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Christian Chronicles, January 2005 - Volume 7, Issue 108

The Editor's Pen

The world is rapidly changing. Everything seems to be spiraling downward toward cataclysm, though it is such a subtle thing that few are aware of it. In fact, it might fairly be said that not many outside the true Church have any inkling of the underlying importance of the things taking shape on the world stage today. To the casual observer, things are looking up. The EU is settling into some semblance of normalcy. The situation now looks better between Israel and the Palestinians since Arafat has passed from this life. The Quartet is showing shining hopefulness about the prospects of renewing activity on their “Roadmap” to peace in the Middle East.

But all is not rosy. Decadence is spreading and growing at an alarming rate around the globe. The gap widens annually worldwide between the haves and the have nots. There is one war already being waged in the Middle East, and other wars in the region stand only one mistake away. For the world, these things and many more presage terrible destruction, but for the true Church, they are individually and collectively harbingers of hope.

The Editor of CC has served in the U.S. military, and would again do so if called upon, and has suffered from injuries sustained in that service for many decades. Patriotism does not nullify realism. The center article will seem controversial to some, and the staff of CC wishes to point out that the information contained therein is a theological discussion, and not a political statement. We urge all our readers to take the information in that article only for what it actually says, and to consider it prayerfully. It is an important position being embraced more widely every day, even in conservative circles.

Perspectives

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near — at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.” (Mt 24: 32-24)

Of course, when Jesus spoke those words, He was not speaking of the rapture of the Church, but of his Second Advent, when He returns with His Church age saints to establish His rule over the earth. We know that this is so because many of the earth-shaking events that are described in the preceding verses are clearly stated to occur during the great tribulation period that follows the rapture of the Church. Many Christians read Matthew 24 and 25 and want to use them as signs for the rapture. And many preachers warn against such usage, declaring that the signs given in those chapters have nothing to do with the rapture, but must be viewed only in the context of the Second Coming of Christ.

Well, yes and no. While all of the signs of the Second Advent will not come into full flower until near the end of the tribulation period, if other signs also indicate that the events of the tribulation might be drawing near, then we who hold the Dispensational position of a pretribulation rapture may certainly make the connection that the rapture must also be drawing near. That is, if the tribulation is ready to unfold upon the earth, and if the rapture precedes the tribulation, then the rapture must be near also. There are, after all, other prophecies given in the Scriptures by which we may roughly determine our place on the great span of time that bridges eternity past with eternity future (although we must recognize that there is neither past nor future in eternity, but an unbroken continuum). Daniel, for example, was told that, as the climactic events drew near, two phenomena would occur: 1) many will travel to and fro, and, 2) knowledge will increase (Dan 12:4). The birth and growth of the Internet has certainly spurred an increase in knowledge such as the world has never before experienced. And the industrial age has spawned cars, trains and airplanes, so that the world is now a teeming mass of moving humanity on any given day.

At the same time, racism is rampant over the planet. Jews against Gentiles, Gentiles against Jews; blacks against whites, whites against everyone else; ethnos against ethnos. We should hit our knees every morning and thank God heartily that the Holy Spirit is in the world still, restraining evil. When He is removed, at the rapture of the Church, consider how violent the hatred will become on all sides. Yes, the love of many will indeed grow cold, as Jesus predicted (Mt 24:12).

But there are other prophecies that indicate that the tribulation is very near. The center article of this issue of Christian Chronicles, delineates some of the geo-political alliances that will be in place during the dark days ahead. We find without exception that virtually every one of the prophesied alliances is already either fully in place or is moving rapidly into place. By far, most are already fully in place.

One of the key “signs of the times,” also in Daniel, is that the nation from which the Antichrist shall arise will broker a treaty between Israel and “many” (Dan 9:27). From 70 A.D. to 1948, this was not possible, for there was no nation of Israel on the planet. Since Anwar Sadat first visited Israel until now, the world has been pressing ever harder for just such an agreement as that of which Daniel predicted some twenty-six hundred years ago. The Antichrist shall seek to change times (Dan 7:25). How about from B.C. to BCE. How about A.D. to CE. The change is being made in order to remove any reference to the birth of the Jewish Messiah from his reckoning of time. CE stands for Common Era, and BCE stands for Before Common Era. Of course, the Common Era began with the birth of Christ, but the secular world would remove any reference to Christ from its division of time.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, there is vastly more proof that both the rapture and the tribulation are very, very near than there is that you are sitting where you are, reading this article. Although no one can state the day or the hour of the rapture, it is given to us to know and recognize the times and the seasons (1 Thes 5:1-10). Every time the word hope is found in the New Testament, it has reference to the resurrection of the saints at the rapture of the Church. Paul, writing to Titus (2:13), called it our “blessed hope.” While the events described in Matthew 24 will occur in the tribulation period, many other prophecies are unfolding daily, and our hope of the rapture in our day ought to be greatly enlarged, to the extent that our lives should be changed. Our governing perspective ought to be eternal rather than temporal, heavenly rather than earthly. More than any other generation, we should always be watchful. These are exciting times in which to be Christians!

Middle East Update

Mahmoud Abbas, the leading Palestinian presidential candidate, has in recent weeks been making incendiary speeches, appearing with gunmen and leaders of various terrorist factions, saying that Palestine will insist on the rights of refugees to return to Israel. At one point he referred to Israel as “our Zionist enemy.”

On Thursday, January 6th, however, Abbas was conciliatory toward Israel, pledging to work in partnership with Ariel Sharon, Israel’s Prime Minister, toward full implementation of the “Road Map” that is to usher in the existence of a recognized Palestinian state. It is likely that the harsher language that he used earlier was for domestic political consumption. He had been seen by many as dull and bureaucratic, and needed to bolster his image as a bold leader. While Israel surely realized that, they were nonetheless becoming alarmed over the strident remarks and defiant attitude that Abbas had been employing.

Another reason for Abbas’ harsh rhetoric is the fact that the militant group Hamas is making veiled threats against him. A senior Palestinian Authority in Ramallah told the Jerusalem Post, “We’re very worried for his safety because of the campaign of incitement waged against him by Hamas and several other groups” (Jpost, Jan. 6, 2005). The official said that the Palestinian Authority would not hesitate to launch a “Fallujah-style” offensive against Hamas if it continues its verbal offensive against Abbas. Things are getting rocky in Palestine. A high-level delegation of U.S. officials will observe the January 9 election.

Abbas has called for an end to the rocket attacks against Israel from Gaza, and both Hamas and Islamic Jihad have denounced him, saying that resistance is right, and is the right path to follow. Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul, suggested Wednesday that Israeli military operations in Gaza and the West Bank would not bring security to Israel.

As Israel prepares to pull out of Gaza, Jewish settlers there are staging protests, demonstrating outside the Knesset on Thursday, Jan. 6. Ariel Sharon has forged a “Unity” government, bringing Labor on board with his Likud. Nevertheless, on the streets, the disengagement is very unpopular. Even the military is threatening mutiny if the government goes ahead with the planned withdrawal. Thirty-four reserve officers signed a petition, or letter, saying that they would refuse to participate in the withdrawal from Gaza. Israeli Defense Forces Chief of General Staff, Lt. General Moshe Ya’alon summoned all thirty-four officers and declared that any officer who persisted in such mutinous action would be discharged from the service. He said, “The use of reserve officers of their ranks for political statements is very grave, and we will act decisively against this phenomenon” (Jpost , Jan. 6, 2004).

Thus, we see that political unrest is growing on both sides of the peace process. What we may be viewing is the lead-up to something both governments have agreed behind closed doors to do, but which will be railed against by factions on both sides. We may be seeing the opening moves in the restarting of the peace pro-cess, with the Palestinian Authority calling for an end to violence in favor of negotiation, and with Israel surrendering land for peace. Sharon is coming under harsh attack from those who do not believe Israel should give up any land at all, and Abbas is coming under attack from those who demand that the resistance must continue. Yet, there are those on both sides who are tired of the killing and the destruction, who are ready for peace. And these outnumber those who want the conflict to continue.

Fruit of the Vine

Christians never know, when they begin to witness to a lost soul, what portion of Scripture will be effective in leading that person to the Lord. The Holy Spirit knows, and if the witness is in the Spirit, He will lead him to the Scriptures that the lost person needs to hear. The Holy Spirit prepares the hearts of the lost, supplies the witnesses the seed and water, moves them to plant that seed, and causes it to grow in the hearts of those who are saved. It seems odd, therefore, that we should receive reward in heaven for that which God Himself did, but that is the way it is. There is no reward for “being good,” for there are still none good (though many believe they are good). Our reward is not based upon our “goodness,” but upon our service, whether that service involves preaching, teaching, witnessing, giving, administering or maintaining the physical plant where we worship. “Going to church” does not garner any reward. Serving in church makes one a participant in the ministry, and earns a full measure of the reward thereof. All of the fruit that the church bears is credited to the accounts of those who serve. One need not be a great evangelist in order to lay up treasure in heaven. There are many ways to serve God in fruitful ministries. Nevertheless, every Christian ought to be well versed enough in the Scriptures to be able to present the simple message of the cross to a lost soul, for the preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord (Prov 16:1).

Thy Kingdom Come - OMM

The most repeated topic of Scripture is the Messianic Kingdom. Just count how many times Zechariah and the rest of the prophets declare “in that Day” or “in the Day of the Lord.” During the Kingdom Age, as many refer to that period of extreme blessing on the earth, the main beneficiaries will be God’s sovereign earthly chosen people, Israel. All who bless Israel for that 1000 years will be blessed. Herein the New Covenant (Jer 31) and the Abrahamic Covenant promises (Gen 15) are fully dispensed.

Israel will be head of the nations, and the Messiah (Jesus, Son of David) will be her King. Christ will rule on David’s throne from the temple in Jerusalem. Then Israel will know peace with God and man; true shalom.

Psa 2:6 - “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

Isa 2:3-4 - For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.

Eze 37:27-28 - “My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. And the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.”

Zech 2:10-11 - “Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," declares the LORD. "Many nations will join themselves to the LORD in that day and will become My people.”

Zech 14:9 - “And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.”

Israel, having their sins washed away, will not know the effects of the curse. People will be free of disease and live 1000 years if they continue in obedience.

Isa 33:24 - “And no resident will say, ‘I am sick;” the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.”

Isa 35:6 - “Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.”

Isa 65:20 - “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, Or an old man who does not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred, and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed.”

All Israel’s former enemies will become allies and will know the Lord and worship the Jewish Messiah.

Isa 19:23-25 - “In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, ‘Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.’”

Zech 14:16 - “Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.”

The Earth itself and all creation will have the curse effects reversed.

Hab 2:14 - “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

Rom 8:19-21 - “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

All Church Saints will rule with the Lord during the Millennial Kingdom before returning with Him to heaven in eternity.

Rev 5:9-10 - “And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Rev 20:4-6 - “Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”

Let’s look ahead to the time after the Rapture of the Church when again the Lord blesses Israel and gathers the Nations to Him to pay homage at David’s throne.

Act 15:15-18 - “With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 'After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the gentiles who are called by My name,' says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago.”

The Things That Shall Be Hereafter - HGS

In exile on the Isle called Patmos, the Apostle John was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day when he heard the voice of the Lord speak to him commanding him to: Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter (Rev 1:19).

We will deal briefly with the last part of the verse. One day, and we believe soon, the day of, or if you prefer, the dispensation of grace will be over. It will end when the church to is commanded to “come up here,” as we see in Revelation 4:1. We must remember that the book of Revelation runs in chronological order. A brief outline is:

I. Introduction – Rev. 1 – An introduction to the Author and object of the book, Jesus Christ Himself.

II. The history of the professing church – Rev. 2 & 3. The seven churches, representing the course of Christendom’s history from Pentecost to the Rapture.

III. The translation of the body of Christ – Rev. 4:1-3. The true Church within the professing Church.

IV. The Church in Heaven – Rev. 4:3-ll.

V. The seven-sealed book – Rev. 5. The key to Revelation.

VI. The first half of the tribulation period – Rev. 6-10. Corresponds to the first half of Daniel’s seventieth week.

VII. Parenthetical portion – Rev. 11, 12, 13. An introduction to the chief participants in the last half of the tribulation period.

VIII. The great tribulation – Rev. 14-19:11. Last half of Daniel’s seventieth week.

IX. The Second Coming of Christ – Rev. 19:11-12.

X. The Millennium – Rev. 20. The binding of Satan and the first resurrection.

XI. The Final Judgment – Rev. 10:11-15.

XII. Eternity – Rev. 21-22.

We believe that the Bible teaches that God will call his church out of this world as described in 1^st Thessalonians Chapter 4:13-18: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them who are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them all who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them who are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. Also 1^st Corinthians chapter 15 is known as the resurrection chapter.

In Revelation 4:1 we see the picture of the rapture. We see here the glorious picture of the church in heaven. But here in Revelation is not revealed the next event on God’s calendar. The next event is known as the Judgment Seat of Christ. Paul told Timothy in 2^nd Timothy 2:15: Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. To find the next event, we must divide the Scriptures and turn to 1^st Corinthians 3:11-17: For no other foundation can man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble – every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall test every man’s work or what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built upon it, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. In these verses we have a very vivid picture of the Judgment Seat of Christ. Satan has convinced the Church today that if you’re saved by grace, and God forgives you, there will not be a “day of reckoning” for the Christian. But today, if the Christian really understood the Judgment Seat of Christ, his life would change immediately. For here we find that everything that a Christian does is in one of six categories: gold, silver, precious stone, hay, wood, stubble. And anyone with an open mind can see the results of our works in this life.

The Judgment Seat of Christ takes place in the air. At the same time on earth, the first event after the rapture is the manifestation of the Antichrist, whose short but diabolical reign brings upon earth the greatest time of tribulation since time began. This time of tyranny and lawlessness will be brought to a climax of hatred and bloodshed at the great Battle of Armageddon. This seven-year period is known as the Seventieth Week of Daniel, the Day of the Lord, and the Time of Jacob’s Trouble. The armies of Satan will be destroyed at the Battle of Armageddon when Christ comes back at his literal Second Coming to establish his kingdom on earth as is spoken of in Revelation 19:11-16.

The last event in heaven, just before the Church – or the Bride, comes back with Jesus as spoken of in the book of Jude, is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, as recorded in Revelation 19:7-9: Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

We, the church, are warned to wake up. Don’t be caught napping for the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. And then the day of grace will be ended.

Places in Prophecy

In order to understand the many prophecies regarding the Gentile nations that are given in the Scriptures, it is important to understand where those ancient places were in relation to the geography of the Middle East today. Once a person has a grasp of the relationship between the ancient peoples and the modern, then prophecy begins to come together in a more readily understandable way. For example, when one understands that Babylon is modern Iraq, then the unfulfilled prophecies concerning Babylon can be applied to Iraq. When one ancient nation is said to be aligned with another ancient nation, and when their modern counterparts are understood, then we can begin to unravel the geo-political alliances that will exist when the end-time prophecies begin to unfold. And then, as we begin to examine the current geo-political stage, we find that the stage is pretty much set for the fulfillment of those prophecies, and our hearts are uplifted when we realize how very near the rapture may be.

More difficult in this study is determining whether the ancient prophecies had only a near view, or if there is also a far view that pertains. That is, many prophecies have been fulfilled already, but among those, there are many that had a near-term fulfillment, and will also have an end-times fulfillment. The realm of conservative theology tends to minimize the dual application of prophecy, and is probably correct in most instances. However, we also see parallels between how ancient peoples treated Israel and how modern nations in the same locations treat her, so that as the time of fulfillment draws near, more dual application prophecies emerge.

Edom was Jacob’s brother, formerly called Esau. He settled in an area that is now southern Jordan, between the Zered River and the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea. Isaiah describes the return of the Jews to the Holy Land at the Second Coming of Christ, and the destruction of Edom and the rest of the Jordanian kingdom: “He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not harass Ephraim. But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west; together they shall plunder the people of the East; they shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab; and the people of Ammon shall obey them” (Isa 11:12-14). The Philistines occupied the area now known as the Gaza Strip. East of the Jordan River are Edom, Moab and Ammon, all in what is now Jordan. Southern Jordan (Edom) will fall in a great slaughter (Isa 34:6), and will be a wasteland for generations (Isa 34:10). Christ, leading His armies, will return from Edom with His garments red with the blood of Jordanians. In early June of 1967, Egypt, Syria and Jordan had mobilized their armed forces and were pressing against the borders of Israel. In a war that lasted slightly less than six full days, Israel won a stunning victory, humiliating the Arabs. In 1973, Egypt and Syria, backed by Jordan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, launched the Yom Kippur War, which lasted three weeks. This war was in retaliation for the humiliation suffered at the hands of the Israelis in 1967. Hear the words of the prophet Jeremiah: “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Because of what Edom did against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended by avenging itself on them,’ (emphasis is the author’s) therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘I will also stretch out My hand against Edom, cut off man and beast from it, and make it desolate from Teman; Dedan shall fall by the sword. I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, that they may do in Edom according to My anger and according to My fury; and they shall know My vengeance,’ says the Lord GOD” (Jer 25:12-14). Teman and Dedan were located in what is now Saudi Arabia. Jordan has lately tried to appear moderate in its stance toward Israel, but it has committed the acts that it has committed, and continues to aid and abet nations such as Iraq in persecution against Israel. Many people, even Christians, think that when judgment has been delayed for a long time, it will not be executed at all. But God is not bound by the dimension of time the way we temporal creatures are. The judgment that He warns of is certain.

In a sweeping panorama of prophecies against the Gentile nations, the Prophet Ezekiel details the downfall of many peoples in the Middle East, from Libya and Ethiopia and Egypt in the south to Turkey in the north; from the West Bank in Israel, to Iraq. These prophecies cover vast areas of land in countries that are now known as Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya, the Sudan, Somalia and others.

Let us think about Egypt. Are they the friend of Israel? Did not the Camp David Accords in 1978 establish peaceful relations between Egypt and Israel? Menachem Begin, Prime Minister of Israel, and Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt, met in the hills of Maryland in the United States, with President Jimmy Carter mediating, and worked out their differences. This took a tremendous amount of pressure off Israel insofar as vast resources were being expended to safeguard the Sinai Peninsula, taken in the Six Day War in 1967. At the same time, Israel was forced to secure its northern border against Syria (in what was formerly a part of the Assyrian Empire), along a stretch of highlands known as the Golan Heights. The Golan Heights is a militarily strategic ridge that separates Israel from Syria. Prior to the 1967 war, Syria occupied those heights, overlooking Israel, and making them terribly vulnerable to attack. After the 1967 war, Israel controlled the Golan Heights, and could almost see Damascus (Syria’s capital) from that vantage point. They certainly could have seen any approaching army columns. But with threats from both Syria and Lebanon (also formerly part of the Assyrian Empire), it was to Israel’s advantage to lessen the threat from the south. Thus, Israel may be said to have sought shelter under Egypt’s wing from the northern threat. With peace between Egypt and Israel, the threat from the east, Jordan, would also be diminished greatly. Thus, it seemed to Israel to be in her best interests to settle her differences with Egypt in order to better secure her safety in the north and east. Now hear the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Woe to the rebellious children,” says the Lord, “Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin; who walk to go down to Egypt, and have not asked My advice, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! Therefore the strength of Pharaoh shall be your shame, and trust in the shadow of Egypt shall be your humiliation” (Isa 30:1-4). While the prophet was speaking specifically about an alliance with Egypt for security against the Assyrians, the parallel is striking. It is fair to presume that Israel will suffer some particular distress in the tribulation period on account of this repetition of her failure to trust God when she was threatened by Sennacherib of Assyria.

Let us now turn our thoughts northward. Specifically, let us look to the prophecies against Gog and Magog and their allies in Ezekiel 38-39. Scofield writes, “Gog...Magog...Rosh. The reference is to the powers in the north of Europe, headed by Russia. The whole passage should be read in connection with Zech 12:1-4; 14:1-9; Matt 24:14-30; Rev 14:14-20; 19:17-21. Gog is probably the prince; Magog, his land. Russia and the northern powers have long been the persecutors of dispersed Israel, and it is congruous both with divine justice and with the covenants of God that destruction should fall in connection with the attempt to exterminate the remnant of Israel in Jerusalem. The entire prophecy belongs to the yet future day of the Lord…” (HOLY BIBLE: Scofield Study System, Oxford University Press, New York, 2002, Page 1148).

It was necessary that the Soviet Union be dissolved. For Gog is said to be affiliated with allies: Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer, and Togarmah. Magog would be the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. Some have equated these with the nation of Russia, and the cities of Moscow and Tobolsk, though the association is uncertain. Persia is modern Iran. Ethiopia and Libya, aligned with Russia, are the same nations today, though their boundaries may not have been precisely the same as they are today. Gomer is probably a people descended from the Cimmerians, who occupied land in what is now Bulgaria, Romania, the Ukraine, possibly Poland and even Germany. Togarmah is acknowledged as the father of the Armenians, and in the context of this prophecy probably also includes at least some of Armenia’s bordering states such as Turkey, Georgia (formerly of the Soviet Union), Azerbaijan and nearby Iran. Magog will lead his hordes down from Russia, through Azerbaijan, through Armenia and into Iran, picking up armies along the way, in the attack on Israel described in Ezekiel 38-39. Russia has a long-standing arrangement with Iran to either over-fly or march across Iran in an attack on Israel. It would be most helpful for those of you who are not familiar with the geography of the region to consult a map.

Some few weeks ago, it was announced that Russia is building a new class of nuclear missiles. However, Gog will never be the land it was during its heyday, from the end of World War II to the end of the Cold War. During the tribulation period, the nation of the beast will have so consolidated his power around the world that Russia will see but one last chance to diminish the power of this great nation. The hook that God will put in his jaw is the oil of the Middle East. Magog will suppose that if he can eliminate Israel, he will have the undying loyalty of the Arab states, with all their oil. While he will not expect to defeat the nation of the beast militarily, by controlling the oil he can slow the advance of the beast across the face of the globe. Israel will not defeat Gog and Magog. God will handle that chore by means of a devastating earthquake in which six of every seven of the invading soldiers will be killed. Then, with Russia out of the way, and with the Chinese lacking the logistical capability to deliver a great army against him, the Antichrist will begin the campaign that culminates in the plains of Megiddo, where he will be caught when our Lord returns to the earth to establish His kingdom.

The prophet Daniel saw the great panorama of Gentile dominion over the earth unfold in visions, a succession of empires, the last of which would be in two widely separated phases. This vision occurred in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, where the Jews were still being held captive, approximately six years before Babylon fell to the Medes and the Persians. Then six years later, in the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede, Daniel prayed for understanding. He had come to realize from the writings of Jeremiah (25:11) that seventy years would be the span of their captivity. As that time was approaching, Daniel thought it wise to confess on behalf of the nation of Israel, and to plead with God to restore Jerusalem and His people, not because they were righteous, but because they were called by God’s name, and ought not be a reproach against His name among the Gentiles.

Previously, Daniel had received a vision of four world empires arising and falling. Every serious student of the Scriptures understands that these are Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. The last of the four, Rome, is in two phases, one already historical, the ancient Roman Empire, and the other, the nation from which the Antichrist shall arise at the beginning of the tribulation period. The consensus view among conservatives for several centuries was that the Roman Empire would be resurrected and return to power. Now various views are held. Some say that the final form of the old Roman Empire will be a yet-to-be-identified Mediterranean state. Others believe that it will be the United Nations. Still others contend that it is the European Union. A few think the nation of the beast will be Russia. A growing number believe that the United States is the nation from which the Antichrist will arise. This last is based upon three primary considerations. First is the fact that Daniel (9:27) indicated that the Antichrist will be the primary broker of a Middle East peace agreement, and the United States has long led the process of negotiation toward that end. Many believe that the ten-nation federation represented by the ten horns of Daniel 7:7-8, 24-25 is the origin of the Antichrist. This, because Revelation 13:1 describes the beast out of the sea as having seven heads and ten horns. However, Daniel says that the little horn (the Antichrist) is not one of the ten, nor is it the whole ten nation federation, for he calls it another horn that arises after the ten. This little horn of which Daniel writes (7:24) is said to defeat three of the ten. Thus, the second reason that some consider the United States to be the nation of the beast is the fact that the U.S. arose from the sands of Europe three hundred years more or less after the Roman Empire collapsed, and defeated England, Germany and Italy in war. Third, the U.S. is the last of the great super powers and stands alone in its ability to enforce its will in the world. Some hold that Communist China is the nation from which the Antichrist shall arise. However, Daniel identifies an army out of the east (11:44), which John (Rev 9:16) numbers at two hundred million that attacks the beast and his armies. In 1976 China proudly announced that it could field an army of two hundred million men. If China were the nation of the beast, it must then attack itself. In addition, Daniel also identifies powers attacking the beast and his armies as coming from the north and the south (11:40). So, we have armies from the north and the south and the east attacking the beast and his armies. The only direction left is the west, and the United States is both the unquestioned leader of the West and the primary broker of Middle East peace. It is interesting that in Daniel’s prophecies, Rome is not named but the other three empires are. God, foreseeing the collapse of the old Roman Empire and its eventual end-times counterpart arising from the same geographical area, named neither Rome nor its end-times counterpart.

Let us be clear about this. We are not saying that the United States is the nation of the beast. The rapture may be hundreds of years away. Or more. The world can change dramatically in a short period of time, as the events in the Indian Ocean on December 26 demonstrated. Some contend that the U.S. will suffer an economic cataclysm that will allow Europe or Japan to eclipse her on the world stage. Others contend that China may supplant us, doing as Nikita Khrushchev desired to do, hanging us with rope that we sell them. God could send some sort of plague or epidemic to North America that would decimate our population. A nuclear catastrophe could wipe us out as a people. There are countless ways in which even a hyper-power can be brought to destruction in a very short time. God is certainly able to accomplish such a small feat without breathing hard.

However, all else being equal, with the geo-political alliances being already in place in accordance with that which the Bible predicts; with peace being negotiated and brokered by the strongest and richest nation the planet has ever seen; with knowledge increasing exponentially annually; with people flying all over the globe, having breakfast in California and supper in Tokyo; with hordes of people thronging airports, bus stations and train depots around the world, and the roads clogged with motor vehicles; with the professing church in a state of almost universal apostasy: if the stage is set for the events to occur following the rapture, and if the pace is accelerating increasingly quickly, then it is probably safe to suggest that the rapture at least may be quite near indeed. And if this is so, then it is not much of a stretch to suggest also that if it does occur in our lifetime, it is likely that the Antichrist will emerge, not from some obscure nation without the power to enforce its will, but from the strongest and richest nation that history has yet produced.

Prophecies have very frequently been wonderfully obscure when they were given, becoming clearer and clearer as the time of their fulfillment drew near. But even as the scribes and Pharisees refused to look at the religious and political landscape of their day and failed to recognize that theirs was the generation that would witness the Advent of the Messiah, even so today do many theologians refuse to compare the current geo-political stage with that which is predicted to exist at the time of the end of Gentile world dominion. The contention among many is that this Western part of the world is not mentioned in the Scriptures. Well, it is not named, but it is certainly present, isn’t it? Since we see so many parts of the prophetic Scriptures coming into fulfillment right before our eyes, and since the entire planet will be shaken by the wrath of God during the tribulation, it seems more sensible to suppose that that world includes the Americas than to suggest that we play no part in end-time events.

The interpretation that demands a revival of the Roman Empire was formulated some one hundred fifty years after the collapse of the Empire. The infrastructure was still in place for such a revival, and the United States of America did not exist. Jamestown had not been founded at that point in history. While many things might happen between now and the time of the rapture that could radically alter the entire geo-political stage, it certainly seems to behoove the theological realm to begin a dialogue that examines all of the prophecies concerning the Gentile nations and to then compare them to the current world stage. This is especially true in light of the fact that so many of the things to occur following the rapture are coming together as rapidly as they are. Whether the U.S. is the nation from which the beast arises, or some other nation proves to be, it is high time for theologians to begin reassessing current prophetic interpretation. It should be a part of watchfulness.

Fulfilling Prophecy

Generally, when prophecies are given, the prophets are not saying that at such and such a time God will stick His finger in the pot and stir it so that the objective circumstances will exist for those prophecies to come to pass. Rather, the prophet more often than not is saying that at some point in time certain objective circumstances will exist and then certain things will occur. That is, while God raises up whomever He chooses, and brings down those whom He chooses, He allows those men to do their own wills. The prophets foresee the circumstances that will be brought about by the decisions and actions of men and nations, and they make accurate predictions about what is to occur when those conditions exist. It was not God who made Emperor Titus of Rome sack Jerusalem in 70 A.D. It was His purpose to send His people into captivity, but it was Titus who acted according to his own will. God’s will was that Israel should worship and serve Him, and when they refused, it was His purpose to chasten them. More often than not, it is the natural evolution of political events that brings about the objective circumstances in which prophecies are fulfilled.

So it is with prophecies of things yet to come. The world has been rocking along these many thousands of years, mostly ignoring God or even scoffing at Him, and the evolution of the geo-political stage has brought us to the point where end-time prophecies can be fulfilled. God could have, at any point in history, stirred the pot and immediately brought the world to the place where it is. He is God, and He is sovereign. Because the rapture was always imminent, that was always the hope when the stage was not set, so to speak. Today, God does not need to stir the pot. The rapture has always had the quality of imminence but we have the added advantage of knowing that the stage is already set for the fulfillment of those prophecies!

To Those Who Contribute

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Attention Please

On December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck in the sea between India, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, killing upwards of 150,000 people in a great tidal wave.

Christian Chronicles has many subscribers in that hard-hit part of the world, and we would like to ask all our subscribers worldwide to pray especially for the comfort and recovery of all those who survived the tsunami that followed the earthquake.