Bible Prophecy, the Second Coming, and the Kingdom on earth fall into a prerequisite preparatory knowledge needed for the end times; especially, for all Christians. Every pulpit should be strengthening the Master’s sheep and laying the groundwork for the future. It has been said, “Israel is God’s Key to world redemption.” Why is there so much silence?
It was an ordinary morning when my Husband and I were listening to Pastor Carter Conlon from Times Square Church in New York. While preaching, he spoke the words, “we need to take the words of Jesus seriously.” I quickly ran to write down his stimulating words. My conscience was convicted that all of Yeshua’s words are of equal importance—not just ones we are familiar with or choose to memorize. I hope that all of us, as Christians, read the whole Bible because I am confident that Yeshua was saying to His Disciples, “believe me—everything My Father has spoken in the Torah will come to pass—everything, nothing will be left out.” Since the King declared it, I would think our pulpits would be teaching the Biblical prophetic promises from the Jewish Scriptures in order to be prepared for the future so we can absorb His Wisdom. Both testaments solidify and cross-reference one another and communicate their significance to our faith. Jesus strongly implies that for the Torah’s prophetic nature not to be fulfilled—would be unimaginable.
Hungry Sheep
In the natural, animal experts tell us that sheep are almost always hungry. They bleat in anticipation of being fed and will rapidly approach a feeding area. A lack of appetite is probably the most common symptom exhibited by a sick sheep. While I realize we are not sheep, we are likened unto “sheep” as Yeshua taught His parable stories to His Disciples. Doesn’t it seem strange that our fellowships and congregations are not taught about this wonderful Coming Kingdom to earth foretold by Jesus when He walked the earth? It amazes me why more sheep are not fed ‘whole’ milk instead of ‘1%’ of God’s Word these days!
In the United States, the decline in church membership coincides with an increase in Americans who do not identify with a particular religion. A crisis of faith is being reported. Young adults often participate less in religious activities than older generations. The most recent Gallup poll survey finds that fewer than half of Americans have formal membership in a local church. (www.WND.com/2021, WND News Center). Around the world, we either see famine or revival and frankly, revival is usually happening in the underground church somewhere or in impoverished nations. Suppose Christians are pressing into what the Spirit of God is saying about the Coming Kingdom. In that case, they will be excited to know all of the promises of God and how to hang on for a rough ride. His Kingdom will break through in His Timing (Revelation 21:2, 10). I like to think of a genuine United Nations coming—formed under Almighty God, no democracy—but a theocracy under His Rule. Kingdoms are going to crumble, and governments fall, but God, in the end, will be “all in all”(1 Corinthians 15:28).The appearing of the Messiah, King Jesus, is coming closer each day. We are moving towards an authentic “One Nation Under God.” What a glorious event will come to Jerusalem. We need to let it sink in that it will not be the establishment of a Christian nation but a new humanity (Ephesians 2:15) born of God. Don’t let Dr. David Stern’s proclamation startle you. He says, “There is no ‘Christian’ Messiah!” (Complete Jewish Bible). He is correct. The Messiah must be a Jewish Messiah and fulfill the Jewish scriptures. Jesus meets all the requirements. Since we appear to be in high gear racing towards the intensity of the end times, we definitely need the meat of the Word from the Torah of God, the Voice of His Words, what is called the Old Testament. The Torah and the Newer Testament are a perfect combination to compare with each other. I’ve spent my life cross-referencing my Bibles and learned that both testaments go hand-in-hand.
Most Christian pulpits remain silent about the coming 1000-year reign on earth. Why are we not hearing more about it? Why are we not taught to yearn more about this Coming? God forbid that Christians betray God’s Chosen People in the end times; if we betray Israel, we are betraying the Lord Jesus (Matthew 25). The Lord is busy restoring “all things” (Acts 3:21); part of that “all things” is that Christians return to their spiritual foundations—built upon the Prophets and Apostles (all Jews) (Ephesians 2:20). Each man followed God’s Torah. The truth was suppressed during the Dark Ages and Reformation; however, I find Christians from different nations today very hungry to hear the whole counsel of God expounded upon and made clearer. If anyone is looking for a gentile Jesus, they will never find Him. He is a Jew in the flesh, and in John 4:22, he makes it clear about with whom He identifies when He says, “We Jews…”. Prepare for the future now. As a deluge of Bible prophecy headlines inundates the media in Israel these days, I will continue to speak in support of Israel and the necessity for all Christians to buckle down and climb on board as we fly into the end times. Let’s make sure we are flying on the right airline—with God!
Mark My Word!
Basically, in modern-day English, Jesus would have been saying about the Torah something like: mark my word. Jeremiah reminds us, “Who has marked His Word and heard it?” (Jeremiah 23:18). In an article written by Dr. David Bivin (Jerusalemperspective.com), he makes a point on the finality of Yeshua’s statement in Matthew 5:18. He says “…Jot” and “Tittle” are not everyday words in English. In a statement about the continuing validity of the Torah, Jesus uses a difficult-to-understand idiom. The Greek reads: ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου (“…until pass away the heaven and the earth, iota one or one point by no means will pass away from the law…”). English translations have not helped readers understand the idiom. When something is jotted down, Jesus tells us not even a little bit, or the tiniest fraction—not even a suggestion or suspicious question should be raised about the Torah’s predictions.” All of it will be completed and fulfilled as it was God-given.
Bible prophecy always lends an air of seriousness to what the Bible is saying regarding the significance of the Lord’s Coming. God’s Everlasting Voice (the “Bat Kol” of God) behind the Torah has been misunderstood and all but forgotten by many Christians. While not attempting to bring anyone “under” the Law, I believe that we need to see the importance of obeying God’s commands through the eyes of Yeshua as He taught them. For those of us who are believers in Jesus (Yeshua), we must let it sink in that He taught Torah when He walked the earth—just not according to man’s doctrines. The New Testament was founded upon the Torah. In the future Kingdom coming to earth, it is the same message (every “jot and tittle”) which Yeshua spoke about that will “go forth from Zion.” (Isaiah 2:3). I believe the earth is groaning for a return to its Creator—crying out for the breaking through of God’s Kingdom where He will rule. That is why we have so much spiritual warfare in Israel today. The Torah prophesies about the Coming Kingdom. It will be a time when the Government will be upon His Shoulders (Isaiah 9:6), not run as a Democracy but a Theocracy. The rule of law will be interpreted by the Messiah of God (Psalm 2:7-9). The Voice behind the words (not rabbinical nor pastoral interpretations) will be delivered the way the Almighty wants it delivered to the world. Light will be shed on every “jot and tittle.” It is also imperative that we realize there will be no dominating “religion” in the Coming Kingdom. Religion itself will have to bow the knee to the name above all names (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10-11). As we presently watch the kingdoms of this world fall into the shadows, His Kingdom will arise.
We Christians often quote and proclaim the Scriptures over loved ones who are ill or infirm. This proclamation is scriptural and expresses our faith in the Word of God to heal. In the past year, around 304,805 Jews composed a letter and copied a new Torah scroll from God’s Word, hoping that this unity of believing God and what He has decreed in Heaven might produce healing for the world from the plague of Covid. It brought unity to those walking in faith. The Jewishness of the Master and the Jewishness of Christianity should bring us a deeper understanding of the Scriptures and closer unity. It should be a tool in the Hands of God to bring us into holy unity where ONE GOD, ONE MESSIAH, and ONE NEW HUMANITY are transformed through God’s Love, and the blood of the Lamb shed from the foundation of the world. In God’s Coming Kingdom, there will not be one speck of anti-Semitism found. “There will be One Flock, (John 10:16); One Tree, not two, (Romans 11:15-18, 23-26); One Commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:11-13); One Body, (Ephesians 2:14-17); One United Stick (Ezekiel 37:16-19; Ezekiel 37:21-23); One Bride, (Revelation 19:6-9; 21:9-12); and One House or Temple of God, (Ephesians 2:19-21)” (Jan Willem van der Hoeven). There will be no more divisions, for God is a God of unity and not division. Messiah will be our teacher. We will inherit the blessings of Israel through joining the Israel of God, the Commonwealth, during the Coming Kingdom (Ephesians 2:11-21; 3:5-6), where we are fellow heirs with a redeemed Land and People. All of man’s traditions, dogmas, creeds, and commentaries do not exist, and only God rules in this Kingdom. Thousands of denominations that evolved over the centuries in Christendom will have to bow and become one in Messiah Jesus. Doesn’t the future excite you? It does me. The same within the Jewish world; people will need to come together. The wall between Judaism and Christianity will be torn down again, and every “jot and tittle” of the Scriptures will be explained with authority.
The Wall will be Torn Down
I remember a bestselling Christian book from years ago. The author told his readers that Bible prophecy was not important and to basically forget it and get on with more significant issues. Just recently, Jan Markell, a long time friend who heads up Understanding the Times ministry in the USA, wrote on her site (harbingersdaily.com); “In the 1970s, only a few prophecy-related events were happening…now I am watching the signs “converge”…they are stunning and breathtaking. But most pastors will not talk about them…their pulpits are silent…50% of Protestant pastors believe in a coming Millennium…but their pulpits are silent…only a small percentage of churches teach this crucial part of God’s message to our generation. Pastor Tom Hughes, who leads the 412 Church in San Jacinto, California, says, “more than a quarter of the Bible is prophecy, much of it yet to be fulfilled. How can we give congregations a well-rounded understanding of scripture if we leave out such a vital part of it?”
In the Coming Kingdom, we will see the King in His beauty (Isaiah 33:17); He will be the Judge, Lawgiver, and King (Isaiah 33:22). Waters will burst forth in the wilderness; the streams in the desert will flow (Isaiah 35:6). All the Kingdoms on the earth will know that the God of Israel is Lord, Him alone. (Isaiah 37:20). The Word of God, which stands forever, will be taught by Messiah (Isaiah 40:8), and to Him, every knee will bow (Isaiah 45:23). All will see eye-to-eye (Isaiah 52:8), and His Love will abound. Don’t we want to learn more about this wonderful redemptive plan now? If so, we need to be taking what Jesus said seriously.
-Sharon Sanders-