(This article was written in 1998. It is now being simply updated. No part of it has been deleted.)
It’s almost midnight.
Several prophetic events are about to take place that will take an unprepared world by storm.
As the prophetic clock ticks inexorably forward, history is swiftly speeding to its inevitable end.
Bible prophecy, graciously given to us by God, is the only beacon of light and compass in the present and increasing spiritual darkness.
And while this heralds the return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the manifestation of the Kingdom of God on earth, getting there will prove to be the most dramatic, traumatic and trying time ever since man walked the earth. Two thirds of mankind will perish during this time of unbelievable devastation and only the return of the Lord Jesus Christ will prevent the total destruction of mankind. God is about to pass His Judgement upon a sinful, unrepentant (and proudly so) mankind.
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.
And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened
Matthew 24:21, 22
Biblical prophecy has always had the nation of Israel as its main focus around which events are cast. Since 1948, Israel, after an exile of about 2000 years, was reestablished as a nation, a case unique in human history. This event had, of course, been predicted by the prophets of the Old Testament and, all by itself, it constitutes the most important single event of the End Times, because it allows for the fulfillment of the remaining prophecies. Until Israel was put into its place, the countdown could have not moved forward.
Amos 9:14-15
I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.Ezekiel 37:10-14
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet–a vast army. Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”
Many other prophecies could be cited, but these will suffice to show what God has planned for Israel.
Since Israel has been back on the world scene, many other prophecies have been fulfilled:
Ezekiel 36:11
I will increase the number of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the Lord.Isaiah 27:6
In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.Isaiah 43:5-6
“Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, `Give them up!’ and to the south, `Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth…
What’s next?
The Rapture of the believers can occur at any time, since there is no prophetic event which must be fulfilled before it.
The next event that we will probably see is the attack upon Israel by a coalition of Arab and ex-Soviet states, as written over 2500 years ago by the prophet EZEKIEL (see chapters 38, and 39), who describes this attack and identifies these nations as: Gog of the land of Magog, of Rosh, Mesheck and Tubal, (this area corresponds to parts of the ex Soviet Union) – Persia, (Iran) – Cush, (Ethiopia) – Put, (Libya) – Gomer, (parts of eastern Turkey and Ukraine) – and the house of Togarmah, (southern Turkey). (This will probably be a retaliatory attack against Israel’s prior nuclear bombing on Syria, in which Damascus will be obliterated – Isaiah 17)
In this list we find some of Israel’s most rabid enemies of our days. The ex-Soviet Moslem states have intensified contacts with fundamentalist Moslem countries like Iran, certainly one of the most fanatical enemies of Israel. We also have heard that Iran has acquired nuclear expertise and fission material from Russia and is always shopping for more. (That was in 1998-Today Iran is on the verge of building its atomic bomb) It’s a well documented fact that Iran in particular, is constantly shopping for warfare technology, having no problem to pay for it through the sale of its oil while its population lives rather meagerly the joys of the revolution, and as we are posting this article (1998) we hear the news of the sale of a powerful submarine from Russia to the Iranian fleet and a report from the Iranian State Agency that Iran has just developed a missile capable of hitting Israel). Soon these nations will join together with the sole purpose of destroying Israel once and for all. But they are in for a big surprise, as is also the rest of the world.
The Bible expressly states that these nations will be defeated and destroyed, by a direct Act of God. Both their armies and home countries will be decimated. Please check out our X-files for updated information on this subject.
I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgement which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them.
So the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God from that day forward.
Ezek. 39:21, 22
Though the verses in Ezekiel 38 and 39 explain these events quite graphically, they will, nonetheless, leave the whole world gasping as they unfold. The outcome of this defeat will impact the whole world in several ways, but we can name two main ones:
1) the end to Islam’s expansion, (today easily the fastest growing religion) and to Arab bloody fundamentalism. (I will go one step further and say that this will be the end of Islam).
2) Israel will become the most influential nation on earth.
Only after this will Israel be able to build the Temple and experience a spiritual awakening, a prelude to her final conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ. Or does anybody in his right mind believes that Israel will be allowed to build the Temple as things stand presently with the two Moslem Mosques right in the Temple Wall area? Furthermore, Israel is as worldly and apostate as she can be, with only a small percentage of Jews desperately (and blindly) clinging to their beloved Torah. This situation will reverse itself after the supernatural victory that God will grant Israel over their enemies.
The Temple must be built, because it is fundamental to the Tribulation period. The Antichrist will use it and so, it is obvious that before it can be built there must be a shakedown of the present situation. We know that preparations are being made for the sacrifices, (the “red heifer” news). The sacred vessels and the priest’s garments are being readied, as are the priests who will perform the rites. (Please check our X Files for detailed info)
Israel has been defined as God’s timepiece. The Prophet Daniel gives us a vision of things to be through his prophecy of the 70 WEEKS. The watch had been stopped at the end of the 69th week, Palm Sunday, when Jesus, on a donkey, entered Jerusalem welcomed by a festive Osannah shouting crowd. There remains ONE WEEK (7 years), the so-called Tribulation period, which will be soon start and which will end up with Jesus returning triumphantly in Jerusalem on a white horse.
No more Lamb, but Lion, no more Servant, but King, no more to die but to reign. Forevermore.
