Many Christians have a difficult time understanding what is happening to the nation of Israel. To better understand we can consider what God told them (Ex 19:6) that they were to be a nation of priests. Since a priest is a mediator between God and man, and the nation was to be priests, it follows that it would be the purpose of Israel to bring the knowledge of God to thew whole world.
Israel failed in this. In fact it was only the Babylonian captivity that stopped the practice of idolatry. The prophet Jeremiah foretold a new covenant would be offered to the nation (Jer 31:31). When Jesus (the expected Messiah) came and offered the new covenant (Mat 26:28), most were not interested.
The failure of Israel to accept Jesus as Messiah and the new covenant resulted in the destruction of the temple in 70 AD and the period continuing to today called the time of the gentiles (Rom 11:25). This leaves many Christians wondering what the future holds for Israel. Some think that there is no role for Israel in God’s plans or that the church has replaced Israel.
There are many prophecies in the bible for Israel yet to be fulfilled. There are also prophecies regarding the Messiah and his kingdom ruling on earth from Jerusalem also yet to be fulfilled. This will require the nation of Israel to be restored. The nation if Israel today is mostly secular with little interest in God. This may change as the prophecies in Ezekiel and Revelation come to pass.
There is a prophecy in the book of Ezekiel (38 & 39) that describes a future war between Israel and a coalition of mostly Islamic states from Turkey and Iran in the north and east to Libya and Ethiopia in the west and south. This prophecy is most likely prior to the one described in Revelation also called the time of Jacob’s (Israel) trouble.
The events described in Revelation start with the death of 1/4 of the people on earth. Later a third of those surviving are killed. The Jews will be betrayed and those faithful to God will flee to the wilderness and there be supernaturally protected by God for 3 1/2 years. When Christ returns this remnant will receive Jesus and accept the kingdom and new covenant that their ancestors rejected 2,000 years ago.
The first covenant was accepted by Israel after escaping slavery in Egypt, witnessing the 10 plagues, and being led by a pillar of fire by God himself. I suspect that it is our natural condition to reject the things of God unless we are forced to recognize his majesty, power, and glory.
There is a kingdom in the future for Israel, but first they will have to go through extreme distress.
Israel failed in this. In fact it was only the Babylonian captivity that stopped the practice of idolatry. The prophet Jeremiah foretold a new covenant would be offered to the nation (Jer 31:31). When Jesus (the expected Messiah) came and offered the new covenant (Mat 26:28), most were not interested.
The failure of Israel to accept Jesus as Messiah and the new covenant resulted in the destruction of the temple in 70 AD and the period continuing to today called the time of the gentiles (Rom 11:25). This leaves many Christians wondering what the future holds for Israel. Some think that there is no role for Israel in God’s plans or that the church has replaced Israel.
There are many prophecies in the bible for Israel yet to be fulfilled. There are also prophecies regarding the Messiah and his kingdom ruling on earth from Jerusalem also yet to be fulfilled. This will require the nation of Israel to be restored. The nation if Israel today is mostly secular with little interest in God. This may change as the prophecies in Ezekiel and Revelation come to pass.
There is a prophecy in the book of Ezekiel (38 & 39) that describes a future war between Israel and a coalition of mostly Islamic states from Turkey and Iran in the north and east to Libya and Ethiopia in the west and south. This prophecy is most likely prior to the one described in Revelation also called the time of Jacob’s (Israel) trouble.
The events described in Revelation start with the death of 1/4 of the people on earth. Later a third of those surviving are killed. The Jews will be betrayed and those faithful to God will flee to the wilderness and there be supernaturally protected by God for 3 1/2 years. When Christ returns this remnant will receive Jesus and accept the kingdom and new covenant that their ancestors rejected 2,000 years ago.
The first covenant was accepted by Israel after escaping slavery in Egypt, witnessing the 10 plagues, and being led by a pillar of fire by God himself. I suspect that it is our natural condition to reject the things of God unless we are forced to recognize his majesty, power, and glory.
There is a kingdom in the future for Israel, but first they will have to go through extreme distress.
