“As to a Light Shining in a Dark Place” (2 Peter 1:19)
Last week in the online edition of All Israel News a headline read; “New ‘alarming’ study shows a dramatic drop in young Evangelicals supporting Israel.” In the article it stated; “A new study shows that young Evangelicals’ support of Israel is waning, if not outright plummeting with a two-thirds drop in those who say they support Israel – from 69% in 2018 to just 33.6% now. The study, presented recently at Tel Aviv University, “discovered that young Evangelicals (18-29) are less supportive of Israel and more likely to express support for the Palestinians than their older age cohorts, despite the fact that they more frequently attend church and read the Bible (factors typically associated with higher degree of support for Israel and Jews)… Interestingly enough, some 40% of young Evangelicals surveyed said they said seldom hear other Evangelicals talking about the importance of supporting Israel and 25.8% said they never hear such messages…
Motti Inbari and Kirill Bumin of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke surveyed 700 Evangelicals aged 18 to 29 between March 22 and April 2 and published their findings in “The Change of the Guard: Young Evangelicals and Israeli-Palestinian Dispute.” In recent years, Evangelical support of Israel has been widely recognized by Israeli leaders. Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu even told a conference of Christian leaders that “Israel has no better friends” than Evangelicals. But this study reveals that this support may not be as dependable in the future.”
Today in the western democracies by and large within the primarily Charismatic style mega-churches, to which young people flocking in droves, there is a lack of preaching in relation to Biblical Eschatology and more so in relation to Israel’s role in Bible prophecy in the end-times. One just has to watch the teaching videos and worship services online from numerous Charismatic style and even some Pentecostal Churches to see this alarming trend. Many websites today have very broad statements of faith, which on the surface are Biblically orthodox, but one is hard-pressed to find any teaching on end-time prophetic events and the place of Israel in God’s prophetic time calendar. Kingdom Dominion, hyper faith prosperity, seeker friendly and seeker sensitive, “let’s not offend” preaching seems to be all the rage these days in many Charismatic style mega-church circles.
Around 40-50 years ago there was far more interest in Biblical prophecy and especially in relation to Israel than there is today and the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus the Messiah is much closer than it was then. The early Pentecostals were very strong of Eschatology but these days it is the exception and not the rule. Added to this, world events related to the Middle-East are increasing at an ever increasing and rapid pace as the end of this present age draws closer.
Biblical prophecy and a Biblical understanding of Israel’s place in it is sadly and tragically absent today in many of these mega-churches that have worship services akin to secular pagan stage performances with trendily dressed pastors walking up and down the platform titillating the senses and scratching itching ears with what the young generation flocking to these churches are craving to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
For the most part Israel and Bible prophecy and the coming tribulation and how to prepare for it is not even on the agenda or even ‘on the radar’ for that matter of these ‘prophets’ and ‘teachers.’ This survey of these young evangelical believers mentioned in All Israel News clearly shows this growing trend among the churched young people who remain ignorant about Israel in Bible prophecy and the end-times. By and large one is hard-pressed to find, these Charismatic style mega-church pastors with their trendy outfits and stage presentations teaching anything on Biblical prophecy.
One of the movements making strong inroads into wider Christendom is the Kingdom Dominion doctrine. According to the kingdom dominion ‘seven-mountain theology’ the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus is not dependant on Israel’s restoration but depends on their kingdom dominion movement Christianising the nations and presenting them to the Lord Jesus when He returns. This teaching is not new and has surfaced in past Church history but has reappeared re-packaged and re-labelled. Of course their brand of kingdom dominion ‘theology’ can be quickly debunked by scripture. Many Charismatic style mega-churches are full of young enthusiastic believers who want to be a part of this end-time movement that is going to possess the nations for God and make life better for them and if the truth be known to have things good in this world in the future.
However, the opposite is going to happen! The apostasy is coming and the man of sin is to be revealed and the faithful Body of the Messiah and Israel as a nation is to be launched into a time of tribulation unequalled in past history and never to be equalled again. For the sake of His elect believers in Israel, and by extension and engrafting into Israel, His faithful Body (Assembly/Church), and for the very survival of the world God will cut those days short and send the Lord Jesus back to earth to save the planet from actually annihilating itself. (Daniel 12:1) (Matthew 24:21-22)
As for the spiritual and complete national restoration of Israel the Second Coming of the Messiah our Lord Jesus is not dependent on a triumphant Church taking possession of the nations for God and establishing His kingdom on earth, but dependent upon His prophetic promises to Israel and His prophetic purposes for Israel being fulfilled. Biblical prophecy itself is most probably the most effective tool in evangelism especially in these uncertain days we live in. Everyone likes to know what is going to happen in the future even if they do not agree with it.
Our Lord Jesus the Messiah said that the one main sign that would mark the end of the age and bring this age to a close would be the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom throughout the entire world, as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14) Notice it is “the gospel of the kingdom.” Our Lord Jesus taught us to pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is being done in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) The coming kingdom of God to earth and those things preceding it was central to the teaching of the Lord Jesus and to those of His disciples who wrote the New Testament. It was also a motive for living lives separated to the Lord.
In fact the emphasis in scripture is not on having it good in this world and being materially prosperous and successful according to the world’s definition of it, but more so focused on enduring and persevering in the power of the Holy Spirit to stand against the lures of the world, the fallen desires of the flesh and the subtleties of Satan. In relation to Eschatology the New Testament writers emphasise the new heaven and earth to come and the final and eternal state, namely that our home is not in this world or our life consisting in possessing the things of this world. (2 Peter 3:13) (Luke 12:15)
Our hope is not to be in what this world has to offer or the things this world offers. (1Timothy 6:17) God does bless His people materially and financially but His definition of prosperity is not the definition of the world or of fleshly minded trendily dressed so called ‘prophets’ and ‘teachers’ who prophecy and rake in the hard earned dollars of their flock. (Titus 1:10-16) Fleecing the flock financially is in epidemic proportions today! If these trendily dressed ‘super apostles and ‘prophets’ really understood the spiritual connection between Israel and the faithful Church then they would not be seeking to sweep young people into their net of blessing and prosperity and having it good in this world and depriving them of much needed Biblical understanding of the last days. If they had really stood in God’s presence they would know and teach the truth! (Jeremiah 23:21-22)
Israel is God’s prophetic time-clock for the nations and what happens to Israel in the last days will happen to the faithful Church. Israel and the faithful Church is like two sides of the same coin, they are distinguishable from each other yet spiritually connected and together a people who are part of God’s prophetic plan for the world. They are one flock under one shepherd. (John 10:16)
As believers we are down here for the following reasons. Firstly, we are here to reflectors of God’s light to a lost and spiritually dark world and seek to walk in His will for our lives. Secondly, we are to be engaged in preaching the gospel of the kingdom when the opportunities present themselves. We are not all evangelists of course but we can all witness one on one and the blessed Holy Spirit is present to empower us to do this. Thirdly, we are to be involved in regular discipleship through being committed to a regular Bible study group. Fourthly, we are to be seeking to edify and strengthen the members of our local assembly where we come into the worship services using the gifts of the Spirit God has given us according to His will. Fifthly, we are to be looking forward to, and anticipating, the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus to earth.
As for this present age and where it is ultimately headed it is well and truly stuffed! (to coin a phrase) The age to come is the one we should be anticipating as the Body of the Messiah. Kingdom dominion is coming but not before the time of Great tribulation, the great apostasy, the infestation of counterfeit miracles signs and wonders and the revealing of the man of sin. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 9) Only immediately after the tribulation of those days have transpired will the rapture and resurrection of all faithful believers occur at the Second Coming to earth of the Messiah our Lord Jesus! (Matthew 24:29-31) Tragically, multitudes of young believers within western Christendom are grossly ignorant concerning God’s place for Israel in the end-times and their trendy ‘apostles’ and ‘prophets’ are keeping them in the dark because these ‘leaders’ themselves do not understand Bible prophecy and its place of teaching within the Body of the Messiah.
Biblical prophecy is a strong feature of both Testaments and so is Israel’s spiritual and national restoration especially in the Old Testament. We are also told in the New Testament that “Prophecy of scripture is “as to a light shining in a dark place.” (2 Peter 1:19) Without its light and having a basic understanding of it from God’s Word the Bible people, both within and without wider Christendom, will continue on in spiritual darkness and ignorance concerning Biblical eschatology and when things in this world really “hit the fan” immediately prior to the return of the Lord Jesus, darkness and confusion will prevail! (Luke 21:25-31)
If we do have a basic understanding of Biblical prophecy and Israel’s place in it then we will not walk in darkness but have God’s light to see in the encroaching spiritual darkness that is getting darker by the hour. Not only will we have the light of the Messiah resting on us but we will be able to see in that darkness and lead many others in that darkness into the light and the liberty that is the spiritual inheritance of the sons of God in the Messiah. (Isaiah 60:1-2)
As believers in our Lord Jesus the Messiah let us remember what the Lord said through the prophet Daniel; “Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3) So then as we see the Day of the Lord approaching let’s not neglect Biblical prophecy but take on board what the apostle Peter writes; “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a light shining in a dark place…” (2 Peter 2:19a)
Shalom. Brother Raoul www.blowthetrumpet.com.au
