The Time After Jacob's Trouble, Part 2

The Time After Jacob’s Trouble

Part 2, The Reunification

Chapter 2, Part 2 Preview: Many expect a “rapture”; others expect a place of safety for the “Church” . The Exodus is about to be repeated! The Two Witnesses’ message will spearhead this Second Exodus! Can one suffer thru the Great Tribulation yet not be spared from the Day of the Lord? Can you be spared both? Is there a “place of safety” for the remnant of ALL TWELVE TRIBES of Israel during and after the Tribulation? This chapter addresses the “safety” issue by raising questions that you probably never thought to ask; spanning hundreds of scripture verses that have a direct bearing on your future. Will you escape the Tribulation entirely? “... For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the remnant whom the LORD calls”. (Joel 2:31)

After reading the entire account about Jacob’s trouble, it is quite apparent that the time after Israel’s captivity is a great part of Jeremiah’s message. Misplacing a prophecy by a year or a thousand years, as some do, could cost a person his life. I am just as capable of ad-libbing as the next person, but the scriptures do such a fantastic job that there is no reason for me to “make anything up”.

The disunited nations of Israel will become the nation that God claims to be His “woman”, His wife! Under the threat of death, the nations of Israel will begin to keep the Ten Commandments (including the 4th)! Here is God’s plea:

Jeremiah 3:10- 14 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,” says the LORD. 11 Then the LORD said to me, “Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12 “Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not remain angry forever.... 14 Return, O backsliding children,” says the LORD; “for I am MARRIED to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.

Ezekiel 37:16-28 expressively describes the time when Israel and the tribe of Judah will be reunited as one nation.

[Concerning twelve tribes: Dan, one of the twelve original tribes, did not make the list (off site), and was replaced. This may parallel Judas who was one of the twelve disciples, whose name is also not in the the Book of Life.]

Some of the remnant of Israel will be spared both the Tribulation, which is only dealt to Israel, as well as the Day of the Lord, which is literally Judgment Day for Israel’s conquers and slave holders, and some slow learning Israelites! The following explanation now begins at the time immediately following the Tribulation. The survivors will again be presented with an opportunity to begin to serve their God, and they will have had 1260 days of absolute hell on earth to reconsider the witnesses’ offer of protection. At this point on the timeline we’ll consider the end time prophecies occurring just after our people have taken a beating, but immediately before God steps in to destroy all of the armies still attracted like vultures to the Middle East. All of the end time battles are foretold in scripture, yet these armies still desire to pick fights with God!

AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN:

Jeremiah 14 describes the mindset of God on bringing about this terrible “trouble” or “tribulation” on His people. Many more references could be cited.

Jeremiah 14 All: The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts. 2 Judah mourns, and her gates languish; they mourn for the land, and the cry of Jerusalem has gone up. 3 Their nobles have sent their lads for water; they went to the cisterns and found no water. They returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded and covered their heads. 7 O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do it for Your name’s sake; for our backslidings are many, we have sinned against You. 8 O the Hope of Israel, his Savior in time of trouble, why should You be like a stranger in the land, yet You, O Lord, are in our midst, and we are called by Your name; do not leave us! 10 Thus says the Lord to this people: “Thus they have loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet. Therefore the Lord does not accept them; He will remember their iniquity now, and punish their sins. 11 Then the Lord said to me: Do not pray for this people, for their good. [God has made up His mind at this point, as these three chapters so vividly indicate. To pray for an alternate solution, when God has made His decision so resolutely would be praying against the will of God!] 12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the SWORD, by the FAMINE, and by the PESTILENCE. 13 Then I said, ah, Lord God! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘YOU SHALL NOT SEE THE SWORD, nor shall you have FAMINE, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’ 14 And the Lord said to me: The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you A FALSE VISION, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. 15 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, WHOM I DID NOT SEND, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed! 16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; they will have no one to bury the—them nor their wives, their sons nor their daughters—for I will pour their wickedness on them.

The vivid description of the Great Tribulation heaped upon Israel’s descendants is unbroken as we read on into the next chapter. Notice that some people are destined to live while others are destined to die. The following segment describes the death that many will suffer. God will be deliberately selecting, and destroying, the wicked people of Israel. Jeremiah 24 describes this selectivity of God in this time of crisis. Of course some prophecies are dual, referring to the original destruction of the twelve tribes.

Jeremiah 15:1-7 Then the Lord said to me,: Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable toward this people. Cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth. 2 And it shall be, if they say to you, ‘Where should we go?’ Then you shall tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.’ 3 And I will appoint over them four forms of destruction, says the Lord: the sword to slay, the dogs to drag, the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy 6 You have forsaken Me, says the Lord, You have gone backward. Therefore I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you; I am weary of relenting! 7 And I will winnow them with a winnowing fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children; I WILL DESTROY MY PEOPLE, since they do not return from their ways.

But an incredible intervention occurs for those of Israel who heed the message of the Two Witnesses!

Jeremiah 14:20 We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers, [whom they now recognize] for we have sinned against You. Do not abhor us, for your names sake; do not disgrace the throne of your glory. Remember, do not break Your covenant with us.

From this point on Israel is safe but the World’s armies come under fire—quite literally!

Jeremiah 15:11-20 The Lord said: Surely it will be WELL with your REMNANT; surely I will cause the enemy to intercede with you IN THE TIME OF ADVERSITY and IN THE TIME OF AFFLICTION. 12 Can anyone break iron, the northern iron and the bronze? 13 Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder without price, because of all your sins, throughout your territories…19 Therefore thus says the Lord: If you return, then I will bring you back; you shall stand before Me; if you take out the precious from the vile, you shall be as My mouth. Let them return to you, but you must not return to them. [Flee Babylon!] 20 And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; and they will fight against you, but they [Babylon] shall not prevail against you; for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the Lord. 21 [Finally] I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you from the grip of the terrible.

The Day of the Lord, which follows the Great Tribulation, will parallel the time when God delivered ancient Israel out of bondage; the armies of their enemies were totally destroyed! This time, tho, God has made His point! My next chapter, Chapter 3, is all about this dreadful period of time that Joel calls “the Great and Awesome Day of the Lord”. It is the most prevalent topic within the entire Bible.

Chapter 4, entitled Jubilee 2027 AD covers this same one year period of time but from a more optimistic perspective: Good news for Israel, bad news for her enemies.

For now tho, we will continue previewing the coming Great Tribulation which will befall our English speaking world:

Jeremiah 16 All: The word of the Lord also came to me, saying, 2 You shall not take a wife, nor shall you have sons or daughters in this place.... 6 Both the great and the small shall die in this land. They shall not be buried; neither shall men lament for them, cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them. 7 Nor shall men break bread in mourning for them, to comfort them for the dead; nor shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or their mother. 8 Also you shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and drink. 9 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will cause to cease from this place, before your eyes and in your days, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. 10 And it shall be, WHEN YOU SHOW THIS PEOPLE ALL THESE WORDS, and they say to you: Why has the Lord pronounced all this great disaster against us? Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God? 11 Then you shall say to them, Because your fathers have forsaken Me, says the Lord; they have walked after other gods and have served them and worshiped them, and have forsaken Me and not kept My law. 12 And YOU have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that NO ONE LISTENS TO ME. [God proclaims that the people are responsible for their behavior in His own way.] 13 Therefore I will cast you out of this land into a land that you do not know, neither you nor your fathers; and there you shall serve other gods day and night, where I will not show you favor. 14 [again] Therefore behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that it shall no more be said, the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, 15 but, The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel FROM THE LAND OF THE NORTH [north of Jerusalem] and from all the lands where He had driven them. For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers. [The Second Exodus will far exceed the first one!] 16: Behold, I will send for many fishermen, says the Lord, and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. The [gentiles] shall come to you from the ends of the earth and say: Surely our fathers have inherited lies, worthlessness and unprofitable things. 20 Will a man make gods for himself, which are not gods? 21 Therefore behold, I will this once [for the first time] cause them to know, I will cause them to know My hand and My might; and they shall know that My name is the Lord.

ISRAEL’S TRIBULATION, DESTRUCTION, CAPTIVITY AND ESCAPE:

The book of Micah is very much focused on The Day of the Lord and the return of our Lord and His Christ to earth. It begins by stating that:

Micah 1:3-4 For behold, the Lord is coming out of His place; He will come down and tread the high places of the earth. The mountains will melt under Him....

This opening statement by Micah gets right to the point of his book. It has to do with the time when the Lord will “come down” and rescue Israel! Later in the book, he prophesied further about the “latter days” and specifically described the Tribulation, when the whole House of Israel will be invaded by a federation led by Assyria (Germany).

Micah continues:

Micah 5:5-8 When THE ASSYRIAN COMES INTO OUR LAND, and when he treads in our palaces, THEN WE WILL RAISE AGAINST HIM SEVEN SHEPHERDS AND EIGHT PRINCELY MEN. 6 They shall waste with the sword the land of Assyria, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances; thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian, when he comes into our land and when he treads within our borders. Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples, [survivors of the captivity] like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, that tarry for no man nor wait for the sons of men. 8 And the REMNANT OF JACOB shall be AMONG the [Nations], in the midst of many peoples, LIKE A LION among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, who, if he passes through, both TREADS DOWN and TEARS IN PIECES, [their captors] and none can deliver.”

Note from the writer: You dont have to be Israelite to worship the God of Israel and be spared the end time plagues (and even live forever as a bonus!)

One problem with interpreting scriptures is the “here a little, there a little” principle. God deliberately wanted to make understanding a challenge that few would bother with! Scripture jumps from the Great Tribulation, to the Day of the Lord, to the “Millennium” , to the time leading up to the end time, often with no apparent line of distinction. The delineation between these time periods, especially the Day of the Lord and the Great Tribulation is not that difficult to discern, once you determine that they are fixed periods of time with no overlap. At times, a single sentence is split into two topics spanning millennia, such as Daniel 9:27. Then there is the concept of duality, where we may not always be sure if “history will repeat itself” in a particular instance or not.

Another example of confusion is how the Bible translators and editors determine chapter breaks and paragraph breaks, and in recent years the insertion of captions. For example, in my NKJV, there is a caption entitled “The Day of the Lord” above Isaiah 2:5, however the time period between verse 5 and 9 is actually a description of the wealth and wickedness of Israel before the end time disasters. But verse 10 does “fast forward” right into the Day of the Lord:

Isaiah 2:10 Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty.

Isaiah chapters 3 and 5 are among the many other passages showing that God will strip away every blessing from the “daughters of Zion” which are the descendants of the original Kingdom of Israel. Here are a couple more examples:

Daniel 11:6 He shall enter the Glorious land [the nation of Israel] and many [people] shall be overthrown!

Zechariah 13:1-9 In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. 2 It shall be in that day, says the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land. That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall be left in it: 9 I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, This is My people; and each one will say, The Lord is my God.

People who think that we are living under the New Covenant today have simply not read the contract!

Covenant (according to Webster):

As you will see, if you actually read all of the terms of the New Covenant; there is no way that this covenant has been enacted yet! In the entire Bible, only Jeremiah’s inspired words record the terms of the New Covenant:

Jeremiah 31:31-40 Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a New Covenant [contract] with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah [Hint: Are the Jews “Christian” yet?]—32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My Law [08451, torah] in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more. 35 Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name): 36 If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the Lord, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever. 37 Thus says the Lord: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the Lord. 38 Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that the city shall be built for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 The surveyor’s line shall again extend straight forward over the hill Gareb; then it shall turn toward Goath. 40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, [Day of the Lord] and all the fields as far as the Brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the Lord. It shall not be plucked up or thrown down anymore forever.

Here is the rest of the entire text of the New Covenant prophecy. Every other reference to the New Covenant in the Bible is a reference to this prophecy! To understand what God said would immediately preceding the New Covenant’s implementation you will need to read all of the context starting in verse 1! More to the point of this chapter is the fact that God will have to rescue His people from Europe “I will bring them from the north country” (geographically north of Israel) as well as “the ends of the earth” where Israelites of all twelve tribes will have been sold.

Jeremiah 31:1-30 At the same time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people. 2 Thus says the Lord: The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness—Israel, when I went to give him rest. 3 The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you. 4 Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice. 5 You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food. 6 For there shall be a day when the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim, [off site] ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.’ 7 For thus says the Lord: Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O Lord, save Your people, the remnant of Israel’! 8 Behold, I will bring them from the North Country, and gather them from the ends of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and the one who labors with child, together; a great throng shall return there. 9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they shall not stumble; for I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn. [Under the first covenant Reuben was the literal firstborn: Genesis 35:23] 10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’ 11 For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he. 12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the Lord—for wheat and new wine and oil, for the young of the flock and the herd; their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more at all. 13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old, together; for I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow. 14 I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord. 15 Thus says the Lord: A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more. 16 Thus says the Lord: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. 17 There is hope in your future, says the Lord, that your children shall come back to their own border. 18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself: ‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised, like an untrained bull; restore me, and I will return, for You are the Lord my God. 19 Surely, after my ‘TURNING’ [Strong’s 7725], I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck myself on the thigh; I was ashamed, yes, even humiliated, because I bore the reproach of my youth.’ 20 Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For though I spoke against him, I earnestly remember him still; therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, says the Lord. 21 Set up signposts, make landmarks; set your heart toward the highway, the way in which you went. Turn back, O virgin of Israel, turn back to these your cities. 22 How long will you gad about, O you backsliding daughter? For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth—a woman shall encompass a man. 23 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: They shall again use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I [literally: TURN: Strong’s 7725 as above] back their captivity [rescue them]: ‘The Lord bless you, O home of justice, and mountain of holiness!’ 24 And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all its cities together, farmers and those going out with flocks. 25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul. 26 After this I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me. 27 Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. 28 And it shall come to pass, that as I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to throw down, to destroy, and to afflict, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the Lord. 29 In those days they shall say no more: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ 30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.

This was another chapter that pretty much summarizes the entire purpose of the end time prophecy concerning Israel.

“Children”... “From the Land of the Enemy”

There is one fringe benefit for the twelve tribes of Israel when they agree to live under the New Covenant that will come as a great shock to them! Did you notice the “life insurance policy” for the children as you read the above passages? There is an astonishing "signing bonus" for the remnant survivors of Israel when they accept the “New Deal”. Here it is again, read it very carefully:

verses 15-17 Thus says the Lord: A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, BECAUSE THEY ARE NO MORE. 16 Thus says the Lord: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your [good] work[s] shall be ‘rewarded’ [literal Hebrew: payment of wages], says the Lord, and they shall come back from the land of the ENEMY. 17 There is hope in your future, says the Lord, that your children shall come back to their own ‘border’ [territory].

Verse 15 is unmistakably a reference to the deaths of innocent children who will die in the Great Tribulation which will be initiated by the “enemy” “from the north country”. In fact Jesus (Yeshua, off site) contrasted this very verse as a death sentence comparing Herod’s massacre of baby boys to a much larger loss of innocent children in the distant future-our time! Matthew quoted Him as saying “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldnt be comforted, because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:18 WEB)

But Yeshua was only making a comparison. Herod’s massacre took place in Bethlehem rather than Rama (off site), which was in the territory of Benjamin. The innocents killed at Yeshua’s birth were not Rachel’s descendants but Leah’s. It was Leah’s descendants who occupied Bethlehem; she being the matriarch of the tribe of Judah.

Jeremiah’s prophecy, while mentioning Rachel’s children was actually typifying the future deaths of millions of children from all twelve tribes of Israel from our own generation. But verse 16 tells the survivors of this massive end time holocaust that the massacre of their children will be nothing to cry about! It says not to shed tears because their good works will be compensated (people of bad works will have died in the Tribulation). Twice it says in verses 16 & 17 that these dead children would be returned from the land of their enemies! This is not the only scriptural reference to this wonderful benefit for signing on to the New Covenant! There is more about this in The Great Judgment Day Part 2 under the subheading “I Will Save Your Children”. This account describes these once dead children being returned to the territory of Israel to their parents “from the land of the ENEMY”!

THE KING OF THE NORTH

Now that we have read the details about the good news of the New Covenant we should fall back and focus on the political and religious circumstances that will change Israel forever. Ironically, the aggressive behavior of the nations surrounding the Holy Land are the catalyst of change for Israel’s Everlasting Covenant!

In order to understand who the “players” are in the battle between the King of the North and the King of the South, the entire story must be read. This should matter to you because the captives of Israel will be at “ground zero”. You would we advised to begin reading in the book of Daniel. Daniel 11 tells us about the Beast Power at the time of the end. Notice that the Beast will spare Edom, Moab and Ammon when he invades the soon-to-be Holy Land. The reason that these wicked people are spared at this time is because they are the betrayers of the Children of Israel. They will gain the favor of the Beast, which is the reason that God will single these three groups out for destruction later on! Notice:

Daniel 11:5 Also the king of the South shall become strong, as well as one of his princes; and he shall gain power over him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. 6 And at the end of some years they shall join forces, for the daughter of the king of the South shall go to the king of the North to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of her authority.

The story flow between the North and the South goes on for centuries and up to the near future. If a person were to correctly identify all of the previous kings of the North (which is pretty easy in hind sight), but did not recognize the particular kings reigning in this end time, what good would it do him? Continuing in Daniel 11:

Daniel 11:29-45 At the time appointed [God has a date in mind] he shall return, and come into the south; but it shall not be in the latter time as it was in the former. 30 For ships of Kittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and shall return, and have indignation against the holy covenant [commandment keepers], and shall do his pleasure: he shall even return, and have regard to those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 Forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the ‘sanctuary’ [God’s end time Temple], even the fortress, and shall take away the continual ‘burnt offering’ [daily sacrifices: this begins the final 1260 day countdown to the return of our Lord and His Christ mentioned in Daniel 12:11!], and they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32 Such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he pervert by flatteries; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33 Those who are ‘wise’ [07919 lks: have insight] among the people shall ‘instruct many’ [0995 Nyb biyn (Qal verb stem)—literally: discern, understand, consider]; yet they [Israel] shall fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, many days. [Yes, even some of the Israelites presently in God’s Assembly will be conquered.] 34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help; but many shall join themselves to them with flatteries. 35 Some of those who are wise shall fall, to refine them, and to purify, and to make them white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet for the time appointed. [Even during the Great Tribulation the absolute “time of the end” is yet future!] ... 40 At the time of the end shall the king of the south contend with him; and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass through. 41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon [modern Jordan]. 42 He shall stretch forth his hand also on the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44 But news out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; and he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to sweep away many. 45 He [the Beast] shall plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain [east of Jerusalem]; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. WEB

Isaiah 2 tells us about the time following these events, when God will abolish warfare:

Isaiah 2:1-5 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. 3 Many people shall come and say: Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, [after the “lawless one” is gone] and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. 5 O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the Lord.

This is one of the two scriptures that apply the term “latter days” to the Everlasting Kingdom; the other has to do with the period including all of the now historic World Empires. The other twelve or so prophetic uses of the phrase describe the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. When “even the former dominion shall come” the twelve tribed Kingdom will be restored. Actually it is destined to be far larger than it used to be.

Micah 4:1-8 But IN THE LATTER DAYS, it will happen that the mountain of [Yehovah’s] temple will be established on the top of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills; and peoples will stream to it. 2 Many nations will go and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of [Yehovah’], and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” For out of Zion will go forth the law, [Yep!] and the word of [Yehovah’] from Jerusalem; 3 and He will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war any more. 4 But they will sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and no one will make them afraid: For the mouth of [Yehovah’] of Armies has spoken. 5 Indeed all the nations may walk in the name of their gods; but we will walk in the name of [Yehovah’] our God forever and ever. 6 “In that day,” says [Yehovah’], “I will assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away, and that which I have afflicted; 7 and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and [Yehovah’] will reign over them on Mount Zion from then on, even forever.” 8 You, tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come, yes, the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. WEB

PROPHECIES CONCERNING ESAU

Why are the Edomites going to be so severely punished?

The Edomites have been an enemy of Israel for millennia. During the Exodus, Israel sought safe passage thru their land, promising to take nothing, but Edom wanted to destroy them then and there (Numbers 20). It hasnt gotten any better, in fact during the next captivity of the tribes of Israel, Edomites will be there to orchestrate their enslavement!

Amos 1:6-11 Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they took captive THE WHOLE CAPTIVITY to deliver them up to Edom. 7 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, which shall devour its palaces. 8 I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon; I will turn My hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, says the Lord God. 9 Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Tyre [modern Tyre: The Beast of 2015], and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they delivered up the whole captivity TO EDOM, and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood. 10 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, which shall devour its palaces. 11 Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because he pursued his brother with the sword, and cast off all pity; his anger tore perpetually [thousands of years] and he kept his wrath forever.

Edom’s conquest is due to their perpetual hatred and betrayal of their brother nation Israel: Here is the end time fate of Israels’ oldest enemy:

Isaiah 34:1-8 Come near, you nations, to hear; and heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world and all things that come forth from it. 2 For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations, and His fury against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter. 3 Also their slain shall be thrown out; their stench shall rise from their corpses, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. 4 All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll; all their host shall fall down as the leaf falls from the vine, and as fruit falling from a fig tree. 5 ‘For My sword shall be bathed in heaven [a spirit battle above Jordan] ; indeed it shall come down on Edom, and on the people of My curse, for judgment. 6 The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made overflowing with fatness, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. 7 The wild oxen shall come down with them, and the young bulls with the mighty bulls; their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust saturated with fatness.’ 8 For it is the Day of the Lord’s vengeance, the YEAR of recompense for the cause of Zion.

The homeland of Edom is in modern day nation of Jordan. It comprises roughly the territories formerly known as “Edom” , “Moab” and “Ammon”. The capitol city of Jordan is still named Ammon. It has been the capitol since ancient times and is one of the oldest continuously occupied cities known, but God has a plan to put an end to it:

Ezekiel 25:8- 14 Thus says the Lord God: Because Moab and Seir say, ‘Look! The house of Judah is like all the nations,’ 9 therefore, behold, I will clear the territory of Moab of cities, of the cities on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kirjathaim. 10 To the men of the East [of Israel] but they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the WEST; together they shall plunder the people of the EAST; they shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab; and the people of Ammon shall obey them. I will give it as a possession, together with the Ammonites, that the Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations. 11 And I will execute judgments upon Moab, and they shall know that I am the Lord. 12 ’Thus says the Lord God: Because of what Edom did against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended by avenging itself on them, 13 therefore thus says the Lord God: I will also stretch out My hand against Edom, cut off man and beast from it, and make it desolate from Teman; Dedan shall fall by the sword. 14 I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, that they may do in Edom according to My anger and according to My fury; and they shall know My vengeance,” says the Lord God.

Jordan is the last place in the world that an Israelite will want to be for safety sake in the end time! On the other hand tho the Beast will avoid Edom as he plunders the region! Did you notice that the Beast will spare Edom, Moab and Ammon mentioned above?

Daniel 11:41 He [the Beast] shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

Ironically, because Jordan will be delivered from the cruel hands of the Beast, some assume that Jordan and particularly the ancient city of Petra is favored by God and several churches want to go there and be spared from the Beasts plundering:

“There are some who say there is no place of safety. These people say that the church has been wrong all of these years. It’s been reported to me that some have even written to King Hussein, in Jordan, telling them of the Worldwide Church of God’s plans. But, brethren, even if somebody did that, it would not be so unusual because we are not the only church that has their eye on Petra. Many, many churches of this world are looking to that area of the world-as a [possible] place of safety [site]. And with good reason, because the scriptures seem to indicate that there is a place of safety and that the place of safety is in Petra.” link

There actually is a place of safety in Zion for “the elect” but it’s not in Petra.

Jordan is spared from the Beast because they are working with the Beast! It is for this reason that God will decimate Jordan. Israel itself will be a weapon in the hands of God in the Day of the Lord against Edom, Moab and Ammon.

Numbers 24 contains an unusual end time prophecy that God inspired thru Baalam-of all people. This is another statement that Israel will fight during the Day of the Lord. The only alliance that God ever wanted for Israel to make is the one between their God and themselves, as will ultimately occur when Israel sees God saving them!

Numbers 24:17-19 And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly. [This is after] “A Star shall come out of Jacob [Yeshua]; a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and batter the brow of Moab.... Out of Jacob One shall have Dominion.

THE TIME OF GOG AND MAGOG’S TROUBLE

Many of those who understand the national identities of the modern day Nations of Israel, have taught that Gog and Magog would wage a mighty attack against the nations of the children of Israel at the end of the millennium. But how could that be true? They also freely acknowledge that:

Isaiah 2:4 He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; NATION SHALL NOT LIFT UP SWORD AGAINST NATION, neither shall they learn war anymore.

There is a fascinating explanation to this question. Ezekiel 38 and 39 are two more entire chapters of scripture that describe the one year period of time, following the Great Tribulation and just prior to the Eternal Kingdom. These scriptures concern the Nations of Israel, following their rescue from Modern Babylonian captivity, when they are safely dwelling in their own land. After much anguish, God will finally intervene in Israel’s favor as promised. Israel will even help fight against their enemies and win, in a manner unlike anything that has happened in the history of the world. And they may not use any weapons larger than the jawbone of an ass! Here is a familiar end time passage of prophecy, but look at the concluding statement about the supernatural strength that Israel will have:

Zechariah 12 The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel. Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him: 2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. 3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. 4 In that day, says the Lord, I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts, their God.’ 6 In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; THEY shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place—Jerusalem. 7 The Lord will save the tents of Judah FIRST, so that the glory of the house of David [the other tribes] and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah. 8 In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; THE ONE WHO IS FEEBLE AMONG THEM IN THAT DAY SHALL BE LIKE DAVID, AND THE HOUSE OF DAVID SHALL BE LIKE GOD, like the Angel of the Lord.

At this point in time the world’s nations will no longer be allowed to hurt Israel.

Micah 5:1-8 And the REMNANT OF JACOB [tribes other than Judah] shall [still] be AMONG THE [NATIONS], in the midst of many peoples, LIKE A LION among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, who, if he passes through, BOTH TREADS DOWN AND TEARS TO PIECES, and none can deliver.

At the appointed time, God will simply make the remnant of His chosen people impervious to destruction! Tho few in number, they will simply be allowed to depart from “among the [Nations]!”

Amazingly, soon after God rescues our people from the German led end time Babylon-Asiatic hordes, lusting for Israel’s newly acquired wealth, will sweep in on the newly liberated captives. They will attempt to destroy these people whom they mistake for “easy marks” , planning to take their spoils before they can regroup. Israel will have pillaged their captors, just as when ancient Israel exited Egypt. This is not robbery, it is back pay! There will be a great deal of “booty” in the form of “silver and gold” and “livestock and goods” that they will “plunder”. The multi million man Asian army, unleashed upon Israel, will have grossly underestimated Israel’s new “Ally”!

One reason why some teach that these prophecies will occur at the end of the one thousand year period is because of the statement that Israel would be a nation of unwalled villages. They are clearly just brought back from captivity, having been sold to enemies all over the world. Because these individuals teach that both the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord last a combined total of 1260 days, there would, under that scenario, be no time period for these prophecies to occur prior to the thousand years. Ezekiel 38 and 39 are just one place where it becomes apparent that the Great Tribulation, also known as the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, lasts the full 1260 days, followed by the Day of the Lord, a separate year, the year of the Lord’s vengeance:

Isaiah 34:1-8 Come near, you nations, to hear; and heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world and all things that come forth from it. 2 For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations, and His fury against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter.... 7 Their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust saturated with fatness. 8 For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, the year of recompense for the cause of Zion.

During this transitional year, year 6000, the Jubilee year immediately prior to the Eternal Kingdom, (Jubilee 2027 AD) God will be punishing the world’s military powers, but unarmed Israel will have returned to their own land, “and now all of them dwell safely” (Ezekiel 38:8). The defeat of the European super power is prophesied in great detail in Revelation 17 thru 19. This is also to occur during the Day of the Lord.

Ezekiel 38 and 39 are quoted in their entirety because this is a primary source of information about the conclusion of this Jubilee Year for Israel:

Ezekiel 38 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, [Russia] Meshech, and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords [not yet beaten into plowshares]. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you. 7 “Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them. 8 After many days you will be visited. In the LATTER YEARS you will come into the land of those brought BACK FROM THE SWORD and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had ‘long been’ [Literally: “had continued to be”] desolate; they were brought out of the nations, [former POW’s] and now all of them dwell safely. 9 You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you. 10 ‘Thus says the Lord God: On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan:

Now for Part 3

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