Today’s question is, “What is Israel’s role in the end times?”
In this video I’ll answer that question from a biblical perspective.
Then afterwards, as always, I’ll share some helpful resources, so stick around until the end.
Every time there is a conflict in or around Israel, many see it as a sign of the quickly
approaching end times.
The problem with this is that we may eventually tire of the conflict in Israel, so much so
that we will not recognize when true, prophetically significant events occur.
Conflict in Israel is not necessarily a sign of the end times.
Conflict in Israel has been a reality whenever Israel has existed as a nation.
Whether it was the Egyptians, Amalekites, Midianites, Moabites, Ammonites, Amorites,
Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, or Romans, the nation of Israel has always
been persecuted by its neighbors.
Why is this?
According to the Bible, it is because God has a special plan for the nation of Israel,
and Satan wants to defeat that plan.
Satanically influenced hatred of Israel—and especially Israel’s God—is the reason
Israel’s neighbors have always wanted to see Israel destroyed.
Whether it is Sennacherib, king of Assyria; Haman, official of Persia; Hitler, leader
of Nazi Germany; or the current President of Iran, attempts to completely destroy Israel
will always fail.
The persecutors of Israel will come and go, but the persecution will remain until the
second coming of Christ.
As a result, conflict in Israel is not a reliable indicator of the soon arrival of the end times.
However, the Bible does say there will be terrible conflict in Israel during the end
times.
That is why the time period is known as the Tribulation, the Great Tribulation, and the
“time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7).
Here is what the Bible says about Israel in the end times:
There will be a mass return of Jews to the land of Israel (Isaiah 43:6).
The Antichrist will make a 7-year covenant of "peace" with Israel (Daniel 9:27).
The temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem (Daniel 9:27).
The Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel, and worldwide persecution of Israel
will result.
Israel will be invaded (Ezekiel chapters 38-39).
Israel will finally recognize Jesus as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10).
Israel will be regenerated, restored, and regathered (Romans 11:26).
There is much turmoil in Israel today.
Israel is persecuted, surrounded by enemies—Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Hamas,
Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, etc.
But this hatred and persecution of Israel is only a hint of what will happen in the
end times.
The latest round of persecution began when Israel was reconstituted as a nation in 1948.
Many Bible prophecy scholars believed the six-day Arab-Israeli war in 1967 was the "beginning
of the end."
Could what is taking place in Israel today indicate that the end is near?
Yes.
Does it necessarily mean the end is near?
No.
Jesus Himself said it best, "Watch out that no one deceives you.
. . . You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.
Such things must happen, but the end is still to come" (Matthew 24:4-6).
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