*DEEP BREATH*
Let's talk about Israel, the most
important nation on the planet for nearly 4,000 years, and the "apple of God's eye." The Jewish calendar is different than our
standard Gregorian calendar; they overlap, but use different days, months,
dates. This is year 5777 on the Hebrew calendar, numerically a special year (5
stands for God's grace, goodness and favor toward us; 7 denotes completeness
and perfection, and seems to be one of God's favorite numbers!). The upcoming year of 5778, is Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new
year, begins at sundown on September 21, two days before the Revelation
12 on September 23. Seven days later is Yom Kippur, the Feast of Atonement. I believe these two holidays will be of
special significance this year!
But next year, 2018 (5778), is also
significant. May 14, 2018 marks the 70th anniversary of the day the
Nation of Israel was reborn, a day in history that was promised by God to
Abraham and to his son Jacob (Israel). Israel's reunification was unprecendented, something never seen in the history of the world. They were a people who, though dispersed for thousands of years throughout every corner of the world, managed to keep themselves a separate and special people, and because God said they would once again come together as a nation, did just that IN ONE DAY! That's a lot to celebrate! May 14 follows soon after Pesach,
or Passover, which runs from March 31-Apr 7, 2018. Nearly every major Biblical
event regarding Israel happens on or around one of the Hebrew holidays
(Passover and Yom Kippur being of most significance, Spring and Autumn). For
Christians, Passover may herald the impending Rapture--which is a mirror of
Passover, signified by salvation in Jesus Christ--so that the wrath of both God
and Satan passes over them during the Tribulation (since they would no longer
be on earth).
2018 (or Hebrew year 5778) may also be
"Daniel's 70th week," if we are to go by God's timeline of 70 years
of 7 "weeks." From the time Israel was birthed by God, where He made
an everlasting covenant with the Jews, this would be the culmination of 4,900
years of God's covenant promise to Jacob (Israel) all those centuries ago (with
mankind's timeline being about 6,000 years on the earth).
Going forward, July 21-22, 2018 is Tisha B’Av, the 9th of (the
month of) Av. This date commemorates the anniversary of a number of disasters
in Jewish history, primarily the destruction of both temples - the First Temple by the
Babylonians and the Second Temple by the Romans in Jerusalem. Tisha B'Av is
regarded as the saddest day in the Jewish calendar and it is believed to be a
day which is destined for tragedy.
One week after Tisha B'Av, on July 27,
2018, falls a total lunar eclipse.
Throughout Biblical history, events related to the moon are specifically signs for the Jews. The
fact that this total lunar eclipse is occurring around Tisha B'Av is no mere
coincidence, and in fact may be a great harbinger for them. I fear that once
again, something monumental may be in store for Israel. Could they be attacked?
Could it be war? Or perhaps the signing of a 7-year "peace" treaty with
the yet unknown Antichrist? No one is certain, but God's cosmic timeline is
perfect, so we must look to Him for strength and guidance. Throughout the Bible
we are told that in the end times and during the Tribulation, Israel will go
through some incredibly horrible events, and many of her people will be lost. But
in the end, the entire nation will
realize that Christ really IS their Messiah ("they will look upon Him who
they have pierced"), they will repent as one, and God will save them, both
spiritually and physically. The enormous, glorious New Jerusalem will descend
from Heaven, and all believers in Christ will rule and reign upon a restored
earth—with Christ!—for 1,000 years (the "Millennium").
Even so, come Lord Jesus!
