Israel: The Key to the End Times | Target of End Times Chaos

A New Beginning presents something for the New Year from Pastor Greg Laurie. We want to help you get stronger in your faith and discover what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. To help you do that, we're offering a book called Discipleship, The Road Less Taken. I explore what the Bible says about discipleship and how we can grow in this area.

And we'll send this book to you for your gift of any size. Get your copy of Discipleship, The Road Less Taken at Harvest.org. The Bible tells us in the last days, the final conflict of man would be centered on Jerusalem. Coming up today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us understand God's plans for the end times and how the prophetic signs are everywhere we look. A sign of the end times, Israel will be scattered. That's happened. Israel will be re-gathered. That too has happened.

Israel will be isolated. That is happening. This is the day when the lost are found. This is the day for a new beginning.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound. Again you hear when the angels are singing. This is the day, the day where life begins. As the Lord's last days plan begins to unfold, there will be chaos unlike anything anyone's ever seen before. God will pour out His judgment on rebellious man, but Satan will mount a vicious attack through his minions. And that attack will be focused on the nation Israel.

Israel is the bullseye for all the animosity arising from the pit. And today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us see what the Bible says about how it will all unfold. This is the day, the day where life begins. I've told you this before, but sometimes when my wife are out walking, I'll say, hey Kathy, it's starting to rain. She'll say, no it isn't.

I'll say, no it is. She'll say, no it isn't. But her hair is so thick she would know it's raining for a day. She has so much hair. If you've ever seen my wife's beautiful hair, I could take what's left on her hair brush after one day and have a revival on my head. It'd just be like the second coming of hair. But anyway, I'll say, no it's starting to rain because bald men always know when it's raining first.

And that's true. You know, when I first started losing my hair, I went to my doctor. And I said, doc, my hair keeps falling out.

Can you give me anything to keep it in? He said, sure. And he gave me a paper bag. I did not appreciate that. So listen, I want to tell you a couple things about bald people that you need to know. Number one, we will accept mockery from other bald people. So a bald person can mock.

Am I right? How many of you are bald? Raise your hand. It's okay when a bald person mocks you.

Right? It's cool. Hey, you're bald. You're bald too.

Fine. You cannot mock us if you have hair. You do not have the right to mock us and we don't want to hear your mockery.

Here's what's even worse. Don't mock us if you're wearing a hair piece. I actually had a guy come up to me and say, hey man, you're bald. And I looked at his head. He had the worst looking toupee I have ever seen.

It looked like a bird nest. And I thought, dude, I could pull that off your head and it would be a whole new conversation. I just rolled with it. Okay. I will turn the other cheek. Whatever. Just don't mock bald people. It is hard enough.

Okay. But here is my point. You know when it rains sometimes it is a few drops here. It is a few drops there. I have a sure fire way to get it to rain, which of course is wash my car. But sometimes it is a downpour out of nowhere. But I feel right now as we look out at our world where we are just seeing the rain begin. And by the rain I mean we are seeing things that are indicating to us that we are in the last days. And I am seeing these things intensify, which is exactly what Jesus said would happen.

It would be like labor pains for a woman ready to give birth. The closer they are together the closer now is the arrival of the child. In the same way when we see these signs of the times amplified and closer together it says to us Jesus is coming. God wants us to understand Bible prophecy. It is not His desire to conceal but to reveal.

And so here is point number one if you are taking notes. The nation Israel is the key to understanding the end times. The nation Israel is the key to understanding the end times. So the question arises why is there such a hatred for the Jews and for their homeland of Israel? Well by the way anti-Semitism is not unique to our time.

It goes all the way back to the book of Exodus. But why this hatred for the Jews? Simple answer. They are God's chosen people. And Satan hates what God loves. Simple as that.

There it is. Why does Satan hate Christians? Because we too have been grafted in to the promises of God. And Satan hates what God loves. God describes the Jewish people as the apple of his eye.

He says of them whoever touches you touches the apple of my eye. Ok so that brings us now to Ezekiel 37 where he predicts the return of the Jews. Are you there at Ezekiel 37? The Lord took hold of me and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. He led me around the old dry bones that covered the valley floor.

They were scattered everywhere across the ground. Then He asked me son of man can these bones become living people again? Oh sovereign Lord I replied you alone know the answer to that. Then He said speak to these bones and say dry bones listen to the word of the Lord. This is what the sovereign Lord says. Look I am going to breathe into you and make you live again. I am going to put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath on you and you will come to life and you will know that I am the Lord.

But what does this mean? What do these dry bones represent? Drop down to verse 11 of Ezekiel 37. He said to me son of man these bones represent the people of Israel.

They are saying we become old dry bones. All hope is gone. Now give this message from the sovereign Lord to my people. I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again.

Look at this. I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Now verse 13 when this happens oh people know that I am the Lord. I will put My Spirit in you and you will live and return home to your own land.

It is their land. You will return to your own land and you will know that I am the Lord. You will see how I have done everything as I promised. I the Lord have spoken. Stop there. This was written 2500 years ago.

Very specific. So what is Ezekiel telling us? He is telling us a sign of the end times. Israel will be scattered. That has happened. Israel will be regathered. That too has happened. Israel will regain Jerusalem. That also has happened. Israel will be isolated. That is happening. And the Bible tells us in the last days the final conflict of man would be centered on Jerusalem.

Not in Paris or Rome or London or any other city. On Jerusalem. Bringing me to point number three. The city of Jerusalem will be a focal point of the end times. The Bible says she will be an intoxicating drink. A heavy stone and a burden for the whole world.

Zechariah 12 2 says God speaking. I will make Jerusalem and Judah like an intoxicating drink to the nearby nations that send their armies to besiege Jerusalem. On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone, a burden for the world.

None of the nations who try will be able to lift it. I mean this tiny little country. And in this tiny little country called Israel is this little city called Jerusalem. Yet this little sliver of land plays such a key role in the end times.

Now here is where it gets interesting. After Ezekiel 37 is Ezekiel 38. Isn't that a profound insight? What we read about in Ezekiel 38 is significant. This chapter speaks of a large force from the north of Israel attacking her in the end times. After she has been regathered this large force will attack Israel along with her allies.

And so this is very specific bringing me to point number four. After being regathered in her land Israel will be attacked. After being regathered in their land Israel will be attacked. Let's go to Ezekiel 38 now. I am speaking from the New King James Version. Son of man God says set your face against Gog or the land of Magog. You might underline Gog and Magog.

We will come back to those. The prince of Rosh, Meshach, and Tubal and prophesy against him and say that says the Lord God. Behold I am against you Gog the prince of Rosh, Meshach, and Tubal. I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws and lead you out with all of your armies, horses, horsemen all splendidly clothed. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them along with shield and helmet. Gomer and all of his troops. The house of Tagarma from the far north and all of its troops.

Many people are with you. Drop down to verse 10 of Ezekiel 38. This is what the sovereign Lord says. At that time evil thoughts will come into your mind. You will devise a wicked scheme. You will say Israel is an unprotected land with unwalled villages.

I will march against her and destroy those people who live in such confidence. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. Hey everybody I want to tell you about a major new ministry initiative that we have here at Harvest called the Harvest Discipleship Platform. So it's a major leap forward in our national ministry and we adapt teachings from the New Believers Bible.

Do you know about that? That's a Bible project I worked on years ago and they're all around the world where we have excerpts from the New Believers Bible. And also we have an online community of believers who are looking for what's next in their spiritual walk. So at Harvest Discipleship you can find trusted Bible teaching in a community that cares for you and positive encouragement in your spiritual life.

That sounds pretty good right? So become a part of the Harvest Discipleship Platform and you can do that by just going to harvest.org. Well we're considering what the Bible says about the attack against Israel during the last days. Pastor Greg titles today's message Israel the Key to the End Times. Alright so who is Magog and the allies that marched with her mentioned here in Ezekiel 38.

So these tribes intermarried became known as Magog. They settled to the north of Israel. If you go to the north of Israel any map will show you that's where modern day Russia sits. Magog today may represent the former underbelly of the Soviet Union, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Stan the Man.

No I don't know Stan the Man. Afghanistan and other parts. So Rosh is the remote part of the north. So a direct reference to Russia. Most prophecy experts believe Magog is Russia. Now I don't think anyone can say with 100% certainty that Magog is Russia. But I think it's a really good educated guess.

Now having said that I think you can say with absolute certainty who some of these allies that marched with Russia are. We have Gomer and we all remember Gomer from the Andy Griffith show. Remember Gomer? How many of you got that joke?

All the old people. I remember Gomer. So there was a character. Remember Gomer?

Shazam he would say. This is not that Gomer. The Bible is not prophesying Gomer of that show. Gomer is modern day Turkey. So we have to ask the question is Turkey hostile toward Israel?

It hasn't always been hostile. But as recently as 2017 the state run Turkish newspaper called for a united army of Islam to invade Israel. So in recent days in fact Turkey has become hostile toward Israel. Ethiopia is mentioned and Libya is mentioned. Persia is modern Iran. Now all of these nations are Islamic. And so Persia was Persia until 1935 and they changed their name to Iran. Now if Magog is Russia and the Bible is specifically saying an ally of Magog is Persia. And it is saying that of course. That is a pretty remarkable statement.

I mean that is really going out on a limb. Historically Russia and Persia slash Iran have had no real relationship for the last 2500 years. But Russia now has signed a billion dollar deal to some missiles and other weapons to Iran. Iran has provided drones for Russia to use in their war with Ukraine. And so an alliance that was prophesied 2500 years ago has happened before our very eyes. One expert on the Middle East made this statement and I quote. Iran clearly knows how to unlock the doors to a nuclear armageddon. There is a growing sense in Israel that Jerusalem is quickly running out of time.

End quote. So Iran and let me say this about Iran. There are many wonderful Persian people.

We have some in our church. Many who have fled Iran for freedom. And many of them are followers of Jesus Christ. And I hear many stories about people in Iran today coming to Christ.

And there is like an underground spiritual movement. So when I say Iran I am not talking of the people of Iran. But I am talking about the evil regime that is in charge of Iran. And this group of people they are funding terrorism around the world. And I can't think of one reason why we would send one dollar to fund terrorism around the world to Iran.

It makes no sense. And Iran works with these proxy organizations. Hamas and Hezbollah. And so when you see Hamas attack Israel. When you see Hezbollah fire missiles into Israel. They are being told to do so. Or cooperating with Iran.

So this is what is happening. And they all hate Israel. And if that is not blatant enough. Iran attacked Israel herself.

Remember it was not long ago. They fired 300 drones and missiles into Israel. And thankfully technology that America provided for Israel called the Iron Dome. Which is a sophisticated missile system that shoots these incoming missiles and drones out of the air. And another weapon system we help them with called the Sling of David. So this technology has helped them.

And it has been very significant. But the Iranian leaders make no secret of their dislike and hatred of Israel. And what their ultimate agenda is. One leader of Iran made this statement and I quote. Is it possible for us to witness a world without America and Zionism?

You best know that this slogan and this goal is attainable and can be achieved. The regime that is occupying Jerusalem must be wiped off the map. Pretty clear. So when we hear of a two state solution.

Sounds good on paper. What does it mean? It means that two states live in peace with each other. Israel would love to live at peace with Iran. They would love to live at peace with the Palestinians. The problem is how can you live at peace with someone who says I want you wiped off the map. It is like saying to someone can we be friends? And they say if you cease to exist we can be.

How does that work? Right? That is literally what they are saying. So in Jerusalem of all things that is mentioned specifically there is that heavy stone again. Now here comes the United States. We have been a strong and staunch ally of Israel historically.

But more recently we have backed off from that. Why should we support the nation Israel? Well one would say because they are the only real democracy in the Middle East and that is true. But that is not the reason the primary reason we should support them. I think the primary reason we should support Israel is because God has placed them in the land. And we want to stand with that.

Right? Applause So may God, maybe Russia and our allies, we know Persia is one of those allies will march against Israel. What happens next? Ezekiel 38 18. This is what will happen in that day when God attacks the land of Israel. God says my hot anger will be aroused declares the sovereign Lord. Don't tick off God.

You don't want to get on His bad side. He says you are going to attack my people. Notice how the Lord takes it personally.

Why? Because Israel, the Jewish people, His chosen people are the apple of His eye. And so now God decimates the armies of Magog along with their allies. And there are so many weapons there.

It takes seven years to destroy them. And then God promises to pour His Spirit out on Israel in Ezekiel 39 29. So a national revival takes place in Israel. Now when will this happen chronologically? Here is the answer.

Ready? I don't know. But I will take a guess. So if they are going to burn the weapons for seven years it seems likely to me that this attack of Magog against Israel could happen before the rapture. It could happen right after the rapture. Perhaps a little bit later.

I don't know the answer to that. But now let's go to our second passage. Romans 11. Verse 25. The Apostle Paul. I want you to understand the mystery dear brothers and sisters. Which brings me back to my point. God wants us to understand Bible prophecy. Right? Here is Paul saying I want you to understand this mystery.

So you won't feel proud about yourselves. Blindness in part has happened to Israel. But this will only last until the full number of the Gentiles come to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved. And a spiritual awakening is going to happen to the Jewish people. Some fascinating insight today from Pastor Greg Laurie's study called Israel the key to the end times.

And there is more to come here on A New Beginning. Pastor Greg just spoke about the spiritual awakening of the Jewish people. The Bible says the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

God wants a spiritual awakening among the Jews, and really among everyone. So where do you stand with the Lord? Pastor Greg, what would you say to the person listening who wants to make a change today in their relationship with God?

What I would say is He's only a prayer way. Which means if you will call upon the name of the Lord right now through prayer, He will hear your prayer and answer your prayer. Listen, if you want Jesus Christ to come into your life, if you want Him to forgive you of your sin, if you want to know that you'll go to heaven when you die, just pray this prayer right now after me. Just pray, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner, but I know that You're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. I turn from my sin now, and I choose to follow You from this moment forward as my Savior and Lord, as my God and my friend. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Amen. Listen, if you have just prayed that prayer along with Pastor Greg, and you've meant those words sincerely, we want to welcome you into God's family, and we want to help you get started in your new faith. Pastor Greg wants to send you his New Believer's Bible free of charge, along with some other helpful resources. Let us know you prayed with Pastor Greg and that you want the New Believer's Bible when you call 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime at 1-800-821-3300, or go online to harvest.org and click the words Know God. You know, Pastor Greg, we hear from people all the time who tell us how these daily studies have impacted their lives. So many have found the Lord and been encouraged through this teaching.

That's right. And we hope our listeners might pray about making an investment so these studies can continue. Yeah, it's really true, Dave, you know, and even a little bit helps. You know, people need to hear the Gospel so badly. They need to hear the teaching of the Word of God.

It changes everything because it changes us. And I'm so passionate about it, and I'm called to do it, and I'm thankful for it, but I can't do it alone. So I'm gonna ask folks that are listening, if you think more people need to hear the Gospel, if you believe more people need to hear the teaching of the Word of God, then perfectly consider investing in Harvest Ministries and maybe even become a Harvest partner, which means you're someone who stands with us every month in your faithful giving, and that opens up a lot of new opportunities for us. So thanks for that. Yeah, that's right, and we really are thankful for your partnership. You can reach us anytime day or night at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300. Or write a new beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, California, 92514. Or just go online to harvest.org. Hey, everybody, I want to encourage you to join us for something we call Harvest at Home. It happens every Sunday at harvest.org and on our brand-new app, Harvest Plus, which is available on your mobile TV devices. Download it now, and you can watch Harvest at Home with Christians from around the world as we worship together and study God's Word. So, again, join us for Harvest at Home at harvest.org or on Harvest Plus. Well, next time, Pastor Greg draws some conclusions from our recent studies of Bible prophecy. Important insight is coming. Join us here on a new beginning with pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie.