There are 103 articles in the Ikvot ha'Mashiach category.
Ikvot ha'Mashiach is a Hebrew phrase meaning "Footsteps of the Messiah." It is often used to describe passages from the Old Testament that speak of His coming. In this area we relate current events to those foretold in prophecy. If you listen carefully you can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.
In two places, the Book of Revelation describes a group of 144,000. One is a group of Jewish servants of God on Earth during the last 7 years, and the other is a group that's been redeemed from the Earth and is in Heaven with Jesus. Are we seeing two views of the same group, or are they different?
You will say, "I will invade a land of unwalled villages, I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people – all of them living without gates and bars." -Ezek. 38:11
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. 2 Thessalonians 2:9
In part one of our study of the Book of Haggai, we learned that before the Israelites could live an abundant life upon returning from Babylon, they had to first complete the Lord's Temple. As New Testament believers we're told that we're the Temple of God. Does the same principle hold true for us concerning our abundant life? Let's find out.
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the LORD's house to be built.' "
Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"
We've been comparing Habakkuk's prophecies of the Babylonian conquest of Judah in 600 BC with current events where powerful forces from the same region have once again risen in battle against God's people. Is this mere coincidence or is history repeating itself?
Look at the nations and watch- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Habakkuk 1:5
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16)
There are seven major prophetic signs of the Second Coming, and ever since we started tracking them all seven have been in some stage of fulfillment. As in years past, I'll list the seven with their primary biblical references and offer commentary from current events. -Our Annual Year-End Update 12-29-07
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Many believe that Daniel 9:24-27 is the most important passage of prophecy in all of Scripture. Almost every mistake I've run across in studying the various interpretations of End Times Prophecy can be traced back to a misunderstanding of this passage.
He replied, "When evening comes you say 'It will be fair weather for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the signs of the sky but cannot interpret the signs of the times."
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift up my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
(Isaiah 49:22)
Many of the nations we hear about in today's news existed in ancient times, but under different names. Learning the modern names of the nations whose founding families are listed in Genesis 10 really helps connect Bible prophecy to current events.
Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
Habakkuk 1:5
With all the killer storms, earthquakes, wars and disease dominating our news, it's not surprising that recent studies indicate a ballooning interest in End Times Prophecy. What is surprising is how little most Christians actually know about it.
"When men began to increase on earth and daughters were born to them, the divine beings saw how beautiful the daughters of men were and they took wives from among those that pleased them. It was then, and later too, that the Nephilim appeared on earth - when the divine beings cohabited with the daughters of men, who bore them offspring. They were the heroes of old, the men of renown." (Genesis 6:2-4, from a Jewish translation of the Torah.)
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in... for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. (Romans 11:25,29)
At a recent presentation of my workshop entitled, "The 7 Things You Have To Know To Understand End Times Prophecy" this question came up and it's a good one. If we believe the Rapture will take us away before all the End Times events occur, then why do we need to study prophecy...
The Great Pyramid's builder knew all the dimensions of Earth and had a command of engineering, astronomy, and mathematics that would be impressive even today. If this guy didn't have supernatural capability himself, he was certainly assisted by Someone who does.
He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times."
Matt. 16:2-3
This week, as I was reviewing some recent articles I've book marked, an enormous "A-HA" experience came over me as several seemingly unrelated pieces of information fell into place, at least in my perspective of things...
On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. (Zech.12:3)
A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you.
I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. (Zech 14:1-2)
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying,"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. (Gen. 14:18-19)
"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse." Malachi 4:5-6
Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem. You boast, "We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. Isaiah 28:14-15
Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Habakkuk 1:5
Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
Habakkuk 1:5
Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
Habakkuk 1:5
In Luke 17:20-37, the Lord gave us some additional information about the time of His coming that's often overlooked in our preoccupation with the more popular Olivet Discourse. I call it Luke's Proof Text.
SPECIAL EDITION
Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. (Habakkuk 1:5)
SPECIAL EDITION
Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: "Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."
So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey." I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. (Rev. 10:9-10)
Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, "Come!" and I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer. (Rev 6:1-2)
We've come to the conclusion of the Millennial portion of the Book of Ezekiel, and of the book itself. After devoting 7 chapters to the Temple and its offerings, the Priests and the Prince, the final two chapters discuss the land in general, and its distribution among the tribes during the Millennium.
Our previous study of the Seven Things You Have To Know To Understand End Times Prophecy covered the Sequence of Major Events. We'll begin this segment with the second item on our list of seven.
Some body asked me a great question the other day. "Does Scripture actually promise a Pre-Tribulation Rapture, or is it just an opinion passed along from teacher to student?"
Iran's refusal to curtail their development of nuclear power in continued defiance of UN directives, their blatant and gleeful admission of having assisted Hezbollah in the recent war with Israel, their rush to re-arm the Lebanese terrorists with even better weaponry, and their frequent statements about wiping Israel off the map have observers more worried than ever.
From about 1,000 to 900 BC Israel had been the most feared and admired nation on Earth. Then, following Solomon's death and the civil war that ensued, the nation had fallen from its exalted position into a kingdom divided over idolatry. Israel's enemies saw their chance and took it.
Two years after Daniel's vision of the four beasts that we described in chapter 7, he had another vision, this one of a ram and a goat. As we'll see, it was intended to give both him and us more detail on the things to come, because the vision has a dual fulfillment.
With all the fuss about North Korea going nuclear, let's review what the Bible says about the Far East in the last days and see if we can tell what this means.
Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters." (Psalm 2:1-3)
I doubt if the members of the Iraq Study Group (ISG) included a review of Ezekiel 38-39 in their research. But if they had, and if part of their mandate had been to come up with a plan to hasten its occurrence, they could hardly have devised a more brilliant strategy.
With so much news from the Middle East this past week, we're going to delay publication of the next chapter of our commentary on the Book of Romans to bring you a prophetic perspective of current events.
Having presented His indictment of Israel's neighbors, the Lord now turns His attention toward the two Jewish Kingdoms, the Southern Kingdom of Judah first. We ended part one in verse 3 of chapter 2, so we'll pick up the narrative in verse 4.
Amos was called as a prophet at about the same time as Isaiah, Hosea and Micah. The civil war after Solomon's death had split the nation into two Kingdoms and these four prophets all warned God's people of the dangers of falling away into idolatry. It's hard to over look the parallels between Biblical Israel and the USA.
Our study continues with chapters 4 and 5. The last time we saw that the Lord had worked up a fine head of steam in presenting His indictment of the Northern Kingdom. He's far from finished.
This promise of judgment against Israel began in chapter 2 verse 6 and shows no sign of letting up. Now the Lord will single out the complacent and the proud.
We've come to the final installment in our study of the Book of Amos. The Lord's anger against the Israelites continues, His promise of judgment clear. There will be no last minute reprieve; the Northern Kingdom will cease to exist. But as He always has, God will preserve a believing remnant to keep the flame of His people flickering.
Abraham was 75 years old when God called him, about 80 when God promised him a son, 86 when Ishmael was born (Gen. 16:16) and 100 at the time of Isaac's birth. (Gen. 21:5) This made Ishmael 14 years older than Isaac, and about 16 or 17 when Isaac was weaned.
At the close of our last study we saw the Shekinah Glory return after a 2600 year absence and proclaim that this Temple is where He will live among the Israelites forever. Now we'll hear His first words to them upon doing so.
There's a lot of talk these days about degrees of good and evil, and some of it has even evolved into a re-thinking of our traditional view of the eternal state of unbelievers.
Hezbollah says that Israel's disappearance after the next war is an established fact. Iran's President calls Israel a dirty microbe and a savage animal that will soon disappear in a flash. The commander in chief of Iran's army predicts that millions will soon receive the joyous news of Israel's destruction.
"At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood." (Daniel 11:40)
Some Christians have a hard time accepting the fact that when the Jews return to God as a nation, they'll build a Temple and practice animal sacrifice again. But by saying that in the middle of the 70th week the anti-Christ will put an end to sacrifice and offering, Daniel confirmed just that.
Students of prophecy often identify the Lesson of the Fig Tree in Matt. 24 as a reference to Israel. While the fig tree is sometimes used to symbolize Israel, this is not one of those times.
See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold. Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians' pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations.
In chapter 10, Daniel tells of a revelation he received in 539 BC concerning a great war that was coming. It was still over 200 years away and would last nearly 200 years after that, and would pit the Seleucids against the Ptolemys. Remember from our previous study that Seleucus and Ptolemy were two of the four generals who assumed power at the death of Alexander the Great and divided the Greek Empire among them.
It's been said that nations derive their income from taxing their citizens whereas empires derive their income from taxing nations. Where the US is concerned, this taxation of nations has been done in the form of an inflated dollar, caused by the monopoly it has enjoyed where the purchase of oil is concerned. About 17 months ago I first wrote that Iran was going to break this monopoly by offering to accept payment for its oil in other currencies.
You boast, "We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place." (Isaiah 28:15)
A document written to President Bush by three Rabbis in Israel won't get any notice in the world press, and isn't being given much attention by church leaders either, but in my view it's an extraordinary thing, given the status of its authors.
Ezekiel was from the tribe of Levi and was trained as a priest. No doubt He would have become one had his life not been abruptly interrupted. In 597 BC he and about 10,000 others were taken captive to Babylon in the 2nd siege of Jerusalem.
As I said in part one of our study, Ezekiel ignored all of the post exilic period, skipping from Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BC all the way to the regathering of 1948. One possible explanation is that after the Shekinah Glory departed the Temple in Ezekiel 10, He has never returned and won't until the beginning of the Millennium.
We have now come to Ezekiel 38, the battle between Israel and a coalition of Moslem nations that comes on the threshold of Daniel's 70th Week and will kick off the End Times in earnest. We'll review the 2600 year old prophecy in light of recent world events.
So far in this study, we've seen the prophecies of Israel's latter-day rebirth. We've learned that they would first appear again in unbelief, thinking that they had brought themselves back to life and that they themselves had built, populated, and defended their homeland. But we've read God's declaration that He was behind this.
Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem. You boast, "We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place." -Isaiah 28:14-15
There's a video currently on the web, promoted by a well known prophecy website. The conclusion being drawn by its producer is that 2015 is the most likely year for the Lord's 2nd coming in the entire 21st Century, and the fall is the best time in that year. Here's my response.
Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellowman of his inheritance.
Therefore, the LORD says: "I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity. (Micah 2:1-3)
The following question came into my in box a few days ago and seemed to merit a more detailed answer that I usually have room for in our "Ask A Bible Teacher" column. Here it is.
Q. What is your opinion on the alleged 'failed prophecies' of the Bible listed below?
"In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land."
Recently I was asked to update my commentary on Isaiah 17, which I thought was still pretty fresh. When I looked, I realized that the current events portion of the study was over a year old. This update is long overdue. (Is it just me, or is time going faster now?)
A while back, I said that September would be a most interesting month, and there sure is a lot going on just now. Leaks from both political and military sources would have us believe that US Pres. Bush will not leave office with the Iran nuclear issue unresolved.
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