260716 Middle-east post 18

So what does this talk of prophecy all mean to you? If it is reasonably true (and current events certainly do seem to be lining up with much end-times prophecy), then you should assess what it means to you. If these are the end-times, then Israel is being prepared by God to return to being God’s ministry people after 2000 years of being sidelined for their unbelief re their Messiah (Christ) when He walked this earth. Daniel 9:24-27 makes it clear that there is a 7-year ministry period yet remaining to Israel (one week of years) before Armageddon and the return of Christ their Messiah as their King, to rule over them for 1000 years. That remaining 7-year ministry of Israel has not yet begun, for while the Church still remains here on earth, salvation cannot, will not, return to Israel. Romans 11:25-27 tells us that when the Church (the time of the Gentiles) is fulfilled (completed), the Deliverer (or Saviour) will return to Israel and all Israel will now be saved (during that final 7-year period of Israel’s ministry before their Messiah returns at Armageddon). Currently salvation is through the Church, but one day soon the Church will be completed (fulfilled) and they will be snatched away in an event called the Rapture (which means “the snatching away”). The trumpet call will go out to the Church here on earth (1 Corinthians 15:51-53) and the Church (of those who genuinely believe in Christ as Saviour) will be called home. It is likely that only those who are snatched away will actually be aware of this calling to come home.

Then salvation will return to Israel. Right now salvation is through the Church but when the Church is snatched away, then salvation may only be found through Israel’s ministry. If you are not of Israel, then you are a Gentile, and once the Gentile Church has been called home in the Rapture, then there will be very little opportunity to be saved unless you are associated with Israel and its ministry. Effectively, if you are not of Israel, then once the Church is Raptured home to heaven, then you are unlikely to be saved from that time on. The Bible says “behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) It is still now acceptable for those of non-Israel nations to be saved, but if these are the end-times, then the door may shut for you once the Church has been taken home to heaven.

After the Church has departed earth then salvation returns to being through Israel’s ministry. For just 7 more years all of Israel who will call upon the name of the Lord will be delivered (saved) (Joel 2:32). And then when satan builds his antichrist forces to oppose Jerusalem at Armageddon, Christ the Messiah will return to defeat all Israel’s enemies, and will then bring judgement upon all those of the nations who would not support Israel during this final 7-year period. During this final 7-year period (often called the Tribulation), those of Israel will be required worship the antichrist (when he sits in the Temple to be worshipped by them) or they will be executed. God enables much of Israel to run to safety (Revelation 12:14-17) with those not able to escape being hunted down and slaughtered. Jesus said (in Matthew 24:15-21) that when Israel saw the abomination that Daniel spoke of (see Daniel 9:27), at the mid-point of the Tribulation, they were to escape as quickly as possible or else. If you are not yet saved through trust in Jesus Christ then do it now for time is short, very short!