Israel in End Times Prophecy
When you think about Bible prophecy and the end times, what do you think? Does Israel and the Middle East pop into your mind? When you think of armageddon, do you see images of a great war in the Middle East? Well, if you do, then you think like the majority of end time prophecy students and teachers. Take a look at all the websites concerning end time prophecy at the top of the search engines, and you will find that the majority of them focus on the Middle East and on Israel in particular. Why? Because they still believe that the Jews are God's special chosen people and that the land of Israel is still the "holy land" in God's eyes.
This traditional view of the end times is a deception from Satan to divert you from the truth. So Please read on to find the truth
A man named Hal Lindsey was one of the main culprits in creating all this "hype" about Israel in the end times. And even though his "predictions" concerning Israel and the last days have come to nought, many people still hold to his false teachings concerning the end times.
Israel STILL God's Chosen Nation?
As we know from the Old Testament, Israel was a nation chosen by God to be His special light to the world, to take His Word, the "everlasting gospel" to the world. But God put a condition upon them being His special chosen people, which was to obey His commands. And if they continued to disobey Him, then there was a consequence ...
1 Kings 9:6-7 ...'But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people.'
Jeremiah 18:7-10 ...' At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.'
Do you see this clear truth above? The promises given to literal Israel were CONDITIONAL upon them continuing to obey God and accept Jesus as the Son of God and their Saviour, which they didn't.
As we all know, the nation of Israel did not obey God, and they ended up being taken into captivity, with Jerusalem being destroyed by Babylon. But the final ultimatum was given in the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel (click here for a great study on that). In that prophecy they were given a definitive time to turn back to God and accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God and their Saviour. This they did not do.
Daniel 9:24 ...'Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.'
In this prophecy, God gave the nation of Israel 70 prophetic weeks (490 years) to put an end to their sins and to "bring in everlasting righteousness" and to "anoint the Most Holy". What does that mean? They were to accept Jesus Christ the Son of God as their Saviour. This 490 year period spanned from 457BC (command to restore Jerusalem) to 34AD (stoning of Stephen), (click here for evidence of this). And what was to happen if the Jews rejected Christ Jesus as the Son of God and their Saviour? Read on to find out.
Israel in the New Testament
Jesus saw how blind the people had become towards the kingdom of God by their rejection of the Him and by mistakenly placing high importance on being a Jew of the flesh. Which is why Jesus made the following startling statement towards the Jews:
Matthew 21:43 ...'Therefore I say unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.'
Matthew 23:38 ...'Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.'
Wow! Because of the Jews' rejection of Christ, the kingdom of God was to be taken from them and given to someone else! How clear are these statements regarding the nation of Israel today? They CANNOT still be the chosen nation of God, and neither can they be restored to their previous status. THAT TIME HAS PASSED! So who was it that the kingdom of God was "given" to?
1 Peter 2:9 ...'But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.'
Who is Peter speaking to? The Jews? NO! As the verse clearly states that this people were "called out of darkness". Who was it that was called out of darkness? THE GENTILES! Peter is talking to CHRISTIAN CONVERTS. So today, Christians are the "chosen nation" of God. But don't think that I'm saying Jews are no longer saved. Any Jew who converts to Christianity and accepts Christ Jesus as the Son of God and their personal Saviour can be saved. What I'm saying is that being a Jew of the flesh means nothing today ... or tomorrow!
True Israel - Spiritual or Literal?
The majority of people today focus on literal Israel. They focus on the literal land of Israel, thinking it is still the holy land, and they focus on literal Jews, thinking that they will all be saved, because they are still God's chosen nation. These people make the same mistake as the people in Bible times. They focused on the physical, rather than seeing the spiritual aspect of the kingdom. And Jesus clearly taught this Himself:
Luke 17:20-21 ...'And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, the kingdom of God cometh NOT with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.' (SPIRITUAL, not physical)
John 4:21-23 ...'Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.' (SPIRITUAL, not physical)
There was such a lack of understanding concerning the kingdom of God back in Bible times, which still exists today. Jesus taught clearly that we are not to focus on the physical, but rather the spiritual. The battle for God's people in the end times is not going to be a physical war fought between Israel and Russia, Syria, Iran, etc etc.. The Battle for God's people is going to be a SPIRITUAL one. Against the spiritual forces of darkness.
But of course, Satan wants us to focus on the physical things, so that we will be as unprepared for the second coming of Christ, as the Jews were for the first coming of Christ.
Please have a long hard think about the verses I've already given you, and the following verses. And please be true to God and His Word as you read these very clear Bible verses.
Galatians 3:16 ...'Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ.'
Galatians 3:29 ...'And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.'
Romans 9:6-8 ...'Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are NOT the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.'
Philippians 3:3 ...'For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have NO confidence in the flesh.'
Romans 2:29 ...'But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.'
Galatians 3:28 ...'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.'
Please open your eyes to this amazing truth. The Word of God is so clear in teaching that being a Jew of the flesh means NOTHING now. And I don't mean to sound hateful or disrespectful in saying that. It's just the truth. But Jews can STILL be saved IF they repent of their sins and turn to Christ Jesus.
But why was the gospel still taken to the Jews FIRST after Jesus had died on the cross? Because the 70 week prophecy of Daniel had not been completely fulfilled at that precise time. And in His great mercy, God continued to reach out to the Jews even after they crucified our Lord. But the Jews continued to reject the truth and Paul confirms the final nail in the coffin (so to speak):
Acts 13:46 ...'It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing as ye put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the gentiles.'
The kingdom of God is then taken (spiritually) from the Jews and given to the Gentile converts to Christianity.
The Bible Says ALL Israel Will be Saved
Romans 11:26 ...'And so all Israel shall be saved.'
This Bible verse has deceived many people into thinking that all Jews of the flesh will be saved. They believe that Jesus will gather the Jews and they will all come to Him and be saved. Again, they make the same old mistake of focusing on the physical rather than the spiritual. Now in light of all that we have learned above, what must be the logical meaning to what Paul says in Romans? Well, we have learned that Jews of the flesh count for nothing now. And it is ONLY those who turn to Christ Jesus and worship God in spirit and truth who are regarded as a TRUE Jew, no matter what nationality. Therefore Paul must be talking about SPIRITUAL Israel. Those who are circumcised of the heart (Phil. 3:3).
So what does Paul really mean? All those who are IN CHRIST JESUS (spiritual Israel) will be saved.
Friend, what you have read here is the truth, there can be no doubt. We are living in the end times, and Satan has caused the world to focus their attention in the wrong place. There is only one temple today and that is the TRUE temple in heaven. And there is only ONE people and those are they who follow the Lamb.
Yes, Israel will have a role to play in the end times. But so will every other nation on earth. We are fighting against spiritual forces of evil ALL OVER THE WORLD. And wherever God's people are, whether in America, Israel, Australia, Japan, or wherever, THAT is where Satan is waging war. Making people focus on the nation of Israel is nothing more than a diversion tactic of Satan. And while the world looks to Israel for the fulfillment of end time Bible prophecy, Satan is working to deceive the masses. Please wake up and seek the truth.
If God has opened your eyes to the truth about Israel and the end times, then please click here to see more amazing truths for the end times.
