peace tomorrow
Revelation Man
Revelation Man
Hey, he’s givin’ you a number and takin’ away your faith
It’s there in Revelation that you find
A pretty beast who has an evil mind
He led the world astray;
They’ll give their souls away
All that he will give is grief and sorrow
Revelation Man
Revelation Man
Hey, he’s givin’ you a number and takin’ away your faith
Bringin’ all the world together one day
Then saying that he’s God Almighty next day
Oh, but you fell for all his tricks
By listenin’ to 666
God’s not who he is you’ll see tomorrow
Revelation Man
Revelation Man
Hey, he’s givin’ you a number and takin’ away your faith
Revelation Man
[ ApologetiX – “Biblical Graffiti” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eMKPWjz4wc
“Gimme Pre-Trib”
(Parody of “Gimme Three Steps” by Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Our Lord’s comin’ for us
And there’s a day called the Judgment
But the world ain’t in the mood
Then in walks a man with an un-Christian plan
And he’s a-workin’ for you-know-who
He’s a hateful fellow if you dare to rebel though
‘Cause you’ll die if you do
So it’s a time to prepare if you’re a man who’s scared There just might be an out for you … to say excuse me! Well, there’s several theories for that time
Our Lord takes us like a thief on a spree
‘Cause there’s a pre- and mid- and post-trib Rapture
And folks who like none of these
Oh, take a minute, Christians, and look at First Corinthians In verse 15:52
And then both Thessalonians and in Matthew twenty- Four and Revelation for clues
But won’t you gimme pre-trib, gimme pre-trib Rapture Gimme pre-trib or before
Gimme pre-trib, gimme pre-trib Rapture
And they’ll never see me no more
For sure
LEAD
Well, it’s not clear today when those events take place And we oughta dwell on the Lord
And I tell you: for some, to debate’s more fun
Than to wait for the Lord’s reward
He’ll return for me and them and you
That’s the day I’ll be looking for
And you’ll be hearin’ me singin’ the highest praise
As I’m heading up toward the Lord
But won’t you gimme pre-trib, gimme pre-trib Rapture Gimme pre-trib or before
Gimme pre-trib, gimme pre-trib Rapture
Don’t know when we’re gonna see the Lord
Don’t even act sure
[ ApologetiX – “Hot Potato Soup” album]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-WNlR8_PsY
“Droppin’ On The Sun”
(Parody of “Walkin’ on the Sun” by Smash Mouth)
It ain’t no joke, no lie, the Bible clearly spoke
To teach the world to fear the furnace underneath
To teach the world about hellfire but there’s liars
Who say they know Christians are wrong, even bad people rest in peace
It gets enough attacks. I know men doubt that it’s fact
It’s not like any map shows exactly where it’s at
But just like gravity you cannot see it really exists
And it does no good but they’ll deny it just to stay in their sins
So don’t delay, act now! Your time is runnin’ out!
Find out while you’re still alive — The true way is Jesus Christ
And if you follow the way, you’ll have no sorrow but if
the offer’s done, you might as well be droppin’ on the sun
Two thousand years ago He spoke out and they wrote down
All the best in the New Testament together in a book
And He told how it was dark, surrounded by fire
Where teeth will be gnashin’, man, Christ said Hell happens
And so He spelled it out, so to help out those who felt doubt
Then He brought it back up when He talked against the self-proud
And religious hypocrites threw hissy fits
Because that’s just what happens when they’re faced with their sins
So don’t delay, act now! Your time is runnin’ out!
By now I’m sure you’ve surmised — There’s two places to arrive
And if you follow the way you’ll have no sorrow, but if
The offer’s shunned, you might as well be droppin’ on the sun
It ain’t no joke that He’s gonna take the sheep and goats
And He’ll steer them to the left and right, but, listen, folks:
The ones that’s goats get disposed of. God won’t just burn their souls up
They’ll be livin’ in eternal Godless hopeless darkness
So don’t risk that, get facts, you ought to take a look at
Luke 16, Mark 9 and Jude — There’s one little chapt’r
Look today at Matthew chapter 10, verse 28
You need to read in Revelation 20 what does it say?
So don’t delay, act now! Your time is runnin’ out!
Find now while you’re still alive — Matthew chapter 25
And if you follow the way — you’ll have no sorrow, but if
You drop and punt, you might as well be droppin’ on the sun
[ ApologetiX – “Biblical Graffiti” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCyjWeih3b0
“You Gotta Go”
(Parody of “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette)
I want you to know that I have prayed for you
I wish nothing but the best for your soul
I know you’re worried prob’ly — you’ll get converted like me
When it comes down to it there’s a fear there
Cause you say, “Hell — it can’t be”
You should play poker, baby
You sure do make a really excellent bluffer
Those who call on His name will be saved by His grace
Cause He paid quite enough for you when, you know, He died
And every time you speak His name it’s in vain, what a shame
Cause His arms are still open wide — open wide — while you’re still alive
But I’m here — to remind you of the mess you’re in if you turn away
It’s not fair — to deny Him
And the cross and just think you’ll get away
You, you, you — gotta go
You say there’s no Hell — you’re not evil
I’m not nice to tell you that you could go
If you forget about me — you can do as you please
I ain’t above you — I’m a miserable sinner
But there’s a path we must take
Now if we wanna be saved
And if you think it’s a joke — then you’ll suffer
Those who call on His name will be saved by His grace
Cause He paid quite enough for you when, you know, He died
And every time you speak His name it’s in vain, what a shame
Cause His arms are still open wide — open wide — while you’re still alive
But I’m here — to remind you of the mess you’re in if you turn away
It’s not fair — to deny Him
And the cross and just think you’ll get away
You, you, you — gotta go
There’s no one who can say that He sent them away
Cause an offer was made to you and you closed your eyes — and you knew it
And everyone says that’s not fair, that’s someone else’s fault
That’s not appealing — I hurt your feelings
But I’m here — to remind you of the mess you’re in if you turn away
It’s not fair — to deny Him
And the cross and just think you’ll get away
You, you, you — gotta go
I-I’m here — to remind you of the mess you’re in if you turn away
It’s not fair — to deny Him
And the cross and just think you’ll get away
You, you, you — gotta go
[ ApologetiX – “I Know You Are, but What Am I?” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6G2dwoKxFA&t=27s
“Hold On, Christ’s Comin’”
(Parody of “Hold On, I’m Comin’” by Sam & Dave)
Don’t you fret and be sad
Please don’t weep when times are bad
If you stay calm and you don’t doubt
In the midst of trouble
He will bail you out
Just hold on, Christ’s comin’
Hold on, Christ’s comin’
Christ’s on His way if you’re sufferin.
If you just hold fast, Christ will keep His covenant (Hallelujah)
Don’t have to worry (No worries)
In blind fear (No fear)
Don’t need His number, baby (’cause God’s in the Book)
He’s right here (Hey yeahhhhhh!)
Just hold on, Christ’s comin’
Hold on, Christ’s comin’
Hold on, Christ’s comin’
Hold on, Christ’s comin’
Lookee here!
Keep out of reach
Those bad distractions, yeah
Lookee here, baby! Here’s all you got to do
Call Christ’s name, yeah – and quit reactin’
Yeah, yeah, yeah — yeahhh!
LEAD
Now don’t you fret and be sad
People are mean, and their crimes are bad
When the day comes and He comes down, baby
He’ll deliver His loved ones
Way up off the ground
Just hold on, Christ’s comin’
Hold on, Christ’s comin’
Just hold on (Don’t you worry)
Christ’s comin’ (Here He comes)
Hold on (Wait on God to save you)
Christ’s comin’ (Yeah!)
Hold on (Don’t you worry)
Christ’s comin’ (Here Christ comes)
Hold on (Our God will save us)
[ ApologetiX – “Transformed Soul” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz8AH49hKVI
“Why Wait”
(Parody of “I’ll Wait” performed by Van Halen)
You might get raptured — no one here can tell
I guess someday we’ll learn
I’ve read the Scriptures — yes, I know them well
About His great return
But you first need Him in your heart to dwell
I’m just a nag, it seems
Yeah, you just smiled, said you’ll fix yourself
Look, what’s that s’posed to mean?
Why wait till the Lord comes down?
Christ’s coming — strengthen your heart
Don’t hate! You can stop being proud
And fine as you are
Christ wrote some letters for those in His church
At seven spots to read
In the first century — they’re put in His Word
For us to follow and heed
And now these spots you’ll find in Western Turkey
Such good geography!
Why wait till the Lord comes down?
Christ wants His place in your heart
Show me you can shock me now
And find a new start
You can’t imagine watchin’ Him with me
The day the Son arrives
Your Master greets everyone who’s sheep
But takes the goats aside
Are you for Jesus? It’s so hard to tell
Don’t wish to make a scene
Yeah, you just smile and you think you’re swell
Lukewarm like Listerine
REPEAT FIRST CHORUS
REPEAT SECOND CHORUS
Why Wait?
[ ApologetiX – “Vision Gets Clearer as We Get Closer” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXglYIjEknA
“Offer Your Prayer”
(Parody of “Scarborough Fair/Canticle” by Simon & Garfunkel)
Are you goin’ to offer your prayer:
“Lord, please save those near me in time”
Remember He truly wanted you there
To be someone through whom love would shine
Tell Him to make you a candle on earth
(Shinin’ bright on a hill as you speak for His grace)
“Lord, please save those near me in time”
(Straight as an arrow that points them to Christ)
That all may see your righteous good works
(Blameless and steadfast — a child of the Almighty)
Then they’ll see the true Lord behind
(Despite a world that is cloudy and cold)
Help, Lord, to find me good favor with man
(God, as I do Your will while sprinkling Your seeds)
“Lord, please save those near me in time”
(Clutching the plow while sowing in tears)
To teach them Our Father’s amnesty plan
(Our souls You cleanse, abolishing our sin)
Then they’ll see the true love of Christ
Father, send reapers with their sickles from Heaven
(Here below saving a harvest of millions)
Lord, please save those near me in time
(Send them, oh Lord, as You told us You will)
And gather them all – an abundance of brethren
(As a bride for the Christ, Your one and own begotten)
Then they’ll see the Truth and the Life
Are you goin’ to God with your prayer:
“Lord, please save those near me in time”
Remember He truly wanted you there
He wants us – His true love to shine
[ ApologetiX – “Unconditional Releases” album ]
SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEubr1BA6wg
“Good News/Bad News”
This is a Gospel presentation and personal testimony of J. Jackson, lead vocalist of ApologetiX from their 20th anniversary concert. It is available on 20:20 Vision.
VIDEO (audio only): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q21Jnaq-EL8
<<< DEEP THOUGHTS >>>
“Israel was not created in order to disappear – Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom.”
[ John F. Kennedy ]
“If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel.”
Benjamin Netanyahu ‘[
“If you want one simple word to symbolize all of Jewish history, that word would be ‘Jerusalem.”
[ Teddy Kolle ]
“The potential shortage of oil isn’t the only problem the world faces. If Iran acquires nuclear weapons, everything that we’ve been talking about will pale in comparison. Because that power would allow them to extend power, threaten, realize the threats, and make good on their threats, and [all of this] would be on a level that we have not [yet] seen, nor won that we can readily imagine. It will put the oil reserves of the Gulf under their sway. They could easily bring down governments or fold them into their Realm. They will inspire and encourage the radicals in the various Islamic communities that they are targeting around the world. And they will, intern, be inspired by the fact that… The acquisition of nuclear weapons is a providential sign of the coming victory of the true believers. And, of course, they might make good on their twisted ideas of ending Zionism and extending their Realm by other means. So this is a threat to the entire world, and it cannot be seen as anything but that.”
[ Benjamin Netanyahu ]
“If we do not act, time is not on our side. It’s on the other side.”
[ Benjamin Netanyahu ]
“We’re not only being told that we’ll be wiped off the face of the earth, but also that Iranian-backed proxies are establishing themselves at our doorsteps and rocketing our people.”
[ Benjamin Netanyahu ]
“I agree with those Israelis that have told you they fear Iran as their number one threat. I think that it is. I think Iran is the number one threat probably to the whole world.”
[ General Jerry Boykin ]
“Nuclear capability in the hands of the Iranians is not only a threat against Israel, it is a threat to the whole world.”
[ Moshe Arens ]
“All who mourn for Jerusalem will merit to see it’s rejoicing.”
[ Babylonian Talmud, Ta’anit 30B ]
“Jerusalem is a port city on the shore of eternity.”
[ Yehuda Amichai ]
“Jerusalem has been our capital for 3,000 years and it’s going to be our capital for eternity.”
[ Naftali Bennett ]
“If God had not permitted the people of Jerusalem to be torn asunder and driven them from the land, but had let them keep it after before, no one could convince them that they are not God`s chosen people.”
[ Martin Luther ]
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and thine own soul shall be refreshed.”
[ Charles Spurgeon ]
“Life is eternity’s sunrise.”
[ Mark Besh ]
RELATED SCRIPTURE VERSES:
Gog and Magog:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/gog_and_magog
Antichrist:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/antichrist
Great Tribulation:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/great_tribulation
Armageddon:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/armageddon
Jesus’ Second Coming:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/jesus_second_coming
Millennial Kingdom:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/millennial_kingdom
Humanity’s Ultimate Destiny:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/humanitys_ultimate_destiny
Israel’s Destiny:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/israels_destiny
Jerusalem’s Destiny:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/jerusalems_destiny
Why Jerusalem?:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/why_jerusalem
Jerusalem Is Special:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/jerusalem_is_special
Saving Israelites:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/saving_israelites
Praying For Israelites:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/praying_for_israelites
“A quick summary of the Christian “Gospel”:
JESUS’ PROPITIATION made our SINS FORGIVEN and IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS to us so that we have GOD’S ACCEPTANCE into His Heaven and receive ETERNAL LIFE.”
[ Mark Besh ]
Hope you enjoyed some of these insights—share them with your friends and colleagues—so we can have a larger ’pool’ to receive from, and more to share with! Also, remember to include your name as the “source,” if some of this wisdom is of your doing. I would like to give credit where credit is due!
<<< FOCUS VERSES >>>
“Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”
[ Genesis 12:1-3 ]
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
[ Genesis 12:2-3 ]
“To your offspring I will give this land.”
[ Genesis 12:7b ]
“All the land that you see, I will give to you in your offspring, forever.”
[ Genesis 13:15 ]
“To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates.”
[ Genesis 15:18 ]
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
[ Deuteronomy 7:6 ]
“It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers.”
[ Deuteronomy 7:7-8a ]
“So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments.”
[ Joshua 11:23a ]
“He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.’”
[ Psalm 105:8-11 ]
“Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. Old Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces.”
[ Psalm 122:6-7 ]
“In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”
[ Isaiah 11:11-12 ]
“How you are fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.”
[ Isaiah 14:12-15 ]
“The earth will reel to and fro like a drunkard and totter like a shack”
[ Isaiah 24:20 ]
“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
[ Isaiah 56:7 ]
“For the sake of Zion, I will not be silent. For the sake of Jerusalem, I will not be still. Until her justice shines bright, and her salvation glows like a flaming torch.”
[ Isaiah 62:1]
“No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.”
[ Isaiah 65:20 ]
“Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?”
[ Isaiah 66:8 ]
“Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.”
[ Jeremiah 30:7 ]
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to[d] them,[e]”
declares the Lord.
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”
This is what the Lord says,
he who appoints the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night,
who stirs up the sea
so that its waves roar—
the Lord Almighty is his name:
“Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,”
declares the Lord,
“will Israel ever cease
being a nation before me.”
[ Jeremiah 31:31-36 ]
“Therefore behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, “when I will cause the battle cry to be heard against Rabbah (Amman, Jordan) of the Ammonites; it shall become a desolate mound, and its villages shall be burned with fire; then Israel shall take possession of his (land) inheritance, says the Lord.”
[ Jeremiah 49:2-3 ]
“The whole earth will rejoice when I make you desolate.”
[ Ezekiel 35:14 ]
“And I will multiply on you man and beast, and they shall multiply and be fruitful. And I will cause you to be inhabited as in your former times, and will do more good to you than ever before.”
[ Ezekiel 36:11a ]
“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God”
[ Ezekiel 36:24-28 ]
“Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the LORD, have spoken and will do it.”
[ Ezekiel 36:36 ]
“The glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.”
[ Ezekiel 43:5-7 ]
“Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.”
[ Daniel 11:31 ]
“Pitch the tenants of his Royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain.”
[ Daniel 11:45 ]
“I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
[ Joel 2:28-29 ]
“I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.”
[ Joel 3:2-3 ]
“You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”
[ Amos 3:2 ]
“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”
[ Micah 4:1-2 ]
“You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck.”
[ Habakkuk 3:13 ]
“In this place I will grant peace.”
[ Haggai 2:9 ]
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I am zealous for Jerusalem And for Zion with great zeal. I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease; For I was a little angry, And they helped—but with evil intent.”
[ Zechariah 1:14-15 ]
“Will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My house will be rebuilt.”
[ Zechariah 1:16b ]
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit[a] of grace and supplication. They will look on Me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”
[ Zechariah 12:10 ]
“On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.”
[ Zechariah 12:11 ]
“And it shall come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; and all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.”
[ Zechariah 12:3 ]
“In the whole land,” declares the Lord, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
[ Zechariah 13:8-9 ]
“Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.”
[ Zechariah 14:3-4 ]
“For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”
[ Malachi 3:6 ]
“The Devil hates Israel because, from a biological perspective, Christ came from this nation. Satan wants to destroy Israel, its people a home when the Messiah returns to earth and establishes his promised Kingdom.”
[ Matthew 2:16 ]
“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”
[ Matthew 24:22 ]
“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.”
[ Matthew 24:30 ]
“Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.”
[ Matthew 24:33 ]
“You know when this happens, this is going to begin the generation that’s going to see all these things come to pass.”
[ Matthew 24:34 ]
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only”
[ Matthew 24:36 ]
“The eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.”
[ Matthew 25: 41 ]
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.”
[ Luke 12:48b ]
“And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled… Then He (Jesus) spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.”
[ Luke 21:24; 29-30 ]
“Born again of the water and the Spirit.”
[ John 3:5b ]
“You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.”
[ John 4:22 ]
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.”
[ Acts 3:19-21 ]
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
[ Romans 1:16 ]
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.”
[ Romans 10:1 ]
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”
[ Romans 10:14-15 ]
“I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.”
[ Romans 11:1-2 ]
“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’”
[ Romans 11:25-27 ]
“The hour has come for you to wake from sleep for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.”
[ Romans 13:11-12 ]
“They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.”
[ Romans 15:27 ]
“See in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”
[ 1 Corinthians 13:12 ]
“There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
[ 2 Timothy 3:1-5 ]
“The coming of the Lord is at hand.”
[ James 5:8 ]
“If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
[ Revelation 14:9-11 ]
“No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.”
[ Revelation 16:18 ]
“They cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.”
[ Revelation 16:21b ]
“Go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty…And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.”
[ Revelation 16:14, 16 ]
“It is finished!”
[ Revelation 21:6b ]
If you have a ‘neat’ story or some thoughts about an issue or current event that you would like me to try to respond to, I would be glad to give it a try…so, send them to me at: mbesh@comcast.net
Disclaimer: All the above jokes and inspirations are obtained from various sources and copyright is used when known. Other than our name and headers, we do not own the copyright to any of the materials sent to this list. We just want to spread the ministry of God’s love and cheerfulness throughout the world.
Mark
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LIFE'S DEEP THOUGHTS 