Saturday, February 8, 2014

THE COMING GREAT PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS


In the previous post, Satan and his angelic army have been cast out of heaven.  The hosts of heaven will erupt in a great praise and worship service.

Revelation 12:10–12 “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

The hosts of heaven know that Satan’s final demise is soon (from the heaven’s perspective of time) to be realized.  I think it is noteworthy that it is a great man of faith that makes this declaration.  He notes that believers had emerged victorious from the attack of the enemy against them by claiming the blood of the Lamb, Jesus the Messiah, and living in obedience to Him as a testimony of their love for Him.  The wording of some translations makes me think that these words may be specifically honoring those that died as martyrs; some translations read as though this references the whole body of believers.  I think both are true.  I believe martyrs to the faith as well as all that have placed their faith in God are given special grace to face death.

Though the heavens are rejoicing, they declare a woe for those on planet earth that will have to experience Satan’s wrath.  He will finally realize, if he hasn’t already, that his time is short.

Revelation 12:13–17 “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Satan’s first priority upon being confined to planet earth is to persecute the people of Israel, the nation that gave us the Messiah.  God has, however, prepared a place of special protection and provision to which they can flee.  I think the “two wings of a great eagle” also reference the fact that He will provide a sure way for them to get there.  God’s protection of the Jewish people is often compared to the actions of an eagle.

Exodus 19:4 “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.”

Deuteronomy 32:9–12 “For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.”

Many speculate that the place where God protects the Jewish remnant for the last 3.5 years of the tribulation might be Petra in Jordan.  This is a reasonable possibility to me since Daniel declares that the Antichrist is not allowed to overthrow Jordan.

Daniel 11:41 “He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.”  [These lands are in the area of modern day Jordan.]

It also fits in with Isaiah’s prophecy of the Lord coming from Bozrah (in Edom) to Jerusalem as he returns to make war with Antichrist.

Isaiah 63:1–4 “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.”

We know that Satan will be acting with full use of his temporarily allowed powers during this time.  It seems he will try to prevent the Jewish remnant from reaching their place of refuge by using those powers to cause a great flood, but God will override that miracle by causing the earth to swallow up the waters.  This will infuriate Satan, so he turns his attention to making war with the remnant of Jews that have turned to faith in the Messiah and are striving to keep His commandments.  Though I believe this to have particular reference to the 144,000 and the two witnesses, I think it will include all that are followers of Jesus during that time that are outside the specially protected area of escape.

(to be continued…)

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