By John Roberts, June 7, 2004

What is the significance and relevance of this story to last days prophecy?

The Temple Mount is inseparable from last days prophecy.   It acts like a barometer indicating how close we are to certain key prophetic events.  And the events now taking place on the Temple Mount indicate that the Rapture is near.   And here is why:

• Current events on the Temple Mount are bringing about a renewed urgency for a resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.

• According to prophecy temporary resolution will come in the form of a seven year peace treaty signed by the Antichrist.

• This future peace treaty will include provision for the construction of a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount.

• But the Church must be Raptured before the Antichrist is revealed.

• So don't expect the Antichrist, a third Temple, or a resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict until after the Rapture.

• The Antichrist will break this particular treaty after three and a half years. But those who say there will be peace on earth during the first 42 months of the Antichrist's reign are dead wrong. According to scripture the Antichrist will go out conquering nations from the moment he takes power.

• When the Antichrist and False Prophet break the treaty they will then put an end to Jewish sacrifices and desecrate the new Jewish temple on the Temple Mount.

So it is important for Christians to understand that a third Temple will not sit on the Temple Mount side-by-side with a Muslim mosque until Antichrist is revealed, which is after the Church is Raptured.   The Church returns with the Lord seven years after the Rapture, which also calculated to three and a half years after the Antichrist breaks the treaty.

The key distinction between the Rapture and Second Coming is that the Rapture is about Christ coming for His church to protect us from tribulation, and the Second Coming is about Christ returning with His Church to set up His kingdom on earth.

The fourth chapter of Revelation begins with the translation of Apostle John in the Spirit up to God's throne in heaven.   This is a symbolic representation of the Rapture of the Church.   The Church is not seen again in scripture on this earth until we return with Christ.   There will still be some gentiles that turn to Christ after the Rapture.   But these will suffer and many will be martyred during the reign of the Antichrist.

When the Church is safely removed God will turn His attention to the salvation of Jews.   After the Rapture prophetic events become very Israel, Jerusalem, and Jewish centric.   God always protects a remnant of believers and brings them through the fires of tribulation to continue His work.   This last days remnant will be Jewish.   And 144,000 born again elect from the twelve tribes of Israel will take over the missionary work of the Raptured church.

The purpose of the Rapture is to resurrect the dead in Christ and translate the living in Christ removing them from this earth before God pours out His wrath on this wicked world.   God's righteous judgments in the last days are specifically intended for the unrepentant non-believing followers of the Antichrist.   Over two billion people will die from the plagues mentioned in Revelation.   Our Father wants the Church in the world spreading the gospel.   But God has not appointed us to wrath.

God is allowing the modern day tribulation in the Middle East to fester because it serves His purpose; the fulfillment of His Word in prophecy, salvation to Israel as a nation, and judgment of a wicked world and the Gentile nations.

Persecution, terrorism, and the invasion of Israeli land by pagans is nothing new for Jews.   Satan has brought six great gentile kingdoms in the Mediterranean against this Jewish nation and countless armies and antichrists such as Mohammad, Hitler, and now Arafat.

Muslims have over 22 Islamic countries in the Middle East to live in, but apparently one tiny nation is one too many for the Jews.   The "Palestinian Cause" has been contrived to try and steal the Jewish birthright to Jerusalem and Israel.

Arafat is not even Palestinian, he was born an Egyptian.   Palestine is the Roman name given to Israel. Palestine is a region, not a race of people.   The idea that Arabs somehow exclusively own the right to call themselves Palestinian is preposterous.   Arabs have no historical, legal, or Biblical right to any land in Israel.

Palestinian refugees have a homeland; it is called Jordan, or Lebanon, or Saudi Arabia, or Syria, Iraq or Iran.   Arafat has a homeland, it is called Egypt.   The Palestinian issue is not about a homeland for displaced Arabs.

Islam seeks to weaken Israel by pushing back its borders to indefensible positions to lay the groundwork for a future invasion.   Islam is also seeking to isolate Israel by neutralizing Jewish support in the West. Muslims hope to scare Americans away from coming to Israel's aid through terrorist acts like what took place on 9-11.

The Koran says Muslims are to "make war" upon infidels (Christians and Jews) until they are all humbled (killed) or forced to pay tribute.   I cringe every time I hear President Bush and other world leaders call Islam a great religion and a peaceful religion.  They need to read the Koran.   There is no love or peace mentioned in the Koran.  Islam is a religion of terror, founded by a false prophet and terrorist, and spread by terrorism.  That is not great, it's evil.

These devils can scheme all they want they will never win.  God will never let Israel be completely annihilated by anyone.  God always leaves a remnant.  Israel and Jerusalem are here to stay, forever.

Zechariah 12:1-14

  1     The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
  2     Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
  3     And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
  4     In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
  5     And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.
  6     In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
  7     The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.
  8     In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
  9     And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
  10     And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
  11     In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
  12     And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;
  13     The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;
  14     All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

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