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The romantic view many Christians hold in that their god is solely responsible for the miraculous creation of the modern state of Israel in 1948 is often very thought out, so much so, that the Bible is used to create an elaborate explanation of why and how it came about. Little thought is often given to the actual facts of the matter and what led up to the creation of the state. There was far more going on than meets the eye and as with our own recent history, religious persuasions behind the scenes had far more to do with the drive to create the Jewish homeland than the power of a deity.
If anyone cares to get a better idea as to the real history behind it all as opposed to fantasy, may I suggest checking this link below. Yes, it is lengthy, but VERY informative and provides great insight into much of what gave birth to the modern "end times" euphoria/theology some on this very forum hold today.
The fact is, many Christians hold views that they THINK comes from the Bible, but are in fact, biblical interpretations that are just over 100 years old. Please read to see what I mean:
Part of the reason I referred the link was because I was looking at some information on how apocalyptic ideas over the centuries have given rise to wars, movements and organizations and even cults. One particular event caught my attention which I used to hear during my church days but never really investigated. During the 1820s and 1830s there was a religious revival that started in western New York state that became known as the Great Awakening. It ignited religious furor across America and appears to have been a carryover from religious revivals in England in the latter part of the previous century John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church.
There is something interesting in that movement that I never noticed. Those caught up in it actually believed they were living in the last days because the spiritual euphoria was seen as a prophetic fulfillment of Joel chapter 2:28-32 which says:
And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
“ And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.
What is interesting about the above passage is that in Acts 2, Peter, the spokesman for the early Disciples, believed the passage above applied to HIS time and that the outbreak of speaking in tongues at Pentecost was the fulfillment. He even adds, 'And it shall come to pass in the last days...' to highlight his conviction. Clearly the revivalists of the early and mid 1800s also felt THEY were the generation seeing the fulfillment of Joel 2 and I have been to a few revivals in relatively recent times where ministers and those listening to them also felt they were the generation fulfilling Joel's prophecy and there are probably still ministers and lay people listening to them who feel they are experiencing Joel's prophecy. Every generation of Christians feel a part of "this generation" that "shall not pass away until all these things be fulfilled."
Out of the Great Awakening sprung the roots of organizations like the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Mormon Church. The Seventh Day Adventist Church actually sprung to life out of a false prediction fueled by end time euphoria of that day. A few years later in 1859, a British minister by the name of Charles Darby devised an ingenious bit of theology that has shaped modern day prophetic interpretations in many churches. Out of it came the teachings of the rapture, a belief that prepared Christians will be whisked from the earth by the power of Jesus in a "silent" appearance by him who will sit with him in heaven while a 7-year tribulation period devastates the earth. Due to his interpretations of prophetic scripture, he also was a strong supporter of a Jewish return to their ancient homeland (which would occur less than 100 years later) because in his estimation, this was necessary for the fulfillment of the rest of latter day prophecies.
Less than 50 years later, C.I Scofield published a reference bible bearing his name which helped to spread Darby's worldview around the world. One item that could be found on the inside cover is this chart that some of you might have seen before, a chart outlining a prophetic picture based on Darby's interpretations of biblical prophecy. It helped to further entrench the ideas and became prominent in the fledgling Pentecostal and Charismatic movements of the late 1800s and early 1900s and then over into what has become known as Christian Fundamentalism or Evangelical Christianity. One other well known person who was influenced by Darby's theories was Dwight Moody, founder of the world renowned Moody Institute in Chicago which also has an influential radio station on Christian radio listened by countless Christians.
The Seventh Day Adventist Church as well as the Jehovah's Witness organization and the World Wide Church of God under the now deceased Herbert W. Armstrong all also have their traces to the Great Awakening either directly or indirectly. Of course there was also the Azusa Street Revival which began in 1905 in Los Angeles which gave strong legs to the Pentecostal movement. In that revival also, they felt they were fulfilling Joel chapter 2.
Many Christians today, even here on this site, follow the interpretations of men like Darby, Scofield and Moody, probably without even knowing it and maybe even thinking their ideas of "end times" prophecies have come down from the early Christians. Clearly this is not the case. As far as I can tell, concepts such as the rapture and some of the modern interpretations of the Book of Revelation, for example, were unheard of prior to the mid 1800s. In fact, reformers like Martin Luther seemed to have held a very dim view of that book.
Finally, one common theme amongst some revivalists was that the Roman Papacy was the Book of Revelation's "w_ _ _e of Babylon" or the "beast" itself. The Seventh Day Adventists took that one and ran with it creating an elaborate re-write of prophetic history to included it in their prophetic teachings.
Men, acting as agents on behalf of the devil's darkness, created this.
Don't believe me?
How many hundreds of thousands died, in order to bring this "state" into existence?
After this, who controlled the land prior who claiimed the "right" to declare to whomit shall bbe given to?
After this, how many Christians, Jews, and Muslims, who were living in peace since the fall of Israel, and worshipped in peace, were displaced by the machine callled Zionism? People who had land for 1000s of years, displaced. Churches burned or converted. Houses, taken over.
Now, after answering these questions. Is it all from God?
Now, how many millions of Christians would die in order that the "state" of Israel should live, EVEN though these people do not even believe in the One to whom you supposedly call your King.
Maybe I should whisper, as I would not want to be called anti-semetic. LOL. Zionists have the media, the government, and the money, and the lands. They can have them, but they cannot have me. Give thanks and Honor to God, and serve your King. Leave these men to themselves, and let God deal with them. Vengence is His.
The romantic view many Christians hold in that their god is solely responsible for the miraculous creation of the modern state of Israel in 1948 is often very thought out, so much so, that the Bible is used to create an elaborate explanation of why and how it came about. Little thought is often given to the actual facts of the matter and what led up to the creation of the state. There was far more going on than meets the eye and as with our own recent history, religious persuasions behind the scenes had far more to do with the drive to create the Jewish homeland than the power of a deity.
If anyone cares to get a better idea as to the real history behind it all as opposed to fantasy, may I suggest checking this link below. Yes, it is lengthy, but VERY informative and provides great insight into much of what gave birth to the modern "end times" euphoria/theology some on this very forum hold today.
The fact is, many Christians hold views that they THINK comes from the Bible, but are in fact, biblical interpretations that are just over 100 years old. Please read to see what I mean:
Israel is at this time partially regathered in unbelief in preparation for the coming Tribulation which will occur after the church is raptured and which is for the purpose of opening the eyes of the Jews that Jesus Christ is the Messiah that they rejected. See my thread on the subject.
Does this mean that [some] Christians are just itching to jump start "the end" by making sure Jews back into Israel. After all, more Jews, more need for space and housing and guess where they're gonna find it? This ensures war and more war of course.
Does this mean that [some] Christians are just itching to jump start "the end" by making sure Jews back into Israel. After all, more Jews, more need for space and housing and guess where they're gonna find it? This ensures war and more war of course.
Bingo! This is called a false delusion.
Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed;
Now this in itself would be enough said by our King, but wait,,,,there's more.
nor will they say, 'Look, here' or, 'There' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst."
And He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it."
"They will say to you, 'Look there! Look here!' Do not go away, and do not run after them.
DO NOT RUN AFTER THEM. IOW, do not follow them!
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