We continue our study of the “End Times” according to God. Although God wants us to note a bit our future, because anyone of us can die at any time, now is the time to know where you will go after you die; there are only 2 opposing places to go! If you don’t know where your soul will be when you die, believe and trust in The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ right now!
We also noted last week that the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can appear in the clouds at any moment now for Believers! We noted that some will not physically die but be raptured (be caught up) to the clouds where Jesus would be waiting for them! This rapture can happen at any time now! If you are a Believer of Jesus Christ and you happen to be beside a nonbeliever when the rapture happens, you will be taken to heaven and the nonbeliever will be left behind!
Today, we will discuss the Nation of Israel! Why? – because Israel is the Nation of God’s Chosen People and the future (The End Times) will go through Israel!
Before we look into God’s Word about Israel (its past and its future) let us note the Israel of the present (September 2020AD):
1. Israel of today is actually a “young” country (only 72 years old) established in 1948! Think about that for a second, the Nation of Israel did not get reestablished in the MidEast till 1948. God has a perfect schedule for when the End of this world will happen. The end of the world could not have happened prior to 1948; but with the Israel of today, the Return of Jesus Christ can happen at any time now!
2. Israel is now living again in the land God had intended them to be! Powerful nations and countries like Egypt, Africa, Arabic Countries, Eastern Countries (India, China, Korea), European Countries, and Northern People of Russia can “march” to Israel!
3. The land area of Israel is about 8500 square miles (Wisconsin is 65500 square miles – almost 8 times bigger than Israel!) Israel is #153 in the world as far as land size; The Philippines is #64 in land size. Israel is a small country but God is protecting it for a reason!
4. There are about 8.7 million people living in Israel. However, there are over 15 million Jews living in other countries who consider their home is Israel; but 24 million people is still small compared to giant countries like China and India boasting 1 Billion each. America has about 328 million and when the Soviet Union was all together, they were about 250 million. Israel is only #96 in population of countries in the world! There are more people in the Philippines than Israel; Philippines is #12 in the world for population of countries! Israel is a small country but God is protecting it for a reason!
Here’s something very interesting… GDP is an indication of wealth…
5. Israel’s GDP per capita is very close to other powerful economies of the world, like Japan and the United Kingdom! Also, 10% of Billionaires in the world live in Israel and 105,000 multi-millionaires are also in Israel! Israel may be small but, Israel is a rich country!
Here’s another significant fact….
6. Israel is ranked #18 out of 138 countries in the world which have Global Firepower Military Defense! Israel may be small but it can fight any country in the world! God has plans for Israel!
A couple more interesting facts…
7. Israel has much resources to be tapped for use in the fields of medicine, energy, technology, and food! Many greedy people would love to own the land of Israel!
8. Israel today is mainly secular, with non-practicing Jews can be as high as 80%!
What does this all mean for Israel today and its future? Because Israel is a relatively small country both in land and population along with their religious background, but with much richness, both monetarily and untapped resources, Israel is always prone to war and invasions!
Why does Israel still exist? Israel was brought to a nation again in 1948 and continues to exist because God has a plan for Israel! Before we look at Scriptures, let me share with you some interesting events which had happened lately.
In June of 2019, Hezbollah, a political and military group fired missiles to Israel from Lebanon, the missiles missed and no Israelite was injured.
Hamas, another militant group, also have tried to attack Israel with missiles but all failed!
A desperate Jew stole a backpack by a Tel Aviv beach; when he opened it, he found a bomb and reported it to authorities which gathered many other backpacks in the beach with bombs; many Israeli lives were saved that day.
Coincidences? There are no such things as coincidences with God!
God is protecting Israel right now for a reason, the future of the world!
Now let us look at God’s Word regarding Israel.
How did Israel become a nation chosen by God? – open your Bibles to Genesis 12:1-7….
God chose a people through Abram (later called Abraham) to have a special relationship using a special land in the MidEast!
If we continue with the story in Genesis, a couple of things to highlight from Genesis 32 – the Book of Exodus….. A descendant of Abraham, Jacob was renamed Israel! Israel and his sons sinned against God with the exception of Joseph who the sons placed in a well to die but God saved him and ended up in Egypt. All of Israel, as a nation now, then went to Egypt because of a famine. Egypt and Israel became godless after Joseph and all his brothers died, and the Egyptians enslaved the Israelites for over 400 years! Think about that for a moment, an entire nation (known as God’s Chosen People) were slaves for over 400 years!
Turn with me to Exodus 2:23-25….. The Israelites finally called on God to rescue them!
In the Books of Exodus – Joshua… God brought the Israelites back to the Promised Land!
What happened after Joshua died?
After Joshua died, we read the rest of the Old Testament about the continued sinfulness of Israel, so their land was always invaded and God’s Chosen people scattered all over the world!
Turn with me to the Book of Daniel 9… we will end the message today from this Chapter; but look at v26….
Here’s what we know from history… In the year 70AD (70 years after Jesus Christ was born there in Israel), the Romans came and destroyed Jerusalem and ever since then God’s Chosen People were again scattered all over the world till 1948; God brought His Chosen people back to the Promised Land for the future of the world!
Go back to Daniel 9 with me… Read along with me v15-24… Because of their sins, God set a time frame to complete a judgment on Israel, 70 7’s (or weeks in some translations). Note the end of v24…..
It will be the final judgment on Israel and the world.
Let us note for now that the 7 or week is equal to 7 years. We will look into this schedule in detail next week but let us note now that there are still 7 years left of judgment on Israel before the end of the world! Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, interrupted the judgment for a moment and Israel and the entire world is currently living in the Age of Grace (The church Age)! The future of the world will go through Israel!
What can we apply to our lives today?
Read along with me Daniel 9:4-10….
1. God is great and awesome and will keep all His promises!
2. All people sin against God in need of God’s mercy and grace!
Look again at Daniel 9:9….
3. The Lord God is merciful and forgiving even when people rebel!
The future of the world will go through Israel as God promised! Do we personally believe this God and His promises?
But remember, because God gave us in our lifetime the Anointed One Jesus Christ, we are currently living in the Church Age or Age of Grace but this Church Age will soon end! The future of the world will go through Israel as God promised! But please hear this, The future of the present Church Age which will soon end will go through Christians! The current Church Age established by Jesus Christ will go through YOU and ME! How are you and I doing with the call from God to live out Christianity? Here are some thoughts to ponder…
A. Am I truly believing, trusting, and following who Jesus Christ is, The Anointed One of God, The Only Savior, The Only Lord?
B. Am I truly living out the Promises from Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and The Bible?
Please take a moment to quietly pray right where you are… remember, this Church Age will end soon and it is going through you as a Christian! Take a moment to quietly pray….
Benediction – Hebrews 13:15…
