Two thousand years ago Israel was under Roman rule. Many times Jesus pronounced, "the Kingdom of God is at hand." After His crucifixion and resurrection, His Jewish followers asked Him when, not if, Kingdom authority would be restored to Israel. (Acts 1:6-7) Jesus didn’t tell them not to be so foolish as to think that the Kingdom would be returned to Israel, but in verse 7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.

It is very clear that God does intend to fulfil His plan to establish His Kingdom and that its location can only be in the same place as where He had presenced Himself on two previous occasions - Jerusalem. Since the day of Israel’s resurrection on May 14th 1948, Christians with eyes to see have recognized that the reappear-ance of Israel and the return of millions of Jews are signs that the Kingdom is truly at hand. More recently, the re-unification of Jerusalem and the exponential growth of the number of Jewish people coming to faith in the Messiah, is a further significant sign of the imminent return of the Lord and the Kingdom to Israel.

On the other hand, the dramatic increase in violence in the Middle East can be seen as the negative sign pointing to the same thing. The Devil well knows what is written in the Bible, and he understands the prophetic plan of God. He knows that the restoration of Israel is a sign of the times. World history is really the battle of the kingdoms. God and Satan are locked in a conflict to establish their supremacy. This is the reason for the war that broke out in Heaven even before the Earth was inhabited. (Revelation 12:7)

Both God and Satan have a master plan. God’s plan is for His continued reign as number 1 in the Heavenly Kingdom, and for His Son to rule over the Earthly Kingdom from the Temple Mount in Israel (not Palestine) Psalm 2:6 "Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion." And to fill His Kingdom with as many faithful human beings as possible.

Satan is similarly committed to his plan to overthrow God in Heaven and on the Earth. He is very open about his plans. Isaiah 14:12-13 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God." He openly declares his intention to take the place of God in Heaven.

God also has a chosen location on the Earth. The site where he called Abraham to lay Isaac on the altar, which is the exact location of both of the Jewish Temples. The very same site where Jesus will establish the Kingdom of God, reigning for a thousand years from the Millennial Temple. Satan has his eyes on that site too. Look what he says at the end of verse 13, "I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; " (NKJ) The mount of congregation is the Temple Mount.

Israel’s history has been a testimony of trial and tribulation. Primarily because Israel and the Jewish people were chosen by God as the seat of His Kingdom on the Earth. Thus they have found themselves in the epicentre of the battle. Now the whole world is being drawn in to the arena. It isn’t hard to see that the world is shaking apart morally, spiritually, financially and even ecologically. The scene is being set for the final battle.

The battle is not over Israel and the Jewish people, but over the coming of the Kingdom. Psalm 2:1-6 "Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed…" In its opposition to Israel and favour towards the Arab nations, the world is colluding with Satan and inviting the wrath and judgment of God, who warns us that He is a consuming fire. Psalm 2:4-6 "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the LORD shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure" (NKJ)

May we in the Church not make the same mistake. Our part is to agree in prayer and actions with the Word of God. To co-labour with the God-head and do our utmost to hasten the day of the Lord’s return to Jerusalem. To identify ourselves as servants of the God of Israel, and as fellow citizens of the Jewish people, having been grafted into the same Olive Tree. To stand together with Israel as the enemies of God’s people endeavour to carry out the Devils plan to destroy Israel and thus prevent the coming of the Kingdom.

Sadly, many Christians have been deceived by Replacement Theology and are siding on the wrong side of the battle. If that is you, I strongly suggest you repent, and begin to fulfil your destiny and calling to be a co-labourer of the God of Israel, to be an ambassador of the King of the Jews, and to make the most of every opportunity to hasten the day of the Kingdoms arrival. It is time to bless the Jewish people so that God can bless you. According to Romans 15:27 this is your duty if you are a Gentile Christian.

www.out-of-zion.com

What does everyone make of it? A good discussion point I think...

I'm on that page! God is faithful to complete it. That little glass house....pressed on every side. But my God holds it back! Greater is he that's in me...than he that's in the world.

King David -- "I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. ...I groan because of the turmoil of my heart."
-Psalm 38:6,8

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things.Philippians 4:4-8

So when we are hard pressed on every side..... God's standard is lifted up against the flood. "Why so down cast, O my soul?...Put your hope in God"! (Psalms)

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:7-9

And all Gods children said!? AMEN and AMEN

Cherrychookie and Miki,

I would say that you both pretty much summed it up here. Amen.

sojourner

no. this is a great deception.

The Kingdom of God is not from this source.

And the true temple is not made with hands.

But it is made up of living stones. chosen, by God.

Christ, Jesus, the Anointed King, being the foundation corner stone, is the first laid stone, the stone of stumbling, and beginning of the True Temple. But is is made of spirit, and not of flesh.
Jesus will raise up his true temple, and the sons of God will be revealed.
But, as their Lord was, they too, must be thrown down.
They will suffer together, that they might be glorified with their Lord, together.

His followers did not fight, that he might not be delivered up to the Jews, and the Romans....for they obeyed their Master's instructions.



"replacement theology"? Jesus himself is the True Replacement, substitution, the Lamb of sacrifice. He died for us, in our place.

old Jerusalem, old temple, old tent.

these things will pass away completely.

New Jerusalem, the Capital City of God'd Kingdom, is not from this earth.

She is from above.

the Kingdom OF THE HEAVENS! is at hand.

it will be, as it was, in the beginnng.

For God's Law is to be written upon our Hearts.

and it is to be by Faith, and not by sight, that we are to walk in that perfect Law, with the True God, who is above all things.

do not be misled.

The true temple is one of spirit and not of the flesh, nor is it any part of this world.

but the deception is of the flesh.
this is how the adversary operates.
according to the flesh.

spirit is opposed to flesh,
and the warfare waged,
is not according to the flesh.

the fact that these events are occuring, "in the flesh",
is so that hearts are tested and revealed.

and the devil knows that his time is short.

great will be the deception.

do not be misled.

bz

I don't think that bz...I keep telling you that?

He's coming to give them what they never saw or heard because the hearts were darkened...but in the secret place he is doing a work...
With plans to restore..

One plant...one vine...together..Jew and gentile...one in Christ.

and i wlll keep on declaring the Glorious Good News of the Kingdom of God.

this is what i am sent to do, along with all those having faith in the Good News.

and this is what i shall continue to do.

for i am not seeking approval from men.


i do not seek glory nor approval from men.

but i seek approval from my God and Father.

and i have faith, and so i speak.

bz

And nobody is trying to stop you.

Romans 15: 26-27

I believe if we study these verses carefully, we see that they refer to "saints" at Jerusalem; which imply the Christian Jews. This is certainly not a blanket reference to all the Jewish people.

We do know that most Jews are not Christians, that quite a few modern Jews deny the existence of God and that some Jews actively hate Christians. We therefore need to be careful in reading scripture; lest we take it out of context completely.

Furthermore, when Jesus Christ was told His mother and brothers were looking for Him, He replied "For whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother" (Matt. 12:46-50).

I have nothing whatsoever against the Jewish people, but this blanket "Christians serve the Jews" complex is not biblical.

Love of Christ.


MBATOMON.

Can I just say that I saw it, read it and thought it would be a good discussion point as I dont know where I stand on it at the moment..

I find it amazing that this little town, Jerusalem, is still today the very epicenter of conflict. I used to think that God was talking of his temple and kingdom in a spiritual sense, but I will have to admit that more and more of the prophecies are coming to fulfillment in a very real physical way. Who knows for sure, but it is very fascinating to watch. Keep your eyes open things are getting interesting.

God Bless,
Kansas Dad

Of course it isn't a blanket statement but a race of people will be vindicated even if it is only a remnant.

And the time of the gentiles will be fulfilled and God will once again turn to his people, the called out ones and through them, the Jews, the greatest revival in history will begin!!!

CC,

I would do this if it wasn't your topic....but you know I'm crazy.

A reoccuring vision. So very real it is like walking around in it and acting in it while I am awake. And I absolutely love to go there to rest my mind.

I am in this shelter...it has a top and sides but the whole thing is this HUGE diamond. You can walk in at one part and there are people casually talking and walking in like they are very familiar with the place and there are some more strolling out. I am watching some come and go from the inside and the walls are pure see through. Bright and streaming with light, which is not surprising wince it is day outside and there are mirrors placed above our heads that catch the light and bounce it in all directions down corridors that wind through the diamond.

I think I really live there, probably because I know when that new city IS here, I don't want to go and come, I just want to go in and stay. Everytime I think about it makes me smile. Everyone is so....casually happy with no end to that in sight.

Isn't that silly? Living in a diamond.

Its not silly at all....remember, the walls of our home in heaven is layered with precious stones and paved with gold!

God loved Abraham, Issac, and Israel because they believed God.

The Bible says: God loved the blood-line-Nation of Israel , not because they were better, stronger, smarter than the gentiles, but FOR THE FATHERS' SAKE. God loved the Nation because God loves Abraham.

Think of all the events in the history of the Nation. The Writing of the Scriptures, the Wandering, the Conquest of the Land, the Judges, the Golden Age of David and Solomon, the Prophecies of the Coming Messiah, the Captivity, the Release of the Captives, the Birth and Death of the Savior, etc
God and the Nation went thru all these things TOGETHER.
Think how my heart goes out to my son, even though he's rebellious and foolish.
The Nation was (and is) very wicked, but God loves the nation.
And God used the Nation to accomplish Wonderful Things (Israel brought the Scriptures and the Savior into the world. And Israel is a picture of the suffering and sorrow that comes to anyone who rejects Christ).

Many in that Nation were evil, but a REMNANT were Faithful, and were LOVED by God.

Today's Jews? Some are Orthodox Jews (not saved by Jesus).
Some are nominal, cultural, ethnic, bloodline Jews (not saved by Jesus).
Some are Atheists (not saved by Jesus).
There are a Few Jews (today) [a REMNANT] , that are saved by Jesus, because they are born-again-Christians.

All of the Jewish Nation are enjoying a special relationship and Blessing with Jesus, not because they're Faithful, but BECAUSE OF GOD'S LOVE for Abraham, Issac, Israel, and the REMNANT.
Likewise, my un-believing wife-and-children are NOT saved, BUT THEY ENJOY A SPECIAL relationship and Blessing with Jesus, because I believe Jesus.
Not because my wife deserves a special blessing, but because Jesus LOVES me.


dennis manning

I've always know this about Pat but love him anyway. He freely gave to me in my time of need. But l thought this was a telling and interesting article:




Post-Millennialism/Kingdom Now--Kinsella
--> Posted to Prophecy for October, 2005


Another Sign of the Times

One of the world's most famous post millennial evangelists said the recent spate of earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters may mean we 'might' be in the end times before the return of Christ as described by the Bible.

Interviewed on CNN, former presidential candidate and shoot-from-the-lip evangelist Pat Robertson told the audience:

"If you read back in the Bible, the letter of the apostle Paul to the church of Thessalonica, he said that in the latter days before the end of the age that the Earth would be caught up in what he called the birth pangs of a new order. And for anybody who knows what it's like to have a wife going into labor, you know how these labor pains begin to hit. I don't have any special word that says this is that, but it could be suspiciously like that."

In a nutshell, the post millennial school of interpretation teaches that Jesus will not return until Christianity becomes the prevailing global religion. Writes A. H. Strong in his Systematic Theology;

"Through the preaching of the Gospel in all the world, the kingdom of Christ is steadily to enlarge its boundaries, until Jews and Gentiles alike become possessed of its blessings, and a millennial period is introduced in which Christianity generally prevails throughout the earth."

Postmillennialists, therefore, believe that Jesus does not return until AFTER the Millennial Kingdom comes to a close. They believe it is the Church, not Christ Himself, that establishes the Kingdom of heaven here on earth.

Jesus does not return until His kingdom has been prepared to receive Him. It isn't Jesus that claims dominion over the earth, but rather, it is the Church that presents it to Him.

The millennium is not understood to involve a visible reign of Christ in the form of an earthly monarchy, nor is the millennial period to be taken literally as necessarily 1000 years long.

By contrast, I am a pre-millennialist. I believe Jesus will return for His Church before the Tribulation, and then He will return as conquering King at the conclusion of the Tribulation Period. He will then set up His earthly kingdom at Jerusalem, where He will rule the world for a thousand years.

Postmillennialism also teaches that there is no distinction between the Church and Israel. post millennial teaching says the Church IS spiritual Israel. The modern state of Israel has no place in God's plan for the last days.

Writes Charles Ryrie, "Postmillennialism conceives of the unfilled Abrahamic promises as being fulfilled by the church and, of course, not in any literal sense. It's method of interpretation is generally to spiritualize prophecy."

Pat Robertson holds to a form of postmillennialism called dominion theology or dominionism.

Robertson’s best-selling 1982 book, "The Secret Kingdom", written after the first "Washington for Jesus" rally and while he was beginning seriously to consider running for public office, could qualify as a primer on dominion theology.

Robertson told CNN; "What was called the blessed hope of the Bible is that one day Jesus Christ would come back again, start a whole new era, that this world order that we know would change into something that would be wonderful that we'd call the millennium. . . And before that good time comes there will be some difficult days and there will be likened to what a woman goes through in labor just before she brings forth a child."

When asked if the world was approaching that moment, Robertson said, "It's possible. I don't have any special revelation to say it is but the Bible does indicate such a time will happen in the end of time. And could this be it? It might be."

Assessment:

This isn't intended to ridicule Pat Robertson, although to me, the whole Reconstruction/Kingdom Now/Dominionist scheme of interpretation is ridiculous. Robertson said he had 'no special revelation' that these are the endtimes, but this 'could be it.'

More or less. I suppose. Maybe. Or, maybe not. Who knows?

That's the problem with interpreting the Bible literally throughout, while allegorizing and spiritualizing away those passages that deal with the last days. It works just fine until you realize you've run face-first into the last days, but NOW you've got the problem of figuring out what the heck to call them.

Robertson's social gospel begins to fall apart once one stops allegorizing away troublesome problems like predictions dealing with the apostasy of the last days leading to a major spiritual decline, rather than the Dominionist ideal of conquering the world for Christ before He returns.

The social gospel of amillennialism demands a spiritual resurgence that results in the 'kingdom of Christ steadily enlarging its boundaries, until Jews and Gentiles alike become possessed of its blessings' -- end times prophecy promises the exact opposite.

The Bible promises that 'evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.' (2nd Timothy 3:1-7) It promises that a global apostasy and spiritual decline will lead the world away from Christ and into the waiting arms of the antichrist. (2nd Thessalonians 2:7-8)

But there isn't a lot of prestige or money attached to being a premillennial Dispensationist -- who wants to be known as a prophet of doom and gloom?

Hal Lindsey is pretty famous because he awakened a sleeping world to the signs of the times, but it is the prophets of the social gospel who are the regular religious commentators on CNN and Fox that get all the airtime.

There will be those who will get angry at me or will write to point out this comment or that from Pat Robertson that suggest Robertson is a supporter of Israel, or a believer in the Rapture or takes Bible prophecy seriously. But that is because Robertson's theology shifts with the political winds.

It was only a couple of months ago Robertson was praying on-air for a liberal Supreme Court justice to die so there'd be an opening on the court. A week before that, he was advocating the assassination of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez.

But the point isn't Pat Robertson. It isn't even postmillennialism.

The point is that Robertson, a life-long advocate of the postmillennialist social gospel, seems to be preaching a form of premillennial Dispensationalism. But not because life-long advocates of premillennial Dispensationalism convinced him they were right.

The signs of the times did.

The church....??? the institution of Religion prepares the way to the LORD JESUS?


I don't think so. Only through the cross does our Lord Jesus provide the WAY, TRUTH and LIFE...

by no other way..and yes for those whom spead the good news the resurrection and the life only through coming to the Cross..and has already prepard the way, and that is through his only begotton son Jesus Christ our LORD. we are his vessels...but he has all the DOMINION not us.

God and Satan are in conflict for supremacy????What a laugh, GOD has already WON the Battle..it ended at the Cross...it is a matter of spiritual warefare within the hearts and minds of men and woman...and surrendering to Christ our LORD JESUS. I surrender God LOVES us...let us move forward with him...looking to him for guidance...always he knows us inside and out...the BEGINNING AND END..and how we will choose him or the WORLD. WE CHOOSE CHRIST DON't we...I surely hope so...for if we don't we are in a heap of troubles.

Jesus walks before us...for he said I prepare you a place with many mansions.

God has DOMINION over all Kingdoms of the Earth, it is his footstool.
He already knows the beginning and end....he knows all....and it was finished on the Cross, when he died so that we may live.

Wernotalone, AMEN, AMEN and AMEN!!

That was the Holy Spirit talking through you. You spoke God's words and cleared it all up. Yes Jesus is preparing a place for those who love Him. God has everything in control. If we follow Him, we have nothing to fear. His plans are always perfect!

God bless you!

You are quite a good preacher!!! I like the rest of the story as Paul Harvey says. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am there you will be also! Maranatha
justaservant