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Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Month: April 2024

The New Testament Tells Us the Future of Israel

April 20, 2024 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #302 ~

View of Jerusalem with calanit – red poppy flowers, national flower of Israel

The 4,000-year history of Israel has been an up and down journey and, at times, very dangerous and deadly. She has been in her land, out of her land, in her land, out of her land, and now back in her land. The devil has continually been against Israel, but God has always been for her – He has mercifully and faithfully kept her going through all the years. There’s no doubt that God will carry out and complete all His plans for Israel. Psalm 33:10-12

As you know, Israel is again in the middle of another difficult conflict, and you may be wondering what will happen next. But don’t believe what politicians and news people say, for they don’t know. Look to God and His word. The Old Testament gives 100’s of verses about the future of the Jewish people. But what does the New Testament say?

I have discovered 21 New Testament passages that speak about God’s plans for the Jews in these end-times and in the ages to come. So what do they say?  
* Matthew 5:17-19. “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets… but to fulfill.” Jesus is telling us that everything God told us in the Law and the Prophets about the future will come to pass. That includes everything that He said about the Jewish people. Is. 46:9-11
* Matthew 5:35. “Jerusalem… is the city of the great King.” When Christ came the 1st time as the Messiah, Jerusalem was not the city of the great King, but it will be when He comes the 2nd time. Then He will be The King of the Jews and will reign over the whole world. Ps. 48:1-2

* Matthew 19:27-28. “You shall sit upon 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.” Jesus Christ will sit on His throne in Jerusalem during the coming kingdom age, and His disciples will reign with Him over the tribes of Israel. Matt. 25:31
* Matthew 23:37-39. “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Most of the Jews rejected Christ at His first coming and, therefore, were left desolate and were punished. But a Jewish remnant will be glad to see Him at His 2nd coming and will repent, and receive Him as their Lord and Savior. Isaiah 53

* Matthew 24:15-27. “… the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel…” This describes the Antichrist’s desecration of the Jewish temple, his pursuit of the Jews, the great tribulation he brings upon them, and the coming of Christ for them and the Christians. This occurs sometime during the 2nd half of Daniel’s 70th week. Daniel 9:27
* Luke 21:20-24. “Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot… until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Christ predicted that the Jews would be punished, scattered, and gathered back to Israel, all of which has been fulfilled. We also learn that the Gentiles’ influence over Israel will come to a complete end. Then Christ will judge the world, save a remnant of Jews and, from Jerusalem, begin reigning over this earth. Luke 19:41-44

* Acts 3:21. “… the period of restoration of all things…” When Christ returns to rule the world, all things on earth will be physically renewed and restored as was promised by the prophets. (Is. 35, 65:17-25). This restoration happens during the millennial kingdom.
* Acts 15:16-18. “… so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord…” In the age to come, the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt, Israel will be a fruitful and glorious place, Christ will reign over the world, and the Jews will be a godly witness to the Gentiles. Pss. 72, 96

* Romans 8:18-21. “… the creation itself will be delivered from its bondage to decay.” The sons of God, both Jews and Gentiles, will be revealed, the creation will be set free from sin, and God’s glory will be displayed on earth like never before. Is. 6:3
* Romans 9:27-29. “Isaiah cries out,… ‘though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved…’” An important promise that God will fulfill is the salvation of a remnant of Jewish people. Is. 45:17, Dan. 9:24

* Romans 11:25-27. “… all Israel will be saved…” This important promise, that a Jewish remnant will be saved, is repeated. This will take place at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. These Jews will live in Israel and will assist Jesus Christ in His reign over Israel and the entire world. Jer. 31:31-34
* Romans 15:8-13. “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise Him.” Our hope is that in the coming ages, Jesus Christ will rule over the world, and all people, Jewish and Gentile believers, will be unitedly worshiping Him. Ps. 117

* 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9. “… the man of lawlessness… exalts himself above every so-called god.” The Antichrist is revealed at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week. He takes his seat in the Jewish temple and displays himself as God, for he wants to be worshiped by the world. Soon after that, Jesus Christ comes and soundly defeats the Antichrist, and it is Christ who is worshiped by the world. Rev. 19
* Hebrews 8:7-12. “I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” God made a special covenant with Israel, that through Christ, both Jews and Gentiles would be forgiven and know Him. This covenant is being fulfilled during this church age, and when a large remnant of Jews is saved at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. 

* Hebrews 11:1, 8-16, 39-40. “God is not ashamed to be called their God for He has prepared a city for them.” God promised spiritual and physical blessings (salvation and land) to all true descendants of Abraham, all those justified by faith in Christ. These blessings will be realized in the kingdom ages. You will see that the hope of Abraham and the Jews is related to the hope of all believers. Ps. 37:11 – Matt. 5:5
* Revelation 7:4-8. “…we have sealed the bond-servants of our God.” During Daniel’s 70th week, before the church is raptured into heaven, 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each tribe of Israel, will be sealed and kept for Christ. They will be Christ’s special servants. Rev. 14:1-5

* Revelation 10:1-7. “… the mystery of God is finished” at the sound of the trumpet of the 7th angel. This occurs at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. Then a remnant of Jews will be saved, the kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of God, the nations will be judged, and all things will be summed up in Christ. Eph. 1:9-11, Rev. 11:15
* Revelation 11:1-15. “I will grant authority to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1260 days.” During the last half of Daniel’s 70th week, we see this focus on the temple, Jerusalem, the powerful preaching of two godly witnesses, and the glory of God.

* Revelation 12. “She gave birth to a son… who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.” Rev. 12 tells us key elements of the Jews’ history. We read of her birth as a nation, her purpose in giving birth to Jesus the King, her lifelong battle with the devil, being persecuted in the end-times, her great escape, and God’s protection of her.
* Revelation 20.1-10. “… The thousand years…” refer to the millennial kingdom and is vividly described in the prophets and Psalms. Christ rules the world during this time, and believers, both Jew and Gentile, reign with Him. At the end of these 1,000 years, Christ will cast the devil and the dead, all unbelievers, into the lake of fire. Matt. 25:41, 46; Rev. 5:10

* Revelation 21:10-13. “… the new Jerusalem… with 12 gates… names were written on them… the names of the 12 tribes of the sons of Israel.” This glorious city comes down out of heaven at the end of the 1,000-year kingdom age. Then Jewish and Gentile believers will live forever with Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior, Husband, and King.

In conclusion, here are several important thoughts to remember:
1. These NT verses about the Jewish people confirm and complement many of God’s OT promises to them. Dan. 9:27 – Matt. 24:15
2. These NT verses about the Jews is overwhelming proof that God did not forget His promises to them, that He won’t go back on His word, that He hasn’t given up on them, and that He will carry out all His plans for them. Is. 46:9-11

3. Reading these NT verses makes it clear that the Jews are back in their land, the land of Israel, and that it’s a special place, a God given and glorious land.
4. The main themes of these NT verses focus on God’s working with the Jews. Primarily, they describe what happens to them during the end-times, their salvation, and the kingdom ages to come.

5. These NT verses say nothing about another country occupying the land God promised to the Jews. Not only that, but there will be no permanent two-state solution. The land of Israel will be occupied by the Jewish people and ruled by Jesus Christ. Gen. 13:15, 15:18-21; Zech. 14:9
6. These NT verses make it clear that God is simultaneously working with both Jews and Christians in these end-times and in the kingdom ages to come.

7. These NT verses tell us that these years before the end of this age will be a very difficult time for the Jews. They will not experience any great blessings and glory until the millennial kingdom when Christ is reigning over them and the earth.
8. Be excited and thankful that you are alive at this time in history, and that you can witness God’s working with both Gentile and Jewish believers. And remember, it won’t be long before Christ comes back to rapture the church, judge the world, save a remnant of Jews, and begin His reign over the world.

“All nations will be blessed through Him, and they will call Him blessed. Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen,” Psalm 72:17-19

P.S. There’s so much going on in the world and, as a Christian, you will be lost and confused if you don’t know what God says about the Jewish people and the end-times we live in. I encourage you to read these previous posts: “A Jewish Reading Lesson”, “Converging Hopes for Jewish and Gentile Believers”, and “Jews and Gentiles Unitedly Glorifiying God.”

God has Good Plans for Israel and Her Land

April 6, 2024 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #301 ~

“O Lord, You showed favor to Your land; You restored the captivity of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of Your people and covered all their sins” (Ps. 85:1-2). Israel – what a people, what a nation, what a land, what a history, and what a future! Around 2,050 BC God promised to Abram that he and his descendants would be a special people. They would inherit a choice piece of land (Gen. 12:1, Ez. 37:21), be ruled by the King of kings (2 Sam. 7:16, Ez. 37:22), be saved from their sins (Jer. 31:31-34, Ez. 37:23), and be greatly blessed. Gen. 12:2, Ez. 37:24-28

The Jewish people first entered their land about 1400 BC (Josh. 3-19). Close to 800 years later, God made them leave because of their sins. Exactly 70 years later, in 538 BC, God mercifully began bringing them back (Jer. 29:10-14). It was about 4 BC when Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world, came to Israel (Lk. 2:1-20). Most of the Jews rejected Jesus, and their leaders had Him crucified. But being killed and then resurrected was God’s sovereign plans for Jesus, the only means by which He could save His people from sin and death. Forty days after Jesus was raised from the dead, He ascended into heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of His heavenly Father.

Before He left for heaven, Jesus told us some things we need to know about the future:
1. He said He would build the church, people who were called and saved by God to be members of His spiritual body. And from the day of Pentecost to the end of this age, Jesus has been building His church. Acts 2:1-21; Matt. 16:18, 28:19-20
2. He predicted that He would come back on the clouds just after the end of this age to gather all believers from heaven and earth so they would be with Him. Matt. 24:29-31
3. He told us that the Israelites would be punished and scattered all over the world which happened just like He said. Luke 19:41-44, 21:20-24
4. Jesus made it clear that the Israelites would return to their land (Lk. 13:34-35, 21:24). This has been miraculously occurring since the 1880’s – and it had to happen for God to fulfill all His promises to the Jewish people. Ezekiel 37:21-28

That the Jews are back in their land is the #1 sign that we live in the end-times (Dan. 12:4). During these end-times, the final years of this age, God is renewing His work with the Jews and finishing building the church. Evidence for God’s simultaneous working with Jews and Christians is seen in many New Testament prophecy passages. Matt. 24:9-14, 15-27; Luke 21:12-19, 20-24; 2 Thess. 2:1-2, 3-9; Rev. 7:2-8, 9-14; and Rev. 12:1-16, 12:17. (Christians, Jews). Knowing how God is working with the Jews helps us to see the general time frame for Christ’s return to rapture the church. Matt. 24:15-36

I must talk to you about what the New Testament says about God’s end-times’ work with the Jews. Before I do, I need to help you understand an important prophecy passage from the Old Testament – Daniel 9:24-27. Here are some key points from these verses:
* There are 70 weeks decreed for the Jewish people and Jerusalem. The context tells us that each week is 7 years long – therefore, this 70 weeks is referring to a 490-year period. During this time, the Jewish people are living in their land. 
* The purpose of these 490 years is stated in Dan. 9:24: the sin of the Jews will come to an end; there will be atonement for their sins; a Jewish remnant will be saved; the Holy Place (millennial temple) will be anointed; and everlasting righteousness will begin.
* The first 69 weeks, lasting 483 years, began with a decision to rebuild Jerusalem (445 BC), and ended when the Messiah (the Christ), was cut off, was killed in 30 AD.

* There’s a long gap of time between the end of the 69th week and the start of the 70th week. As things look now, I believe it will last at least 2,000 years. During this time, Jesus Christ is focused on building the church.
* Daniel’s 70th week gives us a time frame, a divine time schedule that will help you see and understand the sequence of end-time events.
* The 70th week has not yet begun. We know that because events prophesied in Dan. 9:24-27, Matt. 24:15-26, 2 Thess. 2:3-8, and Rev. 13 haven’t yet happened. And because we are in the end-times, we know it won’t be long before the start of this 70th week.

* Here are some key events occurring during this 70th week: at the beginning of the week, the Jews make a 7-year covenant with the Antichrist (Dan. 9:27); during the first half of the week a Jewish temple is built (2 Thess. 2:3-5); at the 3½ year mark the Antichrist breaks his treaty with the Jews and desecrates the temple (Matt. 24:15); sometime during the 2nd half of the week the church is raptured (Matt. 24:30-36); at the end of the 70th week a Jewish remnant is saved. Rom. 11:25-27
* Jesus Himself speaks of Daniel’s 70th week in Matt. 24:15. Note that the verse says, “Let the reader understand.” God is impressing upon us the importance of this 70th week – and He wants us to know that it is relevant not just to Jews, but also to Christians.

Many non-Christians, along with some Christians, do not believe that the land we know as Israel is for the Jews. Debates and disputes about this are happening in our country at the present time. And many do not believe that God has a future for the Jewish people, one that was extensively prophesied about in the Old Testament. Many believe that God rejected the Jews because of their sin and their past rejection of Christ, and that many of the promises He gave to the Jews are now for the church. But this is just not true!

God keeps His Word! In the next blog post we will examine several passages in the New Testament that are specifically about the Jews and how God is working with them and fulfilling His promises. It’s imperative that you understand and are encouraged by God’s working with the Jewish people. “Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land… The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.” Psalm 85:9, 12

P.S. God raised up the nation of Israel and gave her some land, and He won’t take it away frim her. The post today talks about this, with a focus on Daniel’s 70th week, a key 7-year prophetic period. I encourage you to read the two other posts I have written on this most critical week – “The Divine Timetable, Daniel’s 70 Weeks”, and “Daniel’s 70th Week, One of the Keys to Unlocking the End Times.”

© 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.

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