PROPHETIC CONVERGENCE – PART III

EMERGING PROPHECY

“Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” (Matthew 24:34-34)

There are End Times prophecies that are in the apparent process of fulfillment.  We’ll take just a quick survey of these here, as some will be the subject matter of future chapters.  But in order to understand what’s to come, we need understand God’s stated purposes for the Tribulation.  That’s the 7-year- period of time just before Jesus returns to judge the world.  It is the time when the Antichrist will reign and rule a One-World civil and religious government.

A Detour: – The Tribulation

Where we are in God’s time now is right at the cusp of the End of the Age, The Tribulation, Jacob’s Trouble.  We must always keep in mind that when we are dealing with End Times issues we must be aware of God’s plan for Israel.  There is a seven year period beginning when the Antichrist “confirms a covenant” with Israel. (Daniel 9:27)  That seems to refer to a treaty of peace between Israel and her enemies – or possibly, as some have suggested, an allowance for Israel to build their Temple and resume their sacrificial system. It ends with Christ’s return in glory to judge the world.  The Tribulation is a time of judgment and wrath that will put an end to Mankind’s age-long rebellion.  End Times writer Thomas Ice identifies its 3 main purposes.

• To Provide Judgment on Sin & Wickedness – This is the judgment on the sins of the unbelieving.    Isaiah 13:9 reads: “Behold, the day of the LORD comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it.” Just as the Flood, the Tribulation will serve as punishment for the sins of all Mankind.
• Worldwide Evangelistic Outreach – It will be a time of extremes. Yes, there will be extreme persecution of believers unto death.  At the same time many will be saved.  The Book of Revelation tells us that God will provide two Witnesses with supernatural power, 144,000 protected Jewish evangelists and an Angelic preaching of the Gospel.  Matthew 24:14 tells us: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

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  The Salvation of Israel – This will see the completion of a process that began with the regathering of the Jews from all the nations of the world and continued with the reestablishment of the Jewish State in 1948 and the recapture of Jerusalem in 1967. This process will be completed during the 7-year Tribulation, as Israel is put through a purifying and winnowing process.  Zechariah 13:8-9 says: “two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it: I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, …I will say, ‘This is My people.”  And then Paul’s prophecy in Romans 11:26 shall be fulfilled: “And so all of Israel will be saved.”^[i]

All that said; we know that we are not in the Tribulation.  However, events do cast their shadows forward.  Right now, every prophetic area is laying the groundwork for its near-term fulfillment.

Coming Attractions

“So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near – at the door… But of that day and hour no one knows…Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” (Mat 24:33, 36, 42)  With the purposes of the coming Tribulation in mind, let’s look at just how events are shaking out.

• The Rise of a Revived Roman Empire – Daniel  gives a detailed description of the history of the world, from the ancient times, through Alexander the Great and the demise of his realm, to the emergence of Rome, its division into eastern and western halves and its predicted reemergence as the dominant world power.  Prophecy tells us that the Antichrist will arise from a revived Rome.  However, just what that means is debatable.  This new Rome will have ten centers of power.  Some prophecy experts believe these could refer to the original 10 nations of the European Union, which began to come into being when the Club of Rome signed the Treaty of Rome.  At one time there were ten nations that held the real power, called the Western European Union.  Some scholars believe that those ten will maintain complete control of the organizations military forces.  Others point to the Club of Rome attempt to found ten global centers of power of which the EU would be just one.  They also foresee the formation of a North American Union – which was an ongoing but currently failed project during the George W Bush administration.  A union of African states was proposed and Russia and China would serve as their own kingdoms.  The proposal to set up ten regional powers or “kingdoms” originated during the 1970s as a stepping stone toward global government.

Revelation 17:9-10 describes that renewed empire.  “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.”  Some scholars have seen in the “seven mountains” a direct reference to the seven hills of Rome.  What it more clearly describes is the succession of world empires; – Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and finally ancient and a revived Rome, – the only power that was not conquered and absorbed.^[ii]  As the EU expanded following the fall of the Soviet Union, it began to mirror the extent of the Western half of the old Roman Empire.  [But I would not settle here on the notion that the empire of the Antichrist will be limited to a geographical clone of ancient Rome. As noted above, the ten power centers could also refer to international groupings a la NAFTA & the EU.  There are ten of these planned, in a drive to set up an all-encompassing world-wide government.]

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  Jerusalem: The World’s Burden – The prophet Zechariah tells us that concern with the status of Jerusalem will become a burden to the surrounding nations and the whole world in the last days. “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples… And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples…” (Zechariah 13:2-3)  Jerusalem is fast becoming that burden.  The drive to divide Jerusalem – or remove it from the control of Israel – was a given constant of world diplomacy up until the Trump administration took power.  The surrounding Arab states and the UN continue to work to establish a Palestinian State.

• The Coming 7-Year Treaty – Look for an agreement to be negotiated with Israel that will ‘guarantee’ her security. That’s the treaty that will signal the start of the Tribulation.  Hamas has dangled the possibility of a 10-year cease-fire.  Daniel says that treaty will last 7 years and will be confirmed by the Antichrist himself.  Yet any currently forming peace deal, – as perhaps something coming out of the Road Map or Saudi Plans, – may not be the actual covenant referred to by the Prophet Daniel.  We’ll explore all of that later.  But nonetheless, a treaty will be signed and confirmed by the Antichrist.

• Preparations For Messiah: Temple & Sanhedrin – Groups of Orthodox Jews like the Temple Mount Faithful have prepared to rebuild the Temple on short notice. They need only access to the site now occupied by the al-Aqsa Mosque.  Many of the other preparations with regard to renewing the sacrificial system are already in place.  Red heifers needed for the sacrifice have been produced which would fulfill the requirements found in Numbers 19.  Jews from the priestly tribe of Levi have been identified and computerized and readied to take their ceremonial place.  Temple instruments have been gathered.  A species of snail needed to produce a required ceremonial blue die returned to Israel for the first time since the Roman occupation.  A flask of anointing oil, necessary for blessing the new Temple, was located after nearly 2,000 years, – discovered in a cave near the Dead Sea.

The Sanhedrin, an Israeli religious court set up to oversee the rebuilding of the Temple was re-constituted in October of 2004, for the first time in over 1,500 years.  (This was the court that condemned Jesus.)  The new Sanhedrin is considering whether the real site of the ancient Temple was a few hundred yards from where the Dome of the Rock is now.  This would mean the rebuilding could start anytime.  Watch for the agreement for a Palestinian State to include provisions for the rebuilding of the Temple.  It will very likely be the Sanhedrin that is called upon to certify the one who comes posing as the Messiah, – the Antichrist.

• The Forming [Russian or Turkish] – Persian – Islamic Alliance – The Scriptures describe an alliance between Russia, (or Turkey) and several of the Islamic former Soviet republics, Persia and some of the Arab states that will come against Israel in the Last Days. It specifically mentions “Magog…Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal…Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya…Gomer and…the house of Togarmah”. (Ezekiel 38:2-6)  These are but ancient names for the likes of Russia or Turkey, Iran, Turkey and many of the former Islamic Soviet Republics.  Russia and Iran (Persia) have buddied up quite a bit with Moscow helping with military and nuclear technology.
• Mark of the Beast Technology – Revelation 13 tells of a time when no one will be able to buy or sell without “a mark on his right hand or on his forehead”.  Until recently, Bible scholars could never quite get a handle on what that meant.  Now the technology, – and the nascent plans for such a scheme are in place.  Implantable microchips, or similar technology has made this possible.  It is already being used in limited form to purchase goods.  Volunteers have already had scan-able chips placed under the skin of their right hands.  The technology would act as GPS-connected, human bar codes, – able to   track location as well as store and manipulate medical and financial information.  Now, that technology is present and was being pushed in the form of vaccine passports.
• Enter The Kings of the East – Revelation 16 tells us that in the last days an army of 200 million will march on Israel led by the “Kings of the East”.  Both China and Korea have been steadily building their military capabilities.  Beijing has massed thousands of missiles across the strait from US ally Taiwan.  It is in the process of rebuilding and modernizing their navy.
• The Coming One World Religion – Revelation 17 describes a false religious system that will arise during the Tribulation led by a false prophet that will encourage the world to worship the Antichrist. Described as a woman, she is rich, clothed in purple and scarlet, (the colors of the Vatican), and seated on 7 hills.  Rome is the City of Seven Hills.  Many believe the reference to be to a post-rapture Catholic Church.  The Catholic Church under the last and current Pope’s, is leading the charge to unite not just all Christianity but eventually all religions under its banner.  There is a surprising door of unity opening between Catholics and Muslims based on the worship of Mary.  With the blessings of Pope Francis and  the Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb of al-Azhar is set to open the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi in the UAE in 2022.  This complex will consist of a synagogue, a church and a mosque.^[iii]  Islam presents a candidate for the Antichrist in its soon-returning Mahdi.  According to Islamic scriptures, the Mahdi’s career will closely mirror that of the Christian Man-of-Sin.

• Earthquakes / Birth Pangs – Earthquakes have increased steadily and dramatically every decade since the Jews began to return to the land in the 1890’s, when there was one major earthquake in the world.   After the birth of Israel in 1948 the increase became more marked.  In the 60’s there were 13. The 1970’s saw 56 major quakes.  By the 1990’s it was well over 100.  Major seismic events are now a common occurrence, with many concentrating on the Pacific Rim.

• Famines & Pestilence – In Luke 21, Jesus warns of “famines and pestilences” in that day. We have seen the outbreak of diseases of all sorts

Conclusion

These prophecies and more are all occurring in our generation.  The odds against just 10 of them happening in our day has been calculated at 97.5-trillion to one.  And their very fulfillment is crying out Christ’s message to the world.  ‘I am real!  I Am!  My Word is Truth!  I am coming!’

[i] The scholarship for this entire section is taken from Thomas Ice, God’s Purpose For The Tribulation.  His argument ultimately originated with Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Footsteps of the Messiah: 1982, pp. 122- 23

[ii] Jack Kelly, Seven Major Prophetic Signs of the Second Coming, December 30, 2006

[iii] Robin Gomez, Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi to open in 2022, Vatican News, June 2021