LESSON 257

LET’S CONTINUE

We have just completed a full course on the Book of Revelation—God’s Recipe for Revival. Revival brings readiness. We want to observe some of the incredible signs that Jesus said would take place before His return. No one has the answers to mysteries yet to be revealed (such as the identity of the future anti-Christ, the identity of all the nations who will one day invade Israel, the parts Europe and China may play in the final days, etc.).

Let’s look carefully at Jesus' warnings and prophecies that He tied to His return, and some of the events taking place today. Only the Father knows the day and the hour of “THE END” of time (Revelation 10:6). But Scripture encourages us not to be ignorant of the times and the seasons that God will reveal to encourage His children to hold tightly to His Word and His will, while holding lightly to the material things of earth. Let’s take a look at some prophetic signs.

Signpost # 1—THE REBIRTH OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL

Following Rome's conquest of Israel (70 A.D.), there was no Jewish nation for some 1900 years. However, God had promised to return His Chosen People to His Chosen Land. Skeptics scoffed for centuries. Yet the doubters died, while God's promises lived on. In 1948, only three years after the Holocaust, a miracle took place. Israel was restored as a nation, in partial fulfillment of God's future plan (the acknowledging of Yeshuah as Messiah is yet to come).

Study carefully Ezekiel 37:1-14; the valley of dry bones. I shall only list a few of the verses.

“Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off… . Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the LORD God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and you shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall you know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD. (Ezekiel 37: 11-14).

Signpost # 2—JERUSALEM IS AGAIN THE CAPITAL OF ISRAEL

From 70 A.D. until the 20th century, Jerusalem virtually disappeared from human history. It was never the capital of any Arab country and was revered only by religious Jews, some of whom never left their ancient city, choosing poverty and suffering rather than to desert the City of David.

That all changed in the 1948 rebirth of Israel. Even then, the city of Jerusalem was divided between Jewish and Arab armies. (I made my first journey there in 1964.) Then came 1967 when Nasser of Egypt vowed to destroy Israel. Instead, the Jews took all of Jerusalem in the battles that followed. Gentile rule over Jerusalem was finished!

Will God again allow the city to be divided? No one knows for sure. Jesus is the only solution for “shalom”—“peace”—in the hearts of Jews and Arabs and in the land itself. But there is an amazing verse that Jesus spoke concerning Jerusalem being back in Jewish hands before His second coming to earth.

“And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down (trampled on) of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)

Signpost # 3—THE MOCKING OF BIBLICAL MORALITY

Like Rome of old, the Western world rots from within. Children are prevented from prayer in schools, while their parents are encouraged to give them “health-aiding” drugs at an early age. Biblical marriage is “old-fashioned” and redefined. Any and all forms of sex are here or on the way. Abortion murders millions. Lying, cheating, hating, killing—even children suing their parents! It will get worse—as Scripture indicates.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God…” (2 Timothy 3:1-4)

“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, (will go from bad to worse), deceiving, and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13)

To Be Continued