ENDTIMES PROPHECIES: THE IMMINENT RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST - Part III

ENDTIMES PROPHECIES: THE IMMINENT RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST - Part III

THE HOLY SPIRIT urgently proclaims the message that JESUS CHRIST will return soon…very soon.  Many key end-times signs pertain directly to the NATION OF ISRAEL.  We will explore a few of them today.

Isaiah prophesied that the nation of Israel would be “born in a day.” (Isaiah 66:8, NIV)  Interestingly, the book of Genesis reveals that there are approximately 1,948 years from “the first Adam” to the birth of the recognized patriarch of the Jewish faith, Abraham.  Similarly, there are approximately 1,948 years from “the second Adam,” Jesus Christ, to the 20th century birth of the sovereign state of Israel -- 1,948 years in both cases! (I Corinthians 15:45)  Is not our GOD awesomely omniscient and entirely fascinating?

Israel had been divided into two kingdoms since the time of Solomon (approximately 950 BC).  Thereafter, they had been globally disbursed.  However, on May 14, 1948, Israel was officially recognized by the United Nations and declared to be a nation by their first prime minister, Ben-Gurion, who spoke these inaugurating words in Tel Aviv: “We hereby proclaim the establishment of the Jewish state in Palestine, to be called Israel.”  Since then, Jews have been returning to their homeland in ever increasing numbers.

Indeed, Ezekiel had prophesied that the northern and southern kingdoms would be rejoined in the end-times, never to be divided again. [Read the entire passage below]. The king Ezekiel referred to is JESUS CHRIST, who will establish a theocratic state during His millennial reign (and afterwards), as clearly revealed by Hosea and other prophets as well. (Hosea 3:4-5 and Isaiah 9:6-7)  In the prophetic proclamation of the archangel, Gabriel, “HE shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:33)  Hear now the message of Ezekiel, the prophet:

Ezekiel 37:15-22 (NKJV)
15 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 16 “As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’ 17 Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand. 18 “And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not show us what you mean by these?’— 19 say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.”’ 20 And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes. 21 “Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; 22 and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.

The possibility for the end-times return of Jews to Israel was legally ratified by Israel’s parliament, The Knesset, on July 5, 1950 via The Law of Return, which grants the right to Jews everywhere to return to their homeland.  The return of the Jewish Diaspora (Jews displaced and dispersed) is prophesied in numerous scriptural passages, including Isaiah 11:11-12; Ezekiel 37:21-22; Ezekiel 38:8; Isaiah 43:5-6; and Jeremiah 31:7-10.  Since 1948, over five million globally dispersed Jews have returned to Israel, arriving from the north, south, east and west.

Furthermore, the prophet Zephaniah foretold the end-times restoration of “a pure language.” (Zephaniah 3:9)  Before Israel was established as a nation, the international Zionist movement brought about the revival of ancient Hebrew as a spoken language, and, in 1948, Hebrew became the official language of the citizens of Israel.  This is directly connected to the events surrounding the construction of the Tower of Babel.  Up to that time, “the whole earth had one language and one speech.” (Genesis 11:1)  According to the biblical record, God confounded their speech and dispersed them globally, due to their empire-building pride and folly.

Ezekiel prophesied that the end-times would bring about the economic flourishing of Israel. (Ezekiel 38:12-13)  Today, the tiny nation of Israel ranks as the 17th most competitive economy on the entire planet, even though it has only 8 million citizens, ranking it 97th in population, compared to other nations.  Think about it.  Israel’s economy ranks 17th worldwide, but its population is so small that it only ranks 97th.  Indeed, they are highly favored and blessed – and the Word of God so accurately predicts this current state of affairs!

It is important to note that, during two millennia of the Jewish Diaspora, the land of Israel existed as a semiarid and desolate wasteland.  However, it was prophesied that in the latter days “the desert shall rejoice and blossom as a rose.” (Isaiah 35:1, NKJV)  It was foretold that “Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.” (Isaiah 27:9, NKJV)  Also, God said “the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water.” (Joel 3:18, NKJV)  Furthermore, He said “I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, the myrtle and the oil tree. I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine…that they may see and know…that the hand of the Lord has done this.” (Isaiah 41-18-20)  Finally, God said “I will bring back the captives of My people Israel…they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.” (Amos 9:14, NKJV)

In order to accomplish this phenomenal reconfiguration of what were once semi-arid desert lands, two important things have occurred.  First of all, there has been a significant increase in Israel’s rainfall, a fact that can only be attributed to divine intervention.  Secondly, Israel has developed what is arguably the finest irrigation technology on the planet.  As a result, Israel has become a major producer of sweet wine, produced in the Golan Heights.  And during the past century, more than one billion (1,000,000,000) trees have been planted in Israel.  Agriculturally, this nation totally flourishes!

Israel now harvests what is considered to be the most diverse range of crops in the world: wheat, sorghum, corn, oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, strawberries, persimmons, pomegranates, avocados, kiwifruit, guavas, mangoes, grapes, plums, prickly pears, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini, bananas, dates, apples, cherries, and even cotton.  As foreseen via Bible prophecy, Israel currently grows huge volumes of fresh produce; and, Israel is one of the world’s largest exporters of flowers.

‘God’s Rose’ (Israel) has truly been made to bloom in the desert!  It is one very clear, definitive sign of the end of the age and the imminent return of Jesus Christ.  Stay prayerfully attentive as our end-times series progresses…more to come!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!