What Will Become of Israel?

Transcript

GRM 966
7/30/2006
What Will Become of Israel?
Selected Verses
Gil Rugh


As I mentioned in our study this morning, we’re going to be continuing the theme that we were looking at on Israel in God’s prophetic plan, Israel as it is experiencing its turmoil in the world today. And we noted that the foundation for the problems in the world today goes back to the scripture. Israel is indeed the problem. If you could remove Israel, you would remove much of the conflict. And so there is a sense in which much of the opinion of the world is correct. The problem is they don’t understand the biblical foundation. The problem is as we noted it, as far as the Bible would present it, is that God has chosen Israel to belong to Himself. They are His unique, special treasure. That makes them the special object of satan’s hatred, and thus all those who are followers of satan join with him. We saw in Revelation 12 that satan is the motivating spiritual force behind the empires of the world. And even right down to the end of time in the closing days preceding the return of Christ to establish His kingdom, satan’s full wrath is directed toward Israel in an attempt to annihilate them, because all the promises of God in the Old Testament depend upon the salvation and restoration of His people, Israel. The establishing of the kingdom over which the Messiah will rule depends upon the ultimate deliverance of Israel. If satan could only destroy Israel, he could frustrate the plan of God for establishing a kingdom for His Son as the Messiah of Israel.

Turn in your Bible to Psalm 83. This is a psalm written by Asaph and written as you might expect, a long time ago. As I read these verses see if it doesn’t sound like it could have been written here in the last week by a Jew, a believing Jew going through the turmoil. Oh God, do not remain quiet, do not be silent. Oh, God, do not be still. For behold your enemies make an uproar. Those who hate you have exalted themselves. Now note here, the psalmist who is under the inspiration of scripture says that the people bringing turmoil are his enemies, the enemies of God, those who hate God. Now notice how this is expressed. They make shrewd plans against your people and conspire together against your treasured ones. They have said, come and let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more. I watched the news this afternoon and saw statements similar to that being declared. Nothing has changed in thousands of years. For the enemies of the living God and those who hate Him cannot stand His people. Now I’m aware that the church is the focus of God’s salvation work in the world today. That doesn’t change the fact that the only nation God has ever chosen is the nation Israel. And even though they are under the judgment of God during this period of time, the purposes of God for Israel have not changed. The United States is not God’s chosen people, England is not God’s chosen people, or any other nation. Only Israel. We noted that in the promises of the Abrahamic covenant.

Verse 5, they have conspired together with one mind, against you they make a covenant. Ultimately the opposition against God’s people, Israel, is in opposition against God. And the mention of nations here—the tents of Edom, the Ishmaelites. We referred to the Ismaelites as the descendants of Abraham through Hagar. Moab, the Hagarites, Gebal, Ammon—we’re going to talk about Ammon a little later, the capital of Jordan is Amman. The region that Jordan now inhabits is Ammon, we’ll have something to say about that regarding millennial promises. Amalek, Philistia, the inhabitants of Tyre. Isn’t it something to watch Tyre and Sidon being Assyria is joined with them. They’ve become a help to the children of Lot. Selah. Deal with them in judgment, basically is the substance here, as He has dealt with other people who opposed Israel.

Verse 13, oh my God make them like the whirling dust, like chaff before the wind, like fire that burns the forest, like a flame that sets the mountains on fire. So pursue them with your tempest, terrify them with your storm. Fill their faces with dishonor that they may seek your name. Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever, let them be humiliated and perish, that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the most high over all the earth. There is no frustrating the plans of God. We’ll see some of God’s judgment on these people in a moment, as we look at some passages in Ezekiel.

We noted it is crucial, as we look at these passages of scripture relating to prophecy, that we stay consistent in interpreting them literally, just like we do the prophecies that have been fulfilled concerning Christ’s first coming, just like we do the Word of God addressing the issue of salvation. We take it literally, there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by Me. We take these literally. There is only one way of salvation, there is only one Savior, and so on. So we come to biblical prophecy we interpret it literally. And that’s what we’re doing as we look at these matters.

We noted that Israel’s choice by God brings blessings to them if they will obey Him and trust Him. It brings His discipline upon them if they refuse to trust Him. And we know the pattern of Israel. Go back to the end of Deuteronomy, that’s where we left off our reading. I want to just go a little later. God’s giving His last counsel to Moses. We saw the promise of blessing and we read the promise of curses that will come upon Israel for disobedience in chapter 28. And then we read in chapter 30, the beginning of the chapter, God’s promise to restore Israel. Then come to chapter 31, and I wonder how Moses took this. Here he is at the end of his great ministry in leading the nation, Israel. And now God says to him, Deuteronomy 31:16, the Lord said to Moses, behold you are about to lie down with your fathers. And this people will arise and play the harlot with strange gods of the land in the midst of which they are going, and will forsake Me and break My covenant I have made with them. Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day. I will forsake them, hide My face from them. They will be consumed, many evils and troubles will come upon them so that they will say in that day, is it not because our God is not among us that there is evil that comes upon us. But I will surely hide my face in that day because of the evil that they will do. So now you write this song, Moses, and you teach it to them before you go so that they’ll be reminded. And then you have the song of Moses in chapter 32. The blessings he gives in chapter 34, his death.
Come to Jeremiah 30. The message concerning Israel from God is one of rejection and restoration. Sadly, a significant part of the church has decided that there is only one message here—it’s rejection and God is done with Israel. But we noted that cannot be. And the New Testament, Romans 11, makes clear in the context of Israel, the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. God has obligated Himself in covenant relationship with Israel. Jeremiah 30, and it starts out by saying, the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah and he’s told to write all these words is a book. Verse 3, for behold days are coming declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah. The Lord says I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers. They shall possess it. Now these are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel, concerning Judah. For thus says the Lord, I have heard a sound of terror, of dread, and there is no peace. Ask now and see if a male can give birth. Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins as a woman in childbirth? Why have all faces turned pale? Alas, for that day is great, there is none like it. It is the time of Jacob’s distress, but he will be saved from it. We read about this in Revelation 12, remember when satan cast out of heaven after being defeated by Michael and his angels. And we have 1,260 days, 3½ years to go to complete the time of Jacob’s distress, the tribulation. And satan has great wrath and it's poured out against the nation, Israel. And there’ll be not a day like it. You look at what is going on in the world and all the tragedy and sadness and we haven’t seen anything. We watch news reels on the history channel and so on, and read about the Holocaust. We haven’t seen anything yet. There’ll be nothing like it, when God’s wrath is being poured out on the earth and satan is pouring out his wrath without restraint that have been there before. And yet when it is all said and done, Jacob will be saved from it. Jacob refers to Israel, because Jacob is the man, remember, that God changed his name to Israel.

It shall come about on that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off their neck. I will tear their bonds and strangers will no longer make them their slaves. But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. How can you believe the Bible and not take it at what it says? I’m going to raise up David to be king over them. Hasn’t happened yet. Fear not, oh Jacob my servant, declares the Lord. Do not be dismayed oh Israel. For behold I will save you from afar, your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob will return and be quiet and at ease, and no one will make him afraid. For I am with you, declares the Lord, to save you. I will destroy completely all the nations where I’ve scattered you, only I will not destroy you completely, but I will chasten you justly and will by no means leave you unpunished. Could God be any clearer? You’re going to get a severe chastening. We just get a foretaste of that in these days. The Holocaust was just a little preview, the worst is yet to come for them. But understand in it all I will save you. I won’t leave you unpunished, but I will save you. Very picturesque, the rest of the chapter. We don’t have time to read it all. Your wound is incurable. All your lovers have forgotten you. All the nations that they turn to for help, all the people they’re going to depend on, they’re all gone.

I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, the middle of verse 14. The punishment of a cruel one because your iniquity is great, your sins are numerous. Reminder again, verse 15, your iniquity is great, your sins are numerous. You’re going to be devoured by the enemy. But that’s not the last chapter. Verse 18, thus says the Lord, behold I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob, have compassion on his dwelling. The city will be rebuilt on its ruin, the palace will stand in its rightful place. And I will punish the oppressor and so on.

Chapter 31, that time declares the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, they shall be my people. Verse 3, the Lord appeared to him from afar saying, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have drawn you with kindness. Again I will build you and you will be built, oh virgin of Israel, and again the joy will be restored to the nation. And God’s promises to them Verse 11, the Lord has ransomed Jacob, redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he. Come down to verse 31, behold days are coming declares the Lord when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not like the Mosaic covenant which they broke, but this is the covenant which I will make with them, verse 33, the house of Israel in those days, and note who it is made with. Now we the church have come under the salvation provision blessings of the new covenant which were provided for us in the basic Abrahamic covenant. Doesn’t necessitate the replacing of Israel with the church because the Abrahamic covenant included the blessing of all nations through the seed of Abraham. And we enter into the new covenant provision of salvation. But the new covenant in its fullness is made with Israel and Judah.

And this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days. I will put my law within them and on their heart I will write it. I will be their God, they will be my people. They will not teach again each man his neighbor, each man his brother saying, know the Lord. For they will all know Me from the least of them to the greatest of them declares the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquities, their sin I will remember no more. Thus says the Lord who gives the sun for light by day, the fixed order of the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar. The Lord of hosts is His name. This is the one speaking. Don’t take this lightly. There is no chance of variation here, there is no chance of failure. The Lord of hosts is His name, the one speaking. If this fixed order departs from before Me, declares the Lord, then the offspring of Israel will cease from being a nation before Me forever. ??????? gone out, the sun’s shining. Sometime a little later it’s going to get dark, still going on. When we were at the ocean recently the waves were still roaring. We stood on the pier numerous times and watched the people surfing. Just a reminder—what? Beautiful day? No, it’s a reminder God’s promises to Israel won’t fail. Then the offspring of Israel will cease from being a nation before Me forever, verse 36, if this fixed order fails.

Thus says the Lord, if the heavens above can be measured, the foundations of the earth searched out below, then I will cast off the offspring of Israel for all that they have done. You understand, as awful and terrible as their sin is, and we just read God saying how serious their sin is, but it can never be so serious that I won’t honor My promise to save them. Their sin will bring the fiercest judgment imaginable, but it will not nullify My promises to them. Behold days are coming, declares the Lord, when the city will be rebuilt, a measuring line will go out and on it goes.

You know what Jeremiah’s reward is for preaching the Word of God? Chapter 32 of my Bible is titled Jeremiah in Prison. Can the promises of God be any clearer? I just sit and scratch my head as I read some materials that I just can’t understand people who claim to believe the Bible and cavalierly cast off God’s clear promises. I mean how much stronger could God put it, that there is nothing but nothing but nothing that could nullify My promises to Israel that would result in their ceasing to be a nation before Me, the end of verse 36, forever. I mean we ought to be more impressed by that than the people that heard this. Can you measure the heavens? We have some idea of the vastness of the universe today that they couldn’t have possibly conceived of. And it just boggles our minds. Israel can’t cease to be a nation and the nations of the earth can storm, they can rage, they can do whatever; they can’t frustrate God’s promises.

Some will say this is fulfilled in the church and it is spiritually fulfilled. If there is ever a bucket of garbage, that’s got to be it. I mean how else would you say it? I mean if this isn’t true, I don’t know how we can take hold of the salvation promises of the New Testament and have any confidence that they will be true either. And we see it lived out right before us today. We’re going to make note of that in a moment.

I have to take you, well I don’t have to but I want to, to the book of Daniel for just a moment. I realize some of you are studying Daniel and some other prophetic portions of scripture as well, some of you recently have been studying Revelation. I hope you’re involved to take advantage of all the studies. But I just want you to note Daniel 2. Here are the empires of the world, we referred to the empires of the world. Revelation talks about 7 of them, I told you the background for that is in the book of Daniel. It is, although Daniel is concerned with the empires picking them up where he is, he doesn’t pick Egypt and Assyria before Babylon. He’s concerned with picking up with Babylon and the revelation given to him. The fourth kingdom it is revealed to Daniel, chapter 2, is Rome and then you have the final form of the Roman Empire, the 10 toes. And remember we saw the 10 horns in Revelation depicting the same thing. Here you have an image of a man and you have the toes in verse 42, which are the continuation of the Roman Empire in its revived form, as we speak of it, partly of iron and partly of clay. I think we see the formulation of this in the events in the western world, the Common Market, European community today.

I want you to note verse 44, in the days of those kings. What kings? The 10 kings, the 10 toes of this image, would be described as the 10 horns on the beast in chapter 7. In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, a kingdom that will not be left for another. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms and it will endure. You watch the news? All these other kingdoms haven’t ceased, they haven’t been crushed under the power of the living Christ. He doesn’t rule over all the kingdoms of the world. People say no, that was fulfilled. Do you ever turn on the radio, read the newspaper? I mean he hasn’t crushed the kingdoms, their power goes on. His kingdom will endure. That’s in the same context as chapter 7 of Daniel will tell you, that’s when the kingdom Daniel.


We see the same picture, the 4th beast in Daniel 7:7, you’ll note it had 10 horns. You see a different image but you come to the same place. Chapter 2 you have the image of a man, the kingdoms culminating in 10 toes. Here you have the empires of the world pictured as ravenous beasts and they’ll culminate in a 10-nation confederacy, 10 horns. And you’ll note, in those days a little horn comes out from among the 10, and then verse 9, I kept looking until thrones were set up, the Ancient of Days took His seat—a description of the Father on the throne. Verse 13, I kept looking in the night visions, behold like the clouds of heaven one like the Son of Man coming to the Ancient of Days, presented before Him. To Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away, His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. Somehow people have to agree that yes, we know these are these earthly kingdoms. But somehow now we’re just talking about a spiritual kingdom and Christ is ruling in the hearts of men. I mean all of a sudden you jump out the window. We know the kingdom hasn’t been established, Jesus Christ is not ruling in Jerusalem, the nations of the earth are not submitting to Him, not giving Him glory. We’re not there yet, this hasn’t been fulfilled. Not an optional interpretation, this is simply reading the clear statements of what God has said.

Come back to Ezekiel, just before Daniel, Ezekiel 36. Ezekiel 36 is a prophecy of coming blessing to Israel. The Old Testament is saturated with………. The difficulty is I looked at what to bring before you, you know we could just spend a series doing nothing but just reading what the prophets said about judgment on Israel, and then the restoration of Israel—the rejection of Israel for their sin and the restoration of Israel by God’s grace in fulfillment of His covenant. Chapter 36 starts out, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and you’re going to prophesy about what God is going to do. Verse 3, therefore prophesy and say, thus says the Lord God, for good reason they have made you desolate, crushed you from every side, that you would become a possession of the rest of the nation. And the people But therefore oh mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God to the mountains, to the ravines, to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, to the forsaken cities which haven’t become a prey and a derision to the rest of the nations which are round about. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, surely in the fire of my jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations, against all Edom who appropriated my land for themselves. You’ll note the land that God gave to Israel? He says that’s my land. You have the enemies of God clamoring that it is theirs; no, it is His and He gave it to His people. It is an attack on the living God that you would try to appropriate the land that He gave to His people.

Well here He speaks against the rest of the nations, including all Edom who appropriated my land for themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy, with scorn of soul. Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains, the hills, to the ravines and valleys. Thus says the Lord God, I have spoken in my jealousy and my wrath, I have sworn, surely the nations which are around you, verse 7. And you will endure their insults, but you, oh mountains of Israel, you will put forth your branches. They are fruit for my people, Israel. They will come soon. I am for you, I will turn to you, you will be cultivated and sown. I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, all of it. The nations are raging, they push you off the land, they try to take possession of your land which is really My land. That’s all right, there is coming a day when I’m going to settle the score.

Verse 12, yes, I will cause men, my people Israel, to walk on you—this land, my land—possess you. You will become their inheritance and never again bereave them of children. God’s promises to Israel go on. We come down again to Ezekiel’s reiteration of the new covenant. Verse 22, it is not for your sake, now note this. Remember we saw that when the covenant was instituted, God swore by Himself. He Himself walked through the divided animals. Now note verse 22, I wish we could read the preceding context, if you get time sit down and read it—it’s great days to read a section like this. But look at verse 22, say to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord God. It is not for your sake, oh house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name which you have profaned among the nations where you live. I’m going to act on your behalf, Israel, but not because you deserve it. I’m not even doing it for you. This is a clear reminder, all God does is for His own glory. Even my salvation is not ultimately for me, but it is to bring glory to the God who revealed the greatness of His love and grace in saving me. So Israel, it is not for your sake I am about to act, but for my holy name. Why? Because if God fails to redeem Israel, He will have failed. I mean He can’t do it, it’s totally contrary to His character. So He has to act for His holy name, which Israel has profaned. I will vindicate the holiness of my great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord, when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. You know what? When God restores Israel, all the nations of the world are going to know God is good to His word. He is a holy God, he honors His word, even though Israel profaned His name. He’s going to do what He promised in the covenant He established with Abraham.

For I will take you from among the nations, gather you from all the lands, bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, you will be clean. I will cleanse you from your filthiness, from your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart, put a new spirit within you, remove the heart of stone from your flesh, give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, you will be careful to observe my ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers. Now in light of the salvation provision of the new covenant which you and I enjoy, I take that literally. Because what happens to those in light of the death of Christ, which is the salvation for the new covenant. Remember the communion service we observe? This cup is the new covenant in my blood. What happens? We receive a new heart, the Spirit of God is placed within us. Is that not literally fulfilled? What makes you think the rest of the provisions of the new covenant will not be literally fulfilled? How can anybody say, oh yes this portion of the new covenant is literally fulfilled because that’s my salvation. The rest of it is just spiritually fulfilled, that won’t happen. What does God say here?

Verse 28, you will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers. Not talking to us, talking to Israel. We simply enter into those provisions of the Abrahamic covenant made for Gentiles. That salvation provision comes through Christ. This provision is in the new covenant. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers, you will be my people, I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness, I will call for the grain and multiply it. I will not bring famine on you, I will multiply the fruit of the tree, the produce in the field. You will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations. You will remember your evil ways, your deeds that were not good, you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. They’ll come to repent, see themselves as vile sinners. That’s when repentance takes place. And God reminds again, you ought to underline that again. I hope you have the first part underlined as well in verse 22, where God says it’s not for your sakes. Verse 32, it’s not for your sake, declares the Lord. Let it be known to you, be ashamed and confounded for your ways oh house of Israel. Then He goes on to remind them again it’s not for your sake, I’m doing it for my sake, I’m doing it for my glory. God has to honor His promises.

Chapter 37 you have the vision of the dry bones. I take it in agreement with many students of prophecy, we probably saw this happen with the restoration in 1948. What has happened to Israel in light of the promises we read, particularly in our previous study, that God scatter them among the nations and so on. Three major dispersions of Israel have occurred. Because of their rebellion, the northern 10 tribes of Israel were carried into captivity by the Assyrians in 721 B.C. And those 10 tribes never did come back as a constituted entity in the kingdom. The southern 2 tribes, called Judah, Benjamin joined with them but we know them as Judah because Judah was by far the bigger tribe, were carried into captivity finally by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Happened in a series beginning in 606 B.C., but in 586 was the final deportation, and the southern kingdom ceases to exist. That was the second dispersion, removal from the land. There is a restoration after 70 years as Jeremiah prophesied that the Babylonian captivity would last 70 years. And Israel is restored to the land under the Persian policy of allowing deported people to return to the land, but not to their former glory. We don’t have the kings of Israel and Israel functioning like an independent nation any longer. But they are back in the land. Now Ezra and Nehemiah record that.

In 63 B.C., we jump now several hundred years now, Pompeii took control of Israel for the Romans, and the Romans are in charge of that region when we come to the New Testament. Israel has a king but he’s not even a Jew, an Idumean, Herod, when we come into the New Testament. He’s appointed by the Romans so Israel has an identity—they’re in the land but they are not an independent kingdom as such. They are really under the control of Rome, but they are in the land. But as you are aware, in 70 A.D. because of rebellion, the Romans under Titus crushed the Jews, destroyed the temple. In 135 there is a final deportation of the Jews from the land, and we usually identify 70 A.D. because that is the major issue. But Jews continued in the area, in the land, and a large number of them over 4 years challenge the Romans so seriously, that the Romans left Israel for a time to regroup their forces. But we’re talking about a Jewish army here of a couple 100,000 opposing the Romans. This 4-year battle between the Romans and the Jews almost 600,000 casualties. This is a major conflict. Hadrian was the Roman ruler, he finally moved in and absolutely crushed the Jews and deported them and made a law that no Jews was allowed to live in sight of the land. Built a temple to Jupiter where the Jewish temple had been, and so you have the deportation of Israel. Now the amazing thing, for 1800-1900 years Israel is dispersed in the dispersion. Peter writes to the believing Jews of the Diaspora, James the same. And for 1800-1900 years they are scattered throughout the world, and then marvelously at the end of the 19th century, 1870s and particularly in the early 1880s, the Zionist movement begins. Then in 1897 the first Zionist Congress is established. Theodor Hertzl, a revered figure in modern Israel, establishes the first Zionist Congress with the goal that they would reclaim Israel as a Jewish land. Interesting, when Hadrian in 135 crushed the Jews, put an end to that revolt and carried away the Jews, he changed the name. You know the Bible doesn’t refer to Palestine as Palestine. It’s Canaan, sometimes Judah, it’s Israel, but Hadrian wanted to obliterate any connection of the land to the Jews. So it could no longer be called Judea, it was to be called Palestine in connection with the Philistines who would have been there, or southern Syria. It would obliterate any connection, he was so determined to annihilate any connection of this land. Then it became known as Palestine and is down to this day.

The remarkable thing is on May 14, 1948 Israel is established again, the Zionist movement is successful. I encourage you, if you haven’t read that, we have books in Sound Words that amazing the things that happened. And the writers say this happened, this person had this meeting and this happened, and lo and behold Israel is established. Never happened any other place, but a people that has been dispersed for 1800-1900 years, off their land, scattered, and they are reassembled again as a nation. Unique, how could it happen? Israel maintained its identity and here they are established back after having been off their land for all that time. You know what happens as soon as Israel is established as a nation—Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia immediately attack them. And you know what happened—Israel defeated them and expanded the land they originally had and that becomes an issue as well.

Israel is in the land. All that, we’re in Ezekiel 37, if you still have your Bible turned to there. Note verse 1, the hand of the Lord was upon me. He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley, it was full of bones. He caused me to pass among them round about. Behold there were very many on the surface of the valley, lo they were very dry. He said to me, son of man, can these bones live? I answered, oh Lord God you know. What a great answer. I mean Ezekiel knows. The Lord knows whether they can live again. But these are very dry bones, everybody knows dry bones don’t live. Ezekiel knows only God can answer that question. He said to me, prophesy over these bones and say to them, oh dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones, behold I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. I’ll put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin, put breath in you that you may come alive. And you will know that I am the Lord. These dry bones picture Israel once again restored to the land but with no spiritual life at all. How do you know that? Well that’s another one of those direct revelations from the Lord, He gave me this afternoon after lunch. You know that’s not so because you’ve read ahead, too.

Verse 11, then He said to me, son of man these bones are the whole house of Israel. So here you have assembled…….. People say oh you can’t take scripture literally, look at this. But it’s a literal representation we all can understand. The bones have no life, here is Israel spiritually lifeless, in their land but lifeless. That’s their condition today. They’re back in their land, they have no knowledge of the living God, they don’t know Him. In fact they don’t want to know Him. Some of you read or saw in the news here in the last couple of weeks some Christian tourists that were attacked in the ultra orthodox area of Jerusalem. We rode through there on our tours Do you know what they do when you ride by in the bus? They turn around and put their back to you, they don’t even want you to see their face. They don’t want any Christians around them. And don’t take their picture because you can’t make images. They are spiritually dead, the nation. We shared the gospel with our guide who was our guide on a couple of our trips, doesn’t know the Lord. The nation Israel today fighting for their life. They are willing to claim the Old Testament because the land is theirs, but they are not willing to claim the God of the Old Testament as their God. They want nothing to do with the Messiah who died for them.

So here they are, dead bones. But what does God say? I’m going to restore you to life. So I prophesied, verse 7, and as I prophesied there was a noise, a rattling, the bones came together, the sinews come, the flesh forms. Then He said to me, prophesy to the breath, prophesy son of man and say to the breath, come from the four winds oh breath. Breathe on these that they may come to life. And they came and stood, these are the whole house of Israel. Our bones are dried up, our hope is perished. Ezekiel writes, they’re in the Babylonian captivity. There’ll come a time when God is going to bring them back from their graves, He’ll bring them life. Verse 14, I will put my Spirit within you, you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. The spiritual restoration, not only the physical restoration, but the spiritual restoration of Israel is a promise of God. He’s going to reunite all 12 tribes. People say well you couldn’t have a restoration because nobody knows who the 12 tribes are. You know, those unbelievers ought to read Jeremiah’s response when God asks him in Jeremiah 37:3, can these bones live. Lord, you know. Oh how can you restore the 12 tribes, they’ve been scattered……..we don’t know……..I mean the records were lost, burned up with the destruction of the temple. We just don’t know. I mean what kind of God do you serve? Do you think God doesn’t know? Oh no, Titus burned the temple, there go all the records. How will I ever get the 12 tribes back together? Gabriel, Michael, come here, we have a problem. I mean what kind of God is that? These are actual things that people say. People who claim to be Christians agree you couldn’t have a restoration because nobody knows who the 12 tribes are. Maybe nobody here knows, but can those bones live? There is somebody who does know and can bring them to life, there is somebody who knows which tribe every Jew belongs to. In fact He knows so clearly, He’s going to seal 12,000 from each of these tribes at the beginning of the tribulation, as Revelation 7 tells us. No problem for God at all.

Ezekiel 37:21, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from every side, bring them into their own land, I will make them one nation in the land. On the mountains of Israel one king will be king for all of them. They will no longer be 2 nations, remember the split under Solomon’s son—the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom. No longer 2 nations here, no longer 2 divided kingdoms, no longer defile themselves with idols or detestable things or transgressions. I will deliver them from their dwelling places in which they have sinned and will cleanse them. They will be my people, I will be their God. My servant David will be king over them. Anybody think that has happened? No, not happened yet. Well we don’t take that literally. Well, I pity you, that means you have a serious issue, that you have rejected the clear, direct statements of the living God and that’s a serious matter.

Verse 26, I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them. I will place them and multiply them and set my sanctuary in their midst, my dwelling place will be with them. I will be their God, they will be my people and the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forever. Does Israel have a future, a glorious future? It sure does. I mean how can you take the Word of God I just don’t what to make of people who claim to be believers, claim to believe the Bible and think they can just reject this. It’s just as clear to me as the promises of my salvation in the New Testament. I mean we would take God at His word, we don’t.

In chapter 38 you have an event that will take place in the middle of the coming tribulation, and you’re aware of it because it involves nations that we’re familiar with. And we don’t have time to work through this, we’ve done it on other occasions. Because I do want to talk about the salvation of Arab peoples as well, peoples we think of as the enemies of Israel. Chapter 38 talks about the coming destruction of the armies around Israel. So the situation is going to be resolved here. Some of us were talking after the service and some of those who have written on biblical prophecy also put forward this is the possibility. You know we see the nations of the earth meeting, the United States has a hard time playing the role in the Mideast now because we’re allying with Israel and we see the European Community becoming more involved, more prominent. Mentioned the meeting that took place in Rome and we know the antichrist will be a Roman because of Daniel 9. Not saying that that’s the man, but that’s going to be his nationality. What would happen if the rapture were to occur tonight? I don’t know, is our President a believer? He claims to be. Let’s just suppose that he is. How many other leaders are? Where does that leave the United States? You know a few disasters here and even what we call natural disasters. What if the west coast falls into the ocean? What if, what if? Our country has been paralyzed, but we still have to resolve the Middle East problem, however it occurs. I don’t know. But we do know that there is going to be a person who is going to be able to broker a peace that is going to be acceptable to Israel for 3½ years, they’re going to live in peace. They’re going to rebuild the temple, because we know the temple is in existence during that last 7-year period when Israel is in the land. It’s in existence when you get to the middle of that period. Jesus spoke about the abomination of desolation which will stand in the holy place. Thessalonians talks about the antichrist takes his seat in the temple, declaring himself to be God. Revelation 13 talks about measuring the court of the temple. So clearly the temple will be built.

You’ll note Ezekiel 38, I’m against you Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, Tubal. God is against these nations and their allies, Persia. You know until 1937 Persia was the name of the land that we now call Iran. Ethiopia, Put, Libya. You have the nations here, Gomer, Beth-togarmah. These different nations and those included here. I take it include Russia, her allies, a number of……………. We know this by the peoples that settled here from the Table of Nations in the book of Genesis, where they settled, they are identified by their names here. And interestingly six of the former Soviet Union areas which would be included in the region known as Magog, countries like Kazakistan, Uzbekistan and these names that we’re all somewhat familiar with. They all sound alike. We have a rug from Kazakistan, I think of this passage when I walk on our rug. Interestingly, all but one of them are Muslim, they’re not Arab but they’re Muslim. I take it Rosh here would be Russia. You know these come from the north, the remote parts of the north, verse 6, and even in identifying them, when you go home get out a modern map of Israel and put your ruler on Jerusalem and just go to the remote parts of the north and see where you are. And they have their allies here with the peoples of the Muslim nations, and Russia. One of the obstacles of getting some of these nations to settle, well Russia won’t agree because they have allies here with Iran and these things. It’s amazing to me that here Ezekiel writes this hundreds of years before Christ, 2,000 years after Christ here we are seeing these people again, key players.

Turkey is mentioned here in the nations, like Meshech, Tubal, Gomer. Of course Turkey is 99% Muslim. Persian is Iran, Ethiopia. Ethiopia refers to modern Sudan. I was reading an article on modern Sudan, maybe some of you saw, it was one of prophetic publications. They say in about the last 20 years, 2 million Christians have been martyred or starved to death in the Sudan. Wasn’t even sure about that much of it, because it’s Muslim and they won’t tolerate Christians there, either. Interesting. The Bible says they are going to be the enemy of Israel but they are a Muslim country…………. On it goes down through here. But you’ll note when they come they’re going to come to attack Israel. Is that a surprise? Now remember Israel has a peace agreement so it seems like they’re in good state now for 3½ years. After many days you will be summoned. God is going to summon these nations, now they can express their heart’s desire to attack Israel. But they do it in God’s time, they’re summoned. In the latter years, that’s time, that carries us to the coming 7-year tribulation—the latter years.

Israel, at the end of verse 8, will be living securely. They will have been gathered from many nations to the mountain of Israel. They are living securely. You’ll come up like a storm, thoughts will come into your mind, you’ll devise an evil plan—these nations that hate Israel. You’ll say let’s go up to the land of unwalled villages, those who are at rest, who live securely. Israel doesn’t live securely now. I mean they have the best army in the region. Interviewing a military man, not an Israeli military man, but an American. He said Israel would have no, they could carpet bomb the region over there into annihilation, they’re using restraint. So they are not without walled cities, living securely. Picture in former times before modern armor, that’s what they do, they build walls around the city. That was their protection against spears and arrows and horses. So to be in a land of unwalled villages and dwelling securely means you don’t have military defenses because you don’t need them.

Down at the end of verse 14 we’re told they are living securely. So verse 8 says they are living securely, verse 10 they are living securely, verse 14 they are living securely, verse 16 says it will be in the last days, verse 8 said the latter days. ????????? That’s when the enemies of Israel are going to make their full force. I think this is in conjunction with what we read in Revelation 12, when satan is cast out of heaven in the middle of the tribulation. What does he do? Turns all his wrath against Israel. What does that mean? He’s going to move now all of his forces and they are enumerated in Ezekiel 38. You get down to verse 13, Sheba and Dedan. You know who that is? That’s the region we know as Saudi Arabia today. All be part of this. What will happen is, God is going to intervene supernaturally and destroy these armies on the mountains around Israel. And that’s the rest of chapter 38 and 39.

Turmoil, tribulation, persecution will continue on because now the antichrist is going to set himself up in the temple in Jerusalem, remember, declare himself as God and a persecution of the Jews like Jesus said, when you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, don’t even get down from your roof. Remember they had a flat roof, they could be sitting on the roof. doing roof repair like we do, but if you’re on the roof where they would go in the cool of the day, don’t even go back down into your bedroom to get an extra robe. I mean you jump off the roof and run, it’s that serious. Persecution is going to break out that suddenly. All of a sudden you’re going to say, they’ve set up an abomination of desolation in the temple, this man has taken his seat in the temple and declared himself as God. And know for 3½ years will be an attempt to annihilate Israel. He will fail, but it will be the final judgment of Israel. When you get to the end of the last half of the tribulation Israel will be on its knees. We have committed the worst of sins, as we read and as Zechariah says, they will say blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord as they turn to Christ as their Messiah and He can intervene and bring deliverance. And then He will establish the kingdom.

I want to look at a couple of the promises to different Arab nations. I don’t want to leave on the note that only Israel is going to be saved. There are going to be multitudes of nations, some of the nations set up for destruction. That doesn’t mean every single individual in that nation……… The armies are destroyed here, chapter 38 they are still representative of those nations that will survive. And they are part of the salvation blessings and promises for the millennium.

Look at Isaiah 19, I have three countries, the first is Egypt. You know there are a great number of portions…………. Wilbur Smith who wrote extensively, he’s been with the Lord now for sometime. I think he listed 200 biblical prophecies regarding Egypt in our Bibles. So there is a lot about Egypt in the Bible, but in Isaiah 19:17, the land of Judah will become a terror to Egypt. Everyone to whom it is mentioned will be in dread of it because of the purpose of the Lord of hosts which He is purposing against them. This is the day when Egyptians will be in terror of Israel because now the Messiah has come and He is going to set up. But then note what is going to happen. Verse 18, in that day five cities in the land of Egypt will be speaking the language of Canaan, swearing allegiance to the Lord of hosts. Verse 19, in that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt and a pillar to the Lord near its border. It will become a sign to witness the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt, for they will cry to the Lord because of oppressors. He will send them a Savior and a champion who will deliver them. Thus the Lord will make Himself known to Egypt and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day. They will even worship with sacrifice and offering and will make a vow to the Lord and perform it. The Lord wills strike Egypt, striking but healing, so that they will return to the Lord and He will respond to them and heal them. In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third party, and you’ll have to get out a Bible map and you can look at the region encompassed by the Assyrian Empire and the focus of their location across the Tigris and Euprates River. In that day, verse 24, Israel will be a third party with Egypt and Assyria, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed saying, blessed is Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands and Israel my inheritance. We’re talking millennial blessings here. Egypt will be part of them. Muslim nation now, but they are part of that alliance against Israel in the middle of the tribulation in Ezekiel 38. They are also mentioned in Daniel 11, at the end of the chapter, and their opposition to Israel. That’s going to change. The events of the tribulation are going to bring many nations to their knees, peoples from many nations. And so the salvation that will come to Israel won’t be limited to Israel. It will be focused in Israel, but many other nations will benefit. So Egypt will experience millennial blessings and God’s salvation.

Jordan. Go to Jeremiah 49—Isaiah, Jeremiah. We’re familiar with Jordan. If you read something of the history of modern Jordan and their attitude toward Israel, it has not been good. There has been some moderation compared to some other peoples now, but again Muslim people. Jeremiah 49. And this is a prophecy against Ammon, and the peoples of that region were the Ammonites, and so it’s the region of Ammon, and from which we get the capital of Jordan—Amman, Jordan. But you’ll note verse 6 after you have all that God is going to do in punishing Ammon, afterward I will restore the fortunes of the sons of Ammon declares the Lord. So there is salvation in what we know today as Jordan’s future. There is severe judgment going to come, but God in His mercy and grace is going to save some from the realm of Jordan. So I ought to be careful, you know we are pro-Israel but we understand that God’s work of salvation will encompass even these people who are the great enemies of God and enemies of God’s people today. But what were all of us before God’s hand of salvation graciously touched us? We were God’s enemies, weren’t we? Does it amaze us that God would save these people? He saved you, He saved me. I mean let’s face it, everybody He saves was His enemy. That’s the amazing thing about His grace.

One other, go to Psalm 72. You know one of the great enemies of Israel has been Saudi Arabia and they are the promoters of one of the most fundamentalist sects of Islam. And they are providing the funding for many of the Muslim mosques that are being built in our own country to promote the radical form of Islam that holds sway. You know a Jew can’t even live in Saudi Arabia. We consider them an ally and there are certain areas we are, but go there and try to share your faith. I mean, it’s not going to happen. But Psalm 72:9, let the nomads of the desert bow before Him and His enemies lick the dust. Let the kings of Tarshish and the islands bring presents, and the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts. And let all kings bow down before Him, all nations serve Him. The kings of Sheba and Seba, that’s southern Arabia, that’s the area we would know as Saudi Arabia today. And as I noted in Ezekiel 38, Sheba is mentioned there as one of the nations that attacks Israel in the middle of the tribulation. But at the end of the tribulation there will be a turning to the living God and the Messiah of Israel on the part of some of those of this region, and they will experience the blessings of the millennium.

These are just some of the peoples that are promised salvation and will turn to the Lord. And so the events of the coming 7-year tribulation are going to be used of God to bring many people to their knees. It’s going to be an awful time, but it’s by the end of that time, the closing days, if you will, there is going to be a turning, a mass turning in Israel because Revelation 11 says, thus all Israel will be saved. And you are going to have a national turning. But even within these Arab peoples, Muslim nations, there is going to be the result of this display. And we noted in the curses of the people, because they are being scorched by the sun whose heat is being intensified, they recognize the hand of God in this. For the bulk of the people, this just hardens them in their unbelief, but in God’s grace it will soften some, even in these nations.

We need to be careful that the events of the day don’t cause us to have a heart of animosity toward godless, fallen people, because we need to be reminded we were dead in our trespasses and sins. We were at enmity with God and He saved us. So our desire is for salvation, but we recognize that all that is going on and the hand of our God. If you watch the news and say, I have to take a couple of antacids, I can’t take it, it’s got me all worked up. Well it’s easy to get caught up in the emotion of it, but what do we see? We see the hand of God there. So much of it doesn’t make any sense, why would they do that? Because they are out of their minds. But God is sovereignly using their sinful actions, their irrational behavior to move all things to His appointed climax, and the ultimate salvation that will come about as many turn to Christ.

In our next study I want to talk about the rapture of the church. I’m not going to do an extensive study, but I do want to talk about the rapture of the church and how it fits and why I believe it is the next event in biblical prophecy. So that will be next Sunday.

Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord, for great grace. Lord, we just touched on a few of the highlights of what you have unfolded about coming events. And Lord we are in awe to consider that we may see some of these events being brought together before our very eyes. Lord, we of all people ought to be alert spiritually, busy about your work, zealous for you. There is coming a kingdom when we will enjoy the rest and blessings of your presence. Lord, now may we be willing to sacrifice comforts and ease and pleasures and be zealous for you, be passionate in our service, be concerned that the message of Jesus Christ is shared with family, friends, the lost wherever they be. May we consider our service for you not a burden, but a privilege, that we should be the people perhaps to be honored to live in the closing days of the church. Thank you that Jesus Christ is a Savior for all, all who turn from their sin and place their faith in Him, receive the wonder of your cleansing, your forgiveness, new life, a new heart in your Spirit. Lord we look forward to the days of this week, anticipating perhaps the coming of our Lord to call us into the glory of your presence. May we be faithful until that occurs. In Christ’s name, amen.