Not the Gaza Strip and not Jericho, not the West Bank and not the Golan Heights, but Jerusalem will be the burdensome stone for all nations right to the last battle. All who try to “burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces” (Zech. 12: 2-3). By the Gaza-Jericho-agreement the nations round about are placed at the doorstep of Jerusalem. Now all nations are in the U.N. and for Arafat, and therefore, against Israel. It was this man who in 1974 introduced his stepwise plan as follows: “In the first phase we shall put up strategic pillars in Gaza and Jericho, so from there we can take Jerusalem. Because he that has Jerusalem has all Israel.” Six days after the signing of the treaty in Washington, on 19th September, 1993, Arafat repeated this announcement before 19 foreign ministers of the League of Arab States in Cairo. He read from the PLO statements the old and well known thesis and ended with the words, “Our goal is the destruction of Israel.” Already in the past wars, Mr. Arafat fought in each one from the first in 1948, the Arabic world tried each time, as they say, to “throw Israel into the sea”.

Until this day Jerusalem was only the capital of Israel, never the capital of another nation. For the other world religions, Catholicism and Islam, this city was until recently rather or less of subordinated significance. Now all are facing that direction which is very peculiar. They wish to have a say-so over Jerusalem especially. They forget Mecca and Medina, Lourdes and Fatima, and concentrate their thinking and power over Jerusalem. The Vatican even claims possession from the time of the crusaders. With what right?

The statement of the PLO is: first Gaza and the West Bank, then Jerusalem and all Israel. For this reason Mr. Arafat has imprinted into his “state coat of arms” all of Israel from Eilat at the Red Sea to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa. To him and his understanding that is the State of Palestine, which never existed with such borders. The usual name Palestine derives from the Greek/Roman wording “Palaistine” and was only applicable to the land of the Philistines. That is the Gaza Strip of today and no more. Although the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Rabin, emphasised the peace especially as he repeated the words of Eccl. 3: 8, “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace”. In spite of this, for Israel and the city of Jerusalem very bad times are still ahead.

The Holy Scripture does not say that real peace would come through political and religious negotiations. In Scripture we find expressed what will happen in reality: There will be talk about peace, there are negotiations, but the warning remains: “For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.” (1 Thess. 5: 1-3).

It was on 29th/30th September, 1938, when the British Prime Minister Chamberlain after the signature at the Munich Agreement with Hitler proclaimed, “Peace in our days.” Only less than two months later, on the 9th/10th November, 1938, the synagogues in Hitler’s Germany stood in flames. 91 Jews were murdered by the Nazis, more than 26,000 were taken into concentration camps, and uncounted Jewish stores were destroyed. On the 13th September, 1993, the slogan in Washington was similar, “Peace in our time”. But what will it be? Whatever God said in His holy Word, thus it will be, for instance in Zech. 12 and 14 and many other places.

What concerns the time of grace for the nations, it will last as long until God starts with Israel by His grace again. This time period with view to Israel and the church is spoken of with the prophetic utterance “the last days”. The writer of the Hebrew epistles states right at the beginning that God in diverse manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, but in “these last days spoken unto us by his Son …”

The apostle Peter spoke of the time of grace in which the Holy Spirit is poured out and is supernaturally working with the prophetic formulation, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh …” (Acts 2: 17). He referred to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit about 2,000 years ago on that notable Day of Pentecost and uses the terminology of “the last days” since then. Right through the 2,000 year period the wording “in the last days” applies. The final day will be the Day of the Lord — the seventh thousand years.

In his second sermon after Pentecost, Peter referred to the promise given in Deut. 18: 15-18 and shows forth that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, was the prophet of whom Moses had prophesied. “… every soul, who will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” All the prophets from Samuel “have likewise foretold of these days.” (Acts 3: 22-24). These last two days now surely are going to end soon. The final day, the seventh day, is known as the last day. In John 11: 24 we read, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” At the beginning of the last day, the first resurrection will take place, and at the end of the last day the last — the second resurrection and the final judgement will take place.

The prophet Hosea also spoke about these last days in reference to the scattering of Israel. “Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for … he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

After two days will he revive us; in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.” (6: 1-2). These two days mentioned here are the past two thousand years in which Israel was scattered. Now, at the end of these days, they are gathered as many Bible references testify and as we have witnessed in our generation. “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Pt. 3: 8).

The gathering after two days does not mean they already have received life from God. That will only happen when they receive the Messiah, in Whom alone is eternal life for all men. For only in Jesus Christ has God personally revealed Himself, bringing salvation to mankind. In view of Israel, Hosea states, “… in the third day he will raise us up …” — this means: after our time, in the time of grace for Israel, which already falls into the beginning of the Day of the Lord when they will receive their life from God. “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” (Rom. 11: 15).

Through the ministry of the two prophets they will come to recognise and accept their Messiah. Until then they are still in darkness and the veil of Moses is upon them in spite of their gathering and national existence. Thus Paul writes to the Corinthians. “But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.” (2 Cor. 3: 15-16).

God’s plan of salvation runs smoothly as was planned already in eternity. Now we are in the midst of the fulfilment and realisation of Bible end-time prophecy. Every moment it could happen that the time of grace for the nations ends, the completion of the Bride church is reached, the taking away will be and God will make a new spiritual start with Israel, the covenant with the antichrist will be made and the temple rebuilt.

The following example should show how deeply and convincingly the Jews expect the promises to come true now. Under the auspices of the minister of religion in Israel and the High Rabbinate already 93 vessels for the temple are finished. They can be seen in the Misgav Ladach Street 24 in Jerusalem. Next will be the work of the 1.80 meters big candlestick according to Ex. 25, 31-40. 43 kg of gold are needed for it and it will be done from one lump only. An exception is with the Ark of the Covenant, because the Jews who seem to know their Scripture believe that the Ark of the Covenant was not carried away as were all the vessels of the temple. They are convinced that the Ark of the Covenant is still under the ruins of the temple.

Those believing Jews utter freely that they are counting on those things to take place in the immediate future. They are convinced that God, with the rebirth of the country of Israel since 1948, when the nation was founded, has brought His people back into the original rhythm of the year of jubilee. They believe that after 49 years will be the great jubilee (Lev. 25: 8-12), as Moses then has declared to Israel. As they count time, it will be in 1998. We can surely know that the events cannot be placed and calculated within a certain year, but we also know that the realisation of all outstanding events are just before us. The return of Israel into the Land of Promise of necessity has to bring back all that is predestined for them. For the Bride Church all these things which take place in Israel are now sounding the highest alarm. Before God deals in grace with Israel, His plan of salvation with the church from the nations must be complete (Rom. 11: 25-32). The beginning of the 70th week of years is within reach, and therefore, the return of the heavenly Bridegroom to take home the earthly Bride is just at hand.

Because we see and understand all these things, we may lift up our heads knowing — not guessing but knowing upon the basis of what happens that our redemption is near. The events laid out in Bible prophecy speak of the near return of the Lord and of the redemption of our bodies and the taking away of the Bride Church to be with the Lord. Of course, nobody knows the time nor the hour, that is not necessary, but we should work out our salvation with fear and trembling and must remain sober in all things and live on a normal life. Every one should plan as though the whole life is before us. Who plans to build a house, should do so; who plans to learn a certain trade or do a certain job, should do it. Whosoever would like to get married, should do so. Whatever we do, we should remain sober and sensible, because we do not know the moment the Lord might come. The earthly things must continue with us as they are, but at all times we should watch and be ready for that day.

The condition in which God’s children and the church are found in general at the present time will not last as it is to the end. God has promised to do great things. He said that He would shake heaven and earth (Heb. 12: 26-28). We can count on a short and mighty move and working of the Holy Spirit which will lead right into the resurrection, the changing of our bodies and the taking away to meet the Lord in the air. The finale will be a mighty revival within the Bride church. In that short period, pressure will come upon the true believers, and then the call would be heard by those who are ready to meet the heavenly Bridegroom, “Come soon, Lord Jesus!” The Spirit and the Bride will say, “Come!” And finally the words are heard, “Yes, even so, come, Lord Jesus! Amen.”

Not the Gaza Strip and not Jericho, not the West Bank and not the Golan Heights, but Jerusalem will be the burdensome stone for all nations right to the last battle. All who try to “burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces” (Zech. 12: 2-3). By the Gaza-Jericho-agreement the nations round about are placed at the doorstep of Jerusalem. Now all nations are in the U.N. and for Arafat, and therefore, against Israel. It was this man who in 1974 introduced his stepwise plan as follows: “In the first phase we shall put up strategic pillars in Gaza and Jericho, so from there we can take Jerusalem. Because he that has Jerusalem has all Israel.” Six days after the signing of the treaty in Washington, on 19th September, 1993, Arafat repeated this announcement before 19 foreign ministers of the League of Arab States in Cairo. He read from the PLO statements the old and well known thesis and ended with the words, “Our goal is the destruction of Israel.” Already in the past wars, Mr. Arafat fought in each one from the first in 1948, the Arabic world tried each time, as they say, to “throw Israel into the sea”.

Until this day Jerusalem was only the capital of Israel, never the capital of another nation. For the other world religions, Catholicism and Islam, this city was until recently rather or less of subordinated significance. Now all are facing that direction which is very peculiar. They wish to have a say-so over Jerusalem especially. They forget Mecca and Medina, Lourdes and Fatima, and concentrate their thinking and power over Jerusalem. The Vatican even claims possession from the time of the crusaders. With what right?

The statement of the PLO is: first Gaza and the West Bank, then Jerusalem and all Israel. For this reason Mr. Arafat has imprinted into his “state coat of arms” all of Israel from Eilat at the Red Sea to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa. To him and his understanding that is the State of Palestine, which never existed with such borders. The usual name Palestine derives from the Greek/Roman wording “Palaistine” and was only applicable to the land of the Philistines. That is the Gaza Strip of today and no more. Although the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Rabin, emphasised the peace especially as he repeated the words of Eccl. 3: 8, “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace”. In spite of this, for Israel and the city of Jerusalem very bad times are still ahead.

The Holy Scripture does not say that real peace would come through political and religious negotiations. In Scripture we find expressed what will happen in reality: There will be talk about peace, there are negotiations, but the warning remains: “For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.” (1 Thess. 5: 1-3).

It was on 29th/30th September, 1938, when the British Prime Minister Chamberlain after the signature at the Munich Agreement with Hitler proclaimed, “Peace in our days.” Only less than two months later, on the 9th/10th November, 1938, the synagogues in Hitler’s Germany stood in flames. 91 Jews were murdered by the Nazis, more than 26,000 were taken into concentration camps, and uncounted Jewish stores were destroyed. On the 13th September, 1993, the slogan in Washington was similar, “Peace in our time”. But what will it be? Whatever God said in His holy Word, thus it will be, for instance in Zech. 12 and 14 and many other places.

What concerns the time of grace for the nations, it will last as long until God starts with Israel by His grace again. This time period with view to Israel and the church is spoken of with the prophetic utterance “the last days”. The writer of the Hebrew epistles states right at the beginning that God in diverse manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, but in “these last days spoken unto us by his Son …”

The apostle Peter spoke of the time of grace in which the Holy Spirit is poured out and is supernaturally working with the prophetic formulation, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh …” (Acts 2: 17). He referred to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit about 2,000 years ago on that notable Day of Pentecost and uses the terminology of “the last days” since then. Right through the 2,000 year period the wording “in the last days” applies. The final day will be the Day of the Lord — the seventh thousand years.

In his second sermon after Pentecost, Peter referred to the promise given in Deut. 18: 15-18 and shows forth that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, was the prophet of whom Moses had prophesied. “… every soul, who will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” All the prophets from Samuel “have likewise foretold of these days.” (Acts 3: 22-24). These last two days now surely are going to end soon. The final day, the seventh day, is known as the last day. In John 11: 24 we read, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” At the beginning of the last day, the first resurrection will take place, and at the end of the last day the last — the second resurrection and the final judgement will take place.

The prophet Hosea also spoke about these last days in reference to the scattering of Israel. “Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for … he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

After two days will he revive us; in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.” (6: 1-2). These two days mentioned here are the past two thousand years in which Israel was scattered. Now, at the end of these days, they are gathered as many Bible references testify and as we have witnessed in our generation. “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Pt. 3: 8).

The gathering after two days does not mean they already have received life from God. That will only happen when they receive the Messiah, in Whom alone is eternal life for all men. For only in Jesus Christ has God personally revealed Himself, bringing salvation to mankind. In view of Israel, Hosea states, “… in the third day he will raise us up …” — this means: after our time, in the time of grace for Israel, which already falls into the beginning of the Day of the Lord when they will receive their life from God. “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” (Rom. 11: 15).

Through the ministry of the two prophets they will come to recognise and accept their Messiah. Until then they are still in darkness and the veil of Moses is upon them in spite of their gathering and national existence. Thus Paul writes to the Corinthians. “But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.” (2 Cor. 3: 15-16).

God’s plan of salvation runs smoothly as was planned already in eternity. Now we are in the midst of the fulfilment and realisation of Bible end-time prophecy. Every moment it could happen that the time of grace for the nations ends, the completion of the Bride church is reached, the taking away will be and God will make a new spiritual start with Israel, the covenant with the antichrist will be made and the temple rebuilt.

The following example should show how deeply and convincingly the Jews expect the promises to come true now. Under the auspices of the minister of religion in Israel and the High Rabbinate already 93 vessels for the temple are finished. They can be seen in the Misgav Ladach Street 24 in Jerusalem. Next will be the work of the 1.80 meters big candlestick according to Ex. 25, 31-40. 43 kg of gold are needed for it and it will be done from one lump only. An exception is with the Ark of the Covenant, because the Jews who seem to know their Scripture believe that the Ark of the Covenant was not carried away as were all the vessels of the temple. They are convinced that the Ark of the Covenant is still under the ruins of the temple.

Those believing Jews utter freely that they are counting on those things to take place in the immediate future. They are convinced that God, with the rebirth of the country of Israel since 1948, when the nation was founded, has brought His people back into the original rhythm of the year of jubilee. They believe that after 49 years will be the great jubilee (Lev. 25: 8-12), as Moses then has declared to Israel. As they count time, it will be in 1998. We can surely know that the events cannot be placed and calculated within a certain year, but we also know that the realisation of all outstanding events are just before us. The return of Israel into the Land of Promise of necessity has to bring back all that is predestined for them. For the Bride Church all these things which take place in Israel are now sounding the highest alarm. Before God deals in grace with Israel, His plan of salvation with the church from the nations must be complete (Rom. 11: 25-32). The beginning of the 70th week of years is within reach, and therefore, the return of the heavenly Bridegroom to take home the earthly Bride is just at hand.

Because we see and understand all these things, we may lift up our heads knowing — not guessing but knowing upon the basis of what happens that our redemption is near. The events laid out in Bible prophecy speak of the near return of the Lord and of the redemption of our bodies and the taking away of the Bride Church to be with the Lord. Of course, nobody knows the time nor the hour, that is not necessary, but we should work out our salvation with fear and trembling and must remain sober in all things and live on a normal life. Every one should plan as though the whole life is before us. Who plans to build a house, should do so; who plans to learn a certain trade or do a certain job, should do it. Whosoever would like to get married, should do so. Whatever we do, we should remain sober and sensible, because we do not know the moment the Lord might come. The earthly things must continue with us as they are, but at all times we should watch and be ready for that day.

The condition in which God’s children and the church are found in general at the present time will not last as it is to the end. God has promised to do great things. He said that He would shake heaven and earth (Heb. 12: 26-28). We can count on a short and mighty move and working of the Holy Spirit which will lead right into the resurrection, the changing of our bodies and the taking away to meet the Lord in the air. The finale will be a mighty revival within the Bride church. In that short period, pressure will come upon the true believers, and then the call would be heard by those who are ready to meet the heavenly Bridegroom, “Come soon, Lord Jesus!” The Spirit and the Bride will say, “Come!” And finally the words are heard, “Yes, even so, come, Lord Jesus! Amen.”