Hard to believe, but 2015 is almost in the past and a new
year is upon us once again. As I keep up
with the news headlines, it is just amazing to me how quickly things seem to be
falling into place according to bible prophecy in connection with the end times
that precede the return of Jesus to establish His earthly kingdom. Key to identifying that we are in that time
is the prophesied rebirth of the nation of Israel.
Isaiah 66:8 “Who hath heard such a
thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one
day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion
travailed, she brought forth her children.”
The
rebirth of the state of Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948.
Ezekiel 37:11–14 “Then he said unto
me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say,
Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my
people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves,
and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your
graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my
spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then
shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken
it, and performed it,
saith the LORD.”
The rebirth of the nation of Israel is key because
other end time prophecies are predicated on its existence.
Scripture declares that Jerusalem will be a burden
of concern to all nations that will eventually result in all the people of the
earth gathered against it.
Zechariah 12:2–3 “Behold, I will
make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they
shall be in the siege both against Judah
and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a
burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be
cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against
it.”
The news
headlines consistently testify to the truth of that prophecy. The control over the temple mount in
Jerusalem, the determination of Jerusalem’s status as the capital city of
Israel, and the continual disagreement over Israel’s borders are constants in
the news. The UN bias against Israel has
resulted in a far greater number of resolutions against Israel than any other
nation in the world. Muslim countries in
particular are loudly outspoken on their determination to destroy the nation of
Israel. Anti-Semitism is again on the
rise throughout the world. In April of
last year USA Today recorded a 40% increase in anti-Semistism throughout the
world in 2014.
Bible
prophecy also predicts that a coalition of nations led by Russia and including
Persia/Iran, Turkey and others will make a future attack on Israel motivated by
the desire to “spoil” or make a profit.
Ezekiel 38:1–12 “And the word of the
LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of
Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And
say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am
against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn
thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all
thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of
them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with
shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north
quarters, and all his bands: and
many people with thee….in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword,
and is gathered out of many
people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it
is brought forth out of the nations….To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to
turn thine hand upon the desolate places
that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle
and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.”
For more
detailed information concerning this scripture see my website. The point is that current headlines in the
news seem to show the foundations for this attack being laid. Russia has aligned with Iran and joined the
fight against ISIS in defense of Syria.
This has positioned the Russian military right on Israel’s northern
border. There is much that Israel
possesses that would provide “spoil” to a conquering enemy. Research indicates that the mineral content alone
of the Dead Sea is worth over $14 trillion.
Add to that the recent gas and oil findings in Israel, and I think there
is more than enough to provide incentive for this attack on the economic front.
I have
to admit that the recent tension between Russia and Turkey doesn’t fit the
biblical narrative. I am confident,
however, that future news headlines will show the prophetic scenario playing
out as foretold.
Another
prophecy that appears to be closely connected to the previous one concerns the
destruction of Damascus in Syria.
Isaiah 17:1 “The burden of Damascus.
Behold, Damascus is taken away from being
a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.”
Damascus
is noted as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and
has never experienced the type of destruction prophesied by Isaiah. I admit that this is the first prophecy that
came to mind once I knew ISIS had set its sights on taking control of
Syria. I tend to think that this may be
the next major headline we see in fulfillment of bible prophecy.
Much to
the consternation of the Muslim world, the bible also foretells the rebuilding
of the Jewish temple. It is noted by
Paul that the coming Antichrist, the man of sin, will actually establish
himself in the temple of God claiming to be God.
2 Thessalonians 2:1–4 “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by
our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be
troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the
day of Christ is at hand. Let no man
deceive you by any means: for that day
shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of
sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above
all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the
temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
Obviously, a temple has to
exist for this event to occur.
These verses in
Thessalonians make reference to the rapture, the time when Jesus gathers His
followers to Him, to deliver them from the coming wrath of God that has been
designated for the years preceding the return of Jesus to establish His earthly
kingdom. There is coming a day when the
news headlines will be dominated by an event in which millions of the true
followers of Jesus will disappear “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”
1 Corinthians 15:51–53 “Behold, I
shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For
this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 “For the
Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
More
detail concerning these prophecies can also be found on my website. My purpose now is to identify future
headlines that proclaim the soon return of Jesus as “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF
LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16)
As
reason would dictate, the future rebuilding of the temple would require some
type of peace treaty with the Muslim world.
According to bible prophecy, just such a treaty will be announced in
headlines across the world, marking the beginning of the last seven years
preceding the return of Jesus.
Daniel 9:26–27 “And after threescore
and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of
the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the
end thereof shall be with a
flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall
confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he
shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading
of abominations he shall make it
desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon
the desolate.”
Once
again, further explanation of this scripture can be found at my website. I believe “the prince that shall come” is a
reference to the Antichrist. He will
“confirm” (prevail and/or strengthen) a covenant between Israel and “the many,”
possibly a reference to the Muslim world.
The covenant will be established for “one week,” a reference to seven
years. In the “midst of the week,” or
3.5 years into the covenant period, the headlines will declare that the
Antichrist has broken the covenant and stopped Jewish sacrifices and offerings
at the temple. I believe it is then that
he will establish his throne in the temple.
Jesus references this very prophecy as recorded in Matthew.
Matthew 24:15–16 “When ye therefore
shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand
in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be
in Judaea flee into the mountains:”
By the
way, in my study of Daniel 8, I conclude that it will take Israel just over
seven months to build the temple after signing the peace treaty. The Temple Institute in Jerusalem has already
prepared all the necessary furnishings for the temple. They have also identified men qualified to
serve as priests and prepared their garments as well. The temple could be up and running in well
less than a year. This would surely
create more news headlines across the world.
There
are and will continue to be many other headlines in the news related to bible
prophecy—for example, increase in frequency and intensity of earthquakes,
famines, diseases, and the continued decay of morals on a worldwide scale. I have just chosen to highlight some of the
more specific future headlines that will testify to any right thinking
individual the truth of scripture.
Personally,
I am looking forward to the rapture at any time. It could be today or still a few years away;
I don’t know. I do know that the
prophecies of scripture will be fulfilled to the tiniest detail.
If you
have placed your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you will not have to
experience the horrors that those on earth will experience those last seven
years before the return of Jesus.
Neither do we have to fear whatever we may have to face during whatever
time remains before He comes to take us to the Father.
John 14:1–3 “Let not your heart be
troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many
mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Jesus
warned us that in this world we would experience tribulation and trouble.
John 16:33 “In the world ye shall
have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
But the joy of heaven in the presence of the
Savior will prove to be worth it all.
Paul stated it this way: Romans 8:18 “For I reckon that the
sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with
the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Keep
looking up…….He’s coming soon!
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