And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do. 1 Chron. 12:32

When we understand the times, as the Tribe of Issachar did, it makes us examine our lives and long to live in holiness. We understand that we are a bride who needs to “make herself ready.” We look expectantly to the return of our Messiah. We are not to be as the foolish virgins, but like the wise virgins; who were ready when he came. (Matt. 25)

Are We Really in the Last Days?

The answer to that is YES, for those who study the Word of God, more specifically Bible Prophecy. All you have to do is observe the world around you. We are surrounded with prophecy being fulfilled.

There have been lots of people who have thought that they were in the last days, when they really weren’t. So, how do we know we can say it now? There are several, but first we will look at some Bible Prophecies concerning the Jewish people and the Land of Israel.

PROPHECY #1

God Said He Would Scatter the Jewish People Throughout All the World

And Yehovah shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; Deuteronomy 28:64

And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. Leviticus 26:33

And Yehovah shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither Yehovah shall lead you. Deuteronomy 4:27

God’s Word said that He would scatter them into all parts of the world. He did that. This is called the Diaspora which means “dispersion or scattering”. The third prophecy is the “Regathering of the People”, from all parts of the World.

This is data showing them immigrated back to Israel from all over the World. My point is, you can’t gather them from everywhere, unless they were scattered everywhere first.

PROPHECY #2

God Said That They Would Be Persecuted.

Yehovah shall bring thee, and thy king, which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither Yehovah shall lead thee. Deuteronomy 28: 36-37

And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but Yehovah shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: Deuteronomy 28: 65-66

In Messiah we have assurance of eternal life, and no one can pluck us out of the Father’s hand. He will not leave us or forsake us. We don’t need to fear the one who can kill the body, and can do nothing more. But to fear God and to grow in love for Him more day by day. To obey Him because we love Him, Oh blessed be His holy name!

I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them. Jeremiah 9:16

And I will persecute them with the sword with famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them: Jer. 29:18

It’s happened. During the Holocaust nearly 6 million Jews were killed. The Jewish people were kept in unsanitary conditions, buried alive, gassed and starved to death, experimented on, and more.

All this because people hate God and they want to wipe out His people so that they can say that God doesn’t exist. They tried to do this in Esther’s time too (Esther 3), they’ve tried to do it at other times. IT AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN! Anti-semitism (hatred for the Jews) is rising again.

PROPHECY #3

God Said in His Word. I Who Scattered Them, Will Draw Them Back.

For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Ezekiel 36: 24-26

And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith Yehovah. Jeremiah 23:3-6

Thus saith Yehovah of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. Zec. 8:7-8

The Father said they would be a nation in one day, On May 14 1948, they became a nation.

Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Isaiah 66:7-8

After all those years, being persecuted, people hating them, scattered in all parts of the world; you would think they would have dissolved into all these other nations. That there wouldn’t even be a Jew today. That they would never even have become a people again. Especially after that many years; that’s almost 2,500 years!

But God said they would remain a people, and they are today. Jews are making Aliyah, (The Hebrew word, for the return of God’s Chosen People to their inheritance in the Promised Land.) from all over the world, back to The Land that God gave to Abraham and his descendants FOREVER! (Please visit Nefesh B’ Nefesh’s site, and see how they are helping fulfill this prophecy today!)

PROPHECY #4

The Nations Will Divide Up The Land

I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. Joel 3:2

The word plead here, is shaphat; which means, to judge, pronounce sentence, avenge, vindicate or punish. He is going to deal with the Nations for what they did with His Nation Israel PERIOD. This is not going to be an Ice Cream Social!

The 1917 Balfour Declaration, 1919 Paris Peace Conference, 1922 Declaration of Principles League of Nations, then the United Nations all were Nations trying to divide The Land. The UN Resolution 181 on Nov. 29, 1947, the Nations of the UN came

together and divided up The Land, and gave Israel only 13% of the Land, the Father promised them as an inheritance. (UN Resolution 181)

This is America’s Taking Part in Dividing the Land in the last 25 Years and God’s “Shaphat” with them!

Oct 31, 1991 President George H. Bush (Sr.) promoted the Madrid Peace Conference, where he attempted to divide the land of Israel in exchange for “peace” with the Palestinians. His opening statement stated, “territorial compromise is essential for peace.”

Consequence: “The Perfect Storm”. A huge rare storm started in the Northern Atlantic, that very day. This storm caught the weather service by surprise. It traveled from east to west for 1,000 miles, completely odd for a storm. It also, did not originate in the tropics, like most of these types of storms do. What’s the big deal? This storm, that was very rare and strong, that came out of no where; directly hit President Bush Sr.’s home in Kennebunkport, Maine. The USA Today Newspaper on Nov. 1 1991 covered both The Madrid Peace Conference and the Perfect Storm. This Perfect Storm, brought 30 ft waves crashing into the President’s home and his land; as he led in dividing up God’s Promised Land to the Israelites.

Aug. 23 1992 Talks resume to surrender land for peace, again under Bush Sr.

Consequence: Hurricane Andrew slams America causing $30 billion.

April-Sept 1993 Israel and the PLO (Palestinians) work on and sign a peace agreement in Washington D.C. under the leadership of President Clinton.

Consequence: During this time, America experiences the most devastating and widespread flooding in US History costing $21 billion.

Aug.-Sept 2001 The US, Arabia, and Israel prepared the most comprehensive peace plan to that date. This meeting ended on Sept. 13.

Consequence: Sept. 11, 2001 God lifted His hand of protection, and the Twin Towers were taken down. This was just two days before their plans were finalized under the direction of President Bush Jr.

Muslim Holiday Ramadan 2002 President Bush Jr. hosts a dinner honoring Islam, and says God has given revelation in His Word, the Holy Koran.

Consequence: When Americans flew to put pressure on Israel, 88 out of season tornadoes hit 7 American States.

August 28, 2003 America pressures Israeli’s out of Gaza, families loose everything being forced to leave.

Consequence: Hurricane Katrina, develops off the shores of the US, and becomes the worst “natural disaster” in America’s history. Over 1 million people lost their homes and the disaster costs over $200 million!

Jan. 11-16 2008 Bush and Condoleezza Rice traveled to Kuwait City, Kuwait; Manama, Bahrain; Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE; and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to talk about the status of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and the Iranian threat.

Consequences: During this part of the Middle East trip, there were record low temperatures and rain during the red carpet welcoming ceremonies.

Baghdad, Iraq, which is a short distance north of Kuwait, experienced its first snow in 100 years. During Bush’s few-hours visit in Dubai, they experienced flooding due to record rain on that day. Riyadh had snow flurries and temperatures in the 20s, which followed summer-like temperatures the week before. There was also a major blizzard in the northeast U.S., record cold temperatures, record crude oil prices, and the approval of a $154 billion U.S. economic stimulus bill shortly after the president’s return to the U.S.

• Rising fears about credit markets and the health of U.S. financial institutions drive down stock prices. Between Jan. 1-22, the Dow lost over 1,000 points — more than 8 percent of its total value.

July 23-24 2008 Future President Barack Obama visited the Israelis in Jerusalem and the Palestinians in Ramallah where he declared his support for a Palestinian state and the dividing of Jerusalem —

Consequence: The same day Hurricane Dolly slammed into the south Texas coast and moved inland. Dolly roared into south Texas with 100 mph winds on July 23, dumping a foot of rain near the Texas-Mexico border. The storm did extensive damage on South Padre Island and left more than 100,000 homes without power.

These are just naming a few incidents on record…..

Skipping Ahead to this year Jan. 2016 As Obama made his deal with Iran, and promised $100 billion dollars from America,which put Israel in great danger and was a great betrayal on the part of the US who is suppose to be Israel’s greatest ally:

Consequence: The East Coast of America had the mega snow storm Jonas. Washington D.C. got 3 foot of snow over that weekend. It shut down most activities and flights and claimed the lives of at least 19.

There is no doubt, that this is the God of Israel! When you mess with Him and His people, there will be consequences.

PROPHECY #5

All Nations Will Go Against The Nation of Israel

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 together against it. Zech. 12:3

At the time of this prophecy, never before had the Nations of the world come together, and Jerusalem was in ruin.

Today, we have the United Nations, all these nations coming together, and they are not friendly to Israel. They don’t acknowledge the Land of Israel as their land. (The UN-Israel Relationship) We can really see how all nations are coming together into a one world government and religion, (New World Order) It talks about it, in Latin, on the dollar bill. Obama has talked about the New World Order. They are going to dump the dollar, we will have one currency. (Rev 13:1-18, Rev. 17:13)

Every nation will go against Israel. That doesn’t have to be every man, woman, and child, but it will be every nation. And it’s at the brink.

PROPHECY #6

The Land is Being Restored!

And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I Yehovah build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I Yehovah have spoken it, and I will do it. Ezekiel 36:34-36

The prophecy says that Israel would bud. Nobody believed it because it was a waste land. Now, it is budding.

He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. Isaiah 27:6

Israel is a leading producer of fruit and other types of agriculture (Agriculture in Israel). They lead the world in many different things. (Israel Leader In Technology) Scripture says that vines would grow out of Mt. Samaria. People tested the soil and said they’d never grown anything out of that rock; it’s growing out of the rock!

Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. Jeremiah 31:5

The Scriptures say that foreigners would come and be their vine dressers: (Visit HaYovel, Helping Israel’s Farmers)

And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. Isaiah 41:5

This is being fulfilled in The Land today!

Please see Part 2, where we will continue to search out what the Scriptures have to say about the Last Days!