Israel: The Key to the End

The early disciples thought the end was near.  All throughout history since Yeshua ascended back into heaven, believers have been awaiting His return.  Each generation thought that theirs would be the one during which He would return.

So how can we know that the time is now near?  2 Peter 3:1-5 speaks of the moral decay in the last days.  I don't think I even need to elaborate this point.  Just take a look at the music, books, movies, TV, and art of today. 

However, there is something else that is far more telling.  God promised throughout scripture that Israel will return to her homeland.  For out of the ashes of the terrible Holocaust against the Jewish people, the fledgling nation of Israel was born in 1948.  And since then, every time her neighbors came against her (big, huge, powerful neighbors, might I add), more land was added!  In 1967, Israel was given control of Jerusalem for the first time since its fall in 70 AD!  God had returned the land to them, the land He promised to their forefathers.  A literal nation of Israel is key to all end-time prophecy!

In Matthew 24:32-34, Yeshua says, "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."   Throughout scripture the fig tree is used to represent Israel.  And what is a generation?  A generation is portrayed in scripture as 40, 70, and 100 years.

Israel was brought back to her land unbelieving.  Ezekiel 36:24-26 gives us the order:  "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

This is happening today!  Most of Israel has not yet acknowledged her Messiah.  However, things are changing.  In 1948, when Israel was reestablished as an independent nation, there were fewer than 100 Messianic Jews living in Israel! Today, there are approximately 6,000 Messianic Jews in Israel in 100 congregations. 

The idea of Israel acknowledging her Messiah is very exciting to me!  I will be writing more on this in my next post.