|
 No-one can have failed to have been appalled by the terrorist attacks (September 2001) on the New York World Trade Centre. Important questions still remain: Will there be further wars and conflicts (in addition to those in Iraq and Afghanistan) as a result of the war on terrorism?
 The answer to this question must be a resounding: "Yes!" July 7th's London bombings are just the latest in the aftermath of the war on terrorism. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this atrocity.
But what does all of this have to do with the Bible and the return of the Lord JesusChrist?
Evidence that the Bible is True
Anton La Guardia's article (The Daily Telegraph, 12/09/01), "Palestinians celebrate 'divine retribution'", is skilful in identifying the key issues as to why America might have been bombed:
- "The Muslim world accuses America of providing weapons, finance and a diplomatic shield for Israel to oppress Palestinians."
- "American planes regularly bomb Iraq."
- "America has sponsored sanctions against Muslim countries from Sudan to Afghanistan."
- "American forces are deployed in Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holy cities of Mecca and Medina."
It is this first suggestion, that America could have been bombed as it is Israel's most powerful and committed ally, which is important. If this is a core reason for the attack, then it links strongly with the Bible's accurate predictions about growing Israel-Arab hostilities.
Britain's links with America and Israel, and its role in the war in Iraq is probably the reason why London was a terrorist target on July 7th.
These assaults on America and Britain, then, could be seen as a reflection of the Middle East crisis.
History Written in Advance
 Psalm 83 provides an excellent cameo picture of the present crisis which we now see before us in the Middle East, and in the rest of the world. It lists ten groups of Arab peoples who border Israel on every side. Israel is completely hemmed in. A quick comparison with a current map reveals that these old Bible place names are none other than nations such as Lebanon, Iraq, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, East Bank Palestinians etc. These Arab nations, according to the Psalm, unite together against Israel. Verse 2 of the Psalm clearly exposes their intentions towards her:
'"Come" they say, "Let us destroy them as a nation that the name of Israel be remembered no more."'
Is not this the very vendetta which certain Palestinian terrorist groups and Arab nations have voiced against Israel? Even though Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian Leader, has condemned the bombings in America, footage has still shown militant groups celebrating the blow to the super power.
The Bible has clearly anticipated the continuing Middle East crisis between Jew and Arab. The Bible records the beginning of the dispute between the two factions in its account of the hatred between Isaac and Ishmael, and Jacob and Esau (the main Jewish/Arabic ancestors). It traces the conflict down the ages, pointing to its upsurgence just prior to Christ's return.
It is important to notice what the Psalm does not say, however. It does not say that this Arab confederacy will be successful, but indicates that it will be punished for wanting to destroy Israel (v13 -17). These events, we are told, will prove once and for all that the God of Israel is the only true God:
That men may know that you alone, whose name alone is YAHWEH, are the most high over all the earth (v18).
 In the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein made a valiant attempt to unite the Arabs against the West. He did this by firing Scud missiles against Israel. This is the one issue that many Arabic countries agree upon, both publicly and privately, their desire to obliterate Israel from the map. Just as the Psalm predicted!
These tensions in the Middle East are still there. Psalm 83 could so easily, and indeed will, explode into reality! Especially in the light of what we have just seen.
Face the Facts
|
|
How do you account for the fact that a Psalm written approximately 3,000 years ago predicts a situation just waiting to explode before your very eyes? Is it just coincidence? If this Psalm were just an isolated passage, then this could arguably be the case. The fact is, however, that literally thousands of Bible verses speak of Israel's:
 Scattering, Deuteronomy 28 v 64 (fulfilled in AD 135 by the Romans),
- Persecutions, Deuteronomy 28 v 65 - 67 (fulfilled down the ages, and most notably by Hitler),
- Regathering, Deuteronomy 30 v 1-5, Ezekiel 37 v 6, 13; 38 v 23 (fulfilled in 1948 when the state of Israel was once again declared),
- Present conflicts with the Arabs, Ezekiel 36, Obadiah (ongoing fulfillment until Christ returns).
Just step back and let it sink in as to how unlikely it would be for anyone to be able to predict the history of the Jews in advance. It would be unthinkable that Wales (being a country roughly the same size as Israel) could be invaded, its people scattered throughout the world and continually persecuted. It would be even more unthinkable for the Welsh to be gathered back to Wales 2000 years later. How could the Welsh maintain their identity? The whole situation is improbable. Even more improbable is the suggestion that someone could have predicted that this would happen. Yet this has happened to the Jews, and the Bible did predict it. Surely the Bible is worth a hearing then? |
If something occurs incessantly against all the laws of probability, then all accusations of coincidence must logically be dropped. It is not just down to chance that these things are happening, there must be a purpose behind them!
So how do you explain the accuracy of these Bible predictions? The people who wrote them claimed that they were inspired by God, as is evident from all the declarations such as "This is what the LORD says..." etc. and passages like 2 Timothy 3 v 1 6,17; 2 Peter 1 v 20,21. Can you honestly give any other reasonable explanation?
And there's more...
 The Bible goes on to say that there will be a terrible, but successful, attack on Israel:
"I will gather all nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city" (Zechariah 14 v 2).
The fact that "all nations" are gathered to fight at Jerusalem seems very probable in the light of the recent terrorist attacks. We can see all nations being set against each other, due to an event which - at a first glance - seems unconnected with Israel. This apparently successful overthrow of the nation's capital, Jerusalem, is given as an ultimate sign that Jesus Christ's return is very close!
For it is when half of the Jews are to be led into exile, and the rest held in Jerusalem, that Jesus shall come back:
"Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as he fights in the day of Battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem..." (Zechariah 14 v 3).
Significantly, the Mount of Olives was the exact spot from which Jesus ascended into heaven, so it is appropriate that he should return to this place. For here, also, the firm promise of his return was given:
"This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way that you have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1v 11).
The End of all of This Suffering
Jesus will, then, return and save the remnant of his people from total destruction. The return of Messiah is the only solution to the Jew-Arab conflict, and to evil acts of terrorism. Eventually the present crisis might lead to peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians, but these will always be broken. Only when the Lord Jesus Christ returns will Isaiah the prophet's picture of Jewish-Arabic and world harmony actually happen:
"The LORD almighty will bless them saying, 'Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria [now Iraq] my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance'" (Isaiah 19 v 25).
What's it got to do with Me?
The return of Jesus will not only solve the Middle East problem but all world problems, and all our personal problems. It is a message of good news and hope! When Jesus returns he will set up God's kingdom on earth for ever. Then the meek will inherit the earth, and the words "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.." will be reality! All the evidence the Bible bombards us with is more than enough to convince any rational person that this is not just an impossible dream. The fact that it has been accurate in its countless predictions concerning the Jews - which happened against all odds - means that we can have confidence in its promise of the return of Jesus.
|
 Jesus clearly stated, though, that not everyone will enter God's wonderful kingdom. Indeed, most people will foolishly reject Christ - thus sealing their own fates - just as most people rejected him in the first century, and just as most people today have not the time to be bothered. Hopefully, the one good thing that might come from this dreadful carnage, death and destruction, is that we might be ready to welcome the Lord Jesus when he returns. Jesus made it plain that only those who believe the true Gospel message, have repented and have been baptised by total immersion in water will enter God's kingdom - and only then if they really try to follow him faithfully in their daily lives (John 3 v 5; Mark 16 v 16; Acts 2 v 38; Matthew 10 v 38, 39; Hebrews 11). Of course, no-one can earn their way into God's Kingdom, eternal life is His gift to us. We are saved by His grace (Romans 3 v 23, 24).
|
God's kingdom will come very soon. The question is will you be there!?!
Please, please look into this before it's too late. God wants you to be ready for his kingdom.
Want to know more?
You might also be interested in read our prophecy pages, as they also show that the Bible has accurately predicted the problems of the past weeks - but it also gives the solution!
If you would like to find out more about the Bible's message for you, then please apply for our correspondence course.
Also you might be interested in any of these free materials:
*This web page is not intended to be political in any way. It only states the Bible's position. |
