Posted on 02/22/2008 5:31:45 PM PST by DouglasKC
Shortly before His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus Christ delivered a major prophecy of end-time events, recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. He was asked by His disciples: "When will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3).
Jesus responded with a description of conditions and events that would lead up to His second coming. Moreover, He said that when these signs became evident, His return would occur within one generation (Matthew 24:34). Could this be that generation?
Throughout the nearly 2,000 years since Christ gave His prophecy, many have thought that theirs was the time of His return—and turned out to be wrong, of course. But interestingly, there are a number of prophecies in the Bible that could not be fulfilled until our modern era, the post–World War II period.
1. The human race would have the ability to exterminate itself
In Matthew 24:22, describing world conditions prior to His second coming, Jesus said that "if that time of troubles were not cut short, no living thing could survive; but for the sake of God's chosen it will be cut short" (Revised English Bible).
The main message that Jesus Christ brought was of the coming Kingdom of God. This is described as "the gospel" (Mark 1:14). Gospel means "good news." While some of the prophecies concerning events prior to the establishment of the Kingdom can seem negative, we should always keep in mind that the central focus of Bible prophecy is the good news (gospel) of the coming Kingdom of God.
Matthew 24:22 shows us that if Jesus Christ does not intervene in world affairs, the human race will be faced with extinction. It's crucial to note that humanity has had the capability for self-annihilation for only a little more than 50 years, since both the United States and the Soviet Union developed and stockpiled hydrogen bombs and the world had to learn to live with "mutually assured destruction."
At that time there were only three nuclear powers ( Britain being the other). By the middle of the 1960s France and China had joined the nuclear club. Today at least eight nations have nuclear warheads and the number looks set to increase with a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
Of course, the more nuclear powers we have in the world, the more likely it is that someone will use this deadly force for evil.
Although international attention has been focused on the nuclear programs of North Korea and Iran during the last few years, little attention has been given to the possibility of some or all of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal falling into the hands of radical Islamists.
During the ongoing crisis in Pakistan, the Taliban and al-Qaeda and their sympathizers have steadily gained more power, territory and influence, making nuclear terrorism more likely. Consider the consequences for the rest of the world if Osama bin Laden (or others like him) had access to nuclear weapons!
Meanwhile, Russia and China are determinedly flexing their military muscles, raising fears of a return to Cold War–era tensions.
The good news in all this is that Christians have an assurance that Jesus Christ will intervene to save mankind from annihilation. This prophecy could not be fulfilled until man had the potential for self-extinction through weapons of mass destruction. Again, only in the last 50 years has this become possible.
2. A Jewish homeland had to be reestablished in the Middle East
Geopolitically, the central focus of end-time events is Jerusalem and its environs, what many people refer to as the Holy Land.
Luke 21 is a parallel chapter to Matthew 24. Notice Luke's account of Christ's long prophecy that answered the disciples' questions: "Teacher, . . . when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?" (Luke 21:7).
In response, Jesus showed that Jerusalem would be the central focus of the political and military upheavals that would immediately precede His return: "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near . . . For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled" (verses 20-22).
Anyone living a century ago would have found these words nearly impossible to comprehend. Jerusalem in ancient times had been fought over countless times, but for four centuries from 1517 the city had been at peace within the boundaries of the Ottoman Empire. Jews lived there as a minority under Turkish rule. But this was going to change dramatically during the course of the 20th century.
It had to change for the fulfillment of Bible prophecy to take place.
The Old Testament prophet Zechariah was used by God to reveal a great deal about end-time events and the second coming of the Messiah. Zechariah lived and prophesied more than 500 years before Christ's first coming, yet his prophetic book tells us a great deal about our world of today.
In Zechariah 12:2-3 God says: "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah [the Jews inhabiting the land of Israel] and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it."
In verse 9 He adds, "It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem."
Reading these verses, it is possible to think that they apply to ancient events, as Jerusalem has been fought over repeatedly down through the ages. However, chapter 14 makes clear that this is talking about future, not past, events. The time setting is immediately before Jesus Christ's return.
"Behold, the day of the Lord is coming . . . For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity . . . Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle.
"And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south" (Zechariah 14:1-4).
Clearly the last few lines of this prophecy remain to be fulfilled.
Further in this same chapter we read of how those nations that came against Jerusalem will have to go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Jesus Christ (verse 16).
These chapters of Zechariah are a prophecy about the events that precede and include the second coming of Jesus. A Jewish-controlled Jerusalem is notice-ably the central focus.
Shortly before Zechariah, another Jewish prophet named Daniel lived during the time of the captivity of the Jews in Babylon. His book speaks of the Jews' daily sacrifices being cut off in the end time (Daniel 12:11; see verses 1-13)—an event that had a forerunner in the temple defilement under Syrian ruler Antiochus Epiphanes in the second century B.C.
However, Jesus Christ confirmed this as a future event to precede His return (compare Daniel 11:31; Matthew 24:15). This means that these sacrifices must first be reinstituted in Jerusalem—requiring Jewish rule over the city.
One hundred years ago such developments were hard to imagine for the simple reason that no independent Jewish political entity existed in the Middle East.
After rebelling against the Romans in A.D. 66 and again in 132, Judea was crushed and most of the remaining Jews were dispersed throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. No Jewish homeland existed again until 1948 when the modern nation of Israel was established.
An independent Jewish homeland was merely a dream for a small group of zealots a century ago. It moved a step nearer during World War I, when forces of the British Commonwealth took control of Jerusalem from the Turks in December 1916. A few months later, the British government pledged itself to the establishment of an independent Jewish homeland in the ancient lands the Jews had inhabited for centuries.
It was to be another 30 years before the dream was realized in 1948. Yet since then tiny Israel has had to fight wars for survival in 1948, 1967 and 1973 and has suffered countless terrorist attacks and threats of annihilation from hostile neighbors determined to eliminate the Jewish state.
Once again, here is a prophecy that can now be fulfilled in our time.
3. The end-time king of the North and king of the South
In Daniel 11 we find an amazing prophecy about two leaders, the kings of the North and South, the heads of regions that were geographically north and south of the Holy Land. To understand this prophecy we have to go to the time of Alexander the Great, who lived near the end of the fourth century B.C., 200 years after Daniel.
Alexander figures prominently throughout the book of Daniel, even though Daniel did not know his name and never knew him personally. He couldn't have, since he died almost two centuries before Alexander appeared on the world stage.
But God revealed to Daniel that after Babylon, Persia would arise as the greatest power of the region, to be followed in turn by Greece. Not surprisingly, the prophecies regarding the rise of Greece are centered on Alexander the Great, one of the greatest conquerors in history.
Daniel 8 gives a vivid account of the coming clash between Persia and Greece. As you read it, remember that a horn symbolizes royal power and authority. Persia had "two horns and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last." This refers to the Medo-Persian Empire, the coming together of two nations or peoples. As foretold here in verse 3, the Persians rose to greatness after the Medes.
In verse 5 we read of Persia's later defeat by Alexander the Great: "And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes" (verse 5).
The "notable horn" or royal leader was Alexander the Great. The prophecy about his army not even touching the ground is a reference to the incredible speed with which he conquered the known world. All this was achieved in a very short time. Alexander died in 323 B.C. when he was only about 33 years old.
Even his sudden, unexpected death was prophesied: "The male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven" (verse 8).
When Alexander died, his empire was eventually divided between four of his generals—the four "notable horns" mentioned here. Two of these established dynasties would have a profound effect on the Jewish people, caught in the middle between them. These two dynasties were the descendants of Seleucus, who ruled a vast empire from Antioch in Syria, north of Jerusalem, and Ptolemy, who ruled Egypt from Alexandria.
Daniel 11 is a long and detailed prophecy about the dynastic conflicts between these two powers, their respective leaders being referred to as "the king of the North" and "the king of the South." Of great significance is that whenever they went to battle against each other, the Jews got trampled on. This was to continue from the time of Alexander until the middle of the second century B.C., a period of almost two centuries.
Then, suddenly, the prophecy jumps down to the end time.
In verse 40 we read: "At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land [the Holy Land], and many countries shall be overthrown" (Daniel 11:40-41).
While we don't have space here to cover all the details, the latter part of Daniel's prophecy of the North-South conflict describes a clash of civilizations between the leader of a soon-coming European superpower—a revived Roman Empire (successor to Seleucid Syrian rule)—and a leader who is the successor to the Ptolemaic rule of Egypt, which is now part of the Islamic world. (To learn more, request or download our free booklet The Middle East in Bible Prophecy.)
We now see geopolitical conditions lining up for this inevitable clash. Here is yet another prophesied circumstance for which the stage has now been set within our lifetime!
4. An end-time union of European nations
In Daniel 2 and 7 we see prophecies about four great gentile empires that would arise in the period between the time of Daniel and the coming establishment of the Kingdom of God (Daniel 2:44). Daniel was himself living in the first of these great empires (Daniel 7:4) as a Jewish exile in ancient Babylon.
Following the fall of Babylon in 539 B.C., Persia would become the greatest power, to be followed by Greece (verses 5-6). After Greece came the Roman Empire, "dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong." This empire was to have "ten horns" and would continue in some form until the establishment of God's Kingdom at Christ's return (verses 7-9).
As we saw in the previous section, horns represent leaders or governments. Here these 10 horns symbolize 10 attempts to restore the Roman Empire to the power it had in ancient times. Various attempts at a restoration have taken place since the fall of the Western Roman Empire in A.D. 476. A final attempt is to be made shortly before Christ's return.
We find more details in Revelation 17. Here we read of a final attempt to revive the Roman Empire by "ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast" (verses 12-13).
They will also "make war with the Lamb [Jesus Christ], and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings" (verse 14). Again, it is clear that this prophecy is still future.
Previous attempts to forge a united European empire, from Justinian in the sixth century through Charlemagne, Napoleon, Mussolini and Hitler, all involved force. The final resurrection of the Roman Empire will not be attempted in the same way.
Revelation 17 suggests this will be a voluntary union. When these 10 leaders receive power, they will then give their authority to a single leader. Scripture refers to both this individual and the new superpower he leads as "the beast"—acknowledging it as the continuation of the four gentile empires prophesied in Daniel, each one depicted as a beast or wild animal.
Only now is it possible for this to be fulfilled.
In 1957, the Treaty of Rome was signed by six European nations that formed the European Economic Community. Today the EEC has grown into the European Union (EU) with 27 member nations. Out of these will likely come the 10 nations or 10 leaders that form the final resurrection of the Roman Empire. (For more details, read "The Coming European Superpower" beginning on page 13.)
Some have speculated that the 10 kings referred to in this prophecy will be leaders of 10 regions of the EU that will redraw the boundaries of Europe, ending the present nation-states. The Bible is not clear on exactly which 10 regions or nations will configure the final revival of the militaristic Roman superpower—only that this new superpower will indeed emerge just before Christ's return.
However, it wasn't until the 10th nation, Greece, was admitted in 1981 that any conceivable fulfillment of this prophecy was even possible.
5. End-time rise and fall of Israel and Judah
" Israel" was the new name God gave the biblical patriarch Jacob in Genesis 32. The 12 tribes of Israel were descended from his 12 sons. These tribes later formed a united kingdom.
It's been almost 3,000 years since the kingdom of Israel was split in two. Ten of the 12 tribes of Israel rebelled against King Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon and grandson of King David. The Bible continued to refer to these 10 tribes as Israel while the other two tribes (Judah and Benjamin) that remained loyal to David's descendants were known as the kingdom of Judah or simply Judah.
Sometimes Israel is referred to as the northern kingdom and Judah as the southern kingdom. Dominant among the northern tribes were to be the descendants of Jacob's son Joseph through his sons Ephraim and Manasseh—prophesied by Jacob to be the chief nations of the world in the last days (Genesis 49:1, 22-26; compare Deuteronomy 33:13-17).
About 200 years after the kingdom split, the northern tribes of Israel fell to Assyria and were deported by the Assyrians to the northern parts of their empire. Often referred to now as the lost tribes, they later migrated northwest across Europe, eventually settling in new homelands far from the Middle East.
The kingdom of Judah fell to Babylon more than a century after Israel's deportation, but its people were not lost to history. We know them today as the Jews.
The name Ephraim is sometimes used representatively in Scripture for the entire northern kingdom, though it can also refer solely to the descendants of Joseph's son of that name—prophesied to become a "multitude of nations" (Genesis 48:19). Remarkably, this promise to Ephraim was fulfilled in the British Empire and Commonwealth.
Ephraim's older brother Manasseh was also prophesied to become a great nation (same verse), separating himself from the multitude of nations. This prophecy would be fulfilled in the formation, growth and dominance of the United States of America.
In a revealing prophecy regarding the United States and Britain, Jacob (Israel) said, "Let my name be named upon them" (verse 16). References to " Israel" in end-time prophecy often refer to the United States or the English-speaking countries of the British Empire or both. Sometimes " Israel" can mean all 12 tribes. We have to look at specific verses in their context to see which is meant.
"Judah," however, always refers to the Jews, the descendants of the house or kingdom of Judah. We must also understand that the modern nation called Israel is really Judah, made up of Jews. (For much more detail, download or request our free booklet The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy.)
Understanding this critical part of biblical history will help us more fully comprehend a passage of Scripture in the book of Hosea, which is a prophecy about Ephraim (the multitude of nations—Great Britain and some of those nations that came out of her). It warns of destruction to follow the end-time ascendancy of the Israelite nations.
In Hosea 5 we read a prophecy that mentions Israel, Ephraim and Judah: "The pride of Israel testifies to his face; therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah also stumbles with them" (verse 5). The prophecy continues: "With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them. They have dealt treacherously with the Lord, for they have begotten pagan children. Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage" (verses 6-7).
New moons occur a month apart. A new moon "devouring" them would seem to mean that Israel, Ephraim and Judah will all fall within one month.
This prophecy was not fulfilled in ancient times. As already mentioned, ancient Judah fell to Babylon more than a century after Israel fell to Assyria. Yet in the end it appears they will fall together—within one month of each other. This prophecy remains to be fulfilled.
Remember that Israel gave his name to Ephraim and Manasseh, the ancestors in turn of the British and American peoples. As Ephraim is mentioned separately in this prophecy, the reference to " Israel" must apply to the United States, which is now the more dominant of the two nations.
For two centuries prior to World War II, the roles were reversed with the multitude of nations—the British Empire—a greater power than the single nation, the United States. But today America is the greater.
"Judah" refers to the Jewish people, particularly those who now constitute the modern nation in the Middle East that calls itself Israel.
Here then is a prophecy regarding all three nations—the United States, Britain and Israel (Judah). According to this prophecy, it appears that all three will fall within the span of a month. Verse 6 shows these nations turning back to God, but finding it's too late. Because of their sins, He will let them suffer defeat and collapse.
This prophecy could not have been fulfilled until after the rise of Britain and the United States as world powers in the 19th century and the formation of the Jewish state of Israel in the 20th.
Lest the idea seem outlandish, consider that Israel and the United States are perhaps the most maligned and criticized nations on earth. Among Muslim hard-liners, America is commonly called "the great Satan" and Israel and Britain "the little Satans."
6. The gospel will be preached in all the world
In His major end-time prophecy, Jesus answers the question posed by the disciples: "When will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3).
After listing a number of signs of the nearness of His coming, He reveals that "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (verse 14).
The gospel is the good news of the coming Kingdom of God. This message could not be preached around the world without the Bible and freedom of religion. Both came gradually with the ascendancy of the English-speaking peoples from the 16th century until the present day.
However, it was only with the technological advances of television and radio and other means of mass communication after World War II and their widespread acceptance that it became possible to reach hundreds of millions of human beings with the message of the Bible. The gospel of the Kingdom of God will continue to be preached to all nations as long as we have the freedom to continue The Good News magazine and our other media efforts.
Even so, during the last 50 years it has not been possible to reach all countries. The former communist nations did not allow freedom of religion. China, with one quarter of the world's people, still does not. Other nations also try to suppress the publication of biblical truth and even the Bible itself. Many Islamic nations do not allow religious freedom. In some countries people risk the death penalty for changing religion.
But the Internet is changing everything. It is much harder for governments to control. The gospel message of the coming Kingdom of God is still going out to the world. It will finish when God has decided that His work is completed and the time is right for the final end-time events to take place.
This is yet another prophecy that could not be fulfilled until recent times.
7. Instant worldwide communications and God's final witnesses
Another end-time Bible prophecy could not be fulfilled until this era of instant worldwide communications.
In His major end-time prophecy of Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21, Jesus gave an outline of disasters that would occur on the world scene with increasing frequency and magnitude—to the point where people would be shaken with fear (Luke 21:26). Discerning an increase in the scale of these events and reacting to them requires knowing about them.
At the time this prophecy was given, it could be many months or years before people heard about various disasters—and many they would never hear about at all, much less be able to put together the fact that catastrophes were on some kind of global increase.
Only with the proliferation of newspapers and other forms of mass communications did this become remotely possible. Yet the level of awareness and consequent fear in many that Christ speaks of implies an even greater availability of information—possible only since the development of rapid electronic communications.
In any case, only with the technological advances of the last few years has it become possible for the events in Revelation 11 to occur—for people around the world to see the fate of God's final two witnesses.
These two witnesses, reminiscent of other biblical prophets like Elijah and Elisha, will carry God's final warning to the world in the last 3 1/2 years leading up to Christ's return.
"And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days . . . When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
"Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth" (verses 3, 7-10).
Note that people the world over will be able to see their dead bodies during the 3 1 ⁄ 2 days that they lie on display in Jerusalem. This was not possible before satellite television, portable communications devices and the Internet. Again, only in the last few years has it become possible for this prophecy to be fulfilled. It still lies in the future, of course, but only now it is clearly possible for this to take place.
Will this generation see God's Kingdom established on earth?
We have seen how seven biblically prophesied circumstances could not have come to pass until recent times. In fact, the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 was clearly a major turning point in the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, as was the acquisition of the hydrogen bomb by the two superpowers of the 1950s that led to the period of mutually assured destruction.
All has now become possible. This, in turn, makes it much more likely that our generation will live to see Jesus Christ return and establish the Kingdom of God on earth. After all, Jesus Himself said that once these things begin, the generation alive at that time "will by no means pass away till all these things take place" (Matthew 24:34).
It's both sobering and encouraging to think that we appear to be living in the generation that will ultimately witness the most important event in the history of mankind. As Jesus Christ tells His followers in Luke 21:28, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." GN
Thanks for your good work and your kind words.
God’s speed to you Bro.
LOL
In connection with being "priests of God and of Christ" [Rev.20:6] is the "man child" of [Rev.12:5]. Until recently I saw the man child as Christ but now believe He was the first man child but also was a type for the future one(s) who are His elect, the "priests of God" that will rule with Him.
I have been delving into the "woman," her "man child," and the "two witnesses"...Who are they, where the "wilderness" is and is it a spiritual or physical wilderness. Also when (if not already) the time will be that they "should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." Add to that...who is the "they" that will feed her?
Have you considered those scriptures before and their meaning?
..................Ping-Pong
I very much agree with what you are saying. My question is do you believe the "tribes" today are still physical only, or spiritual only.... or both?
Some I speak with think that it is spiritual only since the Advent of Christ. My personal understanding is that there remains a blood lineage tribal connection but any Gentile becomes part of that family through belief in Christ.
What is your understanding?
....Ping-Pong
Acts 3
18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Messiah would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent (Tshuvah) therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Yeshua Messiah, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration (Tikkunim)of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
Hi Douglas...I know there are different views on the return of Christ. All this pre-, post-, anil-, is too confusing for me. I simply believe that Christ will return, and that's that. The judgment. It makes everthing rather tidy in my mind.
I don't see the purpose of having a "time period when the whole earth can see the truth of Christ". Romans tells us that ever since creation "..the thing which may be known of God is clearly revealed within them". Men know the truth. They just simply don't wish to acknowledge it, with or without Satan.
For example, I would consider this a millennial prophecy: Isa 41:14
I find a number of these prophesies all have been fulfilled in one way or another.
Revelation was written so that God's servants would be informed about future events.
I find that most of "God's servants" who have lead us down this dispensationalist path have a poor understanding of basic scripture. They change their interpretation to suit current events. Not only that, for them to reject the church as the chosen people of Christ is to reject the heart of the Bible. People can make Revelation say just about anything they want.
There’s so much demonic activity on earth now. It’s increasing. We are in the midst of a horrendous spiritual warfare for the soul of our nation and for individual souls who are blinded. Prayer is the only way to break it. M
Thanks, terriergal. Good post!
Well, the child of promise (Isaac) was a genetic son. And Ephraim was to become the fullness of the Gentiles.
any Gentile becomes part of that family through belief in Christ.
Or perhaps that *is* what serves as an identifier of physical descent [of those otherwise lost to history].
Graft a Tzadik onto the front of the word "Javan" (Greece) and you get "Zion", whose sum = Joseph.
06726 Tsiyown {tsee-yone'}
the same (regularly) as 06725; TWOT - 1910; n pr loc
AV - Zion 153, Sion 1; 154
Zion = "parched place"
1) another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books
>>>>
06725 tsiyuwn {tsee-yoon'}
from the same as 06723 in the sense of conspicuousness [compare 05329]; TWOT - 1887a; n m
AV - title 1, waymark 1, sign 1; 3
1) signpost, monument, market
Modern Hebrew v. tziyen (from tziyun, mark): mark, note, distinguish, be characteristic of
Gerund (tziyun): mark(ing), grade*, remark
*as in score, grades (tziyunim) on a report card
Galatians 3:24-29
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
You can get the book at Christian Book Distributors. M
They’re a deception, anything to keep our eyes off of God, lady. How are you feeling these days?
Not quite sure I understand. Who do you mean by...."the first man child"? I have always believed that this is The Messiah being spoken of.
The woman spoken of is "Israel". Wilderness implies many things and has many interpretations. "They should feed her" can just as easily be said....."She will be fed" leaving one to believe it will be God who does the feeding. The Greek does not say "they".....but it is implied that someone does the feeding.
Not quite sure I understand. Who do you mean by...."the first man child"? I have always believed that this is The Messiah being spoken of.
I thought so too but recently it was brought to my attention that it can't be. They are correct.
Revelation 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
This represents the Zodiac with the twelve constellations as well as Israel with the twelve tribes that brought forth the Messiah.
2.And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
3.And there appeared another wonder in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4.And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
The woman is Mary delivering Christ and Herod wanted to kill Him. She delivered the first man child but is there another?
5.And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne.
Christ will rule with a "rod of iron" but so shall those that are with Him.
Revelation 2:26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations:
27.And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father.
28.And I will give him the morning star.
There are other scriptures too but Christ giving the "rod of iron" to "him" as well as "authority over the nations" and the "morning star" demonstrate that there is more than one man child. He is The Man Child but His elect are those that will rule with Him [Rev.20:6]
This has been an interesting study, one I first balked at but finally realized this man child of the woman in [Rev.12:5] was just another name for the elect of [20:6]
The woman spoken of is "Israel". Wilderness implies many things and has many interpretations. "They should feed her" can just as easily be said....."She will be fed" leaving one to believe it will be God who does the feeding. The Greek does not say "they".....but it is implied that someone does the feeding.
God feeds but is it through the Holy Spirit, the two witnesses or through the elect? And....where is the wilderness? An actual place she is taken to or is this us where we are now? Are we in the midst of the 3 1/2 years of being fed in the wilderness?
I've had my head wrapped around this and associated teachings all day. I'm off to watch American Idol and totally waste the next 1 1/2 hours. Sometimes that is a good thing to do.
.......Ping-Pong
No further questions.
Where do I think the Israelites are today?
A ludicrous question.
The Bible says clearly, they will be regathered in the land God gave them. Israel!
And look... there they are.
Are there “some” who aren’t? Sure, always happens that way. Not all Africans are in Africa. Not all Americans are in America. Big whooop. You can’t invent doctrine when the Bible is explicit.
This theory of who the Jews are and where the Jews are was MADE UP because people at the time couldn’t imagine any possible chain of events which would CAUSE the Jews to go back to Palestine, occupy the land physically and then remake their nation.
DOH!
But they did.
Now any other talk.
ANY, whatsoever... about “Who is X % Jewish or descended from whom.. is not about GOD’S MIRACLE of restoring His people, but is INSTEAD a debate about genes, and linage... which IS RACE!
Ya follow that?
It is IMPOSSIBLE to have any belief about LOST TRIBES without considering RACE as the factor.
Thus the entire debate is racIST.
Just on the face of it. DEFACTO!
So there are TWO and ONLY two choices here:
#1 God is clear and exact and reveals Himself plainly and He means what He says and He just DOES it. Simple.
or
#2 God is cryptic, unclear, sneaky and man must try and game the system with science and genetics and all sorts of extra biblical thinking to come up with ways to make God’s prophesy happen.
Now... one of those is MY GOD... the other must be YOURS.
The god of Mystery is the god of Babylon. My God is not that way. My God is the revealer of mystery and speaks in simple father-daughter language and doesn’t have to resort to legal trickery to make a miracle happen.
They just happen in plain sight and are completely obvious for all.
Why? Cause He is UNWILLING that ANY should perish but that ALL should come to repentance and be saved.
Preach any other gospel... especially when it comes to who the Jews are and what his works are for them after the age of the gentiles... and yer WAY WAY WAY PAST CULTISM and boldly pushing EVIL.
Have I made my point yet?
The difference between this Britain and America being the Lost Jews and out right Anti-Semitic Jew Hate is the difference between HOW MUCH Rat Poison is in your breakfast cereal.
This is what we are about to see. Is it really Ludicrous or is your prejudice showing?
The Bible says clearly, they will be regathered in the land God gave them. Israel! And look... there they are.
This is what scripture says: [Ezekiel 37:19] Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. The first 18 Chapters speak of this as happening during a general resurrection.....so we know it is yet in the future.
Most of the folks who reside in Israel today are descendants of three tribes.....Judah, Benjamin and Levi. You'll find that scripture also confirms this descendency in [1 Kings 12:23]. By the time of the Assyrian deportation of Israel [II Kings 17:18] Benjamin was also considered part of Judah....the Southern Kingdom. In addition [II Chronicles 11:13-17] tells us that all the Levites left Israel and came to Judah when they were rejected as priests by Jereboam. Along with them came other Israelites from all the other tribes but the preponderant majority of these Israelites remained in the north and were exiled to Assyria in 721 B.C. [II Kings 17:22-23]. If you read the scripture you'll see that they are still there.... and this scripture was written after the return from Babylon by the Nation of Judah (Southern Kingdom) more than 200 years later. There are no subsequent scriptures that tell of the return of Israel (Northern Kingdom) from exile.
We can see that two specific nations were formed from one. This was done because of the sins of Solomon....David's son [I Kings 11:11-13]. The Northern Kingdom kept the name Israel and the Southern Kingdom used the name Judah.....as that was the name of the primary tribe. From this point onward when the Bible speaks of Jews it is referring to descendants of the three tribes who made up the Southern Kingdom.....Judah, Benjamin and Levi. In fact, the first place in scripture you'll see the word Jew in use is in {II Kings 16:6] At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day. The fifth verse will tell you that the Jews were at war against Israel. This in itself tells us now that when we see the Jews in prophecy we should not necessarily assume the prophecy is about Israel.....and vice versa.
Now....I'm going to stop at this point as I have noticed what I call "Chiponshoulderitis" on your part....and consequently, I'm not sure if you are really interested in learning these things.....or not. If you would like to learn these Biblical truths then please....by all means, let me know, I will be delighted to continue.
I will leave you one thought as I have noticed what I think is a basic misunderstanding on your part. All Jews are Israelites.....not all Israelites are Jews. When folks come to that understanding many scriptures begin to make more sense.
Hoping I will hear back from you soon...........
Many Restoration of Israel Passages Refer to the Future Messianic Age. However the Restoration of Twelve Tribes of Israel Literally Took Place in the Golden Age of the Silent Years.
Zechariah, who lived when the nation of Israel, the ten northern tribes, had long ago been lost as a political unit, speaks of the renewal of both Judah and Israel. He speaks of the restoration of the nation as including Israel and uses the synonyms of Joseph and Ephraim to plainly signify he means the ten tribes.
Then God shows Ezekiel that there is a marvelous restoration to look forward to. This nation will rise again and all the tribes, all twelve, will be restored to their land.
It is this portion of the prediction that has posed problems, since only Judah was restored and none of the other tribes were restored as a body politic. To solve this problem many flights into fanciful “last days” or “end times” theories have been proposed. Actually, the solution to the literal restoration of all twelve of the tribes is in verse 19 and there is no need to resort to the fantastic. Except that God’s foreknowledge of future historical events is fantastic! We will look at verse 19 in three different versions.
(Eze. 37:19) I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand. KJV
(Eze. 37:19) I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them with it, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand. ASV
(Eze. 37:19) I am going to take the stick of Joseph - which is in Ephraim’s hand - and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick, making them a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand. NIV
The NIV, in this case, is much to be preferred because it makes clear the intent of the Hebrew. That is that the stick that represents the ten northern tribes represents the “Kingdom of Israel.” The stick that represents Judah, Benjamin and Levi is to absorb the first stick and Judah will be left alone and contain, as a restored kingdom, all the tribes.
That does not mean that all tribal identity was lost as can be seen in Luke 2:36. Anna, the prophetess, was of the tribe of Asher. But the tribes were never restored to their land areas as separate political units. The prophecy we are looking at says as much and is the solution to the problem posed. It also does away with the concept of “Ten Lost Tribes.”
The Hebrew is not as clear as the NIV rendering but would be so to a Hebrew-speaking person. The idiom says that the stick of Ephraim is to be given TO the stick of Judah and they will become one stick. The subsequent verses show the intent is that Judah will from now on contain all the tribes within itself and there will be only one nation, not two. Furthermore that nation is to be Judah. Judah will have all the tribes as companions and from henceforth all Israelites will be called Jews no matter what tribe they originate in. We will see that Zechariah viewed the restoration of the nation of Judah in his day in just this way.
(Eze. 37:21) Behold, I will take the children of Israel [all twelve tribes] from among the heathen, where they are gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land; (Eze. 37:22) And I will make them one nation [namely Judah] in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.
The Septuagint translators lived at the time that this fulfillment was a reality (285 B.C.E.). Judah was restored as a nation, the Shekinah presence was long ago restored to the Temple and nation, and all tribes dwelt together under the restored tribe of Judah which had returned from Babylonian captivity in 536 B.C.E. Ephraim and his companions were present but not as a body politic. The ten tribes of Israel ultimately becoming a part of the restored nation of Judah is the subject of chapter 10.
The Septuagint translators felt the passage in Eze. 37:19 referred to Judah being the one nation containing all the tribes. They added the word “Jouda” to the text to make their interpretive translation plain. The Hebrew text of the last part of verse 19 reads, “and they shall be made one stick, and they shall be one in my hand.” The LORD is speaking. In the Septuagint this phrase reads, “and they shall become into one stick in the hand of Judah.”
Because in 285 B.C.E. Judah was restored and did contain the remnant of the tribes, the Septuagint translators may have been influenced by the reality of the fulfillment that was apparent to them, to make the passage plain by substituting “hand of Judah” for “my hand.” However, a reading of the Hebrew text also gives this eventual meaning.
Thus here is the clear prophecy that the literal restoration of all the tribes of Israel would be contained in a single tribe and that tribe would be Judah.
So says Ezekiel here and so indeed did it happen. Consequently, at one stroke, do we dispose of “Anglo-Israel.”
Thanks for playing!
Oh? If that is the case who is Our Saviour referring to when He directs the "Twelve" to seek out and evangelize the "Lost Sheep of The House of Israel" [Matthew 10:5-6]? Others would come later (Paul, Barnabas, Timothy, etc.) who would evangelize the Gentiles and the Jews, but Our Lord was quite specific here......don't you think? I even remember Him saying: [Matthew 15:24] But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He becomes more specific yet when directing Peter (one of the Twelve) to pursue this command when he states in [John 21:15-17] So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Why is it that we find Peter exactly where the Ten Tribes had been exiled (Babylon).....writing to Israelites (foreknowledge of God) as he had been commanded [1 Peter 1:1-2] if you say that the restoration had already happened by the first century? Even Josephus has this to say about the Ten Tribes:
[Antiquities XI, Chapter V, Paragraph 2] And when these Jews had understood what piety the king had towards God, and what kindness he had for Esdras, they were all greatly pleased; nay, many of them took their effects with them, and came to Babylon, as very desirous of going down to Jerusalem; but then the entire body of the people of Israel remained in that country; wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers. Till now, of course.....means first century....and an immense multitude could mean millions! The two tribes subject to the Romans, of course would be Judah and Benjamin [II Chronicles 11:1] which constituted the Nation of Judah. The Levites were also included.....but not named as they held no property and ministered to the other tribes.
I'll have to answer your "post" item by item as there is so much error in what you have been taught.....but that's quite O.K. as it will also be a learning experience for many lurkers. As you can see, the restoration did not occur during the silent years. We'll discuss Anna of [Luke 2:36] in another installment as I have some things to see to...at the moment.
Lost as in Lost their WAY. Not some pseudo secret missing tribes. You are just as LOST as they were... yet we KNOW you are right here posting.
15:24 I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The Lord’s personal mission was to the Jews. Under the first commission his apostles were directed to go only to the Jews (Mt 10:6). It would be impossible to evangelize the Gentiles without setting aside the Jewish customs, the law of Moses, and arousing the bitterest prejudice of the Jews. Hence it was the divine plan that the Son should keep the law blameless during his ministry. It was only when the Jews crucified him that the handwriting of ordinances was nailed to the cross (Col 2:14), the wall of partition (Eph 2:14) between Jews and Gentiles broken down, and all prepared for the Great Commission which bade his disciples go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mr 16:15).
You are word substituting. Lost sheep is applicable to the individual. Lost TRIBES are a whole different case and totally NOT Christian and NOT Gospel.
This DOES NOT exclude the Gentiles.
What were Jesus’ last words in Matthew’s Gospel?
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
He did go to the Lost Sheep first. But since He did go to them and went to them IN Judea, then that would really undo this inane “Jews R us” Satanic Theology.
What you need to be concerned with is Rev 3:9 - Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie;
Word!
As for Anna: Anna knew her tribal identity was of the tribe of Asher (Luke 2:36). Paul knew he was of the tribe of Benjamin, a “Jew” and an “Israelite” (Romans 11:1). The New Testament speaks of “Israel” 75 times and uses the word “Jew” 174 times.
After the Babylonian captivity, the terms “Jew” and “Israelite” are used interchangeably. Ezra calls the returning remnant “Jews” 8 times and “Israel” 40 times. (Ezra also speaks of “all Israel”: Ezra 2:70; 3:11; 8:35; 10:25, et al.) Nehemiah uses the term “Jew” 11 times and “Israel” 22 times. Nehemiah too speaks of “all Israel” being back in the land (Nehemiah 12:47). The remnant who returned from Babylon is represented as “the nation” (Malachi 1:1, et al.).
Accompanying some of the legends of the so-called “Ten Lost Tribes” are aspersions on the present State of Israel and the people being regathered in the Land. These various theories such as “British Israelism” are by their nature anti-Semitic because they deny the Jewish people their proper place in the plan of God. Let’s remember that Genesis 12:3 has never been repealed!
Israel is being regathered in the land just as God has announced. There is yet to come an event which will awaken them to realize that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob once again has His hand upon them (Ezekiel 38, 39). I believe this event could happen at any moment.
The Throne of David was promised to the Son of Mary (Luke 1:32). I believe His taking possession of it is on the near horizon.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.