Many people say that modern day Israel is God's prophecy fulfilled and must be preserved if the Lord is to return. They often cite Rev. 16:16. What does the Bible say about modern day Israel, its role in the world, and whether Christians should support its existence?
Questions Listed Under End of the World
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The topic of "Israel" is very much a part of many people's conversations regarding the End Times. Those who embrace the concept known as "millennialism" and especially the "dispensational premillennialists" (usually called "dispensationalists") are largely responsible for people thinking that the modern nation of Israel has a dominant role to play in the end-time drama that will unfold according to divine providence. But biblically, the modern nation of Israel is not assigned a specific role. The precise role the modern Jews or the modern nation of Israel are to play in these Last Days is dependent on divine providence, but nothing has been revealed in the Bible. We choose not to speculate on such things.
Dispensationalism is contrary to various clear and explicit Bible statements and based on misinterpretations of several Bible prophecies (mostly in the Old Testament). You mention Revelation 16:16 with its reference to Armageddon. Armageddon is Hebrew for "hill [or mountain] of Meggido" a frequent site of battles in the history of Palestine due to its strategic location. Dispensationalists understand the Bible verse as a reference to a physical battle to take place at that specific geographical location within the boundaries of modern Israel. When understood in its context of apocalyptic literature and visions, it may more reasonably be understood as a pictorial affirmation that the forces of evil (Satan and his angels plus wicked people hostile to the gospel and Christ's people) will be thoroughly dealt with by the Lord when he returns in glory. The modern nation of Israel, that is, the individual members of that nation, will be judged on the basis of their relationship to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The same is true of all mankind.
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I have heard people predict various specific dates for the end of the world. Their predictions are often based on mathematical anomalies and history found in the Bible. Do you think there is any validity to these predictions?
The history of the church has always had more than its share of false teachers who claim to have calculated and determined the time when Jesus will return in glory and judge mankind. While they may reach their conclusions in different ways, they all have one thing in common: they are false teachers and do not deserve our attention.
Jesus repeatedly emphasized that we are constantly and continuously to remain alert and prepared for the Last Day. That's ultimately all we know and need to know other than this: We are properly prepared for Christ's second coming when we know and rely on what he did for us at his first coming. Never are we instructed to calculate past dates of events (e.g., creation, the flood, Christ's crucifixion and resurrection), and never are we encouraged to calculate the future date of judgment day. Nowhere in the Bible are we given adequate information to enable us to do such things.
In other words, there is no validity to the subjective and irresponsible teachings of any date-setters.
Satan is delighted whenever Christians are misled by error or persuaded to focus inappropriate attention on worthless ideas at the expense of Bible truths including its central message about our sinfulness and our Savior Jesus Christ. The devil gets good use out of these false teachers and their sensationalistic pronouncements.
For trustworthy and edifying study helps, visit the Northwestern Publishing House's Web site and search for the book of Revelation.
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