At the present time, it seems, as though all the world's eyes are
upon Israel. Especially if you are of the world's Jewish Community, a Bible
Believing Christian, or a Bible Believing Messianic/Hebrew Roots Believer.
There is even a lot of interest from among the unbelieving population, who may
have a sense that something is going on, that is different from former times. I
must confess, that I have been a student of Bible prophecy for the better
part of my life. I have seen and heard many false prophetic claims, to times
and dates, as to when Armageddon would begin, or when Yeshua (Jesus) would
return. I assure you, that is not the purpose of this article. It is however, a
wakeup call, for people to get their heads out of the sand and get yourselves
into the center of Adonai's will for your life.
I believe with all of my being that we are living in the final days. Am I predicting Armageddon, or Messiah's return? Absolutely not! Do I believe it is at hand? I most certainly do. How close? I don't know, and I make no claims to knowing, but I can say it is close. It is closer than most will want to believe. All I can do, is give God's children the warnings, I believe, are present in these times.
As of this writing, another cease fire has been declared and the rockets have temporarily ceased falling upon Israel. Will this cease fire last? Judging from history, I can emphatically say, "No way!" It just gives Hamas (which is translated violence) time to re-arm and re-group themselves, for their next round of violence and propaganda, at a later time. I believe, this has all been a smokescreen to take attention away from Iran, and their nuclear program, which is nearly complete.
So, then why am I writing this? Am I trying to scare people?
Absolutely not. I am trying to prepare God's people for what is on the horizon.
I can only sound the alarm, but I cannot bring you out of your sleep. I am only
one watchman on the wall among many others, blowing the shofar as loudly as we
possibly can, but if the people hearing the blast refuse to respond to it,
their blood is on their own hands. We have done what our Lord has commissioned
us to do. Our hands are clean.
I call my blogs, "The Ominous Cloud" for a
specific reason. I am warning God's people of the approaching storm. Not a
storm tied to the weather, but a spiritual storm that is about to come upon the
whole earth. When there is a hurricane, or tornado approaching, you would
be wise to heed the warnings of the National Weather Service, and prepare for
the worse. When there is a tornado approaching, there is always an ominous
cloud before the actual tornado hits, and one would be wise to find shelter
immediately. Many times, people in the direct path of a storm decide to sit it
out, and even have hurricane parties. I can remember in my lifetime, where this
foolishness proved a fatal mistake for many people. Hurricane Camille in the
year 1969 comes to mind. A total of 259 people lost their lives during that
storm, and a great number of the dead, not only failed to heed the warnings, but
stayed in beach hotels and town houses to party.
God has been telling us through His written word that there is a
storm coming, and He has been telling us, what we are to be watching for? How
can we know the times and the seasons? Is there an accurate timetable given in
Scripture? I believe there is. Can we know the day and the hour in which these
things will occur? Not really. So, why bother? Because, Yeshua told us to be
watching and praying. In Luke 21: 34–36, Yeshua says;
"But watch out so your hearts are not weighed down by carousing,
strong drink, and the worries of life. Do not let that day come upon you
suddenly like a trap. For it will come rushing upon all who live on the face of
the whole earth. But stay
alert at all times, praying that you may have the
strength to escape all these things about
to happen, and to stand before
the Son of Man." (Tree of Life NT)
Yeshua's warning is clear. We are to be alert at all times. For
the most part, from what I can see, is that people called by the name of Yeshua
are anything but alert. They are not praying (The actual word in the Greek
"δεομενοι" translated as praying shows a condition of begging.), and
sadly, most are not even watching. I recently saw a survey that said, less than
6% of all who call themselves Christians have read the whole Bible. Less than
40% go to services every week and less than 48% pray every day. Would you call
that being ready? It is quite obvious, that many, who call themselves believers,
are so wrapped up in their everyday lives, that they are not paying attention,
to the very thing, for which Yeshua told us to be watching.
We are living in dangerous times. Can we really trust prophesy to be an accurate indication of what is to come. I believe history itself confirms the accuracy of prophesy. Consider these prophecies in Scripture and compare them to what actually happened concerning Israel. In the 26th chapter of Leviticus, verses 1–13, God is telling the Hebrew people how He will bless them, if they will keep His commandments, and set their hearts after His ways. Then, from verse 14 on, He warns them what He will do if they do not heed His commandments. Leviticus 26: 31–33 gives this prophesy;
"I will lay waste your cities and make your sanctuaries
desolate, so as not to smell your fragrant aromas. I will desolate the land, so
that your enemies living in it will be astounded by it. You I will disperse among the
nations, and I will draw out the sword in pursuit after you; your land will
be a desolation and your cities a wasteland." (CJB)
In 70 C.E., God did exactly, as He said He would do. The Jewish
people turned their back on His mitzvots (commandments), and sought after idols,
to cancel His covenant with them. Jerusalem was sacked, their cities were laid
waste, their Temple was destroyed, the sacrifices ceased, and God scattered the
Jewish people into all the nations of the world. The Jewish people have been
persecuted under the sword for almost 2000 years, and Israel has been a desert
wasteland, for almost that whole period of time. However, in verses 44 and 45
God has this to say to His people Israel;
"Yet , in spite of all that, I will not reject them when they are in the lands of their
enemies, nor will I loathe
them to the point of utterly destroying them and thus break my covenant with them,
because I am ADONAI their God. Rather, for their sakes, I will remember the
covenant of their ancestors whom I brought out of the land of Egypt –– with the
nations watching –– so that I might be their God; I am ADONAI." (CJB)
On May 14,
1948, on the day in which the British Mandate over a Palestine expired, the
Jewish People's Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum, and approved the
following proclamation, declaring the establishment of the State of Israel. The
new state was recognized that night
by the United States and
three days later by the USSR. In
other words, a nation was born at once. It happened exactly as God Almighty
said it would. Did God only say that he would return them to the land and
that's it? Of course not! God also gave other prophesies, as to what He would
do when He returned them back into the land. The land would rejoice at their
return and no longer be unproductive, as it had been for two thousand years of
Arabs inhabiting the land. Joy and singing would once again return to the land.
For almost two thousand years, the voices of joy and singing were not heard in
Jerusalem as the Jewish people were not permitted to celebrate their God
appointed feasts there. However, Isaiah 35: 1 & 2a, promised this;
"The wilderness and the solitary place will be glad for them;
and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom
abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing." (KJV)
It is evident to every person who has visited Israel in the past
fifty years, or so, or has ever looked at recent pictures of the land that God
has kept this promise. Israel is an agricultural miracle. Not only was it
prophesied that the land would blossom as a rose, but roses and lilies are two
of Israel's major agricultural exports. What other prophesies has God fulfilled
in our lifetimes that confirm God has His hand in what is happening among
His people Israel? What about the Hebrew language? Zephaniah 3:9 says;
"For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that
they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent." (KJV)
As we all know, Hebrew (the world's oldest language) is now
spoken again in the homes, streets and businesses of Israel. For centuries, it
was only spoken in the synagogues, but was not the language of the people on
the streets. However, God said he would restore it and He did. Some may say
that the Hebrew spoken today is not the same as ancient Hebrew. Where is the
evidence? If God restores something, He restores it completely. Can you name
any other language that has ever been restored after being a dead language for
2000 years? Then, there is this prophesy concerning the city of Jerusalem
found in Zechariah 12:3;
"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 against it."
The United Nations has been trying for years to declare Jerusalem
an international city. One year to the day that Japan's Ministry of Foreign
Affairs released this statement: "The Government of Japan deplores the
decisions of the Government of Israel to give permission for the construction of
1,600 housing units in East Jerusalem...Japan demands that the plans should not
be implemented." Japan was struck with its worst earthquake and tsunami in
history.
This was the first time Japan used such strong language about
Israeli settlements. The earthquake should also serve as a warning to president
Obama, whose State Department on March 13th, 2010 condemned Israeli plans to
build 500 new West Bank homes as "illegitimate." On August 23rd,
2011, Washington D.C. was also hit by an earthquake.
Within 48 hours after President George W Bush substantially
pressured Ariel Sharon into forcing Jewish settlers from Gaza in August 2005,
the first signs of Katrina were swirling in the ocean. (Source: Bill
Wilson – Word of Life Ministry)
It should be plain that when God spoke to Abram in Genesis 12:3
and told him, He would bless those who bless him (and his descendants)
and He would curse those who curse him (and his descendants), God said
what He meant and He meant what he said. It is clear that God is speaking to
Abram in person, but His purpose is to extend this unto Abraham's seed for all
eternity. God's word is eternal. What He says stands for all eternity. History
has born this to be truth, far too many times, for it to be mere coincidence.
Can you think of any country in history that came against the Hebrew people
that was not brought down into irrelevance? You can be certain that prophesy is
given by God, who knows the end from the beginning of the matter. Isaiah 46: 9
& 10 declares this truth;
"Remember the former things of old: for I am God and there is
none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the
beginning, and from the ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying
my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."
Without understanding Bible Prophesy, there can be no proper
understanding of Biblical truth. All of the New Testament points back to what
has already been said in the Tanakh (Old Testament). The Tanakh points ahead to
Yeshua. The early believers did not even have the New Testament, but they did
have the Hebrew Scriptures and the Ruach Ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit). It was enough
for the synagogues and ekklesia (called out congregations) to spread the Gospel
into all the known world. They did it through the demonstration and power of
the Holy Spirit. Today, we have the New Testament and the doctrines of men, but
we have no power. Having a form of godliness, we deny the power thereof. All of
the Scriptures, Old and New point to the eminent return of Adonai Yeshua. We
would do well to heed them. Watch and Pray. Bo Yeshua Bo. Come Yeshua Come.
Even so, Maranatha.
Shalom,
Barry W. Gaugler
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