Israel: Christians' past, present and future
The name Jerusalem means "city of peace" or "habitation of peace." Yet ironically, more wars have been fought at the gates of Jerusalem than that of any other city on the face of the earth. For Christians, Jerusalem and Israel are part of our past, present and future. We're connected to Israel. And we're connected to the Jewish people.
Our book that we call the Bible came to us through the Jews. And for the most part, it is the story of God working in the lives of the Jewish people. Our Messiah, Jesus, was Jewish. And so we owe a great debt to the Jewish people.
At the same time, we recognize that God has a plan for Israel in the future. The Jewish people still are God's chosen people. And the Bible teaches that a great revival will come upon Israel and upon the Jewish people in the future.
It's also important for us to understand the place of Israel in Bible prophecy. Israel is a part of our past, because so much of what we read about in the Bible happened in the place we call the Holy Land.
Yet Israel is also a place of our present, because in Israel today we see a modern fulfillment of Bible prophecy. There was no way, from a human standpoint, that a nation that once was, a nation that had been disbanded, could come back again. It has never happened in the history of the world.
We haven't seen the people of Rome returning and reestablishing the Roman Empire. Nor have we seen any other kingdom that once existed reestablish itself. Yet this ancient nation of Israel that was scattered around the world returned and reestablished itself.
On May 14, 1948, Israel was declared a nation. The Bible said this would be a sign of the times, telling us that the Lord's return is near.
Israel is also the land of our future. The Bible teaches that Jerusalem will be a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone in the last days, meaning that it will be a focal point of the end-times scenario.
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So, what are we to do in in light of the fact that Jesus Christ could return at any time? Writing to the church in Thessalonica, the apostle Paul said, "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians 5:1–2 nkjv).
Paul began by mentioning "the times and the seasons." Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees, saying, "You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don't know how to interpret the signs of the times!" (Matthew 16:3 NLT)
Bible prophecy is a fascinating subject. But we must never study prophecy, or the events that the Bible describes as taking place in the end times, in a merely academic way. When we read about them, it always should move us deeply, giving us a sense of compassion, because we are reading about a real judgment that will come upon the world.
As we consider the imminence of the Lord's return, it should cause us to want to reach out to friends, family and loved ones who don't know God. And it also should cause us to want to live more godly lives.
First John 3:3 tells us, "And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure" (NLT). The soon return of Christ should affect the way that we live.
Jesus, speaking about his return, said, "No one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows" (Matthew 24:36 NLT).
It's like watching a storm brew. We can't say when it's going to happen, but we know it's coming. We can interpret the times and the seasons. And as we watch what is happening in the world, it causes us to wonder.
Paul went on to say, "When people are saying, 'Everything is peaceful and secure,' then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman's labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief" (1 Thessalonians 5:3–4 NLT).
He used the illustration of a woman in labor to describe how end-times events will transpire. We will see something here and something there. And as these events occur closer and closer together, like labor pains, they are signs that the end is coming.
Think of it like dominoes. When the first one falls, the others follow in rapid succession. That is how the end-times scenario will unfold.
Our response to the mention of the soon return of Jesus Christ indicates where we really are spiritually. For those who are right with God, the thought of Christ's soon return is exciting. They're ready to go home. They want to be in Heaven. They want to see Jesus.
But for those who are not right with God, I think there's a certain sense of dread in their hearts when they hear that Christ could return at any moment.
Being a member of a church won't keep you out of the Tribulation, but being a member of the body of Christ will. You have to know Jesus Christ in a personal and real way.
The Bible says, "Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him" (Hebrews 9:28 NLT).
Are you waiting for him? Are you watching for him? Are you looking forward to his return?
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