Prophecy in the News

My grandma just turned 95. When she was born, if someone had told her parents that in 100 years, she would be able to fly to Europe in 6 hours, they would have been surprised, but it wouldn’t have been out of the question. But, if you’d told them that Israel would be a thriving nation with a technologically advanced market economy, they’d scratch their heads.

“Israel? You mean the Jews, like in the Bible? Abraham and all that?”

Yes, Abraham and all that.

100 years ago, the nation of Israel didn’t exist. It wasn’t until after the persecution of people with Jewish Heritage during WWI and WW2 that it was declared a nation and given its land back in 1948.

Since then, they’ve thrived, and they now have one of the most technologically advanced military systems in the entire world. They have also grown to a population of over 6.5 million Jews living in the land of their forefathers.

What does this have to do with us?

Ezekiel prophesied about this event thousands of years before it happened. In speaking to the nations, God said:

^“After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them.” 

(Ezekiel 38:8, emphasis mine)

Did you hear that? He continues to describe Israel in this way:

“On that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not know it? You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army. You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land…”

(Ezekiel 38:14-16, emphasis mine)

100 years ago, when Christians read these prophesies, they didn’t understand how all that was written about Israel in the “latter days” and “distant future” could really apply to Israel. There was no Israel.

But in our generation, we’re watching this prophecy being fulfilled. Israel now has a modern Sanhedrin with an appointed high priest, building plans for a 3rd temple, and a red heifer ready for a sacrifice. Just last month, the Organization of 70 Nations held a sacrifice on the Mount of Olives to reinstate the Noahic Covenant.

We need to wake up. Read all of Ezekiel 38 & 39. In those days, when they come to war against Israel, what will happen?

• The wrath of God
• Great earthquakes felt all over the world
• Mountains thrown down
• Pestilence and bloodshed
• Torrential rains and hailstones and fire and sulfur

And who are these nations described in this (and other) chapters? Their modern names are Russia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, and Ethiopia.

Current Events

Speculation: With President Trump bringing our troops home from Syria, he’s left the countries over there to “battle it out” and figure it out on their own. Until then, we had a strong presence in the Middle East, as though it were a game of Risk, and we had a whole pile of blocks keeping Israel safe. But the US just made a vital move which left the countries open for attack, and though there might be many more “rolls of the dice” before the end of this game, with the bombing that immediately ensued from Turkey, it could be just a matter of time now.

The End

I believe with all my heart that Christians will be raptured before the wrath of God is poured out on the world, as Enoch was removed before the flood, as Lot was rescued before the destruction of Sodom, and as John was taken up after Revelation 3. (I won’t go into more details here.)

Regardless of your eschatological views, dust off your Bibles and open to Ezekiel 38-39. This is coming.

We can’t change the plans of God. He knows the end from the beginning. But we can be awake and purposeful until he comes.

He’s calling his people to wake up “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (I Thess 1:10)

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

I Thessalonians 4:15-17

The end is coming. There are only 2 sides. Whose are you on?