The NOW Prophecies: Where Are We On God’s Timeline
(Inspired by Prophecy in The News article of the same title by Bill Salus)
1/6,10/16 CFBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
A On December 28, 2015, my family & I met my dad & step-mother for our Christmas gathering.
1 Our wires didn’t connect on Christmas 2014, so they brought us gifts not just for this year, but also from last year.
a One of the gifts we got on that visit was a Calendar for 2015 . . . it was good for 3 more days . . . won’t be of any good.
b The days, dates will be out of sync for the coming year.
2 It’s important that we are all on the same calendar so our schedules, planning, agendas will match.
a If God has a calender, and I think He does, where is present placement on God’s calendar of events.
aa What if God’s prophetic calendar is not numbered (day/month/year) but rather enumerated.
bb It lists events in the order of their occurring . . . progressive.
b It’s perhaps the most important question each generation can ask themselves: Where are we on God’s prophetic timeline?
B Isaiah 46:9-10 (NASB) 9 "Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure';
1 There is a definite beginning . . .and ending to Lord’s prophetic timeline . . . so where are we now?
a Simple answer: Somewhere in-between these two prophetic events . . .
aa The rebirth of the nation of Israel.
bb War of Gog Magog War in Ezekiel 38-39.
b Imagine God having an hourglass that measures a prophetic timeline. . .
aa The re-establishment of Israel as a nation made the hourglass turn for its final turn.
bb The grains are now running into the lower chamber, when they are all relocated in that chamber . . . we will see the next major prophetic fulfillment . . .Gog Magog War.
2 Have you ever been to a drive-in? The marquee has two movies listed, when the first movie is over ...the second movie begins.
a The order will not be changed, once the first film begin . . . you have a pretty good idea of when the second will begin.
b The two events/bookends of this part of God’s event calendar are these two things: Birth of Israel . . . War of Gog Magog War.
3 They are standout events because they are both intended to do one thing: That the God of the Bible is the one true God over all the earth.
a Not the god of Buddhism, Islam, . . . but the God of the Book, The Land, The Chosen is the one true God.
b Many Christians have been duped into believing that the church has replaced Israel in God’s promises, covenants.
aa Replacement Theology
bb In Replacement Theology God is done with the Jews, Israel, The Land . . . Replacement Theology insists that the Bride is the now the sole object of God’s affection.
C Nowhere do we see that God has replaced Israel with the Church. (Christian arrogance at best & antisemitic at worst . . . both conclusions being unbiblical and not of God.)
1 Regardless of what the Church/Christians believe about Israel, it does not erase the fact that Israel today is a proof of the sovereignty of God.
a Jeremiah 23:7-8 (NASB) 7 "Therefore behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when they will no longer say, 'As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,' 8 but, 'As the LORD lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.' Then they will live on their own soil."
b Exegesis: It was a pretty big deal for God to bring the Hebrews from Egypt . . .parting the Red Sea . . . putting them in Promised Land. (V.7)
aa It has served for generations to be an evidence of God’s greatness, His ability to deliver His People through all obstacles, oppression, aggression.
bb Jeremiah 23, tells us that Exodus from ancient Egypt will pale in comparison to the modern day miracle of the rebirthed nation of Israel.
2 God did the incredible, miraculous, indescribable to accomplish what is described in Exodus . . . but in proper perspective, the reestablishment of the modern nation of Israel was a bit more complicated than parting the Red Sea.
a I’m not taking anything away from the Exodus: I want to put the rebirth of Israel in perspective.
b There were many moving parts to the Exodus: Birth of Moses, calling, plaques, parting of the Red Sea, etc.,
aa There were events that took place before another event occurred.
bb IL. Working a puzzle, people usually work on the borders before working on anything else.
D God set the borders in place well before the rebirth of Israel in 1948. (The exodus was an event God planned for for generations. . . preparation had been made before the event occurred.)
1 Implant Zionism in Jews
a In the late 1800s, after centuries of existence outside of their country, there was a desire to go back to their ancient homeland.
b They were willing to leave the comfort/safety of where they were (note: not always safe/comfortable) to go back to Israel.
aa Theodor Herzl, founder of the Zionist Movement, in the late 1800s.
bb “I believe that a wondrous generation of Jews will spring into existence. The Maccabeans will rise again. Let me repeat once more my opening words: The Jews who wish for a State will have it. We shall live at last as free men on our own soil, and die peacefully in our own homes. The world will be freed by our liberty, enriched by our wealth, magnified by our greatness. And whatever we attempt there to accomplish for our own welfare, will react powerfully and beneficially for the good of humanity." 1896, The Jewish State
c The idea of Jews reclaiming their ancient ancestral home was just dream for nearly 50 years before Israel was rebirthed.
2 Create Arab Homelands
a From 1517-1917 A.D., the Middle East was under the control of the Ottoman Empire. (Image)
aa The Ottoman Empire’s domination of the Middle East didn’t end until they lost Turkey in WWI.
bb This Empire, that had a strangle hold on the Middle East for 400 years, had to be eliminated in order for Mideast to be rezoned with Arab states and a Jewish State.
b Israel & what would become the modern middle east was birthed out of the culmination of the British government's Balfour Declaration of 1917 and the Palestine Mandate of 1922.
aa It (Balfour Declaration) endorsed the creation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, as follows: “His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.”
bb In 1922, the League of Nations adopted the declaration, and granted to Britain the Palestine Mandate: “The Mandate will secure the establishment of the Jewish national home ... and the development of self-governing institutions, and also safeguard the civil and religious rights of all the inhabitants of Palestine, irrespective of race and religion.”
c The Word of God specifically says that the Arabs & Jews would return to their homelands:
aa Jeremiah 12:14-17 (NASB)14 Thus says the LORD concerning all My wicked neighbors who strike at the inheritance with which I have endowed My people Israel, "Behold I am about to uproot them from their land and will uproot the house of Judah from among them. "And it will come about that after I have uprooted them, I will again have compassion on them; and I will bring them back, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. 16 "Then if they will really learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, 'As the LORD lives,' even as they taught My people to swear by Baal, they will be built up in the midst of My people. 17 "But if they will not listen, then I will uproot that nation, uproot and destroy it," declares the LORD.
bb These homelands (Arabic and Jewish) were created/carved out of the aftermath of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in one way or another.
Afghanistan 1919
Egypt 1922
Saudi Arabia & Iraq 1932
Iran 1935
Lebanon 1943
Syria & Jordan 1946
Israel 1948
cc In Jeremiah 12.17, The Bible predicts the destruction of the Arab nations that curse Israel . . . there will NEVER be peaceful, copacetic, coexistence between the Arabs & Jews.
dd 'If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel' ~Benjamin Netanyahu~
dd Psalms 83, foretells of their destruction. (Must exist before destruction.)
3 Prophetic Fulfillment Found In WWII.
a In order for the Jewish State to exist, Jews needed to exist.
aa During WWII, Adolf Hitler & the Nazis attempted to obliterate the Jews from the earth.
bb Had Hitler’s plan worked, there would be no Israel today.
b WWI freed up the ancient land of Israel for the Jewish people; WWII prepared the Jews for the land of Israel.
c Empower the Allied Forces: WW2 made Soviet Russia and capitalistic America (and other allied forces) unite to defeat the Nazis and Hitler. (What had to happen for this coalition to be cohesive is nothing short of a miraculous sovereign undertaking of the Lord.)
4 Creation of the Jewish State
a When the control of the Ottoman Empire was relinquished, the Arab states established . . . the restoration of Israel occurred.
b Every piece had to fall into place for the state of Israel to come into existence in 1948.
aa We can argue that God can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants . . . but the truth seems to be evident, He has a plan.
bb He’s not making this up as He goes . . . there are dominos that have been set up so they can be knocked down at a later time!
5 Empowerment of the Israeli Army
a The Israeli Army is the most powerful army in the Middle East.
aa Ezekiel 37:10 (NASB) 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
Ezekiel 25:14 (NASB) 14 "I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel. Therefore, they will act in Edom according to My anger and according to My wrath; thus they will know My vengeance," declares the Lord GOD.
Obadiah 1:18 (NASB) 18 "Then the house of Jacob will be a fire And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau will be as stubble. And they will set them on fire and consume them, So that there will be no survivor of the house of Esau," For the LORD has spoken.
bb The Word of God predicted the rise of today’s Israeli Defense Forces.
b Through the process of three regional wars (1948, 1967, 1973) the Jews transformed from refugees into the most powerful army in the Middle East.
c Israel would not/could not exist without a strong, powerful standing army.
6 Preserve and Prosper Israel
a The Jewish population makes up .2% of the world’s population, yet there are more doctors, lawyers, billionaires, technology innovators.
b The World’s second largest deposit of shale oil is in the Holy Land.
aa Ezekiel 38:12-13 (NASB)12 to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world.' 13 "Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will say to you, 'Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?'"'
bb With Israel’s wealth, natural resources, access to the Mediterranean Sea . . . she is the envy of the Middle East.
cc It is Israel’s prosperity, location, resources that motivates the Russian Gog of Magog to attack her in the near future.
E Israel’s greatness is not for their sake, but God has chosen to Uphold His Own Name through His People Israel.
1 If the rebirth of Israel turned the hour-glass for the last time, the event that happens as the last grain of sand enters the bottom-chamber.
a The next coming event, Gog of Magog, is the other major prophetic marker for this generation to consider.
aa Ez. 38.1-39.20, contains 43 verses that are not hard to understand, grasp. (No seminary degree necessary)
bb In these 43 verses is some of the most consolidated/descriptive prophetic information found anywhere within the entire bible. (140% proof)
cc By looking at these verses literally, we’re made aware of the:
b #1: The Timing of the Event.
aa Ezek. 38.8,16
Ezekiel 38:8 (NASB) 8 "After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them.
Ezekiel 38:16 (NASB) 16 and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog."
bb This war occurs in the end times.
c #2: Identities of the Invading Coalition
aa Ezekiel 38:1-5 (NASB) 1 And the word of the LORD came to me saying, 2 "Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him
3 and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal.4 "I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; 5 Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
bb
d #3 Motivation for the invasion of Israel
aa Ezekiel 38:12-13 (NASB) 12 to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world.' 13 "Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will say to you, 'Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?'"'
bb To take spoil, plunder and booty from Israel.
e #4: Conditions inside Israel at the time of the invasion.
aa Ezekiel 38:8 (NASB) 8 "After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them.
Ezekiel 38:11 (NASB) 11 and you will say, 'I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates,
Ezekiel 38:14 (NASB) 14 "Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "On that day when My people Israel are living securely, will you not know it?
bb Israel will be a nation at peace, feeling safe, secure without walls.
f #5: Defeat of the invaders
aa Ezekiel 38:18-23 (NASB) 18 "It will come about on that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel," declares the Lord GOD, "that My fury will mount up in My anger. 19 "In My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.20 "The fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all the creeping things that creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the face of the earth will shake at My presence; the mountains also will be thrown down, the steep pathways will collapse and every wall will fall to the ground. 21 "I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains," declares the Lord GOD. "Every man's sword will be against his brother.
22 "With pestilence and with blood I will enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, a torrential rain, with hailstones, fire and brimstone.
23 "I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the LORD."'
bb The invading armies that attack Israel will be defeated by supernatural means (earthquakes, pestilence, bloodshed, flooding rains, hailstone, fire & brimstone).
cc There will be no question that The LORD upheld His Name through the People of Israel.
g #6: The Aftermath of the Event
aa Ezekiel 39:9-16 (NASB)9 "Then those who inhabit the cities of Israel will go out and make fires with the weapons and burn them, both shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears, and for seven years they will make fires of them.10 "They will not take wood from the field or gather firewood from the forests, for they will make fires with the weapons; and they will take the spoil of those who despoiled them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them," declares the Lord GOD. 11 "On that day I will give Gog a burial ground there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea, and it will block off those who would pass by. So they will bury Gog there with all his horde, and they will call it the valley of Hamon-gog. 12 "For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. 13 "Even all the people of the land will bury them; and it will be to their renown on the day that I glorify Myself," declares the Lord GOD. 14 "They will set apart men who will constantly pass through the land, burying those who were passing through, even those left on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. 15 "As those who pass through the land pass through and anyone sees a man's bone, then he will set up a marker by it until the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamon-gog. 16 "And even the name of the city will be Hamonah. So they will cleanse the land."'
bb Israel will be known for burying the dead & burning the weapons of their invaders for seven months after the battle. (Trending on Yahoo, images send on Tweeter, FaceBook, Snap Chat)
h #7: Purpose of the prophecy
aa Why did this battle have to occur? What is this war good for?
bb Ezekiel 39:7-8 (NASB) 7 "My holy name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not let My holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. 8 "Behold, it is coming and it shall be done," declares the Lord GOD. "That is the day of which I have spoken.
cc This war is simple to understand . . . to uphold the holy name of God.
2 I believe God made these verses easy for anyone to understand for one reason: He wants everyone on the earth to know that He is the One True God PERIOD.
a There will be no mistaking the war, its outcome, its players and from whose Hand victory is brought to Israel.
b From the Ezek 38/39 prophecy, Israel is positively identified (possibly even America) . . . but it’s not Israel/America that overcomes the Russian Coalition.
aa Ever seen a football player spike a football in the endzone, do a little dance, victory stroll?
bb When the last coalition member is consumed . . . if you look closely in the end zone . . . it won’t be IDF or USMC doing a victory dance. . . King Jesus spiking the ball after making the winning touchdown.
c He will say with absolute authority that is the covenant keeping God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
aa Who sent His only begotton Son, Jesus Christ, so that all who receive Him as their Lord/Savior will not perish but have everlasting life.
bb Next month, I’ll be preaching a follow set of messages on this sermon: Why the rapture happens before the Tribulation, the placement of this epic battle in conjunction with the 7-year tribulation & the Rapture.
cc Where is America at in the war of Gog of Magog? (Hint: There is a prophetic reason that the USA is not the great, proud, powerful, leading nation that she was 68 years ago.)
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