Theme: Israel
JERUSALEM IS THE KEY IN THE PROPHETIC WORD

Matthew 25:6: "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go out to meet him." Without a doubt this message is an awakening cry for the church in the last days. When we read the story in Matthew 24 there was a multitude, which functioned as an awakening cry in that time, and fortunately some of the sleeping awakened, so that they could also meet the bridegroom. Isaiah 21:11-12: "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”
The watchman said, The morning comes, and also the night: if you will inquire, inquire: return, come." The watchman here is the prophetic word of the Word of God. When we are knowledgeable of the prophetic word we understand the reply of the watchman: there comes a morning, but also a night.

The message resounds. There comes a morning! Only here the morning comes before the night. What is this morning to which the prophetic word refers? Without a doubt it refers to first Thessalonians 4:14-18, which describes how the justified multitude is gathered home by Jesus himself. What is then the night that comes? This is the condition that will rule on earth after the return of Jesus, which the Bible calls the Great Tribulation.

The prophetic times

In the story in Matthew 14:24-32 two prophetic times are mentioned: 1. The coming of Jesus in the clouds to obtain the saved multitude of all nations: the first resurrection. 2. The coming of Jesus on the Mount of Olives to establish the kingdom of peace for Israel. We need to be careful not to mix up these two events.

We need to notice that Jesus walked on the lake to his disciples in the fourth night watch. This refers to the Jewish lineage and the nation Israel. The fourth night watch, which is the last night watch, is what we call dawn. It's important for the understanding of the prophetic word to notice that when Jesus entered the boat the storm calmed.

The Scripture tells us clearly and seriously that between the coming of Jesus in the clouds and the time when he again sets his feet on the Mount of Olives there will be a great tribulation on earth, which will exceed everything of tribulation that has ever been before. So when the disciples experienced a storm on the lake and fear gripped them, it's an image of the storm (tribulation), which is going to come and which no man can govern, but it's worth noticing that when it seemed practically hopeless for the ones he had chosen, Jesus came, and the storm vanished. Likewise the storm on earth will vanish when Jesus sets his feet on the Mount of Olives and establishes the peace kingdom for Israel. The Scripture tells us that the devil will be bound for a thousand years, and there will be peace.

Where is then the coming of Jesus in the clouds after the justified multitude in this story? In order to find the key in this we need to look at the division of the night at that time, which was into four night watches, each consisting of three hours. The first was: evening: the watch from 6 to 9 p.m., then: midnight: from 9 to 12 p.m. Then came: cock’s crow: from 12 p.m. to 3 a.m., and finally: Dawn: from 3 to 6 a.m. Midnight is the time in the prophetic calendar, in which Jesus comes in the clouds to bring the justified multitude home (Matthew 25:6). Dawn is the time when Jesus comes to the Mount of Olives to establish the peace kingdom for Israel.

The prophetic word is a key

The prophetic word is a key that can open the door to divine truth. Therefore the Scripture says: he who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The great danger today for many churches is unfortunately that they lean more and more toward the Lutheran and the Catholic Church and is thereby characterized by their false doctrines and their unbiblical interpretations, and this brings these churches great risk of getting lost. Amos 3:7: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he reveals his secret unto his servants the prophets." In other words, there are divine secrets that God wishes to reveal to his servants. However, the prophetic word is not always well received, as it seldom fits into human scheming, and the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God; it is foolishness unto him (I Corinthians 2:14).

It also needs to be said that there are many unbiblical and thereby false prophecies in our time, so it's important to try everything according to the word of God. Psalms 119:160 says: "the sum of your word is true” (the correct translation actually says: truth). It is important that we know the whole of the word of God; otherwise we are in danger of being seduced. Daniel 9:23: "understand the matter (the revelation), and consider the vision", and II Peter 1:19 says: "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:" I think we can safely say that the world today is a dark place, but, the Scripture says the prophetic word shines – not to the world, but to those who have accepted the word of truth.

Does the biblical prophecies influence our everyday lives?

The answer is an unconditional yes! This goes for all people and all ages. Let us take a few examples. The prophet Isaiah was given a prophetic message approximately 700 years before it happened. Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." The prophecy here proclaims an entirely impossible birth. Secondly, the prophecy indicates the sex of the child; a boy, and thirdly, the name is given. All of this was completely fulfilled at the birth of Jesus. All of Isaiah 53 is a prophecy about the suffering and death of Jesus and what this would entail for all of humankind, and all of this was also completely fulfilled.

John 1:11 says: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." The Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah and turned him over to the Gentiles. John 1:12: "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." This too is a prophecy which has been fulfilled; millions of people have experienced the truth of precisely this prophecy. It has affected humankind for the past 2000 years.

Israel's year of Jubilee

It's important for the understanding of the prophetic word that we notice the events, which the Scriptures point out to us. Psalms 102:13: "You shall arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favor her, yea, the set time, is come." This does not refer to the dispensation of grace, which has been for the Gentiles through 2000 years: no, this refers to the time of grace for Israel, when the time is come.

In Luke 21:24 Jesus predicts some events, of which not only the Jewish people and Jerusalem would be the object, but the entire world. The first prophecy was fulfilled in the year 70 when the Jews were scattered all over earth and the total destruction of Jerusalem took place. Jesus also timeframed Jerusalem's destiny by His prophecy, when He said that it would be trodden down until the time of the Gentiles was fulfilled. We have a date for when this happened, namely June 7, 1967. Too many Christians overlook this prophetic date, even though it was Jesus himself who spoke it.

When the UN on November 29, 1947 voted that the Jews would have a homeland in Palestine of that time, it was not with Jerusalem as its capital: it was divided just as the country was divided. The Gentiles also divided Jesus’ garments between them at the cross. It was said that Jerusalem was to be an international enclave under UN's guardianship. When one uses the term enclave one looks at the area as a foreign element in a certain state. This is perfectly consistent with the prophecies in Zechariah 12:2, which says: "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about," meaning the entire Arab world. Verse 3: "And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people." This refers to the UN, and, the prophecy continues, they who try to lift it will cut themselves to pieces.

The problem for the UN and the Arab countries is that they are never going to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. They will keep calling it occupied territory. Jerusalem is no enclave, but Israel's capital, which was delivered by the Jews on June 7, 1967. But the nucleus of the matter is that Jerusalem is the place where Jesus comes when he establishes the peace kingdom for Israel. The devil will do everything in his power to prevent this, but also here he miscalculates, because the prophetic word says in Zechariah 14:4: "And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east."

When Jesus sets his feet on the Mount of Olives it will be a year of Jubilee for Israel

Leviticus 25:10 tells us that every seventh year is a sabbatical year for Israel and that every 50th year is a year of Jubilee. In other words, it takes seven sabbatical years, 49 years, before the year of Jubilee. If you calculate from the deliverance of Jerusalem in 1967 and add seven sabbatical years, we come to the year of 2016, and from this 2017 will be the year of jubilee for Israel. Why shouldn't we calculate from the year of 1948 where Israel was proclaimed as an independent state? First of all, Jesus uses Jerusalem as his starting point in Luke 21:24, and, secondly, there has been no year of Jubilee from that date: on the contrary, terrorism and wars have dominated this space of time, and thirdly, the Jews have not yet been given the land, of which the prophecies speak.

The European Union: the Kingdom of the Antichrist

From January 2009 (as according to decisions when this article is written) the European Union is to inaugurate a president with great authorities and with an office span of 2 1/2 years. The Bible speaks of the Kingdom of Antichrist in the end times with a mighty man at the lead, and the Bible has named this character Antichrist. The Bible also clearly indicates the span of his reign, which is 2 times 3 1/2 years, in all 7 years. The 2 1/2 years, of which the European Union speak, can quickly be changed. If you calculate from the year 2009 and add the seven years of Antichrist, we again conclude at the year of 2016. It is of course questionable whether these years point to a coincidental fact or if it is the prophetic message, but one thing is certain: it's important to follow the development of the European Union, particularly around the inauguration of a president.

Are we able to calculate the prophetic years?

Of course we need always to be very careful in attempting this, but with this said we also have stories in the Bible a certain number of years concerning larger events. In Daniel 9:2 we read that Daniel became aware of the number of years in the books Jerusalem – according to the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah – would be in desolation, which was 70 years, and verse 23: "At the beginning of your supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show you; for you are greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision." The first Daniel was told to do was: understand the matter, and consider the vision. II Peter 1:19: We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place."

The 69 weeks of the prophetic years

With a starting point in Daniel 9:24-27 and Nehemiah 2:1 it takes us forward to the year 32 AD to the Jews' Easter month, nisan (March). This was when Jesus publicly stood forth as the messiah of the Jews when he rode into Jerusalem on a colt (Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19:29, John 12:12). Until that day Jesus had forbidden his disciples to make public that He was the Messiah, Christ, the anointed one. But on this predicted day Jesus stood forth as the anointed prince (Daniel 9:25) and He let himself be hailed as the Messiah by his disciple and all of the people. Even though the Pharisees told Him to correct His disciples, Jesus answered them: if these are silent, the stones will cry (Luke 19:39-40). The great prophetic day was come, and therefore Jesus came forth as the Messiah He is. This was the very last day of that 69 years week.

70 years’ weeks are in Daniel 9:24-27 determined for Israel up unto the complete establishment of the messianic kingdom, the kingdom for Israel, also called the year of jubilee for Israel.

The day of Pentecost, as the Jews called it, is the holiday which in the Old Testament is called the feast of weeks (Exodus 30 4:22, Numbers 28:26, Deuteronomy 16:10). It was also called the feast of the seven weeks because it was celebrated seven weeks after Easter. The Word Pentecost comes of the Greek word "pentekoste" which means the 70th day, which originally was a feast of praise for the harvest.

It's important for the understanding of the prophetic word that we keep the age of the Gentiles in the dispensation of grace separated, although these at times are parallel. It was after the feast of the seven weeks that the Holy Spirit came as the beginning of the dispensation of grace, while the times of the Gentiles started in the year 70 at the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jews among the Gentiles. The dispensation of grace is the opportunity of salvation for the individual person by faith in Jesus. Galatians 3:28: this time knows no difference of Jew and Gentile, slave and free, man and woman, for all are one in Christ Jesus. The dispensation of grace had its beginning on the day of Pentecost at the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh, and has its conclusion at the coming of Jesus in the clouds to bring home the saved multitude of all tongues. The time of the Gentiles started in the year 70 at the destruction of Jerusalem and has its conclusion when the Gentiles no longer have the power over Jerusalem (Luke 21:24). Jerusalem was delivered by the Israeli army on June 7, 1967: this is a historical fact as well as year 70 is a historical fact for the destruction of Jerusalem.

The prophetic word concerning the times of the Gentiles displays the accuracy of God's times; it was in the so called merry 60s that moral and ethical standards slid downwards, not just in Denmark, but in the entire Christian (Western) world, and unfortunately this influenced major parts of Christianity. As the dispensation of grace is to the individual person, is the times of the Gentiles for the various nations' development and influence of the Christian message which we have seen through the past 2000 years. But we must never overlook that while the Jewish people were scattered all over the earth they brought the divine blessing to the countries that accepted them as equals to their own countrymen. Isaiah 42:6-9: "I the Lord have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and give you for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them." And in the book of acts 1:8 we read: "But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Notice the processes for the Jewish people: the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the prisoners and those that sit in darkness will be brought out. But first Israel is given a promise by God in verse 6: "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and give you for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles." What is this covenant and this light the Lord speaks of Israel becoming? We can read about this in Romans 11.

In acts 1:8 Jesus spoke to His disciples, who all were Jews. Since this, thousands of saved Gentiles followed their lead and passed on the message of salvation about Jesus because they themselves were gripped by it - but this is another matter.

In that day

Amos 9:11: "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." This prophetic word is for the Jewish people. Though in foreign countries, the Jews had never forgotten Jerusalem. In the words from Psalms 137:5: "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning." Amos 9:12-15 is about the abundant blessing awaiting Israel.

The question has been whether we Christians are awake in this great time of prophecy? Do we understand the seriousness and do we expect the soon coming of Jesus?

When Jesus in Matthew 24:36 speaks that no one knows neither day nor hour, this refers to the coming of Jesus in the clouds after the saved multitude. This must not be mixed up with the coming of Jesus on the Mount of Olives. In Matthew 24:33 He says: "So likewise you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors."

Seducing spirits and doctrines of devils

I Timothy 4:1: "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils."

Also here does the Bible speak clearly of what is going to happen in the last days, and it warns against the great demonic activity which will characterize the time just before the coming of Jesus, and the Scripture says that some will fall from the faith. The word of God strongly warns against listening to doctrines of devils, so what are their doctrines? Again, the Scripture is very clear on this: in II Timothy 4:3-5 we read: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch in all things…"

Be watchful

To be watchful is, I guess, the most important service of a soldier: no sleeping or resting; the senses must be alert in order to detect the least movement of the enemy. The Scripture urges us to be watchful, be clear-minded, and not letting emotions dominate. The word of truth has a hard time in our days; not many are preoccupied with it, and those who are, are labeled negative. And those who label the truth tellers as negative disclose themselves as someone who would rather only here what tickles their ears, the Scripture says.

We need to know that the tactic of seducing spirits does not necessarily deny the second coming of Christ, but passes it on into an uncertain future and gladly uses Scripture to support their seduction: therefore it is necessary to know the entirety of the word of God. "Turning their ears away from the truth" means that they are not really interested and as quickly as possible tries to turn any conversation to something else. In certain circles it has become popular to call oneself a prophet, but the biblical prophecies concerning the soon-to-be return of Christ or the Bible’s clear message about the time right before, have been well blended with false and unbiblical prophecies, and unfortunately many Christians lean to this because it’s pleasant to the ear.

Names and faces

Online March 5, 2008: "(Danish) Prime Minister on the way to a European Union job." Everything points toward the indication that the Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen will leave Danish politics for the job as the European Union's first president in less than a year. Fogh is so popular in Europe that very strong forces are working hard at turning him into the president of the European Union. The former British Prime Minister Tony Blair stands as Fogh’s strongest opponent for the office of the first president of the European Union.

Tony Blair is not just anybody.

Headline June 21, 2007: "Tony Blair will be the new Middle East delegate." Quotes from the article: Blair is to negotiate on behalf of the so-called Quartet, consisting of the USA, the European Union, Russia, and the UN. Tony Blair brought peace in Northern Ireland after years of bloodshed and terrorism. Soon after Tony Blair became the Prime Minister, he traveled for longer periods of time to Northern Ireland's to meet with leaders of the represented political parties, and here he expressed his support for a lasting peace. He also brought the Sinn Fein movement into the peace process, for which he was heavily criticized at the time, but his strategy brought a lasting peace in Ireland. Blair played an active part in supporting the peace negotiations, which were carried out by the American Senator George Mitchell and the leaders from Northern Ireland, which led to a peace treaty that was signed on Good Friday, April 10, 1998.

July 17, 2007: "Tony Blair to Jerusalem." Quotes from the article: Tony Blair is coming to Jerusalem today to resume the work as the Quartet's new Middle East delegate. Blair states that he will do everything in his power to establish a Palestinian/Arab institution which will form the foundation for a Palestinian state. He will spend one week each month in Israel.

December 22, 2007: "Tony Blair has become a Catholic." Quotes from the article: Just in time before the church visits of the Christmas season Great Britain's former chief of government to Tony Blair has changed faith and converted to Catholicism. I'm very happy to bid Tony Blair welcome to the Catholic Church, says the British Catholic head in a statement. The head of the Anglican Church, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams wished Blair all the best on his "Catholic pilgrimage."

The world Church

Revelation 17:15: "And he said unto me, The waters which you saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." The whore that this speaks of is the false and faithless church which will dominate the world picture in the end times, and it will have an incredible amount of power. In the most recent years we see how the Catholic Church not only has gained a certain position, but also great influence beyond the church itself. This was clearly displayed at the death and funeral of the Pope on April 8, 2005. The media exceeded each other with praising words, and the eerie thing is that even so-called reborn Christians of all kinds of churches, even from free churches, competed in praising the deceased Pope, and without commenting the falseness of the Catholic Church.

One newspaper image displayed the President of the USA and two former presidents kneeling at the bier of the Pope. The press wrote: "Bush prays for the Pope in St. Peter’s Basilica." Another headline said: "World leaders gathered at magnificent funeral." Present were four kings, five queens (among those the Danish Queen), and at least 70 presidents or prime ministers. The Catholic Church is called the world Church by the press, with approximately 1.3 billion believers. Another headline said: "The Pope that rebuilt the papacy." They speak frankly about "only to pope"; the first was St. Peter (Peter the apostle), and the second was John Paul II (the Pope who rebuilt the papacy). The latter has executed 1338 beatifications and elected 482 saints; this is more than any other pope. He did a great deal to open the church externally, including through dialogue with other beliefs, but he allowed no opening in the Catholic Church. The dogmatic views were maintained and defended. John Paul II stood immovably firm on the infallibility of the Catholic Church.

The unbiblical teachings of the Catholic Church is, among other, hailing of the virgin Mary, mass for the dead, lighting candles to get more easily through purgatory, saint idolization, beatifications, and justification through penance instead of by faith, et cetera.