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     Have you ever wondered why Israel is in the news so frequently?  I mean this is a country that could completely fit into Lake Michigan.  It seems isolated because it is surrounded by its enemies, and yet the whole world has strong opinions about Israel, its right to the Land, and its future.  As a small nation, it has prospered and converted the area from a wasteland to a producer of so many resources.  It is the envy of many nations for its wealth, and technology.  How did this happen in 72 years?

   We know from the Bible that Israel is God’s chosen people.  The Old Testament gives a detailed history of the Jewish people and their relationship with God.  It contains the covenant (testament) God made with Abraham that the Land of Israel would always be for the Jewish people.  Also, the covenant He made with King David that his reign over Israel would be “everlasting.”  God gave them commandments and laws to follow on Mt. Sinai.  Time after time, they would rebel against God and He would discipline them.  Because of prophecies in the Old Testament (books of Daniel and Ezekiel), many scholars say that Israel is “God’s Timepiece.” 

      Daniel was told that from the time a command was given to “rebuild the walls of Jerusalem” until the “Anointed One” (Messiah) would be killed, would be 483 years (or 69 x 7).  It happened exactly that way.  But, Daniel was told there would be another set of seven (seven years) that would be the 70th week.  During that last week, another ruler (the Prince anti-Christ) would make a 7-year treaty with Israel.  He would allow them to build the third temple, and they would accept him as their “Messiah,” but at the mid-point (3½ years), He would set himself up in the Temple as “god” and force everyone to worship him.  Then, they will realize he is a false-messiah and they will repent and acknowledge Christ as their true Messiah.  This 70th week is also referred to as “The Great Tribulation” or “Jacob’s trouble.”

    Jeremiah 30:7: “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it”.

This seven-year period was also mentioned by Jesus in:

   Matthew 24:21: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be”. 

   The major purpose of these seven years is to bring Israel to repentance, accepting their true Messiah.

    God told Ezekiel that He would gather His people and bring them back into their own land.   Ezekiel 37:21: “And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, wherever they are, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land”: 

    Isaiah was told in Isaiah 66:8: “Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children”.

    From 70 A.D. until May 14, 1948, Israel was NOT a nation—her people were scattered all over the world.  Then on that day, they were recognized as a nation by the “League of Nations” and by the U. S.  In one day, they became a nation and the Jewish people have been returning to Israel for the last 72 years.  Returning to their homeland is referred to by them as “Aliyah” and over 8 million have returned.  I just read the other day that their government is concerned there won’t be enough room for everyone returning.  It is being intensified by the pandemic, and the rising anti-Semitism throughout the world.

    Now, let me say something else about where Israel is standing today.  Their government is different than ours in that they have multiple “political parties”.  When they have an election, they are not voting for a president but a “party”. 

    Whichever party receives the most votes is allowed to “form a government” by combining various “party’s” until they have a majority or “quorum” of all party’s combined (in agreement on the same “agenda/platform”).  This system has worked fine until the last election, and for the first time in Israel’s history, there wasn’t a clear winner.  Two parties were “tied” ~ so they had a second and third election, but with the same result.  They are now talking about a “4th election”.  The “leaders” of the two parties (Netanyahu and Gantz) are taking turns being “prime-minister”.  This is totally unprecedented, and the Israeli people are pleading for a “Leader” and praying that their “messiah” will appear!  Having never accepted Jesus as their Messiah, they are ready to accept a “false messiah” or the “anti-christ”.

    We mentioned earlier that this “anti-christ” will “set himself up in the temple as god” – so there has to be a “temple”.  It so happens that within Israel there is an “organization” called the “Temple Institute”.  They have been working for several years to prepare for the 3rd Temple to be built.  They have all the materials collected to build it, and claim it could be built in 90 days.  They have used DNA to identify true Levi’s (Aaron’s tribe), to be trained as “Temple priests” and offer sacrifices.  They have made all the golden accessories for the Temple, and are working on breeding perfect “red heifers” for the sacrifices.  They have reestablished the “Sanhedrin (a 70-member body of priests) to be their “spiritual judiciary”.

    One other development I’d like to mention, is the prophecy in Ezekiel concerning a “War” that has not yet taken place.  Using ancient names of the “nations” (i.e. Magog, Persia, Togarmiah, etc.), which would today be Russia, Iran, and Turkey (among others); it tells of how these countries will “swoop down from the north”, to attack Israel ~ but God himself will destroy them to show to all nations that He Is God!  If you’re not aware, today these countries all have troops in Syria, just north of Israel.  They all have failing economies and internal problems.  They envy Israel’s prosperity and resources.

    Do you see a “trend” here?  Oh, and by the way, there is this “Israel-Palestine Peace Deal” (created by Donald Trump and Jared Kushner), that is expected to be signed and implemented shortly after the U. S. election on Nov. 3rd.  The President has not only recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital, but the “peace deal” will give them sovereignty over the “west bank”.  It does include provisions that God (in His Word) takes exception to (such as dividing Jerusalem), and allowing all “faiths” to “worship” on the Temple Mount.  During the “Great Tribulation”, there will be “One World Leader, One World Government (Order), and a One World Religion”!

    By reading the Bible and today’s headlines, you can see that the “stage is set”, all the actors are in place and the “curtain” is about to go up!  Speaking of “going up”, God will take His Church (all believers) up and out of this world before He pours out His Righteous Anger on this sinful, violent, immoral, hateful, decadent world!  Pray, and witness to those who haven’t accepted Jesus, so they won’t be “left behind” for that terrible period, and possibly be eternally lost.

   Luke 21:28 “So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!

Posted by Dan Hubbell with