Jep
11-15-2001, 02:58 PM
The short answer to address the question of how the world will end is: it won’t. But that is something we need to address later as we get well into the book of Revelation. Those of you who have embraced me in discourse know by now that I am heavily into Bible prophecy.
I would like to start from the beginning and tell why I believe as I do. Feel free to drop in and straighten me out if I’m wrong or have misinterpreted the Bible, or even if you just have a point or question or simply think I‘m nuts, no matter of your knowledge level in this area. This is how we learn from one another.
Let’s begin with some prophecies concerning the country of Israel and it’s role in the last days.
First Israel would have to be restored as a nation: Isaiah 66:8 predicts “Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”
Could Isaiah be foretelling that Zion (Israel) will be born as a nation all at once in one day? On May 14th, 1948, against all odds, it miraculously occurred. The world knew that the chances were almost nonexistent favoring formation of this little rag-tag country. Israel was hated by all surrounding neighbors to the point that if they tried to annex land that many believed rightfully belonged to the Palestinian people, or if they proclaimed themselves a state, they would be annihilated by armies much superior to themselves. But Israel stood on the promises of almighty God and proclaimed statehood anyway. Against those odds she is today a mighty country. And look at what the Bible says about how she would look:
When Israel was restored in 1948, the Jews found their land to have suffered much from drought and over grazing. Today if you visit, you will drive modern roads lined with the bountiful beauty of green fields of crops, orchards and pastures.
This was predicted: "He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bus, and fill the face of the world with fruit" (Isaiah 27:6).
"And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes" (Isaiah 35:7).
Today, Israel is the world’s third leading exporter of fruit.
As the Jews were scattered beginning in 70 AD and finishing with the Bar-Kochba revolt against Rome in 132 AD, Hebrew largely fell out of use as the newer generations were raised in their new environments. Yet the Bible predicted this would not last: "For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent" (Zephaniah 3:9).
Today, the means of communication to over five million Jews in Israel is again one language, Hebrew.
And although it is predicted that Israel will reform as it has, just as we are seeing in these last days, it will have no peace until all is settled after the tribulation: Jeremiah 8:11 “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. "Peace, peace," they say, when there is no peace.”
And as Israel gets closer to the great tribulation, also called “Jacob’s trouble” in parts of the Bible, we can see that peace is ever eroded until the time of tribulation is upon us: Jeremiah 30:5 "This is what the LORD says: "`Cries of fear are heard-- terror, not peace. 6 Ask and see: Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale? 7 How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it. 8 "` In that day,' declares the LORD Almighty, `I will break the yoke off their necks and will tear off their bonds; no longer will foreigners enslave them.
The reason that Israel had to have been restored for the last days to advance upon mankind is that both the Old Testament and New predicts that Christ will rule the world from Israel, and more precisely, Mt. Moriah (which was formally Mt. Zion) from a Temple where presently the Moslem mosque Dome of the Rock is located. John the revelator tells us that he saw a new city called the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven from which Christ will rule the earth.
Isaiah also saw a similar vision in the Old Testament: Isaiah 2:2 In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3 Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
In fact, ALL Bible prophecy is either based on Christ, the ancestors of Christ, His country, Israel, or the church which sprang from the 12 tribes of Israel. And to understand this prophecy, we will have to also some of the history surrounding this nation.
In the Dawning era of world government at the time of the first establishment of the Nation of Israel, the powers of the world were few.
God had instructed Abraham to leave his hometown city of Ur in Babylonia and to go into the land of Canaan and create the nation of Israel. But after Abraham’s death a famine hit the area causing his descendants to move the tribes of Israel to Egypt.
The Bible reports this was a disaster for the young nation, as they eventually lost their status as a sovereign nation and were delegated to the position of little more than slaves.
But Egypt had a positive effect on these people as well for when they entered that country, their population was only around 70, but when they left, they left as a nation numbering in the millions.
After 400 years in Egypt, God picked Moses as their leader. He initiated the great exodus and led the Israeli people back to their promised land, the land of Canaan.
Canaan was located north of Egypt and southwest of the Euphrates Valley. In this land of milk and honey, also called the Fertile Crescent because of its geographical lay and its rich, fertile soils, the sovereign nation of Israel was finally forged and settled into an era of growth.
Of course, other peoples had settled Canaan after their 440 year absence (400 in Egypt and 40 on the trip home) and Israel did not just walk back in and unpack their bags. Wars, skirmishes and military conflict with others was prevalent in their early history as a nation.
However, over the course of four or five hundred years, and under the guidance of competent leadership, most notably Kings David and Solomon, the nation of Israel became a mighty people.
After the peaceful reign of Solomon had ended, the country of Israel fell into disagreement and divided. The northern part of the country contained 10 of the 12 tribes and came to be known simply as Israel. The southern half retained the other two tribes, Benjamin and the tribe of Judah from whence Jesus would later arise. It became known as Judah, with the city of Jerusalem as its capitol.
Around 750 BC the first assault on Israel by a major world empire occurred when King Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria conquered much of the then known world. Miraculously enough, Judah was not invaded and its people abducted; however, Israel was decimated and captured. The country of Judah was only made to pay tribute in the form of money to the king.
God continued to bless Judah for another 150 years until it was time for their difficulty.
We now turn to the Book of Daniel. Where true end-time prophecy really begins.
I would like to start from the beginning and tell why I believe as I do. Feel free to drop in and straighten me out if I’m wrong or have misinterpreted the Bible, or even if you just have a point or question or simply think I‘m nuts, no matter of your knowledge level in this area. This is how we learn from one another.
Let’s begin with some prophecies concerning the country of Israel and it’s role in the last days.
First Israel would have to be restored as a nation: Isaiah 66:8 predicts “Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”
Could Isaiah be foretelling that Zion (Israel) will be born as a nation all at once in one day? On May 14th, 1948, against all odds, it miraculously occurred. The world knew that the chances were almost nonexistent favoring formation of this little rag-tag country. Israel was hated by all surrounding neighbors to the point that if they tried to annex land that many believed rightfully belonged to the Palestinian people, or if they proclaimed themselves a state, they would be annihilated by armies much superior to themselves. But Israel stood on the promises of almighty God and proclaimed statehood anyway. Against those odds she is today a mighty country. And look at what the Bible says about how she would look:
When Israel was restored in 1948, the Jews found their land to have suffered much from drought and over grazing. Today if you visit, you will drive modern roads lined with the bountiful beauty of green fields of crops, orchards and pastures.
This was predicted: "He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bus, and fill the face of the world with fruit" (Isaiah 27:6).
"And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes" (Isaiah 35:7).
Today, Israel is the world’s third leading exporter of fruit.
As the Jews were scattered beginning in 70 AD and finishing with the Bar-Kochba revolt against Rome in 132 AD, Hebrew largely fell out of use as the newer generations were raised in their new environments. Yet the Bible predicted this would not last: "For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent" (Zephaniah 3:9).
Today, the means of communication to over five million Jews in Israel is again one language, Hebrew.
And although it is predicted that Israel will reform as it has, just as we are seeing in these last days, it will have no peace until all is settled after the tribulation: Jeremiah 8:11 “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. "Peace, peace," they say, when there is no peace.”
And as Israel gets closer to the great tribulation, also called “Jacob’s trouble” in parts of the Bible, we can see that peace is ever eroded until the time of tribulation is upon us: Jeremiah 30:5 "This is what the LORD says: "`Cries of fear are heard-- terror, not peace. 6 Ask and see: Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale? 7 How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it. 8 "` In that day,' declares the LORD Almighty, `I will break the yoke off their necks and will tear off their bonds; no longer will foreigners enslave them.
The reason that Israel had to have been restored for the last days to advance upon mankind is that both the Old Testament and New predicts that Christ will rule the world from Israel, and more precisely, Mt. Moriah (which was formally Mt. Zion) from a Temple where presently the Moslem mosque Dome of the Rock is located. John the revelator tells us that he saw a new city called the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven from which Christ will rule the earth.
Isaiah also saw a similar vision in the Old Testament: Isaiah 2:2 In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3 Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
In fact, ALL Bible prophecy is either based on Christ, the ancestors of Christ, His country, Israel, or the church which sprang from the 12 tribes of Israel. And to understand this prophecy, we will have to also some of the history surrounding this nation.
In the Dawning era of world government at the time of the first establishment of the Nation of Israel, the powers of the world were few.
God had instructed Abraham to leave his hometown city of Ur in Babylonia and to go into the land of Canaan and create the nation of Israel. But after Abraham’s death a famine hit the area causing his descendants to move the tribes of Israel to Egypt.
The Bible reports this was a disaster for the young nation, as they eventually lost their status as a sovereign nation and were delegated to the position of little more than slaves.
But Egypt had a positive effect on these people as well for when they entered that country, their population was only around 70, but when they left, they left as a nation numbering in the millions.
After 400 years in Egypt, God picked Moses as their leader. He initiated the great exodus and led the Israeli people back to their promised land, the land of Canaan.
Canaan was located north of Egypt and southwest of the Euphrates Valley. In this land of milk and honey, also called the Fertile Crescent because of its geographical lay and its rich, fertile soils, the sovereign nation of Israel was finally forged and settled into an era of growth.
Of course, other peoples had settled Canaan after their 440 year absence (400 in Egypt and 40 on the trip home) and Israel did not just walk back in and unpack their bags. Wars, skirmishes and military conflict with others was prevalent in their early history as a nation.
However, over the course of four or five hundred years, and under the guidance of competent leadership, most notably Kings David and Solomon, the nation of Israel became a mighty people.
After the peaceful reign of Solomon had ended, the country of Israel fell into disagreement and divided. The northern part of the country contained 10 of the 12 tribes and came to be known simply as Israel. The southern half retained the other two tribes, Benjamin and the tribe of Judah from whence Jesus would later arise. It became known as Judah, with the city of Jerusalem as its capitol.
Around 750 BC the first assault on Israel by a major world empire occurred when King Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria conquered much of the then known world. Miraculously enough, Judah was not invaded and its people abducted; however, Israel was decimated and captured. The country of Judah was only made to pay tribute in the form of money to the king.
God continued to bless Judah for another 150 years until it was time for their difficulty.
We now turn to the Book of Daniel. Where true end-time prophecy really begins.