The Wealth of the World’s Final Superpower Nation – Israel
By Micah Winefeld
Although the world does not realize it, the tiny nation of Israel will be the last global superpower. According to the Scriptures, at the end of the most deadly and destructive time in human history – the Tribulation Period – the Lord Jesus will supernaturally return to earth from heaven and destroy the global political systems at Armageddon. (Daniel 2:42-45; Joel 3:1-17; Zechariah 14:1-15; Revelation 19:11-20:6) After this occurs, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will reign over all the earth for 1,000 years from Jerusalem, Israel. “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.” (Zechariah 14:9)
One of the aspects of this millennial kingdom that is usually overlooked is the wealth that will come to the tiny nation of Israel, the only Jewish nation in all of human history. One of the defining elements of a superpower nation is wealth that gives it ability to flex economic superiority over the rest of the world. In a very limited sense, this will be true of the nation of Israel. Ultimately, Israel’s superiority during the millennial kingdom will be vested in her sovereign King – the Lord Jesus Christ.
In this brief article, I would like to explore the Scriptures to examine the economic climate that has surrounded the nation of Israel. Before proceeding, I must stress that Israel’s enemies fear her and the Jewish people. As a result, Israel’s enemies have twisted the truth and propagated lies about her. In the course of world history, Israel and the Jewish people have been the target of vicious rumors. These allegations have centered on a supposed desire by the Jewish people to conquer the world and establish a global empire. All of this has been a part of a devious plot by Satan to twist the Word of God and use it against the Lord and His people. Lies and deception have been part of Satan’s pattern throughout human history. (Matthew 4:1-11) The sheer fact that the final world empire will be Jewish will not come to fruition as a result of the work and will of the Jewish people. This empire will be a divine miracle, ushered in by the return of their Messiah and Savior – the Lord Jesus Christ.
About 4,000 years ago, the Lord told the first Jew, Abraham, that it was His divine plan to bless the nations of the world through the Jewish people. He said to Abraham: “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great’ and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 12:2-3) Notice that the Lord has promised His chosen people, Israel, that they will be His arm of blessing to the nations. God wants to bless the nations and He has chosen to do that through the Jewish people. This blessing has both spiritual and physical implications.
Obviously, as Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4, “salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22) The Bible is a divine revelation that came to us through Jewish prophets and apostles. The Bible is distinctly Jewish – reflecting the Jewish language, history, customs, geography, and culture. The Messiah and only Savior of the world, the God-man – Jesus Christ – was, and forever will be, Jewish. (Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38; Revelation 5:5)
History also demonstrates that the Jewish people have also been a physical blessing to the nations of the world. Many inventions, discoveries, and accomplishments that have benefited mankind came through the Jewish people. God has kept His Word. The Jewish people will forever be a blessing to the world. Clearly, any attempt to eradicate the Jewish people is a strike against God’s arm of blessing to the nations. Perhaps you have heard the expression: “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” This is exactly what Satan is doing when he promotes anti-Semitism. Satan is the thief that Jesus described as the one who has come “to seal, and to kill, and to destroy.” (John 10:10) Satan is the one who “weakens the nations” (Isaiah 14:12) to promote his own hellish agenda. He does not care about mankind. He is God’s adversary and will use anyone and anything in his war against God. He is the destroyer. (Revelation 9:11) As “a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44), Satan has promoted many lies about the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. He is the mastermind behind all hatred currently aimed at the Jewish people in general, and specifically against the nation of Israel.
Please take time to read Psalm 83:1-8. In this text, the Bible makes it emphatically clear that the enemies of God “hate” Him. (verse 2) Their hatred of God is manifested in their hatred of Jews, and their desire to join together to annihilate the nation of Israel. (verses 3-5) The writer of this Psalm names the neighboring nations of Israel as those that have confederated against God with the attempt to destroy the Jewish nation. (verses 6-8) Today, these nations are part of an Islamic coalition in the Middle East that teems with a seething hatred of Israel. These nations are feverishly working to strategize plans to remove the Jews from the Middle Eastern landscape.
Satan has used the nations of the world as a part of his fiendish efforts to thwart God’s eternal plan, which is to bless all people through Israel. However, the Lord will always bless the nation of Israel. These divine blessings can be measured through economic wealth and prosperity. It is important to remember that all wealth is controlled by God! (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19) Moses warned the Jewish people that they need to remember wealth comes from God and is a part of His promise in the covenant He made with them. In Deuteronomy 8:17-18 he said: “And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
Before his death, God directed Moses to warn Israel that as long as a godly remnant within the nation was obedient to Him, He would set them “on high above all nations of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 28:1) In this covenant, the Lord promised He would bless their work and make them rich so they would become a lending nation rather than a borrowing nation. (Deuteronomy 28:11-12) However, if the nation as a whole became wicked and disobedient, He would curse them and make them poor, so that they would cease to be a lending nation. (Deuteronomy 28:4344)
In Israel’s past, God’s blessings of wealth and power came to its zenith during the reign of King Solomon. A casual reading of 2 Chronicles 1-9 gives us a stunning picture of the immense wealth that the Lord brought to Jerusalem during the days of Solomon. 2 Chronicles 1:15 declares that King Solomon “made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones.” 2 Chronicles 9:13 indicates that in one year, 25 tons (50,000 pounds) of gold came into the treasury of King Solomon in Jerusalem. With the price of gold today, that would be valued at 1.3 billion dollars! 1 Kings 10:23 notes that “king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.” After the days of King Solomon, the people rebelled against God. As a consequence, the kingdom was divided, and the immense wealth began to diminish, just as Moses had warned.
However, the wealth of the nation of Israel in the days of King Solomon will be nothing compared to the treasures that will come into the kingdom of our Lord when He reigns in Jerusalem for 1,000 years. For a comprehensive overview of the material abundance that will flow from the Gentile nations into treasury of the King in Israel during His millennial kingdom, read Isaiah 60:6-17. Verse 9 declares: “Surely the isles shall wait for me. And the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.” The wealth in Israel will become so immense that the Lord has promised: “For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron …”
(Isaiah 60:17)
The wealth within Israel and the Gentile nations will increase because of the increased productivity of their work. (Deuteronomy 30:9) The government of the King will promote and implement a perfect moral standard. (Isaiah 40:4) This will all be based upon the Word of God. “…for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:3) The consciences of the people will be strengthened because “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9) The judicial system will be based upon the truth of God. (Isaiah 42:3b) Agricultural efforts will be greatly increased because of perfect climate conditions (Isaiah 30:23), and increased fertility of all the land of the earth. (Isaiah 35:1-2, 6-7; Amos 9:13)
During the kingdom, people will also experience perfect health. There will be no physical diseases or deformities. (Isaiah 33:24; 35:5-6) Lifespans, with few exceptions, will extend throughout the entire 1,000 years. (Isaiah 65:20) Therefore, there will be no life or health insurance premiums to rob wealth from the people.
This kingdom will be a time of global peace. Violence and war will cease. (Isaiah 60:18) “…and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4) Think of the incredible resources that have been wasted in war efforts in the history of man. During the kingdom, all of this will be channeled into efforts to feed the world’s population.
The kingdom of our Lord will be a time of health, peace, and prosperity like the world has never experienced before. Much of this wealth will voluntarily make its way to the treasury of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Jerusalem. They will send their wealth to the King to “show forth the praises of the LORD.” (Isaiah 60:6) The Gentiles will also send their wealth to Israel because they will finally realize the role that the Jewish people have had in their salvation. They will also come to grips with the blessings of God that have flowed through the chosen people to the Gentile nations. Concerning this, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou has been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 60:14-16)
In light of Israel’s past and future, it is most interesting to observe what is taking place in the modern nation of Israel since its beginning on May 14, 1948. It has been amazing to observe the material blessing that the Lord has given to this tiny little nation (the size of the state of New Jersey) in the last 65 years. In spite of Israel’s extraordinary defense budget, the nation has been able to maintain a vibrant economy. In these 65 years, Israel has become a world leader in agriculture, science, computer technology, military innovations, medical discoveries, and educational advancements. In addition to all of this, Israel and Jordan share the wealth in the Dead Sea. Israel has developed a very lucrative business of extracting the minerals from the Dead Sea. Some have estimated that the value of the minerals in the Dead Sea is greater than the combined wealth of all of Europe! Israel has flourished and become one of the world’s leading economic engines. Its currency, the shekel, is one of the strongest in the world.
However, in light of all of this, the leadership in Israel believes the nation is about to embark on an even more prosperous time. Natural gas and oil have been discovered in the Mediterranean off the Israeli coast. It is estimated that natural gas reserves hold “some 122 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas.” (www.timesofisrael.com, March 30, 2013) On Saturday, March 30, natural gas from the pumping station in the Mediterranean began to flow through the pipelines on the ocean floor to a processing plant in Ashdod. It is now flowing into the Israeli market. The Israeli Prime Minister has hailed this as an “important day for the Israeli economy.” (www.timesofisrael.com, March 30, 2013) Israel has now become an energy independent nation. The economic ramifications of this are staggering. In a few short years, Israel will begin to export natural gas, vastly increasing its wealth. One of the CEOs of the companies that helped Israel to explore, drill, and develop these gas reserves recently commented: “This is a new era and is full of opportunities for the Israeli economy, in which one can take advantage of the natural gas on the environmental, geopolitical, social and economic level – and transform Israel into an important international player.” (The Jerusalem Post Christian Edition, May 2013, p. 8)
It is my opinion that this is a prelude to the unimaginable wealth that will exist in Israel during the kingdom. It also helps students of Bible prophecy understand the conditions that will lead to the Gog and Magog invasion of Israel in the last days. My friends, the conditions for this great invasion are rapidly falling into place. Ezekiel 38-39 speaks of a future military invasion of Israel in the last days by Russia, Iran, Ethiopia/Sudan, Libya and Turkey. These nations will attack Israel to plunder it of its economic wealth. In Ezekiel 38:12-13, the prophet wrote that these Islamic nations will attack Israel to “take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. … to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil.”
Notice that these nations consider the abundance of food in Israel as a very valuable part of their wealth. It is amazing to note that Israel is self-sufficient agriculturally. This is not true for the 22 Arab-Islamic nations that surround Israel. These nations have 640 times more land than Israel. Unlike Israel, none of these nations have the soil or climate to produce an abundance of food. The land of Israel still flows with milk and honey. (Leviticus 20:24) As never before, the stage is now set for this great militaristic invasion.
For a number of years now, I have been telling people in my prophetic conferences: “If little Japan could become an economic giant among the nations, without God, we cannot begin to imagine how wealthy Israel will become with God’s aid.” I personally believe that we are about to witness the fulfillment of all of this. This perspective is even greater when one considers that most of the Western nations are deeply mired in debt and on the verge of economic collapse. When this does happen, it will mean that the U.S. and others will not have the military capability to help defend Israel. And, the wealth in Israel will look even more attractive to her Islamic enemies. Thus, it does appear that the time for the Gog and Magog invasion and the divine intervention of the God of Israel to destroy these invading forces are just around the corner.
Get ready to fly! Be ready for the shout that will take us out!
Israel’s Growing Security Concerns
Israel has many security concerns that demand her immediate attention. With the new and more radical Islamic leadership in Egypt, Israel is concerned about the gradual collapse of its cold peace with Egypt. Furthermore, in recent months, the Sinai, controlled by Egypt, has become a magnet for Islamic radicals who have carried out several attacks against Israelis living near the Sinai border.
Israel must also monitor the very serious threat of Iran in its quest to develop a nuclear bomb, while the Iranian leadership continues to call for the complete annihilation of Israel. The current shift in the international community to deal with the North Korean threat has forced the United States to move some of its aircraft carriers that were stationed in the Persian Gulf to the Pacific theater. This has caused an even greater concern for Israel. It now appears that the international community is so focused upon the North Korean threat that Iran is off the radar. Israel fears this has increased the probability that they will have to deal with the Iranians without the aid or support of the international community.
Perhaps a ray of hope was delivered when the U.S. Senate recently passed resolution 65. “The U.S. Senate on Tuesday, April 16, overwhelmingly voted in favor of adopting a resolution stating that America will support Israel should the latter decide it is necessary to attack Iran’s nuclear program. Senate Resolution 65 reaffirms America’s unwavering support for Israel’s security and continued existence, and calls upon the White House to provide military, diplomatic and economic backing should Israel feel compelled to strike Iran as an act of preemptive self-defense. Seventy out of 100 senators voted in favor of the motion.” (www.israeltoday.co.il, April 17, 2013) We must pray and hope that the Obama administration will accept and support this resolution.
Another situation of great concern for Israel is the growing security nightmare on its northern border on the Golan with Syria. It is only a matter of time before the Assad regime in Syria will collapse. For several decades, the Golan border with Syria has been relatively quiet. Assad and his father before him had chosen to attack Israel by supporting the Islamic terrorist group called Hezbollah, firmly entrenched in southern Lebanon only a few miles from the Israeli border. However, it appears that all of this about to change.
In recent weeks, the fighting between Islamic radicals, including Al-Qaeda rebels, and the forces that are defending Assad, have been exchanging fire near the Golan border with Israel. Some of the rebels recently captured 21 U.N. peacekeepers on the Syrian side on the border and held them for several days before they were released.
Israel is greatly concerned that when the Assad regime collapses that radical Islamic elements that take over Syria will attempt to use Israel’s northern border for a military base, like Hamas in Gaza, to attack them. As a result, “Israel is currently building a fortified security fence on the Golan border.” (Aviel Schneider, “Trouble on the Golan Border with Syria,” Israel Today, April 2013, p. 7)
All of these very serious security concerns for Israel certainly illustrate what Jesus told His Jewish disciples in Matthew 24. They asked Him, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3) Part of His reply was: “And ye shall hear of 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. … and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” (Matthew 24:6, 9) Without question, we are watching these signs of the coming of our Lord at this very hour!
Islam’s Attack against Christians and Jews
Whether you study history or Bible prophecy, it is clear that Muslims have been taught to hate, insult and even kill Christians and Jews. This practice is traced back to the teaching and lifestyle of their founding prophet, Muhammad. As we watch Islam grow around the world, it is also clear, for those who are willing to do the research and face the facts, that many Islamic leaders are still promoting hatred and war against Jews and Christians. The following quotes from articles in a recent issue of Israel Today illustrate this: “A sermon aired on Egypt’s Al Omma TV demonstrated the growing hostility toward Christians in that nation following the election of an Islamist government led by the radical Muslim Brotherhood. Egyptian cleric Ahmed Mohammed Abdallah, better known as Abu Islam, declared that the basis of the Christian faith is the worship of male genitalia, and that Christian women will practice bestiality rather than go without a husband. … In a separate episode of his popular show, Abu Islam said it was permissible for Muslim men to rape Muslim women taking part in protests against Egypt’s new Islamist regime because those women had in effect lowered themselves to the level of Christians.” (Ryan Jones, “Christians Are Idol Worshippers and Beasts,” Israel Today, April, 2013, p. 9)
In another article entitled “Slaughter the Jews,” Israel Today reports the following: “Doh-based Echo Media Qatar has begun a work on a multi-million dollar movie commemorating the 7th century extermination of an entire Jewish community in Arabia by the Prophet Mohammed and his early Muslim followers. Titled Khaiber after the name of the Jewish town that was wiped out, the movie was written by a prominent Egyptian screenwriter and will feature a number of famous Arab actors from across the region. …
“Indeed, chants of ‘Remember Khaiber!” and [slaughter the Jews] remain regular features of Arab demonstrations across the Middle East, which is one reason why many Israelis remain skeptical about ‘peace.’ They simply do not believe that the Muslim masses have moved past their desire to either eliminate or subjugate the Jews.” (Ryan Jones, “Slaughter the Jews!” Israel Today, April 2013, p. 9)
According to the final book of the Bible, the kingdom of the Antichrist, and the religion that He promotes, will kill Jews and believers in Christ and rape their women. (Zechariah 14:2; Revelation 12:13-17; 17:6; 18:24; 20:4) These practices of Islam against Jews and Christians have been promoted for 1,400 years and will continue until the end of this age. The stage is set for the final showdown between the God of Israel and the god of Ishmael – Islam.
Get ready for the shout that will take us out!