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Blindness, Deception, Apostasy, RedemptionSynopsisEveryone starts their life not knowing anything and as children we trust almost everything that comes from those older than us until we learn that we can’t always trust everyone. You don’t know what you don’t know and in this a sort of blindness to reality, whether in ignorance or willing ignorance, creates a naivety that can leave us open to manipulation and deception. In the case of spiritual blindness, we grope about in darkness trying to understand the reality of our existence as spiritual beings, if we even recognize that reality at all. There are plenty of belief systems out there that attempt to explain what most sense in some way, that there’s something bigger than ourselves. But there is a light that reveals the deep spiritual truths that comes from the revelation of our reality by the Word of God. It is that which lights the path in the darkness and speaks of our origins, our importance, and our future. This collection of 66 books written by 40 authors over thousands of years has gained my trust, or faith, in that it has repeatedly verified itself to be valid through textual criticism, archaeology, and history. Moreover, it is the only collection of writings that has successfully foretold events that have come to pass as narrated. It is a collection of writings from Hebrew authors about the Hebrew people and their relationship with the God of creation that chose them out from among the nations to be God’s witness in the world. It was through them that the light of God’s Word originated, from which we understand where we come from and where we’re going. And it is through this people that God chose to enter into our world to redeem it from the curse of death, for those with ears to hear and eyes to see. As we look at Israel’s blindness, imposed and self-inflicted, and how that plays into the coming great deception followed by the redemption, we can also see the same principles of blindness that are the human condition and that apply to more than just God’s chosen people. This coming great deception will affect the whole world, not just Israel. Just as we must understand what is real to spot a fake, it is critical that we understand the clues that God has given us in His Word to understand the Truth so that we are not drawn in by a lie. The human race doesn’t exist in a vacuum and there are spiritual forces in dimensions we cannot see, smell, taste, touch, or hear that have our good in mind, but also those which have our eternal destruction in mind. The latter are actively working to pull off a deception so great that if we do not have a solid foundation in God’s Word we may be caught up in the events that will lead to our eternal destruction. As the Gospel came to the Jew first and then the Gentile, scripture makes a clear case that the great deception will likewise come to the Jew first and envelop the whole world. Let us examine what the Word of God says and use that to discern good and evil and see the path that is set before us that we not fall into the ditch. Luke 6:39 | Ephesians 6:10-18 Blindness, Deception, Apostasy, RedemptionIt is important when discussing the end of the age, and indeed any Bible prophecy, to be very clear where the focus usually is. The Bible is a Hebrew book, written almost entirely by Hebrews with the exception perhaps of Luke and quotes of Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, and perhaps others. The Bible tells the story of the origins of mankind and the people chosen by God from the world to instruct and lead them to relationship with Him, to be His imagers in the world. Some generations fell in love with God and others wanted nothing to do with Him, and through it all God remained there calling His people, Israel, to Him. Even in the New Testament, where the Gospel is sent to the Gentiles, it began with the Jews and then went to the Gentiles. But the prophetic narrative of the end of the age is tied primarily to one place and one people, Jerusalem and Israel. Daniel 9:24 This prophecy was given to Daniel when he asked God what the future of his people would be after the Babylonian captivity. There is one week of years, seven years, remaining to be fulfilled from this prophecy and just about all the remaining events of end time prophecy take place within that short time. As the primarily Gentile church looks at prophecy, we tend to disconnect certain aspects of it from who it’s focused on. From Israel’s removal from the land of promise in 70 AD to May 14, 1948 the idea of the nation of Israel being part of prophecy seemed impossible. Much of Bible prophecy was allegorized to explain what had to be true according to God’s Word, but which didn’t seem possible according to man’s perspective. In our hindsight we should take note that God’s ways are not our ways and with God all things are possible. Isaiah 49:6 Those who live in the end of the age are beneficiaries of understanding Israel’s faithfulness and unfaithfulness, examples for us of what we should and should not do. The light of God’s Word has taught those who read and hear it and has given us instruction on spiritual things. For those who accept it, eyes have been opened and ears unblocked and we have revealed for us the majority of the history of God’s plan for mankind’s salvation. Yet almost 2,000 years ago the people from which the Messiah was born were blinded. BlindnessAll scripture is true and so while the majority of them were blinded as the Gentiles began to see, there is still a final period of seven years determined for Israel and Jerusalem in which the end of the age will play out as revealed in scripture. The focus of this time is not on the Gentiles because we have already seen and heard, the focus will be on the remnant who are blind, deaf, and who do not yet understand. In reading the Bible I often struggled with the idea that David asked for the blindness of his people and Yeshua seemed to impose blindness upon Israel that they would not understand. How can those blinded be responsible for seeing and understanding, how is this fair to those blinded? Israel’s relationship with God has always been marked by promises of faithfulness to God followed by periods of spiritual adultery and harlotry as they went after false gods and idols of wood and stone. As God tried to bring them into a relationship of lovingkindness, Israel would turn their back on Him time and again only to call on Him in their time of trouble. We look back through the pages of thousands of years of history in the Bible and wonder at how this could be with all they experienced? But can we not see in our own times how quickly a generation or two can pass, leading to rejection of God? Everyone does what is right in their own eyes and before you know it everyone is their own god, looking out for themselves, as good is called evil and evil good. Even the standard of making that judgement is subjective in this world of chaos where the blind lead the blind, it is the fallen human condition. The generations of Israel were no different, but in a world of men they were chosen to be in relationship with the One True God that loved them enough to chastise and correct them. Those that God sent to correct His people were sometimes killed because the message was not a welcome one. Sometimes wicked leaders didn’t like the message. Some of them believing they were following God’s Word, carried out capital punishment against a perceived false prophet or blasphemer. Sometimes false witness and lying was used to keep the status quo and reject God’s instruction. There are many reasons God’s messengers were killed but ultimately it boiled down to a lack, or rejection of, understanding. Matthew 23:33-39 When the Messiah came in the first century, after the 483 years prophesied by Daniel, He came as a humble servant, meek and lowly. Not the strong king that would conquer Israel’s enemies and restore the kingdom as they were expecting from the Messiah. (Ezekiel 37:24-25, Amos 9:11-15, Isaiah 59:16-21; 63:1-6, Acts 1:6) But His kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:35-38) In reality, a spiritual kingdom was established, untouchable by the physical realm in which we live. Through the centuries since its establishment, its subjects possess dual citizenship amongst the kingdoms of this world. (Daniel 2) As Yeshua excoriated the leadership in 30 AD for having hearts far from God, He was setting the stage for the fulfillment of His purpose. God’s ways are not our ways, and in their blind expectations of God’s Word based on the understanding of men, they could not see their Messiah before them. Luke 19:41-44 As Yeshua came to present Himself as the Passover Lamb, according to the house of His Father and at His Father’s house, Exodus 12:3, He knew what would befall Jerusalem 40 years later. While some recognized Him and greeted Him with palm branches saying blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord, the woman represented by Jerusalem and her inhabitants were mostly in apostasy for the various reasons they may have had, rejecting the Messiah foretold by the Word of God. Isaiah 29:13-14 But this seemingly imposed blindness goes back to the establishment of the relationship between God and His chosen people. It was part of the promise of blessings in obedience and the warning of curses in disobedience and apostasy. Deuteronomy 28:15, 28-29 While directed at His chosen people, this is not just a Hebrew curse, it is a natural result of the rejection of God’s ways of selfless love. Instead we tend to cling to the pride of our selfish nature, which we struggle against as human beings in a fallen state. From the very beginning, God’s dealing with Israel was meant to bring about the Seed of the woman that would become the salvation of all mankind. Genesis 3:15 Genesis 17:4-7 Galatians 3:16 I think we sometimes miss the nuance of the true reason for that blindness, is it really imposed upon Israel? While speaking of Israel corporately, in the general sense, the reason for the blindness for all human beings seems more of a natural consequence of rejection of truth. Not all of Israel rejected their Messiah when He came, but those that did rejected the fulfillment of God’s Word in His coming. That’s not to say it was obvious, even today with hindsight of history and the printed compilation of scripture people have a hard time understanding it. But much of Yeshua’s condemnation was at the Scribes and Pharisees that were supposed to know His Word and lead the people in understanding, yet their hearts were far from God. And it would seem that ultimately God set up His plan to play off of their rejection. 1 Corinthians 2:6-12 So much hatred of people, and those God sent, has resulted in the very opposite of what God’s Word teaches about His nature and how we enter into relationship with Him. Israel killed the prophets God sent from among their own to guide them. Christians hated and killed Jews because they perceived Jews responsible for the death of Christ. He knew the severity of prescribed judgement against those who blasphemed against God would be used by those without understanding to accomplish God’s will. God also knows the hearts of men, regardless of lineage, are wicked and the wisdom of God was a mystery for a reason. John 10:14-19 Luke 23:33-35 Yeshua said it all right there. No man took His life, He willingly laid down His life for not only the sheep of Israel who believe, but for His other sheep of a different fold, the Gentiles who will be married into the family of Abraham and God’s eternal covenant with him by faith. And furthermore, He took His life up again becoming the firstfruits of the resurrection, on the appointed time of firstfruits no less. What men in their blindness believed a victory or a tragedy, God in His wisdom used for their salvation. And unfortunately the mystery of iniquity has used this blindness to build animosity and hatred, but God will accomplish His purposes regardless. Acts 28:23-29 Who closed the eyes of the blind, God or themselves? We all have selective hearing, where our focus is tends to limit what we hear and we only see what we want to look at, sometimes feigning ignorance. In the spiritual sense when our focus is not on God, but the things of this world, that still small voice is drowned out by our own plans and desires, and even sometimes in our desires we become willingly ignorant. Romans 11:9-12, 25 Yeshua came first to the house of Judah, knowing the end would lead to salvation for all mankind who believed. But as with so much of prophecy, the focus is on Israel because they are God’s chosen people and God is not finished with the redemption of the remnant of His people that are His. John 12:37-41 Isaiah 53:1-6 Of Israel, Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would be rejected, but note also that it was they who hid their faces from Him. The interpretations by men picked the prophecies from God’s Word that their itching ears wanted to hear, a not uncommon problem, especially as we near the end. 2 Timothy 4:2-4 It seems to me that what is seemingly prophesied as blindness actually springs from within the hearts of men and is not imposed upon them, it is a message they would rather hear than the actual Word of God. And when Yeshua spoke in parables, it was meant to reach those who desired to understand and showing principles and prophecy in story form. Matthew 13:10-17 Isaiah 6:8-13 Sometimes the meaning of the parables were perceived and sometimes they were not. There were even times that they were fully understood, but the hardness of the heart of the hearer rejected it. Yet even in blindness and hardness of heart, there is a remnant that will come to understand because they desire God and His love. A relationship requires two willing participants and that is what God desires with us, a relationship built on lovingkindness. But for that relationship to be established, we must first understand lovingkindness and also desire and love Him as He first desired and loved us. From all of this it would seem that God in His wisdom placed the Truth in His Word, but in such a way that only in faith and obedience to His Word would the wise understand. The Ten Virgins - 119 Ministries is a great video that touches on this idea and how the wisdom of God is foolishness to those who don’t trust His Word. They find no legitimacy to its plain teaching so they never dig in to discover the greater understanding. But where is the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord? The Word of God, yet as with the parables it is not always as straight forward as many would like. The Author reveals it to those that love and desire Him and want to understand the truth. Isaiah 28:9-14 Yet even those who desire understanding and have faith in God’s Word must not have selective hearing and close their eyes to the whole council of God. And there is a danger in not taking personal accountability in understanding the Word of God for ourselves. It’s good to learn from those who have studied God’s Word before us, but we should also do our own study to validate what we learn from the source itself. Acts 17:11 While it may not always be literal, every part of God’s Word is true and sometimes you don’t get the whole picture without including all the pieces of the puzzle. 2 Timothy 3:16 Willing ignorance is a kind of blindness that is ultimately self-imposed and we have all suffered from it, this is not just a Hebrew issue. We have all closed our eyes and ears to those things we don’t want to hear to focus on our own desires. However, the Bible was delivered through the Hebrews and written through them and speaks primarily of God’s plans for them. And so the blindness we all suffer from is highlighted stronger with them in scripture as an example because they are central to the story of the end of the age. But we must put ourselves in their shoes and learn from it. Matthew 7:1-5 So let us not judge in our own blindness the blindness of others. Let us know the Word of God and speak the Truth of God’s Word in Love and share the mysteries revealed that those with ears to hear and eyes to see will come to the saving knowledge of Yeshua’s sacrifice and all of our redemption in it. Isaiah 29:9-16 There is a lot to learn from a Rabbi about the traditions of Judaism, no doubt. There are a lot of nuggets of knowledge that can enlighten us on the meanings behind things we don’t have the historical knowledge and traditions to understand. However, there are also some interpretations that can lead to deception. When Yeshua came and fulfilled His role as the kinsman-redeemer, the understanding of the plan of God that was sealed from the beginning became unsealed for those who did not close their eyes to understand it. Without accepting Yeshua, the understanding is still sealed and those who are not learned that turn to those who have not opened their eyes to see Yeshua will likewise not see. We must be sure not to be led by the blind, but allow the light of the Word of God to light our path. Something I’ve noticed in watching some Messianic Jews in street interviews of Orthodox Jews in Israel, as well as other ministries reaching out to Jews in Israel, is that Orthodox Judaism relies primarily on Rabbinic tradition over reading scripture for themselves. I would say it’s fairly improbable for any Orthodox Rabbi to not be offended by the idea of Yeshua being the Messiah they are waiting for, just as their ancestors would be offended by much of what Yeshua Himself said. Matthew 15:12-14 Orthodox Jews REACT to Messianic Jews Sharing ISAIAH 53 - Jews for Jesus talk on the street to Jews. One comment from someone stood out. "We don’t learn Tanakh (Torah and prophets, Old Testament) in our schools because it’s very deep and things can be misinterpreted, so they don’t teach us Tanakh. We learn Talmud (Rabbinic commentary). We learn what we call the Oral Law. So, if I want to go into Isaiah I would go to my Rabbi and I would ask him to teach it to me. Like everything I don’t understand and I ask him to teach it to me. But things that I wasn’t taught in school because I was told that it’s deep to understand, I for sure won’t just read texts…" Jewish Believers in Jesus REACT to Harsh Comments - Jews for Jesus folks talk about how many people comment to tell them to go talk to a Rabbi. They discuss how this shows people don’t think for themselves and search the scriptures themselves. Why Jews Reject Jesus as the Messiah? Sam Shamoun - Sam Shamoun talks with a Jew looking to get into religion, answering questions about why Jews reject Yeshua. He goes over some Rabbinic traditions stating they expected the Messiah in the rule of Titus, but never came from their view. The Oral Law of Rabbinic Judaism has reinterpreted many things to account for a perceived lack of prophetic fulfillment regarding the Messiah. I highly recommend watching One For Israel’s Case for Messiah series, particularly How the New Testament influenced Rabbinic Traditions, The Oral Law is a reaction to the New Testament faith!, and The Aramaic "Onkelos" is not a Literal translation! These highlight the Oral Law’s development in the 3rd century AD as a response to Christianity in a way to explain away Yeshua’s apparent fulfillment of prophecy. The Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, is read in portions throughout the year, as are selected writings from the Prophets. However while the Torah may contain aspects of prophecy about the Messiah, greater understanding is in the writings of the Prophets and New Testament. The Prophets are read selectively in the Haftaraot after the Torah portion is read throughout the year and, except for Messianic synagogues, the New Testament is not accepted as scripture and is vigorously shunned. Much like weekly church services, the portions read in the synagogues provide the Word of God, but a more full understanding cannot happen a couple hours a week. To truly understand, it takes a time of personal study in greater depth. Many find it daunting to try and understand the scriptures and while the scriptures do interpret themselves, we all rely on those more learned to guide us. This is how I began my journey to understanding with the help of Chuck Missler. However, over time I found that in my own reading of scripture I had to keep the baby while throwing out some of the bath water. And this is part of the journey to understanding, not everyone has everything right in their understanding, but as Christians we have the guidance of the Author of scripture, the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:19-21 For Orthodox Judaism, the rejection of Yeshua as the Messiah has been the willingly closing of their eyes to not see. The history and animosity of the unfaithful church persecuting the Jews has only strengthened the rejection of what is perceived as the Gentile church’s Messiah, completely separate from Judaism in the eyes of the modern Orthodox Jew. The mystery of iniquity has truly been hard at work through history and today. There have been many wise blind people in history, but one should not trust the blind to lead the blind. However, spiritual blindness is not as evident to the blinded as physical blindness is. When you don’t see that you are blind and at the same time you have great faith in the sacred writings of your forefathers, yet rely primarily on the interpretations of learned and wise men to understand those writings, you are entering prime territory for blindness to lead to deception. We are told that we will know people by their fruits, but we must grow from babies in understand the foundational principles of God’s Word and become learned ourselves according to His Word to properly discern. God’s Word, not the interpretive writings of men about that Word, is the foundation of that understanding and we must go to the source ourselves. Hebrews 5:12-14 Isaiah 29:12-13 Matthew 15:14 DeceptionEvery good forgery has behind it a creative artist. They may not create original works, but they must know what they are copying intimately. Every paint stroke and clump of paint on a painting must be painstakingly recreated to evade the notice of the most discerning art lover. Most people don’t have the skills or can’t make money in this field so some make money. The creative artists at the treasury are in a constant cat and mouse game to put in the next best creative watermark, ink, and paper to print currency that will make the counterfeit currency stand out to those who are observant. In all cases of forgery, someone is attempting to deceive a hapless victim out of the value of the original with a worthless fake for their own gain. And only by knowing the real thing can one be protected from falling victim to the fake thing. The greatest deceptions are the ones cloaked in truth. The phrase wolf in sheep’s clothing is directly tied to this concept. A wolf, acting as a wolf, entering into a flock of sheep will be very apparent to those sheep and they will not be fooled of the danger they are in. But when a wolf appears and acts as one of them, he enters the flock undetected and his wolf nature to eat the sheep will be more effective. This same idea is directly stated in speaking of the future false prophet, who comes as a Dragon in sheep’s clothing. Matthew 7:15-20 Revelation 13:11-14 It’s a perfect parallel given that Yeshua is the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. John 1:29-34 It may seem obvious, but when scripture repeats a point several times, a point is being made. Yeshua warned three times in the Olivet Discourse regarding the signs of the coming of the end of the age and His return. He said the coming deception would revolve around those coming in His name, or authority, stating to be the Christ, Anointed, Messiah. Matthew 24:3-5, 11, 23-26 So we are to take from this that the time of the end of the age and Yeshua’s return will be marked by great deception regarding false prophets and false messiahs trying to deceive the elect. Yeshua is a Jew, speaking to fellow Jews while looking over the temple in Jerusalem that would be destroyed. Furthermore, the unparalleled time of great trouble begins in Judea with an abomination of desolation in a temple in Jerusalem. Matthew 24:15-16 In the context of the Bible, the elect are God’s people. There is debate on this term, but I simply see the elect as those from all the world who will end up accepting Yeshua before eternity. They are the natural branches of Israel. But in the adoption by marriage of the bride of Christ, the Gentiles, or wild branches, are also the elect of God. The elect are the natural and wild branches grafted to the root, which is Christ. Romans 11 The disciples to which Yeshua was speaking were both Jews and the early church, which would later be expanded to the Gentiles. These are the sheep of the flock that the false christs and false prophets are trying to deceive. So if we are to follow the logical trail of warnings from scripture about this deception, how would the Dragon’s acolytes dress to pull off this great deception? It is my belief that the Bible is true and there are only two belief systems that rely on it as such, Judaism and Christianity. It is Christianity that warns of the deception of the end of the age, something not revealed in the Old Testament to my knowledge, and the Messiah explicitly includes the way He will return, in warning of this deception surrounding His return. The Jewish Messiah came the first time on the earth at the appointed time and is not coming from the earth the second appointed time. Matthew 24:27, 30 In its blindness, Orthodox Judaism has rejected Yeshua as the Messiah. The Rabbinical teachings of the Oral Law cannot see the Trinity or the two powers in heaven in the Shema Yisrael. Deuteronomy 6:4 This is a big factor in rejection of Yeshua. They also reject the resurrection of Yeshua and so by their expectations of the Messiah, Yeshua doesn’t fit. They also reject the idea that the Messiah is God, but believe he is just a man sent by God. In fact there is a belief that Messiah could come from Israel in any generation and they expect this very thing to happen. There is an element of doing good deeds, mitzvah, to help bring the Messiah in their generation. But that is not all they are expecting from the Tanakh to come to pass. The same prophecies of the same Messiah of Judah that Jews and Christians accept can be seen in very different ways depending on one thing, acceptance or rejection of Yeshua as the awaited Messiah. What paradigm do you see? Let’s examine a select few expectations of Orthodox Judaism regarding the Messiah’s arrival. Messianic PropheciesIf you look into ikvot Meshicha “the heels of Moshiach” or chavlei Mashiach “birthpangs of Messiah” you will see the modern Rabbinical expectations for the Messiah. I’m going to highlight a few key prophecies from these expectations from JewFAQ not because I believe their interpretation is right, but because of the paradigm from blindness to Yeshua that could lead to deception. This is not a light deception, but one cloaked in truth meant to cause the sheep to believe that one of them is the fulfillment of God’s Word. This deception will be accompanied by lying signs and wonders in an attempt to deceive God’s people who will not open their eyes to Yeshua, our salvation. As you read these prophecies, put yourself in the mind of those who don’t know Yeshua and don’t believe the New Testament. Yes, we know the ultimate fulfillment of all of these are in Him, but until you can simulate the blindness, it can be difficult to see. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10 “Before the time of the mashiach, there shall be war and suffering.”Ezekiel 38:16 In the Jewish paradigm, the entire history of the modern state of Israel may seem like the Gog/Magog attack is imminent. The events of October 7, 2023 and after have caused great upheaval in the hearts and minds of Jews in Israel and around the world. The events and the wars that have followed only increase the expectancy of the Messiah’s imminent arrival in the Orthodox communities. There is an expectation of an attack that will be met with God’s judgement of hailstones, fire, and brimstone. It is this event that will cause all to know the Holy One in Israel. In the Christian paradigm there are many views of this particular event and its timing. It is clear from scripture that there are several times when the world will come against Israel.
I lean toward the end of the millennium as it’s the only other place Gog and Magog are mentioned together coming against Jerusalem and it would seem only after 1,000 years of the Messiah’s reign from Jerusalem would see a land of unwalled villages dwelling in safety. Any time before that is a time of conflict over Jerusalem and during God’s wrath. But I also believe an event that could be interpreted as being this prophecy will likely play into the strong delusion God sends that they would believe a lie, 2 Thessalonians 2:11, in the resurrection of the false christ that solidifies the belief of many that he is the Messiah and triggers the abomination of desolation that begins his 3 1/2 year reign. There were originally no chapter breaks and Daniel 11:40-12:1 seems to point to a time related to other scriptures where a king, Daniel 11:36-39, comes to his end in Jerusalem and then is resurrected, Revelation 13:3; 17:8-11, and declares himself god in the temple. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5 I will be going into greater detail on this lead up to the end in the next post, The Next Prophetic Road Signs? Whether this view is accurate or not, the wars and rumors of wars in the Middle East can only work to fulfill the expectation of the imminent arrival of the Messiah from the earth among those looking for him there. It is in times of trouble that people turn back to God and when the whole world seems to be against Israel, the arrival of one who will lead them to victory and secure the land will be a welcome leader. I expect to see Israel continue the pattern of being relentlessly attacked, verbally and physically, yet defeating all her enemies to remain stronger over time. This will lead to an apparent time of peace when everyone recognizes they cannot defeat Israel in the midst of signs and wonders. “The mashiach will bring about the political and spiritual redemption of the Jewish people by bringing us back to Israel and restoring Jerusalem. He will be a great political leader descended from King David.”Isaiah 11:11-12 Jeremiah 23:5,8 Jeremiah 30:3 Hosea 3:4-5 At least partially fulfilled, the modern nation of Israel is reborn, although a secular nation that does not follow the statutes God gave them at Sinai. What is expected in the Orthodox Jewish paradigm is the transition from modern Israel without a king, without the sacrificial system, and without a national desire to seek the Lord transition to a theocratic monarchy with the Messiah as their king, leading them to worship and minister to God at His temple in their midst. This expected time will draw all the tribes of Israel from the countries to which they have been disbursed and see the reuniting of Ephraim and Judah again as one, Ezekiel 37:15-23, something that has not happened since they split around 3,000 years ago. Through this time, they will be a light to the Gentiles and the whole world will accept their king. In the Christian paradigm, Israel is and will continue to return to the land. Through the time of Jacob’s trouble Israel will be refined and brought back to relationship with God by recognizing Yeshua as their Messiah and during the Messianic Kingdom after the 70th week of Daniel they will live in the land with Yeshua as their King in a much different Jerusalem from today. Each paradigm is affected by timing, deception must come first because if the real Messiah is present and everyone knows Him, nobody will be deceived by a bad impersonator. But if the real Messiah remains shrouded because they have closed their eyes that they would not see, a convincing impostor will be a very effective deception, especially if he begins the deception by fully endorsing a return to the Mosaic Covenant and worship of the One True God according to the statutes given them at Sinai. Why would a deceiver do that? Because he is a Dragon in sheep’s clothing and I’m sure knows of a new covenant promised in scripture that Israel currently does not recognize as already having come. If he can convince the blind who do not see Yeshua’s fulfillment of this already, he can insert himself and make his own covenant with the people he is now dwelling amongst. Jeremiah 31:31-34 If you look at this through the paradigm of the blind, with knowledge of the New Testament, it explains several things. Why the temple and sacrifices must begin at the start of the 70th week of Daniel, because they are confirming the Mosaic Covenant, requiring the temple ministry, sacrifices, and changing of the times and laws. It also explains why the sacrifices must stop, because he will have died in Jerusalem for his people and rose from the dead to forgive their sin and make a new covenant with Israel, dwelling among them and whom they will all know. They will be sealed with his name on their hands and/or foreheads. God is allowing a time of testing, before He establishes His millennial kingdom in Israel, when the Dragon will be allowed to setup his own kingdom with his own puppet king. He cannot begin his deception in opposition to God’s Word because that Word is what the people trust. But he can twist God’s Word in such a way that is convincing to those who desire to see the Messiah come so much that they don’t care who he really is. If he checks the boxes, then he’s the one, and they expect the Messiah to come. The Oral Law, having rejected Yeshua and actively teaching around Him, looks for another to come from the earth and from the line of David from among their people. If the Dragon could put on a David coat, could the accuser slip someone into the hearts and minds of the people that would captivate them in their desire to see Israel restored to her former glory under the Messiah? John 5:43 "He will be well-versed in Jewish law, and observant of its commandments."Isaiah 11:1-5 In the Jewish paradigm, a man is expected to come to prominence from the line of David who will be anointed of the Lord and promote the proper understanding of the Tanakh and judgement according to it. As he will be anointed king of Israel, he will lead Israel back to following the Law according to the statutes, changing the times and the laws of modern Israel to return to God’s statutes for them as the chosen people. In the Christian paradigm, when Yeshua came the first time He demonstrated wisdom and understanding at a young age, later becoming a Rabbi and fulfilling the Law according to the Word of God. Luke 2:46-52 Understanding the deception of the Dragon in sheep’s clothing, quite a different picture is painted of the possible rise of the false christ. The most common views of where the false christ will come from are completely divorced from Israel except for the declaring himself God in the temple and persecution of Israel. But what we see in this view is actually a man bringing Israel back to keeping the Mosaic Covenant and all that goes along with it, the temple, sacrifices, and priesthood. All of this a setup to deceive Israel into accepting him and rejecting God, a Dragon in sheep’s clothing. And we see in the first seal that the rider of the white horse is given a crown, authority as a ruler, or king. He does not forcibly take it, but it is given to him after which he fights for his kingdom. Revelation 6:1-2 And what about persecution of Israel? We must think of things from God’s perspective. We’ve been told that not all who say they are Jews are. (Romans 11:16-28, Revelation 2:9, 3:9) Those that are cut off from the people because they are enemies of God are those that will hate God’s people. But those in apostasy believe they do God’s will do not see it this way. From God’s perspective, those who accept the false christ are in apostasy and idolatry and are not His people. Meanwhile those in apostasy believe their false god is not a deception and those who reject him are apostate. Both sides will see the other as apostate and while God’s people will leave the judgement to God, the Dragon’s people will likely treat those that blaspheme against their perceived god in the manner of their law, severely. It’s all a matter of perspective and God’s perspective wins in the end. He will restore the religious court system of Israel and establish Jewish law as the law of the land. He will rebuild the Temple and re-establish its worship.Jeremiah 33:14-18 Zechariah 6:11-13 In the Jewish paradigm, we see again the Branch of David executing judgement and Israel dwelling safely in the land. During this time their king will remain on the throne and the priesthood carrying out the temple ministry. In the Christian paradigm, Yeshua, the Branch of David, will indeed execute judgement and righteousness in the Land and Israel will dwell safely, just not until after the defeat of the false messiah, false prophet, and Dragon. It would also seem from Zechariah 14:6-11 that the time after Yeshua’s return will see a new Jerusalem built over the terraformed rubble following the destruction of God’s wrath and a new temple seen in Ezekiel 40-48. There is division on the idea of sacrifices continuing. Aside from the statute given to Israel for these things to be done throughout their generations, there is also the depictions of Ezekiel 40-48 where sacrifices continue. I am open to whatever God says, and it would seem since the sacrifices were never able to take away sin in the first place, nor were they meant to, their existence is not in conflict with the fulfillment of the foreshadow in Yeshua’s sacrifice. Hebrews 10:1-4 There are many things Yeshua will explain that we don’t yet understand about the coming times, but it seems clear to me that Israel still exists and will exist in the land during the millennium as will the statutes throughout their generations. But the point is that these things only happen after the 70th week of Daniel, over 3 1/2 years after the deception has already played out. This means that an apparent fulfillment of the return to the covenant and rebuilding the temple will take place first and ultimately be destroyed during the wrath of God to be built anew in the Messianic Kingdom. In light of the possible use of this expectation for deception, there is an interesting prophecy about the false christ. Daniel 7:25 If you think about modern Israel today, they are not following the Mosaic Covenant and their laws reflect that. But in a time of upheaval of the political climate required to conform to the statutes given at Sinai, this is exactly what we would expect to happen, a radical changing of the appointed times to be kept in accordance with temple ministry and a changing of the national laws to conform to the statutes of God. Even in attempting to follow God’s statutes today, Orthodox Jews cannot fully do so because there is no temple so they are not fully compliant. Modern secular Israel would need to make a drastic return to their ancient roots in the ancient land promised to them, requiring a complete 180 degree change in the mindset of the people of Israel that would likely cause conflict with the population of Israel that is not from the 12 tribes. He will establish a government in Israel that will be the center of all world government, both for Jews and gentiles.Isaiah 2:1-4 Isaiah 11:10 Isaiah 42:1 Isaiah 60:1-5, 9-16 In the Jewish paradigm, the temple of God will exist on Mount Zion once again and all the nations will come to it and pilgrimage to see the Lord and learn His ways. The Law and Word of God will be centered in Jerusalem and the king of Israel and Messiah will rule from there and judge the nations and bring peace. Israel will be in an elevated position of ministering to God in closer relationship with Him than the world, who would come and bow at their feet and bring their treasures to Jerusalem. In the Christian paradigm, Yeshua will indeed rule from Jerusalem and the whole world will come to Jerusalem where He is ruling from with a rod of iron during His Messianic Kingdom for 1,000 years. Timing and understanding determines the paradigm one sees. And this is where God allowing the Dragon to have a short time before He establishes His kingdom on earth is also allowing his deception to come as well. Now Yeshua’s spiritual kingdom was already established in the first century, but if He established His earthly kingdom first, there could be no deception as prophesied to happen, but allowing this time of refining will test the hearts of His people and they will reveal where their allegiances lie. The whole world will recognize the Jewish G-d as the only true G-d, and the Jewish religion as the only true religion.Micah 4:1-3 Zechariah 14:9 In the Jewish paradigm, the king of Israel will be king over the earth as he rules from Jerusalem. The conception of the One God is the same as it has always been. Interestingly, in these scriptures they seem to overlook the association of the LORD with the king, but I expect having the "proper" interpretation given them will change their mindset in the future. In the Christian paradigm, Yeshua is LORD and will rule from Jerusalem in the millennium during the Messianic Kingdom with a rod of iron and thereby bring peace in the world. During this time the remnant of Israel will be dwelling in the land and they will know Yeshua and understand the Trinitarian nature of God, recognizing the Father and the Son are One with the Holy Spirit in Truth. Recognizing the New Testament revelations about the end, we see the prophecies of the false christ and false prophet given power and authority by the Dragon. The false christ dies and is resurrected and the world wonders at him and give them their power during his reign. Likewise, understanding the timing of the end, we can see how God allowing the Dragon to deceive the world in the time prior to His return in glory, that a kind of inverted mirror of the fulfillment in God is seen. The Dragon, a corruption of the Father, gives his power and authority to the false christ, a corruption of the Son, and the false prophet, a corruption of Elijah to come, points to the false christ and Dragon for worship. His corruption of God’s design takes place all at once in the end, while the actual fulfillment by Yeshua was split into two comings, the first completing the redemption and salvation going to the Gentiles when Israel would not see, and the second immediately after the deception begins to redeem the remnant of Israel from the great tribulation brought about by the Dragon’s deception. The serpent is more subtle than many think and prophecy must be viewed from God’s perspective. God’s people are those who remain faithful to Him and the rest are cut off from the people in their apostasy and become enemies of the faithful remnant who reject their false god. We saw this in Yeshua’s day too, flipped 180 degrees, when the persecution of the early faithful church in Israel came from their own people. The followers of the Way accepted the true Messiah and were persecuted for it while in the future the rejection of the false messiah will bring about greater persecution. But God’s people loved their enemies and blessed those that persecuted them, just as we must do now and in the future. Our kingdom is not of this world. But above all, he will be a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being."It has been said that in every generation, a person is born with the potential to be the mashiach. If the time is right for the messianic age within that person’s lifetime, then that person will be the mashiach. But if that person dies before he completes the mission of the mashiach, then that person is not the mashiach." While not accompanied with any scripture, the sentiment is found in the Rabbinical responses to Yeshua and is one of the things that blinds them to Him. That they don’t believe He was resurrected and don’t see the earthly kingdom they expect from the Messiah seals the blindness for many because they do not comprehend a spiritual kingdom not of this world that was established in the temples, bodies, of those who accept Yeshua where His Holy Spirit dwells. Ironically, it may be that the false christ declaring himself to be God in the temple and this belief that the Messiah is just anointed and is not God that drives some of the remnant of Israel to flee to the mountains with those believers who heed Yeshua’s warning. These will be unblinded at the return of Yeshua from heaven and come to accept Him as the Messiah in the wilderness after rejecting the false christ. There are plenty of other prophecies about the Messiah and what He will do in scripture, but these highlight a few that are key expectations. Putting on the blinders that hide Yeshua while reading the prophecies and simultaneously recalling New Testament prophecies about the false christ, it becomes apparent that there are two ways that these same prophecies can be taken. One can either be blind to, or reject, Yeshua as the fulfillment or one can accept Him. If God allows the great deceiver to come on the scene before He completes the fulfillment of all of His prophecies, and this deceiver seems to fulfill many of them himself, many will be led astray, especially since the Dragon’s power and authority is given to the false christ with signs and lying wonders. AntichristThe very word antichrist evokes thoughts of wickedness and evil in those who trust God’s Word. And rightly so, the future antichrist is prophesied to go after and overcome those who believe in Yeshua and anyone who doesn’t take his mark and worship him. However, this is the last stage of his rule and we’ve seen how blindness and deception tied to God’s Word can actually begin as a wolf in sheep’s clothing so as to be able to pounce when the time is right. In other words, the first half of the 70th week will be building the deception by appearing to fulfill God’s Word, not go against it. But while I think the majority of those watching for end time events are looking in the wrong places, the wolf under the sheep’s clothing will become visible very quickly to those paying attention. Acceptance of the deception, either knowing full well or because of the blindness of the heart to the truth, will be the fate of many in the world. This will lead to their ultimate separation from God by their own choice. One can see a deception unfold and reject the deception while loving the deceived. Luke 6:27-28, 35-36 Romans 12:14 I feel pity and not animosity toward those with the spirit of antichrist because I think it has more to do with blindness and stumblingblocks. I can’t imagine the sorrow God feels in His creation not wanting to accept His offer of redemption. This sometimes have to do with the pride of having no God above them or standards of righteousness they don’t want to follow. And sometimes, in the case of much of Orthadox Judaism, it can be history of false Christians’ treatment of their people and the religious traditions interpreted by men, the blind leading the blind. If we look at the term antichrist in the context it is used in scripture, it is a clear black and white dividing line that acts as the stumblingblock for many in the world today. 2 John 1:4-9 1 John 4:1-11 1 John 2:15-26 These are the only times the word antichrist is used in scripture and from this we understand the context of the term as it’s used in scripture and from these we get the following characteristics of both the spirit of antichrist and the future antichrist to come.
Orthodox Judaism partly rejects Yeshua because of His claim to be the Son of God. While the Old Testament speaks to the two powers in heaven, the angel of the Lord, the concept of God both being one and three is difficult for many to wrap their minds around. Yeshua made a point of this when He quoted David. Psalm 110:1 Matthew 22:41-46 Exodus 23:20-21 The Angel of the Lord has power to pardon transgressions as also seen in Zechariah where He caused Joshua’s iniquity to pass from him. Zechariah 3:1-4 The angel of the Lord occurs 68 times in 64 verses in the Old Testament, meeting Hagar, Abraham, Moses, Israel, Gideon, Sampson’s mother, David, Elijah, and defeating the Assyrians among other things. He is defined several places as the preincarnate Messiah, Yeshua, the Son before His birth watching over His people.
Psalm 2:6-12 The Messiah is the King and High Priest that will rule from Zion. He is the Son of the Lord who will rule the world as given as an inheritance from the Father. Proverbs 30:4 It is God who created all things, and here we have His identity split into a Father and Son with different names. Isaiah 9:6-7 This Son that is given is to be called the mighty God, everlasting Father? So the Son and the Father are one? The Jews of Yeshua’s day understood what He was saying about His relationship with the Father and considered it blasphemy, but to the larger point, it speaks to the idea of two separate but one. John 10:27-31 The message was not accepted by the sheep who did not hear His voice then, as it will not be heard by those who do not open their ears now. Genesis 1:26 But it was One God in three persons, and in relationship with each other in perfect lovingkindness, that created all things and man in their image. These bear witness together and establish God’s character, designs, and judgements. Deuteronomy 19:15 1 John 5:3-9 John 1:14 It is my belief that the Father, to remain most Holy and set apart in purity eternally, is separated from the fallen creation and the angel of the Lord, the Son of God, is the part of that relationship with the Father who made Himself subservient to the Father to enter into the sinful creation to save it by becoming sin for us that we would gain His righteousness. And the Spirit of God that binds all three in relationship is likewise what binds those who accept that relationship with God in obedience and subservience to Him. These three are One in Spirit and Truth and in our reconciliation to God, His Spirit dwells with our spirits in each of our temples of flesh until the culmination of that reconciliation when we will be changed to our celestial eternal temples and be where He is. But it’s not just Orthodox Judaism with a spirit of antichrist, Islam rejects the Yeshua of the New Testament and the Koran speaks explicitly to this stating that Allah has no son. And ultimately anyone who rejects Yeshua, regardless of their religious beliefs, has the spirit of antichrist. This black and white dividing line turns many away from Yeshua because they don’t like His claim that nobody comes to the Father but through Him. They want the benefits of God’s Spirit without the God from which all those benefits flow. In opposition to the spirit of antichrist is the acceptance of Yeshua as the Son come in the flesh, teaching the commandments that have been from the beginning, to selflessly love God and each other, enacting lovingkindness and being imagers of God in the world since we were made in His image. This is the Spirit of God seen by our fruits. Yeshua was the only one with no blame before God and so the only one with the righteousness to trade for our sinfulness. Since God is just, He is the only one able to pay our wages for sin, which is death. And so in His death, Yeshua became the only way to transfer our sins for righteousness and stand justified before God by faith in His Son. John 5:39-43 And so we see everywhere in this world the spirit of antichrist, but again scripture is focused on Israel. In the rejection of Yeshua as the Messiah, as the Son come in the flesh, they are blinded to the truth. When another comes in his own name giving everything according to their desires and expectations, that will be accepted and Israel will once again be going after a false God. With this paradigm in mind, you may be able to see how great this deception will be for unbelieving Israel when it comes. As they see the prophecies seemingly fulfilled before their eyes and the world that has hated them suddenly come and bow before their undefeated and powerful king. Will they be able to see through the lies and deception to the ravenous Dragon hiding beneath the sheep’s clothing? Will the false lamb of the Dragon pretending to be the Lamb of God accomplish his deception through subtlety and craftiness? Idolatry and ApostasyFor those who fall into the great deception, they believe a lie and give their worship to a false god. By this act, in the eyes of the One True God, they have fallen into apostasy as their forefathers before them did in their falling away from God for false gods and their idols. And with that idolatry and apostasy comes blindness, judgement, and cutting off from the people. What remains will be the remnant of Israel that will remain forever before God according to His salvation. Ezekiel 14:1-11 Psalm 69:19-29 Isaiah 8:11-22 While there may be many die-hard believers in the false christ before his unveiling, the abomination of desolation is that revealing of the man of sin. However, to many of Israel, this event will be the time of choosing and false purity and false holiness will be required of Jerusalem, the seat of the false christ. Isaiah 4:3-4 Perhaps this is why Yeshua warned those in Judea to flee to the mountains at the abomination of desolation. The zeal of those who believe in purifying the city for their god will lead to the cutting off of those who reject their god. This is the wrath of the Dragon, but God has His own response according to His Word that is the actual fulfillment of Isaiah 4:3-4 in the fire of His wrath to come at His coming. Isaiah 1:21 And so in the apostasy and revealing of the man of sin that comes before the return of Yeshua to gather His bride and bring His people out of spiritual Egypt into the wilderness, we see the people of the city of Jerusalem going after a false god and building idols once again and playing the harlot. Revelation 13:14b-15 Fornication, adultery, whoredom, and harlotry in the spiritual sense is consistently tied to going after false gods and idolatry in scripture. Is it any wonder then that we see Jerusalem, the seat of the false messiah, once again become a harlot city in going after another false god? Revelation 17:4-6, 18 The false christ declares himself God in the temple of God, the seat of his power is in Jerusalem during his reign when Lucifer, the Dragon, gets his desired worship on the mount of the congregation, Zion, Jerusalem. This mystery of the woman tied to Babylon is the mother of harlots. God made a covenant with Israel likened to marriage and it was this breaking of the covenantal marriage between God and Israel that was tied to harlotry and adultery. In the context of scripture focused on Israel in relationship with God, who is the mother of harlots? Hosea 2:1-5 Now if God’s Word is true and Yeshua is the Messiah, then a future person claiming to be the Messiah and coming in his name, or authority, will be a false christ. God’s chosen people going after this false christ and ultimately worshipping him as God is the direct scriptural definition of the spirit of antichrist and harlotry that will be centered in that great city, which is spiritually Sodom and Egypt where the blood of all the prophets was shed and where the Lord was crucified. Matthew 23:37 Lest one reading this consider hate in their heart toward Israel over these things, perhaps it is good to consider in our own lives how we have been and are going after our own idols of the world that draw us away from God to our own desires. How different are we in our own blindness? Have you not understood how the blindness can lead to deception and this apostasy that will be judged? And who will be the judge, me, you? We are to love those who hate us and hold no hate in our hearts. Romans 12:17-21 Isaiah 63:1-6 The scripture says in context there is a coming deception so great that it is almost possible that the elect may be deceived by it. This is the very reason it is important to understand how blindness to it can lead to deception. Much of the elect are looking to Rome and Islam for the deception and the antichrist. But what have these to do with a false christ coming in the authority of the Jewish Messiah to deceive Israel? And if so many are accepting of these paradigms, it seems highly unlikely that the elect might be deceived by what they so intently observe. Yet very few seem to get past the fear of the appearance of not blessing Israel to even consider the breadth of evidence that the deception of the false messiah would come from within and appear to fulfill prophecy from the Tanakh itself. The modern state of Israel is not perfect, but have every right to exist in the land given them and defend themselves. Moreover, it is God Himself that has been bringing Israel back to the land as He promised. While the ultimate fulfillment is in His Messianic Kingdom on earth, the regathering has to start somewhere. This is God’s design and indeed all those who come against Israel will be broken. Ezekiel 36:32-36 Ezekiel 37:21-22 Amos 9:14-15 Zechariah 12:2-3, 6-10 Romans 11:26-32 God is clearly behind the regathering and protection of Israel though she has not turned back to Him yet. It is not for their sake He does this, but because of His promises, and it is the beginning stages of the redemption of the remnant through a time of testing, great deception, and great tribulation. The blindness and deception will be allowed first and cut short for the sake of the elect, that the remnant of Israel at the end of the age will be saved. And the modern state of Israel will not remain as it stands today. I believe a massive paradigm shift is coming that will see the return of ancient Israel living by the statutes given by God. This is good, it is what God called them to do, yet in their blindness it will be used against them to deceive them and lead them to apostasy and idolatry, which is obviously not good. For the sake of the remnant I myself continue to bless Israel, knowing full well what will come to pass to the faithful remnant and through the deceived unfaithful. I continue to support ministries working to bring the Gospel to the blind and open the eyes and ears of those willing to see and hear. I continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, knowing full well that it will not come until Yeshua is enthroned in it. I look past the coming tribulation to the fulfillment of the promise to the faithful remnant of Israel and my future home in the temple of God alongside the faithful of Israel who will choose Yeshua as I have. But even some Christians might be deceived by a convincing simulation of the Messianic Kingdom on the earth. And some may see the signs and wonders and events that play out leading to this king of Israel is somehow Christ’s return, ignorant to scripture stating Yeshua will return from heaven on the clouds with great power and glory, not on the earth. Matthew 24:23-27, 30-31 It is also important to take the Word of God seriously and accept every piece of it as true as a whole and not just the pieces that fit our preferred version of the picture. Over and over the prophecies about the coming times are focused on the process of God’s testing of the hearts of Israel leading to her blindness being removed from a faithful remnant to God when they choose to open their eyes in the midst of great tribulation. The times of the Gentiles have given the opportunity for Jew and Gentile in the past 2,000 years to accept Yeshua, but there is a coming time when that time will be filled up and those that are His will be removed as attention turns more fully to the remnant of blinded Israel. In the theme of blindness and apostasy is the story of one of the great apostles of Christ who was spiritually blind to Yeshua being the prophesied Messiah. We are introduced to him in Acts 6:8-8:3 when Stephen speaks the truth that the religious leaders would not hear because their uncircumcised hearts and ears were shut. As they stoned Stephen, their clothes lay at the feet of Saul. Acts 8:1-3 Acts 9:1-2 I think many tend to overlook the persecution of the early church in light of the future persecution of God’s people prophesied to take place. In the first century it was the blind of Israel who, in their zealous fervor, persecuted, imprisoned, and murdered those whose eyes were opened and had accepted the promised Messiah. This was done in the name of the Law given them, being blinded in their rejection of the Messiah. It was they who were in apostasy to their God, but not in their own eyes. In their spiritually blinded eyes they were doing God’s will. While the persecution of those who accepted Yeshua in the first century was a time of tribulation for the Jewish church whose own families and friends turned against them, there is another time that will likewise grow from apostasy as Israel goes after a false god. This time, rather than acceptance of the Messiah bringing persecution, rejection of the false messiah will bring unparalleled tribulation in the same region. Matthew 24:15-16, 21 There is nothing anyone can do about what is going to happen, God has foretold it and it will come to pass. But thanks be to God that though many will fall away from Him according to their own desires, He has not turned away from those who seek Him and His righteousness. He has not forgotten the promises made to His people Israel and He will keep them. RedemptionActs 9:3-9 Yeshua, in speaking of the church Saul was persecuting, identified the persecution being against Himself because the church is the body of Christ. It was Saul, who was spiritually blind to Yeshua the Messiah, through an encounter with the risen Lord and physical blindness, that had his eyes opened. Just as this future great tribulation in Judea will be a more severe repeat of the first century, so too will the unblinding of the remnant of Israel be greater than that of Saul at Yeshua’s return. Romans 2:9-10 If indeed the great deception will come first to Israel in the form of a false christ and false prophet leading them away from God, then it is this time of apostasy that will lead to Christ’s return according to His Word. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5 The temple of God has only ever been in Jerusalem, and it is this abomination of desolation that begins the unparalleled tribulation. It is the seat of the false christ from where he will be worshipped by the whole world, and it is immediately after the unparalleled time of Jacob’s trouble in Judea that both redemption and judgement will begin with the day of the Lord. Matthew 24:29-31 Here we see the redemption of the faithful bride following a time of apostasy during the unparalleled tribulation in Judea that began with the revealing of the man of sin. Recall in the Olivet Discourse how Yeshua warned three times of deception prior to His coming related to the false christ? These all work together to build a picture of the time of the end and give us clues to understand how Israel’s blindness can lead to deception and apostasy as they follow after a false god who sets himself as an idol to be worshipped in the temple of God. But it is not just the bride of Christ that is redeemed from this time, it is the focus of much of prophecy, the remnant of Israel. Romans 11:1-5 Not all in Israel will fall away, and God’s promise to Israel is everlasting. The church did not replace Israel, they were added to her number by acceptance of Yeshua. The natural branches of Israel and, by marriage, the wild branches are united as the children of Abraham by faith, all grafted to the root that is Yeshua. But Israel’s blindness has an end at the time of the remnant’s redemption coinciding with that of the bride, albeit in a different way. Romans 11:25 As Matthew 24:29-31 and Revelation 6:12-8:1 reveal through the connection of the events between sixth and seventh seals, when the bride is standing before the throne in heaven, the 144,000 of the twelve tribes of Israel are sealed on earth as the angels given to hurt the earth are told to wait until their sealing. These are explicitly protected from at least the fifth trumpet of the wrath of God. Revelation 9:4 And so with those who believed in Yeshua before His coming and waited faithfully for Him now taken, the blindness is lifted at this time of Christ’s glorious return from heaven to save the remnant of His people from Judea. Zechariah 12:10 Revelation 12:13-17 This imagery of the Dragon attacking faithful Israel has echoes of the Exodus, taken on wings of an eagle from Egypt to the wilderness and the flood of Pharaoh’s army swallowed up in their escape by God’s hand. Jerusalem is even called Egypt spiritually at this time. Revelation 11:8 Hosea 2:14-20 Romans 11:26-27 What a beautiful promise of redemption fulfilled for the remnant of God’s people who accept truth and reject lies, who remain faithful to the God of creation and reject the deception that leads to death. Unfortunately, these are not in the majority it would seem. Zechariah 13:8-9 The idea of being cut off from the people is commonly assumed to be immediate death, and rightly has been used that way scripturally, but it also refers to exile from the people. If a branch is cut off from the root, it does not immediately die, but its fate is sealed unless it is grafted back on again. While God’s wrath came once by water, in the future it will come by fire, 2 Peter 3:3-7, and in the context of Israel at the end of the age, it would seem that while 2/3 are cut off in unbelief and destined for the second death, 1/3 of Israel will be sealed on earth through the time of God’s wrath. Romans 9:3-8, 27 What began with a heart far from God that led to blindness, deception, and apostasy will for a remnant also lead to redemption and forgiveness, though it be through a refiner’s fire. It is through that fire and out of the wilderness that Israel will once again enter the Promised Land, only this time they will enter into the peace of the Messianic Kingdom with the Messiah ruling as King and the Redeemer of Israel. Psalm 122:5-9 We have all closed our eyes and ears to the truth in our lives and in our beliefs. Ignorance, willing or otherwise, means that the reality and truth of things is not rightly understood. Only by understanding the truth can deception be caught before we are sucked into it. Where is the source of truth? Is there objective truth or is it subjective to the whims of the hearts and desires of each person? I believe there is an objective truth, whether one likes it or not, and closing eyes and ears to it will only open one up to deception. In the coming times, being deceived leads to eternal separation from God because His ways are true and the source of all that is good, love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, self-control. We must open our eyes and ears, understand the truth according to the Word God provided by His Spirit to the prophets to be able to see the deception coming and avoid falling into apostasy. We must instead accept the redemption provided by faith in Yeshua and continue obedience to God’s Word, with lovingkindness toward God and each other, even those who hate and persecute us. I would highly recommend everyone read False Christ | Will the Antichrist Claim to Be the Jewish Messiah? by Chris White. He goes into much greater detail on the paradigm of the false christ coming from Israel and was very valuable to opening my eyes to what I hadn’t properly studied and considered before. As I’ve continued to study prophecy and examine the Old Testament in light of the New, the concept has been confirmed and strengthened time and again. If you have likewise not considered this paradigm, Chris’s book is a great start. I also highly recommend his other books, which he has made available for free at bibleprophecytext.com, and if you get as much out of them as I have, support his ministry. In The Next Prophetic Road Signs, I would like to address some of the signs of the times according to God’s Word as I understand them. These pieces to the puzzle of God’s design for the end provide the next signposts to look for in light of the building up of the great deception of a false messiah to deceive Israel and then the world. What might we expect to see leading up to and starting the final week of years before the Messianic Kingdom begins? Keep watching! May God continue to bless you as you remain in Him. |
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