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Several years ago I gave you two sermons about end-time prophesies, one oriented about Old Testament prophesies, the other more oriented toward New Testament prophesies. Recent current events have increased the number to three.
Part 1 began the study of end-time prophecies by discussing The Seventy Weeks prophecy of Daniel 9, related prophecies in Daniel 7 and 8 and 12, 2 Thes 2, Rev 13 and 17, and examples of time delays in prophecy. Part 1 is thus more static than Parts 2 and 3.
Today, in Part 2, we will begin by discussing prophecies regarding the return of the Lost Ten Tribes to their homeland in Israel, then move to current threats to the Tribes. Part 3 will discuss current and potential future situations.
The book of Obadiah contains prophecies concerning the destruction of Edom.
(Oba 1:18-21 NKJV) The house of Jacob [all the tribes] shall be a fire, And the house of Joseph [the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim] a flame; But the house of Esau shall be stubble; They shall kindle them and devour them, And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau," For the LORD has spoken. {19} The South shall possess the mountains of Esau, And the Lowland shall possess Philistia. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim And the fields of Samaria. Benjamin shall possess Gilead. {20} And the captives of this host of the children of Israel Shall possess the land of the Canaanites As far as Zarephath. The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Shall possess the cities of the South. {21} Then saviors [i.e. Saints] shall come to Mount Zion To judge the mountains of Esau, And the kingdom shall be the Lord's.
Two points are made here: That the house of Joseph and Jacob shall destroy the house of Esau (Edom). That Saviors (the Saints) shall come to Mount Zion and judge the house of Esau.
Gen 36:8 tells us specifically that Esau is Edom. In the end times the people of Edom are located in Germany and central Europe as well as a remnant in Israel. See Amos 9:11-12.
(Hosea 3:4-5 NKJV) For the children of [the House of] Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim. {5} Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They shall fear [stand in awe or obey per H6342] the LORD and His goodness in the latter days.
The children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king.
Return? Return where? When?
(Ezek 36:16-38 NKJV) Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: {17} "Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds; to Me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in her customary impurity. {18} "Therefore I poured out My fury on them for the blood they had shed on the land, and for their idols with which they had defiled it. {19} "So I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds. {20} "When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name; when they said of them, 'These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.' {21} "But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went. {22} "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. {23} "And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. {24} "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. {25} "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. {26} "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. {27} "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. {28} "Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. {29} "I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. {30} "And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. {31} "Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. {32} "Not for your sake do I do this," says the Lord GOD, "let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!" {33} 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. {34} "The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. {35} "So they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.' {36} "Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it." {37} 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock. {38} "Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the LORD."' "
The children of Israel shall return to the land that God gave to the Patriarchs but apparently during the tribulation and after Christ's return.
(Jer 3:17-20 NKJV) "At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts. {18} "In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers. {19} "But I said: 'How can I put you among the children And give you a pleasant land, A beautiful heritage of the hosts of nations?' "And I said: 'You shall call Me, "My Father," And not turn away from Me.' {20} Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, So have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel," says the LORD.
The house of Judah and Israel shall be reunited and call God "Our Father."
But perhaps you are asking, "Aren't these verses talking about the Jews who have returned to the current country of Israel?" The following verses from Genesis 49 demonstrate otherwise.
(Gen 49:1-28 NKJV) And Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days: {2} "Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father. {3} "Reuben [which may be in France today], you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power. {4} Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father's bed; Then you defiled it; He went up to my couch. {5} "Simeon [Celts] and Levi [with Judah] are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. {6} Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox. {7} Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob And scatter them in Israel. {8} "Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's children shall bow down before you. {9} Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? {10} The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. {11} Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. {12} His eyes are darker than wine, And his teeth whiter than milk. {13} "Zebulun [Holland] shall dwell by the haven of the sea; He shall become a haven for ships, And his border shall adjoin Sidon. {14} "Issachar [Swiss and Fins] is a strong donkey, Lying down between two burdens; {15} He saw that rest was good, And that the land was pleasant; He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden, And became a band of slaves. {16} "Dan [Danes] shall judge his people As one of the tribes of Israel. {17} Dan shall be a serpent by the way, A viper by the path, That bites the horse's heels So that its rider shall fall backward. {18} I have waited for your salvation, O LORD! {19} "Gad [Sweden], a troop shall tramp upon him, But he shall triumph at last. {20} "Bread from Asher [Scots] shall be rich, And he shall yield royal dainties. {21} "Naphtali [Norwegians] is a deer let loose; He uses beautiful words. {22} "Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall. {23} The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him. {24} But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), {25} By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb. {26} The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers. {27} "Benjamin [Belgium and Normans] is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he shall devour the prey, And at night he shall divide the spoil." {28} All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing.
Earlier, as Genesis 48:15-22 indicates, Jacob blessed Joseph and his sons Ephraim and Manasseh.
(Gen 48:15-22 NKJV) And he blessed Joseph, and said: "God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, {16} The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth." {17} Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim [English], it displeased him; so he took hold of his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's [America] head. {18} And Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head." {19} But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations." {20} So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will bless, saying, 'May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!' " And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh. {21} Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. {22} "Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow."
Judah is the father of the Jews. Israel, (Prevailer), is the name God gave to Jacob in Genesis 32:28. 2 Kings 16:5-6 is the first occurrence of the word "Jew" but also describes a war between the Jews and Israel, demonstrating the fact that the ten tribes of Israel do not include Jews.
(Jer 30 NKJV) The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, {2} "Thus speaks the LORD God of Israel, saying: 'Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you. {3} 'For behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,' says the LORD. 'And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.'" {4} Now these are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah. {5} "For thus says the LORD: 'We have heard a voice of trembling, Of fear, and not of peace. {6} Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale? {7} Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob's trouble, But he shall be saved out of it. [Notice that not just the present country of Israel, the Jews, but descendants of the lost ten tribes will experience a time of great trouble.] {8} 'For it shall come to pass in that day,' Says the LORD of hosts, 'That I will break his yoke from your neck, And will burst your bonds; Foreigners shall no more enslave them. {9} But they shall serve the LORD their God, And David their king, Whom I will raise up for them. {10} 'Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,' says the LORD, 'Nor be dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar, And your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, And no one shall make him afraid. {11} For I am with you,' says the LORD, 'to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, Yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished.' {12} "For thus says the LORD: 'Your affliction is incurable, Your wound is severe. {13} There is no one to plead your cause, That you may be bound up; You have no healing medicines. {14} All your lovers have forgotten you; They do not seek you; For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, With the chastisement of a cruel one, For the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased. {15} Why do you cry about your affliction? Your sorrow is incurable. Because of the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you. {16} 'Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; Those who plunder you shall become plunder, And all who prey upon you I will make a prey. {17} For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,' says the LORD, 'Because they called you an outcast saying: "This is Zion; No one seeks her."' {18} "Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob's tents, And have mercy on his dwelling places; The city shall be built upon its own mound, And the palace shall remain according to its own plan. {19} Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving And the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. {20} Their children also shall be as before, And their congregation shall be established before Me; And I will punish all who oppress them. {21} Their nobles shall be from among them, And their governor shall come from their midst; Then I will cause him to draw near, And he shall approach Me; For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?' says the LORD. {22} 'You shall be My people, And I will be your God.'" {23} Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD Goes forth with fury, A continuing whirlwind; It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. {24} The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until He has done it, And until He has performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days you will consider it.
(Zec 10:10 NKJV) I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt, And gather them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, Until no more room is found for them. [Gilead is in northwest Jordan.]
(Micah 7:14 NKJV) Shepherd Your people with Your staff, The flock of Your heritage, Who dwell solitarily in a woodland, In the midst of Carmel; Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, As in days of old.
He will bring the Lost Tribes back to the land of Gilead and Lebanon and Bashan.
What have we learned from these last nine scriptures? Let me summarize them again.
1) That those called by God's Name will possess the land of the remnant of Edom. The main body of Edom is in central and eastern Europe. The remnant is still in Israel.
2) That Saviors (the Saints) shall come to Mount Zion and judge the house of Esau (Edom).
3) That the house of Joseph and Jacob shall destroy the house of Esau.
4) That the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. These people, selected by God, appear to be returning during the tribulation.
5) That the children of Israel shall return to the land that God gave to the Patriarchs.
6) That the house of Judah and Israel shall be reunited and call God "Our Father."
7) That He will bring the Lost Tribes back to the land of Gilead and Lebanon and Bashan.
Again, Gilead is in northwest Jordan, east of the Jordan River which was occupied by the tribe of Manasseh. The tribe of Manasseh is believed to be located in North America, mostly in the U.S., today.
Where is the land of Bashan today? Bashan is the land northwest of Jordan and southern Syria, basically east of the Golan Heights.
But there is yet another event which occurs during this period just prior to Christ's return: The witnessing of the two witnesses or two candlesticks as they are called in the Old Testament. We can find them described in Rev 11 and Zech 4:11-14. Let's turn to Rev 11.
(Rev 11:1-12 NKJV) Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. {2} "But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months [3-1/2 years]. {3} "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days [3-1/2 years], clothed in sackcloth [clothes of mourning]." {4} These are the two olive trees and the two lamp-stands standing before the God of the earth. {5} And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. {6} These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. {7} When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. {8} And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. [Jerusalem] {9} Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies [via television?] three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. {10} And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. {11} Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. {12} And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
Verse 2 describes them as walking through Jerusalem for 42 months — 3–1⁄2 years of 30-day months. Verse 3 describes the two witnesses as receiving power to prophesy for a thousand two hundred and threescore days. Converting to months, that means they will prophesy for forty-two months or, guess what, 3–1⁄2 years. Verse 13 describes a great earthquake, killing thousands and destroying a tenth of the city, as occurring when they ascend to heaven. These events, again, seem to occur during the second 3–1⁄2 year period. Some speculate that these two people will repeat the relationships of Moses and Aaron as described in Exodus 7:1 which reads:
(Exo 7:1 NKJV) So the LORD said to Moses: "See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.
Verses one and two of Rev 11 disclose another bit of information. The temple and its people are to be measured, but the court which is outside the temple is not measured, for it has been given to the Gentiles. Today, the court has been given to the Gentiles. So, this almost pictures the Temple Mount as it exists today. There are two structures on the Temple Mount which are for the Muslims. Additionally, how and why would you measure the temple and its people? Is this an attempt to determine who and how many God has set aside, and to reveal this number to the world — perhaps so that others can compare that number with prophecies?
So what are we to make of all this? Do current events and these prophecies give us any clue as to when the seven years of Dan 9:27 will start? In Mat 24 we find the following guidance:
(Mat 24:15-16 NKJV) "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), {16} "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
In Part 1 we read and discussed what the abomination of desolation was. When we see this religious leader come to the Temple Mount with his idols, we will know that the final seven years are beginning.
Is this about to happen? Control of the Temple Mount has probably become the biggest issue of the so-called peace agreements between the State of Israel and the so-called Palestinian Authority. There have been many suggestions by the EU, United Nations and other countries. One of these is for there to be international control of the Temple Mount, but the Israelis are opposed to a world full of enemies controlling the most important structure in Judaism. The Vatican has already been given authority over Christian structures in Israel. Is it a stretch to anticipate Vatican control of the Temple Mount just as the Pope himself supports "Palestinian" ownership of God-given Israeli land? If you haven't done it before, it's time to watch world events. As Christ said:
(Luke 21:36 NKJV) "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
Prophetic scriptures tell us what will happen but they do not tell us exactly when they will happen. We are told this in statements by Christ (Ha Mashiach) in Mat 24:36, Mark 13:32-37 and Luke 21:36, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." In addition, He told us to watch world events so we could be aware of how close we are to his return. Let's read verses 32-37 of Mark 13.
(Mark 13:32-37 NKJV) "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. {33} "Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. {34} "It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. {35} "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming; in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning; {36} "lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. {37} "And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"
Again, in (Luke 21:36 NKJV) "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
It is my belief that the significant focus of all end time events is on how the event affects the country of Israel. Christ's prophecy in Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians 2, and the book of Revelations all seem to support that belief. In this part (Part 2) and continuing in Part 3, let me suggest seven areas of news events you will find useful to watch:
1. One area we should watch is Israeli politics and pressure put on Israel by those nations it depends upon and considers friends. The following description exemplifies why:
Previous Israeli elections were held between Prime Minister Barak and his challenger Ariel Sharon. Mr. Barak was criticized for offering to give the so-called Palestinians 90% of the west bank -- what we would describe as Judea and Samaria, as well as parts of Jerusalem and all of the Gaza. In addition he was reported to have wanted to turn over total control of the Temple Mount, including its security, to the Moslems. Barak's plan was reportedly suggested by former President Clinton. Fearing a conservative victory, former U.S. President Clinton went on Israeli TV in support of Mr. Barak and sent his political assistant James Carville to assist Mr. Barak. This intervention seems to have been a clear violation of the principle and intent of Zech 12:3. Let's begin reading in verse 2.
(Zec 12:2-3 NKJV) "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. {3} "And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.
Mr. Sharon eventually won the election by a huge landslide. While he campaigned, Mr. Sharon stated he would not even discuss peace until all attacks by the Palestinians completely stopped, and he would not give up any part of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount..
After several years of terrorist bombings on Israeli citizens, U. S. President Bush proposed another peace plan to bring the two sides together. Like previous peace plans, the plan again proposed the giving away of God-given Israeli land. Perhaps under the duress of the cutting off of assistance from the Bush government, Prime Minister Sharon agreed to such a plan if the so-called Palestinians would just stop killing Israelis. But thousands of Israelis objected to the plan to give away their homes, businesses, and land, their God-given land [Joshua 15:48]. Many others correctly felt this would reward terrorism. So Mr. Sharon agreed to comply with the results of a referendum of his Likud party which was held on May 2, 2004. He later reneged on his agreement.
In May of 2005 President Bush publically stated that Israel had to be reduced to its 1949 borders, better known as the Auschwitz borders, by renegotiating its God-given covenant land with the so-called Palestinians. This does nothing but reduce Israel's land to that following its war of independence. It would deny Israel access to much of Jerusalem, the entire West Bank and Golan Heights, and reduce Israel's narrow width to only nine miles. The US Government turned its back on loyal, democratic Israel in favor of a bunch of Arab terrorists, all the while claiming to be fighting terrorism and those governments supporting terrorism by democratizing the Middle East. In his plan to bring peace to the Middle East by democratization, perhaps President Bush should have taken a lesson from the first U.S. President Washington who said: American government can only survive if it is lead by Christians. President Obama declared that the U.S. is not a Christian nation but also wants Israel to return to the 1949 border.
US interference is pure hypocrisy - or worse, even if its purpose is to protect the world oil supply. To be fair and even-handed, perhaps the US should also renegotiate all the land it has acquired since its war of independence. That would reduce the US to its thirteen original colonies and return the city of Washington to the state of Maryland. Of course, Indians would then claim these thirteen colonies. As President Thomas Jefferson stated, "I fear for my country when I consider that God is just." Wouldn't it be more prudent to simply oppose the so-called Palestinians' takeover of God-given Israeli covenant land as a matter of principle? What does the Eternal say about supporting Israel?
(Gen 12:3 NKJV) [Speaking to Abraham, God said] I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
(Isa 60:12 NKJV) For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you [i.e. Israel] shall perish, And those nations shall be utterly ruined.
President Bush's and President Obama's statements that Israel can only claim her 1949 borders seems to be the biggest Presidential betrayals of Israel ever. Two other prophesies seem to predict the results.
(Joel 3:2 NKJV) I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land.
(Zec 12:9 NKJV) "It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
The United States is now being threatened even by South American countries. Venezuela, America's third largest source of oil, is receiving 100,000 Russian AK-47s, apparently for South American insurgents, and is negotiating with oil-rich Iran for uranium. American cities may soon be threatened by nuclear attack and a cut-off of oil, not only by the Red Chinese in the Panama Canal zone, which the US gave away, but also from Venezuela.
What is happening to the formerly God-loving, highly blessed US? The Seventh Day Adventists have believed for decades that the US will start out as a gentle nation and end up as a war-like nation, allied to the Catholic Church. They base this belief on Rev. 13:11. Let's look at that verse.
(Rev 13:11 NKJV) Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. [Biblically, a dragon refers to Satan.]
Many understand that the two horns in this verse refer to the civil and religious governments of the Catholic Church. However, the US demand that Israel give up its God-given land, certainly a satanically inspired demand, causes one to wonder if the Adventist understanding of this verse might have merit. Some Adventist prophesies have been proven false, but if the US is to be allied with the EU and maybe even the Catholic Church, it presents another very threatening scenario for God's elect living in the US.
(Mat 24:9 NKJV) [Christ speaking of His people:] "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.
"You" in this verse are God's chosen people, not everyone who claims to be Christian. Who are "they" who will kill you? Is there any indication the US might become allied with the EU and the Catholic Church? What of the Islamic terrorist threats? Is the current Mexican effort to reclaim the US southwest the consequence of US support of the so-called "Palestinian" claim to God-given Israeli land? The acquisitions of US and Israeli land were both based upon a sense of Manifest Destiny, i.e. a Divine blessing, and both were land seizures, though the US seizure was tempered by a land agreement and a pittance of payment.
The Supreme Court already has a Catholic majority so they could conceivably become biased should they be faced with a question concerning the constitutionality of joining a foreign power. The same seems to apply to the influential news media.
(Dan 11:40-41 NKJV) "At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. {41} "He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent [chief] people of Ammon. [The nation of Jordan in other words.]
Is the king of the south Iran or Muslim North Africa? And what of Iran's vow to destroy Israel with nuclear weapons? Currently, the US has the biggest navy in the world. But again, the true meaning of Rev 13:11 will be revealed by the course of US foreign policy. If the US moves toward support of the EU and perhaps Catholicism, its future is very grave. If the US supports Israel, and returns to an ethical lifestyle, its future will be quite different.
(Gen 27:29 NKJV) Let peoples serve you [Jacob and his progeny], And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!"
Studies in the Word of God
Church of God Most High
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