Christ First Forum

by **Jeani** » 09 Nov 2009, 19:49

Support of Israeli opposition and belief that recent major disasters are the judgment of God upon America for forcing Gaza withdrawal.

Among Evangelical Christians there isconsiderable support for Israel, but on this issue there is about as much asplit as there is among the Israelis themselves.

There is a vocal group of Evangelicals who strongly supportthe opposition in Israel who believe that it is appeasement for Israel to giveup the Gaza settlements or any other settlements, and will only embolden theterrorists to do more damage.

Furthermore, they believe that ever since the US forced Israel toconduct the evacuation of Jews from Gaza, the United States has sufferedenormous judgments from God, including Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, duringwhich there were eerily similar forced evacuations of thousands from theirhomes.

Thus they argue that allthese calamities have fallen on America because our government has actedagainst Israel in the Gaza withdrawal. It is a fulfillment of the curse upon those who curse Israel.

Recognition of ebband flow of Jewish occupation of the Land until the 2nd Coming ofChrist .

There are other Evangelical Christianswho are just as strongly in support of Israel, but see reasonableness in theSharon plan to provide maximum security to the Jewish people under thesedifficult circumstances.

TheIsraelis are living in close proximity to Arabs, many of whom want nothing morethan to kill them and destroy Israel, and the Jews have been fighting them formore than 100 years.

The Biblicalsolution would appear to be the resettlement of the Palestinian Arabs in theirPromised Land, Saudi Arabia, which is wealthy with oil. It would take a miracle from the Lordto accomplish this, but He has not brought about that miracle yet. Rather, it seems that the fence or wallis working where little else has worked all during the long bitterconfrontation. Maybe it will continueto work or maybe not, but at least for the present, the terrorist attacks havesubsided, partly because of the fence.

This fence is somewhatreminiscent of the broken walls of Jerusalem in Nehemiah's time. Some 90 years after the Jewish peoplehad returned to Jerusalem from Babylon to rebuild the Temple, the city remaineddefenseless with the numerous breaches in the walls. There were enemies all around Jerusalem who wanted to attackthe city. Nehemiah was determinedto repair the walls, though with great difficulty, so that the Jewish peoplewould be protected and defended from their vicious neighbors.

Also, many Evangelicalsrealize that the Jewish occupation of Israel will have an ebb and flow from nowthrough the Tribulation until Christ returns to redeem His people Israel.

In fact, the largest evacuation of thetime will be one that the Lord Himself commanded in Matthew 24 and is indicatedin Revelation 12. He declares thatwhen the Abomination of Desolation is committed by the Antichrist, Jews inJudea should immediately run from their houses into the wilderness to "theplace provided for" them, possibly the natural fortress city Petra in ancientEdom.

There the Lord will provideprotection for His people Israel during the Great Tribulation. Thus we cannot Scripturally contendthat Jewish occupation of the Land will continue to expand unabated until theLord returns, as much as we would desire that to be the case.

Job's friends arguedthat the calamities he suffered came because of his sins, while the Scripturessay that God was testing Job to demonstrate his servant's faithfulness. All Job was told, however, was that hewas in no position to question the actions of the Creator of the universe. Ultimately Job was vindicated and wasblessed greatly by the Lord.

Also, the Lord told Hisdisciples not to think that the falling of the tower of Siloam and subsequentdeath of several people was an act of special divine judgment.

Thus not all calamities are the resultof divine discipline. It is notclear that the disasters that have struck America were the result of theactions taken by our country in the Gaza withdrawal, but we must always becautious about any policy actions we take that have a negative effect onIsrael.

Thus the Gaza withdrawalis a great dilemma is for both the Jewish people and evangelicalChristians. However, the Gazawithdrawal is symptomatic of the perplexing developments that are listed tocome about as we move toward Christ's 2nd Coming.

From Gaza to Gog& Magog

How do we get from theGaza situation to the next prophetic event on Israel's schedule, Gog andMagog? Some have speculated thatGaza withdrawal may well result in Palestinian statehood. If so, it is unlikely that theterrorist groups will give up their dream of eradicating Israel, even if thePalestinians have a state.

Thismight well lead the terrorists to continue attacks on Israel in spite of thefence or wall.

Such attacks couldbe considered by Israel to be acts of war by the Palestinian State, and Israelcould well retaliate with devastating results against the new nation.

This could well escalate into aresponse from the Muslim supporters of the Palestinians and include nationslike Persia, Ethiopia and Lybia along with their supporting nation Russia.

Such a response is the nexus of thenations involved in the prophetic Gog and Magog War. We cannot be certain that events will move in thatdirection, but it is certainly a plausible scenario.

Following is a synopsisof Biblical prophetic events between the current conditions we face now andeternity:

Rapture of the Church - Imminent return ofChrist in the atmosphere to resurrect the saints of the Church age. He could come at any moment, andno prophecy must be fulfilled before the Rapture.

The resurrected saints will appearbefore the Judgment Seat of Christ for rewards and participate in theWedding of the Lamb in Heaven

Gog and Magog War - Although we cannot be dogmatic about the timingof this war, it will happen and I believe this war described in Ezekiel38-39 will occur between the Rapture and the beginning of theTribulation.

Russia andmilitant Islam [with Persia (Iran), Ethiopia and Lybia participating]attack Israel and are totally defeated. Out of this chaos the Antichrist arises.

Antichrist signs treaty - Somehow out of theearthly turmoil of the Rapture of the Church and the Gog and Magog war,the Antichrist is thrust into prominence and is able to forge a covenantor treaty with Israel, which marks the beginning of the Tribulation.

We are not told the content ofthis treaty, but it will probably promise Israel's territorial integrity,security and the opportunity to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple.

Abomination of Desolation - Halfway throughthe 7-year Tribulation, the Antichrist desecrates the Tribulation Templeby sitting down in the Holy Place and claiming to be God. His false prophet will set up amiraculous image of the Antichrist to be worshipped by everyone in theworld.

Evacuation of majority of Israelis - The blasphemycommitted by the Antichrist will so enrage the Jewish people they willrevolt against him. This inturn will enrage the Antichrist who will threaten to crack down on theIsraelis.

Many Israelis willthen flee into the wilderness to the place the Lord has prepared for them(Petra?).

Armageddon - In response to all of thedevastating divine judgments falling down upon the world throughout theTribulation, and to the revolt of Israelis against the Antichrist, theAntichrist will gather the armies of all nations against Israel and theLord. This is the essence ofthe War of Armageddon.

2nd Coming of Christ - The War of Armageddon will beterminated by the return of Christ Himself, which includes severalelements:
All remaining Israelites saved
Angelic army & Cavalry of saintsaccompany Christ
Transformation of Israeli army into David& power of God
Confusion, decimation and defeat of enemyarmy

Resurrection of Old Testament andTribulation saints who will serve the Lord in the Millennial Kingdom. They will have importantresponsibilities. It issuggested that King David himself will rule over Messianic Israel underthe King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Judgment of Gentiles - sheep and goats, withsheep (mortal Gentiles) entering the Kingdom with saved Israel. The basis of the judgment is howthe Gentiles treated
theJewish people, especially the 144,000 Jewish Christian evangelists, during theTribulation.

Messianic Kingdom - Jerusalem will be thecapital of the world and Israel will be the head of the nations. The world will be restored toEdenic conditions and righteousness will cover the earth.

Inhabitants willbe Christ, the resurrected Church, the resurrected Old Testament andTribulation saints, mortal saved Israelites and Gentiles will beparticipating in the blessings of the Messianic Empire.

Final Gog and Magog - At the end of theMillennium Satan is loosed from the Abyss, is able to deceive manymortals, organize a general revolt against the Lord and the Holy City, andSatan's army defeated by the Lord.

12. Great White Throne Judgment - all whoare not in Lamb's Book of Life are cast

in to the Lake of Fire. Works are judged to determine punishment there. Believers may be called on to testify.

New Heaven, New Earth, New Jerusalem - theeternal abode of the saints
New Jerusalem on base 1500 miles square and1500 miles high
Israel memorialized in the gates throughthe 12 tribes
The Church memorialized in the foundationthrough the 12 apostles
Closing thoughts
The Spirit and the Bride say to the lost,"Come"
Even so, come Lord Jesus

www.pre-trib.org

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