The Christ in Prophecy Journal

Twelve Signs of the End Times: Israel and Jerusalem

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Could the return of Israel as a nation and her control over Jerusalem be signs of the end times?

On Saturday, April 9, 2011, I was interviewed by host Brian Thomas of the Blessings to Israel Ministries Saturday podcast show. During the hour long interview we took a look at twelve major end times signs in an attempt to raise the awareness of people concerning the numerous things going on in the world currently, how they relate to Bible prophecy, and the imminent return of Jesus Christ.

Blessings to Israel Ministries

#9-10) The Rebirth of Israel and the Controversy Over Jerusalem

Brian Thomas: The hatred of the Jews and their current control over Jerusalem is the center of the controversy that Zechariah 12:2-3 and Zechariah 14:1-3 speaks of reserved for the last days. These verses tell us that Jerusalem would become the center of world controversy. I think we have definitely arrived to that stage, wouldn’t you agree?

Nathan Jones: Oh, goodness, if there is any sign we are witnessing right now that would make you and me to believe that Jesus is coming back soon is that Israel is a nation once again after being exiled for 1,897 years. Back in 70 AD, just as Jesus predicted the Temple was destroyed and Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews were scattered throughout the entire planet by the Roman Empire. You can even go see the Arch of Titus in Rome and see the fresco on it that testifies that the Jews and all of their gold items from the Temple were dragged into Rome, so it’s a historically supported fact.

We know that the Jews were scattered throughout the planet as a result of the Roman conquest, but amazingly they kept through tradition their own people group and their own identity and because they never did merge into the societies they lived in very well. Always anti-Semitism chased them out of country after country. Finally, with the Balfour Declaration in 1917 and then UN Resolution 181 issued in 1947, Israel was allowed to come and take back at least a small part of their land, though not all of the land God promised them, and become a nation once more.

Israel becoming a nation again after all these centuries is a modern-day miracle. Do we see the ancient Hittites becoming a nation again? Do we see some of the American Indian tribes forming their own nation again? It just doesn’t happen, especially after almost 2,000 years. But, it happened to Israel, the major people group of the Bible. This return to the land in fulfillment of Bible prophecies like Ezekiel 36-37 and Isaiah 11:11-12 and 66:7-8 is God saying, “Pay attention, this is a major, major thing happening.” In May we came into Israel’s 63rd birthday since Israel became a nation again in 1948.

Not only is the controversy over who controls Jerusalem an end times sign pointing to Jesus’ soon return, but so is the rebirth of Israel. Jesus in Matthew 24:32-35 talks about a fig tree. In the Bible Israel is sometimes referred to as a fig tree. Jesus said that when it reblossoms, in other words when Israel becomes a nation once again, then we know that the time is short for His soon return.

It just gets me how some Christians will just blow off the miracle of Isreal becoming a nation again as if it’s no significant thing. Whole denominations out there are trying to boycott Israel just because it exists. And yet, God wants Israel to exist because the Tribulation is not about the Church. The Church will be raptured and we will be out of here before then.

The Tribulation is in part about the world, the entire planet, and every nation coming against Israel to force them to give up there land and to be destroyed by Christ’s victorious return. That, of course, is Satan working in the background. Satan wants the Jews destroyed because through the Jews God’s plans will be fulfilled and they will finally as a nation know Jesus as their Savior.

Those who accept Jesus as Savior, both Jew and Gentile alike, who go through the Tribulation and survive will live on into the Millennial Kingdom in their earthly bodies. The Jews particularly will be a priesthood of people on the earth during that time. And so, God has these amazing promises that He made to the Jews.

If Satan can destroy the Jews, he believes it would thwart God’s plans. Now, we know that Satan cannot thwart God’s plans because God is all-powerful and Satan is nothing compared to Him, so he won’t succeed in killing all of the Jews, though many will die. But, he is going to try. So, even though many non-Jews will come to know Jesus as their Savior during the Tribulation, it’s about getting the Jews so persecuted that they finally turn to Jesus and accept Him as their Messiah. It says in the Bible that a third of the Jews as a nation will come to Jesus at the end of the Tribulation, and they will be the ones who along with other believers who survived the Tribulation will live on into the Millennial Kingdom in their earthly bodies and procreate and repopulate the planet again.

I have been to Israel a few times and it’s simply amazing what they have done with rebuilding Israel in such a short time frame. It was such a barren wasteland that the census could actually count how many trees, something like 18,000 trees, existed in all of Israel. It was an utter wasteland. Mark Twain visited the Holy Land during the 1800’s and pretty much declared it a God-forsaken rock. Well, as I was going through Israel it was like a flower-fest. There is more fruit growing there than you can imagine. I think there’s like six million people living now in Israel. Supposedly there is actually more rain in Israel than ever before because of the amount of trees and plants they planted has increased the moisture content. Just as Bible prophecy predicted in Ezekiel 36:34-35, the land has been restored along with the people.

The Bible says that God through the coming Gog-Magog Battle of Ezekiel 38-39 will continue to bring the Jews back into Israel from all the corners of the earth. The persecution will get really bad and anti-Semitism will continue to rise around the planet and force all the Jews into returning back to Israel. This return is a major, major sign that proves to us that we are in the season of the Lord’s return. Jesus in the Parable of that Fig Tree said that the generation that sees this return — that’s you and me — when we see this we can know that Jesus is coming back very soon. So, wow, we are living in exciting, exciting times!

The Super Sign

Brian Thomas: We are living in exciting times. I just wish that the words that you are saying could be spoken in every single church in the entire world, because the Bible is so correct on this. The return of the Jews to Israel and their control of Jerusalem is what so many in the Bible prophecy community call the “Super Sign.” It is what the Bible told us to look out for. When we see this happen, we can know the Lord’s return is coming soon.

This Super Sign is just so clear cut, yet there are so many out there who say that Israel’s return is just a coincidence and that Israel back in the land is merely a historic accident. There are many who would say, “Jesus Christ could return anywhere and it doesn’t have to be Jerusalem. It could be New York City. It could be anywhere in the world.” But, I say, “Where are you people drawing their conclusion from?” The Bible makes it so clear that Israel is where Jesus will return. People really need to open their eyes to this fact. I’m so encouraged that as you stated there are many who are beginning to recognizing the importance, and I do see that people are recognizing it, too. And yet, there is still a large majority in the Church who seem to be ignoring it, or want to look the other way for whatever reason.

Nathan Jones: Praise the Lord for your ministry, Brian. Blessings to Israel is a great name for a ministry!

A lot of people who disregard the significance of Israel’s return say, “Those in Israel are all apostate.” As I said earlier, I’ve been to Israel and it’s true that 90% of the Jews living there are secular humanists, while the remaining 10% are Orthodox and do nothing but persecute Messianic believers in Christ. So, there is not doubt that the Jews in this time and age aren’t the promised people whom God is talking about. The Church is, but when the Church Age is done, God isn’t done with the Jews. He want to convert their hearts to Him. He wants them to respond to His plea that, “Hey, wait, I’m your Messiah. You gave up on me, but I’m still around. I’m going to rescue you out of this your darkest hour. I’m going to be there for you.”

While there are so many unbelieving Jews during this Church Age and so mostly the Jews don’t know Jesus as their Savior right now, there are many who do. There are over 40 Messianic Jewish ministries over in Israel right now trying to bring their people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We have ministries like yours, Brian, that are here in the United States that encourage people to support Israel. The Lord said in Genesis 12:3, “I will bless those who bless you.” I think your ministry will be greatly blessed for anything you can do to help Israel and prepare them for the eventually time when they will accept Jesus as Savior.

Brian Thomas: Well, thank you so much, Nathan, that is very encouraging! I greatly appreciate that compliment. Forming Blessings to Israel is something that God just placed on my heart to get the message out and just be a blessing to the nation of Israel. They are in a state of spiritual blindness, but that veil will be lifted and they will accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah.

What’s also great, and I try to get people to understand this, is that as Gentiles within the Church we are not competing with Israel. We are going to all be joined together as one big happy family. And actually, by accepting Christ now, we are already grafted into God’s spiritual nation of Israel. I try to get people to understand that. We will be living in eternity as one big happy family under the rulership of Jesus Christ.

The final two end times signs we’ll address concern the revival of the Roman Empire and the spreading of the Gospel to the entire world.

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Dr. Nathan E. Jones

As the Internet Evangelist at Lamb & Lion Ministries, Nathan reaches out to the over 4.5 billion people accessible over the Internet with the Good News of Jesus Christ. He also co-hosts the ministry's television program Christ in Prophecy and podcast The Truth Will Set You Free.

23 CommentsLeave a Comment

  • Hi Nathan

    Thanks for changing "recent comments" from 5 to 10.

    It looks like you may have missed seeing one of my comments to you. I would very much appreciate it and like to see your reply. It is found on July 18th comments and reads as follows:

    Hi Nathan

    I have to disagree that harlot religion is humanism. Revelation clearly calls it "Mystery Babylon". Paul mentioned (in one of his letters) "the mystery of iniquity already works".

    The context of various scripture passages is that the whore is a re-emergence of old Babylonic religion and its Babylonic empire which Paul was warning was already (in small ways) infiltrating the church and did so in a much major way through the Catholic system.

    Revelation says "Babylon the Great". The Babylonic empire and its religion would have been far more powerful (demonic) if it wasn't for God dividing the languages at Babel. In Revelation it is saying that in the Tribulation period there will be a global revival of this old demonic Babylon religion.

    In the Babylonic religion (a gnostic religion) they followed very similar practices to those carried out by the RC church.

    In our day there are many strands of Babylonic religion amongst us and can be found in New Age, Catholics, Masons, Illuminati, emerging christianity etc. The whore will be a combination of all those religions which are linked to that old Babylonic religion which also includes hinduism, buddism etc

    Babylon had at its foundation and heart the worship of satan (in his various names and god names, following the lie that mankind can all become like God and be gods reigning on the Earth.

  • John, the only thing I'd update about my past article on Mystery Babylon is that I regret using "secular" humanism. It should be all forms of humanism.

    In studying the New Age, Emergent Church, Catholicism and other liberal forms of Christianity, they all take Christ off the throne and put themselves up instead. Whether the harlot religion ends up being Catholicism only or a synergy of all the false religions and liberal theologies, they are all humanist at heart… "having a form of godliness but denying its power" (2 Tim. 3:5).

  • Thanks Nathan

    I sort of see your point. If we consider that Babylonic religion (at its core)was man trying to be god and to replace God and follow the serpents lies and actually serving satan, then it is a form of humanism. Humanism (like New Age, Word Faith and manifest Sons Of God) basaically teaches that man can become gods on this Earth with divine powers.

    We see in these days a bringing together of all faiths through Rick Warren, Tony Blair and the Pope. So we can see the whore already growing and expanding before our very eyes. It is like the foundations are already being prepared.

    God bless

  • Nathan,
    On my original suggestion to create the 'Recent Comments' sidebar, I should have explained it in a little more detail…

    What I have seen on many blogs is a quasi-combination of both of your new features:

    Popular Posts should have the Article Title only, which is sufficient, and not include a snippet/duplicate of the 1st few lines of the Article.

    Within that block "Recent Comments" should be the next line with a Total Count in parenthesis or brackets, followed by the Name of only the last commenter, and a snippet of his comment.

    The Articles in the Popular Posts/Recent Comments panel should then be 'driven down' by the most "Recent Comments" popping to the top irregardless of its Total Count. That way a "cold" Article from the past will pop to the top, and will only be sustained in the top 10 if others feel it still has some life to beat out of it.

    The problem you currently have is the "Recent Comments" panel is now, and can be filled with a small flurry of comments all from 1 Article, especially if there is a temporary lull in activity on the other 9, even though its total can be less than others.

    Hope this helps to make it clearer… [This oughta keep your programming fingers busy for a while…]
    😉

  • PS. Also, because the Article Title [topic] & the last comment are linked together in each box, a browser can decide if they want to look into each one further or not.

  • Hi Nathan

    Please check your records

    I wrote a reply to DrNoFog which successfully posted here, but has now disappeared. Could you please look for it and republish it please.

    Thanks

  • Hi Nathan

    I have questions about Israel from those who oppose me. I wonder how would you answer?

    They say that those who own the Land are not Jewish. They tell me that the Jewish women were raped by gentile Roman men in AD70 so no-one knows whether the children born were Jewish or gentile. They say that the records were lost so no-one can be certain, anymore whether they are really Jewish or not.

    It is certain that God told us that He woold bring the Jews back to the Land after desolations of many generations, but how do we know that those in the Land are Jews? By faith yes! but how do we satify our opponents who say that Illuminati, Bilderbergers, Masons etc set things up for political reasons and the leaders are not real jews. They say that even star of David is masonic symbol of the occult which shows that things are not what they seem.

    I really want to know how to answer these critics. I know they are wrong and their motives are probably replacementism but how do we prove them wrong?

  • Sorry EIR,
    Not used to seeing such a similar alias…my eyes only caught the 1st 2 words.

    Here's some stats from a must see short video:
    Israel Defying the Odds

    The question is:
    Who is blessing Israel, a nation that is hated of all nations [just like the prophecies said], and being pressured by the nations thru the UN to divide the Land [warned against according to Prophecy]??

    Certainly not Satan, who hates them the most, and is rallying the world against "Israel"!

    Certainly not the Illuminati, the UN, or for that matter, not a single nation can claim credit or account for "Israel's" phenomenal stats!

    Ask them: Who, then, is blessing Israel?!?
    😉

  • Hi EIR

    In the Bible times a natural Jew was one born from a Jewish Father. After AD70 the problem you mention needed to be resolved. As I understand it, the leaders (rabbis?) decided that whoever was born of a Jewish mother was now Jewish. So those born of raped women are STILL Jewish.

    My problem with that is that it is God who sets the terms – not rabbis. Which leads me to the question about Ruth. Ruth was a Gentile through the line Jesus came, although her husband was Jewish.

    Ruth chose to identify herself with the people of Israel "your people will be my people and your God will be my God".

    Paul stated that a true Jew was one inwardly not outwardly, ie simple physical circumcision did not make them Jewish if their hearts were not attuned to God, ie if they weren't Jewish inside. So what makes them Jewish inside?

    Paul talks about Abraham and his faith in God. Therefore, faith is an important issue. True Jews are those Jews (not Gentile Christians)who love the Lord their God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength and follow His commandments with a pure heart.

    I know this is confusing – it is complicated to explain. I will just sum up by saying that anyone who chooses to be a Jew and identify themselves with God's people and love Israel, like Ruth (who was later, I believe, considered to be Jewish because of her statement) can say "your people are my people and your God is my God" are probably considered Jewish by God.

    However, that could mean that all of us Gentile Christians (who identify in that way) are also Jewish. Are we? I believe that it is non Christian Gentiles who join themselves to Israel and show that love (for Israel) by following the Torah and getting circumcised are Jewish, but not Christians, although we ARE spiritually Jewish because we have been grafted into the Olive Tree. I believe REAL identification and BECOMING Jewish is much more than having a love for and identifying with Israel. I believe it is a radical life change by virtually being Jewish.

    Of course as Christians we no longer need to become Jewish to be part of God's people, but for the non Christian gentile they WOULD have to become Jewish, if they want to become Jews. Just like DrNoFog said "who else would be foolish enough to claim to be Jewish but the true Jew"

    So …… Those who are Jews today are those the prophets were prophesying about who would be restored to the Land Of Israel.

    Hey Guys, I don't know if I am talking nonsense but it sort of makes sense to me, but I am no expert on the matter, just trying to reason it out and make sense of it all.

  • Hi DrNofog

    I posted a comment earlier today that (somehow) disappeared off this thread. It was in response to your suggestions to Nathan re the recent comments feature.

    I am not completely certain what you are suggesting. I commented that maybe the features you have seen on other blogs may belong to a blogsite different to google blogger.

    However, I thought I would investigate if there were any widgets which could be downloaded to blogger from external sources. I wrote an email to "blog Doctor" asking them. This was my email. Please check it to see if it falls in line with what you had in mind.

    Dear Sir/madam

    I wonder if you could help. I would love a feature on my blog for comments activity. I will describe what I am looking for.

    A sidebar which has a list of say 10 latest posts receiving comments.. The top of that list will be the article receiving the latest comment. This is what it would look like:

    Article xyz written 10th April 2009 1 new comment
    Article aaa written 23 July 2011 10 new comments
    Article bbb written 22 July 2011 1 new comment
    Article stc written 18th May 2010 1 new comment
    etc

    This would mean that the last new comment made was on article xyz, prior to that there were 10 successive new comments on aaa and before then there was 1 new comment on bbb and before then 1 new comment on stc.

    If prior to stc's comment, 2nd article aaa received an earlier comment, it will not appear on the list after stc because that article is already on the list above stc. This would mean that the 10 items in the list will always be 10 completely different articles.

    These 10 articles on the list will automatically change whenever a comment is made on an entirely different article with that comment going to the top of the list and the bottom item dropping off.

    This would be much improved from the widget which shows 1o most "recent comments" which is too fluid. By having the widget I am suggesting, readers are more likely to notice if there are comments on very old items and follow it better without missing seeing these latest comments.

    Does such a facility exist? If not, could I suggest that this would be a good one to make available to bloggers.

    Thanks so much
    John Chingford

  • John, thanx. I guess the visual works better than just a written description.

    This is what I thot I was describing:

    Article xyz written 10th April 2009 [15 comments]
    Blogger A said… Such and such…

    Article aaa written 23 July 2011 [38 comments]
    Blogger G said… This and that…

    Article bbb written 22 July 2011 [23 comments]
    Blogger D said… Such, and more such…

    Article stc written 18th May 2010 [57 comments]
    Blogger J said… This, that, and the other…
    etc.

    And the progression is as you described.
    😉

  • ”They say that those who own the Land are not Jewish. They tell me that the Jewish women were raped by gentile Roman men in AD70 so no-one knows whether the children born were Jewish or gentile. They say that the records were lost so no-one can be certain, anymore whether they are really Jewish or not.”

    EIR,

    I think some people want to believe garbage like that. You have to ask – was every single Jewish woman in Israel really raped by the Romans in 70 AD? Was every single Jewish male killed so that no more viable males existed? Actually, many Israelites were living in other countries (Diaspora) and would come to visit Jerusalem for the feasts. Furthermore, as Fruchtenbaum explains in Footsteps of the Messiah, Jesus gave clear pre 70 AD warnings for those in Jerusalem to flee. Multitudes did.

    You might find this interesting – Written for a Generation to Come

  • Thanks for the suggestions, Gang! I'll keep exploring more widgets and hopefully we'll find something that'll meet our needs. Again, though, if you really want to follow comments, there's a subscribe to comments feature above. That's how I follow your all's comments even on old posts.

  • Hi everyone and thanks for your help. I collected together your pieces and put together a reply to my contact as you can see following, regarding

    Who is the Jew?

    This is the content

    "Are you referring to the claim that all the Jewish women were raped by gentile Roman men in AD70 so no-one knows whether the children born were Jewish or gentile? Are you suggesting that the records were lost so no-one can be certain, anymore who the true natural Jews are?

    If it is true that true natural Jews do not exist, why did God make so many prophecies regarding the Jews in the end times? Zechariah refers to a natural Jew in chapter 8 verse 23, so where did they come from?

    It is certain that God told us (through the prophets in many places) that He would bring the Jews back to the Land after desolations of many generations. which was fulfilled in 1948 regardless of whether the masons were involved or not GOD was involved!

    Why would God say these things if the Jews ceased to exist?

    You have to ask – was every single Jewish woman in Israel really raped by the Romans in 70 AD? Was every single Jewish male killed so that no more viable males existed?

    Actually, many Israelites were living in other countries (Diaspora) and would come to visit Jerusalem for the feasts. Furthermore, Jesus gave clear pre 70 AD warnings for those in Jerusalem to flee. Multitudes did.

    Even if it was true that most women were raped, does it really remove the Jew. Besides who is naturally Jewish in God’s eyes?

    In the Bible times a natural Jew was one born from a Jewish Father. After AD70 (to a certain extent) there was a problem which needed to be resolved. As I understand it, the leaders (rabbis?) decided that whoever was born of a Jewish mother was now Jewish. So those born of raped women are STILL Jewish.

    My problem with that is that it is God who sets the terms – not rabbis. Which leads me to the question about Ruth. Ruth was a Gentile through the line Jesus came, although her husband was Jewish.

    Ruth chose to identify herself with the people of Israel "your people will be my people and your God will be my God".

    Paul stated that a true Jew was one inwardly not outwardly, ie simple physical circumcision did not make them Jewish if their hearts were not attuned to God, ie if they weren't Jewish inside. So what makes them Jewish inside?

  • pg 2
    Paul talks about Abraham and his faith in God. Therefore, faith is an important issue. True Jews are those Jews (not Gentile Christians) who love the Lord their God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength and follow His commandments with a pure heart.

    This is actually quite complicated for me to express clearly, but I will try! I will just sum up by saying that anyone who chooses to be a Jew and identify themselves with God's people and love Israel, like Ruth (who was later, I believe, considered to be Jewish because of her statement) can say "your people are my people and your God is my God" are probably considered Jewish by God.

    However, that could mean that all of us Gentile Christians (who identify in that way) are also Jewish. Are we? I believe that it is the non Christian Gentiles (who join themselves to Israel) and show that love (for Israel) by following the Torah and getting circumcised are Jewish, but not Christians, although we ARE spiritually Jewish because we have been grafted into the Olive Tree. I believe REAL identification and BECOMING Jewish is much more than having a love for and identifying with Israel. I believe it is a radical life change by virtually being Jewish.

    Of course as Christians we no longer need to become Jewish to be part of God's people, but for the non Christian gentile they WOULD have to become Jewish, if they want to become natural Jews because they cannot be spiritual Jews if they are not Christians.
    Also, who else would be foolish enough to claim to be Jewish but the true Jew.

    So I firmly believe that those who are Jews today are the very same ones that the prophets were prophesying about who would be restored to the Land Of Israel. “God is not man that He should lie”. If He said He will restore the Jews back to the Land after MANY generations from ALL corners of the World – not just from Babylon, then you can be sure that He has done EXACTLY that.
    Here's some stats from a must see short video:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijCA0T2e6wQ

    The question is:
    Who is blessing Israel, a nation that is hated of all nations [just like the prophecies said], and being pressured by the nations thru the UN to divide the Land [warned against according to Prophecy]??

    Certainly not Satan, who hates them the most, and is rallying the world against "Israel"!

    Certainly not the Illuminati, the UN, or for that matter, not a single nation can claim credit or account for "Israel's" phenomenal stats!

    Who, then, is blessing Israel?"

  • Hello EIR

    Just an idle thought! D.N.A. has been succesfully used to prove who are real Jews.

    A research programme has discovered that the Cohanim gene has lain unhindered, so they even know who the genuine Levites are and are preparing the Priests to minister in the future Temple.

    🙂

  • Thanyou EI

    I got a reply from that person.

    "I think that you summed it up from scripture (Ro 2:29)
    Clearly, ethnicity does not make one a Jew, as you raised the point of Ruth. There are others who became Jewish but were Gentiles. In the same way, foreign nationals become naturalised after living here for a number of years. So the distinction between natural Jews and Physical Israel is a key point.

    I think that it is true to say that when God first singled out a people for his possession, they were from a distinct lineage. I was not referring to the rape of Jewish women but that very few could honestly claim unbroken lineage to Shem.

    So we have established that it is not by birth that makes one Jewish. Paul goes on to say that the Circumcision is a spiritual one, a cutting off of the old man, the sinful nature. So if we practice living a daily crucified life, we fulfill the scriptures. We are Spiritual Jews while in Christ.

    Physical Israel is largely secular so they do not fit the criteria and those who practice Judaism of the type Jesus railed so forcefully against, are not true Jews either. Jesus said that their traditions nullified the commandments and that their father was Satan.

    The reference to Israel in prophecy needs to be looked at in the light of this. Does God still place importance on a physical land? Remember Jesus said, before Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world".

    This is the reason why I believe that unconditional support of Physical Israels and Ethnic Jews, is misguided."

    I think I will remind him of Ezekiel 37 to 39 which shows that the Jews will be brought back to the Land as unspiritual with conversion following later. It seems his arguments are merely self rationalised and not based on God's Bible promises to the Jews.

  • This was my reply. Is it alright?

    "Does God change His mind? Of course not! Can His Word be trusted? Of course!

    In Jeremiah 31:35-37
    "This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD Almighty is his name: “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the LORD, “will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me.” This is what the LORD says: “Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the LORD.

    The above verses are CLEAR that God will still fulfil His purposes for Israel as shown in Roman 11:28-29 "As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable"

    The promise is to the Jews (who came from Isaac – NOT Shem) from Jeremiah 31:31:

    "The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah."

    That prophecy is NOT about the gentiles or the church. It specifically says "the house of Israel and Judah combined".

    Ezekiel chapters 36 to 39 states that God will bring the Jews back to the Land in unregenerate and unrepentant hearts first and then convert them later. Zechariah chapters 12-14 discusses the nature of the conversions. Please reread Ezekiel 36 to 39.

    It clearly says that God will give them a heart of flesh later on. What we see in Israel now is the first stage in God's plan of Israel's redemption. We see the physical resurrection of the Land and the people back to its former glories, becoming fruitful again. Next will be Tribulation, Then the spiritual restoration of the Jews. Jesus returns when they FINALLY say "blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord".

    Also consider that God knows the end from the beginning. God knew (before the foundation of the Earth) that He would choose a people (the Jews) that they would continuously rebel against Him, that they would reject Jesus and that He would exile them for two thousand years etc. Yet He STILL made those EVERLASTING promises. God DOES NOT change His mind regarding His promises. His promises are IRREVOCABLE.

    God never said that He would wipe out the Jews totally, but that He would ALWAYS reserve a remnant. We are told that only a third of the Jews (in the Land) will survive the Tribulation. These are they who will be converted spiritually.

    To say that all the prophesies must refer to the church is to make nonsense of His clear promises to the natural people and requires twisting of the scriptures and allegorising of the simple reading of the text, ie eisergesis instead of exegesis. It is rationalising using our flawed human brains to reinterpret the clear words of God. Or we are using current events or public opinion to interpret the Word of God.

    Quite honestly we should think about "do not be conformed to this world but be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING OF OUR MINDS. If God said it, then we should accept it.

  • EIR, while it's true that long ago one could once become a Jew by adhering to the Law and becoming circumcised, today under Israel's Torah strict Interior Ministry that's a thing of the past. Israel's very serious about only allowing ethnic Jews into their country as citizens, and all foreigners but the ethnic Arabs already living there are greatly discouraged to leave. Ethnicity and tradition has what's kept the Jew Jewish during all those centuries of exile.

    While I agree that we shouldn't blindly support Israel in its current secular format, we still must look to the future as God's promises are fulfilled to the descendents of Jacob so that one day they will fully come into their land, priesthood and throne promises through the returned Messiah Jesus Christ.

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