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Middle-east post 10
Israel, of course, when facing total destruction from their enemies (as listed in Ezekiel 38), would quickly agree to a mutual defence treaty if it were seen as absolutely the only option that might save their nation from annihilation. After all, Israel’s current reliance upon US to assist them is not from a religious point of view, but from a desperate need for survival. Israel is a tiny country compared with most of its neighbours, with more limited resources than most, too. Their population is quite mixed, from Druze, Bedouin (an Arab population around 21%), with only 78% identifying as Jews, many of whom do not actively believe Judaism. In all there are less than 10 million citizens of Israel. And yet, with comparatively huge populations in other middle-east countries, Israel still manages to have a higher life-style than most others. Their defence forces are more effective than in any of the surrounding countries, and it is believed that they have sufficient nuclear warheads to destroy most of the lands around them.
However, in spite of this, huge enemy numbers will one day overwhelm them, in an invasion prophesied in Ezekiel 38. Joel may have referred to this when he wrote “Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.” (Joel 3:9-10) Note that this is a call to those non-Jewish nations who might be too scared to commit themselves to battle against a foe who might cause immense injury to them. But they will one day think that they have the huge numbers necessary to overwhelm Israel and they (the weak ones) will consider themselves strong enough to oppose Israel. “Let those weak ones declare that because of their huge superiority of numbers they are able to defeat the small nation of Israel!” Like all bullies, they are only willing to take on a much smaller country when they have hugely superior numbers.
This invasion will be only the start of what would have to be called World War 3 (and the war to end all wars!). Once the antichrist signs that mutual defence treaty with Israel, the final 7 years to Armageddon begins the count-down. The invasion will be short-lived, for Ezekiel goes on (Ch.38 and into Ch.39) to declare that God will wreak vengeance upon these invading armies and utterly destroy them, using the antichrist and his forces to set up that final seven-year period of Israel before their Messiah returns. As part of his treaty with Israel, it seems that antichrist will rebuild their temple for their sacrifices according to the Law; this also has to assume that the temple mount will be cleared of other buildings in preparation for the new temple. If other buildings such as the mosque and its compound are in the way, then they will be destroyed, probably in the fighting leading up to or during or following the invasion of Israel. Israel will have initially made a pact with satan’s antichrist in order to survive; pure necessity will drive this decision. But prophecy is clear: God will be in charge of all events and nothing will occur without God’s approval. Even when things look darkest in coming years, God will never have left His sovereign throne; He will always rule. Every shocking event will lead to God’s final absolute victory at Armageddon.
260710 Middle-east post 09
Why would the antichrist want to save Israel, especially if he is empowered by satan? Wouldn’t satan actually hate Israel as his enemy? The simple answer is Yes! However, we have to look at what satan really wants above all. Yes, satan wants dominion over the earth, but even more than that, he wants to be as God. “I will be like the most High” – Isaiah 14:14. The God of Israel is truly God, but they must also worship Him as God. “I will be their God, and they shall be my people” – Ezekiel 37:27. Thus, in satan’s mind is that the one whom Israel worships is their God. Put simply, he wants to be worshipped by God’s people. But why would Israel worship satan, or actually, just a man. However, if that man should save their nation, save them as a people, then might they then see him as their saviour? And if the antichrist can be accepted as the saviour of Israel, and therefore their Messiah, then surely they would then worship him? Especially if he rebuilds their temple and sets it up for sacrifices according to the Law?
Thus the antichrist will try to deceive them into accepting him as their saviour, their Messiah, their God, and ultimately worship him, for once the temple sacrifices are up and running, he’ll then demand himself to be worshipped by Israel. That’s what Daniel 9:27 tells us: that in the middle of that final seven-year period, the antichrist will cause their sacrifices and cleansings by the Law to cease. “In the midst of the week he (the antichrist) shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate” (Daniel 9:27)
And he will become that abomination of whom Jesus said: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.” (Matthew 24:15-16)
Some teach that Jesus was talking about Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Seleucid empire from around 175 to 164 BC. He committed abominations in the temple allegedly by erecting a statue of Zeus and sacrificing a pig on the altar, an event said to be the “abomination of desolation.” This led to significant Jewish resistance and the Maccabean revolt. However, Jesus spoke about an event still yet in His future, and so, while Antiochus committed abominations in the temple, the real abomination would be when the antichrist himself sits in the temple at the midpoint of that final seven-year period demanding to be worshipped as God by Israel. Jesus also told the people (referring to Israel) to escape, to flee for safety from this abomination. Revelation 12:13-17 prophesies that Israel will flee into the wilderness under God’s care for the second half of that final seven years. Israel avoiding worshipping the antichrist then leads ultimately to Armageddon where the antichrist tries to capture Jerusalem in order to force Israel to worship him in the temple. However, Christ, Israel’s Messiah returns at Armageddon to destroy the antichrist’s forces and save His people Israel as their true Saviour and Lord. The antichrist is thrown into the lake of fire, and satan is imprisoned for 1000 years, then set free for one last attack on God’s people, is defeated, and is thrown into the lake of fire forever. Satan will never be worshipped by God’s people, never to be like God in any way!