Israel and End Times Bible Prophecy
Please remember as you study this subject of Israel in the end times, that God's promises to Israel wereconditional upon them keeping His commandments and accepting Christ Jesus as their Saviour. Now take a look at the following Bible verse:
1 Kings 9:6-7 ...'But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people.'
And everyone knows that the Jewish nation continued to disobey God and rejected Christ Jesus as their saviour!
If you type in the phrases end times or bible prophecy in a search engine, you will come across a huge number of websites connecting end times bible prophecy with the literal nation of Israel. Bible prophecy students and teachers alike have their eyes firmly fixed on Israel, eagerly watching and waiting to see what is happening there. These people base their end time beliefs purely on what is happening in Israel. Is this right? I don't believe it is, and in this study, I will reveal to you why I believe that many, many sincere people have their eyes focused in the wrong direction.
Where did this line of bible prophecy teaching come from? Well, 
in the 1980's, Hal Lindsey wrote books proclaiming this belief that the nation of Israel would be the centre of the end time struggle, including a literal armageddon. In his books he predicted a secret rapture of the church, a literal temple being rebuilt, the antichrist being revealed in this temple, the battle of armageddon and the beginning of the thousand year millennium. According to Hal Lindsey, all this was to happen by 1988. As we can see, these events have not happened, but the unfortunate thing is, even though these teachings were shown to be in error, they are still believed by many and continue to flourish among many Christians around the world. The big question we need to answer here is whether or not Bible prophecies concerning the end times point to the physical nation of Israel, or do they have a more spiritual deeper meaning. Before you continue with this study, I would highly recommend you take a look at the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel.
in the 1980's, Hal Lindsey wrote books proclaiming this belief that the nation of Israel would be the centre of the end time struggle, including a literal armageddon. In his books he predicted a secret rapture of the church, a literal temple being rebuilt, the antichrist being revealed in this temple, the battle of armageddon and the beginning of the thousand year millennium. According to Hal Lindsey, all this was to happen by 1988. As we can see, these events have not happened, but the unfortunate thing is, even though these teachings were shown to be in error, they are still believed by many and continue to flourish among many Christians around the world. The big question we need to answer here is whether or not Bible prophecies concerning the end times point to the physical nation of Israel, or do they have a more spiritual deeper meaning. Before you continue with this study, I would highly recommend you take a look at the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel.The Roman Catholic Church WANT you to look to the middle east for endtime events and a "future" antichrist, because it takes the focus off them as being thetrue Bible antichrist.
Take a good long look at the following bible verse spoken by Jesus ... Luke 17:20-21 ...'And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.' ... Now remember that the Jews misinterpreted the prophecies concerning the first coming of Jesus. They were expecting Jesus to be this mighty warrior, who would set up a physical kingdom and crush the kingdom of Rome. Even during Jesus' life and ministry, the Jews were still watching and waiting for this earthly kingdom that Christ would setup. But as you can see from the above verse, Jesus explained that the kingdom was a 'spiritual' one. But even after all His teachings during His ministry, they were still waiting for a physical kingdom that would not appear ... Luke 24:21 ...'But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel.' ... Looking at Jesus on the cross, they were still clinging on to this physical kingdom teaching, and their hopes were crushed.
When has Jesus ever said that His kingdom would be a kingdom of war and destruction? Jesus' whole message in the Bible was one of peace and love and doing good to one another. But there is a verse that many Bible students and teachers use in the wrong way ... Matthew 10:34 ...'Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.' ... This has been applied to a physical kingdom and a physical war. Jesus' Word was the double edged sword that would cause division amongst people. When He said that He came not to bring peace, but a sword, He was talking about His teachings ... Ephesians 6:17 ...'And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God.'
I really believe that the church today is making the same mistake, by applying Israel in end times prophecy to literal Israel, rather than in a spiritual sense. There is going to be huge disappointment and consequences for many Christians who are holding on to this literal end time teaching. During the reformation, the Roman Catholic Church was revealed as the antichrist by the reformers, and because of this the Jesuit priests were commissioned to invent new interpretations of Bible prophecy to take people's eyes off the Papal Church and place them somewhere else. Sadly, many of the end time prophecies that are taught today are based on these false Jesuit interpretations.
Israel in the Old Testament
Let's take a look at the name Israel in the Bible. How did this name come about? ... Genesis 32:28 ...'And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.' ... So the name Israel was first given to Jacob from God. God gave him this name after a long struggle with the angel. Jacob would not let the angel go until the angel blessed him. This represented Jacob's struggle and victory over sin through God's grace, and thus God applied the 'spiritual' name of Israel to him. We can see that God also applied the name of Israel to Jacob's descendents ... Exodus 4:22-23 ...'And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.'Now note carefully the following amazing Bible truth about Israel ... Hosea 11:1 ...'When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.' ... This prophecy was spoken well after the literal nation of Israel had fallen in and out of apostasy many times. So did God have a deeper spiritual meaning to this Bible prophecy? ... Matthew 2:13-14 ...'And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt.' ... So king Herod wanted baby Jesus destroyed, and God through an angel told Joseph to take them to Egypt. Now take a look at the next verse in Matthew ... Matthew 2:15 ...'And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.' ... Do you see what is being revealed here? Matthew is quoting direct from Hosea, and is confirming that Israel spoken of in Hosea was fulfilled in Christ! So we are now seeing a 'spiritual' application to the name Israel.
Paul also confirmed this principle of applying statements made about the nation of Israel to Jesus ...Colossians 1:13-15 ...'Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.' ... Remember in Exodus 4:22, God called literal Israel His son, and His firstborn, but now He is applying it to Jesus.
Isaiah 41:8 ...'But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.' ... Can you see that this is applied to literal Israel? Now take a look at this next Bible verse ...Galatians 3:16 ...'Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.' ... Do you see this truth? Bible verses that applied to Israel in the Old Testament, are now applied to Christ Jesus. Israel is no longer the 'seed', but Christ is. If you studied the 70 weeks of Daniel, you will have seen that the nation of Israel are no longer God's chosen people. They are no longer the seed, but Christ is, and anyone who follows Jesus, whether Jew or Gentile, is chosen of God. Christ fulfilled and overcame where Israel failed.
God no longer looks upon the flesh, but upon the heart to see who His children are.
Now remember that God said to Israel in the Old Testament that they were His chosen people, a kingdom a priests and a holy nation? ... Exodus 19:6 ...'And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.' ... And yet this is now applied to the Christian Church as seen in 1 Peter 2:9 ...'But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.' ... Now some people say that this was for the Jews only, but this letter of Peter was to the church, 'the strangers scattered abroad'. And notice that in the verse above that Peter is saying they were 'called out of darkness'. The Jews weren't called out of darkness, they already had been given the light, but hadn't accepted it. It was the Gentile world that was in darkness and were called out. These are the Gentile converts who are now the chosen people of God.
Now notice this statement from Paul ... Galatians 3:29 ...'And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.' ... Remember in Galatians 3:16, Paul confirmed that Jesus was now the seed of Abraham? And now here he is saying that ANYONE who is in Christ is Abraham's seed, ie, will be called Israel. That is spiritual Israel. Notice what Paul says in Romans 2:29 ...'But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.' ... This is the amazing Bible truth about Israel. There is no longer a chosen literal Jew, but ANYONE who is in Christ is a spiritual Jew, and the chosen of God.
Acts 15:7-9 ...'And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.'
I'm not saying that there are no more literal Jews of the flesh alive, or
that they are all lost. I'm saying that a Jew of the flesh is no longer the only special chosen people of God. But a Jew of the heart (including Gentiles) are God's chosen people ... Romans 9:6-8 ...'Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is,They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.' ... Being just a Jew of the flesh counts for nothing anymore. But anyone can now become part of the TRUE spiritual nation of Israel, whether Jew or Gentile, anyone who accepts and follows Jesus and who worship God in spirit and truth. God no longer looks upon the flesh, but upon the heart to see who His children are ... Philippians 3:3 ...'For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.'
that they are all lost. I'm saying that a Jew of the flesh is no longer the only special chosen people of God. But a Jew of the heart (including Gentiles) are God's chosen people ... Romans 9:6-8 ...'Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is,They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.' ... Being just a Jew of the flesh counts for nothing anymore. But anyone can now become part of the TRUE spiritual nation of Israel, whether Jew or Gentile, anyone who accepts and follows Jesus and who worship God in spirit and truth. God no longer looks upon the flesh, but upon the heart to see who His children are ... Philippians 3:3 ...'For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.'Ephesians 3:5-6 ...'Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.'
We now need to look at another verse which is wrongly interpreted ... Romans 11:26 ...'And so all Israel shall be saved.' ... In light of all we have just revealed, there is only one conclusion to this Bible verse, and that is all SPIRITUAL Israel will be saved. If you take this verse to mean all physical Israel will be saved, then you contradict virtually the whole of the New Testament ... Galatians 3:28 ...'There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.' ... The end times are not all about literal Israel, but spiritual Israel, and the churches of today need to be awoken to this truth.
"The Christian religion is based upon a Jewish manual called the Bible. Christianity is not a new religion, but rather the completion of the Jewish faith." (Doug Bachelor, Amazing Facts)
Now that we see the truth about this, we can apply it to end times Bible prophecy. When we see words like Israel, the temple, mount Zion, Babylon, we can understand more fully that God is applying a spiritual meaning to them, not a physical one. Just remember that it says in Romans 9:6 ...'For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.' ... Christians need to stop applying Bible prophecy in Daniel and Revelation to physical Israel and start understanding the spiritual aspect of it. Jesus Christ is the centre of Bible prophecy, not the nation of Israel. We need to stop focusing on the flesh and the earthly kingdom and start focusing on the Spirit and the heavenly kingdom, which the Bible confirms is IN US! (Luke 17:21). Satan wants to divert your attention from the truth to lies. This way he is able to deceive you, so that you are unprepared for what is coming on the world, and unprepared for the second coming of Jesus. Put aside man made popular teachings, and come to God's Word in the Bible with prayer and faith, and God will be faithful and reveal His truth to you. Let's look to spiritual Israel in the end times, NOT physical Israel.
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