Anti-Semitism in US and World – an End Time Sign Found in Biblical Prophecy

I intend to show in this article that the anti-Semitism that you see in the US and in the world is an end time sign.  I am writing a series of articles that will do two things. These articles will link current world events with biblical prophecy, and it will offer a biblical explanation of how these events fit into the prophetic view given in both the Old and the New Testament.

You would think that after the horrendous persecution that Jews faced during the Holocaust in World War II that the world would say, “Hey, let’s leave Jews and the nation of Israel alone. They have suffered enough.”  But the truth is that anti-Semitism has always existed, and unfortunately it is increasing.  There is a prophetic bible reason for that. End time events reveal that Israel and Jews will become so hated that the nations of the earth will gather around the nation to destroy it.  (Zechariah 14:1-4) I want you to consider how we are moving toward that day, but let’s first take a look at the following current event.  This event represents just one small scenario of anti-Semitism in our world.  A search of current world news will bring up many others. But we need to recognize an ever growing trend in our world.

Below is a link to a video released by CNN on February 18, 2017.  The headline reads: Anti-Semitic incidents on the rise in the US.  The paragraph alongside the video and under the article says the following: “Reports of anti-Semitic incidents across the US are being investigated by police and the FBI. The NYPD says the number of hate crimes against Jewish people has increased in the city this year CNN’s Gary Tuchman reports. Source CNN”

http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2017/02/18/rise-in-anti-semitism-in-us-tuchman-ac360.cnn

From this video released on February 2, 2017 Gary Tuchman says, “Just this past January nearly 60 bomb threats were called into 48 Jewish Community Centers across 26 states, that according to the JCCA an association of the centers.”

The question I need to answer is how does all this tie into bible prophecy? Why is there all this hatred for Israel?

I contend that the current anti-Semitism  in the US and around the world is an end time sign due to the following factors.

• Consider the fact that Israel miraculously became a nation.

One of the most amazing things in the history or planet earth is that Israel has become a nation again.  This is an end time sign of bible prophecy being fulfilled.  After nearly two millennia and a long list of foreign rulers, Israel became a nation on May 14, 1948.  On that day, Isaiah 66:18 became very real to that generation of prophecy watchers. 

“Who has ever heard of such things?
Who has ever seen things like this?
Can a country be born in a day
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?”

David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister declared the restoration of the Jewish State of Israel by saying, “In order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.”  For this to have been brought about is truly a miracle of God.

However, if you are a student of the Word, this amazing event shouldn’t surprise you. Because way back in Genesis 12:7 says, “The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring^[a] I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”  That promise of the land belonging to Israel was reiterated across the Old Testament and God has brought this to pass. Prophecy fulfilled before our eyes in this generation.

There are many scriptures that speak of the re-gathering of Israel. Unfortunately, there are many in the world who dislike Israel and those of Jewish descent, but no one can deny that this small nation founded less than a century ago exists and that existence fulfills prophecy.

It is extremely unfortunate that some Christians across the centuries have sought to blame the Jews for problems and issues, and even blame them for the death of Jesus Christ.  Obviously, Jesus death was God’s plan and happened so that many could find healing and forgiveness.  Christians need to stand with Israel and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

• Consider the fact that Jerusalem is now under the control of Israel.

Not only did Israel become a nation, but also when you add the fact that Jerusalem was restored to the Jews, you can really see God’s hand.  On June 27, 1967, following the Six Day War, the Israeli Knesset (national legislature of Israel) extended Israel’s legal and administrative jurisdiction to all of Jerusalem, and expanded the city’s municipal borders.

Luke 21:24b  declares “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”  This powerful scripture gives an accurate picture of what has happened to the city of Jerusalem in the last two thousand years.  Those who are non Jewish (Gentiles) have had control of the city. It has been conquered and re-conquered.  But since June 27, 1967 the city is under the control of Israel.  I am not saying that Luke 21:24 is fulfilled completely, and that the times of the Gentiles has come to a complete end. I don’t think that happens until the rapture of the church.  Of course, God had a plan during these past two thousand years (the times of the Gentiles) and that plan is that many Gentiles (myself included) have come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Some erroneously teach that because of Israel’s rejection of Christ as the Messiah, that all the prophecies concerning Israel are null and void and that the church has “replaced” Israel.  This idea goes directly contrary to scripture.   God will keep all his promises both to the church and to Israel.

Paul speaks of all of this in Romans 11:11-12  “Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. ¹² But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!”

Paul goes on to write in Romans 11:25-26a “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  And so all Israel will be saved…”

There is coming a day when many Jews will wholeheartedly accept Jesus Christ.   That is a day we pray for and rejoice in.

But as you consider the unfolding of history you see a movement of prophetic events. First the nation, then Jerusalem, will the next step be the temple mount and a the building of the third temple?

• Consider the fact that the desire for a Third Temple is growing and tension increasing over the temple mount.

Groups like the Temple Institute are proactively doing everything they can to prepare the way for the day when they will be able to build a third temple on the temple mount of Jerusalem.  They are preparing all of the articles necessary for temple worship.  They have a vision of a third temple being built.  Currently the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque occupy the temple mount, and it is under the control of Islam.

Students of Bible prophecy, have understood that in order for New Testament prophecy to be fulfilled a third temple will have to be built on the temple mount.   This end time sign is spoken of in the book of 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4  clearly says, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,  who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”  In order for this verse to be fulfilled,  something must happen in order for the Jews to be allowed to build the temple on the temple mount.

Could it be that if the US moves its embassy to Jerusalem, that will spark something that will cause this part of prophecy to take place?

 One thing that is currently in the news is that one of Donald Trump’s campaign promises is that he will move the US embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem.  In 1995, Congress signed the Jerusalem Embassy Act, requiring the U.S. Embassy to be moved from Tel Aviv – where all nations have their embassies – to Jerusalem, which according to Israel is its capital. Since then, every president has signed a security waiver every six months to prevent the move.

On the date this article was written and published (Monday, March 6, 2017) a congressional delegation had visited Jerusalem, Israel over the weekend to investigate the move and then report back to Donald Trump.  DeSantis, chairman of the Subcommittee for National Security of the House Oversight Committee, led the delegation on its 24-hour fact-finding mission. DeSantis was clear that the group was not sent by Trump but would report back to him.  DeSantis  gave this amazing breakdown.  “I do think it’s important that the president, having made the pledge, that he follows through with it, he said. “And then third is I think it will really show that America is standing four-square behind our allies here in Israel.”

If the US makes this move, it could be the cause for a scenario where something happens to allow the rebuilding of the third temple.

Of course this only adds to the fire in terms of anti-Semitism.

• Consider the current hatred for Israel among her surrounding nations

The website jewishvoice.org in their article “True Indicators of the Last Days” does an excellent job of describing the current mid-East situation:

“At its core is Satan fomenting hatred among men against the Children of the God of Israel, generation after generation. He cleverly disguises each campaign with a compelling lie wrapped in a plan designed to rid the world of a perceived ill blamed on the Jews. From the very first attempt to destroy the Jews—Pharaoh’s murder of all the male Hebrew babies—to Herod’s order to kill all male babies under 2 years old two thousand years ago, the serpent’s scheme was to defeat God’s plan to bring forth the Messiah of Israel. He failed—miserably!

Yet, the campaign of hatred marches on because the great redemption story is not over. Because the Jewish People and Israel play a major role in Last Days prophecy, Satan is still hard at work opposing God’s plan.

The impetus he is using to rally hatred against the Jew today is a powerful anti-Israel (and pro-Palestinian) deception, wrapped in false humanitarian claims and causes. Understand: Deception is a hallmark of the Last Days (Matthew 24:11). For the minuscule size of the country, the lack of natural resources, or strategic seaport, one has to question why Israel is always at the center of world controversy—her existence continually hanging in the balance. We see Israel at the epicenter of a boiling cauldron of increasingly violent factions rising up within the vast Arab lands surrounding her. The world has been told, and has almost mindlessly accepted, claims that all unrest in the Middle East is Israel’s fault—that if the Jews would give the Land “back to the Palestinians” there would be peace in the world and terrorism would end. Nothing could be further from the truth.

This is setting the stage to draw all nations into a final cataclysmic showdown in the Middle East—the nations may think it is against Israel, but they will find out it is against her God!”

In Conclusion, anti-Semitism is a precursor to an all out war against Israel in which God will intervene.   The prophet Zechariah brings this to light in Zechariah 12:3 “And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.”

The world is moving in a direction and it can be seen if one is observant and aware of bible prophecy. From smaller incidents where Jewish cemeteries are vandalized, or swastikas are spray painted on cars with Jewish owners to huge current events that make the news such as peace talks, and nations and dictators saying they will utterly destroy Israel. All anti-Semitism moves us one step closer to the place where the nations surround Israel, and no one will come to her rescue except God.

The most important thing about the study of end time events is that one get their heart ready. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. Ask for forgiveness. Turn from your sins. The rapture is just around the corner.