It is official!
The word is officially out according to the Kehila News Israel publication that the US Embassy will be operating in Jerusalem by the end of next year according to Vice President Mike Pence speaking to the Israeli Parliament earlier this week. The report said; “In the first official visit to Israel by an American senior official since U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on December 6th Vice President Mike Pence, a strong evangelical Christian, announced at the Knesset that the move of the nation’s embassy will happen within the year. He said; “Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. And, as such, President Trump has directed the State Department to immediately begin preparations to move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,” he told Israeli parliamentarians. “In the weeks ahead, our administration will advance its plan to open the United States Embassy in Jerusalem, and that United States Embassy will open before the end of next year.”
The Burden of the Word of the LORD
We know that the Arab nations by enlarge will not be happy about this as they have already expressed especially the Palestinian Authority and when the Embassy does move it may spark an attack on Israel that may well lead to a confrontation with the United States of America. We know from the Bible that there will be one more war between the King of the North and the King of the South in the future and that it will be a war between Islam and the west. We also know from the Bible concerning Jerusalem in the last days that God Himself has said through the prophet Zechariah; “The burden of the word of the Lord concerning Israel. Thus declares the Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured (ripped or torn). And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.” (Zechariah 12:1-3) The day is rapidly approaching when the armies of Islam will invade Israel and attack Jerusalem.
The Messiah’s War with Islam
When you were in Sunday school did you ever hear any teacher speak about how the Lord Jesus, when He comes back, is going to fight the armies of Islam and that it will be the battle for Jerusalem? When did you last hear a sermon on the end-times speaking about this and other related matters concerning Jerusalem? According to the Word of God this is precisely what The Messiah will do when He comes back. There are two key passages of scripture that describe this end-time battle with Islam. They are found in the prophet Isaiah and in the Book of Revelation. (Isaiah 63:1-6) (Revelation 19:11-21) As this is a post the texts are not included but just some comments on the Bible verses. If you have your Bible close handy you may like to open them to these two relevant passages of scripture mentioned. Of course in the broader context these passages of scripture not only relate to Israel but also speak about the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus the Messiah to judge all the nations. (Matthew 25:31-46)
Edom and Bozrah
In the Old Testament you have Edom mentioned by name. Edom today would be Southern Jordan but also including Saudi Arabia. In Ezekiel chapter 25 ‘Teman’ and ‘Dedan’ are mentioned as being located in Edom. Today Teman and Dedan would be located in Saudi Arabia, the heart of the Muslim World. In these verses in Ezekiel Chapter 25 we are told that God will judge Edom for the way it has treated His people. (Ezekiel 25:12-14) Ultimately Israel will also be involved in defeating Edom (Saudi Arabia).(Zechariah 14:14) The City of Bozrah, located in Southern Jordan, is the town and the area leading to Saudi Arabia and it is at Bozrah where the Messiah will be fighting Islam. This geographical region surrounding the city of Bozrah is one of Israel’s most vulnerable areas where they could be attacked by a large Islamic Army. With these things in view let’s briefly look at the two passages of scripture listed.
Isaiah 63:1-6 and Revelation 19:11-21
If you would like to turn your Bibles to these passages of scripture we will look at what it says concerning this matter…
(Isaiah Vss.1-6) The Messiah is back on earth and seen coming from Edom (Saudi Arabia) from Bozrah (Southern Jordan) and his garments are stained crimson with the blood of his enemies. (Vss. 2, 4) He speaks of His righteousness and might to save and deliver. In the context this is speaking about Israel and by extension His Body the faithful Church. When the Lord Jesus comes back He will save Israel from Islam. He clearly states, that the blood of His enemies are spattered on His garments and that his enemies have been trodden down in the winepress of God’s wrath and judgement. (Vs.3) Once again we see the wine press of God’s wrath mentioned in the Book of Revelation and this time we see the Messiah with His Robes dipped in blood and accompanied by the armies of heaven. He is inaugurating His Millennial kingdom as He will rule the nations with a rod of iron. (Revelation 19:13-16) Clearly this is Israel’s Messiah, our Lord Jesus, coming again in great power and splendour to destroy God’s enemies, not only Islam but the ‘nations.’ (Isaiah 63:6). In the prophet Joel chapter 3, which describes the same battle, we also see God’s winepress mentioned in regards to the nations that have sought to divide up the land of Israel and have abused and denigrated the Jewish people. (Joel 3:1-3, 12-13) At this time when the Lord Jesus comes back it will not be in the character of Joseph, the suffering servant as Jesus was in His first coming, but in His Second Coming it will be in the character of King David as the all-conquering KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. It is the same battle Isaiah Chapter 63:1-6 describes. It is a war with Islam which they cannot and will not win and extends to the judgement of the nations.
The ‘feast’ and the ‘fire’
In Revelation chapter 19 we see what happens to the armies of the Islamic beast empire of the Antichrist and the false prophet. Their armies are destroyed on the mountains of Israel and the birds of the air feed themselves on the flesh of all of those who have fallen. (Revelation 19:17-21) Ezekiel the prophet also describes the same feast of the birds on the carcases of these enemies of God and His people. (Ezekiel 39:17-20) At the end of this great end-time battle we are told that the Antichrist and the false prophet are captured and cast alive into the lake of fire. (Revelation 19:20)
Two ‘end-time’ harvests
Finally if you look at Revelation Chapter 14:14-20 we see two end-time harvests described. It is not speaking about a physical harvest of crops of course but a harvesting of people. The same harvest the Lord Jesus spoke about that will occur at the end of this age when the heavenly harvesters (the angels) will separate those who belong to Jesus from those who do not. (Matthew 13:39-40, 49; 25:32)
The Harvest of Mercy (revelation 14:14-16)
In Revelation chapter 14:14-16 we see a harvest of mercy where the Lord Jesus gathers to Himself His faithful followers , delivering them out of this present evil age. It is the rapture and resurrection of the faithful Body of the Messiah (faithful believers) it is a worldwide harvest of souls. (Matthew 24:30-31)
The Harvest of Judgement (Revelation 14:17-20)
The Second harvest we are told is a harvest of judgement and wrath. In verses 18-20 we see the ungodly gathered up and thrown into the winepress of God’s wrath. We are also told that the blood of Jesus’ enemies will flow outside of the city, being Jerusalem, and that it will flow for 1,600 stadia (180 miles) and as high as the horses bridles. This blood will flow like a river down through the valley of Jehoshaphat into Saudi Arabia. The armies of the nations that have been attacking Jerusalem will have been gathered into that valley to be judged by the Lord Jesus at His Second Coming. (Joel 3:1-2) The context is when the Lord restores the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem (Joel 3:1) So when you put all of these passages of scripture together you see they all describe the same end-time battle, namely the war between the Messiah and Satan.
We will all be ‘harvested’
In closing all of us will be harvested by the Lord Jesus when He comes back. No one will be left in a neutral zone. The prophet Joel cries out “Multitudes, Multitudes in the valley of decision! For the Day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.” (Joel 3:14) The prophet goes on to describe the darkening of the constellations and the Second Coming of Jesus the Messiah as He roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem and the earth and the sky tremble. In that day the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. (Joel 3:15-16) Notice in these passages that Israel and Jerusalem are specifically mentioned. Don’t let anyone tell you that God has finished with Israel and has forgotten Jerusalem. When the Lord Jesus comes back He will judge those in the nations who have refused His offer of salvation but He will also rescue His faithful followers who have received his offer of salvation and save Israel and shield Jerusalem and throw back its enemies which will predominantly be Islamic armies as we have seen in Isaiah chapter 63:1-6. There is a global war, a whirlwind of trouble coming with Islam and the west that will sweep the nations of the world into its vortex. Into this end-time conflict the Rider on the White Horse will come accompanied by the armies of heaven including the saints all riding white horses. From His mouth proceeds a sharp sword of command with which to strike down the nations, to rule them with an iron sceptre and to tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God, the Almighty. (Revelation 19:14-15)
Staying close to Jesus
In these last days we need to stay close to the Lord Jesus the Messiah and walk with the Holy Spirit and walk by faith in all of the Word of God and in the power of His blood to justify, cleanse, and protect us from the coming wrath. There will only be two harvests at the end of this age. Those who are walking with God, by faith in the blood of the Messiah and in the power of the Holy Spirit and supporting Israel, will be harvested for the granaries of God’s eternal kingdom. Those who are not walking with God by faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit, who do not avail themselves of the blood of Jesus to atone for their sin and do not support Israel, will be harvested for the wine press of the wrath of God. In these days at the end of this age when God sends out his harvesters, the angels, there will be no ‘fence sitters.’ At the end will we be found among the wise or the foolish virgins? If we stay close to the Lord Jesus and stay filled with the ‘oil’ of the Spirit we will have the light of his Word in our spirit to see in the gross ‘darkness’ that will cover the earth. If we do not stay close to the Lord Jesus and are not constantly filled with the ‘oil’ of the Spirit then we will not have the light of His Word to see in that ‘darkness’ when it does come. (Matthew chapter 25: 1-13, 31-46)
He is coming back!
The Islamic armies of the Antichrist and the false prophet are coming, the Time of Great Trouble for the whole world is coming, persecution and the martyrdom of many more faithful believers is coming and spiritual deception like nothing ever seen in previous Church history is now infesting Christendom, but the Lord Jesus is also coming back and when He comes it will all be over and then “the saints will inherit and possess the Kingdom for ever and ever.” (Daniel 7:18, 27) May the Lord Jesus give us the spiritual sight and capacity to take to heart His words given to us through the apostle John; “Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.” “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each person according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:11-13) May we always continue to pray; “LORD, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.” (Habakkuk 3:2)
