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April 2024 – God Loves Israel

April 2024

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God Loves Israel

“I have loved thee [Israel] with an everlasting love.” Jeremiah 31:3

By Mike Wingfield

If you publicly declare today that you love Jewish people and the nation of Israel, there will be many who hate you. Hatred for Jews is spreading like a disease around the world. Since Hamas’ invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, anti-Jewish hate crimes are reaching historic levels. It is now reported that approximately one-fourth of people living in the U.S. hate Jewish people. Sadly, many of these people claim to be Christians.

Many people hate the Jews because they believe the ancient lies about the Jewish people that have been in existence for centuries. They view the Jewish people as being in positions of wealth and control. Some believe Jews are trying to take over the world. Others simply hate them without knowing anything about the Jews. They hate them because they choose to hate them.

Speaking about the signs at the end of this age, Jesus said to His Jewish disciples, “Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9). Before He went to the cross, Jesus said to His disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. … They hated me without a cause” (John 15:18, 25).

Many people may not know it, but when they hate the Jewish people, they are acting like God’s greatest adversary, Satan. No one hates Israel and the Jewish people more than Satan. Throughout the centuries Satan has enflamed and magnified people’s hatred for God’s chosen people.

When people hate the Jewish people, they are acting like God’s greatest adversary, Satan. There is no one who hates Israel and the Jewish people more than Satan. Throughout the centuries Satan has enflamed and magnified people’s hatred for God’s chosen people.

Satan knows how deeply God loves the Jewish people. This evil enemy of God understands God’s heart, purposes, and eternal design for the Jewish people. Satan knows that God has created the Jewish people and blessed them to demonstrate His faithful, infinite, and glorious character. The devil knows that God has invested His reputation and sovereign plans to bless the entire world through the Jewish people (Genesis 12:2-3).

Satan’s goal is to dethrone God and exalt himself above all the angels, and to possess all of heaven and earth (Isaiah 14:12-14). Therefore, he has chosen to attack God by striking at God’s heart. He must defeat God by destroying Israel and the Jewish people. History demonstrates that this has been his objective from the beginning of the nation of Israel in Egypt almost 3,900 years ago.

Revelation 12 reveals that Satan is the cause of anti-Semitism. In this imagery, the woman who is about to give birth to a male child is Israel. The dragon that is before the woman stands ready to devour the male child, and then the woman, is Satan. Before and during Christ’s First Coming, Satan did everything he could to destroy the plan of God by attacking God’s Son. He tried to kill Jesus (Matthew 2:16; Luke 4:28-30; John 8:59). He also tried to disqualify Jesus as the sinless Son of God (Matthew 4:1-11).

After Jesus defeated Satan’s schemes, He completed His Father’s mission and ascended back to heaven. Since that time Satan’s major objective has been to eliminate the Jewish people and annihilate the nation of Israel. He is doing this to prevent the Second Coming of Christ. He knows that if he is unsuccessful in this effort, he will be cast into the bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-2), and then into the Lake of Fire for all eternity (Revelation 20:10). As always, Satan has used the godless Gentile nations in his conflict with God. One of his favorite tools are wicked, godless human governments and their evil leaders.

In Revelation 12:7-8, the apostle John indicated that this war against Israel is an extension of the war in heaven between the good angels of God and the demons of the dragon, Satan. This simply indicates that the central focus of the war in the spiritual realm is focused upon the nation of Israel. In Daniel 12:1 and Revelation 12:7, it is noted that Michael the archangel is “the great prince which [stands] for the children of [Daniel’s] people” – the Jewish people. Michael is known as the most powerful angel in God’s war efforts against Satan. The fact that God has placed His most powerful angel in charge of defending Israel against Satan indicates just how serious this war is in the overall scheme of the battle between God and Satan.

Since Christ’s First Coming it has been Satan’s major objective to eliminate the Jewish people and to annihilate the nation of Israel. He is doing this to prevent the Second Coming of Christ. … One of his favorite tools are wicked godless human governments and their evil leaders.

Since the beginning of God’s choice to make the Jewish people His own people, Satan has used sinful man to attack the people of God. Without knowing it, people and nations have aided Satan in his efforts to annihilate the Jewish people. The Bible teaches that before a person is redeemed by God, they are manipulated by Satan to accomplish hell’s agenda. The apostle Paul described all sinners as those who prior to their salvation “walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now [works] in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2).

Why should Bible-believing, conservative, evangelical Christians love the Jewish people and Israel? When a person becomes a follower of Jesus as his Messiah and Savior, he must also accept Him as his Lord. If Jesus is our Lord, that means we should obey His commands and agree with His eternal will. Jesus, our Jewish Savior, taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). The future kingdom that Jesus instructed us to pray about was not a spiritual kingdom, but a physical kingdom on earth. We will return to earth and reign with Christ in His kingdom over the nations for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6). Christ will rule in His kingdom from the throne of David in Jerusalem, Israel over all nations (Isaiah 2:1-4). This kingdom was a promise given to the Jewish people in many Old Testament texts. Therefore, we should love Jesus and His people, Israel, and joyfully pray for this kingdom to come.

The divine calling of Israel is of great importance and is the foundation of God’s dealing with Israel and all other nations. Since God chose this nation for His divine purposes, what He does to the Jewish nation and all other nations reflects His divine sovereign power and authority over all His creation.

One of the great themes in the Bible is God’s love for His chosen people, Israel. God has openly stated that He loves Israel. Speaking to Israel through His servant Moses 3,400 years ago, God said, “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8).

This divine calling of Israel is of great importance and is the foundation of God’s dealing with Israel and all other nations. Since God chose this nation for His divine purposes, what He does to the Jewish nation and all other nations reflects His divine sovereign power and authority over all His creation. God has chosen to bless those who bless Israel and to curse those who curse Israel (Genesis 12:3). Those who attack Israel are attacking God. Therefore, Israel’s enemies are God’s enemies (Psalm 83:1-4). The history and prophecy of Israel are filled with miracles. God’s supernatural hand upon His people should be a powerful warning to all people concerning what awaits those who oppose the sovereign will and plans of God! “All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity” (Isaiah 40:17).

Several things need to be recognized concerning God’s calling of Israel into a covenant relationship with Him. God has designated them to be a “holy people unto the Lord” (Deuteronomy 7:6). This does not have any application to their spiritual salvation. The word holy simply means they have been “set apart” by God for His purposes. God has chosen them to be a special people “above all people that are upon the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6). The word “special” in Hebrew, segulah, designates Israel as God’s treasured possession. It indicates that the person who owns this possession has a special affection for it. It means that the owner considers that possession to be of great value to him. In four other Old Testament texts, the same Hebrew word is translated “a peculiar treasure” (Exodus 19:5).

This means that the nation of Israel is considered by God to be His personal treasured possession. He has declared, “This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise” (Isaiah 43:21). He has said to Israel, “Thou art mine” (Isaiah 43:1). When God’s work in Israel is complete at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom, He will say to them, “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God” (Isaiah 62:3). The Lord has declared that this will be “that day when I make up my jewels” (Malachi 3:17).

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God has feelings and emotions. He is not some sovereign robot in heaven without any feelings. However, we must understand that God’s love is more than just emotions. It is not a reaction to the object of His love. It is a self-purposed act of His holiness for His own eternal purposes and glory.

od’s ancient calling of the nation of Israel has not been abandoned by God. Notice Jeremiah 31:1, 3, “At the same time [the time of the end], saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. … The LORD hath appeared of old unto me saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

Many people believe that God has forsaken His covenant with the Jewish people and replaced them with the church. At the heart of this confusion, called Replacement Theology, is the misunderstanding of the very nature and character of God. God’s love for Israel flows out of His sovereign will. It is an act that flows out of His infinite character of faithfulness and mercy (Deuteronomy 7:8). Since God does not change, neither does His nature. He is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). This unchangeable character guarantees that Israel cannot be consumed (Malachi 3:6)

He does not love the Jewish people because they deserve it. God knew that when He called Israel, they would be a rebellious people (Isaiah 48:8). Like all of humanity (both Jew and Gentile), there is none that seeks after God in his own spirit (Romans 3:9-18). However, because of God’s covenant with Abraham, God chose to exercise His patience and did not destroy them. For the sake of His own glory, God has acted with infinite love and promised that someday Israel will be redeemed (Romans 11:26-27).

Often, we forget that God lives in the eternal now (Isaiah 57:15). God has no past or future. With Him, it is all present. Therefore, God’s love for Israel is not based upon what the Jewish people do at any moment in time. God has loved Israel despite their rebellious spirit, and He sees the day that will come when all living Israel, the final generation, will call unto Him in repentance and be saved (Zechariah 12:10-13:9).

In Jeremiah 31:3, God declared to Israel, “with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” The Hebrew word for “loving kindness” is hesed. This speaks of a loyal love, unfailing love based upon devotion that is steadfastly built upon a prior relationship. It speaks of merciful and unfailing love that is an act of the sovereign choice of God. Not on emotions alone.

The psalmist frequently celebrated God’s mercy shown to Israel. The Psalms were written by godly men to whom were given great insight by the Spirit of God. They recognized Israel’s sin, but they also saw God’s great mercy. Because of His mercy they were not rejected or consumed by His wrath. See Psalm 89 and 136. We should all rejoice that “the LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy” (Psalm 145:8). “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not” (Lamentations 3:22).

God has feelings and emotions. He is not some sovereign robot in heaven without any feelings. However, we must understand that God’s love is more than just emotions. It is not a reaction to the object of His love. It is a self-purposed act of His holiness for His own eternal purposes and glory. God works “all things after the counsel of his own will” (Ephesians 1:11). God’s glory is not invested in the object of His love, but in His own glory. God’s choice and calling should not bring about any pride in the object of God’s love. God has chosen weak people, foolish persons, and the people who are the rejected and despised people of the world, so that “no flesh should glory in his presence” (1 Corinthians 1:29).

God’s love for His people Israel can be seen in two ways. First, God has attached Himself to the nation by using its name as a reference to Himself. He has declared 46 times in the Bible that Israel is His people and that He is their God! After they have been scattered among the nations for thousands of years, in the end He says, “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness” (Zechariah 8:7-8).

Names in the Bible are very important. Names are designed to reflect the character or the divine nature of that person’s calling. God’s name in the Bible is holy (Psalm 111:9). The very mention of God’s name is to be approached with great reverence (Exodus 20:7). God has forever attached His identity to the Jewish people. He has called Himself “The Holy One of Israel,” “The God of Israel,” “The God of Jacob,” and “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

God has determined that when people observe the Jewish people, they can learn something about His very nature. God’s work among His people teaches us much about His grace and mercy. It also demonstrates that God is infinitely patient and faithful. God has repeatedly used great miracles in the history of Israel. These miracles are a demonstration of God’s awesome power. The nation of Israel is a testimony to the truthfulness of God’s Word. His promises never fail! The history of Israel demonstrates that God is serious about punishing sin and unfaithfulness to God. The Jewish people also demonstrate God’s infinite love for those who are unworthy of that love.

Hundreds of times in the Bible, God refers to Israel as “my people.” As previously mentioned, God has a unique covenant with only one nation and ethnic group – Israel and the Jewish people. He has set them apart and high above all other nations. In the truest sense of the word, they are His people. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus referred to the Jewish people as “my brethren.” With this comment, Jesus said to

those whom He was speaking, that what they did to His people they had done to Him. When you attack Israel, you are attacking God! God said that those who touch Him, touch “the apple of his eye” (Zechariah 2:8). This means that the Jew is the central focus of God in His eternal plan. As goes God’s divine will and purpose, so goes the nation of Israel. God’s will and the nation of Israel are intertwined in the mind and heart of God! That is why Israel is the target of hell and all the devil’s demons!

Hundreds of times in the Bible, God refers to Israel as “my people.” As previously mentioned, God has a unique covenant with only one nation and ethnic group – Israel and the Jewish people. He has set them apart and high above all other nations. In the truest sense of the word, they are His people.

In the Bible, God gives many symbolic illustrations of the identity of Israel. In Exodus 4:22, Moses declared to Pharoah, “Israel is my son, even my first born.” In the culture of the Middle East, the first-born son held a position of honor and importance over all his siblings. How fitting for God to refer to the nation of Israel in these terms. In Exodus 19:5, God spoke to Israel and said, you are a “treasure unto me above all people.” With great affection, He referred to Israel as His vineyard (Isaiah 5:7). Israel is the unique flock of God (Isaiah 40:11). At Mount Horeb in Exodus 19, God met with Israel and gave them a covenant that is recognized in the Bible as a marriage covenant. In the Bible, Israel is known as the wife of Jehovah. When the end comes, God will renew His relationship with His wife with a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). These, and many other analogies, indicate that God has a deep affection and enduring love for His people. No other nation is looked upon with such honor or calling.

The Lord has assured us that He will never permanently reject His people, Israel. Remember that the Lord has said to Israel, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3). He has promised to discipline the children of Israel, but has declared, “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips” (Psalm 89:34). God’s promises are bound up in the presence of the sun and the moon. God has said that as long as the sun and the moon stands, the nation of Israel will be before Him to accomplish His purposes (Jeremiah 31:35-37).

I would like to say to all those who are attempting to attack or curse Israel, “look up!” If you see the sun and moon, please know that you will not be able to destroy Israel or stop God’s eternal plans. Not all the demons in hell or all the billions in the nations will be able to defeat the Lord God. When Jesus returns, He will slay all the wicked “with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips” (Isaiah 11:4).

The surge of anti-Semitism is a testimony that Satan is running scared. He must know that His time to defeat God is getting short (Revelation 12:12). He is assembling the nations against Israel. The nations are about to feel the wrath of God. Like fools, they are running toward their own demise.

Get ready for the shout that will take us out!

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March 2024 – Real Facts about the Middle East Conflict

PTNews

P r o p h e tic Truth in the N e w s

March 2024

   Published monthly by Mike Wingfield Ministries

All Bible references are from the KJV   

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(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)

P.O. Box 67, Boones Mill, VA 24065

Real Facts about the Middle East Conflict

“And at that time … there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was

since there was a nation even to that same time.” Daniel 12:1

By Mike Wingfield

Just like the Bible predicted, the world is formulating a plan to destroy the modern nation of Israel. Filled with hate, lies, wickedness, and deception, the nations of the world are manufacturing a plan of action to remove the only Jewish nation from the face of the earth. This ever-evolving plan puts the nations of the world in direct conflict with the Holy One of Israel.

The Unites Nations is an organization that is to function to promote peace and security throughout the world. However, this global body consistently attempts to demonize Israel by passing three times more resolutions against the Jewish nation than all other countries combined! In January, the International Court of Justice in South Africa – the judicial arm of the United Nations – continued this alarming trend by accusing Israel with genocide of the people of Gaza in its ongoing war with Hamas.

During Israel’s advance against Hamas’ territory in Gaza, the Israelis made an alarming discovery. In a bunker under the Gaza Strip headquarters of the United Nations’ Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), they discovered a complex data center of Hamas. Times of Israel News reports, “The subterranean data center — complete with an electrical room, industrial battery power banks and living quarters for Hamas terrorists operating the computer servers — was built precisely under the location where Israel would not consider looking initially, let alone target in an airstrike.

“The revelation of the server farm comes amid other accusations of UNRWA collusion with the Gaza-ruling terror group and the entanglement of the UN body that provides welfare and humanitarian services for Palestinian refugees from the 1948 and 1967 wars and their descendants” (Times of Israel News, February 10, 2024).

These resolutions against Israel, the ploy to accuse Israel of genocide against Gazans, and the discovery of the UNRWA’s protection of Hamas prove that the United Nations promotes a very biased network of lies and deception against Israel. This global body seeks every opportunity to make Israel look bad in the eyes of the world. And it is working!

At the same time, the Biden against administration is taking a hard position against Israel. With the world’s support, the U.S. is demanding Israel allow the establishment of a Palestinian State. World Israel News has reported that President Joe Biden is preparing to make an “unprecedented U.S. diplomatic initiative to promote a Palestinian state — NOW” (World Israel News, February 1, 2024)! This is a major shift in American foreign policy. Previous U.S. administrations have stated they would not unilaterally recognize a Palestinian State. It has been the U.S. policy that such a move must come out of a diplomatic process that includes the two parties involved in this conflict – the Israelis and the Palestinians. Other countries, like France, are now preparing to recognize Palestinian statehood. The United Nations is also calling for such a move. This plan would reward the Palestinians with a state that includes the entire West Bank (biblical Judea and Samaria). This would also recognize East Jerusalem (the ancient biblical city) as the capitol of the Palestinian State.

These developments are occurring while Israel is still in shock over the barbaric invasion by Hamas on October 7, 2023. As Israel’s war in Gaza continues the effort to destroy the ranks of the terrorist organization and Hamas’ leadership, the world is preparing to reward the Islamic terrorists throughout the Middle East by giving them another terrorist state – Palestine – next door to Israel. Most Israelis are sending a clear message to the world that they do not want and will not accept a Palestinian State on the land that God promised their forefathers 4,000 years ago. The world condemns their stance and deceptively believes that a Palestinian State is in the best interest of peace in the Middle East. Once again, the world’s evil desire comes at the expense of the Jewish people. And it is a direct attack against God’s eternal covenant with His people.

Those of us who know the Bible and the integrity of the Israelis in their fight for survival understand how critical and dangerous the demands of the world are. The world is standing on the wrong side of evil. Their fight against Israel is riddled with lies and deception. The world has chosen to believe Hamas’ reports of conditions in Gaza. They reject the reports of the Israeli government, while unquestionably accepting Hamas’ casualty reports in Gaza. Hamas fighters are filled with such hate they murder the innocent and take joy in mutilating their bodies. Is it any surprise that they would also lie to the press about their casualty count and condition of their forces? Jesus stated that the father of murderers is also the father of liars (John 8:44).

As prophesied in Psalm 2, the world is in a rage of hatred against God, His Messiah, and His commandments. Those of us who know what the Bible says about the end of this age agree that the stage is being set for the final war between God and the nations, between heaven and hell and between good and evil. The battle ground is the Middle East in general, and the nation of Israel in particular.

With the Bible as our final authority, let us examine the real facts about the Middle East and the final conflict. According to the Bible, God has chosen the Middle East as the epicenter for His purposes. It is where life began, and where it will end. Except for Paul’s missionary journeys, all the events in the Bible took place in the Middle East!

In sharp contrast to most of the Western world, the Middle East has had a long history of conflict that has featured the struggle of the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. It is not an accident that the nation of Israel is at the geographical center of the nations. It is the place where the European, Asian, and African continents join together.

More than 4,000 years ago, God spoke to Abraham on seven different occasions, promising him that he and his descendants would receive an eternal land grant from Him. God said to Abraham, “Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18). While standing in the middle of what is today called the “West Bank,” God gave the following promise to Abraham, “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever” (Genesis 13:15). Please take note that this promise was given to Abraham while he was standing at Bethel (Genesis 13:3-4) in the middle of the “West Bank.” In Genesis 17:7-8, God reiterated to Abraham that His agreement with him was “an everlasting covenant” concerning “an everlasting possession.” How much clearer can the Bible be concerning Israel’s eternal right to all the Promised Land, including the “West Bank,” biblical Judea and Samaria?

Furthermore, in the context of this promise in Genesis 13-15, God’s title is El Elyon, “The Most High God” (Genesis 14:18-22). This title means that God is “the possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:19, 22). God is sovereign over all the earth. He owns it all! However, God uniquely calls the Promised Land “my land” (Ezekiel 36:5; Joel 3:2). God made it clear to Israel that they could not sell the land to any other people. He said to them, “The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me” (Leviticus 25:23).

Those who attempt to change this eternal covenant are in conflict with God! According to the Bible, it is the world’s rejection of God’s people and land that will bring about the final conflict between God and the nations. The nations have already begun their march toward Armageddon! During the final seven years leading to Armageddon, the Most High God will devastate the nations in His holy wrathful judgment!

You might be asking, “But what about the Arab Palestinians? God promised the Arabs that they would also become a great nation and He gave them a great land heritage (Genesis 16:10; 17:20). God has kept His promise to the Arab nations. Today, there are 21 Arab nations that have a combined land mass that is 650 times more than what Israel possesses, including the “West Bank.” The land of Israel is only one-sixth of one percent of the size of all Arab land.

The conflict over the land of Israel today is a Holy War for the Holy Land. All the nations that are mentioned by name that come against Israel at Armageddon are Muslim nations of the Middle East (Psalm 83:1-8; Isaiah 34:1-10; Ezekiel 35-36). According to Muslim law, the world is divided into two realms. The realm under Islamic authority is called “the House of Islam.” The other realm is called “the House of War.” The Muslims passionately claim that once a piece of land becomes a part of “the House of Islam” it must be considered Islamic land forever. Since the land of Israel was controlled by Islam for more than 500 years, it is considered by all the Muslim community (2 billion people) to belong to Allah, their god. The presence of the Jewish people in the land once called Palestine is an embarrassment to their religion. Therefore, they must regain this land, even if it results in their death!

In light of all of the lies and misinformation about Israel and the conflict in the Middle East, let us examine four biblical facts about the Middle East.

1. God Placed Israel in the Middle East

God called Abraham and his descendants to live in the land of His choice – the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1-5). In the beginning, God created this land for the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:8-10). He created this land mass to be at the geographical center of all nations (Ezekiel 5:5). This entire region was a place of spiritual darkness. God called His people, Israel, to live in this darkness to represent Him and to be a light to those around them. God chose for Israel to live in a small land in the middle of the great kingdoms and empires of the ancient world. Today, Israel is the focus of the international media almost every day.

2. God Chose Israel to Dwell in Conflict

When God placed His people in the Middle East, He knew it would be a difficult place for them to live. Concerning Israel, the Lord declared, “I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction” (Isaiah 48:10). The Bible teaches that difficult times and persecution build godly character and cause us to trust God. Israel as a nation was born in slavery in Egypt. After the exodus, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. After their rebellion against the Lord, the Lord drove them out of their land into exile. Eventually, their land was occupied and controlled by other kingdoms for 700 years – by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. After their defeat by Rome in the first century, Israel was driven out into the nations and their land was occupied by the Romans, Muslims, and Great Britain until Israel became a nation in 1948.

3. The Truth about Jews and Arabs in the Middle East

There has always been a remnant of Jews and Arabs who have lived in harmony together in the Middle East. However, many of the Arabs, since the time of Ishmael and Esau, have hated the descendants of Isaac and Jacob. They have been jealous of the blessings of the birthright of the chosen people. The Bible points the finger at the Arab nations east of Israel as the perpetual cause of the Middle East conflict.

4. The Spiritual Foundation of the Conflict

The Bible teaches that the conflict in the Middle East is more than a family feud over land. All the animosity, hatred, envy, and war has been driven by the forces of hell. Satan and his demons are deeply motivated to defeat God’s eternal purposes that He has invested in the Jewish people and the land of Israel. The minions of hell know if they can destroy the Jewish people, they will defeat God. This is at the heart of their plan since the death of Christ at Calvary (Revelation 12).

In Isaiah 14:12-14, the Bible reveals that it is Satan’s strategy to defeat and dethrone God. Above all things, Satan wants to control the one place on earth where God has placed His glory and His name – the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This is the ordained location of the throne of the Messiah on earth during the Millennial Kingdom (Psalm 2:6; Isaiah 2:1-4).

Satan knows that when Jesus rules the world from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, he will be in prison for a thousand years in “the bottomless pit” (Revelation 20:1-3). Obviously, this is motivating Satan to not allow the Jewish people to rule over Israel from Jerusalem and ultimately rebuild the temple on the Temple Mount. This is currently at the center of the conflict between Islam and Israel. Israel and Islam are the only people in the world who are passionate about the possession and control of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

The ongoing, raging conflict in the Middle East is beginning to engulf the entire world! This is a sure sign that the war in the spiritual realm is also reaching a new level that is preparing the world for the end of this age!

The world is ignorant of the dangerous actions taken against Israel and the Jewish people around the world. Listen to Psalm 33:10-11, “The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.”

Those who war against Israel and the Jewish people will go down in utter defeat. “They that war against [Israel] shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought” (Isaiah 41:12).

The world is joining Israel’s enemies in the Middle East in plotting the demise of Israel. According to World Israel News, a recent survey of 16 nations in the Middle East support what Hamas did to Israel on October 7, 2023. Their report states, “Arabs across the Middle East and North Africa overwhelmingly view Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, which left over 1,200 people dead in Israel and saw 240 others kidnapped to Gaza, as ‘legitimate resistance.’ … Most Arabs said they disapproved of recognizing the State of Israel, with 89% saying they would support rejecting or revoking such a move” (World Israel News, January 24, 2024).

The response of the Palestinians in this survey is even more shocking. “According to the Palestinians Survey Report, more than half believe that Hamas is ‘the most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinian people today.’ … Almost all (98%) of the respondents said the slaughter made them feel ‘prouder of their identity as Palestinians’” (World Israel News, January 24, 2024).

Comments like these clearly indicate that real peace among the Arabs and Jews in the Middle East is humanly impossible. Only Jesus, the Prince of Peace, can bring real lasting peace to the Middle East and the world. For 1,000 years, while Jesus is on the throne of David in Jerusalem, there will be perfect global peace. There will be peace in Israel for the first time since the rule of King Solomon. Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord gave this Kingdom promise to Israel, “Violence shall no more be heard in land, wasting or destruction within they borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise” (Isaiah 60:18).

Friends, this is the world’s only hope for peace. According to the Bible, the world is about to enter the most volatile time of war, violence, and death in the history of the planet (Matthew 24:21-22). Pray for Israel and the Jewish people. Pray for their safety and salvation. Pray that we will obey the Holy Spirit and seek to share the gospel with those around us. The age of God’s grace is about to end and the age of God’s wrath is about to begin!

There is only one way to escape the deadly Tribulation Period that is coming upon America and the world. Only those who have personally received Jesus Christ as their Redeemer can escape with us when the trumpet of the Lord sounds and calls us into His presence. Friend, call upon the Lord to save you from your sins.

The Lord has promised, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:9-13).

“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7).

Don’t delay. The time is short. He is coming soon!

Be ready for the shout that will take us out!

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February 2024 – The Lion of the Tribe of Judah is About to Roar

PTNews

P r o p h e tic Truth in the N e w s

October 2024

   Published monthly by Mike Wingfield Ministries

All Bible references are from the KJV   

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(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)

P.O. Box 67, Boones Mill, VA 24065

The Rapture & Feast of Trumpets

“Behold, I [show] you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

By Mike Wingfield

The Lion of the Tribe of Judah is About to Roar

“The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.”Joel 3:16

By Mike Wingfield

I am an avid deer hunter. I love the challenge of hunting the elusive and smart Virginia whitetail deer that is plentiful in my area. Several years ago, I was hunting in the woods near my house. I was in a tree stand about 14 feet in the air. I had been in the stand before daylight. After sunrise I saw, for the first time in my area, a black bear. He was moving in a parallel direction that was going away from me. However, as he crossed the logging road about 60 feet in front me, he stuck his nose up in the air and winded me. He suddenly turned toward me and started to run directly at me! Immediately, I became very concerned. Bears run fast and can climb a tree quickly. Obviously, I was scared. However, as he got closer, he stopped and stuck his nose up in the air again. He had lost scent of me. He kept slowly walking toward the base of the tree I was in. Surprising to me, he walked within two feet of the ladder of my stand and just kept walking until he was out of sight. I breathed a big sigh of relief!

This has made me much more cautious as I hunt in my area. Since then, I have captured pictures of several other bears on some of my trail cameras. Obviously, my concern is attached to the fear we should all have of a wild animal that is too close for comfort.

The world does not know it, but they have a lion that is watching them. This lion is Jesus. He is not just any lion. He is “the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David” (Revelation 5:5). He is always watching, guarding, and protecting His people, Israel.

Everyone who has studied the Bible knows that it speaks of two separate comings of Jesus the Messiah. When Jesus came the first time, He came as the humble and submissive Lamb of God to die for the sinners of the world. He was born as a little baby in Bethlehem, the city of David. His first coming was obscure and quiet. Later, He rode a donkey into Jerusalem as a symbol of peace. At Calvary, His own blood was sprinkled upon His garments as He became the Redeemer for all the sinners of the world.

In sharp contrast to His first coming as the Lamb of God, Jesus will come the second time as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. This coming will be visible for all to see (Revelation 1:7). His roar will be loud and His actions merciless, as He comes to kill the enemies who have gathered against His people, Israel. He will come as a warrior and judge to smite the nations. The blood of the sinners who have gathered against Israel will be splattered upon His garments (Isaiah 63:1-6).

Since Jesus ascended back to heaven almost 2,000 years ago, He has been sitting at the right hand of the Father. There, He continues to work through His church on earth to deliver a message of peace and mercy to all the unsaved on earth. However, the age of God’s grace is about to end. According to the Bible, the Lord has been patient with the wicked inhabitants of earth, waiting for their repentance. However, it is very apparent that we are about to see an end to this age of grace. At any moment, the Lamb will call His church home and one of the first things they will witness in heaven is the introduction of Jesus as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5). The gentle Lamb of God will instantly turn into a roaring and warring Lion.

Why will Jesus come in fury at His Second Coming as a warring and roaring Lion? This is a very important question that many people fail to ask. Jesus will return to earth at the end of the Tribulation to defend His chosen people from the threat of death and annihilation at the hands of the Gentile nations of the world. He will come to abolish wicked human governments so He can establish His righteous kingdom over all nations.

Most hunters and lovers of the outdoors know that the most dangerous time to encounter a bear in the woods is when they have little cubs with them. If the bear thinks you are a threat to the cubs, you are in danger. The bear will protect and defend them with its life. In a similar comparison, the consideration of our Lord as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, has the same application. The role of Jesus as a Lion is to protect and defend His people, Israel. The world is meddling with the chosen people of God. They do not understand that they are no match for the Almighty, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!

The Jewish people are the chosen, unique people of God. The Bible is a Jewish book. Almost all the chosen writers of God’s written revelation were Jews.

The faith of believers in Jesus Christ is anchored in the faith of Abraham, the father of our faith (Romans 4:16). God chose Abraham out of a pagan culture that worshipped many idols and gods. Abraham and his descendants through the chosen line of Isaac and Jacob, were given a special standing as the chosen messengers, servants, and representatives of the One and only true God on earth. That is why from Genesis 12 through the remainder of the Bible, the central focus of God has been upon His people – Israel. God called the Jewish people into an irrevocable covenant and relationship with Himself.

Speaking to King David, God promised that He would establish the descendants of David as the vessel through whom He would rule over the world through His Messiah (2 Samuel 7:16). Nothing can change or alter this covenant that God has made with the Jewish people (Psalm 89:27-37). God’s covenant and promise to Israel are based upon His infinite and eternal unchanging character. He thundered forth this truth when He said, “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6).

God has chosen the Jewish people, despite their sin and rebellion, to ultimately bring Him glory. The Lord has declared, “This people have I formed for myself; they shall [show] forth my praise” (Isaiah 43:21). He has called them to be His servants through whom He can display His power, faithfulness, grace, and glory to the world.

God has attached His Name and honor to the Jewish people. He is repeatedly called the God of Jacob, the Holy One of Israel, and the Redeemer and Creator of Israel. Therefore, God’s defense of Israel is the defense of His glory and honor. Psalm 89:18 declares, “For the LORD is our defense; and the Holy One of Israel is our King.”

When the world tramples upon the Jewish people, they are attacking the honor and glory of God. Attacking Israel is like sticking your finger in the eye of God. “For he that toucheth you [Israel] toucheth the apple of his eye” (Zechariah 2:8). According to the Bible, the world’s hatred toward the Jewish people will escalate at the end of this age to a very dangerous level that will include all nations. The Tribulation Period will be a horrific time for the Jewish people and the nation of Israel (Jeremiah 30:1-7; Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21-22). At Armageddon, all nations will invade Israel and surround Jerusalem to annihilate the nation of Israel. Their goal will be to remove the Jewish presence from the Holy Land and the Holy City of Jerusalem. This will anger the Lion of Judah and He will attack the invading forces and annihilate them.

The pouncing of the Lion of Judah upon the nations at the end of this age was a prominent prophetic declaration given to the believing remnant of Israel at a very difficult time in their history. Five Old Testament prophets highlighted the coming Messiah as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

Moses (Genesis 49:1, 9-12). While on his deathbed in Egypt, Jacob gathered his sons around him and spoke amazing words of prophecy concerning their future. He said, “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days” (Genesis 49:1). As he addressed Judah, Jacob spoke of a ruler that would come from Judah that would be strong, fierce, and deadly. He compared Judah to a lion. In the last days, this lion will have fire in His eyes, and His white teeth will accompany His roar as He devours His enemies that have come against His people.

Isaiah mentions the coming Messiah as a roaring lion three times in his book. One of the names for Jerusalem is Ariel, which means “Lion of God” (Isaiah 29:1-2). The lion is the symbol of Jerusalem and Judah. (See the flag of Jerusalem above that features the Lion of Judah.) In Isaiah 29:1-8, the Lord promised His people that all the nations who will fight against Ariel (Jerusalem) in the last days will be destroyed by Him. A few chapters later, Isaiah refers to the Lord as “the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 31:1) and “the Lord of Hosts” (Isaiah 31:4). The Lord declares, “Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, …[I will]come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it” (Isaiah 31:4-5). In chapter 42, Isaiah once again sounds the warning of the roar of the Lion of Judah upon His return, “The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.  I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once” (Isaiah 42:13-14).

The prophet Jeremiah sounds out the most solemn warning concerning the wrathful roar of the Lord Jesus as the Lion of Judah when He returns to earth at the end of the Tribulation. Jeremiah wrote, “The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. A noise shall come, even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 25:30-31). The most awesome display of God’s sovereign power and glory will be made visible and audible to all the inhabitants of earth at the revelation of Christ.

While referring to the closing moments of the Battle of Armageddon in Israel, where the nations will gather to annihilate the Jewish people, (Zechariah 12:1-9; 14:1-3), Joel wrote, “The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel” (Joel 3:16).

Finally, the prophet Amos, envisions the Lion of Judah at last standing in Jerusalem as He gives His final roar to defeat all the armies of the Antichrist gathered in Israel. Amos wrote, “The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem…” (Amos 1:2). This shocking and stunning sound of the mighty roar of Jesus in His righteous anger will send a chill down the spine of all those who will hear Him. Amos responds, “The lion hath roared, who will not fear” (Amos 3:8)?

Currently, most of the world is standing with the enemies of Israel. They are opposing the divine order and will of God that He has declared in His unconditional and irrevocable covenant with the Jewish people. The nations, including the United States, are attempting to divide the Promised Land to force Israel to surrender the Holy Land, Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount to the Muslims. They are inviting the attack of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

The uproar around the world because of Israel’s attack against Hamas to defend itself, has brought about a sudden revolt around the world against God, His Son, His Word, and His people. This is a direct fulfillment of Psalm 2:1-3. As a result, the Lord has warned that He will vex, literally “terrify,” the nations with His awesome judgments (Psalm 2:5). He has declared, “Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion” (Psalm 2:6).

Soon, the earth will be visited with a devastating and violent shaking that will change the face of the world (Isaiah 24). The Lord has said He will do this because the world has defiantly rebelled against His everlasting covenant He made with His people, Israel. Speaking of the future devastating earthquakes, the Lord said, “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant” (Isaiah 24:5).

Since the beginning of the state of Israel in 1948, the world’s only Jewish nation has been at constant war with Islamic nations over the Holy Land. The liberal media and world leaders have deceptively painted the struggle for the land of Israel as centering on the establishment of a Palestinian State. However, the world, including the Arab Muslims of the Middle East, have demonstrated that they do not care about the fate of the Palestinian people. All the talk about Palestine is nothing more than a thinned veil of hate that is aimed at the ultimate removal of all Jews from the land formerly called Palestine. The area called Palestine was never governed by a local people. The ancient mindset was that of the Bedouins. The Bedouins do not want any roots or land of their own. They are the equivalent of homeless people in our culture. They want to be free from responsibilities, properties, and cares. They want the freedom to just move from one place to another with no strings attached. This was an attractive option in the ancient culture where people lived off the land and were always migrating to areas where their livestock could graze.

The land of Palestine was externally controlled by the great empires of history. Finally, this land was under the control of the Ottoman Turkish Empire for 400 years, ending in 1917 at the end of World War I. In the Islamic mindset, Palestine is a part of a global Islamic Empire. As Islam aspires to control the world once again, it believes it must reconquer former Islamic lands to restore their power and pride for the honor of their god, Allah. Therefore, the presence of an independent Jewish nation on former Islamic land is a total embarrassment to many Muslims. Millions of Muslims around the world are passionate about destroying Israel and are willing to die for this cause.

The modern conflict over this land has now been raging for 100 years. In this struggle, the nations of the world have attempted to appease the Muslims by forcing Israel to surrender a part of its Promised Land to appease the Muslims. After World War I, Great Britain promised all the land that was called Palestine to the Jewish people. However, since 1922, 80 percent of that land has been given back to the Arabs, creating the Arab country of Jordan. This appeasement to the Muslims also applies to the Communists and Socialist, who control the United Nations.

From its inception more than 75 years ago, Israel has attempted to find some way to appease the world and the Arab Muslims by attempting to establish what is today called “a two-state solution.” The goal is to have two countries, a Jewish nation, and a Palestinian nation, on the land from “the river to the sea.” The proposal for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians has been based upon trading land for peace.

Since October 7, 2023, most Israelis have come to realize that the Arab Muslims and the Palestinians have not been negotiating in good faith. These enemies of Israel do not want to live with Jews in any part of the land. They want a one-state solution. They want the annihilation of the Jewish state. They envision the Palestinian state to be “from the river to the sea.” They want all the land, not just part of it.

Israel has now arrived at the conclusion that a two-state solution is impossible. They believe “whoever supports a two-state solution supports the destruction of Israel” (Israel Today, January 12, 2024). The entire world disagrees with this conclusion. Therefore, Israel and the world are at a major point of disagreement. In my opinion, this will continue to promote more hatred for Jews and the nation of Israel. The stage has been set for the false peace covenant of the Antichrist that will begin the Tribulation. Then the entire world will face the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

The Lord has already demonstrated that He will fulfill all these warnings of His coming as the Lion of God. During the Six Day War in June 1967, a very significant development took place. The Gentile nations had been in control of the city of Jerusalem for thousands of years. During the time of Jesus’ visit to earth, Jerusalem was suffering under Roman domination. However, when Israel captured the Old City of Jerusalem [the ancient biblical city] it was the first time that the Jews had regained control of the biblical city of Jerusalem since before the time of Christ.

When Israel captured Jerusalem in 1967, a unique development took place that pointed to the presence of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah at work. An article in the publication from Israel, For Zion’s Sake, gave the following report, “In the Six Day War (1967) Israel had to secure the mountains around Jerusalem as the Jordanians were shelling them. Col. Ben Air secured it. His name in Hebrew is “the son of a lion.” He was ordered to fight as a lion for the hill (or mountain of God). The head of the Har El Brigade [means Mountain of God Brigade] securing the mountain was Arik Regev. ‘Arik’ is short for ‘Ariye,’ meaning “lion.” He gave the command: “It’s time guys to take Jerusalem!” So, a lion gave the command – man could not have planned this! Col. Arik Regev then, hearing a sound of a shofar, and the Commander Motta Gour, (Gour in Hebrew is ‘young lion) were the first people through the gates of Jerusalem. Arik (lion again) Achmon was with Motta Gour. Major Achmon also passed the command to another soldier who also was another young lion. They entered the gates and took Jerusalem. Through which gate? Yes, the Lion’s Gate! God had been with them. And as He has been with them before, He will be with them again to save them. But instead of a lamb, He returns as a Lion” (Sharon Saunders, For Zions’s Sake, “The Lion of Judah in Revelation,” Second Quarter 2023, p. 6).

Friends, we are about to witness the war between two lions – the Lion of Hell and the Lion of Heaven. Satan is pictured in the Bible “as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Satan is blinding the nations as he leads them into a battle with the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He is blinding them with a stupor of hatred for the Jewish people. We are currently witnessing a major eruption of Jewish hatred around the world.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is reporting about the shocking rise in Jewish hatred. Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of ADL recently stated, “The American Jewish community is facing a threat level that’s now unprecedented in modern history” (World Israel News, January 10, 2024). Since October 7, 2023, the U.S. has witnessed a 360 percent increase in antisemitic acts. This is the highest spike in antisemitism in recorded history in the United States!

Jews around the world are saying it is starting to look like 1939 all over again. That was the beginning of the Holocaust, where one-half of the world’s Jewish population was brutally murdered by the Nazis. According to the Bible, a more horrific day is ahead for Jews and the nation of Israel. My heart aches for the Jewish people and what lies before them.

The enemies of the Jews are the enemies of God (Psalm 83:1-4). God has promised to curse those who curse Israel (Genesis 12:3). God loves His people and so do I. Friends, if you are standing with God, you must also stand with Israel and the Jewish people. Many lies are being circulated in our institutions of higher learning and social media that are attempting to delegitimize the nation of Israel and demean the Jewish people.

While speaking to the Jewish people living in the last days, the Lord declared, “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land” (Ezekiel 36:24). This is the divine will of God. I stand with God!

Those who oppose God and hate His people, and His divine will, are asking for the Lion of God to devour them!

Soon we will be in heaven. In that great moment in the throne room, we will witness the unleashing of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 4-5).

Be ready for the shout that will take us out!