The Future is not Hi-Tech. Rather, Watch Israel

Is the future really determined by technology?
Or is mankind’s future determined by some transcendent source?

the future

Tel Aviv at Night. Image: shaula haitner Pikiwiki Israel [CC BY 2.5], Wikimedia Commons

It has been said:

Predicting the future is important for two reasons; first we need to start to think about what kind of future we would like for ourselves and to pass on to the next generation, and then we need to know what decisions we need to make today that will give the best result in the future“.

Noble thoughts – but who can control the future? Well … the UN thinks it can with its 17 Global Goals by 2030 e.g. end poverty, combat climate change and fight injustice, link.

Others put their trust in man’s ingenuity to improve his lot and technology is seen as the way forward. It is true that we have seen great leaps in digital technology as in smartphones, cloud computing, multi-touch tablets, biometric passport recognition, 3D printing, electric cars and, or course, solar power. These are all innovations that have revolutionized the way we live and work. And some believe we are just getting started and claim that in the future we could live like how people in science fiction movies did, link. For example:

By 2050 there will be digital implants, age reversal pills, hyper-intelligence brain implants and bionic muscle upgrades, link. Artificial intelligence will eventually solve some of the world’s biggest problems, link

A Reality Check

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City chaos. Image: A Proimos, Sydney, Australia (La Paz City Chaos) [CC BY 2.0], Wikimedia Commons

But is technology really the answer to solving the world’s problems? Are there deeper issues at stake here? Lets be pragmatic. After 6,000 years of steady human progression the global scenario suddenly seems far less certain. From many aspects, life as we have known it suddenly looks threatened. We see demographic, climatic, environmental, financial, social and political instability. The population of Mexico City was 21 million in 2016. That’s large! End time demographic and financial instability was seen by the prophet Isaiah: “The city of chaos is broken down; Every house is shut up so that none may enter“.

Over the last 50 years we have seen rapid world population growth (3 billion to 7.5 billion), the emergence of a New World Order, an undemocratic EU, electronic (cashless) trading, international terrorism, cyber warfare, nuclear proliferation, an apostate (liberal) church, the rejection of biblical morality, severe weather events, and increasing national debt. We even foresee possible asteroid impact, link! What is the UN going to do about asteroid impact?

So whether we like it or not, there are the big issues that will affect all our lives. World events are moving rapidly to a climax and the end of this age. But there is hope. The prophet Isaiah saw an end time spiritual darkness which is enlightened by God’s intervention:

Nations will be covered by (spiritual) darkness, But on you (Israel) the light of the Lord will shine. The brightness of his presence will be with you. (Isa 60.2)

The Relevance of the Jewish Menorah

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The seven-candle Menorah was used in the ancient Jewish Temple, link, and a type of Menorah is lit in Jewish homes today. The Menorah’s God-given design symbolizes God’s light spreading throughout the world. The center candle symbolizes light given to mankind (the other six candles) through progressive revelation. This is seen through the history of Old Testament Israel e.g. through the Mosaic Law. Non-Messianic Jews see the center candle as a longing for God’s light to come and dwell (or tabernacle) among them.

In reality, this is exactly what happened 2,000 years ago! A descendant of the tribe of Judah – the Jew, Jesus Christ – came into the world and claimed: “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8.12). But He also said to His followers, “You are the light of the world” (Mat 5.14). And prior to this, God had also said to His servant, Israel through the prophet Isaiah:

You are My witnesses … I will give you as a light to the Gentiles … and set up My banner for the peoples

So today, both the Christian church and God’s servant Israel should be the source of the light needed in today’s dark, unbelieving world. They should reflect the light (truth, hope and reconciliation to God) given to mankind through Jesus, or Yeshua.

Israel Shines the Light on the Future – Watch what is Happening!

We see this light through the emergence of Israel onto the world scene. Over the past 100 years the Jewish population of Israel saw an amazing 7400% increase, link. Why? It seems Israel is once more becoming God’s witness to the Gentile nations. In fact, the Bible says that at the end of the age Israel will become the vortex of the world in the sense that major world events will be centered around Israel. Nations will be trapped in “darkness” (Isa 60.2) and will be forced to look towards the light – to Israel. At the end of the age the Bible says:

He will set up a ensign for the nations and will assemble the outcasts of Israel (Isa 11.12)

An ensign means a national flag signaling the authority of the rightful owner! God owns the land and people of Israel (although many secular Jews still don’t recognize this). Israel is center to God’s plan for the future. So watch Israel and read about prophesied events, and the future is revealed. Ignore the UN’s goals and advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Ignore age reversal pills and hyper-intelligence brain implants. Even ignore climate change. The real issues are revealed in prophecies concerning Israel.

Here are some key events at the end of this age (all from Bible prophecy). Some are in fulfillment now:

  • The people of Israel will come out of the nations and live in the land promised to Abraham’s true descendants
  • The land itself will “blossom” and be restored, and Israel will find abundant natural resources
  • A chosen remnant of Israel (Jews) will preach a warning of God’s judgments to the world
  • There will be cataclysmic judgements on the earth
  • The last political leader of a corrupt world governmental system will invade Israel and “sit in the Temple”
  • Nations will war against Israel – Armageddon is the last war of this age
  • Israel will always be defended by the God of Israel
  • At the very end of the age Jesus (Yeshua) will return to rule the earth from Jerusalem
  • The location of Christ’s rule (a new temple) will be glorious
  • Spiritual forces of darkness that currently deceive the world and cause wars will be bound and ineffective
  • Nations will learn war no more and the lion will lie down with the lamb
  • The earth will experience an age of peace as Christ rules with justice and righteousness from Jerusalem
  • Gentile nations will make annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem to worship the God of Israel

Now what about that! There are many other prophecies pertaining to the future, but they all relate back to Israel.

Most Important of All

The well-known writer Stan Hayward has pointed out the real issue in life, despite man’s technological advances:

In the future the world will be in your pocket – yet still you will ask ‘Who am I?’ and spend a lifetime looking for an answer. And so it will be fifty years from now, five hundred years from now, five thousand years from now, and on the dying breath of the last person to leave this earth

His point is this: despite any future technological, political or social progression, one question will remain; “Who am I?” The answer is found only in believing in Jesus Christ – the true Jewish Messiah.

GO DEEPER