PROPHESIED WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

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The Israel Air Force and the United States Air Force held the largest joint aerial exercise in years, simulating strikes against Iran’s nuclear program and mid-flight refueling.

The two-day drill took place over the Mediterranean Sea and Israel. Fighter jets from both countries simulated long-range flights and striking distant targets, increasing readiness for combat scenarios with Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces and the American military’s Central Command have conducted several joint drills over recent years.

Two Israeli and one American F-16 fighter jets fly alongside one another during a joint exercise in southern Israel in January 2022.

(Israel Defense Forces) In July of 2022, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed a Joint Declaration on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership – also known as the Jerusalem Declaration.

The declaration stresses the U.S. commitment “never to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, and that it is prepared to use all elements of its national power to ensure that outcome.”

The joint drill was the subject of meetings in Washington last week between IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi and U.S. officials, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, and CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Kurilla.

While there, Kochavi was awarded the Legion of Merit by the U.S. Armed Forces in recognition of his achievements in “establishing Israel’s position as a leader of groundbreaking operational capabilities in the Middle East,” and strengthening the Israeli-American strategic alliance, a statement from the military said.

Kochavi was also recognized for stewarding the U.S.-Israeli military-to-military relationship through a transition period, as U.S. European Command handed over its geographic combatant command responsibility for Israel to U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations and regional cooperation in the Middle East.

Some NIS 3.5 billion ($1 billion) has been earmarked from the IDF’s NIS 58 billion ($17 billion) defense budget for the next year military activity relating to combating Iran.

Outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz earlier this month warned Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu to think “very carefully” before striking Iran.

“Israel has the ability to act in Iran. We have the readiness, development capabilities, and long-term plans we are managing. We need to prepare for this possibility, and we will also need to consider this issue very carefully before carrying it out,” he said.

God has warned us of exactly what will unfold in the end times that precede Jesus’ return to restore righteousness to His world so we should not be taken by surprise God is in control.

“And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Mark 13:7-8

IMPORTANCE OF THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE

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Jesus used the symbol of the FIG TREE for Israel three times in His ministry.

First: He told the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree in Luke 13: 6-9. It’s about a tree that had no fruit in the first three years He visited it. This would equate to the first three years of Jesus’ ministry. So again, the fig tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel, based in Jerusalem, which Jesus visited yearly.

Second: In Mark 11: 12-20, Jesus cursed a fig tree for not bearing fruit, and it withered and miraculously died overnight. In the morning, the disciples saw this withered tree. In this parable it was obvious Jesus was referring to Israel. It was the very same day Jesus would tell them the Fig Tree Parable. So, when Jesus said, “Learn the parable from the fig tree,” this miraculous withered tree was prominent in their minds. These aren’t two unrelated accounts – it was the same day.

Third: When Jesus told the Parable of the Fig Tree it was as part of His answer to the disciple’s question:

“Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3

The disciples knew that Jesus is referring to Israel when he commands them to learn from this parable.

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near — at the door! I assure you: This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. Matthew 24:32-35

And just hours before telling the parable, Jesus had also confronted the Jewish leaders in the temple saying,
“See, your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One!’ Matthew 23:38

That was the moment Jesus withered the nation of Israel! This confrontation was also fresh in the disciples’ minds; and in fact, that heated denunciation of Israel by Jesus was the very reason that the disciples had begun to ask Him about the Last Days and the signs of His coming. Therefore, the Fig Tree Parable is about this withered fig tree that they had seen earlier that morning. It cannot be about anything else.

The creation of the state of Israel marks the beginning of the Final Generation and therefore the identity that we’re in the Last
days, and this makes sense as there are a multitude of end-time passages that require Israel to exist in the Last Days. Numerous
passages in the prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, as well as in the Gospels all refer to the Last Days Israel.
That’s why, in our opinion, Israel becoming a nation in 1948 is the fig tree sprouting leaves, the fig tree coming back to life.

Israel being miraculously re-established as a nation in 1948 was the first major “end times” sign.

Jesus said when the fig tree sprouted leaves, we could know “summer” was near. What did He mean by that? Is that a symbol as well? In the Hebraic calendar, there is a three-week period (17th of Tammuz till the 9th of Av) during summer which is observed as a period of mourning. It was during this period that both Holy Temples were destroyed (in 586 BC and AD 70). It is the bleakest period of the Jewish year. This reference would not have been lost on the disciples who would have recognized it as a symbol for a time of extreme difficulties, and tribulation – the Last Days.

GOD PROMISED THAT ISRAEL WILL BE A BLESSING TO THE NATIONS

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“Israel continues to be a world leader in drone technology…Israel serves as a model of a country that develops regulations and technologies to enable the management and control of the operation of multiple drones for various needs, and is rapidly approaching a continuous operating model that will enable low-altitude flights throughout the country,” said IIA CEO Dror Bin.

Nehemiah Shalem, acting director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel, said that the organization was committed to fully supporting all of the entities involved in the project.

“Additionally, the CAAI will promote the critical legislative actions required for developing a thriving aviation industry that serves as a world leader while never compromising on flight safety,” said Shalem

In the not-too-distant future, Jesus will be ruling and reigning all the nations from Jerusalem. The psalmist summarized and emphasized the eternality of God’s covenant promise to Israel regarding the land to which they returned in 1948 but at present, they only partially occupy a small portion of what God promised them.

“He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you, I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.” Psalm 105:7-11

The Hebrews had to obey God’s voice and meet their obligations in order to obtain the blessings of the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19:5). This is not the case with the Promised Abrahamic Land Covenant.

The Bible reveals God will regather the Jews from all the Nations and on Jesus’ return, with Him ruling and reigning, Israel will realize her destiny as head of the Nations.

The promises that God made to Israel at the beginning through Moses will then be fulfilled:

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands that I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock – the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. 

The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you. 

The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity – in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground – in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.” Deuteronomy 28:1-14

The regathering began in 1948 when Israel was miraculously re-established as a nation. This was the first major prophesied “end-times” sign. Many of the other “end times” signs are also occurring in our time. Jesus said that when you see them we will know His return is near.

“So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.” Luke 21:31

And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21: 27

Only at the end of Jesus’ Millennial reign, will come “the end”, only then, the second resurrection followed by the White Throne judgement and then a new heaven and new earth where only the righteous dwell.

“Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” 1 Corinthias 15:24-25

HOW FOOLISH ARE THE NATIONS THAT COME AGAINST ISRAEL

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“Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3

We know that this prophecy has been fulfilled in large part because of Jesus, He was a Jew, hence all the families of the earth have the opportunity to be blessed and have eternal life in Him because of His incarnation and resurrection. However, the following three Scriptures prophecy future events that indicate Jesus has unfinished business with Israel that will be fulfilled at Jesus’ second coming.

“The oracle of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: Thus declares the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him: “Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples.” Zechariah 12:1-2

“And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.” Zechariah 12:3

“On that day the Lord will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the Lord, going before them. And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” Zechariah 12:8-9

Streaks of light are seen as Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel May 10, 2021.

However, we also know that until Jesus returns to earth to rescue Israel it will come under repeated attacks from Satan-controlled nations.

In the first half of 2022, Arab terrorists have committed over 3,700 terrorist attacks against Israelis, Sauveteurs sans Frontières (SSF) Judea and Samaria reported Sunday, July 31st, 2022. As a result of these attacks and violence by Arabs against Israelis, 21 Israelis were murdered, leaving behind 43 orphans, and 316 were injured.

Moreover, under the rule of the Antichrist, Jesus tells us that Jews will experience great tribulation and many will perish during those last three and half years before He returns with the resurrected Saints to destroy the Antichrist and the nations at the battle of Armageddon.

“So when you see the abomination of desolation (Antichrist) spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains... For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.” Matthew 24:15-16, 21-22

FACEBOOK REMOVES VIDEO ON JEWISH TIES TO JERUSALEM

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“It is sad that simple historical truths are being labeled as ‘hate speech,” Eytan Meir, Im Tirtzu’s (Building the Zionist Dream) International Relations Coordinator, told United with Israel.

Jerusalem flag parade
Israelis march and dance with flags at the entrance of Jerusalem’s Old City, June 15, 2021

Facebook removed a video posted by the Im Tirtzu Zionist movement that traces the history of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from biblical times to the present, noting that the concept of a Palestinian nation only came about in recent years.

 We are living in a time where facts and truth are being sacrificed in the name of political correctness and wokeness. This is especially true regarding the Israeli-Arab conflict, and that is why videos like this are so critical.

“We will continue creating content that tells the truth about the conflict, regardless of what Facebook thinks,” Eytan Meir said. It clearly demonstrates that the Prince of this World, Satan controls Facebook.

Meir added that an English version of the video is in the works, which he hopes will be published “in the upcoming weeks.”

Im Tirzu chairman Matan Peleg said: “We invite the public to watch a video describing the rich and extensive history of the Jewish people and to judge for themselves whether the decision to remove the video was justified.”

The Bible reveals that this small nation that was miraculously reborn as a nation in 1948 exactly as prophesied will be centre stage of world events right up to the time Jesus returns to rescue it from total annihilation. The Antichrist and his false prophet send out demonic spirits to assemble kings from all over the world for the battle at that place in Hebrew called Armageddon.

“And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty... And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.” Revelation 16:13-16

ISRAEL IS CENTRAL IN END TIMES PROPHECIES

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When speaking of Israel’s time of suffering in the “latter days” (Deuteronomy 31:29) Moses specifically mentioned in Deut. 32:20 and 32:25 that God would hide His face from Israel during this time, and give them over to the power of the sword:

Then He said, “I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; for they are a perverse generation, sons in whom is no faithfulness”. Deuteronomy 32:20

It is certainly no coincidence that this is exactly what Ezekiel says will take place as a result of Gog’s invasion of Israel.

“I hid My face from them; so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and all of them fell by the sword” Ezekiel 39:23

Ezekiel 38:10-13 and 39:10 also mention that as a result of Gog’s invasion, Israel will be “plundered” by her enemies,

The hostility against this small nation that God established for His purposes is escalating at an incredible pace as the following events indicate. Biblical “end times” prophecies are being fulfilled in our day. It is difficult to understand why so much of the church can’t see it.

Freshly inaugurated Iranian president Dr. Ebrahim Raisi, [infamously known as the Butcher of Tehran] hosted the leaders of various terror groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad during his first day in office Friday, assuring Iran’s continued support for groups seeking the destruction of Israel.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, a guest of honour at the event, was singled out for praise by Raisi. According to state-owned Iranian news agency Fars, Raisi reassured Haniyeh that Iran is committed to supporting the terror group.

Hassan Nasrallah, secretary-general of Hezbollah, on Saturday warned that the Israeli army would be destroyed in any future war with the Lebanon-based terrorist organization, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar news agency reported.

“Palestine has been and always will be the number one issue of the Muslim world,” Raisi said. “We’ve never had and will never have any doubt about this policy.”

It must be remembered what Haid Ghaemi, the executive director of the New-York based Centre for Human Rights in Iran, told AFP News Agency that “Raisi is a pillar of a system that jails, tortures, and kills people for daring to criticize state policies,” .

‘Victory for Palestine is near,’ Iran’s new president tells terror chiefs
New Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi hosts Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh (Twitter/IRAN GOV/Screenshot)

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, after his 12 years at the helm has been replaced by a precarious coalition that lacks coherence and leadership. Whereas Netanyahu was at all times focused on the dangers of a nuclear Iran, the new government appears hardly concerned about this threat. 

President Trump toasted the Iran nuke deal, and in the absence of those accords, Iran has been madly spinning centrifuges and taking steps toward becoming a nuclear nation. As well, the Biden administration appears to be influenced by the anti-Israel & pro-Iran philosophy of the former Obama regime
When we couple this with the exit of all U.S. and allied NATO forces from Afghanistan, as well as the withdrawal of American forces in the entire Mediterranean area, things are looking rather precarious for the nation of Israel.
In the news this week, Israeli Jets Struck Inside Syria for the second time this week
Things are all of a sudden looking very bad for the Jewish state, and if they were attacked right now, they could not expect any help from their powerful Western allies. Seldom has their position looked so lonely.
All of this and we have not even talked about the unprecedented global rise of anti-Semitism, which is breaking world records each year. It is incredible how quickly everything has changed!

Remember the saying; “Nature abhors a vacuum?” Well, when we connect all of the above factors, a massive hiatus has suddenly appeared in the Middle East that makes the State of Israel extremely vulnerable. Sadly, it is only going to get worse exactly as the Bible prophesies.

ISRAEL’S FUTURE FORETOLD

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There are many prophecies in the O.T. where God reveals to His prophets the end of the story for the nation He created. The book of Jeremiah is just one where we learn that God is going to restore both Israel and Judah back to their promised land but only after a period of trouble greater than anything they have experienced in the past.

“For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.” These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah:
“Thus says the Lord: we have heard a cry of panic, of terror, and no peace.
Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man
with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale? Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob, yet he shall be saved out of it.” Jeremiah 30:3-7

Can it be said that any previous times of trouble fulfil the requirements of the prophecy here in Jeremiah 30 and 31 and answer to “the time of Jacob’s trouble”?

It does not seem that they do, for the simple reason that the prophecy before us clearly defines a time of trouble from which Israel is saved by Yahweh. This saving then brings about a spiritual revival. It is because of the saving of the people that they turn to God once again and are acceptable in His sight. This outcome cannot be said to have been accomplished in the past events of Israel’s history.

Could there be a gap in time between the trouble and salvation and the spiritual revival? By simply reading the text it is clear that the troubles from which Israel are saved and the spiritual revival are directly correlated – meaning that they have to occur together.

Consider what the prophecy says about the final outcome of the time of Jacob’s trouble: “For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.” Ezekiel 30:8-9

The two aspects are inextricably linked. Because Yahweh had saved Israel, therefore they serve Him. It is not only Yahweh that is served though – the spiritual revival causes Israel to serve Yahweh and “David their king, whom I will raise up unto them”. This is interesting – who is “David their King”? Is this not a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ? The one who the Lord God shall give “the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:32). The one who will “restore again the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6). “David” means “beloved” and this is a term applied to Jesus in Matthew 3:17 where, after his baptism the Father says “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Therefore, due to these connections it is reasonable to conclude that the outcome of this prophecy is the Kingdom of God being restored again on earth under the rulership of the son of Almighty God, the Lord Jesus Christ.