Signs

“SIGNS”

 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…”

• Good morning! Welcome to Cross Creek! I’ve been away for the past two weeks and want to thank Dr Crandall who spoke on being a Worry Wert and Pastor Bryan who preached last week on Mother’s Day… They did a great job, in fact we watched Dr Crandall from Wisconsin live!  We were at a wedding for my nephew Nathan & his wife Stephanie in LaCrosse.  I met people there who watched our streaming from Iowa too!  The wonders of modern technology!
• 45 years ago we received a bulk mailed tract entitled “World shaking Events”… God used that tract to plant seeds that ultimately grew, bringing me to Christ. Perhaps that is why I enjoy studying the subject of “eschatology”. The study of the end times. Often in scripture we read the phrases “last days”, “day of the Lord”, “in that day”… They are used over 130 times all in the sense of a future coming event known as the second coming of Christ… Last days covers the period from the 1^st & 2^nd coming of Jesus.
• Jerusalem was the capital city of God’s chosen people… Jesus presents Himself as the long awaited Jewish Messiah… If you had less than a week to live, you’d speak weighty words, important words… Some of Jesus’ most powerful teaching takes place in Jerusalem days before His crucifixion…

Matthew 23:37  “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. … God sent prophets and now His own Son, yet the Jewish people were blind & insensitive…

• We see this powerfully when Jesus entered Jerusalem that Palm Sunday…

Luke 19:41-44 ⁴¹  As he [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it [wailed loudly, sobbed openly] ⁴²  and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³  The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴  They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” [Jesus is rejected and predicts the utter destruction of Jerusalem/temple… BECAUSE they did not recognize God’s coming to them] Jesus, God’s Son came unto His own people, the Jews and His own Jewish people received Him not… HENCE salvation turned to the GENTILES!

God’s Son Jesus came into the world, proved who He said He was… He was rejected, crucified, rose again… 50 days later at Pentecost the church/Christianity was birthed in Jerusalem. Acts 1-2, Holy Spirit poured out, Peter preaches the first Christian sermon & 3000 souls were saved… Church continues to this day!

In fulfillment of Jesus’ words on April 14, 70AD Roman General Titus (later becomes Caesar) with four legions soldiers, 24K destroys Jerusalem & the Jewish temple. They totally surrounded Jerusalem, causing a terrible famine.  Mothers ate their children, to preserve their own strength, the suffering was horrible. Estimates killing 1.3M Jews & many into captivity. The spectacular Herod’s Temple went up in flames… The huge quantities of gold and silver melted and ran into the cracks of the massive stones.  The soldiers spent much effort prying all the stones recovering the wealth. Fulfilling perfectly Jesus’ words/prophecy…

The Jewish people were scattered throughout the world… NOW, 2000 years later world awaits return of Jesus

(Wed) Matthew 24:3 ³  As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

• Mt 24 was more powerful teaching from Jesus concerning “end times” 2 days before His crucifixion…
• “Sign” of your return? Sign, the events, the indication of your coming again… The “END” of the age… “sunteleia” [soon-tel-lee-aa] Compound word that refers to completion, the final culmination of a planned series of events… Jesus said there will be signs that signals the return of Jesus & the END
• We drove some 2200 miles… We past many signs… Informational, directional, also signs of warning…

Jerusalem/Israel/Prophetic Events…

• Most of the signs we learn in scripture centers around the city of Jerusalem… Spoken of over 900 times in the Bible… This city is called by many names: Salem, Ariel, Jebus, City of God, Holy City, City of Judah, Zion, Mt Moriah, City of David, etc… Jerusalem mean “Possession of Peace”… Some 37 miles in from the Mediterranean Sea, 2500’ elevation on the mountains of Moriah (Abraham/Issac), Avg temp 63… Called the beautiful city, the joy of the whole earth, Ps 48:2…  

Ezekiel 5:5  “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.

• Jerusalem set in the middle of 17 Arab countries committed to her destruction… Outnumbered 49X… Territory wise 649X… (Today Israel is the only Democracy with 8.5M people today.)
• After the devastating destruction in AD70 and the worldwide dispersion of the Jews… God knows…

Regathered Israelites back as a nation, 1948. Many, many verses speaking of God regathering His people…

Ezekiel 37:21  and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. Ezekiel 36:24  “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. Jeremiah 23:3  “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. Amos 9:15  I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God. This happened in 1948!

• WWII, Nazis holocaust of 6M Jews, worldwide political pressure… America, Great Britain, UN… May 14, 1948 with rejected land offer also to the Palestinians (they just went to Jordan)… Star of David flag flew
• Jerusalem… Conquered, fought over, destroyed, rebuilt, destroyed, rebuilt… war, fights, conflict, turmoil, bloodshed, hatred… Jerusalem attacked 52 times, captured and recaptured 44 times, besieged 23 times and destroyed twice… City of Peace? Today in some areas rubble & debris is 100’ deep…
• Look what is happening there today… Zechariah 12:2-3 “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup [of trembling] that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. ³  On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. (More next week)

• Speaking of Israel/Jerusalem – Gen 12, God will bless those who bless you… Curse those who curse you… America for the most part has stood with Israel… In 1995 congress passed “Jerusalem Embassy Act” recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel… Bill Clinton, Both Bushes, Barack Obama all said it but politically pressured by Islamic Muslim groups backed down… It is significant that on May 14, 2017 (70 yrs after 1948) President Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and Dec 6, 2017 we opened America’s embassy in Jerusalem… President Trump described it as “Eternal capital of the Jewish people”… UN was outraged, 14 out of 15 condemned it, America vetoed the vote! Protests West Bank & Gaza strip… Main stream media pundits, left wing progressive socialist outrage!!

• God is working His plan… This is significant in Bible prophecy as we soon see… Jesus is coming again…
• So what’s next as God brings a logical conclusion to human history?  I’ll try to be brief…!!?? Lol

Rapture of the church, of all true believers. This is the very next event that begins a rapid series of events

• The Jews rejected their Jewish Messiah 2000 years ago… The church was birthed and continues to this day… Cross Creek Community Church… Calvary Bible, Harvest Assembly, Dallas Baptist, EFree…
• People getting saved, born again spiritually into the family of God, the church… In America, Russia, Japan, entire world… The body of Christ is complete, the fullness of the Gentile has come in, Rom 11

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ¹⁶  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 ⁵¹  Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– ⁵²  in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

• NOW God’s attention turns back to His people… The overview of the 70 week prophecy, Dan 9…
• 8.5M Jews are in their land… America recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital… God is working…
• The catching up, snatching away with force of the church… Those who died in Jesus & those alive in Jesus meet the Lord in the air…. This event prompts the unmasking of the Antichrist, beast, etc

Revealing the identity of the Antichrist from EU. 2Thes 2:6-10, Many passages OT & NT: Daniel, Rev, etc.

• Rev 6 the Antichrist is portrayed as the rider on the white horse… Peace maker… Explainer… Liar…

2 Thessalonians 2:6-10 ⁶  And now you know what is holding him (Man of sin, beast, antichrist, son of perdition, little horn, etc) back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷  For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds (God Almighty) it back will continue to do so till he (Holy Spirit/indwelt believers/church/sealed) is taken out of the way. ⁸  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. ⁹  The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders ¹⁰  and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

• A time is coming, seeing it already, a time of great deception… See more of this in 3^rd part of SIGNS…
• Do I believe the Antichrist is alive today, waiting to be revealed? YES… An interesting person is the President of France, Macron… Magazine publications shows him walking on water… His first name is Emmanuel… “God with us” Taking notes read 2Thes 2:3-4, “The antichrist will set himself up in God’s temple (NEEDS TO BE REBUILT in capital city, Jerusalem) proclaiming himself to be God”
• Israel regathered… Jerusalem recognized capital… Rapture happens… Antichrist revealed… THEN

Resolution brokered between Israel/Arabs for 7 years. Dan 9:27

• Mass hysteria and confusion following disappearance of millions of people throughout the world… This man rises as a peace maker… Smooth talker, charismatic orator… Deal maker… Logical explain…

Daniel 9:27  He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him”.

• The Antichrist will sign a seven-year peace treaty between the Israeli’s and the Arabs… A dream/goal that has been sought for decades, now comes to being… Since the election of President Trump 2yr, his JEWISH son in law Jared Kushner has been meeting extensively with the leaders in the Middle East. The Israeli’s and their many Arab neighbors laying the groundwork for a peace agreement…
• This is significant… Pres Trump said agreement is complete, waiting for right time to make public…
• God tells us in His Prophetic Word, this peace accord will also INCLUDE…

Rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Rev 11:1-2, Mt 24:15

• How can this happen? The 3^rd holiest Muslim place is there is called the Dome of the Rock that was erected on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in 692AD & rebuilt in 1022AD… MUCH CONTROVERY today
• I believe as do many others, the Jewish Temple can be constructed on the Temple Mount along side the current Muslim Dome of the Rock… Let me give you a few verses then some pictures…

Revelation 11:1-2 ¹  I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. ²  But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.

Matthew 24:15  “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel–let the reader understand—

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 ³  Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. ⁴  He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

• The temple will be built… Much of the stones/columns are ready… Included in the Antichrist’ 7 year peace plan will be the provision to allow the Jewish people to build the 3^rd Jewish temple in Jerusalem and begin temple worship along with the sacrificial system of animal sacrifices… (Red Heifer)

• Muslim Dome of the Rock today…
• Inside Bedrock of Mt Moriah…
• Dome of the Spirits today… Covering over bedrock of Mt Moriah, Abraham/Isaac… (Temple Location

• Muslim graveyard & sealed “Eastern/Beautiful Gate” today… the one Jesus walks thru, Zech 12
• Close-up of Eastern gate… Two different shots (note Muslim graves)
• Jewish men waiting for their Messiah today… All waiting for the trumpet call of God… it all begins

Zech 14… Jesus’ feet touch down on Mt of Olives

• Where? Jerusalem… The NAVEL, the Belly Button of the earth…

• SIGNS!

Application…

• Be Assured of your personal salvation! God loves you, sent His Son Jesus to sacrificially die for you in payment of your sins… He was buried rose again… Turn from your sin and Believe in Him…

• Be Aware of Biblical world events! Knowledgeable of the Bible, seeing current events, making the connection without getting carried away crazy, stay biblical, read, study, pray, discern the times…

• Be Assertive in proclaiming Jesus! Reaching people, snatching them from the fire, getting them rapture ready, not be left behind to face the horrors of the seven-year tribulation/Antichrist…

 If there ever was a time – it is NOW!

You don’t want to miss NEXT WEEK part 2 of SIGNS: Israel, Russia and the Golan Heights