The Soviet Union has been broken up into a number of
so-called independent states for quite a few years now. While Russia is
certainly a giant compared to other states of the former USSR, some of
them are flexing their muscles. We have seen wars in several of these
states in the Caspian and Black sea areas in and near southern Russia.
Religious wars in the Republic of Chechnya and Georgia have been in the
news; the continuing war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many Russians too, are
wishing for a return to their former status as a world socialist leader.
Some Russian leaders are already talking about invading the Middle East,
including Israel. What does your Bible have to say about these and other
nations in the end time that we are now entering? How does all this apply
to us in this fall Feast season? The fall Feast season pictures the
Kingdom of God, starting with Christ's return and concluding with the
White Throne Judgment of Rev 20.
Today I want to talk to you about the significance of the
fall Feast season from the perspective of prophetic scriptures.
I’ll cover 4 major points:
1. The great dangers from the north and east Israel is
prophesied to face.
2. The destiny of the saints through these dangers.
3. What Christians face today.
4. The joyful return of all Israelites when Christ
protects them and sets up His kingdom.
We will also describe how these events are exemplified by
the fall Feast season; the Feast of Trumpets and particularly the Feast of
Tabernacles. Many expect Jesus Christ to return on the Feast of Trumpets,
though some are of the opinion that He will return on other days and that
Trumpets is only a symbol of His return. The Feast of Tabernacles pictures
the Kingdom of God on earth and the joyful life experienced by those
living in it. As we go through this sermon, keep in mind that God’s Word
describes WHAT will occur but does not specify WHEN prophesies will occur,
and sometimes even in what sequence.
(Mat 24:36 NKJV) "But of that day and hour no one knows,
not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
There are prophesies which describe modern Israel being
threatened by two sources of invading armies: a European consortium and
countries bordering Russia. To keep this sermon from getting too long, I
won’t comment on the American and/or European invasion other than to say
that it could be prompted by dangerous threats from Iran or Syria, an
attack by Saudi Arabia, and/or even partiality against Israel. It also
seems to be associated with establishment of a European religious figure
at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. I have described this in my sermon on
the End Time Prophesies -
Part 1. You might want to review that sermon. It is on our
www.studiesintheword.org web site.
Scriptures in Rev 11, 13, 17, and 18 where the US might be
included, Dan 9 & 11, and 2 Thes 2:3-4 also describe this European or
American threat. However, Rev 7 shows our deliverance. Instead, in this
section of this sermon, I want to discuss prophesies which seem to
describe countries bordering on, and possibly including, Russia.
1. So let's start by describing the great dangers from
the north and east Israel is prophesied to face:
Psa 120 (NKJV) In my distress I cried to the LORD, And
He heard me. {2} Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips <And> from a
deceitful tongue. {3} What shall be given to you, Or what shall be done
to you, You false tongue? {4} Sharp arrows of the warrior, With coals of
the broom tree! {5} Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech [Me'-shak],
<That> I dwell among the tents of Kedar! [Kedar represents uncivilized
nomadic tribes.] {6} My soul has dwelt too long With one who
hates peace. {7} I <am for> peace; But when I speak, they <are> for
war.
Meshech is referred to by Ezekiel as being in alliance
with Gog, who is destined to invade Israel in the latter days. Let's read
what Ezekiel has to say about it:
Ezek 32:26 (KJV) There <is> Meshech, Tubal, and all her
multitude: her graves <are> round about him: all of them uncircumcised,
slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land
of the living.
This describes a destroyed Meshech and Tubal who had
terrorized Israel. Meshech and Tubal are generally associated with the
peoples residing near Moscow and southeast of there toward Kazakhstan,
Iran, Iraq, eastern Turkey and various small nations of the Caucasus
Mountains. But just as Kazakhstan extends well to the east, so does
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan. The region is nearly all Muslim
and might very well be or have been reacting to an attempt by Israel to
rid herself of the so-called Palestinians or the destruction of Iran by
Israel, Europe, or America.
Ezek 38:2-6 (KJV) Son of man, set thy face against Gog,
the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy
against him, {3} And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I <am>
against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: {4} And I
will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee
forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with
all sorts <of armor>, <even> a great company <with> bucklers and
shields, all of them handling swords: {5} Persia [Iran], Ethiopia, and
Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: {6} Gomer, and all
his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all
his bands: <and> many people with thee.
Magog means "from the land of Gog." Researchers identify
Magog as Mongolian peoples in general. Mongolian peoples include Koreans,
Japanese, and northern Chinese. This indicates God’s opposition to all
those people living along the southern border of Russia.
Gomer is often identified as Germany. But Germans are also
identified with Canaan, Assyria, and Edom. Togarmah is identified with
Turkey and the Turkish people. Even the Japanese trace their lineage to
Turkey. If these identities are accurate, it looks like the entire Muslim
nation of Asia will attack tiny Israel. Now God promises to step in.
Ezek 39:1-7 (KJV) Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy
against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I <am> against
thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: {2} And I will
turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause
thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon
the mountains of Israel:
The Mountains of Israel are Samaria and Judea - most of
what the news media currently calls "The West Bank." As most of you know,
the West Bank is really the land west of the Jordan River captured by
Jordan from Israel in 1948 and recaptured by Israel in 1967. Could it be
that these scriptures are describing a time when the Muslims have been
thrown out of Israel, and the world's Islamic nations, along with what may
be their Russian allies, are trying to take it back? Could the Palestinian
Authority or Hamas, presently occupying the mountains of Israel, threaten
Israel so much that they are ejected from the whole country, along with
the Dome of the Rock and all their mosques? Could America become totally
dispassionate or so badly mauled or stretched in Afghanistan or Iraq or
Iran or Taiwan or Korea or some other area of the world that the
surrounding Islamic nations become emboldened to destroy Israel once and
for all? Iran, with its nuclear weapons program, has announced to the
world that destruction of Israel, Europe, and the U.S. is their goal. The
cities of the Mountains of Israel are mostly Islamic today. They
constitute much of the so-called West Bank, the areas of Samaria and
Judea. These areas were recently given to the Palestinian Authority after
the PA was driven out of Gaza by Hamas. The human causes of this invasion
are not clear yet but we know God will arrange it. You can read more of
this on our website in our articles entitled "The Return of the
Israelites" and "The ‘Palestinians’."
verse {3} And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand,
and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. {4} Thou
shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and
the people that <is> with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds
of every sort, and <to> the beasts of the field to be devoured. {5} Thou
shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken <it>, saith the Lord
GOD. {6} And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell
carelessly in the isles:
Remember Magog is from the land of Gog. It is apparently a
people, not a territory.
The nearest isles to southern Russia are the Philippines
and Japan, but Indonesia, an all-island, Islamic nation, and Muslim Brunei
and Malaysia are also nearby. The Philippines are also seriously
threatened by Muslim rebels. The word "carelessly", in verse 6, is an old
fashioned translation. Today we would say "without care" or "confidently".
Continuing in verse 6:
and they shall know that I <am> the LORD. {7} So will I
make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not
<let them> pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know
that I <am> the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
Who are these peoples described by Ezekiel? Togarmah and
Gomer were in affiliation with Gog. Some feel Gog, i.e. Magog, will
include 200 million Chinese (Rev 9:16) who may support the Russians coming
to destroy the Jews and everything Jewish forever. Jews in Russia have
suffered persecution for centuries. Nearly a million have moved to Israel
in recent years. Now, in a gigantic display of antisemitism, some Russians
and their southern border allies seem to be intent on destroying every
vestige of Judaism from the face of the earth. What would initiate such
rage? Will Israel finally be compelled to kick out all the so-called
Palestinians? Will she then remove the Dome of the Rock, and destroy the
El Aqsa Mosque from the Temple Mount? Wouldn’t this please God? But God
has His own plans and we just read Ezekiel's description of the results of
the battle.
Whoever Meshech, Tubal, Gog, Magog, Togarmah and Gomer
include, we know they will attack Israel from the north and east. They
seem to include Russia and her southern border allies, but as verse 6
indicates, God’s wrath will extend to other heathen nations.
The fate of these invading armies is obvious. The
intervention of God is also obvious. What was the attitude of King David
to such momentous prophetic events?
Psa 121 (NKJV) I will lift up my eyes to the hills; From
whence comes my help? {2} My help <comes> from the LORD, Who made heaven
and earth.{3} He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you
will not slumber. {4} Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber
nor sleep. {5} The LORD <is> your keeper; The LORD <is> your shade at
your right hand. {6} The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon
by night. {7} The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall
preserve your soul. {8} The LORD shall preserve your going out and your
coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.
These verses form a Jewish prayer for deliverance from
Russia and the Arabs, both of which prefer war rather than peace with the
Jews. The Jews today have a very pretty song which they sing to the words
of Psalm 121:1-4. They call it Hineh Lo Yanum.
Psa 124 (NKJV) "If it had not been the LORD who was on
our side," Let Israel now say; {2} "If it had not been the LORD who was
on our side, When men rose up against us, {3} Then they would have
swallowed us alive, When their wrath was kindled against us; {4} Then
the waters [the people] would have overwhelmed us, The stream would have
gone over our soul; {5} Then the swollen waters Would have gone over our
soul." {6} Blessed <be> the LORD, Who has not given us <as> prey to
their teeth. {7} Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the
fowlers; The snare is broken, and we have escaped. {8} Our help <is> in
the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
John stated that Jesus Christ made heaven and earth. This
chapter could certainly apply to the miraculous deliverance from the
northern armies we read about earlier.
Two verses from Hosea 13 also describe the dire situation
Israel will find itself in:
Hosea 13:9 (NKJV) "O Israel, you are destroyed, But your
help <is> from Me.
This is a very interesting scripture. The word
"destroyed," H7843, is translated as "have destroyed yourself" in the KJV.
The same word, H7843, is found in Deut 32:5 and is translated "corrupted."
"You have corrupted yourself. This is exactly what we see happening in
Israel today with the government forcing Jews to evacuate land to which
they have title and giving their land to the so-called Palestinians. The
Jews are giving away their land to the Palestinians with no reciprocation
of promised security. Hundreds of missiles from Gaza continue to rain down
on Jewish towns.
I read or listen to Israeli news every day, but the news
leaves me painfully depressed. The only encouragement I receive is from
the last clause of Hosea 13:9: "But your help is from Me." Israel’s hope
for survival is from the Eternal. It is not from the U.S. State Department
which continually encourages Israel to give up more God-given land for
promises of peace. Nor is it from the U.N. or Europe which favors Arab
relations. Like many in the U.S. government, those Israeli politicians in
power place vastly more importance on their own governmental power and
prestige than on what’s good for their own country. Israel is committing
national suicide as we speak.
verse 14 (NKJV) "I will ransom them from the power of
the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your
plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My
eyes.
Sounds like much of Israel will have destroyed itself
before God intervenes, but intervene He will.
2. But what is the destiny of the Saints in all this?
The body of Saints, referred to as the Church is not a corporate entity.
The Church is the assembly of called-out and selected individuals. It
seems as if all the emphasis is placed on the Saints. Let's turn to:
Rev 12:14 (NKJV) But the woman was given two wings of a
great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where
she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence
of the serpent.
Many believe the "woman" is the Church; that the Church
will be protected from the tribulation by being placed in the middle-east
wilderness by God. This is similar to the Church fleeing Jerusalem for
Pella when the second temple was destroyed. However, this time the Church
will flee via the wings of a great eagle. I'll let your imagination take
over from there. In Revelation 3:10 God promises the Philadelphia church
protection from the three and a half year period of tribulation. Will
God's people in Israel also flee to a place of safety when Israel is
invaded? Mat 24:15 says yes. But God will do so by the individual, not
because the individual is associated with some specific church group.
Rev 3:10 (NKJV) "Because you have kept My command to
persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which
shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the
earth.
Psa 122 (NKJV) I was glad when they said to me, "Let us
go into the house of the LORD." {2} Our feet have been standing Within
your gates, O Jerusalem! {3} Jerusalem is built As a city that is
compact together, {4} Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the LORD, To
the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD. {5} For
thrones are set there for judgment, The thrones of the house
of David. {6} Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper
who love you. [Do you prosper? Do you love and pray for the peace of
Jerusalem?] {7} Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your
palaces." {8} For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now
say, "Peace <be> within you." {9} Because of the house of the LORD our
God, I will seek your good.
Notice that the twelve thrones are for Christ's twelve
disciples who will lead the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:28 (NKJV) So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say
to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne
of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
This verse also reminds us of the end-time prophesy of
Jacob to his twelve sons described in Genesis 49.
Revelation 5 also adds to our understanding:
Rev 5:10 (NKJV) And have made us kings and priests
to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." [Not in the clouds
of Heaven, as most believe, though the marriage with Christ may occur in
Heaven at His Father’s house.]
Daniel also prophesies about the destiny of the saints:
Dan 7:27 (NKJV) Then the kingdom and dominion, And the
greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be
given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom <is>
an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.'
3. What are Christians facing now - in our day?
During the past administration, evangelical Christians in
this country began living with the scorn and contempt of government
agencies and leaders. One of the favorite whipping boys of the liberal
media and law enforcement was then the evangelical Christian. The
terrorist attacks on New York and Washington has instilled in this nation
a more open display of dependency on God. But this persecutory attitude
toward evangelical Christians will only intensify as the schism between
pro-Israel, total-Bible believing evangelicals and the principles and
traditions guiding traditional Christian churches widens. Indeed, the
persecution against Christians supporting Biblical principles is nothing
more than rebellion against God and His word. We must all accept the
humble, dependent example described by the 123rd Psalm and heed its words.
(Psa 123 NKJV) Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who
dwell in the heavens. {2} Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the
hand of their masters, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her
mistress, So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He has mercy on
us. {3} Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us! For we are
exceedingly filled with contempt. {4} Our soul is exceedingly filled
With the scorn of those who are at ease, With the contempt of the proud.
In 2 Tim 3 (NKJV) Paul writes:
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will
come: {2} For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy, {3} unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control,
brutal, despisers of good, {4} traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of
pleasure rather than lovers of God, {5} having a form of godliness but
denying its power. And from such people turn away! {6} For of this sort
are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women
loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, {7} always learning
and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. {8} Now as Jannes
and Jambres resisted Moses [Moshe in Hebrew], so do these also resist
the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; {9}
but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to
all, as theirs also was. {10} But you have carefully followed my
doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love,
perseverance, {11} persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at
Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out
of <them> all the Lord delivered me. {12} Yes, and all who desire
to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. {13} But evil
men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being
deceived. {14} But you must continue in the things which you have
learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned <them>,
{15} and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which
are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus. {16} All Scripture <is> given by inspiration of God, and <is>
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, {17} that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly
equipped for every good work.
4. What will be the reaction of all Israelites
after Christ protects them from extinction and sets up His Kingdom?
Isa 40 (NKJV) "Comfort, yes, comfort My people!" Says
your God. {2} "Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That
her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she
has received from the Lord's hand Double for all her sins."
The warfare over Jerusalem seems to end before
Christ establishes His Kingdom. If that understanding is correct, the
invasion from the north countries must come first.
verse {3} The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
"Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for
our God. {4} Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill
brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough
places smooth; {5} The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, And all
flesh shall see <it> together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
{6} The voice said, "Cry out!" And he said, "What shall I cry?" "All
flesh <is> grass, And all its loveliness <is> like the flower of the
field. {7} The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of
the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people <are> grass. {8} The grass
withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever." {9}
O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O
Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength,
Lift <it> up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, "Behold
your God!" [As I said earlier, many cities of Judea and Samaria today
are mostly Islamic and are now under Palestinian Authority government -
the same government founded by Arafat.] {10} Behold, the Lord GOD shall
come with a strong <hand>, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His
reward <is> with Him, And His work before Him. {11} He will feed His
flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry
<them> in His bosom, <And> gently lead those who are with young.
Psa 125 (NKJV) Those who trust in the LORD <Are> like
Mount Zion, <Which> cannot be moved, <but> abides forever. {2} As the
mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this
time forth and forever. {3} For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
On the land allotted to the righteous, Lest the righteous reach out
their hands to iniquity. {4} Do good, O LORD, to <those who are> good,
And to <those who are> upright in their hearts. {5} As for such as turn
aside to their crooked ways, The LORD shall lead them away With the
workers of iniquity. Peace <be> upon Israel!
Psa 126 (NIV) When the LORD brought back the captives to
Zion, We were like those who dream. {2} Then our mouth was filled with
laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them." {3} The LORD has done great
things for us, <And> we are glad. {4} Restore our fortunes, O LORD, As
the streams in the South. {5} Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
{6} He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves <with
him>.
Israel shall rejoice in the Eternal. A time of total and
utter happiness. This is what the Feast of Tabernacles pictures as
well.
Ezek 48:35 (NKJV) "All the way around <shall be>
eighteen thousand cubits [This would be about 5 miles but the word
"cubit" is not in the original text. Many translations use the word
"measures" instead of "cubits".]; and the name of the city from <that>
day <shall be>: THE LORD <Is> THERE."
This scripture describes a time when Christ has returned
to Jerusalem!
Isa 27:12 (NKJV) And it shall come to pass in that day
<That> the LORD will thresh [to thresh is to beat grain out of its
husk], From the channel of the River [apparently the Euphrates, in
northern Syria] to the Brook of Egypt [The Brook of Egypt lies south of
Gaza in what is now Egyptian territory; though some think it refers to
the Nile River]; And you will be gathered one by one, O you
children of Israel.
We are not gathered as an organized church, but
individually. We will not be able to blindly follow or blame our church
leaders. Here is a time when God leads mankind.
Isa 52:9-12 (NKJV) Break forth into joy, sing together,
You waste places of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted His
people, He has redeemed [bought back] Jerusalem. {10} The LORD has made
bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the
ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God. {11} Depart!
Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean <thing>; Go out from the
midst of her, Be clean, You who bear the vessels of the LORD. {12} For
you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the LORD will go
before you, And the God of Israel <will be> your rear guard.
Isaiah 11 talks about Jesus Christ, Yeshua haMashiach, and
His Kingdom after His return. Let's read about Him:
Isa 11 (NKJV) There shall come forth a Rod from the stem
of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. {2} The Spirit of
the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear
of the LORD. {3} His delight <is> in the fear of the LORD, And He shall
not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His
ears; {4} But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide
with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with
the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the
wicked. {5} Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And
faithfulness the belt of His waist. {6} "The wolf also shall dwell with
the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and
the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead
them. {7} The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie
down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox [sounds
like a vegetarian world]. {8} The nursing child shall play by the
cobra's hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's
den. {9} They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters
cover the sea. {10} "And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who
shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him,
And His resting place shall be glorious." {11} It shall come to pass in
that day <That> the LORD shall set His hand again the second time
To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria
[in northern Iraq] and Egypt, From Pathros [northern Egypt] and Cush
[Ethiopia], From Elam [area east of Babylon] and Shinar [area around
Babylon], From Hamath [a town south of Tiberias but there may be another
somewhere] and the islands of the sea. {12} He will set up a banner for
the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather
together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the
earth.
Notice that Christ will gather both Jews and other
Israelites from around the world.
verse {13} Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, And
the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah,
And Judah shall not harass Ephraim. {14} But they shall fly down upon
the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west [probably Gaza];
Together they shall plunder the people of the East; They shall lay their
hand on Edom and Moab [Some say Edomites are now in Turkey
and Europe but it better describes their original area in southern
Jordan, where they border Moab. It is my belief that those who today
call themselves Palestinians are really Edomites and related to
Ishmael]; And the people of Ammon shall obey them. {15} The LORD will
utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt [apparently the northern
end of the Gulf of Suez and/or the Suez Canal]; With His mighty wind He
will shake His fist over the River, And strike it in the seven streams,
And make <men> cross over dry-shod. [There are about seven branches of
the Nile River delta where it enters the Mediterranean Sea. God
apparently stops the Nile from flowing.] {16} There will be a highway
for the remnant of His people Who will be left from Assyria, As it was
for Israel In the day that he came up from the land of Egypt.
Micah 4:4 (NKJV) But everyone shall sit under his
vine and under his fig tree, And no one shall make <them> afraid;
For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.
Psa 130 (NKJV) Out of the depths I have cried to You, O
LORD; {2} Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the voice
of my supplications. {3} If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord,
who could stand? {4} But <there is> forgiveness with You, That You may
be feared. {5} I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His
word I do hope. {6} My soul <waits> for the Lord More than those who
watch for the morning; <Yes>, <more than> those who watch for the
morning. {7} O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD <there is>
mercy, And with Him <is> abundant redemption. {8} And He shall redeem
Israel From all his [its] iniquities.
He redeems via the sacrifice of Christ. Atonement means to
be reconciled or to have sins covered. So, here is atonement: Atonement
for God's people and atonement for all Israel.
Jer 31:18-19 (NKJV) "I have surely heard Ephraim
bemoaning himself: 'You have chastised me, and I was chastised, Like an
untrained bull; Restore me, and I will return, For You <are> the LORD my
God. {19} Surely, after my turning, I repented; And after I was
instructed, I struck myself on the thigh; I was ashamed, yes, even
humiliated, Because I bore the reproach of my youth.'
If Britain is Ephraim, as many believe, this prophesy is
quite a change of attitude for the proud British. How many of us are
ashamed and bear the reproach of our youth? I should point out, though,
that the northern ten tribes of Israel are often described as Ephraim.
Zec 6:12 (NKJV) "Then speak to him, saying, 'Thus says
the LORD of hosts, saying: "Behold, the Man whose name <is> the BRANCH
[the Messiah is a Branch of Jehovah]! From His place He shall branch
out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD;
Psa 133 (NKJV) Behold, how good and how pleasant <it is>
For brethren to dwell together in unity! {2} <It is> like the precious
oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments. {3} <It is> like the dew of
Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD
commanded the blessing; Life forevermore.
Another benefit of God's Kingdom: People getting along!
Can you believe it? Can you believe that militant Serbs or Russians or
Arabs or Afghans will learn to live in peace?
Ezek 37:15-22 (NKJV) Again the word of the LORD came to
me, saying, {16} "As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and
write on it: 'For Judah and for the children of Israel, his
companions.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph,
the stick of Ephraim, and <for> all the house of Israel, his
companions.' {17} "Then join them one to another for yourself into
one stick, and they will become one in your hand. {18} "And when the
children of your people speak to you, saying, 'Will you not show us what
you <mean> by these?'; {19} "say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:
"Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which <is> in the hand of
Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join
them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they
will be one in My hand." ' {20} "And the sticks on which you write will
be in your hand before their eyes. {21} "Then say to them, 'Thus says
the Lord GOD: "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among
the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every
side and bring them into their own land; {22} "and I will make them one
nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall
be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall
they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.
Here we see not only selected Israelites from the U.S. and
England together with Judah, the Jews, but a return of all Israelis,
both Jews and Israelites from all over the world to the Holy- land. Are
Israelites returning to Israel now with the Jews or is this describing a
future event? I believe it is a future event. With America being involved
in a war with the militant Muslims including Iraq and Afghanistan of all
places, where the Greeks, the English and the Russians were driven out,
maybe not that future an event either.
(Zec 10:6-12 NKJV) "I will strengthen the house of
Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring
them back, Because I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I
had not cast them aside; For I am the LORD their God, And I will hear
them. {7} Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, And their heart
shall rejoice as if with wine. Yes, their children shall see it and be
glad; Their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. {8} I will whistle for them
and gather them, For I will redeem them; And they shall increase as they
once increased. {9} "I will sow them among the peoples, And they shall
remember Me in far countries; They shall live, together with their
children, And they shall return. {10} I will also bring them back from
the land of Egypt, And gather them from Assyria. I will bring them
into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, Until no more room is found for
them. {11} He shall pass through the sea with affliction, And strike the
waves of the sea: All the depths of the River shall dry up. Then the
pride of Assyria shall be brought down, And the scepter of Egypt shall
depart. {12} "So I will strengthen them in the LORD, And they shall walk
up and down in His name," Says the LORD.
The land of Gilead is in southern Syria and northwestern
Jordan. Lebanon is currently a vassal state of Syria. Gilead and its
northern neighbor Bashan is the future home of the house of Joseph, whom I
believe to have been the forefathers of the British and American peoples.
In fact, for whatever its significance, Americans now occupy the huge
nearby west-central Iraqi province of Anbar, which borders modern-day
Syria and Jordan..
How and when might Syria be obtained for the Israelites?
(Isa 17:1 NKJV) The burden against Damascus. "Behold,
Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap.
Damascus has never before suffered this fate. Will a
desperate Syria send its biologically tipped missiles upon Israeli cities?
Will the US attack Syria because it holds Iraq’s weapons of mass
destruction? Would Israel respond to an attack on them y nuking Damascus?
Psa 134 (NKJV) Behold, bless the LORD, All <you>
servants of the LORD, Who by night stand in the house of the LORD! {2}
Lift up your hands <in> the sanctuary, And bless the LORD. {3}
The LORD who made heaven and earth Bless you from Zion!
Here is a time when people will stand in God's presence.
Zec 14:9-19 (NKJV) And the LORD shall be King over
all the earth. In that day it shall be; "The LORD <is> one," And His
name one. {10} All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba [a
city north of Jerusalem] to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. [These two cities
describe the north and south extent of Judah.] Jerusalem shall be raised
up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin's Gate to the place of the
First Gate and the Corner Gate, and <from> the Tower of Hananeel to the
king's winepresses. {11} <The people> shall dwell in it; And no longer
shall there be utter destruction, But Jerusalem shall be safely
inhabited. {12} And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will
strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall
dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in
their sockets, And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths. {13} It
shall come to pass in that day <That> a great panic from the LORD will
be among them. Everyone will seize the hand of his neighbor, And raise
his hand against his neighbor's hand; {14} Judah also will fight at
Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations Shall be
gathered together: Gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance. {15}
Such also shall be the plague On the horse <and> the mule, On the camel
and the donkey, And on all the cattle that will be in those camps. So
<shall> this plague <be>. {16} And it shall come to pass <that> everyone
who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up
from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep
the Feast of Tabernacles. {17} And it shall be <that> whichever of
the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the
King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. {18} If the
family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they <shall have> no
<rain>; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the
nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. {19} This
shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations
that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
In conclusion:
Brethren, we are in the 2007 fall Feast season. Trumpets
was Tuesday, September 11th. Atonement was last Thursday, September 20th.
The Feast of Tabernacles started today September 25th and continues to
October 2nd. As we celebrate this Feast of Tabernacles, remember the
encouraging messages taught by these scriptures we have reviewed today.
Encourage yourself with them. The end is in sight. The Kingdom is right
around the corner. Be sure you are ready when it arrives.