Israel's Coming Confrontation With Messiah

by P.L. Hickling, Southport | Category: The Coming Of The Lord | Mar 1980

The Background

A future newspaper leading article might read:

"GOOD NEWS FROM ISRAEL - It is a long time since we have been able to write a headline such as this. Since the establishment of the state of Israel there has been tension with her neighbours, and in recent years her strange intransigence in refusing to accept our Leader as head, as the other civilized nations have, has made her somewhat the world's 'problem child'. Happily, this difficulty seems now to have been resolved. Our Leader, to whose wisdom, foresight and generosity we owe the present state of world peace, has now made a solemn and binding agreement with the Israeli government, guaranteeing Israel's territory against attack. We trust that the few who are still resisting our Leader's unification of the financial and religious systems will now be encouraged by his evident benevolence wholeheartedly to support the scheme, which is evidently for the common good".

Thus might the leaders of world opinion express themselves in the period immediately before Christ comes to reign. Scripture teaches that a man, called 'the man of sin'1 or in allegory 'the beast'2 will attain worldwide power. He will not initially be a national leader3, but will reach his position by smooth talk and a good 'image '4. On his way to power he will overcome three national leaders5, and once in power his tremendous ability will lead to his recognition as the de facto leader of all nations. From time to time other nations will act autonomously, but such will be the power of the man of sin that he will be able to crush rebellion when it occurs6. Although Scripture calls him 'the man of sin' and reveals his evil character, most people will welcome his rule. The chaos and lawlessness of the period leading up to the last days will make people ready to welcome anyone who can impose order on the world. He will be able to organize the financial system of his empire so that no-one will be able to trade unless he has his identity mark7. The degree of world-wide control implied by this would have been thought impossible until recently, but the rapid development of computer databases has made it now feasible. The position of Israel will be a problem then, as it is now, but the man of sin, in apparent good will, will make a solemn treaty with the nation, under which they will feel secure.

Parallel with the development of the power of the man of sin, a world

system of religion will develop8, initially in cooperation with him. Men will prefer unity, even spurious unity, to truth. The argument 'We all worship the same God, so let us agree to differ on the forms of worship' will carry the day, and men will unite in the nominal worship of the God whose will they ignore. Vast wealth will flow into this Babylon of the future, until the man of sin, and the leaders of the ten nation confederacy which he heads, will feel that their hegemony is threatened. This will lead the man of sin to decisive action to assert his own position.

The Breaking Storm

The man of sin will attack and destroy religious Babylon, and repudiate the covenant with Israel9, for his ultimate aim is the recognition of himself as God. It may be difficult, at first sight, to think of a modern ruler making such a claim, but there are trends in present-day thought which lead in this direction. The existence of God is widely denied, and men worship instead the spirit and achievements of the human race. One who represents himself as personifying all that is best in the human race could claim the place of God, and regard as blasphemous traitors those who reject him. The man of sin will enter the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, where some Jews will have re-established worship, and will set up the 'abomination of desolation' in the sanctuary there 10. This may be either the man himself, or his image, a technological marvel able to speak, installed there by his lieutenant11. Here will begin the severest persecution of those who worship God - the 'great tribulation' 12, Although believers in the Lord Jesus from this present era will have been taken to be with Him, God will have His witnesses, preaching the gospel of the coming kingdom of Christ13. Those who believe them will be subjected to severe persecution, and many will lose their lives because of their refusal to worship the man of sin, or take part in his system14. The 'gospel of the kingdom' will be particularly directed towards Israel, because God will have resumed his dealings with the Jews as a nation. Scripture mentions 144,000 elect from Israel, who will recognize the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, and preach His coming15. Despite their testimony the majority of the Jewish people, feeling secure under the protection of their peace treaty, will reject God's message, but their ease will turn to fear when the 'abomination of desolation' is set up, three and a half years after the making of the treaty, and the man of sin turns on all Israelites, believers and unbelievers alike16. The Lord Jesus instructed those who would see the desecration of the temple to leave behind everything and go as refugees into the mountains17. The desolate area to the south-east oflsrael18 will be a hiding place for those who obey, and for three and a half years19 they will be sheltered there. Many Jews will not heed this warning, and against them the man of sin will direct all his forces.

The Great Battle

The small land of Israel will be the focus of the world's greatest display of armaments. However, all will not be harmony between the forces which attack Israel. It appears that the man of sin is himself attacked20 by forces from the north, but he is able to overcome this threat, and the armies of all nations will join together to crush Israel21. The land of Israel will be overrun, and the city of Jerusalem surrounded with armies, who will break into the city, looting its houses and raping its women. A desperate few will hold part of the city, but their defence will be seen as the last stand of a hopeless cause. They will cry to God in their desperation and against all hope deliverance will appear. The heavens will be black, blotting out the sun, moon and stars22 but the attacking armies will be dismayed by the dazzling glory of the Son of Man, the Messiah. War reporters from the world's television services will train their cameras on the amazing sight, and perhaps by this means, but certainly by supernatural means, "every eye shall see Him"23. The Lord's feet will touch the Mount of Olives 24, and as they do so, a tremendous rift valley will open up, giving a way of escape for the beleaguered Jews as the Lord of Hosts turns on His enemies. No human forces will be able to withstand the King of Kings at the head of the armies of heaven. His very word is enough to smite the nations25, and with His leadership His armies will utterly destroy the armies of the nations. The battlefield of Armageddon will run with blood26, and those who scoffed at the meekness of the Christ will meet the terror of His righteous wrath.

Israel's Reaction

What will be Israel's reaction? With shock they will recognize their Saviour as the One rejected before. Although none will have seen Him previously, recognition will be instant - "they shall look unto Him whom they have pierced"27. They will see the unmistakable marks of His suffering at the hands of their ancestors, and they will remember with bitterness the words of rejection "we have no king but Caesar"28; "His blood be on us, and on our children"29. The trauma will be so great that all thought of public rejoicing at their deliverance will be set aside; even public mourning will be impossible, for none will be able to meet another's eye for shame. Every family will retreat to its private grief before God30, and as He pours out "the spirit of grace and supplication"31 they will make their peace with Him through faith in His Son.

So the great King will take His rightful throne, and begin His thousand years' reign of peace. Resurrected saints from the past will share in this reign, but the Lord will be in the midst of His people Israel again, and they, restored by His grace and power, will serve Him with faithfulness and joy.

The wealth of the nations will pour into Jerusalem, and men shall call it "The city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel"32. We too can look forward to that day with gladness, because Israel's Redeemer is our Redeemer, and we can join with them in saying, "Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honour, and glory, and blessing"33

Scripture references

l.2Thess.2:3.

2.Rev.13:1.

3.Dan.7:24.

4.Dan.11:21.

5.Dan.7:24.

6.Dan.11:44.

7.Rev.13:17.

8.Rev.17:5.

9.Dan.9:27.

10.Matt.24:15.

11.Rev.13:15.