#613

End Times Update: Israel And Bible Prophecy

The Super Sign

Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. (Matt 24:34, NIV)

There are some Christians who don’t see Israel in Bible prophecy anymore. They have various theories about why, but for my me one of the best ways to see where we are on the end times timeline is to look at Israel and her people. When people ask are we living in the generation that Jesus talked about not passing away until His Second Coming the one event that separates the signs listed is when that last generation is. Previous generations have seen wars and rumors of wars. They have also seen earthquakes, famines, pestilence and even false prophets. But only one generation has seen a nation born in a day after having been scattered across the world. The nation is Israel and it happened on May 14th of 1948:

Who has heard or seen anything as strange as this? For in one day, suddenly, a nation, Israel, shall be born, even before the birth pains come. In a moment, just as Israel’s anguish starts, the baby is born; the nation begins. 9 Shall I bring to the point of birth and then not deliver? asks the Lord your God. No! Never! (Isa 66:7-9, TLB)

And it is important to note the phrasing about birth pains:

All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matt 24:8, NIV)

I’m not going to discuss the whole generation thing in detail, but I believe it is whatever the length of life is at the time of Israel being a nation. I don’t like doing math in public, but the average age of life in America right now is around 78 years and if we add 78 to 1948 we get 2026 but the age in Israel is 81 so the year would be 2029. Is the Bible saying that the year of the Rapture is 2026 or 2029? I prefer to not get into those date setting discussions. Right now I just want us to realize that we are in the time now.

War And The Tribulation

Looking again at the Bible we see three wars involving Israel that haven’t occurred yet. There is the Psalm 83 war, the war of Gog and Magog seen in Ezekiel 38 and Armageddon which is at the end of the seven year Tribulation. The Psalm 83 war is a regional one involving the nations directly surrounding Israel which are all Arab and all have an antisemitic view of Israel. In short they all want to exterminate Israel and all Jews. Don’t just take my word for it, it’s in their charters and they have stated so publicly. I look at the current war being fought in Israel and I see this conflict happening rather soon. And when I look at the conditions for the War of Gog and Magog I see the Psalm 83 war setting it up. And I’m not the only one who connects those prophetic dots either. Then I see the rise of the Antichrist and the seminal event that starts the Tribulation is a covenant that the son of perdition brokers with Israel to leave them alone for 7 years. These two previous wars appear to setup this covenant between Israel and man of sin. So this is why I say look at what’s happening to Israel and you’ll see where we are in upcoming prophecies.

Where’s America In All This?

America is a sign all by itself, but not in its mention in Bible prophecy but in it not being seen. How could a nation that is arguably the last super power left and one that has been so dominant for so long in world affairs not be a part of end time nations seen in Scripture? If we so close to the Rapture and the Tribulation surely we’ll be in the proverbial mix, right? But as hard as people try, we aren’t mentioned and it’s not like the authors of the Bible couldn’t be given ways to do it. I mean we have the symbols for other nations like Russia and the Bear just for one example so how difficult could it have been to mention the eagle for the United States? Rather than try to make America fit, we should just quit trying to find references and move on to why America isn’t there. America could be weal because of a financial earthquake and even secular business leaders see that happening at anytime now. And she could be weak by way of natural disaster or disasters. The New Madrid Fault is overdue for an earthquake that could literally split the nation it half. And there is a super volcano looming in the west in the Yellowstone park area. Of course we could be attacked by China or Russia or Iran or even North Korea all of which have nuclear missiles with the range to hit us on either coasts. And they could just as easily use a bomb to knock out our electrical grid which we seem to never upgrade and strengthen. Of course the one thing to greatly weaken America is the one thing that is in the Bible and that is the Rapture which could easily weaken us in one fell swoop/ All of this makes me say that looking at Israel is a way better prophetic barometer.

Pray For Both Israel And America

Really, that’s our best plan of attack now. The Bible tells us in Psalm 122:6 to do this:

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. (Ps 122:6, KJV)

A command with a promise. That’s a good thing to do for a variety of reasons. And we can do so specifically by just reading the daily news. And intercede for Jews across the globe as well. They are in the cross hairs of terrorists all the time. And as you pray for them, pray for America since something devastating can happen at any time that could affect us and our ability to support the Gospel going to all the world and even send missionaries. When lifting up Israel in the current war against terrorism also pray that God will get their attention to accept Jesus as their messiah. It is in this way that we both pray that they prevail in the next two wars but also that they have their eyes opened to win the ultimate war for their souls. There is no doubt about it. The various wars are a birth pain mentioned in last days prophecies, but those that involve both America and Israel are ones that need our intercession for spiritual levels. But in all of this we are not to be given to a spirit of fear, but power, love and sound mind. God is in control, but we also need to play our parts.