The Balfour Declaration … Beginning of the Omega Generation (Part II)

20 Saturday May 2017

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A Brief Review

Let’s begin this week’s Eye of Prophecy post with a quote concerning the enormous significance of the Balfour Declaration of 1917 (In italics):

At that time, the Balfour Declaration was the single greatest event in history since the tragic dispersion of the Jews from Israel when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. It was the beginning fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies guaranteeing the final restoration of Israel and salvation of the Jews. Accordingly, it was also the beginning of the final (Omega) generation identified by Jesus that involves the entire world as found in his amazing disclosure of the end times while on the Mount of Olives with his disciples.

If you at least vaguely recognize this statement, then you read last week’s Eye of Prophecy article; it is an excerpt from that post! If you haven’t yet read that article, I would encourage you to do so. Though every Eye of Prophecy article that is a Part II (or III) stands alone, a much better understanding of the main theme comes with reading Part I.

The quoted excerpt was a summary conclusion predicated on three monumental milestones of Israel’s 20^th and 21^st century history in the context of the unfolding end-times prophecies. They are: (1) The Balfour Declaration of 1917; (2) the UN Resolution for Israel’s statehood in 1947, followed by the rebirth of the Sovereign State of Israel in 1948; (3) the reclamation of Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital in the Six-Day War of 1967.

Then I quoted the passage in which Messiah Jesus identified the final generation that is part and parcel of those three extraordinary events discussed last week and again this week.

Said Jesus: “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:32-34).

Followed by the next two (the first in quotation marks, the second italicized) excerpts from last week’s article:

“Please see Eye of Prophecy articles, Look Up, Redemption is Near Part I & II (published 7-11-15 & 7-18-15) that among other things lists twelve phenomenal indicators which have synchronized with a frequency and magnitude in the 20^th & 21^st centuries like never before.”

Yet it was the Balfour Declaration that set the last-days prophetic stage and started the end-times wheel turning.

Then an excerpt near the end of the Part I article (in italics):

Certainly, the Balfour Declaration was the “right and moral thing to do.” But it was more than that. Whether Lord Balfour realized it or not, his courageous initiative to speak for both Britain and the Jews was an acknowledgment and affirmation of God’s divine mandate to nations and peoples the world over concerning his majestic plan for Israel and the nations. One that absolutely will come to pass including the fall of nations who seek to harm Israel, and the success of those who support Israel in the journey of reaching God’s destiny for Israel and the Jewish people.

Before we examine more amazing prophetic implications of the Balfour Declaration, the rebirth of Israel, and reunification of Jerusalem to Israel, let’s analyze, “God’s divine mandate to nations and peoples the world over concerning his majestic plan for Israel and the nations” in the:

Historical Context and Assessment of the Balfour Declaration

To Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, God said:

“…Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1-3).

God’s collaboration with the Jews—beginning with choosing Abraham to be the progenitor of the Jewish race and the Lord’s subsequent interaction with Gentile nations—is centered entirely on his sovereign purpose first for Israel, then for the nations. The Old Testament is replete with events experienced by the Lord’s chosen people during their tumultuous times of rebellion, discipline, restoration (return from Babylonian captivity) then more rebellion and apathy, resulting in 400 years of silence by the Lord after he last spoke to Israel through the prophet Malachi.

Those four hundred years of silence ended abruptly with God’s next prophet, John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Messiah, announcing to all who would listen as Jesus came toward John one day:

“…Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me’” (John 1:29-30, italics for emphasis).

With these words of acclamation for Messiah Jesus (Son of God, Son of David, and Son of Man) John reverberated the words of the prophet Micah written some 700 years earlier:

Before the Balfour Declaration there was no indication that the Diaspora dream of Jews the world over, “Next year in Jerusalem” would or could really happen.

For nearly two thousand years, most Jews had resigned themselves to be forever the “Wandering Jew” with no national homeland, no way to defend themselves against brutal persecution, and seemingly no realistic hope of God’s prophetic promises ever coming to pass. Two thousand years is a very long time … as long as the time from Abraham to the Great Diaspora. Two millennia had made even the most optimistic Jews doubt if another Jewish homeland was possible anywhere. Let alone the Promised Land that had been overrun, ruled, and stripped almost bare (literally and figuratively) of anything Jewish by the Romans, the Arabs, the Crusaders, and the Ottoman Turks for so long.

The Balfour Declaration changed all that.

Listen to one of hundreds of promises given directly by God to his prophets concerning the seemingly impossible, but from God’s vantage point a sure thing. This prophecy begins with a direct reference to Ramah, the deportation point of Jewish exiles to Babylon under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. It is one of several prophecies that had both near future and distant future application; in this case the distant future slaughter of male children in Bethlehem so ordered by Herod in order to kill the prophesied Christ-child, Jesus. It also applied to Jesus’s prophecy that Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed (by the Romans), with the horrific result of a second Jewish exile from Israel … this time indefinitely as opposed to the 70-year discipline of the Babylonian captivity God imposed on Judah in 586 B.C.

“This is what the Lord says: ‘A cry is heard in Ramah—deep anguish and bitter weeping. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted—for her children are gone.’ But now this is what the Lord says: ‘Do not weep any longer, for I will reward you’ says the Lord. ‘Your children will come back to you from the distant land of the enemy. There is hope for your future’ says the Lord. ‘Your children will come again to their own land’” (Jeremiah 31:15-17).

Then a few verses later: “Is not Israel still my son, my darling child? Says the Lord. I often have to punish him, but I still love him. That’s why I long for him and surely will have mercy on him. Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Mark well the path by which you came. Come back again, my virgin Israel; return to your towns here” (Jeremiah 31:20-21, italics for emphasis).

The Balfour Declaration was THE historical catalyst that providentially precipitated the return of the Jews to the Promised Land, followed by the United Nations Resolution affording statehood to Israel. Both (along with the reunification of Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967) were and still are: “road signs, guideposts, and path” marking the final generational path of the last days, because this road sign passage has everything to do with the Jews’ return to Israel.

Jesus addressed his end-times prophecy of the final generation primarily (first and foremost) to Israel. The true Church (Messianic Jews and we Gentile believers in Messiah Jesus) were obviously meant to know the signs of the last days. Yet other than witnessing the pre-Rapture birth pangs foretold by Jesus and as found in other places in Scripture, we believers will not experience the traumatic events of the Great Tribulation … which is the final phase of this Omega generation. The Rapture will spare us from God’s second universal judgment of this wicked world we live in. We will, however, be with our Lord when he triumphantly returns to rescue Israel at the end of the seven-year Tribulation.

Thus, the “return to your (Israel’s) towns” corresponds to and matches the generational time-frame identified by Jesus: “…this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34). This generation applies almost exclusively to Israel’s ultimate restoration beginning with the Jews return to Israel and culminating in Israel’s final redemption, spiritually and physically. If we don’t make this connection, then we are not seeing the “guideposts” nor are we, “marking well the path by which you (Israel) came.”

A Remarkable Correlation of Virgin Births!

Regarding the italicized portion of the Jeremiah Chapter 31 passage (my virgin Israel) here is another excerpt from last week’s article (in italics):

Consider the following comparison: Just as the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of our Great Triune God, supernaturally conceived the Son (Messiah Jesus as both God and man)—who existed from the beginning with God the Father—through a virgin, so did God through the Balfour Declaration providentially conceive the nation of Israel which essentially had been in existence since Abraham fathered Isaac.

As you’ll see in next week’s Eye of Prophecy Part II article on the Balfour Declaration from a passage in Jeremiah, God calls his chosen people—in the context of their final return to the Promised Land—my virgin Israel. Which makes the Virgin Birth of Messiah, who appeared several times in the Old Testament as the Pre-Incarnate Christ, and the virgin-like (re)birth (supernaturally against impossible odds) of the Jewish nation a very appropriate analogy.

(Back to this week’s article. Are you keeping up? The above italicized excerpt was from last week’s article in partial preparation for this week’s article. Just kidding … of course you are!)

In this same 31^st chapter of Jeremiah we have one of the greatest prophecies in all of Scripture. I have quoted these verses in a few prior articles. Because of the universal impact of this prophecy—God’s New Covenant with Israel (one in which Gentiles have been “grafted in”) instituted and implemented with the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Messiah Jesus—it merits repeating.

“The day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife, says the Lord.

“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord. I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” Jeremiah 31:31-33).

On the eve of the Passion of Christ—with every event of the Passion prophesied directly or indirectly by Old Testament prophets and/or by Jesus, himself; his false arrest, illegal trial, brutal and unlawful (the Roman Governor himself said that Jesus was innocent but still handed him over for execution) crucifixion, and burial in a rich man’s tomb (Joseph of Arimathea)—Jesus ate the Passover supper one last time with his disciples.

This is what happened and what he said:

“He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.’ After supper he took another cup of wine and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you’” (Luke 22:19-20).

Three days later Messiah Jesus arose from the dead to validate that he was/is Messiah, the Son of God, and to seal the New Covenant God promised through Jeremiah some 600 years earlier. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historical fact. He was seen by hundreds of witnesses during the forty days after he arose from the grave, and then ascended to heaven from where he will soon return to the earth, “…with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30).

This is not the covenant message of the Mosaic Law that was written on tablets of stone, the one that God’s people could not and would not keep.

This is the message of the New Covenant.

Said the Apostle Paul, formerly the Pharisee Saul who persecuted and killed early Christians until his marvelous life-changing encounter with the Risen Messiah:

“…And that message is the very message about faith that we preach. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved … Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord who gives generously to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:8-13, italics for emphasis, last sentence is a quote from Joel 2:32).

I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts (Jeremiah 31).

The Remarkable Results of the Balfour Declaration from a Broader Prophetic Perspective

In the context of and correlation with Messiah Jesus’s astounding announcement that the generation alive when he returns will (begin to) experience the end-times events he described (and by obvious inference all of the other last day prophecies of Scripture), the Balfour Declaration of 1917, followed by the UN Resolution in 1947 and Israel’s subsequent declaration of statehood in 1948 are staggering in their relevancy to this (our) generation.

Later this year, November 2, Israel—hopefully joined by many Western nations, especially Great Britain the very source of the Balfour Declaration—will celebrate the 100^th anniversary of this famous decision, which was and still is the “right and moral thing to do.”

The 70^th year anniversary of the UN Resolution of 1947 will also occur in November of this year. This is the second definition or time-frame of a Biblical generation, a generation within the 100-year generation. Next year, 2018, will be the 70^th anniversary of Israel’s Statehood rebirth (May 14^th) in the family of nations on earth, to be celebrated on April 19^th. Israel uses the Jewish calendar when it comes to their national holidays.

Then the crowning point of Israel’s rebirth in the land sovereignly promised to them by God was the stunning reclamation of Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967—what many Rabbis and Evangelical scholars, including me, consider to be a year of Jubilee.

The 50-year Jubilee memorial of the consolidation of Jerusalem will take place this coming Wednesday (May 24^th), the day after President Donald Trump’s two-day visit to Israel. We, who love Israel and support Israel’s right of existence and God-given mandate to possess all of the boundaries of the Promised Land, can only hope and pray that President Trump keeps his promise to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This would be a strong symbolic and also powerful physical (real-time and space) acknowledgment of Jewish rightful claim to Jerusalem as the undivided eternal capital of Israel.

(The Latest Word is that President Trump Will Not Announce A Decision On the US Embassy Move During His Trip to Israel … See Eye of Prophecy Article, “Is President Trump Wavering on The Waiver?” Posted 2-4-17).

Let’s look again at the Biblical meaning of a generation and a Jubilee in the inescapable context that virtually all end-times prophecies are centered exclusively on Israel. The only direct involvement of the true Church is that of being whisked away at the Rapture, which is the “first day” of the Day of the Lord (Tribulation, physical Return of Jesus to earth, and then the Millennium).

Here, I will defer to the Eye of Prophecy article The Omega Generation (posted 2-15-14), excerpts of which were also quoted in a subsequent article written almost two years later, Jubilee and Messiah … They Go Together! (1-23-16).

It’s been over three years since The Omega Generation article was posted. We have reached the pivotal year of 2017 (Gregorian calendar; with, as we will see, the Jewish calendar the more Biblically accurate measurement of the two generational time-frames as all Scriptural references to days, months, and years relate to the 30-day month of the Jewish calendar). Based on Biblical and historical evidence—particularly the three 20^th century momentous milestones of Israel’s modern history—I’m proposing that this year is the beginning of a two or three-year prophetic window of the final generation Messiah Jesus spoke of in answer to his disciple’s question: “…Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3, NASB).

In italics, here is a segment from The Omega Generation:

If Jesus is referring specifically to the last generation, and I believe the text/context is crystal clear that he is; then this generation must have a designated start-up date or dates. Without an actual event (which can be identified by a specific calendar year) to begin the generation, the 70-year or 100-year generational time frame is much too vague … meaning there’s too much overlap or ambiguity as to the actual decades involved. If you were explaining your generation to someone, what would be your reference point? How would you describe it? Wouldn’t you say, “In my generation….” Essentially, then, your reference or starting point is the date of your birth!

Using our first example of four generations of Israel’s enslavement in Egypt, God gave Abraham the point-in-time commencement of this 400 hundred years (four generations) captivity, i.e. from the time that the Jews no longer enjoyed freedom in Egypt, which was not too long after Joseph died.

So, let’s look again at the three monumentally crucial events of the last 100 years, relating to the return of the Jews to Israel.

(A) Balfour Declaration of November, 1917:

Recognizing this very important event/date, we can then apply the Biblical generational measurement of 100 years. Once again, however, we need to convert Roman calendar years to Jewish years. Doing the math we come up with 101.4 Jewish years which translates to 101 years and 5 months. From November, 1917, this would take us to March or April, 2019.

(B) United Nations Resolution of November, 1947:

This was the 2nd significant milestone in fulfillment of hundreds of Biblical prophecies concerning the Abrahamic Covenant, i.e. the physical restoration of Israel. Most Bible scholars and historians select the statehood date of May 14, 1948 as the historical landmark, which it certainly is; however, the actual declaration of statehood was almost anticlimactic. Reason: officially, the British Mandate (rule) over Palestine expired on that date. But it was the UN Resolution that delivered the pivotal turning point or breakthrough. Without the UN resolution of November, 1947, there would have been no recognized Israeli State in May, 1948. Yet, there is only a period of 6 months separating these two events; thus, selection of either one would be a legitimate application to the 70-year generational measurement of time.

Again, doing the conversion math, we arrive at a total of 70.97 or (rounding it off) 71 Jewish years. Adding 71 years to November, 1947, we arrive at November, 2018. If we utilize May, 1948 as the benchmark date, the 71 years would take us to May, 2019.

(C) June, 1967 Six-Day War (Jubilee Years):

In addition to the two Biblical measurements of a generation (100 years and 70 years), what happens if we also select the Jubilee time-frame of 50 years? As stressed in the previous Seven Times Seven articles, the 50-year Jubilee was part of God’s formula for disciplining Israel, as the Jews also failed to keep the Jubilee. Consequently, I believe the Jubilee will also be a component part of God’s magnificent restoration of Israel.

In this instance, we will use the next epic milestone in Israel’s brief modern-history … that of the June, 1967 Six-Day War. We talked about this at great length in last week’s article, to include the fact that it occurred 50 years (not coincidentally, a Jubilee period of time) from the Balfour Declaration of 1917.

Once again we convert 50 Roman calendar years to Jewish time and we come up with: 50.7 years which is 50 years and 8.4 months (8-9 months). From June, 1967, this would take us through February or into March, 2018.

Combining All Three Events

None of these three possibilities give us an exact day/hour of Christ’s return that begins with the first phase which is the Rapture and ends with his physical return at the end of the Tribulation. And that’s good. Why? Because Jesus, himself, said that no one can possibly know the day or hour of his return. I emphasize that almost to a fault in my article, When the Rapture? Therefore, I wouldn’t even pretend to know the exact date of Christ’ return, nor would I ever venture a guess. Forget it!

On the contrary, Jesus did advise us to recognize the seasons, the times, the signs, and the symptoms if you will, of his glorious return. If he didn’t want us to put 2 and 2 together, then why did Jesus provide so many clues and signals? Why would he have even used the metaphor of the fig tree in bloom? Even more challenging: Why would he have selected a time-measured or time-dedicated point of reference (generation), if he didn’t want us to identify the noteworthy bench mark events of the final days, aligned alongside the pre-Rapture birth pains and post-Rapture (Tribulation) incidents that he describes.

With these questions in mind, what other specific events have occurred relating to Israel during the 20th or 21st century that would surpass or supplant the 1917, 1947 (48), and 1967 highlights that we’ve selected as commencement dates for both the 100 and 70-year generations, as well as the equally important Jubilee? In answer to this question, I’ll give you a hint: There are NO other events that even come close to these historical mileposts…

Summary

Here’s what we find when we combine all three projected dates of generational or Jubilee time-lapse… meaning 100 years, 70 years, and 50 years (Roman calendar). From our three (four, if we also use Israel’s statehood of May, 1948) examples, we will select the earliest possible month/year all the way to the latest month/year.

It’s conceivable that we will hear the blast of the last Rapture trumpet: BETWEEN FEBRUARY, 2018 and MAY, 2019!!

(Note for Today’s Article: In hindsight I certainly could have and probably should have included the (this) year, 2017. Actually, it was a foregone conclusion that 2017 could be the beginning of the Day of the Lord, as I and others are convinced this is a Jubilee year. See aforementioned article, Jubilee and Messiah … They Go Together! Posted January, 2016, for the time of year when the Jubilee was to be announced and the time of year it actually began).

Returning to a final excerpt from The Omega Generation (posted in February, 2014):

Of course, Christ may Rapture the Church any day between now and the above listed dates, or even after those dates. For the following reasons: God will determine the next Jubilee in Israel’s history. Concerning a generation (whether 70 or 100 years): unless the prophecy specifies actual periods of time such as found in Daniel 9, there is normally some flexibility built-in to God’s use of numbers in Scripture. For example, there are, relatively speaking, a handful of people on the earth who live to be 105 or 110, or whatever. Also, the average life expectancy in many developed countries is in the vicinity of 76, 77, or 78 years.

But, if the Lord decides to combine all three time-frames, then I would be very surprised if we Christians are still on this earth after the year 2020. Although that is a speculative statement, I believe that it is a sanctified speculation! Meaning that it is based on some solid evidence from Scripture, particularly the passages quoted in this article and prior articles.

The Day of the Lord is so very near. As selected by God to be the heart and soul of God’s chosen people, the Jews, and the eternal capital of the Promised Land of Israel, Jerusalem’s (the City of God) time has come.

“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance. Look and see, for everyone is coming home! Your sons are coming from distant lands; your little daughters will be carried home. Your eyes will shine, and your heart will thrill with joy….” (Isaiah 60:1-5a).

I, for one, will echo and support and participate in the prophet’s passionate plea for Israel:

“Because I love Zion, I will not keep still. Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch. The nations will see your righteousness. World leaders will be blinded by your glory…” (Isaiah 62:1-2).

Things to Ponder

My maternal grandfather fought in World War I and was alive when the Balfour Declaration marked the beginning of the 100-year generation. Although relatively few compared to the world’s population, there are still many people over one hundred years old or who will turn 100 this year; some of whom will in all likelihood witness the beginning of the Day of the Lord.

My father fought in World War II. He is gone now as is my mother. I am 70 years old, born 14 months before the UN Resolution of 1947 and 20 months before the rebirth of Israel in 1948. Tens of millions of Baby Boomers are still alive (including me or you wouldn’t be reading this article!).

Millions upon millions more born in 1967 (Jubilee year) or thereabout are still on Planet Earth. In all probability, they will either be taken in the Rapture (if they have believed and received Messiah Jesus as Personal Savior) or left behind to experience the horrendous Great Tribulation.

Not since the First World War and more so the Second World War have world conditions been as ominous as they are right now. In fact, I believe the perils facing the earth’s population are more apocalyptically threatening than pre World-War II.

The geopolitical and military global balloon is saturated to the bursting point with wars and rumors of war and with world-wide imminent threats, ultimatums, and accusations against Israel like never before in world history. The chain of alliances in the Middle East (especially Syria)—where coalition A is fighting coalition B which is fighting coalition C, which in turn is fighting A—is a brittle cord ready to snap. The fragile tightened skin of the balloon is about to explode.

Something has to give, and it will give … soon.

Even more alarming than before the two World Wars of the 20^th century, the prophetic pace of the 21^st century is far too hectic, confusing, and relentless to allow time for anyone or any nation to pause long enough to effectively stop the doomsday clock from reaching the midnight hour. All the while, people “party” to escape today; hoping the next day brings them more time to ignore and delay their eternal destiny as they eat, drink, and be merry just in case tomorrow they die.

If anyone would chalk such an observation up to “doomsday melodrama” or flippantly brush aside the obvious warnings that come our way virtually every day, then they obviously prefer to sail on the same (imaginary) cruise ship of those in Noah’s Day—who after it was too late wished they had their own ark. With Noah and his family safely aboard the real boat of God’s protection and deliverance.

Here’s what Jesus said:

“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 24:37-39).

If you don’t know Messiah Jesus as Lord and Savior, please don’t wait until it’s too late. You truly need and want him as your Savior, not your judge.

“The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment” (John 3:35-36).

One day soon the Lord will judge the earth with perfect justice. Righteousness will reign. Truth will triumph. Peace will prevail.

Hallelujah to the Lamb of God! All praise to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!

Jubilee and Messiah … They Go Together!

23 Saturday Jan 2016

Posted by garybowers in The Rapture

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Balfour Declaration, Six-Day War, The Rapture

Jubilee, What a Wonderful Year!

What is a Jubilee? Or more precisely, the year of Jubilee? Amidst the fervent anticipation of Christians, but also of Jews in Israel and the world over for the imminent appearance of Messiah, we are seeing a growing 21^st century interest in this ancient decree issued by God for the Hebrews. Why has a regulation that hasn’t been kept by Judaism for some 3,000 years; one that even Jewish Rabbis can’t agree on in terms of whether it is a 49-year or 50-year cycle; nor one that can be identified by actual historical dates, regained profound prominence in the last decade or so?

The quick answer is because a few Bible scholars—observant Jews, Messianic Jews, and Gentile Christians, including me—are seeing a remarkable connection between two 20^th century events that are 49-50 years apart. Both of these milestones directly reflect on and relate to the very heart and purpose of the Jubilee, which is a general restoration of Jewish property in the Promised Land back to its original owners in the 50^th year, or the Year of Jubilee. Applying this principle to Israel as a nation, we can make an unmistakable correlation between the Year of Jubilee—emancipation, freedom, restoration, redemption of both people and land—and the remarkable return of Jews to Israel to sovereignly reclaim the land taken from them by Gentile nations for nearly 2,500 years.

Based on, in part, some notable prophetic calculations made by Sir Isaac Newton (who was more interested in Bible prophecies than the astounding scientific discoveries he made, i.e. law of gravity), Bible students such as Mark Blitz, Jonathan Cahn, Bob O’Dell and Gidon Ariel (and myself, but not necessarily based on Isaac Newton) have identified these two historical events in the 20^th century as pivotal dates to demonstrate that the Year of Jubilee is playing a significant role in end-times fulfillment of prophecy. This all started not long ago by looking backwards to the incredible dates of June, 1967 and November, 1917—the recapture of Jerusalem in the Six Day War and the Balfour Declaration that gave Jews the right of return to Palestine, respectively. These two enormously important dates are 49-50 years apart, the calendar cycle of a Jubilee.

Then looking ahead to the next Jubilee year which some say began on September 13, 2015 (the beginning of the new Jewish year of 5776). With very few others (like me) who place the beginning of the Jubilee year in the first month, Nisan, of the original Jewish calendar (March/April of the Gregorian Calendar, this year beginning April 9^th), we can prophetically propose that another noteworthy occurrence will take place in the next year or two, perhaps even the Rapture itself. But at the very least, a momentous episode pertaining to freedom of and in the land of Israel; for example, the possible opening of Temple Mount to Jewish and Christian worship.

In that regard, please refer to a recent Eye of Prophecy article entitled, The Legacy of Temple Mount, published 1-2-16.

The difference in the actual sequence or interlude of a Jubilee—whether 49 or 50 years—has been debated by both Bible Scholars and Jewish Rabbis for centuries. Time/space does not permit an in-depth study of these two views (including the disagreement as to which Jewish calendar should be used to identify when a Jubilee Year begins) except to say that I personally am in the camp of those who contend that a Jubilee is every 50 years. However the 50^th year is also the first year of the next Jubilee period, i.e. year one of that 49-year cycle for purpose of counting off the number of years.

In the final analysis, it’s not imperative that we absolutely know for sure; as there remains a small time-gap window of opportunity for the next Jubilee year to begin … whether 49 or 50 years from the previous Jubilee, whether beginning in the fall or spring, it’s still a year or less.

Later in this article, I’ll once again present evidence that the aforementioned events in 1917 and 1967 were but two of three incredible events that took place in the 20^th century return of Jews to Israel. The third (2^nd in chronological sequence) was the November, 1947 United Nations Resolution that entitled Israel to become a State, which she did in May, 1948. In addition to a complete (exact or almost exact) Jubilee cycle taking place between the first event (Balfour Declaration of 1917) and the Six-Day War recapture of Jerusalem by the IDF in 1967, we have the twofold beginning of an actual generation of which Jesus, himself, said was a crucial time-frame indicator in the last days of his return. Recalling his words, he said: “…this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34, italics for emphasis).

Thus, these three extraordinary 20^th century historical end-times milestones (signs) are a divine combination and coordination of Jubilee years and the 100 and 70-year Biblical parameters of an actual generation.

First, let’s examine the original Jubilee commandment as found in the Complete Jewish Bible translation. It comes directly after God’s decree that the land was to be given a complete rest (no planting of crops or cultivation) every 7^th year, which the Jews call a Shemitah year. Let’s read about the Year of Jubilee:

The Biblical Record of Jubilee

“You are to count seven Shabbats of years, seven times seven years, that is, forty-nine years. Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, on Yom Kippur, you are to sound a blast on the shofar; you are to the sound the shofar all through your land; and you are to consecrate the fiftieth year, proclaiming freedom throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It will be a yovel (jubilee) for you; you will return everyone to the land he owns, and everyone is to return to his family. That fiftieth year will be a yovel for you; in that year you are not to sow, harvest what grows by itself or gather the grapes of untended vines; because it is a yovel. It will be holy for you; whatever the fields produce will be food for all of you. In this year of yovel, every one of you is to return to the land he owns” (Leviticus 25:8-13).

There were more instructions, but this passage contains the essence of how Webster’s Dictionary accurately (based on a correct application of the Biblical account) portrays and defines Jubilee:

“A year of emancipation and restoration provided by ancient Hebrew law to be kept every 50 years by the emancipation of Hebrew slaves, restoration of alienated lands to their former owners, and omission of all cultivation of the land.” Then in more general terms: “a special anniversary, a celebration of such an anniversary.”

The Promised Land of Israel was given by the Lord to the Jews, as opposed to any other people or nation; moreover, this land grant was irreversible and was meant to be an everlasting inheritance for God’s chosen people. Nevertheless, when it came to the reasons (too many and too complicated to explain in detail in one article) for the Jubilee, the Lord instructed his people:

“The land is not to be sold in perpetuity, because the land belongs to me—you are only foreigners and temporary residents with me. Therefore, when you sell your property, you must include the right of redemption (buying back)” (Verses 23-24, New Jewish Bible).

Then more details were provided on exactly how and when redemption of both land and people would take place.

But the overriding purpose for keeping God’s meticulous requirements of the seven-year Shemitah and the fifty-year Yovel (Jubilee) cycle was: “Thus you are not to take advantage of each other, but you are to fear your God; for I am Adonai your God. Rather, you are to keep my regulations and rulings and act accordingly. If you do, you will live securely in the land” (Leviticus 25:17-18, New Jewish Bible).

The original commands from God pertaining to remembrance of the Jewish Festivals—such as Passover, Pentecost, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Tabernacles—as well as observing the Shemitah and Jubilee years was based on the original Jewish monthly (moon) calendar in which the first month was Nisan (March-April on our calendar). It was the seventh month (September-October on our calendar) in which the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles were to be observed. Later, in Jewish History the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashana) became the start of a new calendar year for the Jews. Thus they have what might be called a religious calendar and a secular calendar.

The announcement of the year of Jubilee was to be made on the tenth day of the seventh month (Yom Kippur), which would still be in the 49^th year that began in March/April of that year. But the year of Jubilee wouldn’t begin until the following spring, which was the actual calendar commencement of the 50^th year (of Jubilee). I believe this is the correct understanding of Leviticus 25, because verse 11 states: “You shall have the fiftieth year as a jubilee; you shall not sow, nor reap … for it is a jubilee; it shall be holy (set apart) to you…” (New American Standard Bible).

Although there were fall crops, the primary harvest season was understood to begin in the spring, the first month of the Hebrew calendar; which is why the actual Jubilee year wouldn’t begin until the following spring, after having been proclaimed throughout the land in September or October, the month of Tishrei, or the 7^th month (of the 49^th year).

For example, the Balfour Declaration of November, 1917 would have taken place in a year of Jubilee that began officially in March/April of that year (month of Nisan). Counting off 49 Jewish years (360 days in a year) or actually 49 years and 8 months on our calendar, from March/April 1917 brings us to the months of Sept/Oct in the calendar year of 1966. If the Jews were still keeping the Jubilee years, the Jubilee would then have been announced in the seventh month (Sept/Oct of 1966) and officially commenced the following March/April, which would have been 1967 on our calendar, i.e. the 50^th year (of Jubilee). The Six-Day War, therefore, would have taken place in the year of Jubilee, because it occurred in June, 1967.

(Photo of Israeli Troops Entering Jerusalem, Six-Day War)

However, when the secular Jewish calendar was introduced after the Babylonian Captivity, the new Jewish year–for purpose of counting and recording the years–began on Rosh Hashana, the first day of the month of Tishrei, September/October of the Gregorian calendar. Thus, the Jewish year 5776 began on September 13, 2015.

Confused? That’s okay. In part the confusion is healthy. Why? Because it prevents us from precise date setting as to the Rapture which will usher in the Day of the Lord and all end-times events thereafter. Moreover, the seven to eight month overlap provides some built in flexibility when trying to match up (for example) the November, 1917 Balfour Declaration with the June, 1967 Six-Day War. Same thing when adding 49 or 50 years or something in between from the 1967 Six-Day War to the present year 2016.

If we hold to what I believe is the Biblical formula, then the next Jubilee would be proclaimed in the fall of 2016; but actually begin in the Jewish month of Nisan (March/April) of 2017, not the calendar year of 2015 or 2016 as some suggest. This would also be the Jewish year of 5777, a tremendously important set of numbers to both the Jews and those who are students of Biblical numbers. With five representing the number of Grace (God’s favor poured out) and the three sevens a perfect three-fold extension of the divine number seven.

It Is God Who Has Restored the Jubilee

Whatever month or months we choose in 2017 or 2016 or even 2015 as the beginning of another year of Jubilee, the most important feature of this entire study is to realize that the Year of Jubilee is a phenomena that God has taken the initiative to restore as part of his spectacular plan for the last days.

In fact, it is God who introduced the New Covenant of Grace through his Son, who sealed that covenant with his very blood … with his death, burial, and resurrection from the grave. It is God who providentially planned and instigated the return of the Jews to Israel. It is God who sovereignly orchestrated the rebirth of Israel as a nation, and who has divinely renewed the Jubilee cycle. All the while opportunely matching the Jubilee of 1917 and 1967 with the two definitions of generations found in Scripture, i.e. 100 years and 70 years, which more than coincidentally correlate with the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and the United Nations Resolution granting Statehood rights to Israel in 1947.

Then the entire 26^th chapter of Leviticus is God’s promise of his blessings on Israel if they worshipped only him; if they loved, respected, and obeyed him and the commandments given to them for their own good. Followed by God’s warnings if they did not, “…listen to me and obey all these mitzvot (commandments or more broadly—general principles for living), if you loathe my regulations and reject my rulings, in order not to obey all my mitzvot but cancel my covenant, then I, for my part, will do this to you: I will bring terror upon you … I will set my face against you—your enemies will defeat you, those who hate you will hound you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you” (Leviticus 26:14-17, New Jewish Bible).

Throughout this stunning 26^th chapter of Leviticus, the Lord specifies four successive seven times over punishments that he would inflict on his people if they began and continued their disobedience. Which is exactly what they did leading up to the Babylonian Captivity, but also following their return to Israel after seventy years of exile. Then continuing without interruption to and through the Diaspora that began with the Roman conquest of Israel and destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

The worst of this divine discipline took place during the horrible Holocaust; which, however, led to the rebirth of Israel in 1948 and the final end of Gentile domination of the Jews in 1967.

Here I want to pause and refer you to an astounding disclosure that the Lord gave to me nearly ten years ago (October, 2006). Namely, that these four cycles of seven times correction of God’s people was administered consecutively in actual years, both in principle and practice, to correlate with the seven-year Sabbath land cycle and the fifty-year Jubilee cycle. In order to see the amazing details of how this developed historically, coming to an end in the phenomenal year of 1967, please read the three-part Eye of Prophecy series entitled, Seven Times Seven (to the 4^th power!) Parts I, II, III, published 1-25-14, 2-1-14, and 2-8-14, followed by the summary article The Omega Generation, posted on 2-15-14.

In that regard, let’s review some excerpts from The Omega Generation article, as follows in italics:

Is it, then, possible to select or identify events/dates in Israel’s contemporary history that correspond to the Biblical definition of a generation … that is one hundred years and/or seventy years? The answer is a resounding, YES. In fact, we’ve already touched on these dates in the previous three articles. In addition, I partially addressed these events some time ago in the Eye of Prophecy article, entitled, When the Rapture, published 8-10-13, as well as The End of the Age article published 11-23-13.

Some Christians are confused about or don’t entirely understand the role of the Church and Israel during the last days beginning with the Rapture. Please fathom one critical premise/truth: Although the Mount of Olives discourse indirectly applies to the Church (composed of all Jews and Gentiles who have been redeemed by Messiah Jesus), the whole purpose of Christ’s majestic return is to set up the Kingdom of Heaven (Kingdom of God) on the earth IN the Holy Land and THROUGH / FOR his chosen people, the Jews. And what triggers the need for Christ to return to Israel is none other than the ultimate and final rescue of the Jews (Israel) from conquest and destruction at the hands of Antichrist.

Concerning the Church, the sole purpose of the Rapture is to snatch away believers from the earth so that we do not have to experience the final wrath of God poured out on an ungodly generation of unbelievers. Otherwise, ALL of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Last Days or End Times focus on Israel, not the Church; in fact, the Church (consisted of all Jews/Gentiles who place their trust in Christ’s sacrificial death) doesn’t even come into existence for over 400 years after the last book of the Old Testament was written. Moreover, from the 4th Chapter through the 18th Chapter of the book of Revelation, the Church is not even mentioned, as such.

So, let’s look again at the three monumentally crucial events of the last 100 years, relating to the return of the Jews to Israel.

Balfour Declaration of November, 1917: England extended official support that Palestine could be a home for the Jews. This was the beginning of Jewish autonomy in Israel, although the land was still called Palestine at that time.

United Nations Resolution of November, 1947: UN voted to grant statehood rights to the Jews; the nation would be called Israel. (May 14, 1948, David Ben Gurion proclaimed the reborn existence of the State of Israel!).

June, 1967 Six-Day War (Jubilee Years): In addition to the two Biblical measurements of a generation (100 years and 70 years), what happens if we also select the Jubilee time-frame of 50 years? As stressed in the previous seven times seven articles, the 50-year Jubilee was part of God’s formula for disciplining Israel, as the Jews also failed to keep the Jubilee. Consequently, I believe the Jubilee will also be a component part of God’s magnificent restoration of Israel.

…What other specific events have occurred relating to Israel during the 20th or 21st century that would surpass or supplant the 1917, 1947 (48), and 1967 highlights that we’ve selected as commencement dates for both the 100 and 70-year generations, as well as the equally important Jubilee? In answer to this question, I’ll give you a hint: There are NO other events that even come close to these historical mileposts. In fact, take a look at what constitutes the Jubilee year in Leviticus Chapter 25. Among other things, it is a time to free servants, debts, and captives, which is exactly what happened when the IDF captured Jerusalem and freed all Jews to return to and live in all of Jerusalem—at least in principle.

I then summarized these pivotal milestones in the 20^th century with the following conclusion:

It’s conceivable that we will hear the blast of the last Rapture trumpet: BETWEEN FEBRUARY, 2018 and MAY, 2019!!

Back to today’s article. (In hindsight, I would have added 2017 to the above quoted time frame, as March/April of 2017 is the beginning of Jubilee, while still within the parameters of the generational period of time).

Once again, what we’re trying to demonstrate is that there have been three incredibly significant events in the 20^th century that match up with the two monumentally important factors that give us a time-frame (not the exact time, but a span of time) when the Day of the Lord will begin. One is the Old Testament celebration of the Jubilee Year, which the majority of Jewish scholars and Rabbis strongly believe is connected to Messiah’s arrival. The other is the New Testament discourse of Jesus, himself, concerning the signs of the last days; culminating in his statement that the last (Omega) generation will not pass from the scene until all these things have been accomplished.

Moreover, the Jubilee signifies and represents the restoration of both land and the people living in the land. Concerning the nation of Israel, this began with the right of return of the Jews to Israel afforded by the now famous Balfour Declaration of November, 1917 … a year that could, (and in my opinion did) by definition and by actual experience, be considered a year of Jubilee. But one that also began the countdown of the final generation, based on the oldest Biblical definition of such a generation, i.e. 100 years.

Followed by the second generational event of November, 1947 … the UN Resolution granting statehood rights to Israel. Then the soon to follow formal declaration of Jewish Statehood in May, 1948. I’m firmly convinced that the evidence determines this to be the end-times beginning of the 2^nd Biblical definition of a generational period of time … seventy years.

Next is the extraordinary recapture of Jerusalem in June, 1967; which, as I’ve written about, did two things: (1) Ended completely God’s seven times over discipline of his people, along with the Gentile domination of the Jews. (2) Restored the Holy City of the Holy Land to the Jews. Both of these results are part and parcel of a Jubilee. In this case the next to last Jubilee before the magnificent return of Messiah Jesus to begin the final Jubilee, with respect to the nation of Israel and with regard to the Rapture of the Church that will propel us into the Millennial Messianic Age of complete restoration and redemption of God’s chosen people, the Jews.

Here is a quote from an August 12, 2015 article in Breaking Israel News online news source which was written on the subject of the year of Jubilee:

“If it is a positive religious commandment with a clear Biblical source, what is the reason Jews do not currently mark the Jubilee year? According to rabbinic tradition, there are three conditions for the observance of the Jubilee year and none of them are completely fulfilled today.”

The author goes on to list these three conditions as: (1) observance of Jubilee is contingent on the majority of Jewish people living in the land of Israel. (2) The Jewish people must live in their Biblically assigned portion of the Land of Israel (each of the twelve tribes). Because ten of the tribes are still considered Lost Tribes, this condition also has not been met in modern times. (3) A fully functional Sanhedrin, which in today’s Israel has not yet been accomplished, i.e. a full complement of 71 judges.

Much could be said in response to these three rabbinical conditions; however, suffice to say that none of them are found, as such, in Scripture. Meaning they are not valid reasons for the continued historical lack of setting apart the Jubilee years. Having said that, however, there is much more to the matter than these or other conditions to first be met before Jews can again celebrate the year of Jubilee in particular and their final redemption in general.

In fact, it is not the implementation of certain conditions in Israel or prescribed actions by God’s chosen people before the Lord will keep his promises to fully restore and reconcile Israel to himself. Instead, it is (as already alluded to) a matter of God, himself, reintroducing the year of Jubilee into Israel’s history, as an integral facet of what is shaping up to be a God-controlled and God-orchestrated plan to restore and redeem the Promised Land to the Jews and the Jews, themselves, back to God.

Another significant condition cited by Jewish Rabbis is that Israelis and Jews the world over must begin to repent (of several things) and intensify their righteous acts or good deeds in order for Messiah to return, whether 2016 or 2017 is a year of Jubilee or not. But then they offer few boundaries or guidelines to say when enough repentance is enough for the Lord to act, and they differ on exactly what form this penitence should take.

I believe we can answer their questions and concerns by pointing to the New Covenant of Grace established by God for Jew and Gentile alike. The only thing that the Lord now requires in terms of repentance is for the Jew (for everyone) to change their minds about Jesus Christ … to believe in him and receive him as Messiah and Savior. That’s what it means to repent … a change of mind. When that takes place individually and within Israel as a nation, then the Lord will change their heart.

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart” (Ezekiel 36:26).

Things to Ponder

There are dozens of Old Testament prophecies about Israel’s restoration that both state and imply that God will take the initiative; in fact, he already has. Although the Jews will express their heartfelt sorrow when they see and acknowledge Jesus as the true Messiah at the end of the seven-year Tribulation, the Lord will not wait for the Jews to first “repent.” As individuals but also as a nation their repentance will be commensurate with recognition of their Messiah … who he was all along.

“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me (Messiah) whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son…” (Zechariah 12:10).

The following is just one of many passages that clearly confirm it is the Lord who takes the lead to redeem Israel, beginning with the New Covenant sealed by the blood of Messiah Jesus, culminating in the final restoration of the Promised Land and redemption of its people:

“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘I myself will search and find my sheep. I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations … I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again…” (Ezekiel 34:11-16).

Then later the Lord said to Ezekiel regarding Israel: “I will unify them into one nation on the mountains of Israel. One king will rule them all; no longer will they be divided into two nations or into two kingdoms. They will never again pollute themselves with their idols and vile images and rebellion, for I will save them from sinful backsliding. I will cleanse them. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 37:22-23).

As for me, I’m already celebrating by means of eager expectation for Messiah Jesus to take us (believers in Christ Jesus) home during the next Jubilee year. If not then, soon afterward! If not the Rapture taking place in the year of Jubilee, then Israel’s Knesset government sovereignly declaring the right of all Jews and Christians (Muslims already have the right) to visit and worship on Temple Mount anytime they choose.

Once again, listen to the words of Messiah Jesus:

“…When you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:33-34).

That time will truly be a Jubilee jubilation like never before! And that time is near, so very near!

Two Thirds of the Jews Killed … Past or Future?

19 Saturday Sep 2015

Posted by garybowers in Prophecy in General

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Holocaust, Six-Day War, Zechariah

Two Thirds of the Jews Killed … Past or Future?

When Israel reacted justifiably to the imminent threat of attack by Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq with a preemptive military strike against those enemies on June 5^th, 1967, I remember thinking that the Jews couldn’t possibly win another war against these formidable Islamic nations. That it would be a devastating defeat for the Jews absent any miracles that produced an Against All Odds victory in their 1948-1949 War of Independence.

I’m sure many others felt the same way, even though American military experts believed that Israel might accomplish their objectives in 7-10 days because the IDF seized the element of surprise by landing the first blow. It seemed that the whole world was watching what many thought would be a war that could conceivably spell the end of the only Jewish nation on earth, a country that hadn’t yet reached its 20^th birthday.

As a 20-year old student working my way through college, I vividly recall the incessant news updates while trying to concentrate on my job in the downtown precinct of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department (my employer at the time). What with my classes, homework, and sleeping, I had very little time off-duty to keep track of the media updates. There were no televisions in the police precincts, but there were radios. I worked the graveyard shift (11PM-7AM, which often included weekends).

Even during this shift the Precinct Captain and Desk Sergeant kept their radios tuned to the periodic reports of the astonishing rate and precision at which Israel was dismantling her foes. I suppose their interest in the outcome had much to do with observing a modern-day epic version of David and Goliath unfolding. Although my passion for end-times Biblical prophecy in general and Israel in particular wouldn’t deepen for another decade, I, too, was completely absorbed in the almost hourly media announcements pouring in from the Middle East.

One, two, three, four days went by. With each passing day, it was becoming more and more evident that the Israelis were routing the much larger Arab military force. It was phenomenal that Israel achieved air superiority after its first day assault on the Egyptian Air Force. It was Against All Odds all over again; but this time it became readily apparent that Israel’s very survival would not be in jeopardy. Within three or four days, the only question was just how soon and how soundly the Arabs would be defeated.

Then on June 10^th the broadcast was heard all over the Police Station, indeed, the entire world: The Arabs had surrendered.

In just six days Israel had achieved a victory that would go down in the annals of warfare as one of the greatest (if not greatest) military feats of all time. She had defeated four Arab nations in a three-front battle … Syria to the north, Jordan and Iraq to the east, and Egypt to the south.

Absolutely amazing! Not just the unthinkable short duration of the war, but also the casualty count reflected the decisiveness of Israel’s victory. An estimated 20,000 Arab combatants were killed with less than 1,000 Israeli deaths.

Because of his contributions to the victory, IDF Chief of General Staff Yitzhak Rabin would be given the honor of naming the war. Such names as “War of Daring” and “War of Salvation” were suggested. But in deference to the six days of creation and the resounding rout of Israel’s enemies in the same number of days, he chose the less ostentatious designation of Six-Day War. Later Rabin would become Israel’s Prime Minister.

Famous photo of IDF soldiers at the Western Wall in 1967

Just six years later, on October 6^th, 1973 the Arabs would strike first on none other than Israel’s holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur. That war lasted only three weeks, but it was much tougher for Israel to emerge victorious. In fact, there were some tenuous times when Israel could have lost that war, and Israeli casualties were much higher than in the Six-Day War. However, since then, no multi-national Arab coalition has dared launch a military campaign against Israel. Instead, they have resorted to terrorism, mortar launchings, propaganda, and BDS tactics.

World-Wide Focus on Israel

Both of these wars stirred my burgeoning interest in Israel and how she fit into end-times Biblical prophecy. To some extent or another, the entire world began to pay attention to the Middle East in general and Israel in particular. Yet it wasn’t until a decade later that my awareness of Israel’s dynamic entrance and progression on the world-stage and my focus on Biblical prophecy accelerated with a great deal of intensity. Permit me to quote the second paragraph of the first page in my book, Out of the Abyss, published in 2011.

Let’s begin with a television documentary—some thirty-five hour-long episodes—first aired in the late 1970s. At the time, I was in my early thirties. Historian Stephen Ambrose and Actor Sir Laurence Olivier narrated these programs under the title: The World at War. The programs included a ton of World War II film footage never shown before. The programs were well written, skillfully narrated, and exceptionally revealing. But it was the last six segments that captivated me … six hour-long programs with gut wrenching film of the round-up, internment, torture, and death of Jews in sadistic Nazi concentration camps. These images were powerfully and indelibly imprinted on my mind and heart.

Then a couple of pages later, I wrote:

Both astonished and distressed at the sheer magnitude of the Holocaust, I wondered how something like this could happen … I had to know. From that time forward I decided to learn more about Israel, the Jews, and prophecy … Something occurred to me that I’m sure others had already recognized; as horrible as the Holocaust had been, would Israel otherwise have been restored as a nation?

Despite the horrendous loss of Jewish life in Nazi concentration camps and throughout Europe during World War II, it’s highly unlikely the Jewish people would have been revived as a nation without this colossal catastrophe. Most assuredly, not that quickly. In just three years after this incredibly devastating war, Israel was reborn as a sovereign nation on this earth.

Never again, said Jews all over the world. They must have their own sanctuary with definable defensible borders, with self-governing rights of citizenship and land ownership, with the inherent freedom and potential privileges of a democratic nation, and with the sovereign capacity to protect themselves. Though many peoples and nations still seek Israel’s destruction, never again will the Jews be indefensibly at the mercy of her enemies. And for once—through the United Nations—some of the world agreed with them. So much so that the UN Resolution in November, 1947 extended sovereign states’ rights to the Jews. Just seven months later, the world witnessed the rebirth of the State of Israel.

Then in the astonishing Six-Day War Israel reclaimed Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, West Bank of the Jordan River, Gaza Strip, and the Sinai Peninsula, all of which have totally or partially been given back to the Arabs, excepting the Golan Heights.

Dozens of Bible prophecies speak of the last day’s return of Jews to Israel from global exile, with the Divine guarantee that never again would Jews be stripped of or away from their Promised Land. Despite the perilous end-times turmoil that will engulf the entire earth during the Great Tribulation, including Israel—which is referred to as Jacob’s troubles—there is no indication in Scripture that the Jews will suffer the catastrophic casualties at the hands of Gentile nations that started with the Assyrian conquest of Israel in 722 BC and the Babylonian overthrow of Judah in 586 BC. Then the even more devastating defeat of Israel by the Romans in 70 AD and their ensuing global Diaspora, culminating in the unfathomable genocidal massacre of some six million Jews during the Holocaust.

Except that is, for one passage. It is a portion of Scripture that has perplexed and troubled me for some time.

Bible prophecy, particularly those involving last day’s warnings, can be either terrifying or touching, horrifying or heartening; depending mostly on whether you are an unbeliever or believer, respectively. Even the believer can be alarmed at the enormity of, for example, death and destruction by the forces of evil in the end times but also by the wrath of God poured out on a very wicked world. As Christians, we need not be afraid of a world spinning out of control before the soon-to-come Rapture, then tilting on an apocalyptic axis and falling into the Abyss during the Tribulation. But we certainly should be motivationally moved by the apocalyptic anxiety that those left behind will experience, particularly by the tribulation saints and Jews; some of whom will be one and the same and both of whom will be relentlessly persecuted.

The Troubling Prophecy of One of My Favorite Prophets, Zechariah

The first part of the passage is one of those mind-numbing, gut-wrenching things to even think about, let alone fully grasp. I have mentally, emotionally, and spiritually agonized over the massive loss of life that this prophecy foretold for God’s chosen people. Here it is:

“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, the man who is my partner, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Strike down the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn against the lambs. Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die, says the Lord. But one-third will be left in the land. I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, These are my people, and they will say, The Lord is our God” (Zechariah 13:7-9).

Zechariah wrote Chapters 1-8 around 520 BC after a remnant of Jews had returned to Israel from Babylon and Persia, then Chapters 9-14 about 480 BC. With the first eight chapters written primarily about rebuilding the Temple, but still containing several prophetic visions; some of them futuristic and others applying to God’s sovereign interaction with Israel and Gentile nations throughout the course of history.

Chapters 9 through 14 pertain almost exclusively to the final restoration of Israel during the end-times … predictions still awaiting fulfillment. However, there are three exceptions which were prophetically future tense to Zechariah and the Jews of that time, but historically have already come to pass. Each of these exceptions pertain to Messiah, the Good Shepherd, who would be betrayed for the paltry sum of thirty pieces of silver—the cost of a slave—as portrayed in Zechariah 11:7-13. That is precisely what transpired when Judas betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders as recorded in the Gospels.

A second prophecy is the famous announcement that nearly every believer recognizes; the fulfillment of which occurred when thousands proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah upon his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem riding on a donkey’s colt (Zechariah 9:9).

The third prophecy in these final chapters of Zechariah that has already come to pass is found in the passage we just read, beginning with, Strike down the shepherd (Zechariah 13:7b). This is an obvious reference to Messiah’s (Jesus) death on the cross. The verse goes on to say, “…and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn against the lambs.”

Jesus referred to the scattering of the sheep as what his disciples would do when he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:31); but Zechariah’s prophecy was broader in scope than that. Why? Because Jesus also denoted the Jews as the (lost) sheep of Israel. Moreover, the next line in Zechariah 13:7 reads, “and I will turn against the lambs.” Although the Lord temporarily withdrew his protection from Israel, he never turned against his disciples or those who would become believers in Christ … Christians. Both sheep and lambs are frequently used as a metaphorical analogy to God’s chosen people, the Jews. This broader application of the sheep and lambs to Israel will be evident as we continue.

The scattering of the sheep also took place when the Romans conquered Israel and destroyed much of Jerusalem including complete demolition of the rebuilt Temple in 70 AD. The scattering and the turning against the lambs signified God’s withdrawal of his protection from his chosen people for rejecting their Messiah who established the New Covenant with the greatest price ever paid … his very blood, the life of the Son of God. The Great Diaspora ensued in which millions of Jews were exiled to many nations. With, however, the greater majority of the Jewish population settling in countries of today’s Europe over hundreds of years. Also, a sizeable number ended up in Russia. Not until the birth of the United States and later the horrendous Holocaust, would more Jews live in America than anywhere else in the world. Even that has now changed, with the greatest concentration of Jews in Israel, itself … 6.3 million.

Depicts Roman Destruction of Jerusalem

According to reliable census, the historical world-wide population of Jews reached its peak in 1939, with a total of 16,728,000. Of that figure, approximately 8,800,000 million resided in European countries, a little over 50 per cent. Today’s Jewish global population is about 13,900,000.

Whether positive or negative or neutral, Scripture is absolutely amazing in its detail, both historically and prophetically … including people, genealogies, times, events, nations, and numbers. See, for example, the Eye of Prophecy article entitled, The Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation, posted 6-6-15.

In the passage quoted earlier from Zechariah 13:7-13, it is a number (fraction) that distressed me for many years. In the context of the horrible tragedy of the Holocaust in which six million Jews were murdered, I simply couldn’t come to terms with Zechariah 13:8, which reads: “Two thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die, says the Lord. But one-third will be left in the land.”

Each time I read this passage, the figures and the repercussions stunned me … during the last days Tribulation, two-thirds of Jews would be killed. On more than one occasion I recall shedding some tears. “Please, Lord,” I pleaded. “Is there any way that you would prevent this from happening?” And, yet, what God says will happen, happens. The Word that he gives to his prophets always comes to pass.

I had read volumes about the sickening Holocaust. I had seen countless hours of film footage depicting the shocking scenes of death by starving, shooting, hanging, and gassing European Jews. But I needed to know what had happened and why. As indicated earlier in this article, it was principally the Holocaust that expanded my interest in Biblical prophecy. And now, I simply couldn’t imagine that God’s chosen people must go through yet another catastrophic carnage that would kill two-thirds of them. Wasn’t the Holocaust enough?

“But Lord,” I said. “That’s too many. That would be four million dead in Israel alone. Please help me to understand why. Is there any other way to see this?” Yet I resigned to what Scripture was saying and accepted that one-third would surely survive.

And, then, recently it happened! The Lord took off the shades from my eye of prophecy (a self-directed pun), and made me see more clearly. There is another (accurate) explanation to these seven verses in Zechariah Chapter 13!

There are four basic mistakes that even the most ardent, well-meaning students of Scripture sometimes make, especially regarding prophecy. They fail to:

Thoroughly scrutinize the context of the passage.
Compare the passage to as many (if not all) other similar passages on that subject.
Evaluate and relate the passage to history or to contemporary times, when obviously necessary.
Fit the prophetic event into Scripture. Instead they squeeze a particular prophetic passage/subject of Scripture or a historical event into a presupposition or theory or premature conclusion.

The more difficult the passage, the more scrupulous we need to be in our examination and application of what the Bible is telling us. Sometimes that is equally, if not more, true when the verses seem to be so very evident to us.

Regarding this passage in question, I was guilty of some of these errors; as has been virtually every other Bible commentator I’ve read or heard. Which is especially ironic; because particularly for the past ten years or so, The Lord has impressed on me the need to meticulously study and apply Biblical prophecy by adhering to these Bible teaching principles. It goes with the gift of teaching graciously given to me by the Lord. The actual sharing with others verbally and/or in written form constitutes only about 50% of what a teacher does. Before that can successfully be done, there must be the capacity to make comparisons, contrasts, correlations, and connections that most people don’t make or don’t want to make, i.e. that’s what teachers are for! Really effective teachers (should) do more than just present facts. They should provide relevant and accurate commentary. In involves not just investigative reporting, but also editorial journalism.

Sometimes, however, it’s more than just an interpretational mistake. It is the Holy Spirit’s illumination by showing us something we had missed or overlooked even after many readings of a specific passage. Or, the Lord will graciously clarify or correct an incorrect or incomplete understanding of a particular passage.

So What Happened? … The Accurate Application

Immediately after Zechariah 13:7 where we read that the Shepherd (Messiah) is killed and the sheep (Jews) are scattered, we read in verse eight: “Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die…” In the Complete Jewish Bible, the wording is, “In time, throughout that land, two-thirds of those in it will be destroyed.” This translation is effectively saying the same thing, but gives us a more definitive grasp of precisely what land Zechariah is referencing.

For years I assumed or presumed that the “land” was Israel, which is a fairly reasonable application or conclusion. Why? Because (nearly) all of the final six chapters of Zechariah refer to the restoration of the Jews to and in Israel. For example: “On that day the Lord their God will rescue his people, just as a shepherd rescues the sheep. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown” (Zechariah 9:16, italics for emphasis).

The above referenced italicized phrase on that day, is used many times in these final chapters … sixteen times from Zechariah Chapter 12 through 14 alone. That phrase is synonymous with The Day of the Lord employed by other Old Testament prophets. On that day refers to the end-times final restoration of Israel, which began when Israel was miraculously reborn as a nation in 1948; but which will exponentially intensify at the outset of the Millennium. As explained throughout other Eye of Prophecy articles, the Day of the Lord begins with the Rapture of the Church, followed very soon by the Seven-Year treaty between Antichrist and Israel, the triumphant return of Christ at the end of the Tribulation, then the Millennial Reign of Messiah Jesus. In the specific passage we’re examining (Chapter 13), the phrase on that day is used twice in the opening verses one through six.

But at verse seven the scene abruptly shifts to another prophecy that, as we’ve already seen, applies to the death of Messiah and scattering exile of God’s chosen people to the land or throughout that land. Just like the interlude or parenthetical scene of Messiah being sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11) or majestic entrance into Jerusalem (Chapter 9), these prophecies have already been fulfilled. They are separate and distinct from the remaining passages that apply exclusively to the last days. Which is another feature that I missed until recently. Actually, I hadn’t missed the fact of the Shepherd being betrayed and that same Shepherd (Messiah Jesus) being killed and the sheep being scattered clearly had already taken place.

What I missed was the fact that the passage of Zechariah 13:7-9 is distinctly separate from verses one through six of Chapter 13 and all of the other (on that day) end-times content of Chapters 9-14, except for Messiah’s procession into Jerusalem and his subsequent betrayal. However, Verses 7, 8, & 9 of Chapter 13 cannot be separated, one from the other. They are all an integral part of a succession of three events: Messiah’s death, the sheep scattered, and two-thirds of them killed … all of which have already taken place!

Here’s how and why:

To where were the sheep scattered and from where would two-thirds of them be cut off and die? Answer: They were scattered to the land or that land. Historically what is that land? Answer: First and foremost and predominately to the European Continent.

Not to or in Israel? They were exiled from Israel in 70 AD not to Israel. And the two-thirds who would be killed would die in the lands to which they were exiled. Not in Israel.

Do you see where we’re heading with this? Yes? No? Either way, let’s continue with more proof, scripturally, historically, and deductively to demonstrate that ALL of the events of Zechariah 13:7-9 have already taken place. Or with regard to Verse 9, has begun and will peak during the Day of the Lord.

More Evidence and Evaluation

For sure, I had previously considered that the two-thirds of Jews killed in this passage were those who died during the Holocaust. In fact, as terrible as the Holocaust was, I had hoped that the passage was referring to that tragic event. Meaning that Israel wouldn’t have to go through another massive bloodbath during the Tribulation. But, in addition to the mistaken notion that the land is Israel instead of the (now) obvious correlation that the land is where the Jews were scattered, my calculations based on the Holocaust were also wrong.

In trying to somehow apply the passage to what had already taken place during World War II, I used the correct figure of six million Jews killed during the Holocaust; however, I inaccurately applied that figure to the total number of Jews in the world just before World War II began. When that’s done, we get the figure of 35% of Jews killed during the Holocaust. Which is mathematically correct, but it is not anywhere close to the two-thirds killed as predicted by Zechariah. Actually, it’s closer to the one-third remnant who would survive.

BUT, let’s see what happens when we apply the two-thirds killed to the existing Jewish population in Europe just before Hitler and the Third Reich began their Final Solution of the Jews.

When we divide the 6 million Jews murdered by Nazi Germany by the 8.8 million European Jews of that time, we get the astounding figure of 68%. Almost exactly TWO-THIRDS! Not only is that far beyond mere coincidence, it is a correlative confirmation of the two-thirds prophesied in Zechariah.

Now then, if someone wants to take issue with the fact that Jews were scattered to nations other than European, particularly Russia; thereby, concluding that the number killed would be logically less than the two-thirds foretold by Zechariah, my response would be, that’s fine.

However, I would also counter that the two-thirds could or should then be expanded to not just the European Holocaust (six million), but to all Jews killed through Russian pogroms, by the Spanish Inquisition, through the Crusades, and other less notable, but nonetheless Anti-Semitic campaigns against the Jews up to the time of Israel’s rebirth as a nation. Obviously it would take a lot of research, if it could actually be done, to establish and compare the approximate number killed to the total number of Jews born during that time frame. Yet, I would still propose a premise or make a prediction that the number killed would be two-thirds of the total Jewish population during those times. Either way, I now see that the accurate application of Zechariah’s two-thirds prophecy has already taken place.

The overwhelmingly clear evidence of the Bible is that once the Jews returned from exile, they would never again be driven from the land. Their time of physical and spiritual restoration would begin. Though they will undoubtedly suffer many more casualties during the Antichrist’s assault against Israel leading to Armageddon, it will not be anything like the appalling losses suffered during World War II or before.

Which is another reason why I was in denial over what I thought the Bible was clearly stating, i.e. two-thirds of Jews would be killed during the last days (on that day or the Day of the Lord) during the Great Tribulation. I couldn’t bring myself to the point of matching this kind of devastation and death to the fact that the time of Gentile domination over Israel ended in 1967 (Six-Day War), with the beginning of that end of domination taking place when Israel was declared a sovereign state by the United Nations in 1948. A two-thirds loss of life seemed to be an incomprehensible contradiction to the wonderful blessings God would begin to bestow on Israel beginning with the regathering of the Jews from world-wide exile and the rebirth of the Jewish nation.

For example: In the titanic assault of the Gog/Magog nations against Israel as found in Ezekiel 38 & 39 (of which I’ve written about in several Eye of Prophecy articles), God providentially and divinely defeats this Russian and Iranian led coalition with virtually no fighting on the part of Israel. With the obvious inference that Israel will suffer very few casualties during this massive campaign against them.

For sure there will be perilous times for the Jews (for everyone) during the last half of the Tribulation. In fact, the very next (last) chapter in Zechariah tells us what will take place. Note that the passage begins with, “the day of the Lord” which clearly brings the reader back to the last days (Tribulation) period of time.

“Watch, for the day of the Lord is coming when your possessions will be plundered right in front of you! I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem. The city will be taken, the houses looted, and the woman raped. Half the population will be taken into captivity, and the rest will be left among the ruins of the city. Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past” (Zechariah 14:1-3).

Notice, however, that only Jerusalem is mentioned here, not all of Israel. No time/space in this article to elaborate on that, but when this passage is compared to Zechariah 12:4-9, we see that this is when Messiah will gloriously appear and immediately begin fighting with and for Israel, beginning with the rest of Israel first, then focusing on Jerusalem. Moreover, Zechariah 14 tells us that half of the people will be taken captive and the other half remain in Jerusalem. Certainly some will be killed, but the logical and reasonable conclusion is that most of Jerusalem’s population will survive.

In fact, Zechariah 14:4 continues to prophecy that when Christ returns, he will first set foot on the Mount of Olives (right next to Jerusalem), which will cause the mountain to split in half. Many Jews will escape through the valley caused by this amazing split of the mountain.

Photo shows Mount of Olives

All this combined with Revelation 12:13-14, which tells us that Israel (many Jews, but certainly not all) will be protected by the Lord during part of the Tribulation, puts the finishing touches on this correct application of Zechariah’s two-thirds loss of Jewish life prophecy.

Also, expanding on this by looking at it in still another way: The Holocaust was, in fact, predicted in the Bible.

Things to Ponder

I am so grateful to the Lord!

Would you come along side me with the following prayer of thanksgiving highlighted in italics.

Thank you, Lord!

Thank you that your people will never again suffer the loss of life so brutally inflicted on them by the evil Third Reich, or even by the ancient Romans. Thank you for correct understanding and application of the two-thirds in Zechariah Chapter 13. That nowhere near that number will perish again.

Of course, it was there all along. You are immutable, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Like you, your word does not change. Rather, it changes us. By the power and under the influence of the Holy Spirit, your Word counsels, clarifies, comforts, and corrects.

Thank you for concluding the two-thirds prophecy with the following promise that began to unfold soon after World War II and continues to this day, and will be complete upon your majestic return to the earth:

“I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God’” (Zechariah 13:9).

Thousands of Messianic Jews in today’s world will attest to the beginning of this wonderful promise; this good thing that you, O Lord, have brought out of the terrible slaughter of the sheep during World War II. Those left of this one-third remnant, their children and grandchildren are being refined by the turmoil of today’s world in chaos, and will be thoroughly purified during the final times of Jacob’s troubles during the Great Tribulation.

At that time your chosen people, your special possession will hear and listen, look and see, know and recognize their Messiah, none other than the one whom they pierced. And they will say, ‘Baruch haba, beshem Adonai.’ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

And then, all of Israel will be saved!

Amen!

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eyeofprophecy … watch and wait

~ "For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus" (Rev.19:10)

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