Is the Lord preparing to once again begin dealing with His chosen people as Israel approaches the 70th anniversary of being back in the land?
"For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place." Jeremiah 29:8-10 (KJV)
In this article, I want to talk about what I see as the amazing potential in 2018 for the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. There will be no date setting, fear mongering or end times scare tactics of any kind. There will be no "
4 Blood Moons" hype for book sales nonsense happening here. The Bible says the moon will
become blood, not simply turn red. So with that, let's take a look at some areas where we just might see Bible prophecy fulfilled in 2018.
Israel at the 70th anniversary of their regathering is a hotbed of potential prophetic fulfillment
The prophet Jeremiah in chapter 30 and verse 7 makes a reference to something he calls the “time of Jacob’s trouble”, which is the same thing Jesus mentions in Matthew 24 when He talks about the coming time of “great tribulation”. When the Jews were in Babylon, Daniel read the book of Jeremiah and understood that God would revisit His people after 70 years. Is it possible that God will once again visit as Israel
celebrates their 70th anniversary?
“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.” Jeremiah 30:7 (KJV)
But just one chapter before that, Jeremiah mentions something that immediately preceded that, a visitation from the Lord after 70 years. Historically this is talking about the Jews in Babylonian captivity, but is also a prophecy of the Jews in the time of Jacob’s trouble in the end times.
“For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.” Jeremiah 29:10 (KJV)
It is interesting to note that in the book of Revelation, Jesus says that in the time of Jacob’s trouble Israel will be like “Sodom and Egypt”. (Remember the Boston Globe article calling Tel Aviv the “gayest city on Earth”?) They have turned so far away from the LORD that this is how God now views them.
“And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” Revelation 11:8 (KJV)
But Revelation also directs our attention to spiritual Babylon that has now trapped the Jews just like physical Babylon did in Jeremiah’s day.
“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Revelation 17:4,5 (KJV)
So I ask you, those of you who are Bible believers and understand that there is much prophecy yet to be fulfilled, is it possible that sometime around the 70th anniversary of the regathering of the nation of Israel, could the LORD be planning to once again visit Israel and His chosen people the Jews?
THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE IN THE SONG OF SOLOMON
In the Song Of Solomon we see a beautiful picture of the Rapture of the Church and its timing
In the second chapter of the Song of Solomon, God paints us a picture of the Rapture of the Church. Not only that, He tells us what time of the year that the Rapture will likely take place. In verses 8 and 9, we see Jesus looking down from the windows of Heaven at His beloved.
“The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.” Solomon 2:8,9 (KJV)
In the New Testament, when the apostle Stephen was being stoned to death, he looked up and what did he see? He saw the ‘windows of Heaven opened’ and Jesus getting ready to return in the Second Coming.
“But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” Acts 7:55,56 (KJV)
In the book of Revelation, the ‘window of Heaven’ opens two times. Once in a type picture of the Rapture of the Church in chapter 4:1,2, and again in chapter 19:11-14 at the Second Coming where we return with Him at the Battle of Armageddon. In Song of Solomon 2, we see Jesus ‘looking through the lattice’ at His beloved Bride the Church. But notice that He calls for Her to ‘rise up’ to where He is and to ‘come away’ with Him. Now where in the New Testament do we hear anything resembling that? Right here:
“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” Revelation 4:1 (KJV)
Her beloved is calling for her to rise up and out to be with Him. Not only that, we see the likely timing of the Rapture as given in the context. It happens after the Winter is gone, and glorious Spring has come where new life once again fills the Earth. Some will say that it is not Spring everywhere around the world at the same time. This is true, but God is not concerned with the whole world. Bible prophecy and it’s fulfillment centers around His Holy land of Israel, and it’s capital city of Jerusalem in particular.
“For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;” Song of Solomon 2:11,12 (KJV)
Many Bible scholars have tried to set the timing of the Rapture of the Church with the Feast of Trumpets because a trumpet-like Voice heralds the Rapture. But it is much more likely and seems to be indicated in the passage that the Rapture will align with
the Feast of Firstfruits which takes place in the Spring. Clearly that is what’s happening in Song of Solomon 2.
Lastly, the Song of Solomon says that when the Rapture of the Church takes place, Israel will already have been regathered back into their land (May 14, 1948). Compare the passage with what Jesus in Matthew 24 said would take place, and we have harmony.
PREPARE FOR THE BATTLE FOR JERUSALEM
Jerusalem is the epicenter of Bible prophecy and the burdensome stone of the end times
America has a president that that did something no other president, Republican or Democrat, has had the guts to do. President Trump declared that the United States agrees with God and
recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. That one move has ignited a firestorm of controversy that has only begun to ripple across the Middle East.
"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it."Zechariah 12:2,3 (KJV)
The unrest in the Middle East has always been about who has the right to control Jerusalem, and the Bible says it will result in the epic battle between Jesus Christ and the forces of Antichrist at the
Battle of Armageddon.
So as you watch the events unfolding in the aftermath of Donald Trump recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, remember this. This conflict will never, ever be resolved until after the Pretribulation Rapture of the Church, after the rise of Antichrist, after the entire 7 year period of the time of Jacob’s trouble, and not until Jesus returns with the Church on horseback to fight against the combined earthly forces of Antichrist at the Battle of Armageddon.
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” Revelation 19:11-14 (KJV)
Donald Trump declaring Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel is not Bible prophecy, but the events that it will trigger absolutely, 100% are. For the Church, these are the very last moments before the Rapture which removes us before the start of the time of Jacob’s trouble.
THE COMING PRETRIBULATION RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH PRECEDES THE TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE
The time of Jacob's trouble cannot begin until Jesus has come to call His Church up and out of here in
the Pretribulation Rapture, for we have nothing to do with the coming time of great tribulation. The Church did not replace Israel, and Christians are not God's chosen people. The time of Jacob's trouble is when God once again begins to deal, judge and restore His land Israel and His people the Jews.
Maybe some or all of the events will take place in 2018, and maybe they won't. But if I were you I would have my bags packed, spiritual affairs in order and my ticket in hand ready to board Flight #777 on
Titus 213 Airlines. Just in case.
Keep your eye on the springtime in general, and on May 14, 2018 in particular. Happy new year. Maranatha.
Are YOU ready for what comes next?
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