Messianic Perspectives

Guest (Female): On May 14, 1948, the Jewish National Council proclaimed the birth of the modern State of Israel. Was this unprecedented event foretold by the ancient prophets, or was it merely an accident of history? We'll find out today, right here on Messianic Perspectives.

Liz Aiello: Shalom, and welcome to Messianic Perspectives, a daily program where we look into the Scriptures from a distinct first-century Jewish point of view. This is Liz Aiello. Today, Gary Hedrick is leading our discussion about whether or not the modern State of Israel is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. I'll be back a little later with information about a special offer, so have your pencil and paper ready. And now, with today's installment, here's Gary.

Dr. Gary Hedrick: Welcome, listening friend, to another edition of the program. It's good to have you with us today as we continue our series of studies dealing with the question of whether or not the rebirth of Israel in 1948 was a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. And we've said that the issue of whether or not the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 was a fulfillment of Bible prophecy is really part of the larger issue of whether or not prophetic signs apply to the church age.

Some people say they don't. They say there are no signs until after the rapture. So, we've been talking about this remarkable passage here in Matthew chapter 24, where Jesus Christ outlines a series of prophetic trends that will signal the approaching end of the age. We said the first of those prophetic trends is that of widespread latter-day religious deception: false messiahs and false prophets. "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many," Matthew 24:5.

Then the second prophetic trend enumerated here in Matthew chapter 24 is that of global warfare. Look at verses six and seven. He says, "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." And now today, the third prophetic trend is found in Matthew chapter 24, verse 7. He says, "And there shall be famines."

So trend number three is famines. Now, what is a famine? A famine is a food shortage that lasts long enough to cause widespread malnutrition and loss of life. And again, there have always been famines. As a matter of fact, no fewer than ten are mentioned in the Bible, covering a period of at least 2,000 years. So when do famines become a sign of the end?

Well, remember, we said there are two things. First of all, these trends become signs of the end when they converge with all the other signs. Jesus said, "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors," Matthew 24:33. All these things. It's a convergence.

Religious apostasy by itself is not a sign of the end. Global warfare by itself is not a sign of the end. Famines alone are not a sign of the end. Plagues by themselves are not a sign of the end. Earthquakes alone are not a sign of the end. But when all of these things begin happening simultaneously and, secondly, they begin to increase in frequency and intensity, then, He says, you can lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh.

Now, what about famines? Does this trend apply to the time in which you and I live? Yes, indeed, it does. You know, here in North America, in the United States and Canada, we have such an abundance of food it's hard to imagine that there are such critical food shortages in the rest of the world, but there are.

Dr. Albert Sabin, the Jewish scientist who first developed a polio vaccine from live viruses many years ago, predicted that there will be six billion people in the world, and four and a half billion of them will be starving, uneducated, and totally desperate. The fact is that there have been more famines since World War I than during any other comparable period in history.

For example, 1928 and 1929 in Northwest China, there was a famine caused by drought; three million people died. 1932 through 1934, a famine in the Soviet Union caused by farmers resisting collectivization of their farms; five million people died. 1941 through 1943, a famine in Greece as a result of the war with Germany and Italy; nearly half a million deaths.

1943, a great famine in Honan, China, caused by the war with Japan and drought; five million people died. 1943 and 1944, another famine in Bengal, India; up to three million people died. 1944, 1945, a great famine in Europe caused by the German occupation during World War II; the number of deaths is unknown. 1944, 1945, a famine in Southeast Asia caused by the Japanese occupation during World War II; the number of deaths is unknown.

1967 through 1970, a terrible famine in Biafra, or Nigeria, caused by civil war; possibly up to three million people lost their lives. 1968 through 1974, a famine in sub-Saharan Africa caused by drought; number of deaths unknown. From 1976 to 1980, another famine in Kampuchea, Cambodia; three million people dead.

1979 to 1981, a famine in Uganda caused by drought and civil war; more than 250,000 deaths. From 1983 up until the present, another famine in the Horn of Africa caused by drought and war; number of deaths unknown. From 1984 to 1985, another famine in Ethiopia caused by drought; number of deaths unknown.

Even today, the sad truth is that multiplied millions of people are suffering from starvation and malnutrition all over this world, more than at any other time in the history of the world. So that's the third prophetic trend: famine. Number four, the fourth prophetic indicator is found in Matthew chapter 24, verse 7. This is where Jesus says, "And there shall be pestilences," that is, plagues or widespread disease.

And again, we think, in this age of modern medical technology, how can this be? Plagues are things we read about in the history books from Europe in the Middle Ages, when people lived in rat-infested slums and they didn't know anything about sanitation. Nothing like that happens today.

Well, I wish that were the case, my friend. The truth is that in spite of the availability of sophisticated medical technology, leukemia and other similar disorders are infecting young people in epidemic proportions in many parts of the United States. And what about AIDS? Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It's a horrible epidemic with no cure in sight.

But it's not just AIDS. In some parts of the world, there's an epidemic of leprosy going on. Did you know that the bubonic plague is making a comeback in some parts of Europe? Or that malaria still kills an estimated three million people a year worldwide?

So the fourth prophetic indicator is worldwide pestilence. As it begins to take place in concert with these other prophetic trends, and as it begins to increase in frequency and intensity, it becomes one of the signs of the end. Well, we've finished the first four prophetic indicators here in Matthew 24. Next time, we'll begin number five.

By the way, listening friend, has it been a while since we've heard from you? It's very important that if you're listening, you let us know you're out there. You know, almost every time we drop a station from our network, we get letters from people who say, "Why did you drop our station?" But then we check our files and find out they never bothered to write while we were on the station.

So don't wait until it's too late. If you enjoy the program, let us know now. You see, we don't want to drop a station if people are listening and if we're having a ministry in their lives. But if no one's listening, we can take those funds and go on another station somewhere else. And the only way we have of knowing whether or not you're listening is if you tell us. So we'll look forward to hearing from you. I'll see you next time. Take care. Bye-bye.

Liz Aiello: Thank you, Gary. And thank you, listening friend, for tuning in today. You know, with everything that's been happening recently in the Middle East, it's vital that Christians understand what the Bible says about this important piece of real estate. Has God given up on His people Israel, like the replacement theologians would have us believe? Is God finished with the Jewish people, as some people claim?

Absolutely not. In fact, nearly 2,000 years after the destruction of the temple, God is now beginning to deal with His people Israel in a very specific way. All the information you need on this timely subject is right here on one convenient CD. It's available for a gift of just six dollars or more to the ministry of Messianic Perspectives. Just ask for series number GT12. The title is simply, "The Rebirth of Israel in 1948 - Was It a Fulfillment of Prophecy?"

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This is Liz Aiello. Join us next time, won't you, as Dr. Gary Hedrick continues our series on the rebirth of Israel in 1948 - was it a fulfillment of prophecy? Right here on Messianic Perspectives.