The God of Israel controls the future. Here’s what the God of Israel says:
I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. (Isaiah 46: 10-11)
One of the most fascinating aspects about the people of Israel is their sacred book (which we call the Bible) and its mind-boggling prophecies. These are God-inspired predictions of events declared long before they happened, written by people who lived ages before the concerned generation even came into being. What people and what God does this? In a world of many religions, one cannot help but be amazed by the God of Israel’s bold declarations of the future. Today we see predicted events unfolding before our eyes, and especially those concerning Israel’s future.
Predictions Concerning Israel and the Gentile Nations
When we trace a timeline of recent world events we find that many are closely linked to Israel. We see that Israel is increasingly the vortex of the world. For example, the following events are prophesied:
The return of the Jewish people to their homeland [commenced late 1800’s, ‘Aliyah’ continues today]
The liberation of Jerusalem from Gentile domination [commenced 1917, completed 1967]
Establishment of a Jewish homeland [commenced late 1800’s, legalized 1922]
Continuing persecution of Jews outside Israel [encourages ‘Aliyah’ today]
Attempted division of the Jewish homeland and Jerusalem [sought by the UN, the EU and the PA]
Establishment of the State of Israel [the Jewish nation was ‘born’ May 1948]
Why look at Israel, or even think about this tiny little country? After all, Israel has only some 8 million people and is only the size of Wales. And isn’t stubborn little Israel a thorn in the flesh for the Palestinian people and a hard nut to crack for the UN politicians?
Yes – all that is true. But there is more to Israel than meets the eye – and the vast majority of the population fails to see it. A look at the facts, and a little reading of the Bible shows that Israel’s history and future are extremely important for the nations; she cannot be ignored. Like it or not, the milestones in Israel’s history and the prophesied milestones for the future are crucially important for the world. They affect all nations and all individuals.
The aim of this site is to be an eye-opener to the mystery of Israel. We want to spread the truth about the amazing role of Israel and how it can give us hope in an increasingly violent and chaotic world. Don’t walk away – this divine timepiece is running fast and events surrounding Israel will soon embrace the whole world. Whether you believe in the Bible or not, this site offers food for thought that you might find interesting and worth studying.
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If you’re viewing this on a mobile phone, click HERE for a PDF version
About the times of the End, a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attention to the prophecies, and insist upon their literal interpretation, in the midst of much clamor and opposition. [Sir Isaac Newton, 1642 – 1747]
Some claim that modern Israel a special nation amongst the nations of the world. And they claim that Israel will have an increasing role in the world as we near the end of this age. Prophecy fulfilled by Israel is a good test of these claims, and we need look no further back than the 20th century. During this time there are at least FIVE prophecies about Israel that have clearly been fulfilled: 1) the return of Jerusalem to the Jews, 2) the return of millions of Jews to their promised land, 3) the rebirth of the Jewish nation, 4) the protection of Israel against aggressors, and 5) the blessing of the land of Israel.
Here are Five Recent Examples of Prophecy Fulfilled by Israel
1917: General Allenby liberates Jerusalem from Turkish rule
Soldiers celebrate at the Western Wall, Jerusalem, 1967. Image: Courtesy Werner Braun/Jerusalem Post Archives
1. Prophecy Fulfilled: Jerusalem and the Times of the Gentiles
Historically, Jerusalem was under Jewish rule until the invasion of Judah and Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar around 600 BC, link. Although some Jews returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile, Jerusalem was always under some form of Gentile rule until the 20th century. Then, in 1917, things started to change when General Allenby liberated Jerusalem from Turkish rule. Jerusalem then came under the 1922 League of Nations (British) Mandate for Palestine – a mandate to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Scroll on 50 years and we see Jerusalem being fully liberated from Gentile rule after the 1967 6-Day War. At this point, all of Jerusalem came under Jewish rule for the first time in some 2,500 years and Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled:
Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (Lk 21.24)
2. Prophecy Fulfilled: the In-gathering of Jews from the Nations
In just 100 years the Jewish population of Israel has risen an amazing 7,700 percent (see Aliyah). Why this mass immigration to Israel? It is a fulfillment of prophecies which say that God will take His people from all the nations and bring them back into their own land (as promised to Abraham).
Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone … and bring them into their own land (Ezekiel 37.21)
Jews are coming from all over the world, from wherever they have been scattered amongst the nations. The first wave of immigration started in 1882 and particularly involved Jews from Russia and Romania. By 2008 the number of Jews living in Israel was more than any other country since the year 70 AD. Why this return? This prophecy fulfilled by Israel is an end-time sign to the nations that God is about to intervene in world affairs:
He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four corners of the earth (Isaiah 11:12)
3. Prophecy Fulfilled: Israel – A Nation Born in a Day
Many prophecies foresaw the end-time gathering of the nation Israel from out of the Gentile nations – they were to come from the east and the west, the north and the south. This has happened over the last 100 years: in 1915 there were just 83,000 Jews in Palestine but this increased to over 6.2 million Jews in 2015, link, corresponding to an amazing 7400% increase! In comparison, over the same period the UK population increased just 55%. Equally amazing is the fact that the nation Israel was “born in a day” when the State of Israel was declared on 14 May 1948. This was fulfilment of prophecy:
Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? (Isa 66.8, NLT)
4. Prophecy Fulfilled: Israel is the Apple of God’s Eye
In 1967 the armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon (and later Iraq) attacked Israel with the goal “to wipe Israel off the map”. Israel defeated the attack in just 6 days even though the Arab armies had huge superiority in armour, aircraft and troops. After the war Israel held the Sinai, the Golan Heights, Gaza, the West Bank and all of Jerusalem. In fact, the area controlled by Israel after this war was the same area allotted to Israel for Jewish settlement under the 1922 Palestine Mandate!
In 1973 Egypt and Syria launched a coordinated attack on Israel in an attempt to win back territory lost in the 6-Day War. Iraqi forces soon joined the war, and Syria received support from Jordan. The Arab armies used up-to-date Soviet weaponry. The war was launched on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar when Israel is at rest and prayer, link. This took Israeli Defense Forces by surprise and Israeli causalities were heavy. Nevertheless, after just 20 days Egypt and Syria suffered military defeat.
In 2016 Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) said their new Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile is capable of intercepting weapons bearing chemical, biological or nuclear warheads while they are still close to their launch pads. In other words, if a missile is launched from Iran it will fall on Iran!
These wartime victories against all odds, and superior anti-missile technologies are seen as fulfilled prophecy:
Whoever assails you will fall because of you … no weapon that is formed against you will prosper (Isa 54.15,17)
I will be a wall of fire around her … he who touches you, touches the apple of (the Lord’s) eye (Zech 2.5,8)
Did God Protect Israel against ISIS?
Early December 2016: Amidst increasing ISIS activity on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, Israeli soldiers stationed there reported that a literal pillar of cloud descended on the border. Reports say the strange storm (dust and rain) stopped on the border of Syria and was ‘unable’ to enter Israel’s Golan Heights area. It seems the storm cloud put a barrier between Israel and ISIS. Many believe God intervened on behalf of Israel to prevent ISIS from entering Israel, link, link.
5. Prophecy Fulfilled: Blessings of City and Land
Desertech, the annual agricultural expo for Arava agriculture. Image courtesy Central and Northern Arava R&D
Today, Israel’s industries include diamond processing, textiles, food processing, mining, agriculture and forestry. Despite the fact that more than half of Israel’s land is desert, Israel still manages to produce 95% of its own food requirements, link. Israel is also a major exporter of dates, avocados, olive oil, pomegranates and almonds, and is a world-leader in agricultural technologies, such as drip irrigation.
Israel’s scientific and technological advances are astounding: her industry now boasts many thousands of hi-tech companies in a wide range of fields such as computer science, electronics, genetics, optics, biotechnology, medical electronics, solar energy and electric cars. The majority of these companies are from startups. All major hi-tech companies such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Intel and Samsung now have R&D centres in Israel. In particular, cyber-security is big business there, link, involving some 200 Israeli companies and accounting for US$3 billion worth of anti-hacking exports in 2013.
The country has been described as an “economic miracle” since it has consistently had more companies listed on NASDAQ than all of Europe combined, and consistently scores as one of the top countries for patents per capita, see Venture Capital. According to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, Israel’s export of ‘goods’ (excluding services) has risen consistently over several decades, from $6 billion in 1980, to $31 billion in 2000 to over $63 billion in 2014.
Clearly, Israel’s cities and land are prospering. Why? Is it simply God’s end-time plan for Israel? Or is it a blessing from God because a majority of the Jews in Israel honour God by observing “halakhah” (the “Jewish Law”) e.g. by observing God’s feasts, keeping Shabbat, and praying once or twice a day? Or is it both? We are seeing the following prophecies being fulfilled:
Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit (Isa 27.6)
If you observe carefully all His commandments … (then) blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country (Deut 28.1,3)
Prophecies about Israel – Abraham to the Millennium
Here are 54 Bible prophecies about Israel, many of which have been fulfilled.
Tiny Israel punches above her weight. Geographically she is just the size of Wales and she has less than ten million people, but she still stands unique amongst the nations. Why? The answer is that her existence (past, present and future) is mapped out in the scriptures. No other nation has such a well-defined timeline. Nations come and nations go, but according to the Bible, Israel will never disappear! Today we are seeing prophecy fulfilled by Israel.
The following slides give 54 key Bible prophecies relating to the people and the land of Israel. They give a clear timeline of Israel – past, present and future. They clearly predict the present regeneration of the land itself, the recent discovery of natural resources, and the current unprecedented immigration (aliyah) to Israel. They also describe the future world government and how the nations will one day honour Israel. And prophecy describes a future harmony between Jew and non-Jews; they live at peace alongside each other in a Millennial age. That’s better than any “two-state” solution!
God’s People: Israel
God promised Abraham and his descendants (the people of Israel) all the land of Canaan (modern Israel) as an everlasting possession. He promised Abraham that he would become a great nation, and that this nation would be God’s own people, a unique people on the face of the earth. They are God’s chosen servant to be a witness to Himself and to make a name for Himself. Today, after 2,500 years of exile through disobedience, Israel is once more on the world stage as millions of Jews return to their own land. Today there is a State of Israel and she is becoming the focus of world attention as we approach the end of the age. God is leading them, just as a Father leads his little child.
Aliyah: the Ingathering of Israel
For a time rebellious Israel was forsaken by God and they were scattered (like dry bones) amongst the nations. But Ezekiel the prophet saw a valley of dry bones that became alive as God brought the people back to their own land. In these last days God has reached out to His people and wants to blot out their sin and unite them with Himself. So He is calling His people out from the nations, back into their own land, the land of Canaan. Jews call this ingathering or mass immigration back to their own land ‘aliyah’ or ‘ascent’. It has been underway now for over 100 years, drawing in some 8 million people. The Gentile nations cannot help but see an amazing thing: a nation born almost overnight. It is a very clear sign to the nations that the God of Israel is working in the world!
The Refining of Israel
Israel was scattered throughout the nations because she rebelled against her Creator. The prophet Ezekiel says she was like a captive behind bars, experiencing great suffering. But even when Israel returns to her own land, the vast majority of the Jews will still reject Yeshua, their true Messiah. So God brings them through a time of severe trial to refine them, like the refining of silver and the testing of gold. It is so severe that only one third survive. But this remnant at last sees Yeshua as their Messiah, and they mourn for their rejection of Him and how they pierced Him on the cross. God then pours out His Spirit upon this remnant, cleanses them, and writes His law on their hearts. From this time onwards, Israel is reunited with her God.
God’s Protection & Blessing of Israel
The refined remnant of Israel receive God’s protection and blessing. He protects them from their enemies and humbles those who have afflicted Israel. At the final assault on Israel, God causes great geological changes as the Mount of Olives splits in two (to provide protection for Israel). Israel then sees great blessings in both land and sea (possibly abundant gas and oil). Her well-watered hills produce abundant crops to fill the world with fruit and the formerly desolate land becomes like the garden of Eden. At last the nations acknowledge that Israel is God’s true witness of Himself and that His glory rests on the people of Israel.
Millennial Israel
Millennial Israel will live in peace, with the land divided equally amongst the tribes of Israel. The people will grow vineyards and build houses, and any foreigner (Gentile) will be treated equally as though they were God’s own people. Part of the land near Jerusalem will be set aside for Christ’s sanctuary, the seat of His Kingdom on earth. It will be a beautiful, glorious place. From there Christ will be King over all the earth and will the rule the nations with a rod of iron. Each year the nations will go up to Jerusalem to worship Him and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
The Jewish State of Israel occupies the land the Jews call Israel (and Christians refer to as the Holy Land). The Gentile world and the Arab nations also refer to this land as Palestine. The (so-called) Palestinians want to establish a Palestinian state on some (and preferably all) of the land called Israel. Hence the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Let’s summarize the facts.
Historical Facts
No Palestinian People: There is no historical Palestinian people. Despite the strong Muslim presence over the centuries, by the early 20th century Palestine was simply a mix of many peoples representing some 50 languages [1911 Encyclopedia Britannica]. ‘Palestine was ethnologically a chaos of all the possible human combinations’ [Richard Hartmann, historian], and so it did not share a common Arab identity. A ‘Palestinian people’ only came to prominence from the indigenous Arab population in response to increasing Jewish immigration after WWI.
It was not as if there was a Palestinian people in Palestine and we came and threw them out and took their country away from them … they did not exist [Golda Meir, Prime Minister, 1969]
No Palestinian Land or Country: Although referred to a ‘Palestine’ from Roman times, the biblical land of Canaan (today’s Holy Land) was not a ‘country’ and had no frontiers, only administrative boundaries [Prof. Bernard Lewis]. The term ‘Palestine’ was used as a general term to describe the land south of Syria, and it was applied to the territory placed under the 1922 British Mandate. Historically, there was no such country as Palestine:
There is no such thing as Palestine in history, absolutely not
[Arab Prof Philip Hitti (Princeton University), 1946]
Palestine does not exist at all
[Ahmed Shkari (PLO founder), 1956]
Birth of a ‘Palestinian People: Palestinian nationalism and an identifiable ‘Palestinian People’ emerged after WWI, probably in response to the threat posed by Zionism when waves of Jewish immigrants arrived in Palestine between 1919 and 1939. Prior to this time, these Arabs were citizens of the Ottoman Empire. A Palestinian identity was given further impetus with the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. This was a political maneuver:
The Palestinian people does not exist … there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people [Zahir Muhsein, PLO, March, 1977]
The ‘Promised Land’: The Bible says that the Jews have been promised a land of their own. God made an unconditional promise to Abraham:
I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you … I will give to you and your descendants … all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God
(Gen 17.7,8)
Land Partitioning – a Two-State Solution: Under the 1917 Balfour Declaration Britain supported the creation of a Jewish home in Palestine, with the proviso that the civil and religious rights of the existing non-Jewish communities were preserved. This Declaration was based upon the biblical promise to Abraham and was formalized by the 1922 British Mandate for Palestine, where Palestine was defined as the land west of the river Jordan, including Judea and Samaria (now called the West Bank). In 1947 nearly half of Palestine was owned by Arabs, nearly half was “Crown Lands” under the 1922 British Mandate, and about 8% was Jewish. In the same year UN Resolution 181 recommended that this area be divided equally into an Arab state and a Jewish state, and Jerusalem was to be ‘internationalized’. The Jews accepted the resolution but the Arabs rejected it. When the British left Palestine, the Palestine Mandate was absorbed into Article 80 of the UN Charter, and still stands today.
Palestinian and Jewish Refugees: Since the two-state solution was rejected, immediately after the Declaration of the State in 1948 the Arab nations (notably the Egyptian and Syrian armies) invaded Israel. So Arab nations started the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which led to the refugee problem. In this so-called ‘War of Independence’, many Palestinians evacuated their homes under direction from Arab armies, hoping to return soon after the inevitable Arab victory, link. Instead, over 700,000 Palestinians became refugees that year in what is known as the Nakba (Arabic for catastrophe). A further 250,000 Palestinians fled to the West Bank or Gaza Strip during the 1967 war, link.
What is not so widely known is that this war also displaced Jewish inhabitants of East Jerusalem link, and between 1948 and 1951, over 800,000 Jews were effectively forced out of Arab countries by oppression and persecution. These also became refugees, link.
Israel’s Temporary Borders: After the 1948-49 war, the Arab countries refused to sign a permanent peace treaty with Israel and so the 1947 UN Commission proposals never received legal international recognition. Instead, Israel’s temporary borders were established along the so-called ‘Green Line’ of the 1949 UN armistice agreements. This line excludes Israel from the West Bank and Gaza. Its originators never intended it to be Israel’s permanent borders.
The Concept of ‘Land Occupation’: Since the 1967 Six-Day War, the international community (notably the media) has claimed that Israel is “occupying Palestinian land”. But in international law, a territory which has never been subject to the sovereignty of any state is declared terra nullius, and sovereignty over such territory can be legally acquired through occupation. This is the case of the West Bank and Gaza; neither have been legally recognized states and so legally cannot be occupied territories. So in the 1967 war, Israel simply took back Palestine Mandate land that was taken from her by war in 1948-49.
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Today
Today, Israel’s legal borders are still defined by Article 80 of the UN Charter and span from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea. According to Article 80, “nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine”. The land of Israel was meant to be home for the non-Jewish peoples as well as home for the nation, Israel. Sadly this has not happened because the Arab leadership refused, and still refuses to accept the State of Israel and so peace cannot be achieved.
The revised Hamas Charter re-affirms the Palestinian long-standing hatred of Israel:
Hamas will not give up on any part of the land of Palestine no matter the reasons, circumstances or pressures, and no matter how long the occupation remains. Hamas rejects any alternative to completely liberating Palestine from the river to the sea.
The Hidden Spiritual War
In all the conflicts with Israel it is important to recognize that they are driven by unseen spiritual forces. The root cause of such conflicts is the relationship of Israel to Jesus (Yeshua):
the dragon (Satan) … persecuted the woman (Israel) who gave birth to the male child (Jesus) (Rev 12.13)
Put simply, the salvation of mankind comes through the Jewish Messiah, Jesus, link. This fundamental truth is why the enemy of mankind persecutes Israel. There is a spiritual war against God’s chosen people, Israel, and aggressive nations and leaders (including the UN and the Palestinian leadership) are simply Satan’s pawns. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is just one example of this hidden but very real spiritual war.
The current land disputes with Israel over the so-called “occupied territories” will be relatively short-lived. Bible prophecy points to a soon-coming age (the Millennium) when the people of Israel (Abraham’s descendants, the Jews) live at peace within the boundaries promised unconditionally to Abraham. Those boundaries span from the River Jordan in the east to the Mediterranean in the west, and embrace the disputed territories of the West Bank and Gaza. It is interesting to observe that the boundaries given to Moses as he was about to divide up Canaan for the twelve tribes (Numbers 34) correlate well with the Millennial boundaries given in Ezekiel 47.
Biblical Borders: The Future Borders of Israel According to the Bible
The current borders of Israel are disputed by the international community, from the UN to the Arab leadership. But these parties insist on ignoring the true legal position, link. Even the US, Israel’s greatest ally makes misleading statements:
We believe the borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines [Barack Obama, 2011]
Obama gave US support for a future Palestinian state based on borders that existed before the 1967 Middle East war. Thankfully, Israel’s border disputes will be short-lived. When this age ends and the 1,000 year ‘Millennial Age’ of earth begins, Israel’s borders will be firmly established by the God of Israel. In fact, Israel’s future borders are already clearly written in Bible prophecy (if only the world would read it).
The Promised Land: Israel’s Biblical Title Deeds
God promised that He would give all the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants. He made a covenant with Abraham:
To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt (Jewish tradition: the Nile) as far as the great river, the River Euphrates (Gen 15.18)
I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines (Gaza coast), and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates (Exod 23.31)
Despite Israel’s future disobedience, this promise was unconditional in that the land was to be theirs forever; no strings attached:
I will give to you and to your descendants … all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession (Gen 17.8)
Where was Canaan, this “Promised Land”? Where did the twelve tribes of Israel settle? They settled mainly in the area currently referred to as Israel, including the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights, although the tribes of Gad, Reuben and part of Manasseh settled east of the Jordan (Fig.1). So there we have it: Abraham’s descendants, Isaac, Jacob and the twelve tribes of Israel are promised their own land, their own piece of real estate in the region we now call Israel.
Location of Israel’s Future Borders
Let’s try and identify the biblical geographic boundaries. As the Israelites conquered more territory the term ‘Canaan’ was gradually applied to all the lands west of the Jordan valley, and there are references to Canaanites living in the valleys and plains of this region (Num 13.29)(Josh 11.3)(Judg 1.27). In time the LORD gave more detail of the geographical boundaries. For example, in Num 34.1-12 we find the boundaries given to Moses as he was about to divide up Canaan for the twelve tribes. These are:
Western: the Mediterranean Sea
Eastern: from Kadesh-barnea, via Zin and the salt sea to Zedad and Hamath in the north
Southern: from Kadesh Barnea to the Brook of Egypt (Jewish tradition takes this as the Nile)
Northern: from the Mediterranean Sea (Mount Hor) to Hamath to Zedad
The boundaries defined in Numbers 34 are shown in Fig.2 and in Ezek 47.13-20 we find more boundary detail which confirm these boundaries. It is clearly stated that the Jordan is the eastern boundary (v18) and the western boundary (the Mediterranean Sea) goes north as far as ‘opposite Hamath’ (v20). The southern boundary is defined by a ‘brook’ in Num 34.5 and Ezek 47.19 and by a ‘river’ in Gen 15.18. As mentioned, Jewish tradition takes this to be the Nile (although some dispute this, link, link).
The significant point here is that many understand Ezek 47 (in fact, Ezek 40-48) to describe Millennial Israel. And it is interesting to see how the Old Testament boundaries in Num 34 align closely with Israel’s future borders in Ezek 47.
Historically, the tribes occupied only some of this land and, as already mentioned, in addition occupied some land east of the Jordan (see also Israel’s History). Under Moses, the land was divided according to the size of each tribe (Josh 13) and so resulted in very unequal division e.g. the tribe of Manasseh took a large share. In contrast, Ezek 47 and 48 state that the land in Millennial Israel will be divided equally between the tribes, and in an east-west way (parallel sections):
The Sovereign Lord said, “These are the boundaries of the land that is to be divided among the twelve tribes … I solemnly promised your ancestors that I would give them possession of this land; now divide it equally among you. (Ezek 47.13-14)
So each tribe will have one portion, starting with Dan in the north and ending with Gad in the south, and all sections run east-west, Fig.3. There are several important points to note here.
Fig.3: Future equal land division between the 12 tribes of Israel. ENLARGE
Fig.4: Future land allocation around Jerusalem according to Ezekiel 45,48 (sizes in cubits). The Holy Place denotes outer and inner courts, temple and altar. ENLARGE
The LORD’s Temple
Firstly, there will be a portion of land between the section for the tribe of Judah and the section for the tribe of Benjamin that is “set apart for the LORD” (Ezek 45.1-5, 48.8-22). Why? Recall that one day soon, in the Millennial age, the law will emanate from Zion (Mic 4.2). In the Old Testament, Zion came to mean Jerusalem, and the temple area in particular. This indicates that Christ will rule from some future temple and it’s surrounding area. In fact, Messianic Jews expect such a temple to be built in the near future, and we find a graphic description of such a temple in Ezek 40-48.
So the land “set apart” must include a holy place for the LORD’s temple or sanctuary. It’s precise dimensions are given in Ezek 45.1-5 and it is in the center of this special section of land (see Fig.4). It is the place of Christ’s throne on earth – a glorious place in the midst of the children of Israel. This is the place described as “THE LORD IS THERE” (Ezek 48.35).
Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever (Ezek 43.7)
The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the box tree and the cypress together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I shall make the place of My feet glorious (Isa 60.13)
Israeli-Palestinian Problem Solved
We should also ask, “What of the non-Jewish population – those who currently war against the Jews?” In the coming age this conflict is resolved by the LORD. Israel is instructed by God to treat “the stranger” (non-Jews) as one of themselves and let them live in the land:
“… and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells, there you shall give him his inheritance,” says the Lord God (Ezek 47.22-23)
This of course is nothing new. Thousands of years ago God instructed Moses to tell the people of Israel how they should treat foreigners (non-Jews). They were commanded to love “strangers” and to let them live normal lives amongst them (Deut 10.19):
When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall do him no wrong … (he) … shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself (Lev 19.33,34)
So under the new (Millennial) borders of Israel, God repeats this instruction via the prophet Ezekiel. During an interview in 1989, Arial Sharon was asked: “Do you think of Arabs as your friends, neighbours, your enemies?” He replied:
From my childhood, I have believed Jews and Arabs can live together, and I believe now they should live together. All the rights to this country, to the land of Israel – especially Judea and Samaria – are Jewish … but everyone who lives in the country should have all the rights of the country”. [Ariel Sharon, TIME, April 1989]
Unfortunately, as long as Arab countries refuse to recognize Israel and continue to attack her, such peaceful cohabitation is impossible. But it will happen in the Millennial age under Christ’s rule.
A Border Discrepancy?
At first sight it appears that there is some discrepancy in the northern boundary, since initially God told Abraham this boundary would be the River Euphrates, much further to the north (Gen 15.18). The kingdoms of David and Solomon did indeed stretch from the river of Egypt on the Sinai peninsula, across the Syrian Desert to Tiphsah on the Euphrates, but the Euphrates boundary is absent from Num 34 and Ezek 47.
A possible explanation is that God is giving boundaries for two time periods. At the Second Coming of Christ, link, there will be significant geological changes in the Middle East (Zech 14.4,10)(Isa 11.15,16) and one of these is the drying up of the Euphrates (Rev 16.12). So whilst the Euphrates served as a boundary for David and Solomon, it virtually ceases to be a landmark in the Millennium.
Comparison with Today’s Borders
It is interesting to compare the future biblical borders and land division with the current situation in Israel. Clearly, the future borders include both the Gaza strip and the West Bank! They also include significant parts of present-day Syria i.e. up to Hamath, and probably all of Lebanon. Are the politicians listening?
The Bible liken’s the nation Israel to a fig tree. A fig tree produces both good and bad (inedible) fruit. So it was with the nation of Israel. Jews who were whole-hearted followers of God were likened to ‘good figs’, and rebellious Jews were likened to ‘bad figs’. The Bible also says that at the end of this age Israel will ‘blossom and bud’ and ‘put forth new leaves’ like a fig tree, and that this will be a sign of the imminent return of Israel’s true Messiah – Yeshua (Jesus Christ). Put simply, the Bible says that end-time events in the world will be closely linked to modern Israel.
Go directly to an interactive timeline for Israel-related events HERE
Signs of the End of the Age and of Christ’s Return
When Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Mathew 24.3), He identified four types of end-time sign (see also Mark 13 and Luke 21):
Signs in the world – wars, earthquakes, famines, lawlessness, wild weather …
Signs in the church – worldwide gospel preaching, persecution, apostasy, false prophets …
Signs in Israel – invasion, severe persecution of Jews …
Signs in the heavens – fearful solar and cosmic disturbances, asteroids …
Jesus said that when we see these signs then “know that the kingdom of God is near” (Luke 21.31). He said these signs point to His imminent return and the establishment of His kingdom on earth. So Jesus stressed that it was important to watch for these signs:
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming (Mat 25.13)
After describing the above signs, Jesus gave a mysterious parable. He associated the observation of these signs with the Parable of the Fig Tree. Why? It turns out that understanding this parable is the key to unlocking the mystery of what is now happening in the world. The parable leads to a very important sign, and one promised by the prophet Isaiah:
He will set up a sign for the nations (Isa 11.12)
What is it?
An Important Sign: The Parable of Israel the Fig Tree
After describing some end-time signs to watch for, Jesus ends with the parable of the fig tree. He told His disciples:
Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near – at the doors!
(Mat 24.32,33)
Why did Jesus associate a fig tree with the end time signs? Some argue that Jesus was just using a simple horticultural observation. Quite simply – the fig tree is one of the last trees to bud in the spring and so when it’s leaves are budding we know that summer is just around the corner! So, they argue, Jesus was simply saying; “when the fig tree buds you know that summer is near – likewise, when you see all these things happening, know that the end is near”. They deny that there is any positive association of Israel with a budding fig tree, link. On the other hand, Jesus used the concept of a parable, implying that underneath He was teaching a deep truth. Was He referring to Israel in the last days? Should we view the Parable of the Fig Tree as The Parable of Israel the Fig Tree?
Consider A Little Horticulture
The common or edible fig (Ficus carica L.) is native to the Mediterranean/Israel region, where it can produce three crops per year, link, link. Breba figs develop in the Spring (May) on the previous year’s shoot growth. They are generally inferior to the main crop and are often discarded to encourage growth of the main crop, link. Two main crops follow in July-November, with pollinated (caprified) figs in August-September. Pollination (caprification) of the common fig can markedly increase fig size, link and is done by fig wasps transporting pollen from Capri fig flowers. In contrast to most fruit trees, the Autumn figs (the main crop) develop on the new wood that grows in Spring.
Ficus carica was cultivated for its fruit thousands of years ago and figs are often referred to in the Old Testament. It is interesting to note that the Bible also refers to three crops of figs:
‘early, first ripe, first fruit before the summer, very good figs’ (Isa 28.4; Jer 24.2,3; Hos 9.10) – a relatively small crop with the best flavour, June-July
‘sweetness and good fruit, the season for figs’ (Judg 9.11, Mk 11.13) – main crop, August-September. Made into cakes for winter use (1 Sam 25.18)
‘green, bad, inedible figs’ (Song 2.13; Jer 24.2,3; Jer 29.17) – green or winter figs, small, unripened, unsweetened, inedible fruit, link, link
Spiritual Implication: the End-Time Budding of Israel
Fig horticulture identifies good sweet figs, the first of the summer figs, and poor, unripe and often inedible figs. The significant point here is that the Bible associates these qualities with the people of Israel. For instance, the ‘fathers of Israel’ or Patriarchs are seen as the best figs – the first-fruits of the summer crop:
I found Israel .. your fathers as the first fruits on the fig tree (Hos 9.10)
God sees this minority of Israel as the first and best of the nation. These figs contrast with the green, inedible figs. Both types of fig symbolize the people of Judah before their deportation to Babylon; they are seen as good and bad figs:
The LORD said to me ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’ And I said, ‘Figs, the good figs, very good, and the bad, very bad (Jer 24.3)
Large ripe figs
Jeremiah 24.5-8 shows that God is referring to those Jews who are whole-hearted followers of God (the good figs), and to those rebellious Jews who had rejected God (the bad figs). Likewise, in the time of Christ, most Jews rejected Him and remained dead in their works and legalism. They were like green, unripened, unsweetened figs. Today, most Jews can be seen as green figs, whilst a few (the messianic Jews) are like sweetened ripe figs.
The consequences of rebellion against God is well illustrated in the incidence of the ‘Withered fig tree’ (Mat 21.18,19). Jesus found no fruit (apparently, not even the unripe breba crop), and so He cursed it and it died. This was prophetic, looking to the destiny of the Jews when they were to be scattered by the Romans in 70 AD. Like the cursed fig tree, the nation of Israel seemingly died. In contrast, Jesus gave an extremely important prophecy that applies to our time. To repeat:
Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near – at the doors! (Mat 24.32,33)
Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom is near (Lk 21.29-31)
Note that Jesus refers to the tender branch, implying new wood and the coming good summer fruit on the new wood. Since the fruit of the fig tree is established in the Old Testament as symbolizing the spiritual state of the people of Israel, many see this coming ‘summer crop’ as the restoration of the people of Israel (generically referred to as ‘Jews’) to their own land. The fruitless dead wood of scattered Israel is replaced by fruit on new wood. It is likened to a people drawn back into their own land and a nation that becomes a sign to the Gentiles. A remnant of this people become ‘the good, sweet crop’. This process has been underway now for over 100 years, link.
So when we refer to ‘Israel the fig tree’ we see both Old Testament Israel, and modern re-gathered or ‘budding’ Israel. The ‘good crop’ could include the 144,000 Messianic Jews drawn from the twelve tribes of Israel who will evangelize the gentile nations at the very end of this age (Rev 7.4-8). The result is the salvation of a countless number of Gentiles during the Great Tribulation:
I looked and saw a great multitude … of all the nations … clothed with white robes … these are the one’s who come out of the great tribulation (Rev 7.9,14).
The Message behind the Parable: Regathered Israel is a Sign to the Nations
It seems that when Jesus spoke of the appearance of new shoots on the fig tree as signalling that summer is near, He was actually alluding to the restoration of Israel and His imminent return. He was saying that when we see Israel regathered in her own land and ‘budding like a fig tree’ then His return is near – even ‘at the doors’. This will be the time of the coming of the fullness of the Kingdom of God on earth.
Israel and the Timeline for the Last Days
In Luke 21 Jesus said ‘look at the fig tree (Israel) and ‘all the trees’ (the Gentile nations) and so observe the signs of the times. He implied that Israel will be the vortex of the nations. So let’s now apply the parable of Israel the fig tree to the observed world scenario and ask the question, ‘When did the fig tree (Israel) start to bud?’ ‘When did Israel emerge onto the world scene?’ When we trace a timeline of world events from this time we find that many issues of today are closely linked to Israel! We see that Israel is increasingly the vortex of the world.
The timeline below is best viewed on desktops, laptops and tablets. If you’re viewing this on a mobile phone, click HERE for a PDF version
Historic Babylon and historic Rome were seats of power and authority over the world in their day. And today we see the ‘big five’ governments (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) in similar but larger seats of power. What do all these governments have in common? They were and are secular and Godless. Despite strong Vatican influence over Europe the EU has a ‘Godless Constitution’, and even ‘Christian America’ has a ‘Godless Constitution’, link.
What about a Future World Government?
There is much talk today about the coming (Godless) World Government. But in contrast to secular world governments, the final world government on earth will honour the God of the Bible. In fact, we know from prophecy who will lead this government. In the book of Isaiah (chapter 9) we read:
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders … There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace
This prophecy clearly states that the leader of this government will be Jesus Christ. Now let’s ask some pertinent questions:
Is this a ‘World Government’ in the modern-day sense? Yes. When Christ returns to earth (and that is soon) He will be “King over all the earth” (Zech 14.9)
Is this a strong government? Yes. Christ will rule the nations “with a rod of iron” (Ps 2 8,9)
What about the secular Godless government on earth when He comes? It will be dashed to pieces and no trace will be left (Dan 2.35)
How long will this government last? Christ will reign on this earth for 1,000 years (the Millennium) (Rev 20.4)
Lastly, where is this seat of His government? The prophets tell us that too:
Thus says the LORD, I will return to Zion and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth … for the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem (Zech 8.3, Isa 2.3)
Yes – it is certain that Jerusalem will soon be the seat of the future and final World Government. The eyes of the nations will be focused on tiny Israel and her King.
The Connection between Jesus and Israel is Fundamental
What is written in the Christian Bible about Jesus and Israel is deep and mysterious. Yet this mystery will soon be revealed to the world through end-time world events. It will affect everyone. So with national Israel in world focus today, it is natural to ask:
Is there any connection with the risen Jesus Christ and the Israel we observe today (the people and the land)?
In particular, some ask
What do Jews and Gentiles think of Jesus?
Will today’s Jews every recognize Jesus as their ‘Messiah’. If so, when?
Are there two biblical Covenants, one for Jews and one for Gentiles? Or does the covenant promise to Israel merge into the New Covenant given to the church?
What is Christ’s relationship to the nation, Israel?
Did Jesus’ teaching replace the laws of the Hebrew scriptures?
Does Jesus fulfill the promises of blessing given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Put another way, does Jesus and His church fulfill the role originally assigned to the nation of Israel – to be a light to the nations?
If Jesus and His church have taken the place of Old Testament Israel, what is the status and role of the nation of Israel today?
Is the modern State of Israel a product of man’s will, or a fulfillment of God’s prophetic word?
Does God recognize as ‘spiritual’ Israel all who respond in faith to follow Jesus?
Is the church related to the so-called ‘Ten Lost Tribes’? Are their descendants scattered amongst the Gentile church, link?
Did Jesus’ primary ministry (reconciliation of man to God) fulfill all that the Old Testament temple symbolized? Is a new temple in Jerusalem needed (as some maintain)?
Does the modern State of Israel have any claim to the land (Canaan) promised to Abraham and his descendants, noting that Israel failed to keep God’s covenant? Put another way, are modern Jews still the true heirs of the land promised regardless of their continued unbelief in Jesus?
Bible Prophecy Holds the Answer to many of these Questions
In his book Jesus and Israel: One Covenant or Two?, David Holwerda (professor of New Testament Studies, Calvin Theological Seminary) argues for a spiritual fulfillment of Bible prophecies, link. He rightly concludes that there is only one covenant and that “The way of salvation for both Jew and Gentile is the same because both must call on the name of Jesus to be saved“. But does a spiritual view of prophecy fit with the facts, with observed reality, with what we see happening in Israel today? Why can’t we take a pragmatic view of prophecies where the text is quite clear?
Jesus’ First Mission: He came primarily to His own people, the Jews (at that time, essentially from the tribe of Judah), but they rejected Him as their expected Messiah (the Moshiach):
He came to that which was His own [that which belonged to Him—His world, His creation, His possession], and those who were His own [people—the Jewish nation] did not receive and welcome Him (Jn 1.11, Amplified)
And He came not to abolish the Jewish Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them (Mat 5.17).
Jesus’ Second Mission: Why does Jesus return to the Jews in Jerusalem and not to the politically important people in the UN or the EU, for instance? The answer is that prophecy explicitly states that Jesus returns to rule the Gentile nations with justice as King from Jerusalem (Zech 14.9,16,17). He returns to sit on the ancient throne of king David, who reigned 33 years in Jerusalem (Isa 9.7).
He returns to usher in the fullness of the Kingdom of God – a Millennial age of peace when the nations go up to Jerusalem to worship Him (Isa 66.23)! He returns to dwell with His chosen nation, the people of Israel (Ezek.37.26-27). Perhaps most important of all, Jesus returns so that His people recognize Him as their true Messiah, their looked-for Moshiach:
They (the Jews) will look on Me whom they pierced … they will mourn for Him … in that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem (Zech 12.10,11)
Again, these promises are difficult to spiritualize.
Jesus returns to Jerusalem: Bible prophecy says that Jesus will return at the end of this age. And the place of his return? Jerusalem! So at the outset, Jesus and modern Israel are inextricably connected via modern-day Jerusalem. Geologists have even discovered a fault line running through the Mount of Olives, as required for the mountain to split in two at Christ’s Second Coming (Zech 14.4). That is difficult to spiritualize.
Jesus’ return is Unexpected: It will be preceded by deception (false Christs), but his actual return will be sudden, unexpected, and globally observed. In the gospel of Mathew, chapter 24, we read:
Many false prophets will appear and fool many people … if people tell you, ‘Look, he is out in the desert!’ — don’t go there; or if they say, ‘Look, he is hiding here!’ — don’t believe it. For the Son of Man will come like the lightning which flashes across the whole sky from the east to the west
Who Takes Jesus Seriously?
Most Jews are confused over Jesus
As the video implies, most Jews in Israel today reject Yeshua (Jesus) as their looked-for ‘Messiah’ or ‘Moshiach’. Apart from a minority, those who claim to be religious follow Judaism, not Yeshua. This is alarming – but a fulfillment of prophecy. According to prophecy, God’s people (generically, the Jews) will return in unbelief to the land promised to Abraham and his descendants. The New Testament says that these Jews are suffering a temporary spiritual blindness and a temporary hardening of the heart towards God and especially towards Yeshua (Rom 11.25). Only at the very end of this age, under tribulation, does the vast majority of Jews recognize Yeshua as their Messiah (Zech 12.10-14).
In an ever-darkening western world, skeptics claim that nobody of our era has seen Jesus of Nazareth as the person who lived some 2,000 years ago. Where is he? He died didn’t he? For example, a vast majority of young people in Europe now reject Christianity, link. Some 70% of young people in the UK identify with no religion.
Yet billions of people worldwide who call themselves Christians believe he is a living person, trust him, and hang on to every word he said, as written in the New Testament writings of the Bible. And it is these same scriptures that give shocking warnings to those who don’t believe and consciously reject him. The warnings are so radical that they are brushed off as delusional ideas of the disciples of this controversial personality. The warnings are seen as fundamentalist dogma.
Here’s a series of four thought-provoking exposés about Jesus of Nazareth, born in the land of Israel as a Jew and predicted to return to Jerusalem to become King of a world-ruling government.
READ ABOUT:
Jesus the man Jesus the Jew Jesus the Creator Jesus the coming King
Research shows that a positive mental attitude can benefit our health. Scientists from Harvard School of Public Health, the University of Pittsburgh and Boston University linked an optimistic outlook with lower risk of heart disease in older men and less thickening of the carotid artery walls in women, link. An American study of 2,564 men and women who were 65 and older also found that optimism is good for blood pressure. Overall, “optimism appears to protect the heart and circulation”.
So optimistic people live longer and, conversely, pessimism is linked to negative affects on health. Also, studies show that speaking negative words e.g the word “No” can have negative effects on our health. Fear-provoking words – like poverty, illness, and death also stimulate the brain in negative ways, link, link.
This scientific research simply echoes advice given in the Bible:
A calm and peaceful and tranquil heart is life and health to the body, but passion and envy are like rottenness to the bones (Proverbs 14:30)
The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and a good report makes the bones healthy (Proverbs 15:30)
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17.22)
This is a really interesting fact since it applies to everyone alive today. Man’s lifespan is currently about 70 or 80 years. But Bible records suggest that man originally lived much longer – hundreds of years. That is, until a certain date, link. Why? Some claim that date was the time of a universal Flood, perhaps around 2300 BC, link. Does science have an explanation for such an exponential decrease in lifespan?
A major model of human aging is based on human cells and how the many proteins inside a cell coexist and interact. It is claimed that defective proteins result in aging and that ‘proper aging’ depends upon proper protein folding. Put another way, it is claimed that protein misfolding is strongly related to age-related degenerative diseases, and that misfolding, link, can arise from radioisotopes that speed up or slow down protein folding. Moreover, damage caused by radiation can be cumulative, link.
So it is scientifically plausible that a significant increase in radioisotopes in the atmosphere after the Flood could cause the observed progressive reduction in the age of man after the Flood. More at lifespan change.
Optimal Medical Timing
The number 8 is important in male circumcision. God instructed Abraham to circumcise a male child when he is 8 days old (Gen 17.12). Why day eight? Medical science has shown that on the eighth day the amount of blood clotting factor prothrombin present in the body is more than 100% above normal, and this is normally the only day in the male’s life when this is the case, link. Vitamin K and prothrombin levels are at their peak. Today, Prothrombin Complex Concentrate (PCC) is used to accelerate blood coagulation, link. So day eight is the optimal day for minimizing hemorrhaging during circumcision!
Scientists say “it is a happy accident of nature”, “a striking coincidence”, “a sheer chance”, “a fluke of celestial mechanics”. They refer to the amazing geometry associated with the Sun, Moon and Earth. During a total eclipse the Moon casts its umbra (shadow) upon Earth’s surface so that the Sun is totally obscured. The Earth, Moon, Sun geometry is such that only the beautiful corona of the Sun is left (permitting astronomers to analyse the Sun’s atmosphere, link).
Since the Sun’s diameter is about 400 times that of the Moon, the eclipse can only happen if the distances of Sun and Moon from Earth are just right. It turns out that this is the case and both Sun and Moon subtend virtually same angle such that they look virtually the same size in the sky. Do the maths here. Sheer chance, or God’s design?
In recent years there has been much interest in so-called “blood moons”. This phenomenon is caused by the scattering of red sunlight onto the moon as the earth passes between the sun and the moon (a lunar eclipse), link. Such events are entirely predictable, see NASA lunar eclipses.
Even so, blood moons generate a sense of public awe, and for Jews their timing seems especially significant when they occur on a Jewish festival. For instance, during 2014-2105 four total lunar eclipses occurred as follows:
Note the near perfect correspondence of dates with Jewish festivals. In the past, such strange coincidences have been difficult times for Jews. A similar awesome scenario is prophesied at the end of this age, link:
I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes (Joel 2:30,31)
In geological excavations, tree trunk fossils are frequently found cutting across many geological layers. Hence the name “polystrate fossils”, link. Curiously, these fossilized trees stand vertically i.e. in growth position through geological layers supposedly created over many thousands of years! For example, evolutionary theory might claim a coal seam of 1000m would be laid down in about 10 million years, link. So it could take 100,000 years to bury a tree 10m high. Ridiculous!
In order to be fossilized, a tree must be buried rapidly to deprive it of oxygen – a necessary ingredient for decay. The watery mud and sediment from a sudden flood would meet such requirements, link. And since polystrate fossils are found in many countries e.g. in the United States, Canada, England, France, Germany, and Australia, this suggests a global flood.
Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth (Gen 7:17)
Observations point to a Young Earth
Classical Old Earth (OE) dating – radiometric dating – is based upon the spontaneous decay of atomic nuclei, where a radioactive parent atom decays to a stable daughter atom. The exponential decay rate equation is N(t) = N(0).exp [- K t ] where K is the (assumed) positive decay constant. The ‘half-life’ of the decaying quantity is simply ln(2)/K. The clash between OE dating (billions of years) and Young Earth (YE) dating (thousands of years) centers on the decay constant K. OE dating rests on the evolutionary concept of uniformitarianism and an assumed constant decay rate for all time. Is this true?
There is scientific support for an exponential reduction in the speed of light ‘c’ shortly after creation, see Atomic Constants Light and Time. Hundreds of measurements of ‘c’ since 1675 indicated a small but statistically significant decrease in ‘c’, link, link. In fact, between 1880 and 1941 there were over 50 articlles in the journal Nature alone addressing the topic of the decline in the actual measured values of ‘c’, link. Montgomery and Dolphin made a statistical analysis of the measurements and concluded: “The evidence for a decrease in the measurements of ‘c’ is very strong”. In 1999, Albrecht and Magueijo proposed a reduction in ‘c’ over time as a solution to cosmological puzzles.
Accelerated Decay: It is well known that the radioactive decay ‘constant’ K can be changed i.e. half-life can be changed, link, link. In particular, Setterfield has shown that K is strongly related to ‘c’. So if the speed of light slows down, then the radioactive decay rate also slows down, link.
Conclusion
On this analysis it follows that radioactive decay rates were much higher in the past. In other words, when ‘c’ was higher, atomic clocks ticked more rapidly and ‘atomic time’ ran fast. So standard radiometric dating must be corrected for this early accelerated decay rate, reducing millions of years to thousands!
Corrected Earth dating then fits much better with scientific, historical, geological, archaeological, demographic and biblical observations, link. For example, corrected earth dating and a YE model help explain: world-wide flood evidence, the ice age, earth tilt change, polar coal, ancient civilization collapse, human demographics, human aging and global warming.
Prophecies that are now Reality – Fact
Increase in Travel
Do you travel a lot? Holidays abroad perhaps, or perhaps you fly around on business? One hundred years ago commercial air travel was unheard of, but now there are typically 100,000 commercial flights each day! Just Look at the statistics:
Annual air travel in the US: in 1950 less than 100 miles/person, in 1978 about 1000 miles/person, in 2000 about 1500 miles/person
Aircraft fuel consumption: 130 million tonnes in 1992, increasing to 450 million tonnes by 2050
Tourism is the world’s largest industry: annual revenue of $500 billion, and is one of the major sources of foreign exchange in 83% of countries. International tourism: 1950: 25m , 2003: 693m , 2020: 1.6 billion [WTO].
Bible prophecy: “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro …” (Dan 12.4)
Increase in Knowledge
Only a few hundred years ago man communicated by drums and smoke signals. Now he brings back images from the planets and monitors our weather from satellites. For millennia man has worshiped the sun; now he understands it is a nuclear reaction turning hydrogen into helium. In medical knowledge, we now have MRI scans, ultrasound, pacemakers, radiotherapy, IVF, artificial hearts, DNA, organ transplants and vaccines against major killers (typhoid, cholera, polio, smallpox). The rapid increase in knowledge is reflected in US Patents: 1900-1920: 25,000 … 1995-1998: 150,000 [University of Maryland]. Bible prophecy: “in the last days … knowledge will increase” (Dan 12.4)
Global Drought
Water tables are falling on every continent e.g. falling 1.5m/year in China and 1-3m/year in India. Taken together, India, China and Pakistan pump about 400 cubic km of underground water for irrigation in a year – twice as much as is recharged by the rains. Aquifers are emptying. Two out of every three people will be short of water by 2025 [National Geographic, Worldwatch Institute, and Tearfund]. In Africa, persistent drought since the late 1960’s has caused Lake Chad to shrink by 95% in the last 38 years. Bible prophecy: “The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away; the haughty people of the earth languish.” (Isa 24.4)
Global Pollution
Air pollution fatalities now exceed traffic fatalities by 3 to 1 [Earth Policy Institute]. In developing countries, 70 percent of industrial wastes are dumped untreated into waters where they pollute the usable water supply. An area some 80km x 80km around the Chernobyl nuclear plant is still an exclusion zone due to soil pollution by Caesium 137, link. Contamination from the Fukushima nuclear disaster link affected an area nearly as big as Cyprus and included some 6,500 villages. In 2013 some 300 tons of contaminated water (an Olympic-sized swimming pool) was seeping into the ocean EVERY DAY. In 2019 there was still no end in sight to seepage of radioactive water, link. Bible prophecy: “the earth is also polluted by its inhabitants” (Isa 24.5).
Financial Control
Electronic funds transfer at point of sale (EFTPOS) in shops, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Transactions (SWIFT), biometrics and RFID (radio frequency identification), all herald the cashless society. Financial transactions of every person will soon be totally computer controlled. This provides a mechanism for government monitoring and control of all personal details and activities (shopping, healthcare, invoice payments, tax returns, residency, lifestyle preferences, travel, beliefs etc. In 2018, UK cash payments accounted for just 22 percent of purchases, and the UK was the third most cashless society in the world.
Estonia (a member of the EU) is the most digitally advanced society in the world and is being used as a live social experiment on how we are all going to live, link. Estonia has built a technological hub with a universal database for its citizens. Everyone uses their mandatory ID card to access some 5,000 e-services, such banking, tax payments, healthcare, voting, travel, residency etc.. No card – no access! The personal ID card is issued by the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board! Bible prophecy: (at the end of this age) “no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark” (Rev 13.17)
Massive Jewish Migrations to Israel
In 1915 there were just 83,000 Jews in Palestine/Israel but this increased to nearly 6.5 million in 2017, link – an amazing 7700% increase! In comparison, over the same period the UK population increased just 55%. Why such sudden migration to Israel? It is a fulfillment of prophecies which say that, at the end of this age, God will take His people from all the nations and bring them back into their own land (the land promised to Abraham). Jews call it “Aliyah” – a “going up” in holiness to Jerusalem. Today, organizations like The Jewish Agency and WZO help returning Jews get installed in Israel. Bible prophecy: “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone … and bring them into their own land” (Ezekiel 37.21)
Noah’s Ark – a stable design!
According to the Bible, Noah was instructed to make an Ark according to the following specification:
The length of the Ark shall be 300 cubits, its width 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits … You shall make it with lower, second and third decks (Genesis 6:15,16)
A naval study in 1977 assumed the common cubit of 18 inches, making the Ark some 450 long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. This study concluded that “the Ark was extremely stable” when four major stability features were examined, even in 210 knot winds, link. Another naval study in 1993 used a cubit of 20.4 inches and concluded that the biblical dimensions were optimal for stability, strength and comfort, and that the Ark could handle 30 meter waves, link. So, in major design aspects, Noah’s Ark was as good as modern shipping!
Jews are Top of the IQ Chart
Research shows that Jews are top of the IQ chart. Their average IQ has been measured at 108-115. A Jewish average IQ of 115 is approximately 40 percent higher than the global average IQ of 79, link. This may explain why about 22% of all Nobel prize recipients worldwide between 1901 and 2015 were Jews or people of strong Jewish ancestry. Prizes were given to Jews in such fields as Economics, Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature and Peace Awards, link. This is an amazing achievement bearing in mind that Jews comprise less than 0.2% of the world’s population!
Why are Jews taking a disproportionate number of Nobel prizes? Several reasons are advanced. Geneticists claim that Jews exhibit a distinctive genetic signature and as such can be defined as a ‘race’ (a people group with distinct biological traits). This is supported by genetic research from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. They suggest that the Ashkenazi bloodline branched away from other Jewish groups in Israel 2,500 years ago and that 40 percent of them are descended from only four Jewish mothers, link, link. It is claimed that it is the Israeli Ashkenazi Jews that the world sees in terms of Israel’s cultural, intellectual, political, and economic activity, link. High IQ could also be due to the Jewish practice of Eugenics.
The Amazing Survival of the Jews
The Jewish nation, Israel has survived for over 3,500 years despite some 2,500 years of exile and severe persecution. In recent years Jews have been drawn out of the nations to come and live in the land (Canaan/Israel) promised to Abraham and his descendants. Out of the 14.5 million Jews in the world, 46 percent now reside in Israel, link. Moreover, the ancient Hebrew language has been revived, link, and is now the official state language of Israel.
Isn’t all this unusual for a nation? When King Louis XIV of France (1643-1715) asked Blaise Pascal, the great Christian philosopher to give him proof of God, Pascal answered, “Why the Jews, your Majesty, the Jews!“. As Winston Churchill remarked:
Some people like the Jews, and some do not. But no thoughtful man can deny the fact that they are, beyond any question, the most formidable and the most remarkable race which has appeared in the world.
The Old Testament scriptures explain why. The prophet exclaimed:
And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went … to make a name for Himself (2 Samuel 7:23)
Jerusalem – the Special City
Jerusalem has been fought over sixteen times in its history. It has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times, link
The word “Jerusalem” is mentioned more the 600 times in the Hebrew Bible, but not once in the Quran
Mount Moriah is an elongated ridge in Jerusalem’s Old City and the top of the Mount is near the Muslim Dome of the Rock. The bedrock here is where Abraham would have walked when he came up to sacrifice Isaac around 1800 BC (Genesis 22)
Jerusalem has many names. For example, when Christ rules the millennial earth from Jerusalem the city will be called “THE LORD IS THERE” (Ezekiel 48:35), Hephzibah or “My delight is in her” (Isaiah 62:4) and City of Truth (Zechariah 8:3)
Clearly, Jerusalem has deep spiritual significance. It is God’s city (Isaiah 62:1-7), and it will again be fought over at the end of this age:
Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples … And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it (Zech 12.2,3)
The Maths of “Lord Jesus Christ”
The Hebrew and Greek alphabets use letters to represent numbers e.g. the Hebrews wrote “gimel” for 3 and the Greeks wrote “kappa” for 20. The numerical value of “Lord Jesus Christ” in Greek is:
Lord: kappa,upsilon,rho,iota,omikron,sigma: arithmetic sum = 800
Jesus: iota,eta,sigma,omicron,upsilon,sigma: arithmetic sum = 888
Christ: chi,rho,iota,sigma,tau,omikron,sigma: arithmetic sum = 1480
Total sum: 3,168
Is 3,168 significant? First note that 3 × 1 × 6 × 8 = 144 or 12 × 12. Now 12 and 12 is symbolic of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21.10-14) with its 12 gates (the 12 tribes of Israel) and 12 foundation stones (the 12 apostles). Also note that the number 12 denotes governmental perfection and Jesus is coming back to rule the earth with perfect justice (Zech 14.9).
The number 3,168 appears in other scriptures, each time underscoring the attributes of Christ. For example, the phrase “mediator between God and men” (1 Tim 2.5) sums to 3,168 in Greek, pointing to Jesus as the mediator. And the Hebrew letter values in Isa 53.11 (the suffering Servant) also sum to 3,168. Thus 3,168 not only highlights the Lordship of Christ, but also His Priestly and sacrificial roles for mankind.
Curiously, the latitude of Christ’s birthplace, Bethlehem, is about 31.68°, link!
Christ’s name is embedded in Solomon’s Temple
When Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem was completed the Lord appeared to Solomon saying:
I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there … (1 Kings 9.3)
Really? In what way? Usually, numbers and sizes in the Bible are not random but are given for a purpose. Do the dimensions of the temple give us a clue? Consider the footprint of the temple:
The length was 60 cubits (by cubits according to the former measure) and the width 20 cubits (2 Chron 3.3, 1 Kings 6.2)
So the perimeter of the temple was 160 cubits, where the cubit here is sized “according to the former measure”. What was this measure? Some claim that the temple cubit was 18 inches. But others claim that in large-scale construction projects, ancient civilizations typically used the long cubit, about 19.8-20.6 inches, link. Let’s assume that Solomon used the Babylonian royal cubit of 19.8 inches, link. Recent measurements on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem support the Babylonian royal cubit, link. In this case the perimeter is 19.8 × 160 inches = 3,168 inches. Applying Bible gematria, the Greek letters in ‘Lord Jesus Christ’ sum to exactly 3,168. Coincidence? No. It seems the Lord inscribed His name in the very dimensions of the temple!
Israel Restores her Land
Israel’s Desertech
The Problem: In 1869 Mark Twain described Palestine (Israel) as “a desolate country given over wholly to weeds”. The Negev Desert (Israel’s southern region) accounts for over half of Israel’s total land mass. It has an arid and semi-arid climate with an annual rainfall of just 2-6 inches. In fact, Israel’s total annual renewable natural sources of fresh water are well below the UN definition of water poverty. Add to this, only 20 percent of Israel’s land is arable.
Restoration: Given such a bad start, the first Jewish immigrants embarked upon an extensive program of afforestation, making Israel one of only two countries in the world that began the 21st century with more trees than it had at the beginning of the 20th century! Some 250 million sub-tropical trees have now been planted in all regions of Israel, from the Golan and Galilee in the north to the Negev in the south, link.
Then there’s agriculture. Today more than 40 percent of the country’s vegetables and field crops are grown in the Negev desert. Fish are also farmed in the desert. Fruit and vegetables amount to typically 50 percent of Israel’s total agricultural output, and Israel manages to produce 95 percent of her own food requirements.
All this is possible due to Israel’s cutting-edge agricultural technology, link. Bible prophecy is coming true:
Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit (Isaiah 27:6)
The Book of Leviticus lists seven mandated annual “Feasts of the LORD” for Israel. But since all seven feasts point to Yeshua (Jesus), they are in fact relevant to both Jew and Gentile today. Some claim that the Feast of Trumpets is of particular interest to the future of the church.
Seen prophetically each feast marks a distinct event or epoch in God’s eternal plan for mankind. For instance, Israel’s Passover foreshadows salvation through the shed blood of Jesus, and First Fruits foreshadows Jesus’ resurrection. So in the prophetic sense the first four feasts have already been fulfilled, culminating in the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (the birth of the church).
The last three feasts foreshadow events concerned with the soon return of Christ. In particular, some claim that the next feast, the Feast of Trumpets, will be fulfilled in the so-called “rapture of the church”. To justify this viewpoint it is necessary to study prophecy, and especially the Book of Revelation in the context of the final seven years of this age (Daniel’s Week 70). End-time prophecy might be seen as “filling in the detail” surrounding the events marked by the last three feasts. It’s a pity the institutionalised church usually fails to recognise Israel’s feasts in this way! Although only shadows of what is to come (Colossians 2:17), they nevertheless point to major events of the near future.
Leviticus chapter 23 prescribes seven annual feasts distributed over the first seven months of the Hebrew Calendar. They are actually mandated “Feasts of the LORD” or God’s feasts.
But they are not just of importance to the nation of Israel: they apply to both Jew and Gentile because they reveal major events or epochs in God’s complete plan for mankind. To this end they all point to the Lord Jesus Christ, link. The first four feasts (the Spring Feasts) have already been fulfilled by Christ and the last three (the Fall Feasts) will be fulfilled by Christ. It goes without saying that the last three feasts are of fundamental importance to any study of biblical end times.
The Spring Feasts (March-June)
Let’s look at these from a believer’s perspective: how do they point to Christ?
Passover (Pesach): Salvation from death – through His crucifixion Jesus became our Passover Lamb
Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMotzi): Jesus was without sin (without ‘leaven’) and so became the Bread of Life
First Fruits (Reshit Katzir): The resurrection of Jesus, and the future resurrection of all believers
Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (Shavu’ot): Jesus sent the Holy Spirit and His Church (comprising both Jew and Gentile) was born
Exact Temporal Fulfilment
It’s important to recognise that Jesus fulfilled these four feasts in an exact temporal sense:
The Perfect Sacrifice: Jesus lived a sinless life (as in the absence of “leaven”). So not only was He “the bread of life” (Jn 6:35), but He was also the perfect Lamb of God who could take away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29)
Sacrifice: Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb of God, died on Nisan 14. This was the same day and time as the selected unblemished Passover lambs died, link (Exod 12:6)
Resurrection: Jesus resurrected three days later, on Nisan 17 – the day of the Feast of Firstfruits
Pentecost: The Jews were instructed to count 50 days from the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread on Nisan 15 (Lev 23:15-16), link. This brought them from Passover (also on Nisan 15) to Sivan 6, the Feast of Weeks (Shavout). So Shavout is celebrated 50 days after Passover, and commemorates history when, 50 days after the first Passover (after leaving Egypt), link, link, God descended in fire on Sinai and gave the Law via Moses. What happened? The nation of Israel was born (Exod 19:5-6). The important point here is that, in Jesus’ time, 50 days after Passover link, link, God descended in tongues of fire and gave the promised Holy Spirit to the disciples. What happened? A holy nation – the church – was born (1 Pet: 2:9), with God’s Law now written on their hearts
Will Jesus also fulfil the three remaining feasts at times related to the actual feast days?
The Fall Feasts (September-October)
These are the feasts of Trumpets (Yom Teru’ah), Atonement (Yom Kippur), and Tabernacles (Sukkot). They occur in the seventh month (Tishri) of the Hebrew calendar and relate to the return of Christ, the suffering and atonement of Israel and the setting up of the Kingdom of God on this earth. Note that seven is the biblical number of “completion”. So today we are between the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost, the birth of the Church), and the Feast of Trumpets:
In the seventh month, on the first day of the month [Tishri 1], you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation (Lev 23:24)
On the Feast of Trumpets the priest would sound the shofar (a ram’s-horn trumpet, see photo) in synagogues to call field workers to stop harvesting i.e. to “rest” and to come and worship in the Temple. The “memorial of trumpets” reminds Israel of when God came down upon Mount Sinai to covenant with His people amidst the sound of a very loud trumpet that caused the people to tremble. The trumpets remind Israel that she is still under this covenant and she must prepare herself for the coming Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur on Tishri 10) when she repents and finds atonement for rebelling and breaking this covenant, link, link, link.
Today, Yom Teru’ah is celebrated as the Jewish New Year or Rosh Hashanah (‘Head of the Year’), which relates primarily to the agricultural cycle and the beginning of a new harvest year. This renaming resulted from pagan influence on the Jewish people. The feast requires the sighting of the new moon, but because of the uncertainty of when exactly this will occur it is celebrated over two days [Tishri 1-2].
Today many see deep prophetic significance in the Feast of Trumpets. In fact, it turns out to be essential to include all three Fall Feasts (Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles) in any end-times study. They apply to both Jew and Gentile and follow God’s timeline right into the so-called Millennial Age. They mark major events or time epochs in God’s end-time plan, and prophetic books like Daniel, Isaiah, Zechariah and Revelation, as well as New Testament texts, fill in some detail around these events.
Daniel’s 70 Week Prophecy
Before examining the prophetic significance of the Feast of Trumpets it is necessary to outline this major prophecy. Whilst it is focused upon the nation of Israel (and particularly the Jews) it also applies to the whole world. Also, today it is common to take the “futuristic view” of this prophecy (as opposed to the historicist view) since it accommodates much of what is observed in the world today, link. This view maintains that Week 70 of Daniel’s 70-week prophecy over Israel is still future, but on a prophetic scale appears to be imminent:
Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. (Dan 9:24)
Here, each “week” comprises seven prophetic years each of twelve 30-day months. So Daniel’s Week 70 is 7 x 360 = 2520 days. This study concentrates upon Week 70 (the last seven years of this age) and the years immediately preceding and following this week. Those who follow the futuristic view of Daniel’s prophecy generally agree that the return of Jesus to earth occurs around the end of Week 70.
The Church Age and the Feast of Trumpets
Some see the time interval between the Spring feast of Pentecost and the Autumn Feast of Trumpets as foreshadowing the so-called Church Age, link, link.
A Picture of the Rapture
Although the Feast of Trumpets incorporates a memorial to how Israel broke her agreed Sinai covenant (Lev 23:24), many see in this memorial a picture of the so-called “rapture” of believers. They note from Exodus 19 that God called Moses up to the top of the mountain, and God came down to meet Moses in a thick cloud. And all this was accompanied with the sound of a loud trumpet, making the people below tremble. This event appears to foreshadow Paul’s description of the end time rapture of believers:
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thes 4:16-17)
This alignment of the Hebraic scriptures with New Testament prophecy is remarkable, leading some to see the Feast of Trumpets as marking the end of the Church Age. It is claimed that at this time the true church (as opposed to the apostate church) is supernaturally removed from earth (or “raptured”) to meet the Lord in the air. In fact, this mysterious event appears to be the next major event on God’s prophetic calendar, as seen from the perspective of God’s seven mandated feasts. And observation of world events suggests it is imminent, link.
The Feast of Trumpets is not Christ’s Return to Earth
The Feast of Trumpets can be seen as one of God’s epochs – an event marking the end of the Church Age and the start of a brief but traumatic time upon earth (Daniel’s Week 70). But the rapture does not mark the return of Christ to the earth. This can be seen from at least two standpoints:
First, in 1 Thessalonians Paul refers to “the trumpet of God”, and not to “the last trumpet” as in 1 Corinthians 15:52. So, putting the Feast of Trumpets in an end-time context, the harvesting (of souls) stops, the harvest door “shuts” (Mat 25:10) and the saints are called up into the clouds to rest with the Lord. There is no mention in 1 Thessalonians of the Lord then immediately descending to earth with His saints.
Secondly, according to the sequence of the Hebraic feasts, the Feast of Trumpets is not the end of God’s timeline for this age (which sees Christ return to earth). Instead, the Feast of Trumpets is followed by the Day of Atonement, when a remnant of Israel under stress at last recognises and mourns for their true Messiah whom they pierced (Zech 12:10-14). So, as we approach the end of the age, the shofar’s of Yom Teru’ah and Yom Kippur increasingly sound like alarms, warning Israel of coming trouble and the need to repent (Joel 2:1,12-17).
The timing of the rapture is usually placed either at the end of Daniel’s Week 70 (Postribulation view), at the middle of Week 70 (Midtribulation view) or before the start of Week 70 (Pretribulation view). For reasons to be discussed, the latter view is favoured here.
Jewish Thought and Timing
The linking of the rapture to the Feast of Trumpets is also supported by Jewish thinking. In Jewish thought, the feast was said to be the opening of the gates of Heaven for the resurrection of the dead, link. Such a resurrection is referred to in Isaiah 26 verse 19 and also in 1 Thessalonians 4. In contrast, Jewish thought saw the Day of Atonement [Tishri 10] as the closing of Heaven’s gates after which there was no hope of salvation. This aligns with Jesus’ warning that there would come a day when the gospel door to salvation would shut (Mat 25:10).
Even the Jewish timing of the feast aligns with this thinking. In the Jewish calendar the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teru’ah) is actually celebrated over two days [Tishri 1-2], not one, link. This is because the start of the feast required the sighting of the new moon and the actual day this occurred was uncertain, link. So the rabbis later added a second day to this feast to make sure they didn’t miss it. Clearly, if the Feast of Trumpets is now aligned to the rapture then the actual rapture day is also uncertain. Is this the uncertainty Jesus talked about when He was referring to the “taking away” of believers (Mat 24:36-44)?
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only (Mat 24:36)
Jesus instructed His followers to observe signs of His return (as in the budding of Israel the fig tree), but they would not know the actual day or hour of His return.
New Testament Support for a Pretribulation Rapture
As already mentioned, each of God’s mandated feasts for His people Israel can be seen as foreshadowing an event or epoch which is part of God’s plan for mankind. For example, the Feast of First Fruits foreshadows the resurrection of Jesus and the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) foreshadows the church epoch. Similarly, the Feast of Trumpets appears to foreshadow the supernatural removal of the true church before the end of this age.
Let’s examine some New Testament support for this concept, as in 1) the sudden “taking away of believers” as taught by Jesus, 2) God’s harvesting of the earth, 3) the judgement (rewarding) of the resurrected saints, 4) the protection of the end-time saints, and 5) the absence of the church in most of the Revelation!
1: Believers are simply “taken”
Jesus taught that there would be a sudden and unexpected “taking away” of living believers from the earthly scene (Mat 24:36-44; Lk 17:26-37):
Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left
Jesus said life will be as in the days of Noah, when people were building, planting, marrying and eating and drinking until sudden judgement came upon them via the Flood. But Godly Noah and his family were taken out of normal life to protect them. It seems that life will be as today in that believers in Christ will be working alongside unbelievers without the need to have the “mark of the beast” (see later). But since such technology is virtually here, it seems the rapture is imminent!
2: The Reaping of Two Harvests
Revelation 14 refers to two “reapings”. The first one (Rev 14:14-16) describes Christ reaping the good and ripe harvest of the earth (believers). Note that the Lord does this “sitting on the cloud”, which aligns with Paul’s vision of the taking up of the saints into the clouds (1 Thes 4:17). So if the first reaping in Revelation 14 aligns with the rapture before Week 70 (Pretribulation view), there is a time interval before the second reaping (Rev 14:17-20). The latter gathers the godless of the earth to await God’s wrath. This time interval allows for the rewarding of the risen saints at the judgement seat of Christ (see below), and the brief reign of the beast of Rev 13:1 (to be discussed).
A Contradiction? Some point out that one of Jesus’ parables appears to put the reaping in reverse order; the “tares” (unbelievers) are gathered first, and the good “wheat” is gathered last (Mat 13:24-43). But note the difference to Revelation 14. First, Jesus’ parable is about the coming of the fullness of the kingdom of heaven at the very end of this age, whilst Rev 14 does not refer to the fullness of the kingdom, or to the end of the age. Secondly, both reapings in Jesus’ parable are done by angels and do not directly involve Jesus. So the two reaping scenarios seem different.
Continuing in Mathew 13, verse 48 foresees the separation of “the good and the bad” just prior to the Kingdom Age (the Millennium), whilst “the bad” are gathered to await judgement at the end of the Millennium (Rev 20:5). In contrast, Revelation 14 appears to foresee the rapture of the church, followed by a period of time to allow for the execution of God’s wrath upon the earth at the end of the age.
3: After the Rapture: The Judgement Seat of Christ
At the time of the rapture the saints are given glorified (resurrected) bodies and then judged at the Bema Seat of Christ. This is not a judgement for sin but a tribunal for giving rewards for how we have served Christ (1 Cor 3:10-15), link. Now arrayed in fine white linen, the church – the bride – is ready for the marriage of the Lamb (Rev 19:7-8). These resurrected saints form the “armies of heaven” at Christ’s return to earth (Rev 19:14).
4: God’s Protection of the True Church
Some view the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 as a timeline up to present day. But it is perhaps more usual to see all seven churches coexisting at any one time. There are just two of the seven churches whom Jesus does not criticise: Smyrna (the tested church in tribulation/martyrdom) and Philadelphia (the church with little power, but keeps God’s word). The latter is kept from “the hour of trial” coming upon the whole world:
Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (Rev 3:10)
Of course, there’s no neat division. So today those Christians suffering in North Korea for example – but who survive and overcome (the Smyrna church) – will surely be kept from that hour of trial alongside those of the Philadelphia church. Clearly, the prior “taking away” taught by Jesus is one possible way God can provide this protection. The true church does not experience the coming wrath of God (1 Thes 5:9).
5: The True Church is absent from most of the Revelation
After describing the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, Revelation 4 starts with the command: “Come up here”. Some take this to infer the rapture. Certainly, the true church is not mentioned again until she is seen as Christ’s bride in Revelation 21. Note that it is important to distinguish between the true church that Jesus loves and the apostate church, the “ecclesiastical Babylon” described in Revelation 17.
Summary so Far
The Feast of Trumpets supports the Pretribulation View
God’s seven Feasts for Israel clearly show how Jesus interacts with the world at key times in history. And the last three unfulfilled feasts provide the bedrock for interpreting end-time prophecy. For example, the Feast of Trumpets, when enhanced by other biblical texts, supports the Pretribulation interpretation of prophecy. According to the Feast of Trumpets and the New Testament, the true church appears to be supernaturally “taken” from the earthly scene to be with Christ before the start of Daniel’s Week 70. See also the rapture.
But taking this interpretation raises the question “who are the saints mentioned in Rev 4-20?” The following study of the Book of Revelation and related prophecies provides an answer. It also suggests how the two last Fall Feasts, Atonement and Tabernacles, can be seen embedded in the last seven years of this age (Daniel’s Week 70).
The Rise of a World Dictator
In the foreseeable future a clever, proud, pompous, secular, military world dictator or ruler will arise from the “sea of mankind”. He is the “little horn” of Dan 7:8, the “prince” of Dan 9:26-27, the “king” of Dan 11:36, “the man of sin” of 2 Thes 2:3, the “lawless one” of 2 Thes 2:8, the conqueror of Rev 6:2, the beast of Rev 13:1-2 and the beast of Rev 19:20. He rises to kingship rather subtly (hence the little horn) out of the fourth and last secular kingdom to subdue Israel (Dan 7:19). According to Dan 2 and Dan 7, this last kingdom is crushing and tyrannical and appears to be a revived form of the historic, Roman Empire.
A False Trinity: Many refer to this person as the “Antichrist”. But is this biblically accurate? The first beast of Revelation 13 is given satanic authority to rule the world for 42 months or 1260 days (Rev 13:5), and he rules alongside the “beast from the earth” (Rev 13:11). But is the first beast of Revelation 13 really the Antichrist, as many assume? Some identify the beast from the earth as the real Antichrist i.e. anti or false Christ, since it is this person who points the world to the first beast (Rev 13:12), just like Jesus points the world to the Father. But, unlike Christ, it is this beast who kills those who won’t worship the first beast, and it is this beast who eventually organises the imposition of the mark (Rev 13:11-16). With this view, the beast from the sea is seen as a false god. In fact, he eventually sets himself up as God (2 Thes 2:4, Dan 11:36). So a false Christ (Rev 13:11) points to a false God (Rev 13:6), all prompted by Satan, the false Holy Spirit (Rev 13:2). That’s a satanic trinity masquerading as the true Trinity!
With this view, the secular world dictator of Revelation 13:1 aligns better with anti-God than with anti-Christ, and the ‘ecclesiastical’ beast of Revelation 13:11 aligns well with the Papacy and the end-time apostate church of Revelation 17. Certainly, Wycliffe, Luther, Calvin, Tyndale, Bunyan, Huss, Knox, Edwards and Wesley associated the Papacy with the Antichrist, link, link and this teaching gave rise to the Protestant Reformation. Note that, like the persecuting ecclesiastical beast of Revelation 13:11, Rome has persecuted the saints for centuries (Rev 17:6) and today heads an “ecclesiastical Babylon”, a confusion of faiths (Rev 17:5) – as in Chrislam.
For this reason it it is necessary to distinguish between the true church that Jesus loves, and the apostate church so evident in the word today.
It is probable that under the beast’s 42 month (1260 day) reign the Vatican strongly influences the secular world government or New World Order. This is symbolised in Revelation 17 by a woman, the apostate church, riding the ten-horned beast. Even today the Vatican is given “observer status” at the UN, link.
The First Half of Week 70 (42 months, 1260 days)
To many this brief period may feel almost normal. There will be a degree of global stability since the nations will be under the control of a new and all-powerful world leader (Rev 13:4) and his New World Order. Today the world is looking for such a leader. He is totally Godless (Dan 11:37), blasphemes God and all who dwell in heaven (Rev 13:6), and persecutes God’s chosen people, Israel for 3.5 years (Dan 7:25, Rev 13:5-7). However, all this doesn’t seem to worry a world that has turned to Satan worship (Rev 13:4)!
666 is Imposed
The Mark: Given some degree of economic stability, a cashless society, and hi-tech banking infrastructure, it is likely the 666 mark is imposed during this relatively stable 42 month period. Certainly, a well developed global telecommunications infrastructure using large computer systems linked by satellite and optical fibre cables would need to be in place for global financial control. Such a hi-tech system will undoubtedly be destroyed once God’s judgements begin in earnest under the Trumpets and Bowls. Also, it would bring the true church under severe persecution if she was present at that time. But is she? Is the answer in the “spiritual revealing” mentioned in Thessalonians?
The Revealing of the Beast
When does all this happen? The first beast is revealed to the world when a “restrainer” is “taken out of the way”:
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed … (2 Thes 2:7-8)
Whilst some see Michael, Israel’s protector (Dan 10:21, Dan 12:1) as the restrainer, the most likely reading here is that it is the restraining power of the Holy Spirit (and by implication the presence of the true church) that is “taken out of the away”. To restrain satanically inspired evil surely requires nothing less than the almighty power and authority of God. As discussed, Jesus implied such “taking away” of the true church in Matthew 24:36-44 and Luke 17:26-37 – texts which are difficult to explain in the Post-Tribulation view.
The False Covenant with Israel
Once he is revealed as the invincible world leader (Rev 13:4) the beast of Rev 13:1 makes a seven-year covenant of peace with unsuspecting Israel (Dan 9:27). In reality, blind unregenerate Israel makes “a covenant with death” (Isa 28:15) [note that the threat to Israel from militant Islamists may have been removed through their humiliation in the coming Gog-Magog war].
So the start of this covenant probably marks the start of Week 70 (seven prophetic 360-day years), and could align with the rapture of the true church about the time of the Feast of Trumpets on Tishri 1, link.
In order to make this covenant with Israel some speculate that the beast could well be an apostate Jew. A curious phrase is used in Daniel 11:37. Speaking of the end-time world dictator, it says “He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers …”. Prior to the days of Moses, the Hebrews knew God generally as “the God of the Fathers”, and so Dan 11.37 implies he could be an apostate Jew. More on this at World Government.
Note that if the true church was still on earth at this revealing and the setting up of the seven year covenant, the saints would be able to date the time of Christ’s Second Coming to earth. But since that time is not revealed in scripture, this implies the true church as been “taken” i.e. raptured from the earth before the start of Week 70.
The Tribulation Saints
Revelation chapters 7, 13 and 14 describe end-time believers who suffer under the reign of the beast.
The Saints in Revelation 7
According to the Pretribulation view, when Jesus gathers His church in the clouds the so-called Church Age closes and “the door is shut” (Mat 25:10). The true church has been “taken” to be with Christ. But if the church has been taken away at this point, who then are the believers in Christ seen in Revelation 7?
I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations … who come out of the great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Rev 7:9,14)
These must be new believers in Christ who have come to realise the satanic nature of the New World Order. After all, the sudden removal of millions of believers and the sudden appearance of a prophesied world leader will surely make millions think! They will have the end-time prophecies to compare with reality and many will become believers.
How do they come to Christ? In the absence of gospel proclamation by the true church, it appears it is left to Israel to serve in her place. After all, Israel is God’s chosen witness and servant in the world (Isa 43:10). It appears that 144,000 chosen from the twelve tribes come to know their true Messiah and are sealed to serve God as evangelists to the world (Rev 7:3-8, Rev 14:1-5). A similar event happens at the start of the Millennial Age when saved Jews evangelise the Gentile world (Isa 66:19). As a result, a great multitude of people from all nations comes to recognise Christ through Israel’s witness, link, link.
The Saints in Revelation 13
Revelation 13 describes a 42 month (1260 days) world dictatorship under the beast of Rev 13:1. This is the first half of Week 70. Since the beast’s nature is “anti-God” he persecutes anyone, Jew or Gentile, who worships God and His son, Jesus (Rev 12:13-17). In fact, he eventually destroys the apostate church headed by the Vatican for the same reason (Rev 17:16). So during his 42 months of authority the beast wages war against any believers in Christ:
It was also given to him to make war with the saints (the holy ones) and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe and tongue and nation. (Rev 13:7)
Commentators generally agree that these are true believers in Christ, and so they probably correspond to the great multitude of new believers described in Revelation 7. But being young in the faith some appear to try and resist through armed conflict (war), but will be captured and killed (Rev 13:7,10). War is not God’s way, and today’s persecuted believers (over 260 million across the globe) tend to suffer rather than fight. Likewise, it seems that during these 42 months many new believers refuse to take the mark and worship the beast, but also refrain from fighting. Consequently they are killed (Rev 13:15). This is their “great tribulation” described in Revelation 7.
The Saints in Revelation 14
Is this the last gospel call of the age? As discussed, the 666 mark of the beast will probably be introduced during the first half of Week 70. The eternal consequences of taking the mark are so serious that God tries once more to warn rebellious mankind. In the absence of the true church, this time God sends three angels flying in mid-heaven (does this refer to satellite gospel broadcasts?). The first angel preaches the plain gospel and warns that judgement is imminent. The second angel says that the economic and ecclesiastical “Babylons” are about to fall (Rev 17 and 18). The third angel gives a strong warning not to worship the beast and his image, or to receive his mark on their body (Rev 14:6-11).
Whilst most appear to reject this call to repent (Rev 16:9), many of the new believers described in Revelation 7 appear to heed the angelic warnings. As just discussed, they reject the mark and suffer martyrdom (Rev 14:12,13).
The Middle of Week 70
Opening the Seal
The opening of the First Seal (Rev 6:1) and the vision of an angry conquering king (the first beast of Revelation 13) probably corresponds to the middle of Week 70. His permitted 42 months of reign has been declared over by the heavenly court (Dan 7:26) and the next 42 months or 1260 days will see a decline in his dominion, the start of world economic breakdown, and the intensification of God’s judgements. Man’s ecclesiastical and economic Babylons will soon fall (Rev 17 and 18). At this point in time many new believers may have been removed from the world economic system (via the need for the mark). But those remaining are told to escape such an evil system (Rev 18:4), link.
At mid-Week the beast turns on Israel and breaks his seven-year covenant with her and abolishes the Jewish sacrifices (Dan 9:27, 11.31). His subsequent actions closely follow the actions of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Dan 8:9-14) who desecrated the Temple in 168 BC. Antiochus was the archetype of the beast of Rev 13:1. So at some future date:
Forces from him [the beast] will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. (Dan 11:31)
Although not immediately apparent in this text, there is a time interval between the Temple desecration (mid-Week) and the setting up of the abomination of desolation:
From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. (Dan 12:11)
Jesus refers to this abomination in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14. At the end of 1290 days (1260 + 30) from the taking away of sacrifices, the forces of the beast set up the “abomination of desolation” in the Temple. What is this abomination? It could be when the beast takes up his seat in the Temple, declares himself to be God, and demands to be worshipped as God (Dan 11:31, Mat 24:15, 2 Thes 2:4), link. That act is surely an abomination in the sight of God. Alternatively, it could be that the image of the beast is set up in the Temple and has to be worshipped (Rev 13:15). This is another clear abomination.
The Last Half of Week 70 (Rev 6-19)
The last half of Week 70 is again a time of great tribulation for the new believers (Rev 7:14). Not only have they been targeted by the beast in the first half of Week 70; they also experience increasing world chaos as God’s judgements intensify through the Seven Trumpets and Seven Bowls of God’s wrath. Note that the fifth, sixth and seventh trumpets are described as “woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth” (Rev 8:13). So, whilst the seventh trumpet looks to the removal of the kingdoms of the world and the establishment of God’s Kingdom, it also heralds one last “woe” as it looks to the coming bowls of wrath (Rev 11:18).
The Beast Wages War
Worldwide War
As mentioned, at the opening of the First Seal (Rev 6:1-2) the angry beast is given a crown by Satan (Rev 13:2) and rides a white horse like a king. He has a “bow” and, threatened with a disintegrating world empire he starts to wage worldwide war, resulting in widespread famine and death. It seems 25% of earth’s population dies (Rev 6:8). And, as in the first half of Week 70, new believers are martyred for their faith (Rev 6:11, Rev 12:17).
God Judges the World: Seals, Trumpets and Bowls
The Sixth Seal sees the first of God’s judgements upon the world through dramatic and frightening cosmic disturbances (Rev 6:12-17). The “great day of His wrath has come”. This again underscores the concept of the prior “taking out” of the true church since she is assured that she does not come under God’s wrath (1 Thes 5:9). So the true church will probably not be on earth during the Seals.
The Seventh Seal (Revelation 8) is a prelude to the Seven Trumpets. Each trumpet brings more of God’s wrath upon rebellious mankind. As noted, whilst the Seventh Trumpet gives a promise of God’s coming Kingdom, it is not the end of God’s wrath. Rather, it is the third and last “woe” (Rev 11:14) and brings “lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail” (Rev 11:19). Then follows God’s seven Bowl Judgements which “complete the wrath of God” (Rev 15:1).
The Final Day of Atonement
Israel’s Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur falls on Tishri 10, between the Feast of Trumpets [Tishri 1] and the Feast of Tabernacles [Tishri 15-21] (Lev 16:1-34, Lev 23:26-32). It is a time for “afflicting the soul” (Lev 23:27) and so is a solemn day on the Jewish calendar. The detailed Hebrew ceremony for Atonement is found in Leviticus 16.
Unlike the first four of Israel’s feasts, all three of these feasts are as yet unfulfilled in the prophetic sense; they are future events. But, as discussed, the Feast of Trumpets appears to align prophetically with the rapture, and is the next major event on God’s seven-point plan for mankind. After that comes the final Day of Atonement (which may occur just days before Christ returns to the earth). So how might the last Day of Atonement be fulfilled?
Jacob’s Trouble
Note that the last half of Week 70 (42 months or 1260 days) is extended by 30 days, after which the “abomination of desolation” is set up in the Temple (Dan 12:11). Jesus said when the Jews in Judea see this they are to “flee to the mountains” (Mat 24:16). Why? Because this marks the start of extreme persecution of the Jews, also known as “Jacob’s trouble”. The trouble is the worst ever seen and those days have to be shortened to preserve a remnant:
Alas! for that day is great, there is none like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he will be saved from it (Jer 30:7)
Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued (Dan 12:1)
Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short (Mat 24:22)
These three texts refer to the same short period of distress. Jeremiah calls it Jacob’s distress or trouble. It seems that after another 45 days these terrible days come to an end (Dan 12:12).
Who are “the Elect”?
In Matthew 24:22 Jesus refers to “the elect”. An alternative reading is “chosen ones”. So if the true church has been taken, who are the elect? A direct cross-reference here is Isa 65:8-9 which refers to “My servants … My elect”. God chose Israel to be His servant, so Matthew 24:22 probably refers to God’s people, Israel, and not to Christians. God has always preserved a remnant of His people despite some 2500 years of persecution. So these tribulation days of Israel are shortened to preserve a Jewish remnant. This conclusion is underscored in Daniel 12:1 which refers to the tribulation of “your people”. So since Daniel was a noble Jewish youth of Jerusalem, his people were Jews.
Some expand “the elect” to include not only Jews (the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Simeon) but also Israelites from the so-called Lost Tribes of Israel. According to prophecy, Israelites descended from the northern kingdom (Israel) are even now being drawn back with the Jews to their homeland (Jer 3:14, Jer 30:3). And it seems all are being drawn back in unbelief.
So according to prophecy, some from the northern kingdom, together with the Jews (Dan 12:1) could be “the elect” who suffer great tribulation during the last Day of Atonement. That said, note that it was the Jews, the men of Judah, who crucified Christ, whilst most of the other tribes had already been scattered.
Jews Mourn and are Saved
So let’s return to the question: “How is the final Day of Atonement fulfilled?”
At the end of this age the nations are satanically deceived and drawn together for “the battle of the great day of God Almighty” (Rev 16:12-16). They gather on the great plain of Megiddo in northern Israel, but their objective is Jerusalem (Zech 14:2). At the same time Christ returns to earth with the armies of heaven to defend Jerusalem. So this is a unique man-God war (Rev 19:19), with the world dictator (the beast) and his armies arrayed against Christ and His armies.
The return of Christ is highly visible, just as lightening strikes from the east to the west (Mat 24:27). And so the Jews in Israel see Him too as they come under great suffering (Zech 14:2). This traumatic time seems to open the eyes of the Jews such that they at last recognise Yeshua (Jesus) as their true Messiah. Of that day the LORD says:
I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him … and grieve for Him … (Zech 12:10)
Note that Zechariah 12:10-14 is essentially referring to clans of Judah i.e. Jews. These are the tribes of Judah, Levi and Benjamin who were taken into exile and later returned. After all, it was the Jews and not the other tribes who crucified the Lord. During this terrible time there will be great mourning in Jerusalem. But, as mentioned, these days are cut short when Christ returns to earth with his armies of resurrected saints and the beast’s armies are defeated (Rev 19:11-21).
These are the days when “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Rev 6:11), enabling the “partial blindness of Israel” to be removed:
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins” (Rom 11:26-27)
At last Jesus’ feet stand upon the Mount of Olives (Zech 14:4) and His Kingdom comes in all its fullness upon earth (Dan 7:27). Jesus will then be “King over all the earth” (Zech 14:9)
Many link the final Day of Atonement to the binding of Satan in Revelation 20:1-3, link. This can be seen in the Hebrew Atonement ceremony involving two goats (Lev 16:8-10). The first of the two goats is killed (a parallel with Jesus death) whilst the second goat, the Azazel goat, is paralleled with Satan since it is seen as unclean (bound with sin) and sent into the wilderness (Lev 16.20-22,26). So Christians view the Day of Atonement as the foretelling of Jesus’ sacrifice. He became the sacrifice and scapegoat for all who call upon Him.
The Resurrection of Tribulation and Old Testament Saints
Just as the true church appears to be resurrected at the close of the so-called Church Age, what about the tribulation saints? Consider:
I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or on their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Rev 20:4)
When does this resurrection take place? According to Hebraic Feasts, the dead in the LORD will rise again after the last shofar blast, which is the long, final and mighty blast at the very end of Yom Kippur, link. It is on Yom Kippur that the great trumpet, known in Hebrew as the Shofar HaGadol is blown, link. The concluding service of Yom Kippur, known as Ne’ilah, link, has been described like this:
“At nightfall the sound of the shofar blowing of the tekiah gedolah, a long blast, resounds around the synagogue for the last time as heaven’s gates are closing”
So these covenant people, Israel, were taught by God that it is at the very last trumpet (shofar) blast on the last Day of Atonement that their resurrection will happen. It is interesting that Paul, a Jew, could be referring to this same end-time event when he said:
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed (1 Cor 15:52, emphasis added)
The sounding of a great trumpet at the end of the age is also described in Isaiah 27:12-13 and Matthew 24:31.
According to both the Old and New Testaments it seems that the martyrs of the tribulation will be resurrected at the very end of the last Day of Atonement when Christ returns to earth. In other words, the resurrection of the tribulation saints occurs at the commencement of the Millennium, link.
The same goes for the resurrection of Israel’s past saints. They will rise at the same time as the tribulation martyrs (Rev 20:4) at the end of Israel’s great tribulation, link, link. For example, Daniel appears to foresee this resurrection:
There will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time … many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake … (Dan 12:1-2, emphasis added)
The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)
This is the seventh and last of Israel’s biblically mandated feasts and it completes, prophetically, God’s declared plan for mankind on this earth. It is held in the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, starting on Tishri 15 and lasting for seven days (Lev 23.34).
Historical Background: Sukkot means “booths” and it commemorates the time when Israel lived in tents or booths as they came out if Egypt. So it commemorates the historic transition of the Jewish people from bondage in Egypt to sovereignty in the Land of Israel, and is a feast of joy and celebration following the harvest.
Prophetic Implications: Sukkot foreshadows the in-gathering or harvesting of the saints (Rev 14:16) and the Millennial reign of Christ. During the Millennial or Kingdom Age the Lord establishes His great Tabernacle in Jerusalem (Isa 60:13, Ezek 43:7). Sukkot is one of the feasts that is a “statute for ever”, and so during the Kingdom age the nations of the earth go up to worship Christ the King in Jerusalem, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles (Zech 14:16).
The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God (Isa 52:10)
The prophetic implication of Sukkot goes even further. Note that the week of Sukkot is followed by an eighth day (Lev 23.36). The 8th day (also a Sabbath rest) has great significance. Number 8 symbolizes the start of something new – a new beginning. It foresees the new heavens and new earth and the New Jerusalem (Isa 65.17). The 8th day is preceded by the great white throne judgement of those who do not have their names written in the Book of Life (Rev 20:11-15). Only those who’s names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will enter the New Jerusalem.
Overall Summary
All seven “Feasts of the LORD” found in Leviticus 23 are centred upon Christ. Given to the nation of Israel at the time of Moses, they foreshadowed how Jesus (Hebrew: Yeshua) would intervene in world affairs at times chosen by God. They point to events, or epochs, when God enacts His plan for mankind on this earth. So they apply to both Jew and Gentile – and that includes the church! Bible prophecy adds detail to this fundamental God-defined framework.
Jesus has accurately fulfilled the first four feasts, up to and including the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. Today the world is between Pentecost and the fifth feast, the Feast of Trumpets. Some call this epoch the Church Age or Age of Grace. The Feast of Trumpets appears to foreshadow the “taking away” of the true church into the clouds to be with Jesus before God judges the world (1 Thessalonians 4). Some call it “the rapture”.
The short epoch (probably just 7 years) that follows the Feast of Trumpets sees the most traumatic times of history. It seems that after the rapture many turn to Christ and suffer persecution under the beasts of Revelation 13. Towards the end of the 7 years, these “tribulation saints” are joined by a suffering Jewish remnant who at last recognise Yeshua as their true Messiah. God calls this Israel’s “Day of Atonement”. The birth pangs of this short but terrible epoch are seen in the relentless drive towards the cashless society (a technological requirement for the imposition of “the mark of the beast”). It all ends when God’s wrath is poured out upon the rebellious, Godless nations, as described in the Seals, Trumpets and Bowl Judgements of Revelation.
The Good News
The true church appears to be kept from earth’s “hour of trial” (Revelation 3). In fact, for all deemed worthy the seventh and last feast (the Feast of Tabernacles) ushers in the Kingdom reign of Christ on earth. Some call this “the Millennium”. So are you ready for Christ to call you up into the clouds before such traumatic times start and before the gospel door “shuts”? Jesus said:
Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21 verse 36, NKJV)
APPENDIX
The Hebrew Calendar and the Prophetic Year
There is a distinct difference between the years and months of the Hebrew calendar and the years and months mentioned in Bible prophecy. For example, the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation are based upon 30-day months, whilst the Hebrew calendar has variable length months.
The Hebrew Calendar Year
The Hebrew/Jewish calendar is based on the cycles of the moon (God explicitly commanded His people to celebrate the New Moon and the beginning of each month). So each of the twelve calendar months begins with the new moon, and each month is specified to be 29 or 30 days long, link. Now, even if all months were 30 days long, this would only lead to a 360 day year, compared to our solar year which is actually 365.2422 days long (and our lunar month is 29.531 days).
To compensate for this discrepancy, periodically an extra month (a “leap month”) is added to the Hebrew calendar to catch the Hebrew Lunar Calendar up to the cycles of the sun. So Jewish time reckoning is really “lunisolar” (and rather imprecise) and the calendar year can range from 353 days to as long as 385 days, link.
Importantly, the Hebrew calendar determines the dates for observing the Feasts of the Lord. So, the actual date of each feast varies from year to year, link.
The Prophetic Year
In contrast to the Hebrew calendar, the Bible uses 30-day months and 360 day years. This applies from Genesis to Revelation. For example, the Flood waters of Noah started on the 17th day of the second month (Gen 7:11) and increased (prevailed) for 150 days (Gen 7:18,24). After 150 days the Flood mechanisms ceased, the waters started receding and the Ark rested on Ararat on the 17th day of the seventh month (Gen 8:3,4). Aligning this “resting” with the end of “prevailing” gives a 150-day time span over exactly 5 months. So here God (and presumably Moses) used 30-day months and a 360-day year.
Another example is found in the Book of Esther. The book begins with a six-month long drinking feast given by King Ahasuerus. And in verse 4 it is described as lasting 180 days, again implying 30-day months. These events happened in the 5th century BC.
A Mystery: Historically there is evidence that many early civilisations also used a 360-day year, link. Look at the Mayan Calendar for example. Even Isaac Newton acknowledged that early nations used a 360 day year. Only later did it seem necessary to add extra days, link. One theory is that the need for extra days could be explained by a slight slowing of earth’s orbit speed around the sun, from 30.22379 km/s to its present value of 29.79 km/s, link. This would change the solar year from 360 days to the current 365.2422 days.
The 360-day Year in Prophecy: Leaving the science on one side, the fact is that God still uses a 360-day year in the future. Consider for example the end-time persecution of Daniel’s people (the Jews) under the World Ruler. Daniel 7:25 says that the Jews will suffer under him for “time and times and half a time”. It is usual to read this as three and a half years or 42 months. Revelation 13:5 confirms the period of authority of this despicable Ruler as just 42 months. Now look at Revelation 12:6. Here Israel is helped during this persecution for 1260 days. This aligns with the forgoing prophecies if we assume 42, 30-day months (=1260 days) and a 360-day year.
Conclusion: To understand Bible prophecy it is necessary to adhere to this timing, and not to the Hebrew calendar. Only time will tell if earth’s solar year suddenly returns to 360 days at the end of this age!
The Book of Revelation – An End Time Message
After all’s been said and done, the Bible’s bold declarations culminate in its last book, Revelation. Here we read the final verses of the Bible, and the promise and warning of Jesus. Since Jesus is soon to return (He will be seen “with the clouds” Revelation 1.7), this last book is essentially an end time message. First, an amazing promise to those who trust in the risen Jesus:
Revelation 22: 12-14
Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.
The city here is the New Jerusalem described symbolically in Revelation 21. Here we find the blessings (fruit) of the symbolic “tree of life” first mentioned in Genesis 2.9 in the Garden of Eden. It seems that, for believers, time has gone full circle to what God planned in the beginning. Sadly, not all partake of this eternal blessing and fellowship with God. Jesus gives a warning:
Revelation 22.15
Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.
So there we have it. Man has a choice and Jesus gives a plea to mankind:
Revelation 22.16,17
I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.
Today, man is expert at twisting God’s word. We see this in his attempts to redefine marriage for example, and in his attempts to replace national Israel with the church (Replacement Theology). So Jesus gives a final warning:
Revelation 22.18,19
I testify and warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book [its predictions, consolations, and admonitions]: if anyone adds [anything] to them, God will add to him the plagues (afflictions, calamities) which are written in this book;
and if anyone takes away from or distorts the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away [from that one] his share from the tree of life and from the holy city (new Jerusalem), which are written in this book.
The important biblical concepts discussed in these seven short articles are summarized below in a timeline:
According to the Pew Research Center, an astounding 2.2 billion people in the world base their religious beliefs and worldview on text written by Hebraic men who wrote bold declarations about the world’s origins, future, and man’s ultimate destiny. Interpretations of the Bible abound, but what is actually written?
In Romans the 3rd chapter, the apostle Paul wrote:
Do the Jews have any advantage over the Gentiles? Or is there any value in being circumcised? Much, indeed, in every way! In the first place, God trusted his message to the Jews.
Put another way, here Paul is saying that the inspired Hebrew scriptures of the Jews are the very words of God!
Let’s put aside religious biases, mystical interpretations, or even our secular worldview. Let’s read with an open mind what the Bible tells us about our origins and our future. Right at the beginning we read a mystery, namely, that the God of the Bible reproduces “His kind”. In the Genesis account of man’s creation the Bible speaks of “mankind made in God’s image”:
In Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
But what does it mean “to be made in God’s image”?
The Bible says “God is Spirit” but clearly we are “flesh and blood”. So isn’t something wrong here? No. We need to look to man’s future. In chapter 8 of Paul’s letter to the Romans he spoke a mystery. He said creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. He spoke of a hope of man’s “spirit form” in the future, as distinct from flesh and blood. Instead of “mankind” or “fleshkind” he was really speaking of man as a “spiritkind” or “Godkind”.
In Romans 8:18-23
I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. All of creation waits with eager longing for God to reveal his children … For we know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain, like the pain of childbirth. But it is not just creation alone which groans; we who have the Spirit as the first of God’s gifts also groan within ourselves as we wait for God to make us his children and set our whole being free.
These are powerful and inspired words. Paul is saying that both creation and man himself groan due to imperfection and mortality. But it is possible for mankind to be translated to an immortal “spiritkind” like his Creator. He sums it up like this:
1 Corinthians 15.53
For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality
This will happen at some point in the future. As we read on in the Bible we discover that man in immortal (spirit) form will one day live with his Creator God on a new and perfect earth! Now that blows your mind!
In Genesis chapter 1 we read that God made mankind male and female and blessed them to be “fruitful and multiply”. Why did the Creator of the universe give man the mandate to procreate and proliferate? Think about the billions of humans born since the world began. What were they born for? Where have they all gone? What did they live for? Did their lives have any real meaning? The answer to these questions is found in a mystery: we must be changed or “born again” as the Bible puts it.
Israel’s King David asked a similar question. He wrote in the 8th Psalm:
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”
Here’s the Answer – Spiritual Rebirth
The apostle John boldly tells us that all we observe was made through Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew). From human cells to the earth and the starry heavens – all were made through Jesus (John chapter 1). The atomic constants and the molecular structure of matter were made through Jesus. And the Bible tells us that this same Jesus came into the world to show man how to live. John goes on to say that all who believe in Jesus are given the right to become children of God. These are children not born through a woman’s pregnancy, but born of God. This is a mystery accepted by faith. In John 1:9-14, we read:
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
This speaks of two births of man: a physical birth through woman and a spiritual birth through God’s Spirit. In John 3 Jesus said:
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
Note that Jesus leaves the ball in our court! It’s up to an individual to choose to believe in Jesus and be born a second time! It’s up to us to find the meaning of life through Jesus.
The Hebrew word ‘Yehudi’ (Jew) originated from the name Judah (2 Kings 16.6). But when Israel became divided into northern and southern kingdoms (the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah) the term ‘Jew’ came to apply to all those in the Kingdom of Yehudah (Judah). This kingdom embraced the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi, so Paul called himself a Jew since he was from the tribe of Benjamin (Acts 22:3), and Jesus was a Jew since His lineage is traced to Judah (Lk 3.23-33, Heb 7.14).
Today it is common to refer to Abraham’s descendants, or anyone who practices Judaism as ‘Jews’. More …
Man’s Destiny – As God Intended
The apostle Paul described man’s destiny as a mystery. He said that mortal man was meant to become immortal (that is the plan of his Maker) and then live with His Maker eternally. This is a truly mind-blowing concept, but that is what the Bible says.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15 verses 50-54, Paul wrote:
What I mean, friends, is that what is made of flesh and blood cannot share in God’s Kingdom, and what is mortal cannot possess immortality.
Listen to this secret truth: we shall not all die, but when the last trumpet sounds, we shall all be changed in an instant, as quickly as the blinking of an eye. For when the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised, never to die again, and we shall all be changed. For what is mortal must be changed into what is immortal; what will die must be changed into what cannot die. So when this takes place, and the mortal has been changed into the immortal, then the scripture will come true: “Death is destroyed; victory is complete!”
There is a caveat here: this amazing transition to immortality is conditional, as explained below.
Man’s Eternal Home – the New Earth
A popular view is that when we die we go to live in heaven. But the Bible doesn’t say that. It doesn’t say that man’s reward is to go permanently to heaven. Heaven is God’s throne and earth is meant for man. But man will not spend eternity on this earth! The truth is that a New Heaven and a New Earth is prophesied. And it is in the new and perfect earth where God comes and walks with man, as He did in the Garden of Eden. A perfect God-man relationship will be restored. Such prophecies are brief and full of symbolism – little detail is revealed. But the concept and promise is there (and the caveat is there too)! Here’s what the Bible says about this amazing promise:
In Revelation 21: 1-7, we read about John’s vision:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
Did you see it? Did you see God’s caveat? God says He will fulfill this amazing promise “to the thirsty”. What about those who do not believe and are not thirsty for a relationship with their Creator? Revelation 21.8 says:
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.
The amazing promise of eternal life with our Creator is conditional. We must first reach out to God through the living Jesus Christ. In doing so our lives will be totally changed. Jesus said this eternal and perfect destiny can be ours by simply believing and trusting in Him. We can of course choose not to believe, and many do so. One more thing. Before the passing away of the present earth, prophecy strongly suggests that there will be a glorious time of peace on this earth when Jesus returns. And believers will play a major role as immortal beings!
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A Contract – God’s Covenant with Israel
A “contract” can be defined as an agreement between two parties which obliges each party to do or not to do a certain thing. It is an agreement with promises of delivery, but also with stipulations and penalty clauses. In the time of Moses God made such a contract with the people (nation) of Israel, although the Bible refers to it as as “God’s covenant”.
God made a contract with Israel at Mount Sinai via His servant Moses. They were to follow the statutes of holy living, various laws and observe mandated Holy Feasts at their appointed time. Their mission was to teach the world by their example and be God’s witness to the nations. Moses was instructed to spell out God’s contract to the Israelites:
In Exodus 19: 5-8 we read:
Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord. This is confirmed in Deuteronomy 7:12:
If you listen to these commands and obey them faithfully, then the Lord your God will continue to keep his covenant with you and will show you his constant love, as he promised your ancestors.
In biblical terminology this contract between God and Israel is often referred to as the Mosaic Covenant. The “if-then” statement in these verses reveals that it was conditional. Israel had to be obedient to God’s requirements in order to receive His blessings.
Israel Broke God’s Covenant – So the Penalties ‘Kicked-In’
As history shows, the people of Israel strayed from their promise on Mount Sinai. They failed to keep to the ways God had stipulated in the contract. As punishment, her people were sent into captivity by the ferocious Babylonians. And when Jesus came He wept for His people for He knew they were going to suffer and be dispersed amongst the nations. Let’s read some of the fine print in the contract. In Deuteronomy 28:1-16, we read:
Blessings for Obedience
1If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:
3You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
4The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
5Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
6You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
7The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
8The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.
9The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. 10Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you.11The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.
12The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. 13The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. 14Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.
Curses for Disobedience
15However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:
16You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.
The Contract Renewed
As discussed, Israel failed and broke the contract, and so in the New Testament era the contract was offered to Gentiles – namely the church. Today the church has the opportunity to receive the blessings of the contract (God’s blessings). All she has to do is keep her side of the contract by being God’s witness to the nations. She has to preach the good news (the Gospel). That said, in these end times, a remnant of Israel is once more fulfilling her mission, together with the contracted Gentiles.
Today we see the return of the Jews back to their God-given homeland (Canaan). We see the establishment of the State of Israel. We see a nation turning to the statutes God laid down under Moses. We see the majority of the nation now following God’s Holy Feasts and keeping the Jewish Sabbath. As a result, the nation of Israel is once more being blessed in the country (abundant agriculture), blessed in the city (technological innovation) and blessed in the sea (discovery of large natural resources). We also see God’s amazing protection (as in the 6-day war), and God building a numerous people as in the birth of numerous sons and daughters.
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The Abrahamic Covenant: All Nations will be Blessed
The book of Genesis says that God made a great promise to Abraham (the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant): “through you I will bless all the nations”. That is why his descendants, the Israelites, are blessed. Today, Israel has been restored as a nation and is blessed with progress, protection, resources and intelligence. And despite many attempts over nearly 3,000 years to exterminate the Jews, a remnant has always survived. In fact, the number of Jews in Israel today has increased by over 7,000 percent in just 100 years!
Testing Abraham’s Faith
In Genesis 22:1-18 we read how God tested Abraham. Let’s read the incredible test that earned Abraham an incredible reward for his descendants. God said to him:
“Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord Will Provide’. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”
Abraham’s Reward
As the scriptures say, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith”. So God could use Abraham for the future and He rewarded him through several unconditional promises. First, through Abraham’s descendants came the offer to all men of reconciliation to God through Jesus Christ. That stands today. Secondly, God said that He would make the descendants of Abraham into a great nation which would be God’s servant and witness in the world. Today we see God fulfilling this promise as God’s people return to their promised land. The people of Israel are once more becoming God’s witness to the nations.
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The Fall of Man – Paradise was Lost
PARADISE (EDEN) WAS LOST, BUT THE APOSTLE JOHN WROTE THAT IT WILL BE RESTORED IN THE FUTURE.
In the Creation account of Genesis, we read about a paradise-like garden called Eden, where two important trees were planted by God: the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. These trees seem to have been deliberately planted to test how humans would use their free will. As the story recounts, the first humans failed the test and were driven away from Paradise.
Let’s read about the creation of mankind:
Genesis 2.8-15
Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground — trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
The Redemption of Man – Paradise Restored
Genesis tells us that Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which was supposed to make them die. They didn’t die immediately, but they did die of old age, like all mortals. It seems that mortality was the consequence of eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Mortality was the consequence of the wrong free will choice. What if they hadn’t eaten the forbidden fruit and simply obeyed the rules God imposed in Eden? Would they have been given the gift of immortality as a reward? Would they have continued to live and not die? It seems that, given free choice (free will), mankind made the wrong choice.
We can dismiss the Genesis account as myth, and many do. At the outset it seems unfair on the rest of mankind. But it does explain everyday experience. It explains how man’s free will (choice) can be destructive, or constructive. It explains the chosen paths of Hitler and Wilberforce for example; one man destroyed humanity whilst the other helped humanity. In a fallen world who can deny that man can do either?
The Genesis account also gives hope for mortal man. The Bible says the whole of creation, including mankind, will return to a state of paradise in the future. The Apostle John wrote in the book of Revelation that Eden will be restored and populated by all who believe in Jesus.
Revelation 22:1-5
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
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The Gentile nations will honour Israel
The millennial age is one of firm government from Christ, but also one of universal peace. Corrupt world governments will have been crushed and Christ’s Kingdom will embrace the whole earth (Dan 2.35). The Gentile nations at last acknowledge Jerusalem (Zion) as “the Holy City” (Isa 52.1):
“The Gentiles will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn … the sons of foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you … the sons of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel” (Isa 60.3,10,14)
Millennial Jerusalem will also be called “the LORD is there” (Ezek 48.35) and nations will go up from year to year to worship the LORD (Zech 14.16). In fact, they will especially honor the Jew:
“In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you'” (Zech 8.23)
Future Geological Changes around Jerusalem
The Mount of Olives will split into two
When Christ returns the geology of the area will be totally changed and the Mount of Olives just east of Jerusalem splits into two (enlarge image). It splits east-west with half the mountain moving north and half moving south, generating “a very large valley … reaching to Azal” (Zech 14.4,5). Azal may be several km south of the present-day Mount of Olives, link. It is well known that there is a geological fault line running east-west through the Mount of Olives and just south of Jerusalem, link. Could it be that present-day Jerusalem is moved north to sit high above this valley? Ezekiel 40.2 and Zech 14.10 suggest that the millennial Jerusalem is elevated above a plain.
Ezekiel 45 and 48 provide amazing detail of a (probably new) temple – the LORDS’s sanctuary – located just north of the city area (see map). Note that healing waters flow east from the temple down into the valley to enter the northern end of the Dead sea, resulting in the restoration of fishing (Ezek 47.1-10).
When is “the end of the World”?
Jesus talked about world events at the “end of the age” in Mat 24.3. Here ‘age’ is translated from the Greek ‘aión’, meaning ‘an age’ or ‘a cycle of time’ (not ‘world’ as sometimes translated). So here Jesus was referring to a time dispensation rather than to the literal end of the world. Study of prophecy strongly implies that the ‘end of the age’ and ‘the end of the world’ are separated by 1,000 years.
It appears that we currently nearing the end of approximately 6,000 years of human government and the start of 1,000 years of peace on the earth – the Millennial Age when Christ rules the earth (Zech 14.9). After this comes the literal ‘end of the world’ – the physical destruction of the present earth through intense heat (2 Pet 3.7,10). It is interesting that NASA scientists predict that, eventually, the sun will expand to become a red giant and burn up the solar system, including earth, link.
Despite the intervention of the God of Israel to protect her, two end-time wars against Israel must surely take their toll? And (perhaps between these wars) Israel also goes through a time of distress or ‘tribulation’ referred to in Dan 12.1 and Mat 24.15-25. This is the severe persecution of Israel under the final world government and world ruler, link – the time of ‘Jacob’s trouble’ (Jer 30.7). But throughout Israel’s history, despite 3,000 years of persecution, God always leaves a remnant of Israel as His witness. So during the last days a remnant is preserved, albeit through a time of refining and affliction:
“See, I have refined you … I have tested you in the furnace of affliction” (Isa 48.10) “I will not destroy you completely. But I will chasten you justly and will by no means leave you unpunished” (Jer 30.11)
So how many survive these onslaughts on Israel?
“One third shall be left … I will bring the one-third through the fire … (and) they will call upon My name … (and) I will say, ‘This is My people'” (Zech 13.8,9)
So it is this one-third remnant of Israel that survives these times and comes through, refined as silver and tested as gold, to be God’s worthy servant in the millennial reign of Christ, link.
Why Boycott Israel?
Boycotts are social protests with the aim of changing Israeli government policy through economic damage. For instance, the global BDS campaign (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) aims to create economic and political pressure on Israel concerning (so-called) land occupation and Palestinian rights. Divestment is where investors refrain from investing in Israeli companies or in companies that trade with Israel, and consumers boycott Israeli products, especially products from Israeli settlements in so-called “Occupied Palestinian Territory”. But International law firmly states that Israel is not in ‘occupation’, link.
Are boycotts effective anyway? Maybe not. Israel is still prospering, with the highest average living standards in the Middle East, the highest density of high-tech start-up companies in the world (high-tech exports c$19bn a year) and a lower Government debt to GDP than the USA or the UK.
So is there a deeper reason for the boycotts? Probably. It is claimed that the BDS campaign has a much wider objective; namely, the elimination of the Jewish State and should be stopped, link. But those who boycott Israel should heed the biblical warning:
“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse” (Gen 12.3)
Israel’s Blessing
Before Moses died he blessed the tribes of Israel and some of these blessings involved blessing of the sea and the land. Joseph was to be blessed with ‘precious things from the deep (Heb ‘tehom’: sea, abyss) lying beneath’ (Deut 33.13), Asher was to ‘dip his foot in oil’ (Deut 34.24) and Zebulun and Issachar were to find ‘treasures hidden in the sand’ (Deut 33.19).
Israel may be seeing these blessings today (enlarge map). In 2014, Israel’s proved reserves of natural gas were 10.1 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), and it is estimated that Israel may discover up to 200 Tcf. Also, Israel has one of the world’s largest deposits of shale oil, with a potential of some 250 billion barrels in the Shfela basin. Recent drilling has found thick oil strata in the Southern Golan Heights north-east of the Sea of Galilee. The Dead Sea contains some 45,000 million tons of salts rich in minerals which are exploited by Israel’s mining sector. And the Negev desert has an almost unlimited underground supply of brackish water, which is being exploited for agricultural irrigation. More …
Image: Known oil and gas fields in the Levant Basin. Oil and gas fields in grey. [US Energy Information Administration, Wikimedia Commons]
Israel’s current borders are hotly contested as governments insist on ignoring the true legal position. Israel’s eastern border is of particular concern since it involves the West Bank. Thankfully, according to Bible prophecy, such disputes will be short-lived as this age rapidly comes to a close. In the succeeding Millennial Age on earth, Israel’s borders will be firmly established by the God of Israel. In fact, these future borders are almost identical to the borders of ancient Israel given to Moses in Num 34.1-12 as he was about to divide up Canaan for the twelve tribes (enlarge map). Ancient Israel’s eastern border ‘went down along the Jordan, ending at the Salt Sea’ (Num 34.12).
Israel’s future borders are clearly defined in Ezek 47.13-20, and again the eastern boundary runs along the Jordan (v18). The borders also include Gaza, significant parts of present-day Syria and probably all of Lebanon. Are the politicians listening?
The Land of Israel is Promised to God’s People
The 1922 League of Nations sub-division. Image: Eli E. Hertz
Some 80% of today’s Jews in Israel follow the Jewish scriptures in the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) in some way, ranging from fundamentalism to loose Jewish practice. In Genesis they read God’s promise to Jacob, grandson of Abraham:
“The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you” (Gen 35.12)
Note that God’s unconditional land covenant with Abraham passed to Isaac (and then to Jacob) rather than to Ishmael and the Arab nations (Gen 17.19). This is the fundamental reason why religious Jews claim that the Land of Canaan (modern Israel) is their land, covenanted to them by God.
Israel’s Divine Protection
It is quite remarkable how Israel has survived attacks from overwhelming invading armies. Certainly, the evidence to date is that each time Arab nations attack Israel, they are defeated and their end-state seems worse than their first. By the end of the 1949 War of Independence the fledgling Israeli forces had defeated five invading Arab armies. In 1967 the armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon (and later Iraq) attacked Israel, but were defeated in just six days despite the huge Arab superiority in armour, aircraft and troops. In October 1973 Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel (the Yom Kippur War) but were eventually defeated. As to the future, at the end of the age all nations will gather against Israel in an attempt to destroy her – but again God intervenes. Israel’s enemies should take note of God’s promises to Israel:
“Whoever assails you will fall because of you … no weapon that is formed against you will prosper” (Isa 54.15,17)
“I will be a wall of fire around her … he who touches you, touches the apple of (the Lord’s) eye” (Zech 2.5,8).
The Hebrew term ‘Aliyah’ describes the relatively recent massive influx of Jews to their ancestral land, Israel. They are coming from all over the world, from wherever they have been scattered amongst the nations. In 1915 there were just 83,000 Jews in Palestine (modern Israel) but this increased to over 6 million Jews by 2015, corresponding to an amazing 7400% increase! The picture shows the arrival of Jewish immigrants to Israel in 2007.
This mass migration is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy – that towards the end of this age and just before Christ returns, God will call the children of Israel out of the nations and once more put them in their own land:
Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone … and bring them into their own land (Ezek 37.21)
Life in the Millennial Age
Prophecy paints a picture of a world at peace (no war) with Jerusalem (Zion) as the focal point since Christ dwells there. Of His sanctuary near Jerusalem the LORD says:
“This is the place of My feet, where I shall dwell in the midst of the children of Israel” (Ezek 43.7)
Millennial life around Jerusalem is described in some detail. Nations will willingly go up to Jerusalem to worship the LORD and listen to His teaching (Mic 4.2 Isa 66.23). It also appears that some of the Hebrew festivals are reinstated, as in the Feast of Tabernacles (Zech 14.16). Man will still have his daily work but there is some indication that the bias of work will be towards husbandry (farming) and hunting (fishing) rather than industrial manufacturing (Ezek 47.10 Isa 60.5, 65.21 Amos 9.13,14). People will be born and will die in the Millennial earth, just as in the present age. Man’s life span may well extend to at least 100 years (Isa 65.20,22) but physical death inevitably follows. Death is the last enemy and is not destroyed until the close of the Millennium. More …
Israel in the Millennial Age
The Millennial Age on earth provides a forum for the completion of God’s unconditional covenants with Israel – the Abrahamic, Davidic, Palestinian and New Covenants. Specifically, during the millennium, Israel will come a great nation, Christ will establish His kingdom and sit on David’s throne, the tribes of Israel will have been fully restored to the land promised to Abraham, and God will write His Law on the hearts of both Jew and Gentile. After some 2,500 years of dispersion amongst the nations, Israel will again take on her intended role in the world:
“You are My witnesses” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen” (Isa 43.10)
So the restoration of Israel will be a sign or witness to the nations that the God of Israel, the God of the Bible, the only true God, loves mankind. In fact, during the Millennial Age God actually comes to dwell with Israel and the nations through Jesus the Messiah at Jerusalem:
“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst … Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people” (Zech 2.10-11)
The seven-branched lampstand (Israel’s Menorah) well-summarizes the purpose of Israel both now and in the Millennium. The center branch represents Divine light (understanding) from God and the six branches represent human efforts to spread this light to the Gentiles (Isa 42.6).
God Intervenes in World Affairs
Future wars against Israel will be different from previous wars. Whilst some claim that the 6-Day war in June 1967 was miraculous in that Israel overcame huge superiority in armour, aircraft and troops, future wars will certainly be unique. These wars will directly glorify the God of Israel as He openly defeats the attacking forces. After the (largely Islamic) Gog-Magog war we read:
“I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgement which I have executed” (Ezek 39.21)
And during the final war against Israel prophecy says that God will again clearly intervene to protect His people:
“Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle” (Zech 14.3)
This battle concludes with the Second Coming of Christ to reign as King over all the earth (Zech 14.9), the last form of human government (probably centered on the EU) having been taken away like ‘chaff in the wind’ (Dan 2.34,35). God indeed intervenes in world affairs!
Israel – God’s Witness in this Age and in the Next
A primary reason for the existence of Israel is that she is God’s “witness and servant” in the world (Isa 43.10). This has been true in history and is true for the future. At the very end of this age 144,000 are drawn from twelve tribes of Israel and sealed for their protection (Rev 7.3,4). As God’s witnesses and servants they are to ‘turn many to righteousness’ (Dan 12.3) in very troubled times as nations crumble (Lk 21.25, Dan 2.34,35) and God’s judgments on the earth begin. The result of their witness is a great turning to God from all the nations (Rev 7.9,10)
The remnant of Israel who enter the millennial age with Christ continue this witness and servant hood, and some are sent to the nations to declare God’s glory (Isa 66.19). At last, the Gentile nations acknowledge and value the unique role of the Jew:
“In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you'” (Zech 8.23)
Still others become priests and keep charge of the (new) Jewish temple in Jerusalem (Isa 66.21, Exod 44.15).
The Fate of the Attacking Nations
Prophecy indicates that there will be several major wars against Israel in the near future, just before Christ returns to rule the earth as King (Zech 14.9). The so-called Gog-Magog war in Ezek 38-39 results in the attackers being defeated by the intervention of the God of Israel, rather than by the armies of Israel (Ezek 39.3). This is in the form of extreme weather – extreme rain, hail and snow – and also by fire and brimstone similar to that which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezek 38.22)(Job 38.22,23). They fall on the open fields and mountains (Heb ‘har’ – hill country) of Israel and fail to reach Jerusalem (Ezek 38.19). The Golan Heights must be involved.
There will be an ‘all-nation’ invasion of Israel at the very end of the age, with Jerusalem the objective (Zech 14.2). This man-God war could involve neutron bombs since these vaporize flesh at close range. Such a fate of the invaders is suggested in Zech 14.12. The attackers may also be destroyed by nuclear devices since Malachi 4 refers to a time of fierce heat when invaders are burnt to ashes.
Major war against Israel is Imminent
Bible prophecy describes how the increasing political bias of western nations, and the increasing aggression of Arab-Muslim nations finally leads to another major war against Israel. In fact, since prophecy is not precise, some see several major Middle East wars just before the close of this age and the Second Coming of Christ.
A future invasion of northern Israel is strongly indicated in Ezek 38 and Ezek 39. The countries involved appear to be mainly the Islamic nations surrounding Israel, possibly led by Iran and Russia. The invasion could be imminent given the present Russian-Iranian alliance and Iran’s declared hatred of Israel. At the very end of this age prophecy indicates that all nations (Gentile and Islamic) will attempt a final invasion of Israel:
“I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle” (Zech 14.2)
“I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone … though all nations of the earth are gathered against it” (Zech 12.3)
This latter war appears to be unique in that it is not primarily man against man, but man against God; it is commonly known as Armageddon (Rev 16.16, 19.19). Both invasions are defeated by the God of Israel. More …
The real reason for the aggression against Israel
The real reason for the aggression is spiritual, not political or even humanitarian. You may reject the concept of a spiritual world co-existing with the physical world, but it is a fact; Jesus Christ proved beyond doubt that the spiritual world exists. Israel is the central player in that spiritual world. She is God’s chosen witness in the world and it is through Israel that Christ came (He was of the tribe of Judah) to provide redemption for the world. He proved that too, by His resurrection from the dead. But the truth about this powerful spiritual world is blurred, corrupted and buried by spiritual forces of darkness:
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6.12)
These forces blind the nations – the politicians, the media, the institutionalized church, the man in the street and the adherents of political Islam such that they “believe a lie” (2 Thes 2.10,11). In fact, the spiritual aggression shown to Israel (and to the true followers of Christ) will intensify towards the end of this age (Rev 12.13-17).
Israel’s Islamic Enemies
The problem is that Israel is now occupying land previously conquered by Islam. Muslims conquered The Levant (which embraces all of Israel and much more, link) in the 7th century and the land of Israel remained in Muslim hands (apart from the brief Crusader period) until liberated from the Muslim Turks by the British in 1917. According to Islamic ideology, once Islam conquers a territory it is to remain under Islamic dominion forever, and Islam is humiliated when such territories are lost to ‘infidels’, link. So Islam wants the Levant back!
As the 1988 Hamas Charter states, “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it”. Today this extreme ideology is underscored by ISIL. The term means ‘Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’, so the destruction of Israel and the re-establishment of an Islamic caliphate in the land of Israel is the declared objective of militant Islam, link. The Levant objective falls under the general Islamic ideology of a world-wide caliphate, link.
Map copyright: By No machine-readable author provided. MapMaster assumed (based on copyright claims). [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], Wikimedia Commons
Israel and the Church
Fundamentalist Christians believe that modern Israel, and not the church, will be central in world affairs at the close of this age. They believe that prophecy shows that Israel will become (if not already) God’s main witness in the world. Sadly this is not generally true of the western institutionalized church, which usually holds to ‘replacement theology’ i.e. the church and not Israel is God’s main witness today, link. They believe that since God rejected Israel then the Christian church is now God’s chosen people, not the Jewish people. Put simply, today’s church is often blind to her Jewish roots. This view is of course incompatible with Christ’s teaching, namely, that the gospel (as spread by the church) should be first conveyed to God’s people, the house of Israel (Mat 10.6). God wants the church to call His people, wherever they are, back to Himself.
The result of such unbiblical teaching is that the institutionalized church takes the world’s view and essentially rejects modern-day Israel, and so pays little attention to end-time prophecy about Israel. This is spearheaded by the World Council of Churches (WCC) which has called on member churches (Anglican, Methodist …) to support an international boycott of Israeli settlement produce and services, link.
Israel and the UN
Without doubt there is an overall bias in the UN against Israel. Between 1955 and 2013 there were 77 UN resolutions against Israel, and just one against the Palestinians, link. In 2015 the UN General Assembly adopted 20 resolutions against Israel, but only 3 against the rest of the world [UN Watch]. How can Israel be so wrong?
Israel is often accused of being the aggressor in conflicts, whereas Israel claims she wages defensive war after provocation, link. Resolutions accuse Israel of settling in “Occupied Palestinian Territory”, and ignore Article 80 of the UN Charter which upholds the right of Jews to settle anywhere west of the Jordan! Other resolutions refer to the on-going Palestinian refugee problem, but many see this now as a political tool by Arab nations, link, link. But the UN is not all bad: in 2015 the UN began to address issues of concern to the Jewish community, particularly anti-Semitism.
Bias Against Israel
From the rise of Zionism to the present day, Israel has not been welcomed on the world scene. There is a majority bias against Israel from the UN, the media, NGOs, and the man in the street. Why? After all, Israel is just some 8 million people living on land the size of Wales! Here’s the real reason (although you probably won’t agree):
Politicians, the media, and many NGO’s are really just pawns in a spiritual battle between truth and error, between light and darkness, between Christ and His adversary Satan. Israel is a special nation chosen by God to be His witness in the world and to bring redemption to the world through Christ, link. Israel is ‘a light to the nations’ (Isa 49.6). Satan knows all this and end-time prophecy underscores the attempts by Satan to eliminate Israel:
“the dragon (Satan) … persecuted the woman (Israel) who gave birth to the male child (Christ)” (Rev 12.13)
This hatred was evident in the holocaust and subsequent wars against Israel, and culminates in all nations turning against Israel at Armageddon (Zech 14.2, Rev 16.16). But there is hope. More …
King David conquered Jerusalem in 1052 BC and today, in the Old City of Jerusalem (enlarge image), lies the rock (Mount Moriah) where Abraham offered up Isaac for sacrifice to God around 1800 BC (Gen 22.2). The deep significance of this to Jewish, Christian and Muslim beliefs makes Jerusalem one of the most contested pieces of real estate in the world. This is particularly true for orthodox Jews who believe that Jerusalem is center-stage of the land of Canaan promised to Abraham’s descendants, and for Christians who believe that Jesus was crucified and resurrected in the city, and will soon return to the Mount of Olives just east of the Old City.
Given these historic and certain future events, we can see that the various claims on Jerusalem are actually the outworking of a spiritual battle over Jerusalem, a battle between truth and error, between the God of Israel and spiritual forces of darkness. So, on the one hand we see the Vatican demanding control over Jerusalem’s religious sites, link, the UN stating that Jerusalem should be the capital of both Israel and Palestine, and Palestinians claiming Jerusalem as their capital. On the other hand, orthodox Jews claim their historic and covenant right to the city. No wonder Jerusalem will be the location of the most epic battle of history! More …
Israel’s Leaders Speak Truth to the World
“Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us” [Golda Meir, 1957]
“From my childhood, I have believed Jews and Arabs can live together, and I believe now they should live together. All the rights to this country, to the land of Israel – especially Judea and Samaria – are Jewish … but everyone who lives in the country should have all the rights of the country” [Ariel Sharon, April 1989]
“The truth is that if Israel were to put down its arms there would be no more Israel. If the Arabs were to put down their arms there would be no more war” [Benjamin Netanyahu, 2006]
“We must constantly repeat that the root of the conflict is the very existence of the State of Israel” [Benjamin Netanyahu, 2012]
“The nuclear deal with Iran does not block Iran’s path to the bomb, it paves Iran’s path to the bomb” [Benjamin Netanyahu, August 2015]
The Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Problem
The is a solution, but prophecy indicates that it will not occur in this present age. The Bible instructs the people of Israel how they should treat foreigners (non-Jews). Old Testament Israel was commanded to love foreigners (Deut 10.19) and to let them live normal lives amongst them:
“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall do him no wrong … (he) … shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself” (Lev 19.33,34)
This instruction is timeless and applies to Palestinian Arabs today. Unfortunately, as long as Arab countries refuse to recognize Israel and continue to attack her, such cohabitation would seem to be impossible. But Israel will be at peace with her neighbours in the Millennium!
There’s no Two-state Solution
Most of the western world aims for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem. The UN has even resolved to raise the Palestinian flag at the UN headquarters after upgrading the Palestinians’ status to a “non-member observer State” – even though no such state exists! In reality there can be no lasting, workable two-state solution. Here’s why.
According to a recent Stanley Greenberg poll, only 34% of Palestinians accept two states for two peoples as the solution. Sixty-six percent said the Palestinians’ real goal should be to start with a two-state solution but then move to it all being one Palestinian state, link. This reflects the PA leadership position:
“We will never accept a Palestinian state without Jerusalem as its capital” [Mahmoud Abbas, May, 2011]
The problem here is that Israel has already declared Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel, and this is compounded by the Palestinian leadership which does not even recognize the Jewish State:
“Palestine will not recognize Israel as Jewish state” [Abbas, 2014]
Add to this the Hamas objective of replacing the Jewish State with an Islamic caliphate, link, then the ‘two-state solution’ is clearly impossible!
The West Bank
The West Bank refers to an area bounded by the so-called ‘Green Line’ and the west bank of the River Jordan (SEE MAP). The Green line was an armistice line drawn up after the 1948-49 war under the auspices of the UN and it was intended to be temporary. So, through Arab aggression, Israel temporarily lost land mandated to her through the 1922 Mandate for Palestine, and this was only regained in the 1967 6-day war. The Green Line is not therefore Israel’s legal border, link, and all of western Palestine, from the Jordan to the Mediterranean remains legally open to Jewish settlement under the original 1922 Mandate. That includes the West Bank.
Under the 1995 Oslo Accords II, the West Bank was divided into three areas (A, B, and C) and within these areas the Palestinian and Israeli authorities have different levels of control. Area A is under full control of the Palestinian Authority, Area B is under Palestinian civil control and shared Palestinian and Israeli security control, and Area C (62% of the West Bank) is under full Israeli control. Some 350,000 Jewish settlers live in the relatively lightly populated Area C, link.
Who Backs Israel Today?
Israel’s strongest ally, the US, provides a diplomatic shield for her at the United Nations. This protects Israel’s desire to maintain the status quo and refrain from reaching an accommodation with the Palestinians. So the US can veto any UN resolution calling for the creation of a Palestinian state. Traditionally, the UK government has had good relations with Israel, including good intelligence cooperation, and has been viewed as one of the world’s friendliest countries to Israel, link. In recent years, India has expressed the desire to “deepen and develop” ties with Israel, and some see India as “Israel’s best friend in South Asia”. There is also muted and occasional support from the UN and the EU, but this is usually outweighed by condemnation in other areas.
Currently, Israel has strong support from some western NGO’s like Freedom House. There are 21 governmental and intergovernmental entities (including the EU) that financially support Israeli NGOs, link, although some of these are politically biased and represent the interests of foreign governments, link.
Israel: A Middle East Democracy
In contrast to other Middle Eastern countries, Israel has a western-style democracy. Whilst not perfect, this means that Israelis of all ethnic groups and religious beliefs, including Arab-Israelis, can actively participate in the election process, and all votes cast are equal in weight. Also, Israel is one of the few places in the Middle East where Arab women may vote. The principle of the generality of the elections ensures the active right of every Israeli citizen, who is at least 18 years old, to vote and the right of every Israeli citizen, who is at least 21 years old, to be elected. No voter ever votes for an actual person. Instead, every voter votes for a single party.
Israel is considered by third parties to be the only ‘free’ country in the region in that there is a climate of respect for civil liberties, freedom of expression, significant independent civic life, an independent media, and a military under civilian rule, link. More …
Israel’s Government
The Knesset, Jerusalem. Image: James Emery, Douglasville, USA [CC BY 2.0], Wikimedia
The Israeli government resides in Jerusalem. This is where Israel’s Parliament (the Knesset) stands and legislates and where the Prime Minister, the President and the Cabinet have their offices (enlarge image). The location is politically sensitive in that the international community regard Jerusalem as part of both Israel and Palestine, and even that Jerusalem is ‘not part of Israel’ [US Supreme Court, 2015].
Israel is governed by a western-style multiparty parliamentary system. The government is headed by the Prime Minister, who is elected in nationwide elections for a period of four years, and an elected President who has a largely apolitical ceremonial role.
The Knesset has legislative power and comprises 120 members who are also elected for a term of four years in nationwide elections. The electoral (voting) system is based on nation-wide proportional representation. This differs from the ‘first past the post’ system in the US and UK, and permits small parties to be elected.
Israel’s Climate Change
Rain in the Judean desert. Photo: Dror Feitelson Pikiwiki Israel [CC BY 2.5], Wikimedia.
Bible prophecy over end-time Israel speaks of great blessings on the land. This will be in terms of abundant agricultural produce – grains, fruit and wine (Ezek 36.29,30) and nations will remark that desolate land has become “like the garden of Eden” (Ezek 36.35). All this of course requires water. Over the past 100 years Israel has engineered a national water carrier system and desalination plants, and she drains water from large aquifers under the desert. But what of the climate? Has there been a change in rainfall?
The Jewish National Fund has planted over 250 million trees, which are known to be beneficial to the climate. But to date rainfall statistics show no long-term rainfall improvement since the 1970’s, link. For this reason, in 2014 the Chief Rabbinate of Israel urged the public to begin saying a special prayer daily to ask God to bless Israel with abundant rain (enlarge image). All over Israel, people now recite this prayer. Israel’s climate change is certain since her God is faithful to His promises. In the last days God promises Israel:
“I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing” (Ezek 34.26)
“He will cause the rain to come down for you … the former and the latter rain” (Joel 2.23)
Some 80% of Israel’s natural water is in the north and the National Water Carrier (NWC) system conveys water from Lake Galilee southwards. The NWC was started in 1959 and now comprises a system of giant pipes, open canals, tunnels, reservoirs and large scale pumping stations (enlarge image).
But with a rapidly growing population, Israel’s total annual renewable natural sources of fresh water are well below the UN definition of water poverty. So today Israel is meeting much of its water needs by purifying seawater from the Mediterranean and some 80% of domestic water in Israeli cities comes from desalinated water (the desalination facilities are connected to the NWC). Israel also reuses treated sewage, and computerized drip irrigation and micro-sprinklers for agriculture. Under the 1995 Oslo II Accord, Israel continues to supply agreed water amounts to Palestinian areas. In 2012, per capita water use was 150 MCM (million cubic meters) for Israelis and 140 MCM for Palestinians.
Israel’s Land Improvements
Arava agriculture. Image: Central and Northern Arava R&D
As Jews started returning to their homeland around the start of the 20th century, the need to combat desertification became one of national importance. New immigrants embarked upon an extensive program of afforestation, and since 1900 almost 250 million sub-tropical trees have been planted in all regions of Israel. Over half of Israel’s saline soil is arid or semi-arid and only 20% is arable. Even so, Israeli farmers have come a long way since the Zionist pioneers began clearing rock-strewn fields and draining the swampland. Since Israel’s establishment in 1948, the country has almost tripled the territory used for farming and production has multiplied 16 times.
Israel is officially in ‘water poverty’, and so agriculture makes extensive use of treated sewage, computerized early-warning systems for leaks, and computerized drip irrigation and micro-sprinklers. The Negev desert has large underground supplies of brackish water, which can be exploited using these advanced technologies, and it now produces more than 40% of the country’s vegetables and field crops. More …
Israel’s Legal Borders
According to the 1922 League of Nations Mandate for Palestine, the Jews could settle anywhere between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea, see map. The Mandate did not grant any national political rights to Arabs, but Article 2 did safeguard the civil and religious rights of all inhabitants of Palestine, irrespective of race or religion. In 1946 the Mandate was transferred over to the UN, and Article 80 of the UN Charter implicitly recognizes the ‘Mandate for Palestine’ of the League of Nations. Moreover, as a direct result of Article 80, the UN cannot transfer these rights over any part of Palestine (vested as they are in the Jewish People) to any non-Jewish entity, such as the Palestinian Authority.
The Mandate is therefore the last legally binding document regarding the West Bank and Gaza, and so Jewish settlements in these areas are fully protected by Article 80. Sadly, this legal fact is often ignored by the UN. More …
Land Boundaries of Ancient Israel
The descendants of Jacob (Israel) were the twelve tribes of Israel and they settled in the Promised Land of Canaan (enlarge map). In today’s terms, they settled mainly in the area currently claimed by Israel, including the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights, although the tribes of Benjamin, Gad, Reuben and part of Manasseh settled east of the Jordan. This settlement aligned with the boundaries God gave Israel at the time:
“I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates (Exod 23.31)
Few would doubt that Jews have for centuries been substantially over-represented in many fields of learning and accomplishment, notably of course is Albert Einstein. The proportion of Jews with IQ’s of 140 or more is estimated to be about six times the proportion of any other ethnic group. Israel has the highest ratio of university degrees to the population in the world, and she has the highest density of start-up companies in the world. Nobel Prizes have been awarded to over 850 individuals worldwide, of whom some 23% were Jews or people of strong Jewish ancestry. This is an amazing achievement bearing in mind that Jews comprise less than 0.2% of the world’s population! Jews have won a total of 41% of all the Nobel Prizes in economics, 28% of medicine, 26% of physics and 19% of chemistry.
Why such Jewish genius? It is probably a blessing from God since they are His chosen people. Recall that when Israel obeys her God then she is specially blessed:
“Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country” (Deut 28.3)
Future of the Israeli People
This is both dramatic and traumatic, but ends in glory and victory. Prophecy states that regathered Israel will go through a time of ‘great tribulation’ and distress as the world system persecutes Israel. Jesus said that ‘unless those days are shortened, no flesh would be saved’ (Mat 24.22). Whilst involving the whole world, it is essentially a time of suffering for those Jews who have returned to the Promised Land. The OT refers to this time as ‘Jacob’s distress’:
“Alas, for that day is great, there is none like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s distress, but he will be saved from it” (Jer 30.7)
Many Israeli’s suffer, but a remnant (one-third) survives (Zech 13.9). These are the one’s who are refined through suffering and go on into the Millennial world with Christ at His Second Coming. These are the Jews who are at last honoured by the nations and who glorify God and serve Him on the Millennial earth. More …
Demographics of Israel
In the early 20th century the land of Israel was a mix of many peoples representing some 50 languages and there was no common Arab identity. In 1915 there were just 83,000 Jews but this increased to over 6.2 million Jews in 2015. Today, out of thew 8.3 million people in Israel (2015) the demographic mix is: Jewish (75%), Arab (21%), Others, including Christian (4%). Out of the 6.2 million Jews in Israel (2015), the demographic is: Orthodox (20%), traditional (38%), secular (42%).
The Tribes of Israel
God made this unconditional promise to Abram (Abraham):
“I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you … I will give to you and your descendants … all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” (Gen 17.7,8)
So who are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? They are of course the twelve tribes descended from Jacob (whose name was changed by God to Israel). These tribes (enlarge image) are listed in Gen 49. They were Hebrew Israelites. Since these tribes will once more take up their role as a witness to the nations during the Millennium (Ezek 37, Ezek 40-48), it follows that they must be amongst those who are returning to the State of Israel today. Note that, whilst it is common to refer to Abraham’s descendants as ‘Jews’, this is not strictly accurate. Strictly speaking, today’s Jews (Hebrew, ‘Yehudim’) are those who follow Judaism and who are descendants from the kingdom of Judah.
When Jesus spoke of the appearance of new shoots on the fig tree signalling that summer is near, He was really saying that His return and the coming of the fullness of the Kingdom of God is near – even ‘at the doors’. In Luke 21 He said ‘look at the fig tree (Israel) and ‘all the trees’ (the Gentile nations) and so observe the signs of the times. He implied that Israel will be the vortex of the nations at the end of this age and the sign of His soon return.
Over the past 100 years the nation and people of Israel have come to prominence on the world scene. This simple fact points to the imminent return of Christ.
The Re-emergence of Israel
Around 922 BC the twelve tribes of Israel split into a southern kingdom (called ‘The House of Judah’, embracing Judea and Jerusalem) and a northern kingdom comprising ten tribes and called ‘The House of Israel’, or simply ‘Israel’. History shows that both houses rebelled against God, and despite warnings from the prophets, both houses were eventually removed from their Promised Land. The house of Israel and the house of Judah had broken God’s covenant (Jer 11.10), and by the first century all twelve tribes were scattered amongst the nations (Ja 1.1).
But God has compassion on His people (Deut 30.3-5) and promised that He would bring them back from the nations and place them back in their own land:
And (the Lord) will lift up a standard for the nations, and assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth (Isa 11.12)
I will take the children of Israel from among the nations … and bring them into their own land (Ezek 37.21)
Importantly, it is this return of God’s people that will eventually bring the nations to know God (Ezek 36.23). When was this to happen? Israel was to return and seek God after the gospel had been spread to the Gentile nations (Rom 11.25). The twentieth century saw both the evangelization of the nations and God’s chosen people returning to Israel.
The Purpose of Israel
This question is only meaningful in a spiritual (rather than secular) context. According to the Bible, Israel is indeed a special nation, chosen by God to bless mankind and to make a name for Himself. To Abram (Abraham) God promised:
“I will make you a great nation … and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 12.2,3)
And King David exclaimed:
“And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went … to make a name for Himself” (2 Sam 7.23)
History confirms the reality of such statements. Israel led to the Messiah, Jesus, and prophecy indicates that the land and people of Israel will be used to glorify God in the sight of the nations at the end of the age and in the age to come.
The Origin of Israel
Under God’s call, Abram (later called Abraham) migrated from the city of Ur sometime between 1900 and 1750 BC to God’s appointed land, Canaan (today’s Israel). Abraham’s wife Sarah bore him a son, Isaac, and Isaac’s wife Rebecca bore Jacob. History shows that God had a special task for Jacob and his descendants and He later changed Jacob’s name to ‘Israel’ (Gen 32.28). The etymology of the name Israel is not clear, although Gen 32.28 implies that Jacob and his descendants would struggle but prevail. The history of Israel confirms this thought; Jacob’s descendants, the twelve tribes of Israel (the Hebrew Israelites) have suffered but prevailed for 3,000 years.
The descendants of Abraham formed a nation (Israel) around 1300 BC after their Exodus from Egypt to Canaan under the leadership of Moses, and in 1004 BC King David established Jerusalem as the capital of the Kingdom of Israel.
NO! In the light of Israeli anti-discrimination law and Israel’s right to self-determination as a Jewish State, the accusation of ‘racist’ against Israel is unjustified. All Israeli citizens are granted full civil and voting rights. And just as a Palestinian state would maintain a demographic balance in favour of Palestinians, so the Jewish state of Israel maintains a demographic balance in favour of Jews by controlling immigration.
There is a legal distinction between defensive wars and wars of aggression. The facts show that Israel’s role in Arab-Israeli conflicts has always been defensive in response to Arab aggression. In response to major Arab attacks (1948-49, 1967, 1973), or incessant rocket attacks from Gaza, Israel has exercised her right of self-defense under UN Charter Article 51.
NO! Whilst western nations led by the US and the UN favour the two-state approach, it is NOT the solution favored by the Palestinian Authority, Hamas or the Palestinian people! They aim for a single state – a Palestinian state.
NO: The terms ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘Zion’ do not even appear in the Qur’an, and Mohammad never visited Jerusalem in person. Muslims see Mecca as the holiest place in the Islamic world, and so turn their back on the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem when praying
NO! All of Jerusalem was mandated to be part of the Jewish homeland under the 1922 League of Nations ‘Mandate for Palestine’ and so Israel’s sovereignty over all of Jerusalem is well-founded. Jerusalem was first divided through the 1948-49 Arab invasion of Israel, but at no time was East Jerusalem under legal ownership by an Arab entity. In any event, the division (the ‘green line’) was intended to be temporary.
Evidence from the Tanach (the Hebrew Bible), the New Testament, historians like Josephus, and archaeology all testify to the existence of a huge, impressive Temple in Jerusalem
YES: THE CLAIM IS LEGAL ON TWO ACCOUNTS
According to international law, Israel has a well-founded claim to sovereignty over Jerusalem, including its Old City. Also in international law, it is a sovereign state’s right to determine its own capital, and Israel proclaimed Jerusalem to be her capital shortly after the declaration of the State of Israel in 1948.
NO: The Palestinian refugee problem was created by a sudden invasion of five Arab armies in response to the declaration of the State of Israel in May 1948. Arab governments rejected Israel’s offer to repatriate 100,000 Arab refugees, and the offer of UN money for the refugees.
Israel is abiding by the 1995 Oslo II Accord and supplying agreed water quantities. It is up to the Palestinians to maintain water networks, utilize wastewater, improve existing supplies and drill new wells. Instead, water is often used as a political weapon, and so authorized wells are not dug and leaks are not repaired.
THEY ASSUME THERE IS A ‘PALESTINIAN LAND’
According to international law, Israel is NOT occupying Palestinian land since the West Bank and Gaza Strip were not under any sovereignty prior to the Six Day War. All of western Palestine, from the Jordan to the Mediterranean remains legally open to Jewish settlement under the 1922 British Mandate for Palestine and Article 80 of the UN Charter.
THE FALLACY
There never was “a Palestinian people” or “a Palestinian Arab nation”. League of Nations documents of the 1920’s refer to the local Arab population as ‘existing non-Jewish communities’. Palestinian nationalism only emerged in the mid-twentieth century, partly in response to the emergence of Zionism.
YES! Archaeology and historical documents show that Jews have lived in Israel for over 3000 years! For example, they verify God’s plan for the Jewish Temple, the existence of King David, and the existence of Jewish synagogues in the Holy Land up to the Muslim conquest in 638 AD.
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