Prophecy Update: Sept.29th 2017
I would like to talk about the basics of prophecy this week and how those basics give a roadmap to what is happening today. The basics of last day prophecies include the battle over Jerusalem, God bringing the Jews back to the land, the world resisting God bringing Jews back to the land, the rise of natural disasters because of birth pangs, and wars which were predicted.
Jerusalem: In 1967 the Jews reclaimed the city of Jerusalem. Having sovereignty over the land has brought a great conflict with the world. Luke 21:24 says, “and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” In this verse, God gives us the history of the world since 70AD when the Jews were killed in Jerusalem by the Romans when they conquered the city. The temple was destroyed and Jesus gave the timing of the city and its rule. Jerusalem will be trampled down until such a time when the Gentiles will lose sovereignty. Who has title over the city of Jerusalem, who owns the city? So much has been written on this subject through the years and the world is as divided over this as ever. Nehemiah came to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem and he was opposed by Gesham the Arab, Sanballot the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite. (Neh.6:1) Nothing has changed, the surrounding nations are opposed to Jews being in Jerusalem. Arabs opposed Jews in Nehemiahs day and they do it today. Nehemiah 2:20 says, “So I answered them and said to them, “The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem.”
Today it is the same way, the Arabs have no share in Jerusalem because it is not their city. Jews are on good legal ground when they say it is their city and Arabs have civil rights but not sovereign rights over the city. Palestinians claim that east Jerusalem and the old city of Jerusalem Is theirs and they hope it is the future capital of a Palestinian state. Jews say that all of the city is theirs and it is that way legally, religiously, and historically. President Abbas of the Palestinians says that the city has to be divided and Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel says that the whole city is the capital of Israel. Jews who live in east Jerusalem are not settlers or occupiers as the UN says they are. Every time we sit down at the negotiation table with the Jews and Palestinians we are third party brokers who break the scriptures. God says to not divide the land of Israel nor shall we give it away to the Gentiles!
“FOR BEHOLD, in those days and at that time when I shall reverse the captivity and restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and there will I deal with and execute judgment upon them for their treatment of My people and of My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations and because they have divided My land.” [Joel 3:1-2
Notice how God says that He will judge the nations because they have divided the land. This verse is one of the most exciting in the entire Bible, because the first part of it has already been fulfilled, in our lifetime! God “reversed the captivity and restored the fortunes” of Judah and Jerusalem — Israel — on May 14, 1948! You can write this date in the margin of your Bible on Joel 3:1 and mark it “Fulfilled”. Very few other prophecies have been so exactly fulfilled in modern history. Truly, God is consistently working in the life of Israel in this modern age! As the United States continues to pressure Israel to divide her land to give large portions of it to the Palestinians, we should beware of God’s judgment against all nations who divide His Holy Land. Each of the last four presidents have pressured Israel to give up land and make compromises concerning Jerusalem. Hamas however, the terrorist group in the Gaza strip says, ‘Jerusalem fate will be decided by holy war and resistance and not by negotiations. All of Jerusalem is ours not just east Jerusalem.” According to the different Arab groups and Muslim nations all agree that Jews have no part of the whole land. It is all Muslim land and Jews have no place in the land. Even the Palestinians have a map on their flag which does not include Jews. Under Obama, they fought for east Jerusalem becoming the capital of Palestine. This is the same position for all of the nations of the UN.
A war is coming which the Bible predicts in Zechariah 12: 1-3 “The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.” Notice how God says that Jerusalem is a cup which causes reeling and a heavy stone. God has made it that to all of the nations of the world because they do not bow to His will. God has determined that Jerusalem is His capital of the world and that Jews should rule in the city and the land of Israel. The world is fighting the will of God!
Secondly, God has been bringing the Jews back to the land of Israel. In a conversation on religious questions, Frederic II, King of Prussia (1740-1786) asked Joachim Von Zeiten, General of the Hosars, whom he esteemed highly as a Christian for his plain and uncompromised views, ‘give me proof for the truth of the Bible in two words? To which Zeiten replied, “Your majesty, The Jews!” Since 1948 when God brought the Jews back to the land, the world has changed. Romans 11:12 says “if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be.” For almost 1900 years, God blessed the world through the Jews even though they did not understand it. Nations that persecuted the Jews were judged by God. The Bible is clear, if you bless them you will be blessed and if you curse them you will be cursed. Nation after nation was judged by God for harming His people. Today, many nations are cursed because they have made it their business to harm Jews. The UN and her institutions are anti-Semitic. They are cursed by God and it is about to get worse.
The Bible is clear about wars that come in the last days. The most important one is the war between Russia and Israel. Russia in the last two years have moved into the position to attack Israel. Their partner in crime is Iran and the Iranians preach every week how they are going to destroy Israel and wipe them off the earth. The key passage is in Ezekiel 38-39. Attached to this prediction of war is the destruction of Damascus. God predicted the utter destruction of the capitol of Syria. Notice how Syria has never made peace with Israel and have been in a state of war with them for the last 70 years. God is bringing a terrible judgment on their nation. Millions have lost their homes, over half a million dead, and they have ceased to be a nation. Damascus is being destroyed at a quick pace. Last week, Israel bombed Damascus twice and soon they will destroy the whole city.
Consider these quotes from the last few years:
“We must constantly repeat that the root of the conflict is the very existence of the State of Israel, the refusal to recognize the State of Israel in any borders whatsoever.” [Benjamin Netanyahu, 2012]
“Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it”
[ Hamas Charter, 1988 ]
“Israel is a cancerous tumour that should be cut and will be cut” … Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 2012
The scriptures are clear about what is happening, the attitude of the nations is predicted:
“They have said, ‘Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more’ (Ps 83.4)
As all of these nations show hatred toward the Jews, they will all lose! What of Syria? If Israel is to be invaded from the north, then, if only from a geographic viewpoint, Syria must be involved. What of America? The term ‘all nations’ appears to be precisely that (rather than Middle East nations local to Israel) if it is to be consistent with Zechariah 14.9; the Lord cannot be King over part of the earth! Now if all world leaders attack Israel, this implies a change of policy in America, or even the absence of America on the world scene!
The increase of natural disasters such as earthquakes has been noted by many people, both secular and Christian. I hope this short survey is helpful. Remember that God is in charge of history and you have nothing to fear. Jesus told us that the last days will come at a time when the gospel was preached across the whole world. We are at that day. Jesus also said that there would be wars and rumors of wars—this is an every day experience for us. North Korea is now at war with us. We live in the most exciting days ever and I cannot wait every day to hear what is happening. I hope you long for Jesus to come back! Maranatha!
