One of the things we have to understand about Bible prophesy is that we can get it wrong.
Recently, I've heard that certain events that transpire may be a "double fulfillment" or that the event could be fulfilled multiple times. And this is true depending on the event. Of course Christ can't be born twice or die on the cross more than once. That's why it all depends upon the event.
We could make mistakes by being dogmatic or etching things in stone, make an adamant declaration or claim that what we've seen is it, and then we find out later that you and I were wrong.
We could easily misunderstand certain references. We could take Scripture that we thought that we knew and misinterpret them.
Or we could make generalized crowd pleasing statements and think that we're scoring points. But to be honest, all we did was bring more confusion to the subject.
All of a sudden, when Hamas came across the boarder to viciously attack Israel, the Middle East is about to explode. But is it?
Gaza has gotten the attention of the whole world and over in Ukraine, the threat of nuclear weapons by president Putin in Russia on Ukraine was made because he's losing the war.
Remember when the Lord Jesus told us in Matthew 24:6-8 (NKJV) "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows."
Also, Lebanon is a new front as Israel engages in hostilities on two fronts, and supported by Iran on both fronts. (Iranians aren't Muslims, they're descendants of Persia).
And as a side note, Iran will be involved in Gog and Magog (see Ezekiel 38:1-6.)
I'm watching all of the usual Internet YouTube prominent preachers pivot from their usual prosperity self help messages towards "End Time Bible Prophesy."
So I wanted to hear what they have to say. You could tell that some of them (like myself) never seriously studied the subject to have a basic comprehension and command of the subject. Some of them are stumbling all over the place like I used to.
My ignorance of the basics of Bible prophesy made me look like an amateur.
So, in my ignorance, the Lord steered me toward good Bible prophesy teachers beginning with the Holy Spirit. The Lord knew how ignorant I was and put me on a crash course to get as much correct harmonious information as possible.
Now some of the prominent Bible teachers, not all of them, probably do have a good command of the subject.
When I mean a good command of the subject, it goes beyond the known fact that the Lord is soon to return. Or that Christians must support Israel. To one person's credit, he did mention that we should be praying for the Arabs and Israel.
Bible Prophesy is a very complex subject. So we have to be humble, tuck away our pride and ego, be open to be corrected, and accept valid corrections so we won't run the risk of being absolute.
Also, all of these teachers use stunning titles on YouTube, just to peak your interest but the substance is missing.
So if you're going to talk about the subject, it's best to start at the beginning.
And when you do, bring history with you because Bible prophesy tells us about what's going to happen and then when you look at history, you begin to see that the Bible was correct.
So let's start with Bible basics and concurring history.
In AD 70, the second Temple was destroyed by Titus and the Romans, fulfilling the Word that the Lord gave in Matthew 24:1-2.
Matthew 24:1-2 (NKJV) "Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.
And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
History and the Word. The Word and History.
The evidence of the second Temple being destroyed as the Lord said is on the southwest corner of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Piles of large heavy stones, laying on the ground as if they were thrown down yesterday. The nation of Israel were scattered abroad. There were remnants of Jews and Arabs remaining in the land, but for the most part, Israel, as a nation, was non existent.
On November 2, 1917, The Balfour Declaration was made, allowing the Jews to return to their homeland.
After under 2000 years, the Jews were allowed to return to their homeland which is a clear fulfillment of Jeremiah 30:1-3 (NKJV) "The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, “Thus speaks the LORD God of Israel, saying: ‘Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you.
For behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the LORD. And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’”
"From captivity" could also be the 70 years of Babylonian captivity.
Genesis 12 is the promise to Abraham.
History and the Word. The Word and History.
And.....nowhere in history were the Arabs recognized as a state in the land of Israel before or after Israel returned to possess the land.
Then came May 14, 1948. The League of Nations formally recognized Israel as a nation and on the same day, US president Harry Truman officially recognized Israel as a state.
Isaiah 66:8 (NKJV) "Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once?"
This is fulfilled and here the Lord Jesus gives us another prophetic sign.
Matthew 24:32-35 (NKJV) “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.
So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!
Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."
Then we read this again in Luke's account.
Luke 21:29-33 (NKJV) "Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.
When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.
So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.
Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."
"Tender " and "budding" indicates young.
The "summer" that the Lord is referring to is the final days of the world and the sign of His Second Coming.
Then in between June 5 to June 10 in 1967, the Jews took control of Jerusalem from the Arabs. 50 Years after returning to the land of Israel and 19 years after becoming a "tender" "budding" nation.
Then in the book of Amos, we have these words.
Amos 9:13-15 (NKJV) “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD,
“When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
The mountains shall drip with sweet wine,
And all the hills shall flow with it.
I will bring back the captives of My people Israel;
They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them;
They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
I will plant them in their land,
And no longer shall they be pulled up
From the land I have given them,”
Says the LORD your God."
With just these few verses of Scripture and undeniable history, Bible prophesy has been fulfilled before our eyes.
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