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Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy
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The Jewish Spiritual Awakening
“And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Delieverer,and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” – Romans 11:26
By Mike Wingfield
As 2016 begins, it is very evident that our world is being uniquely prepared for the return of our Lord for His church, and the subsequent events of the Tribulation Period. The Scriptures are filled with detailed descriptions of this unique and unprecedented period of time. The prophetic Scriptures, both in the Old and New Testaments, highlight the spiritual, political, economic, moral, climactic, and geological trends that will unfold during the day of the Lord.
Our world is rapidly moving toward a major military conflict that will engulf all of the nations, ultimately leading to Armageddon. ISIS is exporting its brutal savagery from the Middle East into Europe and the United States, while declaring that they are establishing a global Islamic empire controlled by the law of the Koran. Iran continues to threaten the destruction of Israel, to chant death to America, and to plan to dominate the Middle East as it develops weapons of mass destruction. All of this is a part of their strategy to create a global Islamic empire. A dangerous Islamic regime is developing in Turkey that is aligning itself with more militant Shiite Islamic elements in the Middle East. Just like ISIS and Iran, these elements in Turkey have the ambition of creating a global Islamic government. Saudi Arabia and Iran seem to be moving toward a major conflict, raising tensions in the Persian Gulf. Russia continues to strive for more global power as it rattles the sabers of war in the Ukraine and Syria, while joining forces with militant Islamic nations in the Middle East. The leadership of North Korea continues to spew out dangerous rhetoric, threatening to annihilate the United States. As all of this unfolds, it is obvious that, in general, our world is becoming a more dangerous place to live. A spirit of lawlessness, hatred, and violence is escalating out of control.
The Scriptures indicate that shortly after the Tribulation Period begins, one-fourth of the world’s population will be killed in hellish attacks by those who love violence and death. (Revelation 6:8) As we witness Islamic jihadists’
efforts around the globe, we can begin to understand how all of this will unfold. We live at a time when the West is protecting and promoting Islam. When the Islamic Antichrist arrives, they will worship him. (Revelation 13:8)
All of this global anarchy is being promoted and welcomed by the world’s evil political systems that want to seize the moment of fear and confusion so that they can exercise their power over the nations to their own end. The communists, socialists, and Muslims have cast their political lots together, with the hope that the old world order can be replaced by a New World Order of their choosing. It is my opinion that this political marriage will form the fragile but dangerous regime of the Antichrist. (Revelation 17:12-13) It is not an accident that the President of the United States is promoting a socialist agenda, while protecting the global image of Islam.
Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Argentina, and Puerto Rico are all on the brink of economic collapse. Other major global economic players, like China and the U.S., are facing serious economic stress that signals dangerous and unpredictable days are ahead. The U.S federal debt is at more than $19 trillion, while our total debt is more than $100 trillion. With such spiraling debt, this could be the year that the default of the U.S. government takes place. The Scriptures indicate that the Tribulation Period will begin with a time of hyper-inflation. (Revelation 6:6)
While we are bewildered by all of this, we are furthermore stunned by the moral madness of our world. Pornography, prostitution, sex-slavery, homosexuality, lesbianism, and bestiality are all being embraced by the global population. All of this is accompanied by a total disregard for marriage and the sanctity of the home. The moral foundation of life has crumbled before our eyes. All of these are signs of a global culture that has departed from God and has passed the spiritual point of no return. (Romans 1:18-32)
While these horrific trends catapult our world deeper into an age of spiritual darkness, it is refreshing to turn to another very significant sign that also indicates that we have arrived at the end of this age. Perhaps one of the most relevant and exciting signs of the end times is the spiritual awakening that is beginning to take place within Jewish circles.
Anyone who has studied the history of the church knows that since the first century, the Jewish people have adamantly rejected the gospel and refused to even consider that Jesus is the Messiah and Savior. However, all of this is about to end! According to the New Testament, the end of this age will begin with an end to Jewish spiritual blindness. (Romans 11:25)
We must recognize that salvation is not a matter of the exercise of the human will alone. Without the preliminary work of the Holy Spirit before the moment of conversion, salvation is totally impossible. Romans 3:11 states: “there is none that seeketh after God.” 1 Corinthians 12:3 declares that no one can call Jesus Christ Lord, unless the Holy Spirit has done His work to lead the sinner to faith in Christ.
The Scriptures indicate that a majority of Jewish people are currently in a state of spiritual blindness. (Romans 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:13-16) This state of spiritual blindness will continue “until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Romans 11:25) This simply means, when the Lord’s divine completion of the predominately Gentile church is complete, He will return to His promise to enlighten a remnant of His chosen people, Israel. Eventually, all of living Israel will be saved. (Ezekiel 36:25-32; Zechariah 12:10-13:9; Romans 11:26)
When the final 7 years of this age begins, it will feature the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit in history! (Joel 2:28-32) On the very first day of the Tribulation Period, the Lord will send two very special Jewish witnesses. (Malachi 4:4-6; Revelation 11:3-6) Without question, these two witnesses will proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, and call the nation of Israel to repentance. Notice that after their deaths at the mid-point of the Tribulation by the forces of the Antichrist, their disciples “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17)
According to Revelation 7:1-8 and 14:1-5, some of the disciples of these two witnesses will be 144,000 young Jewish men. They, along with tens of thousands of other Jewish people, will come to realize that Jesus is their Messiah and Savior. (Joel 2:28-32) It is amazing to read Joel’s prophecy and note that the salvation of the Jewish people will be accompanied by dreams and visions. (Joel 2:28) As you read this, we are hearing amazing testimonies of thousands of Muslims in the Middle East, who are having dreams and visions of Jesus, and after hearing the gospel, they are being saved. Many of these converts have already been martyred by ISIS, while many others are suffering persecution as they share the gospel with their Muslim families and friends. Will these visions and dreams begin to happen in Israel with the Jewish people? Is this the same kind of dreams and visions mentioned by the prophet Joel? Only time will tell!
The spiritual awakening that will take place in Jewish hearts and minds at the beginning of the Tribulation Period is unprecedented! There were only 3,000 people saved on the day of Pentecost (they were all Jews). (Acts 2:41) This will be supernaturally dwarfed by the amazing conversion of the 144,000 Jewish witnesses — 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. (Revelation 7:1-8) These young Jewish converts are called “the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 14:4) This indicates they will be some of the first Jewish people to be saved at the beginning of the Tribulation Period. So, like on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, their conversions will take place in a very short period of time. We cannot begin to imagine the impact this will have on Jewish people in Israel and around the world!
In light of this, we are witnessing a great movement in Jewish circles that is preparing for this spiritual awakening. In December, Israel Today reported: “More than 25 prominent rabbis from Israel and abroad recently issued a statement calling for a renewed look at Jesus, Christians and the New Testament faith. Quoting from their own sages, these outstanding Orthodox rabbis are not ashamed to exalt the name of Jesus, welcoming the carpenter from Nazareth back into the Jewish fold. … What we are now witnessing is the undoing of 2,000 years of Jewish rejection and animosity towards Jesus, a miracle by any estimation. For the out-and-out refusal by Jews to accept Jesus is slowly, but surely, coming to an end, as growing numbers of prestigious Orthodox rabbis welcome Jesus back.” (www.israeltoday.co.il, December 24, 2015)
Friends, this has NEVER happened before. As expected, this announcement by several Orthodox Jewish rabbis has caused a great stir of opposition in Israel. This is to be expected. However, when Moses and Elijah, the two witnesses who will appear at the beginning of the Tribulation, confront this opposition, it will melt like a snowball in July! Regardless of this opposition, this announcement signals that a great Jewish awakening is approaching! I am absolutely convinced that the Rapture of the church is upon us. I hope that you are ready, and know the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.
As we come to the end of this age, I am appalled at the attitude that so-called Christians have toward Israel and the Jewish people. With a very heavy heart of shame, I need to remind you that during the last 19 centuries, the church has divorced itself from the very doctrinal foundation of the true church. Most of the church in this 21st century is not practicing true Biblical Christianity!
The early church began in Jerusalem, with Jewish believers, following Jewish apostles, and worshipping a Jewish Messiah and Savior. For the first couple of decades of church history, the church was distinctly Jewish. The Jewish believers’ meetings took place in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem (Acts 2:46; 3:11; 5:12, 42) and the many synagogues in Israel and throughout the ancient world. (Acts 9:2) For the first few decades, the early church proclaimed and taught the only Scriptures they had, the Old Testament. The first New Testament book, James, was not written until 45 A.D., 15 years after the church began. The New Testament was written by Jewish apostles and their associates to a predominately Jewish audience.
You might ask, “Does this really matter to us?” Absolutely! We, as members of the true body of Christ, have been commanded to follow the doctrine of the early church, which is the doctrine of the Jewish apostles. (1 Timothy 1:3; 4:13-16; 2 Timothy 1:13; 3:16-17; 2 Peter 3:1-2) This doctrine is the body of what we call “The New Testament.”
Salvation has come to the world through the Jewish people. Jesus said, “Salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22) Through them, we have received our eternal Savior, the sacred Scriptures (Romans 3:2), a godly heritage, and abiding faith! (Hebrews 11:8-12:1)
The Christian faith is a Jewish faith! The true church is a body of saved Jews and Gentiles that are members of one body that has a Jewish foundation and cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:14-22) Using the analogy of God’s work as an olive tree, Gentiles (as wild olive branches) have been supernaturally grafted onto a Jewish tree with Jewish roots. (Romans 11:16-18)
This simply means that when we study our Bibles and worship our Lord, we should do this with Jewish eyes and a Jewish heart! Jesus called the Jewish people “my brethren.” (Matthew 25:40) He said that whatever we do to them is a manifestation of what we are doing as unto Him. (Matthew 25:31-40)
The church is to have a missions and evangelism effort that is to be “to the Jew first.” (Romans 1:16) It is God’s desire that the faith of the predominately Gentile church would provoke Israel “to jealousy.” (Romans 11:11)
For 19 centuries there has been a sharp division between the church and the Jewish people. Many Gentiles in the church have falsely accused the Jews of being “Christ killers.” It is true that the Jewish people of the 1st century rejected Christ, and called for His death. However, we must remember what Jesus said before His crucifixion: “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself…” (John 10:17-18) According to the prophet Isaiah, Jesus was “smitten of God.” (Isaiah 53:4) It was the Father who “bruised him; … put him to grief: …[and made] his soul an offering for sin.” (Isaiah 53:10) While understanding all of this, on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the Apostle Peter looked into the eyes of His fellow Jewish brethren and said: “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain…” (Acts 2:22-23)
In light of these Scriptures, it should be observed that the apostles of the New Testament NEVER viewed the Jewish rejection of Jesus as a means whereby the Father would reject the Jewish people and replace Israel with the church. In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul was directed by the Holy Spirit to record, under divine inspiration, the answer to this question that was being asked only a few decades after the beginning of the church. Read his answer in Romans 9-11. Paul’s conclusion is that the beginning of the church, which included Gentiles, was not the end of God’s covenant with Israel. Furthermore, He warned the Gentile believers about their arrogant attitude toward Israel. In Romans 11:18-25, he admonished the Gentile church to not “boast” against the Jews, thinking that God is done with the sons of Jacob, believing the church is separate from Israel in their standing before God. He further reminded the Gentile church that their faith was still grounded in the Jewish roots of His unconditional covenant with Israel. Later, Paul admonished the Gentile believers to not be willingly uninformed about God’s future plans for Israel. Furthermore, He warned them to not “be wise in your own conceits.”
In spite of these Scriptures, very influential Gentile leaders in the early church taught that God was finished with Israel and that the church had replaced Israel as God’s chosen people. Unfortunately, this false teaching became the prevalent view and has been taught in most Christian circles for 19 centuries. Today, this false doctrine is called “Replacement Theology.”
Replacement Theology is the major view in both Catholic and Protestant churches here in America. Those who hold this view (like Rick Warren and Joel Olsten), have been guilty of twisting the Scriptures to reject Israel. In effect, they have attempted to create a non-Jewish faith. This is not the faith of the New Testament!
All those who adopt this view have a major problem understanding Biblical prophecy. Obviously, if their view is correct, there can be no future prophecies that relate to Israel or the Jewish people. Therefore, they are forced to do two things: Minimize prophecy and ignore it, and adopt an allegorical interpretation of all Scriptures that do not support their view. This is not only tragic; it is dangerous! Those who love and respect the Lord, must approach all of His Word with a sense of awe, integrity, and honor. We should never attempt to force the Word of God to fit our world view. We must humbly accept the reality that we do not think like God! And, that is putting it mildly!! In Isaiah 55:8-9, the Lord says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and thoughts than your thoughts.”
Another evidence of the prevalence of Replacement Theology in American churches is the growing movement in Christian circles to support the Palestinian cause of creating a Muslim state on the “West Bank,” the very heartland of the territory promised to the Jewish people forever! (Genesis 13:14-15) These same Christians also support the economic sanctions on all Jewish products from the “West Bank.” They also believe and adopt the lies that are being circulated about Israel. In reality, those who believe in and promote the applications of Replacement Theology are blindly supporting the spirit of Antichrist. They are in direct opposition to the will and work of God in our world today!
As New Testament believers, we do not have the liberty to change or challenge the teachings of the Apostles. The Scriptures are the very foundation of our faith. We are exhorted to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3) Sadly, we live at a time when most church leaders are attempting to reinvent the church. We are living in days of great apostasy and spiritual confusion. (1 Timothy 4:1-2) Furthermore, the people in the pews are Biblically illiterate and are being swept along in the floods of deception.
It is very clear from the prophetic Scriptures, and the growth of the modern nation of Israel, that God is not done with His people. After all of the living church saints have been raptured, the Lord will revive His unique plans for the Jewish people. The spiritual implications of both the Tribulation Period and the kingdom are distinctly Jewish. During the Tribulation Period, salvation and deliverance shall go forth from Jerusalem. (Joel 2:32) During the kingdom, “out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:3) Then, the Gentile nations will respect and admire the Jewish people and bless them. (Isaiah 60:3-17; 62:1-4, 12)
It is obvious to me that we are now witnessing the beginning of a powerful movement of the Spirit of God in the global Jewish community. As the church observes this, what should be our reaction? What does the Holy Spirit want us to do at this hour?
We should fulfill our mission to make the Jewish people jealous of the Jewish faith that is in our hearts. (Romans 11:11) We should love them and pray that their spiritual eyes will be opened to the gospel. We need to make our evangelism efforts “to the Jew first.” (Romans 1:16) We need to pray for the Messianic pastors and congregations in Israel and around the world. We need to check our attitudes about Jewish people. We need to honor them, and thank them for the part they have had in providing us with our faith.
Christians should prayerfully and financially support the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel. We should pray that the Jewish people will occupy all of Jerusalem and the Promised Land. Only those who promote the spirit of antichrist will support the division of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. This is what the Antichrist will do. (Daniel 11:39) The division of the Promised Land will be the divine reason for Armageddon. (Joel 3:2)
We need to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” (Psalm 122:6) We need to pray that the Lord will deliver Israel from its enemies. We must recognize that the nation of Israel is on the front lines of the war between heaven and hell. Satan hates Israel and wants to destroy this fulfillment of the ancient Biblical prophecies. Israel’s war is a war against an apocalyptic Islam that wants to conquer the entire world. Those who stand with God should pray that the Lord will deliver Israel from the Islamic hordes that love war, violence, deception, and death.
According to the Bible, the redemption of the world is bound up in Israel! If Israel is destroyed, the Word of the Lord is not true! God will have failed! Satan will have won! And, our faith would be null and void!!
Praise the Lord, we know this is not true. The preservation of Israel is bound up in the eternal, unchanging, and faithful power of God! (Psalm 121) The Lord has declared: “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6)
Israel is Returning to “the Land of their Fathers”
The Palestinians, and many others in the world, reject the record of the Scriptures, and claim that the Jewish people never inhabited the land of Israel or the city of Jerusalem before modern times. For those of us who claim that the Bible is our final authority in all matters, we do not need any other proof. However, we live in incredible times when the historical record of the Bible is being verified by archeological findings in Israel almost every week.
For example, most Biblical scholars agree that Daniel’s prophecy about a very powerful Hellenistic Greek king who would destroy the temple and stop the sacrifices, was the historical leader known as Antiochus Epiphanes. There never was any scientific proof to indicate that this powerful Greek leader was ever in Jerusalem. However, that all changed a few months ago. Archeologists at the site of the ancient city of David, have uncovered a military garrison that was built by Antiochus Epiphanes. They found lead slingshots, bronze arrowheads, and ballista stones stamped with a trident, “which symbolized the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes.” (The International Jerusalem Post, December 11-17, 2015, p. 7) A tourist group that I led this past November was able to see and photograph this military garrison.
Following this, a more amazing archeological discovery took place closer to the site of the ancient Jewish Temple Mount. On December 2, Israeli archeologists announced they had uncovered the royal seal of King Hezekiah, who reigned in Jerusalem over 2,700 years ago (727-698 B.C.).
Around the impression on this seal was an inscription in ancient Hebrew, stating: “Belonging to Hezekiah [son of] Ahaz king of Judah.” The impression contained “a two-winged sun with wings turned downward, flanked by two ankh symbols serving as emblems of life.” (The International Jerusalem Post, December 11-17, 2015, p. 13) It is believed that Hezekiah added these emblems to his royal seal when his life was extended by God after he discovered he had a life-threatening disease. God caused the sun to go backwards by ten degrees to give Hezekiah a sign that he would be healed. (2 Kings 20:1-11) Therefore, this seal (pictured below) symbolically depicted Hezekiah’s extended life and the sun going
backwards as a proof of God’s promise. Think about this! The Lord has allowed us to see a piece of historical proof that one of the greatest questioned miracles in the Bible did take place, and was recognized on the royal seal of the king of Judah!
Long ago, the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed that the Lord would return His people “to the land that I gave to their fathers and they shall posses it.” (Jeremiah 30:3) The Lord has kept His promise. The Jewish people are returning to the land of their fathers. And, no one is going to successfully remove them from Jerusalem or their land. It is settled in heaven.
The record of all of this has been preserved in the written Word of God and on the historical artifacts being unearthed in the land of the Bible. Only fools deny these realities and question the God of truth!
Muslim Sheikh Claims Islam is the Protector of Jews
A few weeks ago, a Yale University Professor, Sheikh Omer Salem, a PhD graduate of Al Azhar University in Cairo, visited Israel and spoke at Haifa University. According to Israel Today, Sheikh Salem believes that the Koran teaches that the Jews have the right to their land, even the Temple Mount. He believes that when Islam rules the world in the future, as in the past, they should be the protector of Jews.
He told his Israeli audience that eventually Allah would give the Jewish people their Temple Mount. He said: “You will get the Temple Mount, but that needs to happen in stages. Muslims will agree to remove the mosque, but it must be initiated by the Muslims. If Jews try to do it there will be great bloodshed. When it [the removal of the mosque] will happen it will be a gift from Allah. He is the one who will turn the hearts of the Muslims.” (www.israeltoday.co.il)
This is exactly what I believe the Scriptures teach. The Antichrist will establish a false peace covenant with Israel, marking the beginning the Tribulation Period. (Daniel 9:27) He will promise the protection of Israel and allow them to rebuild their Jewish temple on the Temple Mount. Isn’t it amazing that Sheikh Salem has told Israel to expect this?
After the Antichrist has successfully conquered the world, he will break his covenant with Israel and invade the Temple Mount, halting Jewish worship. (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15-22; 2 Thessalonians 2:4) The stage is set! Get ready for the shout that will take us out!
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