Roles Reversed: The Bible and Hurricane Katrina Revisited Part 1

Roles Reversed: Hurricane Katrina Part 1

Mark 4:35-41

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Sea of Galilee

Matthew 14:23-33

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come.And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Amos 4:7

7 And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

Our opening passages are meant to convey the power God holds over the elements and how He may direct them any way he so chooses. Many times yours truly has observed in the face of natural disasters media outlets call on clergy to give an opinion of how God is relative to such events. In some cases ministers often try to play down this aspect of God. (Personally I feel the reasoning behind this is some people would not use the prophetic aspect of judgment to entice new followers of the Lord.) To deny God's control or power over the elements is not proper teaching. In other words sometimes people have heard so much about what a loving God we have (and we do) that some ministers do not want to relate these types of judgments for fear of turning people away from God. If you like biblical prophecy and study it carefully then we realize that judgments are part of God's fatherly aspects as our creator. Sometimes we have trials and tribulations on our personal levels and sometimes we have trials and tribulations on a worldly level. In either case they are meant to convey our errors with faith and all are there to strengthen our faith. Many of what are called postmodern churches teach that God loves us no matter what we do. Have you ever noticed even talking with other believers as soon as you mention your a minister or student of prophecy (I consider myself both) it seems to set off some kind of alarm. We should not forget to teach the love of God but we also must not forget His jealous and judgmental nature.

Exodus 20:1-5

1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD your God, which have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 You shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make to you any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And showing mercy to thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

One recent event sparked the very question about God's control and authority in such situations. That incident was hurricane Katrina. Let's explore some of the comments that deny God's authority over such incidents.

The following quote comes from the RNS Religious News Service

Tuesday, September 20, 2005 Hurricane Katrina—Act of God?
 Quote of the Day: Bishop Carlton D. Pearson of Tulsa, Okla.

“God is a good God and doesn’t have or need to throw temper tantrums like a spoiled and undisciplined child, in order to get his way or because he appears not to have it. We should not attempt to reduce God to such mundane human variables.’’

-- Bishop Carlton D. Pearson of Higher Dimensions Ministries in Tulsa, Okla., commenting on his belief that Hurricane Katrina was not an act of God.


The following quotes are provided by the Columbus Ohio Dispatch

The Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, has plenty of references to an angry, vengeful God. But that doesn't have to be taken literally, said Benjy Bar-Lev, assistant rabbi and director of education at Temple Beth Shalom in New Albany.
 "We Jews don't read the Bible word for word," he said. The idea that God sends messages in tragedy is "a pretty ridiculous notion."
 "We live in an unpredictable world," Bar-Lev said. "God doesn't make one thing or another happen, but God is there to comfort us when those bad things do happen."

People want to find a reason for disaster, so they convince themselves that God is trying to tell us something, said the Rev. Chuck Freeman, pastor of Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church in suburban Austin, Texas.
 His essay on what lessons should be learned from the oil spill has been published on the online Huffington Post and elsewhere.
 Freeman said the oil spill and global warming are signs from nature, not God, and are indicating that "what you're doing is not working. It's not in harmony with the planet you're living on."

Human industry, not God, caused the oil spill, said Archbishop Gregory Aymond of the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans. Many of his parishioners are still rebuilding their lives after Hurricane Katrina and now face new devastation.

Though God allows evil and suffering, he always walks with those in pain and "shows us a way to rebuild our lives," Aymond said.
 Those who envision an enraged God lack understanding, he said.
 "To see God as one who is filled with revenge and who retaliates against his people is certainly not the God of the New Testament who Jesus portrays," Aymond said.

In a case like this last we need only revert to a passage we have explored in our earlier posts.

Matthew 5:16-18

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Luke 12:5-10

5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. 8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. 10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.

One of our frequently used verses concerning how God reverses the roles of the nations is from Deuteronomy below.
Deuteronomy 30:7

7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.

In every quote we just explored it seems as though God is not literal with His words. The NT God is different from the OT God or He loves us too much to inflict such punishment. Within this study we will discover exactly what God is telling us in Deuteronomy.

2ND Timothy 3:1-5

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

This last verse is a category that would fit the belief that God cannot control nature. If God can control nature He can use it for whatever purposes He sees fit and it's unwise to challenge His power in this regard. After all has God not given us plenty of evidence in the scripture concerning this? The very way God chose to cleanse the world He created in Genesis was by flood Genesis (7,8,and 9). One of the plagues of Egypt was the hailstones accompanied by thunder and fire (Exodus 9). These are just a couple of examples of many. Let's explore the science class of the Bible the book of Job for a few passages.

Job 21:14-22

14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? 16 Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me. 17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. 18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm <05492> carrieth away. 19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it. 20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. 19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it. 20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. 21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst? 22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.

Here we have an opportunity for a word study concerning the use of the word storm. This proves to be a most interesting choice of wording. Some of the quotations above seem to consider things like hurricane Katrina as nothing more than an act of nature. The word study below should put these ideas to rest. It also proves to be another example of ideology verses reading of scripture. When you want to learn about God which would you trust?

05492:
5492 cuwphah soo-faw' from 5486; a hurricane:--Red Sea, storm, tempest, whirlwind, Red sea. see HEBREW for 05486

05486:
5486 cuwph soof a primitive root; to snatch away, i.e. terminate:--consume, have an end, perish, X be utterly.

Job 26:5-10

5 Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. 6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. 7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. 8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. 9 He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. 10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.

Job 27:8-21

8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? 9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? 10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? 11 I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal. 12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain? 13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty. 14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. 15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep. 16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; 17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver. 18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh. 19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not. 20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest <05492> stealeth him away in the night. 21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm <08175> hurleth him out of his place.

As we can see the same Hebrew word  is used in verse 20 as we explored above associated with the word tempest. This does not change the meaning of the word we studied above  in the least. As a matter of fact it serves to intensify the meaning implied.

08175:
8175 sa`ar saw-ar' a primitive root; to storm; by implication, to shiver, i.e. fear:--be (horribly) afraid, fear, hurl as a storm, be tempestuous, come like (take away as with) a whirlwind.

Interesting enough we could by different implication be referencing a side effect to a hurricane such as the gale force winds or even a tornado may be spawned. These frequently occur with hurricanes. One of the oldest books in the Bible sharing so much information. we could almost be reading a book written yesterday. This is an interesting point to make because scoffers of the word and progressive intellectuals would consider the men and women of biblical times as primitive. This is another study in itself.

 Job 37:1-14

1 At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. 2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. 3 He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. 4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. 5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. 6 For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. 7 He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work. 8 Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. 9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. 10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. 11 Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: 12 And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. 13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. 14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

How clear this passage is in glorifying God and His creation. It would seem that our people of the clergy in their thoughts did not attend the science class of the Bible. Their thoughts may be influenced by secular teaching, philosophy or some other worldly form of education. Some may not feel these things important to discuss but if we can find 5 examples from above within 5 minutes it's a good bet there are perhaps hundreds teaching that there are limitations to God's power.

Job 38:22-32

22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, 23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? 24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth? 25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; 26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; 27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? 28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? 29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? 30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. 31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? 32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? 33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

Arcturus Star System

As stated in the heading on the home page of this blog the Bible is our text book. The passages we just explored are from what is considered one of the oldest books of the Bible. Some scholars date the book of Job in some cases before the time of Moses. There is very little doubt among most researchers the book is one of the most ancient of the Bible. In comparison to the earlier quotations concerning Katrina it would make one wonder if some teach what they want the Bible to say or if they are actually teaching what it says. Amen!

Thus far in some of the areas we have explored we have found geographical subjects. We have explored legal subjects. We most certainly have learned some history. In the case of Job we have discovered some interesting facts concerning science and weather. We find allusions to gravity (Job 26:7), the frozen oceans that describe what we know as the polar seas(Job 38:30-33) and in the same passage we have reference to constellations of the stars for a bit of astronomy. In a subject that will be preached upon later we will discover how the simple understanding God is in control is perverted by what we call in my neck of the woods 25$ words and technical jargon. After all most of what we know as science in our classrooms are theories which are taught as facts especially evolution. Even Jesus Himself explains best in Matthew 18.

Matthew 18:1-6

1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Matthew 11:25-27

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Psalm 83

8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? 9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? 10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? 11 I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal. 12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain? 13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty. 14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. 15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep. 16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; 17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver. 18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh. 19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not. 20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night. 21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.

If you notice carefully the Psalmist makes a direct quotation from the passage of Job 27. Now that we have pretty well established how God is in control of all things big and small. This writing is taking place on the 100th day of the oil spill on 19 April 2010. It has been observed on a couple of informative shows such as Hannity and Huckabee on Fox News how products like hay, polyester,other microfibers and bacteria easily absorb oil or digest it from the surface of sea water. The folks involved also have some ways of massive scale deployment of these products and ideas. However as the president surrounds himself with the so called brilliant minds of the world it appears that these ideas which have been demonstrated to work are too simple for the educated. Sometimes we can become so educated in the world that we forget what common sense is. This is a society lesson based on Jesus' words from Matthew 11. Now as we have a current problem in the Gulf of Mexico the study will take new look at the costliest disaster in United States history. Please don't regard Katrina as old news and opt not to read this. There have been many brilliant studies and biblical parallels to the event. However as yours truly watched the events unfold it became more and more evident there was somewhere in the scripture we would find a prophetic mirror. If you have not noticed the word "I" very rarely appears and I really try to keep it that way. The reason being it can be very easy to slip into the realm of those who try and inject their own ideologies into a matter. This particular ministry wants to glorify God, Jesus and the church in that order. So please forgive me when the word "I" pops up once in a while. Thank you for your patience and God Bless all.

The Role Reversals of the Nations Part 8

Ezekiel 20:5-6

5 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God; 6 In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

Ezekiel 20:15

15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

Here is a prophecy in which God proclaims the land He chose as the glory of all the lands. God also in this prophecy demonstrates He will control who enters or does not enter the land. We closed out our previous study looking at maps drawn up by the United Nations Mandate of 1947 concerning Israel. If we closely looked upon the maps from the time of Joshua to the time of the mandate there are multiple discrepancies. However there is no greater discrepancy than what the nations of the earth do with the territory of Jerusalem. As can easily be seen the eastern part of Jerusalem which the Palestinian people want to be the capitol of their so called state falls into a UN controlled location. The United Nations supposedly speaking for all nations does not recognize Israel's sovereignty in Jerusalem at all. The so called international community is against their control of the city. As we mentioned in part 5 Jerusalem has a very volatile history having been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times. As God fearing Bible believing Christians does the United Nations represent how we feel about God, the Jewish people and Jerusalem. There are misguided groups of individuals who use the Bible to their advantage to preach hatred and racism. It would appear they are not reading the Bible or they have forgotten or conveniently set aside the entire OT teachings. Not only those scenarios but we would have to mention that Jerusalem appears 3 times in the book of Revelation. Israel also appears 3 times in the book of Revelation. When we began this study way back when we looked heavily upon this verse:

Deuteronomy 30:7

7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.

Ezekiel 20:40-42
40 For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. 41 I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. 42 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.

Here we have Israel back in the land and unkind words for the heathen.

In Joshua chapter 10 there are 5 kings allied against Israel including Adonizedek king of Jerusalem. The 5 kings retreat from Joshua's attacks into a cave. We see below what happens next.

Joshua 10:17-26

17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. 18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: 19 And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand. 20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities. 21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. 22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave. 23 And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 24 And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. 25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. 26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.

The fact Joshua drove the heathen leadership out of the territory of Jerusalem is a clear indication God did not intend for His holy city to be shared with any nation. However in the allotments of the tribes it fell to Judah and Benjamin to drive the Jebusites out of Jeruslem. They failed in their task.

Joshua 15:8

8 And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite <02983>; ; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward:

02983:
2983 Yebuwciy yeb-oo-see' patrial from 2982; a Jebusite or inhabitant of Jebus:--Jebusite(-s). see HEBREW for 02982

02982:
2982 Ybuwc yeb-oos' from 947; trodden, i.e. threshing-place; Jebus, the aboriginal name of Jerusalem:--Jebus. see HEBREW for 0947

00947:
947 buwc boos a primitive root; to trample (literally or figuratively):--loath, tread (down, under (foot)), be polluted.

It would appear the Jebusites false worship activities were looked upon by God as polluting His land. God most certainly did intend to trample them down.

Joshua 15:63

63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.

Judges 1:8

8 Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.

Judges 1:21

21 And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.

It appears Judah's first efforts were unsuccessful but later according to Judges they achieved their goal. Unfortunately Benjamin was not as succesful. Apparently this mixture of cultures having different worship habits lasted until the time frame of David. When David moved from Hebron to Jerusalem he drove the Jebusites out of the city.

2ND Samuel 5:4-10

4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah. 6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. 7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.

The passage explains that Zion as a stronghold was overtaken by David also known as the city of David which is also Jerusalem. Again we see God did not intend to share His land with anyone other than whom He appointed.

Matthew 24:6-8 Signs of the End of the Age

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake

Matthew 24:28-30

28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Mark 13:23-26 Signs of the End of the Age

23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. 24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Luke 21:25-28 Signs of the End of the Age

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

You are probably wondering wha'ts up with the repetition of these passages. Well let's just say that this is an example of a loving God who is not a hypocrite. These words that Jesus declares pronouncing judgment for the world of haters and unbelievers appear in 3 out of 4 Gospels. These are the actions of a loving God living up to His own expectations concerning witness and judgment.

Deuteronomy 19:15

15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

God keeps His own statutes being the point here.

Isaiah 13:8-11

8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. 9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. 11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

Isaiah 24:18-23 The Lord's Devastation of the Earth

18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. 19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. 20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. 21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. 22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. 23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

 
Please notice the similarities between these prophetic passages from Isaiah compared to Jesus' words concerning end times activity. There are verses describing sorrows or birth pangs in addition celestial events. We have descriptions of earthquakes and Luke calls attention to the sea and the waves roaring. Now there are some thank God not a lot who are teaching these events have transpired. The reason we know better is because the world as we know it obviously has not experienced the judgments the prophet and the Savior have warned. Another reason we know better is because when Jesus is providing us with specific things to watch for the nation of Israel is preparing to undergo captivity again at the hands of the Roman empire. The parable of the fig tree we have explored so much in this study has not been fulfilled and would not be until approximately 1,918 years later. So to consider these verses fulfilled is a mistake.
 
Isaiah 26:21

21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

This chapter in Isaiah involves another subject in prophecy known as the rapture. This is for another day but just a little food for prophetic thought who follow the subject. It is an event which will definitely take place and to further explore that subject as with all studies is to read out the entire prophecy for one's self. The particular subject matter we are dealing with involves what we want to be raptured out of or away from. This being said it should be recognized that there events to some degree associated with these prophecies all will encounter. This is why we want to know the Savior and only way out of most of this calamity that is coming upon the earth JESUS. Amen!

Jeremiah 9:23-26

23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. 25 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; 26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.

Zephaniah 1:14-18

14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. 17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

It might be worth mentioning that wealth and power are specifically focused upon as being useless at this point in prophecy. Just a little more food for thought which will be explored in the future (if we are still here) is the financial condition that we hear about if we watch the right type of news sources. The financial failures which we hear about include the world's superpowers and many others. One thing we do not hear about though is Israel being mentioned concerning the financial failures around the world. Another way in which roles will be reversed possibly beginning in our midst as we speak. It's a given fact that yours truly and many others who indulge in these issues biblically will be ridiculed and scorned. That is just fine because Israel encountered the same disbelief as we have studied. It's just fine also because that ridicule and scorn is fulfillment of God's prophesies also. People who are atheists and haters of God unfortunately do not know the realization that their very attitudes are seen as criteria for God's judgment and prophetic fulfillment. Amen!



Joel 3:1-2

1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

The Kidron Valley known as the valley of Jehoshaphat

 
After WW1 at the treaty of Versailles the Balfour Declaration explored in part 6 was incorporated as part of the agreements being put forth. The meetings consisted of 33 nations represented primarily by the United States, the British Empire, France, Italy, Japan and the German Reich. The word Jerusalem in the the KJV(King James Version) appears 626 times between the books of Joshua and Malachi. It appears 141 times in the NT. This alone tells us that Jerusalem is the most important city on earth to God. At the time of the treaty the British empire had control of Jerusalem. Thanks to God looking over General Edmund Allenby. It should be mentioned that this treaty in many ways shaped the nations as we know today. The treaty split and divided the German empire, the Ottoman Turk empireand the Austro-Hungarian empire. This left parts of Europe and the Middle East under French and British Mandates. This is how Jerusalem was controlled by British Mandate until 1947. 
 
This is where the problems facing the world as we know it today begin. As we explored in parts 6 and 7 God has some spiritual spankings in store for a world trying to divide His land. The United States is included in these spankings. Although the United States has probably treated God's people as well as any nation on earth there have been flaws and errors along the way. However as a nation the United States has become very involved in the peace process between Israel and her Arab neighbors. In the OT the Philistines were one of the biggest thorns in the side of Israel. They remain so today with their modern name Palestinians. The only reason they share this name with the territory as we have explored in part 4 is because the Roman emperor Hadrian did everything he could to destroy the entire nation of Israel including changing the name of the land to Palestine. Below is some history in detail of his hatred.

In 130, Hadrian visited the ruins of Jerusalem, in Judaea, left after the First Roman-Jewish War of 66–73. He rebuilt the city, renaming it Aelia Capitolina after himself and Jupiter Capitolinus, the chief Roman deity. A new temple dedicated to the worship of Jupiter was built on the ruins of the old Jewish Second Temple, which had been destroyed in 70. In addition, Hadrian abolished circumcision, which was considered by Romans and Greeks as a form of bodily mutilation and hence "barbaric". These anti-Jewish policies of Hadrian triggered in Judaea a massive Jewish uprising, led by Simon bar Kokhba and Akiba ben Joseph. Following the outbreak of the revolt, Hadrian called his general Sextus Julius Severus from Britain, and troops were brought from as far as the Danube. Roman losses were very heavy, and it is believed that an entire legion, the XXII Deiotariana was destroyed. Indeed, Roman losses were so heavy that Hadrian's report to the Roman Senate omitted the customary salutation "I and the legions are well". However, Hadrian's army eventually put down the rebellion in 135, after three years of fighting. According to Cassius Dio, during the war 580,000 Jews were killed, 50 fortified towns and 985 villages razed. The final battle took place in Beitar, a fortified city 10 km. southwest of Jerusalem. The city only fell after a lengthy siege, and Hadrian only allowed the Jews to bury their dead after a period of six days. According to the Babylonian Talmud, after the war Hadrian continued the persecution of Jews. He attempted to root out Judaism, which he saw as the cause of continuous rebellions, prohibited the Torah law, the Hebrew calendar and executed Judaic scholars (see Ten Martyrs). The sacred scroll was ceremonially burned on the Temple Mount. In an attempt to erase the memory of Judaea, he renamed the province Syria Palaestina (after the Philistines), and Jews were forbidden from entering its rededicated capital. When Jewish sources mention Hadrian it is always with the epitaph "may his bones be crushed" (שחיק עצמות or שחיק טמיא, the Aramaic equivalent[49]), an expression never used even with respect to Vespasian or Titus who destroyed the Second Temple. Below a map of the area with its newly acquired name.

 

Let's explore some verses and passages representing God's feelings about the subject.

Psalm 122:6

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

Psalm 125:1-2

A Song of degrees.

1 They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. 2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.

Psalm 135:21

21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

 
Isaiah 30:18-19

18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. 19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
 
Isaiah 51:14-23

14 The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. 15 But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name. 16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people. 17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. 18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up. 19 These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee? 20 Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God. 21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: 22 Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: 23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

Jeremiah 3:16-17

16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more. 17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

Ezekiel 36:33-38

Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. 34 And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. 35 And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. 36 Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. 37 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock. 38 As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

The next passage found in Zechariah says it all for today's world. Notice verses 1-3 with much attention if you are curious as to the fate of all nations. God will be Israel's defender and executioner as the whole of the world will be turned against Israel and the city of Jerusalem. Here are some possibilities for the United States and their role in all this. The nation has collapsed internally or financially. The United States has turned against Israel or is already defeated by some military action. The United States is drawn into the conflict and destroyed by God. One thing needs to be pefectly clear it's all going to be about God, His love for His city Jerusalem and His nation Israel. Now as to the condition of the church (Christianity) things are not so bleak because we have the right hand of God upon us as believers Jesus. Some my look at the issues this way the bride of God is the land and nation of Israel and the bride of Jesus. Just as God will be the shield of the nation of Israel Jesus will be the shield of His followers being the church.

Zechariah 12

1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. 2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 3 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. 4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. 5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God. 6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. 7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. 8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; 14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

Matthew 12:14-18

14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. 15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16 And charged them that they should not make him known: 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

John 5:22-27

22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

The Role Reversals of the Nations Part 7

Matthew 25:31-32

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations<3588> <1484: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Matthew 24:27-35  Signs of the End of the Age

27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Matthew 24:42-44

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

The Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim lands refers to the 20th century mass departure of Jews, primarily of Sephardi and Mizrahi background, from Arab and Islamic countries. The migration started in the late 19th century and peaked following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Between 800,000-1,000,000 Jews left their homes in Arab countries due to persecution and anti-Semitism. Lebanon had been the only Arab country to see a temporal increase in its Jewish population between 1948-1967
 
 

Yemenite Jews En Route to Holy Land

 

The Ship Named Exodus

As we prepare to begin looking at the new roles of the nations we have more prophetic passages to look at regarding God, His chosen people Israel and His chosen land. As we will see God considers His people and His land to be the same. The prophecies we have explored so far are all indicative to the times we are living in today. A time when Israel would be flourishing in the desert. A time when Jerusalem would be rebuilt. A time which we will begin to explore in which the world is trying to decide how God's land should be mapped out. This is as big a mistake with God as the mistreatment of His chosen nation. We are all children of God thanks to the gift of pardon Jesus provided going to the cross. Let's make no mistake about it though Israel is back in their land and the time for the reversals of stature with God are already upon us. As we have explored before the judgments of the OT on the nation of Israel are examples of things which have been. The judgments for the world become the things which shall be and some have already taken place. However God states Israel will not go completely unpunished in the course of events leading to the return of the Lord Jesus. The nation of Israel however is in the promised land to stay. From 1948-1949, the Israeli government secretly airlifted 50,000 Jews from the Yemen and from 1950–1952, 130,000 Jews were airlifted from Iraq. From 1949-1951, 30,000 Jews fled Libya to Israel. In these cases over 90% of the Jewish population opted to leave, despite the necessity of leaving their property behind.

Amos 9:9-15

9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. 10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us. 11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. 13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. 14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. 15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

Joel 2:16-32

16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? 18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: 20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost <0314> sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things. 21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. 25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. 26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. 27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, <0310>, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

We have spotlighted verses 20 and 28 in order to demonstrate again we are dealing with end times prophecy within this passage. We'll place the word study below for those who may not have explored some of the other segments of this study.
 
00310:
310 'achar akh-ar' from 309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses):--after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with. see HEBREW for 0309

00314:
314 'acharown akh-ar-one' or (shortened) ;acharon akh-ar-one'; from 309; hinder; generally, late or last; specifically (as facing the east) western:--after (-ward), to come, following, hind(-er, -ermost, -most), last, latter, rereward, ut(ter)most. see HEBREW for 0309

We are looking yet again at another prophecy relating to Jesus' words in the end of the age passages and chapters of scripture. The great gathering of the Jewish people back into their homeland after centuries of persecution and being scattered throughout the earth just as God foretold. As we see this is also telling of the time that the Lord shall pour forth His Glory, His judgment and His wrath upon the nations of the earth. Amen!

1948 Jewish population     Estimated 2001     Estimated 2008
Aden          8,000                                   0                           0
Algeria  140,000                                  0                           0
Bahrain  550-600                               36                         30
Egypt     75,000-80,000              ~100      fewer than 100
Iraq       135-140,000                    7-8           fewer than 100 
Lebanon    5-20,000                     <100        fewer than   40
Lybia       35-38000                            0                           0
Morocco 250-265,000                 5,230    fewer than 7,000
Syria          15-30,000                   ~100        fewer than 300
Tunisia       50-105,000               ~1,000    fewer than 1,500
Yemen       45-50,000        few hundreds               300-330
Totals     758-881,000             <7,300              <9,400 
 
Joel 3

1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will also gather all nations,<01471>, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. 3 And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink. 4 Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head; 5 Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: 6 The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. 7 Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head: 8 And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it. 9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. 11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. 12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. 13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. 17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. 18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. 19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. 20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. 21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

The great gathering of the nations to be assembled for what could be called a final earthly showdown of good and evil. As we studied in the NT (new testament) in part 5 there is a specific identification used for the word nations. That word being ethnos. God also has a very distinct messages to the nations. Notice in verse 2 God specifically addresses nations that dealt directly with the Hebrew people in that have scattered them abroad and also and perhaps more importantly for those nations that try to tell God what to do with His land. Here we can find another interesting word study. Below is the NT word Jesus uses to name the nations followed by the OT word used by the Lord given to the prophets. It appears the Hebrew and the Greek are specific in describing the type of nations and people that will fall into this judgment.

01484:
1484 ethnos eth'-nos probably from 1486; a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan):--Gentile, heathen, nation, people. see GREEK for 1486

Here in the OT we have the same identification so there is no confusion about what is going to happen when this time comes. It appears that the nations suffering from unbelief and animosity toward both believers and the nation of Israel will be brought together for a massive defeat at the hands of the Lord.

1471:
1471 gowy go'-ee rarely (shortened) goy go'-ee; apparently from the same root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:--Gentile, heathen, nation, people. see HEBREW for 01465

Let's isolate verses 2 and 3 and see what we find.

2 I will also gather all nations,<01471>, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted <02505> my land. 3 And they have cast <03032> lots <01486> for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink

02505:
2505 chalaq khaw-lak' a primitive root; to be smooth (figuratively); by implication (as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or separate:--deal, distribute, divide, flatter, give, (have, im-)part(-ner), take away a portion, receive, separate self, (be) smooth(-er).

3032:
3032 yadad yaw-dad' a primitive root; properly, to handle (compare 3034), i.e. to throw, e.g. lots:--cast. see HEBREW for 03034

01486:
1486 gowral go-rawl' or (shortened) goral go-ral'; from an unused root meaning to be rough (as stone); properly, a pebble, i.e. a lot (small stones being used for that purpose); figuratively, a portion or destiny (as if determined by lot):--lot.

Here we are able to more specifically state that God is addressing the nations of the earth. Sure we can read the verses and easily see what God is declaring. However upon further detail to definitions we can literally see God is stating the nations that not only assigned His land, but also by implication have taken away portions of His intended purposes. This most certainly is the case as we will see in the following maps. First we will look at a couple of maps representative to the Lord's intentions based upon scripture.

Genesis 13:14-18

14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. 18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

This is one of the earliest references to what we know as the nation of Israel.

The Land in the Time of Joshua's Conquests

The Land During the Time of David

The most important area to keep in mind is the area of Jerusalem. As we can clearly see in both the above maps that area is in firm control of the Israelites. There are no disputes or questionable rights to who should have control of the land. The only instruction regarding the entire nation came from God Himself. We briefly explored the facts surrounding essentially what would be a civil war and a divided kingdom in part 4. This was brought about by God. We also have a passage of scripture describing an encounter with an ancient king of a place called Salem and Abraham in Genesis.

Genesis 14:18-20

18 And Melchizedek <04442> king of Salem <08004> brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Now without going to deep into this at the present time let's explore 2 quick word studies. On epertains to the mysterious individual Abraham meets. The other the first mention of the city of God Jerusalem.

04442:

4442 Malkiy-Tsedeq mal-kee-tseh'-dek from 4428 and 6664; king of right; Malki-Tsedek, an early king in Palestine:--Melchizedek. see HEBREW for 04428 see HEBREW for 06664
 
04428:
4428 melek meh'-lek from 4427; a king:--king, royal. see HEBREW for 04427  

04427:
4427 malak maw-lak' a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel:--consult, X indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to) reign(-ing), rule, X surely.

06664:
6664 tsedeq tseh'-dek from 6663; the right (natural, moral or legal); also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity:--X even, (X that which is altogether) just(-ice), ((un-))right(-eous) (cause, -ly, - ness). see HEBREW for 06663

06663:
6663 tsadaq tsaw-dak' a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense):--cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just(-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be turn to) righteous(-ness).

One of the more common translations of the word Melchizedek is "my king of righteousness." Their encounter is much more than passing by in the desert. Notice they share bread and wine and tithes in what we could call the first recorded communion service in the Bible.

08004:
8004 Shalem shaw-lame' the same as 8003; peaceful; Shalem, an early name of Jerusalem:--Salem. see HEBREW for 08003
 
08003:
8003 shalem shaw-lame' from 7999; complete (literally or figuratively); especially friendly:--full, just, made ready, peaceable, perfect(-ed), quiet, Shalem (by mistake for a name), whole. see HEBREW for 07999
 
07999:
7999 shalam shaw-lam' a primitive root; to be safe (in mind, body or estate); figuratively, to be (causatively, make) completed; by implication, to be friendly; by extension, to reciprocate (in various applications):--make amends, (make an) end, finish, full, give again, make good, (re-)pay (again), (make) (to) (be at) peace(-able), that is perfect, perform, (make) prosper(-ous), recompense, render, requite, make restitution, restore, reward, X surely.
 
So we have a communion service between Abraham and a mysterious king of righteousness from what would become the city of Jerusalem. The chosen city of God. We explored in part 6 an agreement between the 2 representatives for the Jewish and Arab parties involved in the establishment of the Jewish homeland. Chaim Weizmann and King Faisal brought forth an agreement which would eventually fail. In this agreement Chaim Weizmann put forth the following map of the territory Israel wanted to claim.
 
 

Map showing the boundaries of the Jewish state proposed by Zionists at the Paris Conference, superimposed on modern boundaries

We can begin to close out this section of study with a map of what the UN (United Nations) decided that the Jewish people could have. Before looking at this particular map study the similarities of what the Zionist Congress put forth compared to the established biblical boundaries we looked at above.
 
 

You Can Click to Enlarge

Joel 3:2-4
 
1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. 3 And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink. 4 Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;
 
Romans 15:3
 
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.