Hot Topic: Prophecy from Daniel
by David Jeremiah

Today many nations are against Israel. Will they try to annihilate Jerusalem? In the final battle, what will happen to the armies that intend to destroy Jerusalem?

Those nations that are gathered together against Jerusalem will see the Lord's armies in heaven coming after them (Revelation 19:11-16). At that moment, they will forget about the fact that they are at war with each other. They will all get together and decide that they are going to fight against the Lord.

All the armies with their military leaders and advanced technology won't have a chance-they'll all be killed. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse (verse 11), and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh (Revelation 19:21).

As we read our papers today and see how God has set the timetable, we can see that He is getting everything in place to begin the final events. What is our response? We need to ask God to build within us a holy urgency for the cause of Jesus Christ, based on the fact that He is coming soon!

Why will the people of the world fight another war? What is the purpose of Armageddon?

God promised Daniel that He was not finished judging the stubborn and rebellious Jews yet because those who returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple fell into the same kind of sin that caused their exile in the first place. We call the Tribulation the Time of Jacob's Trouble. It is the time of the punishment of the Jewish people for their rebellion.

The last battle is called Armageddon, which is also a time when the nations will be judged for their persecution of Israel. God promised the Jewish people that those who persecute them will be persecuted and those who bless them will be blessed. God is faithful to His promise. Those nations that have persecuted the Jews are finally gathered together in the battle of Armageddon, and God's wrath is let loose upon them.

At Armageddon God will judge all the nations for their sinfulness. Today, immorality is so unrestrained. Though God may delay His judgment, He will not forget it. One day, He will have had enough. People will have crossed over that line from which there can be no repentance (Revelation 16:9: "They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify Him").

Even in the horror of the judgment of Armageddon, Scripture says the wicked men who are punished by God will continue to curse Him to His face and not repent. The campaign of Armageddon is the wrath of God at work upon those who have rejected Him.

Friday, May 01, 2009