"Never Again!" or "Yes, Again!"

Chapter 16

A Dilemma for Christians

Israel, Back in the Nation’s Own Land, BUT…

“…and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:  and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even unto the consummation, and that determined shall be poured out upon the desolate” (Dan. 9:26b, 27).

“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out;  and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there:  and the last state of the man is worse than the first.  Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation” (Matt. 12:43-45).

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.

Behold your house is left unto you desolate.

For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matt. 23:37-39).

The preceding verses from the Books of Daniel and Matthew have to do with:

1)  A “house” (the house of Israel, which includes the Jewish people, the city of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel [all three inseparably interrelated]) left desolate at Christ’s first coming.

2)  The duration of this desolation.

3)  The activities of a final desolator.

This final desolator — foreshadowed by men such as the Assyrian Pharaoh in Egypt during Moses’ day, or Haman during Esther’s day — will be an individual far, far worse than either of these individuals or any other individual who has ever appeared during Man’s 6,000-year Day (e.g., far, far worse than Hitler during modern times).

And this man, through his actions, will bring about an APEX and END to activities associated with “desolation” as it pertains to the house of Israel.

A nation has existed in the land of Israel since May 14, 1948 — a nation and land which Christ left “desolate” (Matt. 23:38);  or, in the words of Matt. 12:44, a house which Christ left “empty, swept, and garnished [i.e., put in order relative to its vacated state]” — with the nation awaiting the man whom God will use to bring all of it to an APEX, and then to an END.

And Israel’s current status in this respect presents a problem for Christians relative to Israel.

But, before beginning to look at this problem, note a couple of necessary comments on the KJV translation in Dan. 9:26b, 27:

On the latter part of verse twenty-six, the thought has to do with the end (latter part of the Tribulation to the end) being likened to a “flood” (suddenness, destruction);  and the continuing part of this verse should read, “and unto the end, war and desolations are determined.”

Then, in verse twenty-seven, in the latter part of the verse again, this man, referred to as “the desolator” at the end of the verse (corrected translation), cannot, in actuality, make the “house” any more desolate than it has existed for the past 2,000 years (which the KJV translation implies).  The translation “for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even unto the consummation” could be better translated, “upon the wings of a desolator, abominations will continue unto the end.”

“Wings,” as “flood” (v. 26b), has to do with the swiftness in which the desolator will move, continuing abominations associated with the house which Christ left desolate, continuing in this manner right up to “the end.”

And “the end” takes one to Christ’s return at the end of the Tribulation to do away with the desolation by bringing to pass the six things listed in Dan. 9:24 (the verse introducing verses 25-27).

(The words translated “desolate” in both Dan. 9:27 and Matt. 23:38 [Heb., shemamah; Gk., eremos] have to do with “a desert place” [cf. Matt. 12:43].  Contextually, the reference would be to a place void of water, life — void of the One Who said, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink [John 7:37b];  void of the One Who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” [John 14:6a].

This is the condition in which Israel, whether in the land or out of the land, has existed for the past 2,000 years.  And this coming desolator will have one dual goal in view — to not only make sure that the nation remains in its current desolate condition but attempt the complete destruction of this nation in the process, the same type destruction which God pronounced upon the Amalekites in Ex. 17:14, utterly blotting out any remembrance of Israel from under heaven [cf. Ps. 83:4].

For additional information on this future desolator, refer to the author’s book, Distant Hoofbeats.  Also, refer to Chapter XIII in this book.)

Viewing the Problem for Christians

The problem surrounding the whole of the matter has to do with something which few Christians seem to understand at all.  In fact, the vast majority of Christians have matters completely turned around, understanding the situation in an opposite respect to the way that it actually exists.

And this situation centers around how some 6,000,000 Jews, presently in the land covenanted to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through an everlasting covenant — forming the present nation of Israel — are to be viewed.

That is, are the Jewish people which have progressively been streaming back into the land from all parts of the earth since May 14, 1948 (when Israel declared statehood) a work of God fulfilling either ALL or PART of His numerous Old Testament promises to one day bring this to pass?

Or, is this a work of man in a Zionistic movement, completely apart from the fulfillment of ANY of God’s Old Testament promises to one day bring this to pass (though allowed by God in order to subsequently bring certain O.T. events to pass, which necessitate a nation existing in the land during the first half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week)?

(On the first part of the preceding [God presently restoring the Jewish people in accordance with either ALL or PART of His numerous promises to do so], which the vast majority of Christians viewing the matter would adhere to one way or the other, there are two major schools of thought.

Those forming one school of thought see God progressively restoring the Jewish people in accordance with ALL of His O.T. promises to do so, with some even seeing God healing the land as well [e.g., through reclaimed land for agricultural purposes, etc.].

Those forming the other school of thought recognize that restoring all of the Jewish people in an unbelieving and unrepentant state presents a problem;  and they see God restoring only part of His people, in accordance with PARTICULAR O.T. promises, as somewhat of a preliminary Divine work, allowing God to later deal with them relative to their current state [either in or near the land;  e.g., in Petra, where many of those holding both views believe that the Jews in the land will flee in the middle of the Tribulation (cf. Matt. 24:15ff)].

But, solely from a Biblical standpoint, both of the preceding schools of thought are completely flawed.  In actuality, one is no more correct than the other.  And either will take a person down the wrong path, preventing a proper understanding of end-time events surrounding Israel and the nations.

God, because of the continued disobedience of the Jewish people, had previously uprooted His people from their land and had driven them out among the nations.  And it was here, among the nations, not in their own land, that God had decreed that He would deal with His people through Gentile persecution, ultimately effecting repentance.

And, if for no other reason, this is why the Jews presently in the land will have to be uprooted and driven back out among the nations, for this is where God had previously decreed that He would deal with them — not in the land, not in Petra, but out among the nations.

For additional information on the preceding, refer to “The Woman in Revelation,” Appendix I, in the author’s book, Mystery of the Woman.)

That which has been occurring in the Middle East since May 14, 1948 CANNOT possibly be God restoring His people to their land in accordance with ANY Old Testament prophecy bearing on the subject, and showing this is a very simple matter if one remains solely within Scriptural guidelines.

And, with an open Bible, in one respect, it is amazing that any Christian would miss it;  but, in another respect, because of the manner in which the vast majority of Christians view Scripture these days, particularly the types, the status quo in this respect is quite understandable.

There are a number of clearly delineated reasons why it would be quite impossible for God to presently be restoring the Jewish people to their land in fulfillment of ANY of His numerous promises to do so.  Or, to state that another way, there are a number of clearly delineated reasons (presented in the different chapters in this book) why God would be acting completely contrary to His Word — an impossibility — if He is presently restoring the Jewish people in accordance with ANY of His Old Testament promises to do so.

Viewing the Dilemma for Christians

The dilemma facing Christians today, pertaining to all of the preceding, has to do with the Jewish people presently in the land.  They, through Zionistic efforts, have re-entered a house left desolate.

The Jewish people, apart from repentance, apart from their Messiah, and apart from allowing Him to effect their restoration, have sought to emancipate themselves from exile, return to their homeland in this manner, and resume Jewish sovereignty in the land of Israel.  And they have done this while ignoring the fact that the complete house has been left “desolate,” “empty, swept, and garnished” (the people, their city [Jerusalem, which would include the Temple Mount], and their land).

And by doing this, through man’s efforts, before the time, the Jewish people have guaranteed that God’s reaction to that which has been done, resulting in His actions, will be multiplied SEVENFOLD.

The furnace will be heated SEVEN times hotter than it would have been — in this case, judgments during the coming Tribulation will be multiplied SEVENFOLD above what they would have been — had the Jewish people remained out among the nations where God had driven them (cf. Lev. 26:18-31; Dan. 3:17-25; Matt. 12:43-45).

Resultingly, coupled with untold sufferings, two-thirds of the earth’s Jewish population will perish during this time (some 9,000,000 by today’s count).

Now, the dilemma surrounding all of this for Christians:

How can Christians befriend the Jewish people (Gen. 12:1-3; Matt. 25:31ff) but yet not give credence to that which they have done, i.e., befriend the Jewish people but, at the same time, not have a part in helping Israel continue attempting to circumnavigate God’s plans and purposes for the nation?

Answering the question will be left to the reader, only pointing out that the question can be answered and the activity involved be accomplished.