Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”[2 Pet 3:3-4]
Don’t you believe it? Yes there are scoffers but God has not delayed His coming, far from it. God does not have His promises unfulfilled, in His tender love and mercy He is waiting for the final gathering together of His Church, the Bride, before that future and wonderful day, when He comes to take His Bride home to be with Him for ever. Jesus referred to His Church as His Bride and just like a Bridegroom in the ancient East, He has His home ready and He will come back for us His Church in His good time. How long you might say? The Bible does not tell us but gave us signs to look for.
Let’s look at some of these prophetic signs and see if they are being fulfilled. One of the biggest events that were to happen before His return was the restoration OF Israel. May 14th 1948 saw the establishment of the Nation of Israel by decree of the United Nations. [Isa 66:8]. The Nation of Israel was a fulfilment of a promise made to Abraham [Gen Ch 12]. Except for some time after 70 AD when the Romans sacked Jerusalem and scattered its inhabitants, the land of Israel was in continually inhabited by Jews. This was true right up to 300AD, when Christians and then Muslims inhabited the area. Various Jews were carried off by Babylonians and Assyria, but the land was still lived in by many Jews. The United Nations with the support of the USA, Britain and many other European nations gave it back to the rightful owners, the Jews. This was one of the first signs of the end of the world as we know it. Ezekiel Ch 37 indicates the Jews will return in unbelief, as dry bones, and will turn back to God a great army. This is a fulfilment of prophecy. At present the Army is being issued with a Jewish Bible and there is an ever increasing turning back to God. In spite of the difficulty that the sacred Temple Mount has a mosque built on it. A team of Jews are preparing to build a new Temple on the Temple Mount, in spite of the stopping by Muslims of Jews entering the Temple Mount. It will certainly happen as we read the coming Antichrist will set up an animated statue in the new Temple and Christ will eventually re-enter the Temple by the Eastern Gate and the Glory of God will return to the Temple. [Ezek Ch 43]. A full description of the Temple is written in Ezekiel Ch 40 – 42. The Temple Team at present have all the materials for the new Temple plus all the required equipment for the sacrifices and the Priests garments. Scripture is being fulfilled.
If we go on to read further in Ezekiel chapter 38, we see a mighty army from a Northern nation will invade Israel. This Nation of Magog is generally being interpreted as Russia and its allies. At present the main port of the Russian Mediterranean Fleet is in Syria. Because of this arrangement with Syria, it is one of the reasons for Russian support of Assad as ruler of Syria, and this is causing hostility between the USA and Russia. Russian involvement and support of several other surrounding nations such as Iran, and other Middle Eastern countries, which can be noted being part of the list of their allies written in Ezekiel, which includes Turkey (Togarmah), Ukraine (Gomer), Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, & Yemen (Cush), Libya and part of Egypt (Put), and Iran (Persia). If we go back to the spread of the descendants of Noah in Genesis Chapter 10, we see that some of them went to Asia. Particularly Japheth’s son Magog which history records settled in what is now called the Caucasus [Ge 10:1-2]. The Greeks called these people Scythians who spread north and became what was known as Tartars, Cossack’s, Mongols and others which in turn became part of Russia. It is as if, as I have said before; the stage is being set for a future event, and as we see further, the actors are beginning to take their places. Recently Israel recently discovered vast oil reserves, and possibly, these are the treasures to which it refers [Ezek 38:10-23].
Other surrounding countries will query with Russia what they are up to, Europe, America (Tarshish) and the neutral Middle Eastern Countries Saudi Arabia and UAE (Sheba & Dedan). Even today we are seeing the alignment of the Middle Eastern Countries with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, siding with the Western Nations. The USA use bases in Saudi Arabia for their air force and the others siding with Russia. It’s all there in the Bible. Prophecy we can see in our news every day.
Next time we will look at some of the ways of the world as it is at this present time, with the universal slide in the morals of the world and other matters such as persecution of Christians and Jews and what the Bible says about the future way of mankind.
Are you ready if the call from the clouds came in 10 minutes time to stand before our Lord at the Judgement seat of Christ or to be left behind by your family as they are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. “For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. [2 Cor 6:2NKJV].”
Brian D. Papworth