Message details

­Every week, since back in 2006, we have set aside a few minutes on Sunday mornings so as to devote some time to studying Bible prophecy. ­The reason that we do this is because the Bible predicts certain specific events that will take place in the last days before the Lord returns. ­We believe that what’s happening in the world today is a fulfillment of those Bible Prophecies, and that the rapture could happen at any time.

­We look primarily at events in the Middle East, specifically related to Israel because, as it’s been said; “Israel is God’s prophetic clock.”

­If you were to ask me what the most significant indicator of Christ's return is, I would have to say that it's the prophecies concerning Jerusalem. ­I believe what we now see unfolding, right before our very eyes, is the beginning of the fulfillment of specific Bible prophecies about Jerusalem. ­In the interest of time, and given that for the most part you're aware of the role Jerusalem plays in the prophetic program I'll get right to the point.

Joel 3:1­3 NKJV "For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, (2) I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land.

Zechariah 12:1­3 NIV This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares: (2) "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. (3) On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.

­We are on the cusp of that which was foretold by the prophets of old, coming to pass, with what appears to be this imminent two state solution. ­Specifically, as it relates to the "Statehood Showdown" as it's being dubbed; Jews and Palestinian's living side by side in "Peace and Security." ­To say that it was a most interesting week at the United Nations would be an understatement in light of the geopolitical posturing that took place.

­Be that as it may, and suffice it to say, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah, among others, all prophesied that this would happen in the end of days. ­One has counted as many as 260+ references to Jerusalem in the prophetic books of the Bible alone which gives you an idea of its significance. ­It's important to understand, the stage of Jerusalem's prophetic significance was already being set some sixty years ago in of all places the UN.

On December 9th, 1949, The UN General Assembly resolution 303 titled; "Palestine: Question of an international regime for the Jerusalem area and the protection of the Holy Places," reiterated the UN commitment to internationalization of Jerusalem, and designated it a "corpus separatum" ­separate body. Under the original partition plan of 1947 (GA resolution 181), Jerusalem was to have been administered under UN sovereignty as an international city. ... the UN has never ceased to officially regard Jerusalem as a "corpus separatum." The United States does not recognize any part of Jerusalem as part of Israel, despite congressional resolutions. Both the United States and Great Britain, among others, consider that the status of Jerusalem is to be resolved by the parties to the dispute in final settlement negotiations, and in practice, ignore the UN corpus separatum resolutions.

­It's important to understand that whenever we hear of peace in the context of a Palestinian State, it does not mean what we are led to believe. ­Under the banner of this UN Showdown and push for peace, vis­a­vis a Palestinian State, they stay below the radar of wanting to destroy Israel. ­This is Islam, and it's personified in a "Palestinian State." "They don't want a Palestinian state with Israel, they want the destruction of Israel.

Ramon Bennett in his book; "Philistine ­The Great Deception," writes; "Arafat, like most Moslem Arabs, is a keen admirer of Hitler. His military and propaganda strategy is a copy of Hitler’s, but Arafat’s peace strategy is copied from Islamic history. Arabs hold to a strong belief in the proverb that they can “remedy the present only with the remedies of the past.” Arafat looks to the past­not just Hitler, but also to the two most famous figures in Islam’s long history of warfare, Mohammed and Saladin­in order to remedy the present. And Arafat’s concept of peace is the same as Mohammed and Saladin a coin one must pay to achieve something else: “Peace for us means the destruction of Israel.”

­The question now becomes, what happens at the UN when this is put to a vote, knowing that it will be met with a not so surprising U.S. veto. ­The actual UN Security Council vote may be delayed until Rosh Hashanah, or Yom Kippur, when Israeli diplomats are not present for rebuttal. ­Furthermore, absent the UN General Assembly vote, which no nation really has the power to veto, a simple majority vote is all that's needed.

­If, instead of a General Assembly vote, the UN Security Council votes, only those Security Council nations really have any veto power. ­Whether or not any nation veto's or not, is sort of mute in the sense that the onus to make a declaration of statehood is on the Palestinians. ­That's why, on May 14th, 1948, after the UN voted to recognize the State of Israel, David Ben­Gurion then declared Israel a sovereign state.

­I share that, to say this; it should come as no surprise to see this inevitable, yet future, resolution of the burdensome problem of Jerusalem. ­The bottom line is, that the Anti­Christ will be the one who will ultimately and finally "seal the deal," and confirm a seven year peace covenant. ­The only thing standing in the way is the "departure" of the bride, at the rapture of the church. This happens first, then it's the pseudo solution.

2 Thessalonians 2:1­12 NKJV (1) Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, (2) not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. (3) Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, (4) who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (5) Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? (6) And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. (7) For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. (8) And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. (9) The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, (10) and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (11) And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, (12) that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

­I am of the belief, and am in good company as well, that in the context of the Epistle, this "falling away first," is the catching away of the church. ­Then, subsequent to this "departure," which is how the word can be translated, this "man of sin," or "son of perdition," is revealed for who he is. ­Am I saying that we are about to be raptured, since it needs to happen first? Yes! The reason being that this man of sin is already on the scene.

­Allow me to leave you with a scenario, one for which could be arguably very plausible, related to how now everything could in fact soon play out. ­Because nothing has to happen before the rapture happens, I'll place the rapture of the church as the next event on God's prophetic calendar. ­Shortly after, and I'm not of the ilk, that there can be an elongated period of time between the rapture and the tribulation, Psalm 83 is fulfilled.

­In concert with the surrounding neighbor's of Psalm 83, and possibly Zechariah 12, attacking Israel to wipe her off the map, Isaiah 17 is fulfilled. ­With Syria on the brink of being brought to a ruinous heap, it seems these prophecies have crossed the threshold; past the point of no return. ­This will be the final straw, and in the wake of this war, the Anti­Christ is finally able to confirm a seven year peace treaty, fulfilling Daniel 9:27.

­Subsequent to this seven year peace agreement, Israel will be deceived and will have believed that she dwells securely, fulfilling Ezekiel 38­39. ­The reason is, the nations and people groups listed chiefly in Psalm 83, and Isaiah 17, are conspicuously absent from the alliance in Ezekiel 38. ­I'll take it a step further and submit that the battle of Gog, and the battle of Armageddon are like bookends on the seven year tribulation period.

­I'll end how I began; what is happening in real­time at the UN, and with the so called two­state solution, must happen for the rapture to come. ­In other words, the wheels of Bible Prophecy are already in motion, and there's an unstoppable momentum in that they have a shelf life of sorts. ­This is why Jesus told us to be watching and ready when we saw these things start to happen because it signals the rapture is about to happen.

Luke 21:28 NIV When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."