Awesome and Unusual

 “For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon—That He may do His work, His awesome work, And bring to pass His act, His unusual act.”   Isaiah 28:21. NKJV

Could there be anything more terrifying than an angry God?  If you think about that, most believers would agree that any rational person would do anything to avoid making God angry, especially when the consequence would be that He decides to take action.  That God would defend His own people makes perfect sense but the words used to describe God’s actions in this passage give pause for thought.  Why would they be considered unusual?  The simple answer to that is in this passage from Isaiah where we are told that during the tribulation period  God will turn His anger towards the nation of Israel.

The account of the battle at Mount Perazim can be found in 2 Samuel 5 where God fought for Israel in Joshua’s reign and the result was a great victory.  Yet when God fought for Israel, there was always the caveat that Israel needed to repent.  If they refused, God would then fight against Israel rather than for them.  This is what is described as God’s awesome work and unusual act.  Other translations use various different words such as alien, unfamiliar, unexpected, extraordinary, and incredible to name several but the meaning is the same.  The point is that God desires to fight for His people and when placed in a position to fight against them, it is awesome and unusual.

“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.”  Jeremiah 30: 7. NKJV

“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.”   Jeremiah 30:11. NKJV

The prophet Jeremiah tells us in these verses that the tribulation period, also known as the seventy weeks of Daniel, is the period of time where not only will He judge the nations, He will also discipline Israel for rejecting their Messiah in order to turn them back to worshipping Him.  The prophet Zechariah describes the time when that happens and Israel acknowledges their sin.

“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”  Zechariah 12:10. NKJV

We know the tribulation is coming and as we have said before, many believe it is on the immediate horizon.  A question I have long asked is do any of the prophets give us a clue as to when that might happen?

“Woe is me!  For I am like those who gather summer fruits, Like those who glean vintage grapes; There is no cluster to eat Of the first-ripe fruit which my soul desires. The faithful man has perished from the earth, And there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; Every man hunts his brother with a net.”           Micah 7:1-2  NKJV 

While I believe the Bible makes it clear that the rapture of the Church could happen at any time, that doesn’t necessarily mean there might not be a clue in the Word as to the season in which it might occur.  For quite a few years I have felt that this passage from the prophet Micah might answer the question of when the rapture might occur.  He suggests that at the time of the first ripe grape harvest in Israel, which occurs during the summer, all of the faithful men of the earth have suddenly disappeared.  

Micah could best be described as a “country preacher” from a small town about 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem.  He was called by God to preach against the nation of Israel and to deliver prophecy about their future.  He was, in fact, a contemporary of Isaiah the prophet, and his words are very similar to what Isaiah was called to preach as well.  The book of Micah contains three messages or sermons, all of which contain a rebuke for Israel’s sin, and a prophecy of future judgment and blessing.  This passage from chapter seven speaks of the future judgment that occurs when the whole world will be against them, allowed by God and which we saw described by Isaiah as His awesome and unusual work.

There is a saying popular with many teachers of the Bible today which I find not only very true, but also extremely helpful in understanding both the Old and New Testaments.  You are probably familiar with it but even so I will repeat it here; “the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed”.  I am continually amazed as I study the scriptures to find how much of the New Testament is actually hidden in plain sight in the Old Testament, and this passage from Micah is a perfect example. One meaning of the Hebrew word translated “perished” in the NKJV means “to vanish”.  From the teachings of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament, I am convinced that what Micah is describing is the rapture of the Church, and the state of the earth after all believers have been taken. 

 

I should make the point here that I am a firm believer in the doctrine of imminency, yet I have often wondered just what this world would look like when the restrainer, the Holy Spirit, is removed from the earth at the rapture.  I believe this passage from Micah tells us exactly what will happen.  Most of us are familiar with the observation of the philosopher Edmund Burke when he said “all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing”.  Well, what happens when, according to this passage, there are no faithful men?  Every man is against his own brother, and evil is rampant on the earth. This certainly appears to be all that is necessary to create the “perfect storm” of evil. God simply removes His Church along with the Holy Spirit and there is nothing left to fight against Satan and his forces.

 

Since history has shown that Satan’s priority is the destruction of Israel, what do you think he tries to do first?  Is it possible this passage from Micah refers to the rapture of the Church?  I think it certainly may well do that, considering the description it gives as to what the world looks like with the absence of the faithful.  Without the Holy Spirit present on earth in the body of the true Church, the evil that is presently being “restrained” will manifest itself in a fury this world has never seen, most assuredly in the direction of the nation of Israel. This evil, however, will not appear out of nowhere and I believe what we are witnessing today is somewhat like the filling up of a lake behind a dam until the point is reached where the dam will fail and a flood consume all that is before it.

 

Although some might disagree, there is considerable scholarship which supports the premise that the future tribulation period begins on the Jewish holiday of the Feast of Trumpets.  Those who hold the pre-tribulational position of the rapture of the Church look to this day as the time of our deliverance, and this has been taught for many years.  Yet although this would obviously be the point in time where the Church would by necessity have to be taken, there are many who have suggested over the years that there is no reason that there couldn’t be a period of time between the rapture and the beginning of the seven years of tribulation.

 

I believe a close study of the events that the Bible tells us lead up to the “peace” that the coming man of sin brokers between Israel and its enemies supports the idea that there are some very serious conflicts which take place first.  The majority of scholars I have studied believe that the attempted invasion of Israel outlined in Ezekiel 38, 39 and the deliverance by the direct intervention of God is the event which allows this peace agreement, and the tribulation, to begin.  Considering this, my question for years has been, “what is holding back Israel’s enemies right now”?  If your answer is the restrainer, then it follows He has to be removed before this attack can go forward.

 

If we accept that there might be a period of time between the rapture and the beginning of the tribulation, it is reasonable to consider the possibility of a summer rapture when the most likely day for an attack of this nature is on Israel’s national day of mourning.  That day is Tisha B’ Av, or the ninth of Av on the Jewish calendar.  This day normally occurs in the middle of the summer and this year it will begin at sunset on the evening of August 2.  This day is unique in Israel as the day that many national tragedies have occurred throughout their history.  It seems reasonable considering this history that an attack of the type revealed in prophecy which is still to come would most likely occur on this date.

Called Tisha B'Av, this day of mourning and fasting reminds Israel of the day that the temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Jews taken back to Babylon in captivity. This day has become, however, one of the most significant days in Israel's history due to the astonishing "coincidence" of numerous national disasters occurring on this exact day since its inception. These are:

...1312 BC... Spies return from 40 days in Israel with evil reports of the Land of Israel. Jewish people cry in despair, give up hope of entering the Land of Israel.

...587 BC... Destruction of First Temple by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezar. About 100000 Jews killed during invasion. Exile of remaining tribes in southern kingdom to Babylon and Persia.

...70 AD... Destruction of Second Temple by Romans, under Titus. Over 2,500,000 Jews die as a result of war, famine and disease. Over 1,000,000 Jews exiled to all parts of the Roman Empire. Over 100,000 Jews sold as slaves by Romans. Jews killed and tortured in gladiatorial "games" and pagan celebrations.

...71 AD... Turnus Rufus plows site of Temple. Romans build pagan city of Aelia Capitolina on site of Jerusalem.

...135 AD... Bar Kochba revolt crushed. Betar destroyed - over 100,000 killed.

...1095 AD... First Crusade declared by Pope Urban II. 10,000 Jews killed in first month of Crusade. Crusades bring death and destruction to thousands of Jews, totally obliterate many communities in Rhineland and France.

...1290 AD... Expulsion of Jews from England, accompanied by pogroms and confiscation of books and property.

...1492 AD... Inquisition in Spain and Portugal culminates in the expulsion of the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula. King Ferdinand of Spain issued the expulsion decree, setting Tisha B'Av as the final date by which not a single Jew would be allowed to walk on Spanish soil. Families separated, many die by drowning, massive loss of property. With funds provided by Ferdinand, Christopher Columbus, a Messianic Jew, sets sail to locate the land which will become a Jewish refuge.

...1914 AD... Britain and Russia declare war on Germany. First World War begins. First World War issues unresolved, ultimately causing Second World War and Holocaust. 75% of all Jews in war zones. Jews in armies of all sides - 120,000 Jewish casualties in armies. Over 400 pogroms immediately following war in Hungary, Ukraine, Poland and Russia.

...1942 AD... Deportations from Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka concentration camp begin.

...1989 AD... Iraq walks out of talks with Kuwait.

...1990 AD... The First Gulf War begins in and as a result Saddam Hussein launches missiles into Israel

...1994 AD... The deadly bombing the building of the AMIA (the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina) which killed 86 people and wounded some 300 others.

Now I would think that any reasonable person who looked at this list would conclude that this is much more than just coincidence. It is obviously a day throughout history where God in His infinite wisdom has chosen to send a message to the nation of Israel. I also believe it is fair to say that considering the prophecies in the Bible concerning Israel's future we could reasonably speculate that there is more in store for Israel on this particular day at some point in time. My question to you today though is does it appear that the potential for another national tragedy seems to be increasing as we speak?  

Somehow I am of the opinion that those who choose to watch as Jesus commanded will not be taken by surprise when these coming events  occur, unless of course, we are not here to witness them. By that I refer to an event called the rapture. I'm not in the prediction business, but I am in the “watching” business. God has revealed to us through the Bible what the future of Israel is, and we as His followers should be watching for the signs He has told us to look for. As I have said before, why would God tell us to watch and then not show us anything? I believe the next few months are going to be a very interesting time in the Middle East, and I for one will be watching closely to see what events transpire there.

If you are reading this today and have never made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do it right now. Simply admit to God that you need His forgiveness because you are a sinner,  be willing to turn away from your sins, believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and invite Him to come in and control  your life through the Holy Spirit by praying a simple prayer like this;

Jesus I know I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin, and I ask you now to forgive me of my sins. I want to receive your gift of salvation so please come into my heart and help me to live and follow you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Keep watching.

Removing Kings

“Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.”  Daniel 2:20-21  NKJV

This weeks post might appear to be a little different than my usual musings but it is based entirely upon my conversation this past week with God.  Now that might sound odd to some but let me explain further.  It has long been my habit to take a long walk in the early morning which normally averages three to four miles.  I am especially fond of doing that before most people even wake up simply because it is so quiet and peaceful.  It is during this time that I have made it a habit to talk with God about life, current events in the world, and especially ask for wisdom and understanding for what I see as a watchman.

As I was doing that this past weekend, and thanking Him for the changes we have seen in this country from the current administration, He brought to my mind the passage above concerning His control over the kings of this earth.  While acknowledging His appointment of our current president and thanking Him for it, I admit it came as a surprise when He pointed out that He not only raises them up, He removes them too.  The truth is, as I have enjoyed the past six months as many others in this country have, I have never given much thought to the possibility God would choose to remove our president as well.

Now, knowing better than to protest, I began to think about what reasons could exist that would explain or give understanding to that conjecture and considering where I believe we are on God’s calendar, the Ezekiel 38,39 war immediately came to mind.  I then began to mentally list the countries and their current leaders to see if any might need to be “removed” in order for the prophecy to unfold and the conclusion I came to was enlightening to say the least.

Removing Kings?

Israel…Irrelevant.   While many would argue that Benjamin Netanyahu is a perfect fit following the war of a few weeks ago, the point needs to be made that in the event that a massive army begins to form to Israel’s north, any leader of Israel would prepare a defense.  “Never again”, a phrase many will recognize as Israel’s manifest destiny, is the key to Israel’s survival and no leader would allow an invasion which threatened their existence to go unopposed.

Russia … Possibly. While no one would argue that after years of fighting in the Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has suddenly decided to be peaceful, were something to happen to him, the list of possible successors would probably scare just about anyone.  All of them could be described as even more “hawkish” than Putin so while the possibility of change can never be discounted, I don’t believe it would change anything.

Iran…Irrelevant.  Islamic rule would appear to be here to stay in Iran, and as such, the call for the destruction of Israel will never soften or change.  The matter of succession has already been addressed in Iran to insure they stay the course so yes or no, it would seem likely it wouldn’t make a difference one way or another.

Turkey…Doubtful.  I say this as I believe that the current leader of Turkey,  Tayyip Erdogan, appears to be a perfect fit for the Gog Magog alliance which will  soon appear.  His hatred of Israel and radical Islamic leanings as well as his past support of Israel’s enemies seems to me to be exactly what we are looking for in an individual to be in power when Turkey joins this alliance.

US … Definitely.   As uncomfortable as this thought is, there is really no other explanation I can come up with which explains the absence of the United States in the prophecies of the end of the age.  Yet upon reflection, it gets even more uncomfortable when you consider that just removing the leader of our country would not result in a retreat from supporting our ally Israel.  Looking at all the succession scenarios simply shows that our support for Israel would continue as it has.  

Now this is where my conversation with God took an interesting turn.  I argued that according to the removal theory, for the radical change in our nation’s position to occur God would have to remove the entire administration as well as a good many others in government.  His answer to me was simply, “You are right, and I have a plan for that”.  It was then that I finally realized what God was trying to tell me, and that is the only reasonable explanation for this entire scenario to play out is the rapture of all believing Christians in the United States.  When that event occurs, what remains of our government will quickly adopt the position to abandon Israel.  

The more I thought of this the more logical it became.  While scholars have long speculated on the many reasons America is not named in the end time prophecies it would appear the rapture is easily the simplest explanation.  Although I have considered the effect of the rapture on this world before, I had never really looked at it in the light of removing our entire ruling administration.  You may not recognize the name William of Ockham, but it’s entirely possible you have heard the phrase “Occam’s razor”.  It describes a principle stated by this philosopher that is applied to problem solving and is often called a law of economy or parsimony.  This principle can be best explained as this; “the simplest answer is most often the correct one”.  

I, and many others, strongly believe that the world is at this very moment witnessing the signs that Jesus warned us to look for when His return for the Church, all those who believe He is the Son of God who died and rose again, are to be raptured or snatched away to be with Him forever in heaven.  If you have never made the decision to accept Jesus Christ into your heart and accept the free gift of eternal life He has offered you, I urge you to do so right now. You can do that by praying this prayer and accepting the gift of eternal life God has offered you by the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

Father, I know I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin, and I ask you now to forgive me of my sins. I want to receive your gift of salvation so please come into my heart and help me to live and follow you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Keep watching.

Heating Up

 

"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 these things happening, 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. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. "Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. "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. "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— "lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. "And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"    Mark 13:28-37 NKJV

While many might not be too surprised at the recent conflict between Iran and Israel, something which might fly under the radar is noticing the season in which it occurred.  A realization I came to many years ago while studying the Old Testament is the fact that in Israel’s history, a great many of their conflicts happened during the summer months.  Taking that into consideration along with this passage from the book of Mark, I began to wonder if we should be especially watchful at this time of year.  Something I have often contemplated concerning these verses is if it is possible God might be giving us a clue as to when the rapture would occur when He chooses to use the season of summer as an illustrative tool.

The term “dog days of summer” is familiar to most, yet many are probably not aware of what it means or of its origin. In fact, while the answer to that question is hazy and debatable, some believe it may date back as far as the Roman Empire. As to what it might mean, let me make a suggestion based solely on my own observations and educational experiences. Like many people, at one time I had a dog who was as friendly as the day was long. I also, though, live in a part of the country that experiences summers which tend to occasionally receive triple digit heat during those months. On those days, however, I used to notice my dog got just a little testy during excessive heat.  Upon further reflection, I also realized that a great many people tend to do the same.  Unfortunately, as I looked at the long range forecast this morning it would appear I will get to enjoy temperatures approaching 100 degrees for the next three weeks or so.

As I considered the season of summer and the recent war Israel experienced, I also was reminded of something I took notice of back in the day when I was a history major in college. Did you know the vast majority of conflicts in the world have started during the summer months? While there might be many reasons for that, I wonder if the conflict that God reveals in His Word concerning the future of Israel and the world, taken along with His command to watch using a reference to the season of summer, should be a major clue to those of us who choose to obey His command?  Is it possible that summer is the season that all of the events we are told to watch for will converge and produce the conflict we are told so much about?

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to [those who are] bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,”

Isaiah 61:1-2 NKJV

While many are familiar with the seven Feasts of Israel, which were celebrations appointed by God and revealed to Moses during the Exodus, not as many are familiar with the Fasts of Mourning which are days which commemorate a tragic event or events that have occurred throughout Israel's history. While these days of remembrance were not instituted by God, He does mention them when He reveals to the prophet Zechariah that the time will come when they will be turned into days of celebration after the tribulation ends and the Messiah begins His reign on the earth.

"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'The fast of the fourth [month], The fast of the fifth, The fast of the seventh, And the fast of the tenth, Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts For the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.”

Zechariah 8:19 NKJV

The seventeenth of Tammuz, which is the first fast day, or the fast of the fourth month referred to by Zechariah in the passage above, usually occurs about in the middle of the summer.  This year, it occurs tomorrow, Sunday the 13th of July.  This day begins a period of three weeks of national mourning in Israel that lead up to Tisha B' Av, or the ninth of Av which is the fast of the fifth month and will occur on Sunday August 3rd.  When discussing this first fast day in his book “Armageddon: Appointment With Destiny”, the late Grant Jeffrey says that the events which have occurred on the seventeenth of Tammuz serve to show the nation of Israel that God's favor had been withdrawn from them because of their sin as a nation. It also served as a sign that God's judgment was soon to follow, which throughout history has certainly occurred on the ninth of Av.

I have always believed that if God goes to the trouble of telling us a specific day or time where something has happened, there is probably a very good reason for it. The first passage in this post comes from the book of Isaiah, and is noteworthy because it was also quoted by Jesus during His ministry here on earth. If you look in the fourth chapter of Luke you find this account;

“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:”

Luke 4:16-17 NKJV

Jesus then reads the passage from Isaiah 61 but does an interesting thing; He stops reading in the middle of verse two where it begins to talk about the day of vengeance. Then Jesus explains to the people;

“And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Luke 4:21 NKJV

Almost every commentator I have read agrees that this is because the day of vengeance that Jesus chooses not talk about is the future tribulation period that will come upon Israel because of their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah. It is during this time of tribulation that the rest of verse two comes into play because what it describes is that period of time the passage from Isaiah calls “the day of vengeance of our God“. If you are at all familiar with the events described in the book of Revelation concerning this coming time of judgment you might think that there will be plenty of reasons to mourn, yet the Bible makes it clear that God intends for the world and the nation of Israel to know the real reason to mourn;

"Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

Matthew 24:30 NKJV

"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for [his] only [son], and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”

Zechariah 12:10 NKJV

We as believers understand that the next time Jesus returns will be the rapture when He comes in the clouds to take His bride the Church, made up of all who believe in Him, back to Heaven. Now if this were to occur in the month of Av, you would think that this would be a cause for celebration and not a time to mourn, yet the thought that immediately crossed my mind when I read this was one which applies to everyone and not just Israel. You see, while it will be a time of celebration for those who go, don't you think it will be a reason to mourn for those who don't? Of all the events which have occurred throughout history during the three weeks of mourning in Israel, they would all pale in comparison to being left behind when the rapture happens.

If we consider just some of the things that are happening all over the world right now and taking all of them into account, along with the fact that we have just entered the period of time where God has historically demonstrated His displeasure with His children’s disobedience, I would certainly conclude that this is an especially important season to be watching.  I just can't help but wonder if the next month is going to show us some very exciting signs.  As such, I think it seems even more important than ever for all of us to consider our eternal destiny and make sure we know we will accompany our Lord when He returns for His bride.

If you are reading this today and have never made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do it right now. Simply admit to God that you need His forgiveness because you are a sinner,  be willing to turn away from your sins, believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and invite Him to come in and control  your life through the Holy Spirit by praying a simple prayer like this;

Jesus I know I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin, and I ask you now to forgive me of my sins. I want to receive your gift of salvation so please come into my heart and help me to live and follow you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

John 1:12 NKJV

If you have prayed that prayer, or one like it, you can rejoice that you will spend eternity with God. If not, I'm sorry to say that very soon you might just have a reason to mourn.

Keep watching.