A FUTURE POSSIBILITY

With today’s events correlating so closely with scriptures regarding the ‘latter days’ we can be confident those days are upon us. However there is one very specific event that assures us we are in those days. 

Hosea 3:4-5 states that Israel will be without a kingdom or the means to practice their religion for many ‘an abundance’ of days’, but after these many days they would return in the ‘latter days’.

The scriptural passage that pinpoints it to a specific event is Isaiah 66:7-8. “Who has ever heard of such a thing? And who ever sees such things? Can a country be born in a single day, or can a nation be brought forth in a single moment? Yet no sooner was Zion in labour than she delivered her children.” This ISV rendition leaves no room for ambiguity in the meaning of this passage. It brings our attention to the Zionist movement of the late 1800s and early 1900s, and the birth of Israel which occurred on May 14th 1948… On the 13th May 1948 it was prophecy; on the 15th May 1948 it was history. 

Other events future to our day are graphically described but with scattered information as to when. 

Daniel’s seventieth week is the last seven years of a period of time designated as seventy weeks or 490 years.  It is a time period allocated for the ‘finishing of the transgression, for making an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24). 

Those years and all that was determined for them were interrupted by the death of Messiah who was ‘cut off but not for himself’ (Daniel 9:26).  The word translated ‘cut off’ is karath and has included in its meaning ‘to covenant (that is, make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces) as is seen in the covenant the LORD made with Abraham (Genesis 15:9-18).  This interruption can only be interpreted as the age of the Christian Church with its beginnings on the day of Pentecost after Christ’s crucifixion to somewhere in the near future (according to the signs which we will discuss further along).  These events bracket the church age near to or perhaps exactly 2000 years.  Until the catching away of the church we just do not know.

We know from the New Testament that Messiah was cut off for the ‘finishing of the transgression, for making an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity’ but that “the bringing in of everlasting righteousness, the sealing up the vision and prophecy, and the anointing of the most Holy” have not yet been accomplished.  This awaits the completion of the final seven years, Daniel’s seventieth week.

This seven year period is delineated by the ‘confirming of the covenant with many’ by a future world ruler, and the coming again of Messiah/Christ who will bring in everlasting righteousness, will seal up the vision and prophecy, and will anoint the most Holy. 

It is the time dominated by a revived empire of the past with its ten horned confederation (kingdoms), and a dominating little horn (ruler).  From other scripture it is clear the little horn is the future Prince of Daniel 9:27 who will confirm the covenant and be the dominating figure of these last years until Messiah/Christ returns to set up his own 1000 year kingdom.   

According to pre-mil eschatology the Church will not see this ‘confirming of the covenant’ or be part of these last seven years, but because it will take some time for these entities to all be in place (perhaps several years), can we (the Church) establish from events of today, some Biblically sound scenario that could lead to the formation of a world dominating ten member confederacy (kingdoms) and the emergence of an individual from among them; an individual powerful enough for the world to turn to and who has the authority to confirm and enforce any treaty?  At the moment the US is in the process of being neutered by its current Marxist/Islamist administration; Russia and Europe neutralise each other and China is not yet influential enough in military matters.  But these are the current world powers therefore must be players in these last days.

We do see the rise of Islam in the US, Europe, Russia and in the world generally; Islam who’s militant and world dominating doctrines are manifesting themselves in terrorist acts everywhere.  Israel has had to erect walls to separate her citizens from these acts of terror, and Europe is beginning to fence its borders and Russia has her internal problems with Islam (the US, being even now neutered by her Marxist/Islamist Administration is not mentioned in the last day’s events).    

Is there any likelihood of the coming ten kingdoms being Islamic?  No none at all.  Islam’s very nature does not allow for a confederacy, it is monotheistic and its aims are a single Islamic caliphate, not a confederacy.  This is a major reason to believe Islam will be defeated, and a likely means for that defeat will be a backlash from the US and Greater European citizenry.  In the Middle East Israel could use this backlash as reason enough for a counter offensive against her Arab/Islamic enemies.

The Russian people are Caucasian and therefore culturally more aligned with Europe than with the Middle East. If it comes to a clash of civilizations (which the conflict with Islam will be) it will affect the Russian people as much as Europeans. In this clash Russia will almost certainly become an ally to the rest of the non Islamic world. This alliance is also likely from an economic sense as well; for it is clear Putin wants to control oil production/supply and will need the European markets. Europe’s cultural survival should be sufficient motivation to ensure his alliance with Europe.

If this thought is legitimate we could see Putin at odds with terrorist Iran as well as Turkey, with both nations coming under his control in the aftermath of this cultural war.

And it is hard to imagine Europe condemning Israel for any counter offensive against the Arabs when Europe herself will be fighting for her own cultural survival, therefore the answering of the imprecatory prayer of Psalm 83 would probably occur at this time.  A victorious aftermath of such worldwide conflict would lead Israel to believe herself at rest from Arab terror and at peace with her ‘allies’ including Russia.  In the light of Ezekiel 38:11 this would be a situation ripe for the invasion of Israel by Gog of Magog.  A mercenary Gog will take the opportunity of a world wearied by bloodshed to take over the Middle East including Israel. The world is seen to admonish him for his greedy opportunism in Ezekiel 38:13. 

A brutal and bloody war with Islam will almost certainly lead to the ten kingdom confederation, and could see the emergence of the one who will become the little horn, the head of the beast or the man of sin etc.  A military leader with the loyalty of his troops behind him, and public veneration because of a major role in defeating Islam (think Charles Martel), could come to the fore and eventually take total control and be the 'Coming Prince', the 'man of sin' etc.  Although this man might be believed to be the Coming Prince beforehand, he would certainly be identified as such by his confirmation of the covenant.

In the light of all that has been said here, if accurate, the invasion of Israel by Gog must happen in the aftermath of the world conflict with Islam, but must precede the rise of Anti-Christ, for Israel will be seven years burning Gog’s weapons; i.e. three and a half years up to the confirming of the covenant, another three and a half years to the abomination of desolations, for after that abomination Israel will not have the freedom of movement to do so.

When the abomination that makes desolates is set up in the rebuilt temple (Matthew 24:15), Israel will flee to the mountains for refuge and the ‘Great Tribulation’ will begin… the time of Jacob’s trouble.  This will be the time when Israel will be purged, and gentile dominion will be destroyed by the coming in power of the Lord Jesus Christ when he comes to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.  He will deliver the remnant of Israel and set up the Kingdom promised to David in the land promised to Abraham. 

We the Church will have been removed… When?  From pre-mil eschatology it is clear the rapture will occur prior to the signing of the covenant, and because by means of the destruction of Gog and his armies, God will make his holy name known in the midst of his people Israel, and that he will not let them pollute his holy name any more (Ezekiel 39:7); it is my belief we, believers of the church age, will be taken home before or during that supernatural event.

 Although this catching away of the church could occur at any time I believe Christians must be prepared to continue as the salt of the earth during the coming clash with Islam, and play our part in the salvation of those whom the Lord places in our way.