For details see what "the prophets" say!
(should be reviewed in the order shown)

The "State of Israel" from a Biblical perspective

Before we study the facts surrounding the history of the State of Israel, it is important to review some Old Testament prophecies relating to Israel's future.

Our review of prophecies in Deuteronomy shows that ancient Israel's dispersion from the Land at both the times of the Assyrians and Babylonians was predicted. In addition, those prophecies envisioned that they would be scattered eventually among all of the Gentile nations for a period of time. We now know that this happened following the first century Roman invasion and destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, though it probably would have surprised even the Old Testament prophets if they had been told that the final dispersion would last for almost 1900 years.

The prophet Ezekiel declares in the most direct terms that the Jews would finally be regathered back into the Land of their inheritance after this final dispersion, but that they would return still in an unsaved state. Here, the Premillennial literal interpretation of eschatology appears best able to reconcile the historic facts with those prophecies, because the Jews did indeed return to the Land to become a new nation in 1948, albeit in an unsaved state.

The "State of Israel" from an historic perspective

Had the historic record of the Jews' return to the Land been replete with undeniable manifestations of God's intervention, our attempts to relate the State of Israel to Biblical prophecies would have been made easier. However, the Jews returned in a manner in which God did not appear to be in charge or even watching. To be sure, the State of Israel was repeatedly victorious in their military encounters with the surrounding Arab nations following their return, even though they were greatly outnumbered in their forces and equipment early on. Still, much of what happened appeared to be the result of superior Israeli planning and a survival mentality in contrast to Arab mediocrity in matters of warfare. Indeed, it is easy to conclude that their return to the Land and all that has happened since that return was driven wholly by mundane circumstances and the decisions of men. This view has caused the vast majority of people in the world, and even some students of the Bible, to conclude that the present State of Israel could not be the prophetic Israel of the Bible.

An important perspective to surface from this portion of the study of the State of Israel comes from studying the history and nature of the conflict that exists between the Jews and Arabs in the Middle East. Although it is natural for the Western mind to see the quarrel as simply a matter of cultural differences or a dispute over land rights, a review of the tenets of Islam reveals that the Arab/Israeli conflict involving the Land is fundamentally one of religious ideology, making it a schism that is not likely to be resolved.

The "State of Israel" from a Kingdom perspective

It is not until we apply those methods used earlier in connection with the study of the Great Tribulation, to detect prophetic events, that the prophetic nature of the State of Israel becomes apparent.

By reviewing the properties of Israel's Redemptive Timeline, it becomes evident that the State of Israel is following a time pattern similar to that of the Old Testament United Kingdom. It is especially important to recognize this, because it causes us to turn our attention to David who became the greatest king ancient Israel ever had. As his life and writings are studied, we find that the Bible depicts that Old Testament king as being prototypical of Messiah in many respects, and his kingdom prototypical of the Messianic Kingdom to be set up during the End Times. Therefore, this observed time pattern raises the possibility that the details of the correlation between these ancient and modern-day timelines might well provide additional insight about the nature of the End Times.

When these timelines are examined, it is discovered that the State of Israel became connected directly with prophetic Levitical dates and specific Old Testament prophecies having to do with the End Times, starting in 1988. Furthermore, during the 1988-1995 seven-year interval that followed, both it and all of the major world events directly or indirectly associated with the State of Israel began to be timed on the basis of a 360 day/year calendar system, suggestive of the 70th Week of Daniel.

Although this finding does not offer proof that the seven-year 2520 day time interval identified in 1988-1995 was the 70th Week of Daniel, it does raise some very troubling issues in light of the views currently held by the "pretribulation rapture" theory, and does motivate us to carefully inspect that time interval in the following section of this prophetic study.

These studies of the "Great Tribulation" and "State of Israel" indicate that the End Times have been underway since World War II. If this is true, such knowledge should prompt us to greater introspection of our lives, as we contemplate the distinct possibility that we may shortly find ourselves face-to-face with the King of the Universe.

With respect to the State of Israel:

The State of Israel has struggled mightily to achieve peace and a degree of respect from those Arab nations who surround her. This has led Israel's leadership over the years to remarkable levels of striving to placate and negotiate with those very Arab parties who tirelessly continue to work for her annihilation. Yet strangely, in spite of all their failures to achieve those goals since 1948, Israel seems oblivious to the spiritual connotations of their problems, remaining very much a secular State. Far from realizing their Biblical destiny as a chosen people, they show little desire to submit to the God of their fathers who has given them the Land they now occupy, and must ultimately be their only protector and provider.

If the State of Israel is truly at the threshold of a new economy in God's Plan, as indicated by everything suggested by these first two sections of "The Prophets Speak", Israel needs to begin a committed path back to the God who is their only real hope for an eternal inheritance, by repenting and submitting themselves fully to His Plan of redemption about to be revealed to that nation, for their place in the coming Millennial Kingdom will be secured only in this way.

With respect to the Church:

The Church today seems to be the victim of a hodgepodge of beliefs on the subject of prophecy. Although the "Pretribulation Rapture" view is the prevailing one, few believers have taken the trouble to understand what it really teaches, and many who have seem to accept its tenants more on the basis of faith than fact. While we read books and watch movies about how God will remove all believers from the earth before a supposed "great tribulation" and "Antichrist" to come, much of the present Church languishes in an attitude of apathy toward the things of God, substituting emotion and indifference, for obedience to their Lord.

If we truly stand at the advent of that Great Day of the Lord, as the first two sections of this prophetic study suggest, the Church needs to lay aside its unsupported speculations about the future that could actually mislead believers, and rather build views of prophecy based on the verifiable facts of history. For those of this final Church era who are essentially neutral in matters of true Biblical Christianity, it would appear to be most appropriate and timely for them to confess their sins, so that they might be restored to a close fellowship with the One who desires to conform them to His image, so that they will not be ashamed at His coming.

With respect to the World:

The world today is in a state of chaos that has not been witnessed since World War II, and in a state of confused thought and outright unbelief that has probably never been experienced in all of history. Television and movies feed the insatiable appetites of untold millions who are routinely served disgraceful, crude, and blasphemous venues. While this goes on in the more "advanced" nations, more repressive regimes are characterized by levels of shameless barbarism and cruelty toward their own citizenry rivaling the worst in human history. With the victimization of innocent children, both born and unborn, and world technology now on the threshold of a great leap "forward", to arrogantly clone human beings so that humankind might seem to compete with God Himself in matters of life and death, fundamentalist Islamic terrorists, exhibiting the most vile form of hate, are now forcing the civilized world to either succumb to their fanatical demands or else to propel the world toward an apocalyptic struggle to maintain their very survival.

If these early sections of "The Prophets Speak" have properly assessed our current situation, the world is really about to be judged by the King of the universe. For that vast multitude who remain outside the sphere of the love He has made available to all through His Son, they should be enjoined to repent and quickly turn to Him who is able to keep them from stumbling, so that they might be presented faultless at the moment of His Coming Glory.

If you have completed your reviews of "The Great Tribulation" and "State of Israel" in the End Times, the remaining two sections of The Prophets Speak deal with "Daniel's 70th Week" and the book of "The Revelation". If you would first like to see the kinds of topics that will be addressed in those remaining two sections, check out the "End Time Questions Answered" page of "The Prophets Speak" at .