Posted on 12/18/2010 7:30:33 PM PST by pastorbillrandles
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.(Micah 5:2)
The story of the birth of Jesus, is perhaps the most familiar and loved portions of the Bible. But the problem with familiar passages of scripture is that people think they know what needs to be known about them and often aren’t open to a fresh look at the same text from another angle.
It is called the Christmas story, but I believe we should look at it as an account of some of the same conditions that will be prevalent at the time of the second coming of our Lord and Saviour to this earth. As it was in the first coming, so shall it be at the second coming.
* Once again the world will be globalized and ruled from the west,
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.(Luke 2:1)
Rome ruled the Mediterranean world, in the days of the first coming of the Messiah, and there will be a revived Roman empire, a European super state at the time of the second coming.
*And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.(Revelation 13:16-17)
Once again a man claiming to be god will seek to count and number the people of the world at the time of the return of the Saviour. Caesar Augustus was the first Roman Emperor to be deified while yet alive, his decrees were called ‘gospels’, his emissaries were called evangelists, he was described as “Divine Saviour of the world” and was thought to have ushered in a golden age. The world worshipped him.
The World is being prepared for another ultimate Caesar, the antiChrist, he will be heralded by all, at first, as the leader we have long-awaited, and will seem to have solved many of the world’s most intractable problems, such as the economy, terrorism, and the mideast peace problem.
People will have no problem rendering worship to Him. After so many decades of our own impotent, feckless, terror appeasing leadership in the western world, the man the Bible warns of,calling him “the Beast” will seem like a breath of fresh air.
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? (Revelation 13:3-4)
* Once again Jerusalem and Judea will exist under foreign domination. True Israel is a reborn nation, as of May 1948, and this is a major sign of the second coming. But the U.N. and the European Union, and the USA and Russia have formed a quartet, and they presume to determine the boundaries that Israel should have and what territory she should cede to her enemies.
Just as Jesus came at first unto an occupied Israel, languishing under the domination of gentiles, Jesus shall come again to an Israel in the same situation. An ancient prophesy by Jacob, concerning the future of each of his twelve sons, foretold that the coming of “Shiloh”, that is the Messiah, would be at the time that Judah should lose her national sovereignty.
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.(Genesis 49:10)
The situation today is similar, for though Israel captured the city of Jerusalem in 1967, she immediately ceded the custodianship of the most sacred piece of real estate , the Temple Mount, to the Muslim Wafq. Israel watches helplessly while Muslims dig out the Holy mountain, destroying priceless relics from the first and second temple, crushing them into gravel! Neither Israel or Judah wield a sceptre to this day .
The logical capital of Israel, would be Jerusalem, right? But virtually all the nations of the world,including the USA refuse to have their embassies there, in order not to offend the Muslims. As at the first coming ,so the second coming of Christ. Jesus himself predicted this,and that it would be an issue until he returned-
…Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)
* Once again, popular religion will not be ready for his return, as they were unprepared for his first coming. Herod had a Jewish Rabbi in his court. When there were rumblings about who the Magi were and what they were seeking, Herod asked the Rabbi where in scripture was Christ to be born.
The Rabbi immediately rattled off the scripture from Micah 5 that I opened this article with. Messiah will be born in Bethlehem Ephratah! But there is no record that he made the slightest effort to go see for himself. He knew the scripture but he wasn’t expecting anything real to happen.
* Once again, very few will even be aware of what is happening. What happened at the first coming of Jesus?
>Shepherds were watching their flocks at night – He came at night-He comes again in the night, the moral and spiritual night of apostasy,moral decline, darkness and rebellion. But some Shepherds,(Pastors) who were watchful for their flocks, they were ready when the Angels came, they saw him.
> Zechariah and Elisabeth a pious priest and his wife in a time of corruption, they saw what was coming.
> The Magi- who were a caste of gentile wise men from Persia(Iran) whose school was once headed up by the prophet Daniel, and who searched the prophecies of Daniel, they saw Him and worshipped him. Another earlier gentile prophet that they were no doubt well aware of named Balaam had predicted the star which would lead them to Jesus .
The 9th chapter of Daniel alone is an amazing prophecy which pinpointed the exact timing of the Messiah’s coming, death and the destruction of te temple following it.Jesus would tell us in Matthew 24 that once again an understanding of Daniel the Prophet is essential to being ready for his second coming.
The events of the first Christmas are history indeed, but they are prophecy as well, and we are all in the story somewhere. Ready or not, Jesus is coming again! Maranatha! Merry christmas!
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.(Genesis 49:10
Neither Israel or Judah wield a sceptre to this day.
Lucy, you got some splaining to do.
Israel doesn’t have full Sovereignity over its most holy place- the Temple mountain- thats all I am saying-
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.(Revelation 11:1-2)
Thank you for the inner peace after a very tumultuous day. I was wondering - Do you think Israel will be invaded again?
I don’t disagree on the events, just your interpretation. If the bible says the sceptre never leaves then it never leaves. It is being carried somewhere. Maybe just not in Israel. My opinion is that God doesn’t care one whit re the Temple Mount. He was willing to live among us in a tent for quite a while. He doesn’t care about buildings, only building people who are worthy to be made Princes with God.
Huldah several times unfortunately, but unsuccessfully- there is a war coming, described in Psalm 83 involving all of Israels Sunni Muslim near neighbors, but they will not prevail. Ezekiel 38-39 also foretells a coming war, this one primarily with those Muslim nations further away- Persia(Iran) Cush(Somalia/Sudan) togarmah-(Turkey) Libya etc, this also will fail. Finally Zechariah 12 and 14 describe the last invasion of Israel, which will provoke the second coming of Jesus- hope this helps- I have articles on my blog that elaborate if you are interested-
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes... Shiloh has come, and will come again, therefore the sceptre has departed- why do you think Jesus was crucified and not stoned? Stoning would be the death prescribed by the Law of Moses, crucifixion was the Roman punishment-
I pointed out the problem with your article and you didn’t answer it. Do you want to know why? Because you went to divinity school and didn’t question what you were taught, so I doubt you’ll listen to me.
I don’t disagree on the events, just your interpretation. If the bible says the sceptre never leaves then it never leaves. It is being carried somewhere. Maybe just not in Israel. Please answer this question.
My opinion is that God doesn’t care one whit re the Temple Mount. He was willing to live among us in a tent for quite a while. He doesn’t care about buildings, only building people who are worthy to be made Princes with God.
Dear friend, I don’t see the problem with pointing out that Judah and Israel lost their sovereignty (Sceptre) as Jacob predicted they would when Messiah came. Of course the sceptre exists, it is God who gives power to man- jesus has the sceptre. Please don’t be presumptous, you don’t know much about me, I never attended Divinity school.
Your opinion is just that, your opinion, I gave a scripture(Revelation 11 ) that proves that God does indeed care about the Temple mount. Thanks for the comments- I really don’t want to go back and forth with you.
Worth repeating.
That’s a reach. It’ll never leave, but it left. Did Jesus gather the people? I don’t think you can claim that.
You talk about looking at this from another angle. I suggest the same to you. You really think the State of Israel, being 1% of the Middle East is what the Bible is talking about. They’re part of it but the western nations outside of Europe is what I really think is being talked about here. I’m your brother in Christ but wake up. We’re all held accountable. The USA, Australia, etc. are supposed Christian nations. God’s not leaving us out of the issue. If you think this is all about Judah you are sorely mistaken.
Let's see -- How long will the Germans continue working 'til age 70 so that Greek bureaucrats can retire at age 50? Weren't there supposed to be TEN members of the "prophesied" European super state? What happened to that bit of numerology? Or have you already forgotten that bit of expert prophetic proclamation? Nice to have a convenient memory hole, a place to flush old books and old wives.
Then I apoligize about the Divinity school statement. But you write a blog and don’t want back and forth. Go in peace.
23 And the LORD said unto her, “Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”
And on it goes... Ezekiel speaks about more than just the ‘Muslim’ nations, but one particular nation that just can't help herself from keeping these Muslin nations armed to the teeth.
Ezekiel 28-12-— identified the one that decided eons ago he would rebel and ‘replace’ the Creator... and Christ Himself set for Christians the example by having the devil tempt Him. We who are still alive when that time comes are going to experience the same temptation... Christ said there will be wars and rumors of wars, see that ye be not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is NOT yet.
So why are you troubled over a coming war. OF course Christian and Christian nations should be prepared to defend themselves, but the kind of ‘war’ that should be on ‘red’ alert is religious deception. And the beast system is NOT going to rule out of Europe.
I know that Ezekiel speaks of more than Muslim nations- I also know that the real war is spiritual, as well as physical and political. I am not troubled by a coming war- “When you see these things begin to come to passlook up for your redemption draweth nigh”
Two Swords- I am glad you confess me as your christian brother- thank you. Brother- why are you being obtuse? Genesis 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah UNTIL...
Also how can you deduce that I am not ‘awake’? I know full well that the USA ,Canada and the Western “christian’ world is ripe for Divine judgment, I never said it was all about the Muslims or “all abut Judah”- Please brother , quit being so presumptious-
Then you should also know the instead of Jesus is NOT going to be some flesh being setting up shop out of Europe. Now just where is it that Jesus is said to be returning? Well the fake shows up there first and he will even deceive all but the very elect, is his 'peace, peace, peace' do you love Jesus sermons.
But even his spiritual love fest is NOT going to placate the enemies of the House of Israel or the House of Judah..
Brief quiz:
Who is the ‘Lion of the tribe of Judah’?
Who said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth..”?
Who said, “My kingdom is not of this world”?
How can the Lion of the tribe of Judah have all power and not have the sceptre?
We think we have this prophecy thing all figured out, but right now we see through a glass darkly.
No one said that the lion of the tribe of Judah is without a sceptre! You are right we know in part only, but we thank God for the part we know!
Romans 11:8-10
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