fbpx
Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Month: October 2023

Antisemitism, or the TRUTH of GOD

October 31, 2023 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #289 ~

Have you noticed the Antisemitism taking place in this country and all over the world these past few weeks? And it’s not all peaceful either – many of these protestors are rioters, and violently so. They really hate the Jewish people, and in many cases, want them dead. But you shouldn’t be surprised. This devil-inspired Antisemitism has been plaguing the Jewish people since the start of their nation in Egypt and now, close to 4,000 years later, it continues unabated in this 21st century. 

What most of these Anti-Semitics are saying, and screaming, is that they want a one-state solution, a Palestinian state. This is the main reason for all the Arab / Muslim / Israeli wars in the past 75 years and why Hamas has recently been savagely and barbarically attacking Israel. These Jew-hating people want to wipe out the nation of Israel so they can have their own state. You may have heard the chant of the Palestinians and their supporters, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

In Psalm 83:3-4, Antisemitic thinking was described this way – “They make shrewd plans against Your people, and conspire together against Your treasured ones. They have said, ‘Come and let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more’”. Most pro-Palestinian people, these Israel-deniers, want Israel to be destroyed. They want the land for themselves – they want a one-state solution, a Palestinian state.

The goal of others is a two-state solution, Israelis and Palestinians living side by side. This may seem like a nice idea, a good compromise, but it will not work. That’s because it is not God’s plan. He knows what He’s going to do, and there is no way man can stop God from doing what He planned in eternity past. “The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations… the counsel of the Lord stands forever… Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:10-13

About 4,000 years ago, God promised to Abraham that his descendants, the nation of Israel, would possess the land from the River to the Sea, from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean. “From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory” (Josh. 1:4). That’s the way it will be, and God will not change His mind. He wants a one-state solution, and it’s not Palestine, it’s Israel. “My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’” Is. 46:10 

How can we be sure this is Israel’s land? Because God told us in His word, as we see in Joshua 1:4 and many other passages. And God’s word is absolutely and always true. The primary theme of the Old Testament, from Gen. 12 to Mal. 4, is God’s work with the Jewish people, and this includes His plans for them being forever in their land. And the New Testament never denies God’s purposes and plans for the Jewish people – it only affirms them. In fact, it gives us more information about them. Matt. 24:15-26, Luke 21:20-24, 2 Thess. 2:3-12, Rev. 12

What else do we need to know about Anti-Semitism and God’s plans for the Jewish people, especially the elect, those He chooses to save?
* “Behold, Your enemies make an uproar. And those who hate You have exalted themselves.” (Ps. 83:2). These enemies of the Jews are enemies of God. They hate God and they hate His people, and they’re not quiet about it. And it’s because of their pride.
* “In the last days difficult times will come… Evil men… will proceed from bad to worse.” (2 Tim. 3:13). This Anti-Semitism, this extreme hatred for the Jews, will get worse the closer we get to the coming of Christ.

* “Another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns…” (Rev. 12:3). The most devilish aspect of Anti-Semitism are these eight beast empires, ones controlled by Satan for the purpose of annihilating Israel. The seven heads represent the first seven empires, ones from the past. The final empire, the ten-horned kingdom of the Antichrist is still to come, and it will be the most wicked, the most Antisemitic empire in history. But Satan is 0-7, for God has always defeated the dragon, and He will defeat him again.

* Matthew 24:4, 15, 25 – “Behold, I have told you in advance.” God tells us all we need to know about the Jewish people in the end-times. Here are some important details:
– Birth pains (earthquakes, wars, famines, plagues) will continue, signs for both Jews and Christians that Christ’s coming is drawing near. Matt. 24:4-8
– At the very beginning of Daniel’s 70th week, a 7-year period, Israel will foolishly sign a covenant with the coming Antichrist, a deal with the devil.
– The Jewish people will build a temple and offer sacrifices. Dan. 9:27, 2 Thess. 2:3-4
– At the 3½ year mark of this week, the Antichrist will be revealed, and the Jews will realize who he is, that he’s their greatest enemy ever. “When the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman (Jewish people).” Rev. 12:13

– Many Jewish people will miraculously be protected by God during the last 3½ years of Daniel’s 70th week. “The two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished.” Rev. 12:14-16
– (Sometime during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week, Christians will be raptured, taken up from the earth, united with all believers, and together, they will forever be with Jesus Christ. Matt. 24:31, 1 Thess. 4:17)
– Hallelujah!!! A great remnant of Jewish people will be saved at the very end of Daniel’s 70th week. Ps. 98:2-3, Is. 45:17, Jer. 31:26-27, Rom. 11:26-27
– Then the 1000-year kingdom age will begin. This will be a most glorious and blessed time on earth, for Jesus Christ will be in Jerusalem, reigning perfectly over the earth with all the believers.  “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” Is. 6:3; Ps. 47, 67; Hab. 2:14

What a time to be alive! Be thankful that you can serve our Lord and Savior, helping usher in His return to rapture the church and reign over the world! Here are some important points about how to live for our Lord at this time in history:
– Learn from God’s word and from other strong, hope-filled Christians what He wants you to know about the end times and the coming of Christ. Matt. 24:25
– Tell your friends, family members, and other believers about Christ’s coming. Matt. 5:13-19
– Serve the Lord by doing the work He gives you to do. Use your gifts. Eph. 2:10
– Don’t worry or be afraid. Be strong and courageous knowing that God has given you His Spirit, and that He will lead you in the way which you should go. Josh. 1:9, Ps. 32:8
– Remember that God is sovereign, that He is always in complete control, that He is always working all things together for your good and His glory. Rom. 8:28-30
– Be filled with hope, knowing it won’t be long before you see Christ, and then are with Him forever and ever!!! Revelation 7:9-12

P.S. I posted a comprehensive summary of Antisemitism by Marv Rosenthal, titled: “How Dark the Night.” It is an excellent and most instructive article about the great persecution the Jewish people have endured over the years. I strongly encourage you to read it. I also have links to a number of helpful charts about the Jewish people: “Salvation” (109), “Promises” (115), “Land, King, Salvation” (150)

God’s Plans for the Church and Israel are Connected

October 21, 2023 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #288 ~

What does this war in Israel have to do with Christians? How does it relate to the future God has mapped out for us? One of the keys to understanding God’s plans for the church is knowing how He is working with Israel. Today, I will give you a brief overview of Jewish history from Christ’s 1st coming to His 2nd coming to the kingdom ages. As you track God’s working with the Jewish people, you will more clearly see the future God has planned out for Christians, and for you.

1. 4 BC – 29 AD. The salvation of believers is definitely connected to Israel, most specifically and importantly to the most famous Jew, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. Born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth, Jesus, at the age of 30, began His 3-year ministry, during which time He traveled all over Israel, teaching, doing miracles, and making disciples. He was unjustly crucified and killed, and then was buried, and then was raised from the dead. Jesus’ suffering and death is the payment for the sins of all those who repent and believe that He died for them (Mk. 1:15). Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, the church began. 

2. 70 AD – late 1800’s. The Jewish people, because of their rebellion against God and rejection of Christ, were greatly persecuted and then led captive into all the nations. Throughout the centuries, the Jews continued to be hated, harassed, persecuted, and killed, but they were never wiped out, for God faithfully protected them. And now we are living in the church age, and the growth of the church is related to the fact that God isn’t focusing on the Jews, but on the Gentiles. Luke 21:20-24, Rom. 11:25-27

3. Late 1800’s. By the promise and power of God, the Jewish people miraculously began coming back to their homeland – and this is what I call the beginning of the end-times. And the Jews kept coming and coming. That the Jews have been returning to their land is God’s sign to Christians that Christ will soon return to rapture the church. and that He will in the near future begin fulfilling His final plans for Israel. Gen. 12:1-3, Is. 45:17, Ez. 36-37, Dan. 12:4, Zech. 14:9, Rev. 11:15

4. Late 1800’s to the end of this age. Birth pains (wars, famines, earthquakes, plagues) are impacting various parts of this planet, affecting unbelievers, the church, and the Jews. These physical signs are spiritual alarms, designed to awaken us and the whole world to the fact that this age will soon come to an end, and Christ will return to rapture the church. Matt. 24:3-8, 29-31; Rev. 6:1-8

5. 1937-1944. One of the most barbaric atrocities on this earth was the murder of over 6 million Jews during WW2. This led to the rebirth of the nation of Israel in 1948, a clear signal to the church that God had not abandoned His people, and that His promises to them of land, salvation, and a King, would be fulfilled (Ez. 37:21-23). Ever since this holocaust, strong, Satanic opposition continues to plague the Jews. But God keeps them going and growing, their population in Israel now being close to 7.2 million people.

6. OCTOBER 7, 2023 – ???. THERE’S NOW A WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS. Here is what you need to know about this war, and about Israel’s future and our future: 1 – This war is against Hamas, but many other Jew-hating nations also hate and oppose Israel. 2 – This war will come to an end. 3 – This war will lead to increasing Antisemitism around the world. 4 – This war is part of God’s sovereign and detailed plan leading to the coming of the Antichrist and the coming of Christ. 5 – Israel, realizing that they can’t depend on the United States to protect them, will be looking to others for help. 6 – This war is to awaken you to the fact that the rapture of the church is getting closer and closer. “… encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:25). And as a church, we are to keep praying for Israel. Psalm 122:6-9

7. End-times: In the Bible, many passages about Israel are adjacent, are sitting side by side with passages about the church that are eschatoloigcal, that are speaking of the future. This is one of the strongest proofs that God’s plans for the church and Israel are connected, are intimately related. Here are some of them: Matt. 24:9-14 – 24:15-26; Luke 21:12-19 – 12:20-24; 2 Thess. 2:1-3 – 2:4-6 – 2:7-9; Rev. 7:4-8 – 7:9-12; Rev. 12:13-16 – 12:17

8. The beginning of Daniel’s 70th week. Israel will continue to see the need for peace, and in the near future will naively and foolishly sign a 7-year covenant with the coming Antichrist. This results in a temporary “peace”, and also allows the Jewish people to build a temple in Jerusalem and offer sacrifices. (Dan. 9:27). The church may or may not know when this signing takes place, but they will see the consequences of this covenant, and be further reminded that the coming of Christ is very, very near.

9. The midpoint (3½ years) of Daniel’s 70th week. At the 3½ year mark, the Antichrist is revealed. This is when Christians and Jews realize that he is the Antichrist, for he “takes his seat in the (Jewish) temple of God, displaying himself as God” (2 Thess. 2:4). It’s at this time that believers know the rapture of the church is less than a few years away. Before that happens, the church will have to endure great tribulation. This world dictator, this most devilish man, begins persecuting Jews in Israel, but many escape and are protected by God. The Antichrist then goes after Christians all over the world, persecuting and killing them. (Matt. 24:9, 15; Rev. 12:16-17). But this great tribulation is mercifully cut short by God, at which time, Christ returns to rapture all the Christians on earth. Matt. 24:29-31, 1 Thess. 4:15-17

10. The end of Daniel’s 70th week. At this 7-year point, a great number of Jews, having been physically protected from God’s wrath, are spiritually saved. (Ps. 98:1-3, Dan. 9:24, Rom. 11:25-27, Rev. 12:13-16). At this point in time, the church is in heaven, keenly watching the fulfillment of God’s glorious salvation plan for these Jews, these chosen people. And they know what is soon to come.

11. Soon after the salvation of the Jews begins the 1000-year kingdom age when Christ is ruling over this earth. Here are some things to note: 1 – The earth will be renovated (Is. 65:17-25, Acts 3:21). 2 – Jews and Christians will be reigning with Christ (Is. 61, Rev. 5:10). 3 – Jews and Christians will inherit the earth (Psalm 37:11, Matt. 5:5). 4 – God’s purposes will be fulfilled: Christ is the King of the world (Ps. 47); God’s power, holiness, justice, mercy, and glory are seen in Christ, being displayed all over the world (Is. 6:3, Hab. 2:14); the gospel is proclaimed in every nation resulting in great multitudes being saved (Ps. 96); and all Christ’s enemies, including death, are defeated. 1 Cor. 15:25-26

12. In eternity future, all Jewish and Gentile believers will be living together in their eternal home. “… the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God… It had a great and high wall, with 12 gates, and at the gates 12 angels… names were written on them, which are the names of the 12 tribes of the sons of Israel… and the wall of the city had 12 foundation stones, and on them were the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb.” (Rev. 21:10-14). It’s quite significant that our eternal home pictures and recognizes all God’s people, those of the Old Covenant and of the New Covenant.

As believers, our primary purpose is bringing glory to God. Rom. 15:8-12 is one of the best passages describing this eternal purpose that Jews and Gentiles, believers from all ages, will be worshiping God together. “Therefore, I (Jews) will give praise to You among the Gentiles… Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people (Jews)… Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise Him… There shall come the root of Jesse, and He who arises to rule over the Gentiles, In Him shall the Gentiles hope.” Do you see this? It speaks of both Jews and Gentiles. And in eternity future, all believers will unitedly be worshiping the Lord. Psalm 117

Finally, why is it that we get so fixated on our immediate problems, and I’m talking about the war in Israel? We must have perspective, we must see the big picture, we must know what God says about our future. Thankfully, God has given us His Word, and it’s the only book that truly maps out our future. You need to read what God says about the Jewish people in both the Old and New Testaments. And be a watchman – find out what is presently taking place in Israel and around the world (Ez. 3:17, Luke 12:56). Doing this will help you more clearly see God’s plans for Israel, but also God’s plans for the church. “The men of Issachar understood the times, and knew what they should do” (1 Chron. 12:32). “The people who know their God will display strength, and take action.” Daniel 11:32

P.S. Too many Christians are naive, ignorant, or in error about the future God has for the Jewish people and the church. This must not be! Here are a few more posts about the plans God has for Israel and the church: “Why the Jews are Important for You and the Church”, “Converging Hopes for Jewish and Gentile Believers”, “The New Testament Tells Us God’s Plans for the Jews.”

Israel – There’s Tribulation, and Then Salvation

October 9, 2023 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #287 ~

Israel – there’s tribulation, and then there’s salvation. The shocking savagery and brutality now taking place in Israel is horrific, pure evil, godless. We shouldn’t be surprised, for atrocities similar to this have been happening in Israel for 1000’s of years, and they won’t stop until Jesus Christ returns to earth to save a large number of Jewish people – which takes place at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. Daniel 9:24

But you must first see the big picture, illustrated by three covenants. 1) God promised to Abraham that his descendants, the Jews, would be blessed by receiving their own land and becoming a great nation, the nation of Israel (Gen. 12:1-2, 13:14-16, 15:18). 2) God promised to David that One of his descendants would be the King over this nation and over the entire world, and that He would reign forever (2 Sam. 7:12-13, Ps. 89:27-29). 3) God promised to Jeremiah that a great number of Jewish people would be spiritually saved (Jer. 32:31-34, Rom. 11:25-26). These promises, that Israel would receive land, would be given a King, and would be saved, have not yet been fulfilled, but there’s no question that they will be. “Let God be found true”. Rom. 34, Ezek. 37:21-23

God also promised to David that One of his descendants would be the Messiah and the Savior, that He would save people from their sins. And it was at Christ’s first coming that He died for people’s sins and was raised from their dead, showing God’s supreme love and satisfying His perfect justice for all those who would repent of their sins and believe in Him. (Rom. 3:21-26, 5:8, 6:23). But back in the 1st century, most Jews rejected Christ as their Lord and Messiah. In 70 AD, because of their rejection of Christ and continued unbelief, God scattered them all over the world. Luke 19:41-44, 21:20-24

God promised that descendants of these Jewish people would return to their homeland, and that began to happen in the late 1800’s. Since that time, it has been anything but easy. You know about Hitler’s utter hatred for the Jews, killing over 6 million Jews during WW2. That resulted in some sympathy for the Jews, and in 1948, they once again became a nation. But devilish-inspired hatred and persecution of the Jews has not stopped – there was the Six Day War in 1967, the Yom Kippur War in 1973, two intifadas (an Arabic word defined as a civil uprising of Palestinians against Jews), and now this present war in Israel. Yet, God has truly protected and wonderfully blessed them over all these years – and He has not and will not renege on His promises.

The most faithful ally of the Jews for these past 75 years has been the United States, but in recent years, their support for them has been weakening. It’s quite evident that rabid antisemitism is alive and well on most U.S. college campuses and among an increasing number of leaders. Recent government decisions clearly show that the United States has been openly accommodating and supporting the Jew’s archenemy, the Iranians. There is evidence that these Iranians are largely responsible for this most recent inhumane aggression against Israel. Here is one of Iran’s favorite slogans – “Allah is the greatest, death to America, death to Israel, curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam.”

So here we are, another terrible war in Israel, and who knows how long this one will last. What we do know is that Israel will not be wiped out as a nation. This nation will continue on, and that’s because God told us He would keep her going. He will not break the promises He made to her, but will, sooner or later, completely fulfill them.

What’s next for Israel? Sometime in the future, this present war will come to an end. But global antisemitism will not lessen but increase. We will witness the United State’s waning support for Israel, either because of her unwillingness or inability, or both (Note Gen. 12:3). And most nations in the world, evidenced by their numerous anti-Israel votes in the United Nations, will continue to oppose and oppress Israel. There may even be more wars.

Israel is not a godly country – as a nation, they are not presently trusting in God but are sadly and openly sinning against Him. With their backs against the wall, and the United States decreasing in their support for her, these Jews are looking for reliable allies – she is becoming more desperate for any kind of help.

In the near future, the coming Antichrist, the devil’s man on earth, will sign a covenant, a 7-year treaty with Israel. On the one hand, this will be a terrible mistake, but on the other hand, it will be part of God’s plan, what He planned and predicted would happen a long time ago. This treaty will result in a temporary “peace”. And the Jews will build a temple and, once again, offer sacrifices as prescribed in the Old Testament. But at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, the Antichrist will reveal his true colors, for he will openly betray the Jews.

Jesus tells us what happens at that time, which is the 3½ year mark of that week – “When you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place… then… flee” (Matt 24:15, Dan. 9:27, 2 Thess. 2:3-4). After that, the devil-possessed Antichrist pursues the Jewish people in Israel. This is the beginning of the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21-22, Rev. 12:13-16). But by the sovereign and miraculous hand of God, a great number of Jews escaped. The frustrated but angry Antichrist then chases after the Christians – he “went off to make war with the rest of her children” (Rev. 12:16). This persecution spirals out and spreads to true believers all over the world. “They will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” Matthew 24:9

This persecution, this great global tribulation continues until God Himself cuts it short. Matthew 24:9 tells us how we will know – “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky.” This is the end of the age. Immediately after that is the rapture of the Christians. Then there is the Day of the Lord. And then, at the end of Daniel’s 70th week, a large number of Jewish people will be saved.

Please note the true and prophetic word of God. It tells us what will happen. We see this war in Israel, we look at what’s happening in the United States, we observe the world around us, and you must know that God is sovereign over all that’s taking place, that He’s working in and through the people, the countries, and the leaders of this world – and He is leading everything to the end of this age, the rapture of the church, and the salvation of many, many Jews.

Jesus Christ will then set up His kingdom on earth, a 1000-year kingdom age when Jewish people, working with the Lord Jesus Christ, will play a most dominant and significant role in this world. As believers, we too will be reigning with Christ. (Rev. 5:10). Hallelujah!!! The best is yet to come!!! “Sing praises to God; sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a skillful Psalm. God reigns over the nations, God sits on the holy throne.” Psalms 47, 67, 72, 96, 98

P.S. Here are more instructive posts about the Jewish people: “A Short Summary of God’s Working with the Jews”, “A Jewish Reading Lesson”, “The Divine Timetable – Daniel’s 70 Weeks”, “Why the Jews are Important for You and the Church.”

© Steven J. Hogan and ChristsKingdom.org, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven J. Hogan and ChristsKingdom.org with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

© 2024 Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑