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)