"As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."" (Matthew 24:3-8)

""When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away." Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven."" (Luke 21:9-11)

"The key factor then is to find out the meaning of the idiom, "nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." This idiom, taken in the Jewish context of the day when it was spoken, points to a total conflict of the area in view." (The Footsteps of the Messiah, Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum, p.63)

"I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian -- brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom." (Isaiah 19:2)

"And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in; but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the lands. And they were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city" (2 Chronicles 15:5-6, American Standard Version)

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)

the Encyclopedia Britannica

World War II, Part I

"The late war cost seven million lives . . . It has destroyed hundreds of towns . . . it has brought in its train . . . pestilence and famine." (from the American Library of Congress ).

The Influenza Pandemic of 1918

History of the American Red Cross

the Most Destructive Known Earthquakes on Record in the World

American Library of Congress

the Most Destructive Known Earthquakes on Record in the World

the Most Destructive Known Earthquakes on Record in the World

The Origins of AIDS and HIV

The U.S. Geological Survey

"Has earthquake activity been increasing?"

"At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near."" (Luke 21:27-31)

"The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times."" (Matthew 16:1-3)

1. Sometime before 900 B.C. the nation of Israel split into two. The ten northern tribes formed the kingdom of Israel, and the two southern tribes formed the kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel was invaded around 722 B.C. by the Assyrians, who destroyed the nation and carried the 10 tribes into captivity. In 586 B.C., the Babylonians conquered the southern kingdom of Judah, and they destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the First Temple, and they carried most of the remaining Jews into exile. Later, many Jews returned and rebuilt the temple, but multitudes of Jews remained scattered throughout the nations of the world. In 70 A.D., the Roman army attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple, and those Jews were scattered among the nations. For example, the book of James was specifically written to the 12 tribes of the Dispersion, and Acts chapter 2 says that Jews from every nation under heaven were in Jerusalem for Pentecost. For a timeline of these events, see the Historical Highlights at Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs .
   
   So the Jews have been dispersed throughout the world for thousands of years. After the New Testament was written, for almost 2 millennia there was never again a united Jewish nation of Israel nor a Jewish temple in Jerusalem.
   
   According to Bible prophecy, however, Israel will be reborn as a nation because God said that He will gather the Jews from around the world back to the nation of Israel:

   "Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on and say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms.'" (Ezekiel 37:20-22)

   For the past several hundred years, people who study Bible prophecy have been saying that the absolute surest sign of the soon return of Jesus will be when Israel is re-established as a nation. For hundreds of years, other people scoffed at the idea of Israel ever being reborn as a nation. They said that it will never happen.
   
   In 1948, the nation of Israel was re-established in fulfillment of end-times Bible prophecy.
   
   The birth pains are continuing. The pieces are falling into place. The world is shaping itself into an exact picture of the end-times world described in Bible prophecy.




2. In addition to Ezekiel 37:20-22 (above), a number of other passages clearly describe a regathering of Jews from among all of the nations back to Israel in the end-times:

   "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will rule over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered--with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. I will bring you into the desert of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you. As I judged your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign LORD. I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD." (Ezekiel 20:33-38)
   
   "Then the word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are but the dross of silver. Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'Because you have all become dross, I will gather you into Jerusalem. As men gather silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a furnace to melt it with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you. I will gather you and I will blow on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her. As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the LORD have poured out my wrath upon you.'"" (Ezekiel 22:17-22)
   
   "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes. For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.'" (Ezekiel 36:22-27)
   
   "Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation, before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the Lord's wrath comes upon you." (Zephaniah 2:1-2)

   Notice that these passages describe a regathering of Jews back to the land of Israel in an unrepentant condition, which will take place before the day of the Lord's wrath begins. That phrase, "the day of the Lord's wrath," is one of several specific terms which are used throughout the Old and New Testaments to describe a future seven-year period of time during which God will pour out His wrath on the earth. That's the time period when the prophecies about the Antichrist, the mark of the beast, and so on, will be fulfilled, and we usually refer to this future seven-year period as "the Tribulation." Sometimes the Old and New Testaments refer to this time period as the "time of Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7), the "Tribulation" (Deuteronomy 4:30), the "day of vengeance" (Isaiah 34:8), the "time of distress" (Daniel 12:1), the "day of the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 5:2), the "day of the Lord's wrath" (Zephaniah 1:18), the "day of God's wrath" (Romans 2:5), or simply the "day of wrath" (Zephaniah 1:5). These are terms which are often used in the Bible to describe the future seven-year Tribulation period.
   
   So according to Bible prophecy, the Jews will be regathered back to Israel in an unrepentant condition before the seven-year Tribulation begins.
   
   This end-times regathering of Jews back to Israel began during the twentieth century. With the fall of Communism, for example, Russian Jews were finally free to leave the Soviet Union, and multitudes flocked to Israel (as you might recall from the airlifts on the nightly news some years ago). In the area where Israel now exists there were roughly 50,000 Jews in 1900. When Israel was re-established as a nation in 1948 there were roughly 650,000 Jews. By 1998 there were almost 5,000,000 Jews in Israel (see the Jewish Population in the World and in Israel , which comes from Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics ).
   
   Some Christians do not believe that the modern country of Israel is a fulfillment of end-times prophecy because they believe that the Bible says that the Jews must be repentant before they can be restored back to their land. However, the above passages clearly describe a regathering of Jews back to Israel in an unrepentant state before God's wrath is poured out on them. This exactly describes the modern country of Israel because it has not yet turned to Jesus as the Messiah, and God's wrath being poured out on them is an exact description of what will happen during the seven-year Tribulation as God tries to turn their hearts to His Son. Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians alike should "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6). For more on this, I invite you to see my article called Is Modern Israel a Fulfillment of End-Times Bible Prophecy?
   
   So the Bible says that before the seven-year Tribulation period begins ("the day of the Lord's wrath"), the Jews from all of the countries where they were scattered will be gathered back to Israel. This doesn't necessarily mean that every single Jew will return to Israel, but this end-times regathering is currently in progress, right in front of our eyes, in fulfillment of end-times Bible prophecy.
   
   The pieces are falling into place. Jesus is returning soon.




3. For thousands of years, Israel has been a burning wasteland, just as Moses prophesied:

   "Your children who follow you in later generations and foreigners who come from distant lands will see the calamities that have fallen on the land and the diseases with which the LORD has afflicted it. The whole land will be a burning waste of salt and sulfur--nothing planted, nothing sprouting, no vegetation growing on it." (Deuteronomy 29:22-23)

   However, Isaiah prophesied that the desert will bloom again and be fruitful in the end-times:

   "The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away." (Isaiah 35:1-10)
   
   "But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no longer. In that day, the LORD will punish with his sword, his fierce, great and powerful sword, Leviathan the gliding serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster of the sea. In that day-- "Sing about a fruitful vineyard: I, the LORD, watch over it; I water it continually. I guard it day and night so that no one may harm it. I am not angry. If only there were briers and thorns confronting me! I would march against them in battle; I would set them all on fire. Or else let them come to me for refuge; let them make peace with me, yes, let them make peace with me." In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit." (Isaiah 26:19-27:6)

   In the above passages, the context describes things which will happen in the end-times and beyond, and these prophecies tell us that the desert around Israel will rejoice and blossom and burst into bloom in the end-times, and that Israel will fill the world with fruit.
   
   In fulfillment of these end-times prophecies, the parched and burning wastelands of Israel are now blooming, and Israel actually exports hundreds of thousands of tons of fruits and vegetables each year to other countries. For example, here are some quotes from The Jewish Virtual Library, based on research from Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (see Israeli Agriculture: Coping with Growth ):

   "Today, just under a quarter of the income of Israel's farmers derives from the export of fresh produce, including items such as flowers, avocados, out-of-season vegetables and certain exotic fruits grown for export. In 1996 some 140,000 tons of fruit and vegetables - 14 percent of the entire crop - were sold to factories for processing and export."
   
   "Desert agriculture is already playing an indispensable role in Israel's economy."
   
   "Since the late 1950s, Israel has been sharing its agricultural expertise with scores of countries. MASHAV, the Center for International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is active in Asia, Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, Eastern Europe and Latin America; and it is broadening its cooperation programs with a growing number of countries in the Middle East."
   
   "Citrus, the country's oldest export sector, continues to be a leading export product with hundreds of thousands of tons of oranges, pink and white grapefruits, lemons, pomelos and several varieties of easy-peeling tangerines, as well as concentrates, juices and other products, shipped abroad annually."
   
   "Today, most flowers are sold by the individual growers directly to buyers in the flower auctions of the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and elsewhere"
   
   "Ornamental plants are a rapidly growing industry. Over $50 million worth of scores of different ornamental plants, either as rooted or un-rooted cuttings, or in pots in various stages of growth, are exported worldwide, but predominantly to Europe."

   The parched and burning wastelands of Israel are now budding and blossoming and filling all the world with fruit in fulfillment of end-times Bible prophecy.
   
   The pieces are falling into place. The world is shaping itself into an exact picture of the end-times world described throughout the Bible. Jesus is returning soon.




4. The Lord told Zephaniah that in the end-times, the time when He will pour out His wrath on the whole world, He will purify the lips of the people:

   ""Therefore wait for me," declares the LORD, "for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them -- all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger. Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder."" (Zephaniah 3:8-9)

   According to Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, the word "lips" means "language, lip, speech, talk, words," and so on, and the word "peoples" means "a people (as a congregated unit); spec. a tribe (as those of Israel)."
   
   So this prophecy is often taken to mean that the speech (the language) of the people of Israel will be "purified" in the end-times. This is brought out more clearly in the Revised Standard Version:

   "Yea, at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve Him with one accord." (Zephaniah 3:9)

   When the Jews were scattered throughout the nations after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., Hebrew as a language for daily communication died out (see Bringing a Language Back from the Dead at Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website). Hebrew was still used for religious purposes, but it became extinct as a daily spoken language.
   
   In the late 1800's, a man named Eliezer Ben-Yehuda decided to dedicate his life to reviving the Hebrew language for daily communication, and he coined hundreds of new Hebrew words (see Eliezer Ben-Yehuda: A Language Reborn at Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website). He wanted his son to be the first all-Hebrew speaking child in modern history, so he made his wife promise to speak only Hebrew around their son. This also meant that visitors to his house had to speak Hebrew (if they didn't know Hebrew, then he sent his son to bed so that his son would never hear any language other than Hebrew!).
   
   If you remember your history lessons, recall that Old English was spoken from around 450 A.D. until about 1100 A.D. (see Introduction to Old English ). For example, the poem "Beowulf" was written in Old English, and most of us probably can't understand any of the words in that poem (you can see and hear the Old English prologue of Beowulf at The University of Virginia ).
   
   It would be incredibly difficult to revive Old English and to make new words for new technology, and then to convince everyone in America or England to speak Old English as their primary language, right? Yet Hebrew (which had been extinct as a daily language since 70 A.D. or earlier) became the official language of Israel when Israel was re-established in 1948, and now they are able to read the Old Testament Scriptures in the original language.
   
   The lips (the speech) of the people of Israel have now been purified in fulfillment of end-times Bible prophecy.
   
   The pieces are all falling into place. We're in "the end of the age," and we are seeing that all of these different lines of end-times prophecies are all coming together in the same timeframe. Jesus is returning soon.




5. According to prophecy, the Jewish temple (which was destroyed in 70 A.D.) will be rebuilt, because a number of passages indicate that the Antichrist will desecrate this temple and put an end to the temple sacrifices:

   "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel --let the reader understand-- then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." (Matthew 24:14-16)
   
   "The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." (Daniel 9:26-27)
   
   "His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. ... The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all." (Daniel 11:31-37)
   
   "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. ... From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days." (Daniel 12:1, 11-12)

   According to these passages, a ruler or a king (in other words, a world leader) will someday rise to power, and he will exalt and magnify himself above all other gods until "the time of wrath" is completed. When prophecy teachers talk about this man, they refer to him as "the Antichrist." These passages tell us that the Antichrist will desecrate the Jewish temple by setting up "an abomination that causes desolation," and that he will exalt himself as the one true God during "the time of wrath." As we saw in Sign #2 (above), "the time of wrath" is the period of time in the future which we usually refer to as the seven-year Tribulation, or "the day of the Lord's wrath."
   
   The above passages tell us that the Antichrist will desecrate the Jewish temple and put an end to the temple sacrifices during the seven-year Tribulation. But the Jewish temple was destroyed almost 2000 years ago, and it has never been rebuilt. So according to Bible prophecy, the Jewish temple will need to be rebuilt in time for these prophetic end-times events to take place.
   
   Right now, several groups of Jews in Jerusalem are in the process of recreating, to precise Scriptural specifications, the temple implements and priestly clothing which will be needed for a fully-functioning, consecrated temple. For example, The Temple Institute has a Photo Tour which contains pictures of many of these recreated temple implements and priestly garments.
   
   For the first time since the temple was destroyed almost 2000 years ago, plans for a new temple have been made, and the required ritual implements and priest's clothing have been recreated, and so on. The fulfillment of end-times Bible prophecy is underway, right in front of our eyes. Practically all that is left is the actual building of the temple itself.




6. The Jewish temple will need to be rebuilt on the holy ground in Jerusalem, where the previous temple stood. But after Israel's War of Independence in 1948, the nation of Jordan had control of the Old City of Jerusalem, including the Wailing Wall (which is the last remains of the previous Jewish temple).
   
   Israel will need to control some or all of Jerusalem in order to have any capability of rebuilding the Jewish temple on holy ground.
   
   In 1967, during the Six-Day War, Israel took complete control of Jerusalem. The Israel Defense Forces website says:

   "General Rabbi Shlomo Goren, the chief chaplain of the IDF blew a long blow on the rams horn, announcing the release of the Western Wall and the old city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, the divided and split capital of Israel, was reunited." (see The Six Day War )

   So when you hear people discussing about where the Third Temple should be built, considering that certain Muslim holy sites seem to be in the way, let it remind you that the steps toward the fulfillment of end-times prophecies are underway, right now. All of these different lines of prophecies are all coming together in the same timeframe. The world is shaping itself into an exact picture of the end-times world described in the Bible. Jesus is returning soon.




7. In order to consecrate the new Jewish temple and the priests, an unblemished red heifer will be required:

   "The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: "This is a requirement of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke. Give it to Eleazar the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the Tent of Meeting. While he watches, the heifer is to be burned--its hide, flesh, blood and offal. The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them onto the burning heifer. After that, the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water. He may then come into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean till evening. The man who burns it must also wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he too will be unclean till evening. A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They shall be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin. The man who gathers up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean till evening. This will be a lasting ordinance both for the Israelites and for the aliens living among them." (Numbers 19:1-10)

   God commanded that a red heifer without defect or blemish must be used as part of the purification rites for anyone entering the temple. So even when the Jewish temple is built, the purification rites cannot be accomplished without a red heifer. According to rabbinical teaching, no flawless red heifer has ever been born within the land of Israel since the Second Jewish Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. (see Jews hail birth of red cow as sign to start third temple ).
   
   However, several years ago a red heifer named "Melody" was born on a farm in northern Israel (see A Holy Cow? ). A commission of 25 religious experts visited this farm and concluded that the red heifer meets the biblical specifications for that unique sacrifice which is commanded in Numbers 19:1-10, above (see A Holy Cow? ). A biblical historian commented that "The finding of such a rare, red-colored heifer is extraordinary... In the entire world, only one such calf has been confirmed to match the biblical requirements, and intriguingly, it was born in the Holy Land." (see A Holy Cow? ).
   
   This red heifer was so significant that it was hailed by religious Jews as a sign from God that they should soon begin building the Third Temple and preparing the way for Messiah's entry into Jerusalem. Jewish activists said that they regard it as their divine mission to build a new temple, and they said, "We have been waiting 2,000 years for a sign from God, and now he has provided us with a red heifer" (see Jews hail birth of red cow as sign to start third temple ). That's how significant this red heifer was to them.
   
   So non-Christian devout Jews are saying that God has been providing signs that it is time to build the Third Temple and prepare the way for Messiah. It is fascinating that not only are Christian prophecy scholars anticipating the soon return of the Messiah, but non-Christian orthodox Jewish scholars are also anticipating the soon arrival of Messiah! We're living in a very unique period of time.
   
   In November, 1998, when the red heifer was about two years old, a spot of white was found on her, and therefore the Rabbis declared her to be unfit for the sanctification of the Priesthood (see The Red Heifer & the Third Temple ).
   
   However, a Mississippi cattle breeder made plans to send 500 Red Angus cattle to Israel. He believes that several of the heifers meet the Biblical requirements, and the idea is that possibly a descendant of one of these heifers can be used for the sanctification rites (see Red Heifer to be Shipped To Israel ).
   
   A red heifer is a vital part of a consecrated Jewish temple. A red heifer will be in the news again. Watch the nightly news and read the newspapers and magazines with a discerning spirit and you will be able to watch this unfold in fulfillment of end-times Bible prophecy.




8. Some day there will be a one-world government:

   "He [an angel] gave me [Daniel] this explanation: 'The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time." (Daniel 7:23-25)

   In Daniel chapter 7, the prophet Daniel had a dream in which there were four strange beasts. An angel gave him the interpretation of the beasts, saying that a kingdom will one day arise which will be different from all other kingdoms because it will devour the whole earth. In other words, it will be a kingdom which covers the whole world. It will be a one-world government.
   
   But notice that the angel told Daniel that this one-world government will somehow split into ten kingdoms (Daniel 7:23-25, above). Then, out of this ten-kingdom stage a new ruler will rise up, and he will speak against the Most High God, and he will oppress the saints, and so on. The name that we usually use for this man is "the Antichrist." So this one-world government will happen before the Antichrist comes to power, but there is nothing in the Bible which tells us when it will happen (this is not the one-world government of the Antichrist. The Antichrist's one-world government will come later, at the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation - see my eight-part series called The Rapture of the Church).
   
   Consider that less than 150 years ago (from the time when this article was written) we had the Pony Express mail-delivery system here in America (see Pony Express Home Station ), as well as the transcontinental telegraph line (see The History of the Telegraph and Telegraphy ). So let's imagine one of those Pony Express riders. He made it through, he delivered the mail, he didn't get into any gunfights. It was a good day. So he gets his Bible out of his saddlebags, he sits down to drink a cup of coffee, and he sees these prophecies of a one-world government. Well, he's got to be thinking to himself, "If the Pony Express and the telegraph and steamships are the fastest way that we can deliver the mail, then this one-world government must be in the distant future." We can understand why he would feel that way, right? After all, you can't run a global government with such limited and slow communications tools as the Pony Express and the telegraph. That Pony Express rider didn't know about global telecommunications satellites. He didn't know about the Internet. He didn't know about online banking and e-commerce. He didn't know about email and instant messaging. He didn't know about video teleconferencing, and those inexpensive little webcams that you can hook up to your PC and have face-to-face conversations with people across the world. He didn't know about mobile communications on your laptop or your Blackberry. He didn't know about cell phones. He didn't know about supersonic air travel. He didn't know about virtual reality and virtual conferencing. He didn't know that in just 150 years in his future, a one-world government would suddenly be feasible, and that prominent leaders would be actively planning and shaping what they call the "New World Order" or the "Global Village." Hillary Clinton and many others talk a lot about the "Global Village." They are actively pursuing it (see It Takes A Village to Raise a Child , or A Liberal Playbook , for example).
   
   A little over 70 years ago (from the time when this article was written), commercial long distance telephone service was introduced between America and England (see Telephone History ). So 70 years ago they could not have had a one-world government because they didn't have the communications technology yet (they were driving Model T cars back then - see Find a Car in History ). 30 years ago there was no Internet, no email, no instant messaging, no online banking, and so on (see A Brief History of the Internet ). 20 years ago the FCC authorized commercial cell phone service for the USA (see History Of Cellular Phones ). 20 years ago IBM introduced the first successfully-marketed IBM PC (see History of Information Science and Technology, 1980-1990 ). That's just 20 years ago!
   
   Technologies such as these will make it possible for a single leader (or group) to govern the entire world, so a one-world government was just not feasible even a few decades ago.
   
   In this article we have seen that we are in the season of Christ's return. It is no coincidence that we are now living in the very first time in history in which these one-world prophecies could technologically be fulfilled. It is no coincidence that influential leaders are actively working behind the scenes to shape this "global village" and make it a reality. Notice that we already have a World Health Organization, a World Trade Organization, a United Nations, and so on; notice that our mindsets are becoming more global (for example, American children are currently collecting money for Afghani children during the war on terrorism); notice that we are seeing global communications technologies developing and maturing, and so on, all of which are making this one-world government idea more and more real.
   
   Keep watching the nightly news and reading the newspapers and magazines with a discerning spirit and you will be able to watch this one-world government or "New World Order" or "Global Village" coming together right before your eyes in fulfillment of end-times Bible prophecy.




9. In addition to the Antichrist, who will rule over the final one-world government, there will also be a False Prophet who will be the leader of a one-world religious system:

   "Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed." (Revelation 13:11-12)
   
   "And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (Revelation 20:10)

   Revelation 13:11-12 (above) says that there will be a second "beast" who looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon. In other words, he will be a wolf in sheep's clothing. He will appear to be a legitimate religious leader (because the "lamb" is a picture of Jesus, as in Revelation 5:12), but in reality he will be speaking for the devil (because the "dragon" is a picture of the devil, as in Revelation 12:9). Revelation 20:10 (above) calls him "the False Prophet."
   
   According to Revelation 13:11-12 (above), the False Prophet will try to force everyone in the world to worship the Antichrist (the "first beast"), which means that the False Prophet will be the leader of a one-world religious system. So there will be a worldwide state religion in opposition to Christianity.
   
   Before the Antichrist comes to power, however, there will be another one-world state religion:

   "One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries. Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished." (Revelation 17:1-6)

   The meanings of some of these symbols are described a few verses later:

   "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction. The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers." Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages."" (Revelation 17:9-15)

   A prostitute takes something which has a proper use and perverts it, turning it into adultery or fornication. That's the normal, physical sense of what a prostitute does. In a spiritual sense, the "prostitute" described in Revelation causes people to commit spiritual adultery or spiritual fornication with her. This "prostitute" is a one-world false religion which will be responsible for killing multitudes of Christians. This "prostitute" is riding on the back of the "beast," indicating that this false religion has government support (because the heads and horns of the beast are explained as being kings in the above passage). This is also indicated by the fact that the kings of the earth commit spiritual adultery with this "prostitute" of false religion, according to Revelation 17:1-6 (above). Since this "prostitute" sits on "the waters" (which are explained as being peoples, multitudes, nations and languages), it indicates that this false religion is a one-world religion.
   
   In the news we can see that different religious groups are trying to find common ground with one another and trying to put aside past differences. God says that there will be a one-world religion someday, and we are watching as people are actively trying to unite with people of other faiths. There is already a coming-together of religious faiths as a stepping-stone to the ultimate fulfillment of end-times Bible prophecy.
   
   It is important for the body of Christ to be united in these last days, but if you pay close attention to the news then you can see that Christian churches and denominations are sometimes starting to put aside the differences that they have with non-Christian religions, and meeting together with them, all in a misguided notion of unity. As prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes, even Christians are sometimes getting caught up in this false spirit of brotherhood. But remember, 2 Corinthians 6:14 says:

   "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14)

   With that in mind, keep watching the nightly news and reading the newspapers and magazines with a discerning spirit and you'll be able to watch this mindset of a one-world religious system coming together right before your eyes. The world is shaping itself into an exact picture of the end-times world described throughout the Bible. Jesus is returning soon.




10. The False Prophet will set up some kind of image of the Antichrist so that it seems to be alive and so that it can speak:

    "Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. ... Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed." (Revelation 13:11)

    It is no coincidence that we are now living in the very first time in history in which the end-times prophecy of a "living" image of the Antichrist can be fulfilled, whether it is through robotics or holograms or virtual reality or some kind of cloning techniques or some other modern technology.
    
    Again, we are living in a very unique time period in which many different end-times prophecies are being fulfilled step-by-step in the same timeframe so that they can be brought to completion during or just before the seven-year Tribulation.




11. The False Prophet will force everyone to receive a "mark" on his or her right hand or forehead in order to be able to buy or sell anything:

    "He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666." (Revelation 13:16-18)

    Here we have the infamous "mark of the beast." Everyone in the world will need to have some kind of a mark, either on their right hand or on their forehead, in order to be able to buy or sell anything. Somehow the number 666 will be associated with the name of the Antichrist, possibly by substituting the letters of his name with the appropriate numbers.
    
    This "mark of the beast" system, which only allows financial transactions between those who have the mark, would probably be impossible without today's technology. We don't really know what form this mark will take, but it's doubtful that it will be a simple tattoo or something that could be faked or imitated. It's more likely that it will be a high-tech solution because everyone on earth is supposed to get this "mark" and perhaps be numbered or cataloged or tracked.
    
    Consider, for example, that grocery stores often use a scanner to read the barcodes on the things that we buy. It would be fairly simple to use lasers to etch a barcode tattoo onto people's right hands or foreheads, which could then be read by a scanner like the grocery stores use. In this way, people's bank accounts could be adjusted automatically whenever they make financial transactions (such as buying or selling anything). That technology exists today. In addition, the technology to implant tiny computer chips under the skin exists today, and it's already in use. Several European countries and U.S. cities already require dogs and cats to have a small computer chip implanted under the skin between their shoulder blades, which contains the owner's identity, and so on (see How Microchips Are Implanted Under Pets' Skin ).
    
    Now, notice in Revelation 13:18 (above) that the number 666 is called "man's number." This is because numbers had important meanings back then. For example, the NIV Study Bible (p.2426) says that in Revelation there are 7 beatitudes, 7 stars, 7 seals, 7 horns and 7 eyes, 7 trumpets, 7 thunders, 7 signs, 7 crowns, 7 plagues, 7 golden bowls, 7 hills, 7 kings, and so on, and it says that symbolically, 7 is the number of completeness. 7 is the number of perfection, and it was considered to be God's number. In contrast, 6 is the number of man because it falls short of the perfect number 7. That's how these numbers were symbolically used back then, as most Bible commentaries will tell you. So 666 is a trinity of "man's number."
    
    These prophecies about receiving a mark have caused some people to be concerned about all kinds of things in our modern society. There are entire websites devoted to finding the meaning of 666 (see 666-Mark of the Beast Studies , for example), and they talk about such things as Social Security numbers, or the metallic strips that you can see when you hold $20 bills up to the light, or UPC bar codes on the packages that you buy (because many of these bar codes seem to have "666" embedded in them), or certain identification methods for military personnel, or debit cards, or "smart cards," and so on. But if you read Revelation 13:11-18 closely then you'll see that the "mark of the beast" is not simply an economic system, it is also a worship system. Those who take the mark will be declaring that they are willing to worship the Antichrist as God, and this will seal their fates for all eternity:

    "A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name."" (Revelation 14:9-11)

    Since the Antichrist has not yet taken over the world, we do not need to be frightened that "they" are going to somehow sneak this mark onto us and doom us to hell without our knowledge. When this "mark of the beast" system gets underway during the Tribulation, people will know that they must make a decision, and true believers will make their stand for Christ.
    
    By the way, Professor Kevin Warwick is the head of the Cybernetics Department at the University of Reading in England. In August, 1998, doctors implanted a small computer chip under his skin using a local anesthetic (see the "Project Cyborg 1.0" link at KevinWarwick.com ). The computers in the Department of Cybernetics tracked his movements, and he was able to operate doors, lights, heaters, and computers without lifting a finger. He says that such an implanted chip could carry all sorts of information about a person, such as your credit card information, your blood type, your medical records, and so on, with the data being updated when necessary. His website said that in November, 2001, he was planning to have a new microchip implanted under his skin and wired up to his nervous system so that it can communicate with his brain (see the "Project Cyborg 2.0" link at KevinWarwick.com ). If the experiment is successful then his wife will be hooked up the same way, with an implanted chip which will communicate directly with her brain.
    
    UPDATE (03/27/2002):
    The operation to implant a "microelectrode array" into Professor Warwick's arm and connect it to his nervous system took place on March 14, 2002, and was considered to be successful. Over the next several weeks, researchers will perform "a wide variety of investigations." See The Neural Connection and Scientists test first human cyborg .
    
    There is also a company called the Digital Angel Corporation which was developing a mass-market implantable computer chip called the "Digital Angel," which could be implanted, for example, in children to help locate them in case they become lost or kidnapped, as well as any number of other uses. Recently I saw a news item which said that the "Digital Angel" company has backed away from developing implantable chips, partly because of adverse publicity due to "privacy concerns and religious implications" (see Smart chips get under our skin ). So keep a discerning eye on these developments as well!
    
    UPDATE (06/10/2004):
    Here is an excerpt from a recent CNN.com article:
    "Queuing to get into one nightclub in Spain could soon be a thing of the past for regular customers thanks to a tiny computer chip implanted under their skin. The technology, known as a VeriChip, also means nightclubbers can leave their cash and cards at home and buy drinks using a scanner. The bill can then be paid later." (see Technology gets under clubbers' skin ).
    
    UPDATE (07/23/2004):
    Here is an excerpt from a recent CNBC.com article:
    "Some retailers love the idea of radio frequency identification chips, which they can use to easily track merchandise. ... Passports will soon have some RFID ability, which means authorities could track your movements around an airport. There's even talk of having RFID chips placed under people's skin, possibly encoded with items like their work security pass." (see SquawkBack Poll: Would you implant an RFID chip? ).
    
    Here is an excerpt from a recent USAToday.com article:
    "Security has reached the subcutaneous level for Mexico's attorney general and at least 160 people in his office - they have been implanted with microchips that get them access to secure areas of their headquarters. ...
    Mexico's top federal prosecutors and investigators began receiving chip implants in their arms in November in order to get access to restricted areas inside the attorney general's headquarters, said Antonio Aceves, general director of Solusat, the company that distributes the microchips in Mexico. ...
    The chips that have been implanted are manufactured by VeriChip Corp., a subsidiary of Applied Digital Solutions Inc. of Palm Beach, Fla.
    They lie dormant under the skin until read by an electromagnetic scanner, which uses a technology known as radio frequency identification, or RFID, that's now getting hot in the inventory and supply chain businesses." (see Mexican attorney general personally goes high-tech for security ).
    
    Here is an excerpt from another recent article:
    "The rights and wrongs of using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on humans have been debated since the tracking tags reached the technological mainstream. Now, school authorities in the Japanese city of Osaka have decided the benefits outweigh the disadvantages and will now be chipping children in one primary school.
    The tags will be read by readers installed in school gates and other key locations to track the kids' movements.
    The chips will be put onto kids' schoolbags, name tags or clothing in one Wakayama prefecture school. Denmark's Legoland introduced a similar scheme last month to stop young children going astray.
    RFID is more commonly found in supermarket and other retailers' supply chains, however, companies are now seeking more innovative ways to derive value from the tracking technology. Delta Air Lines recently announced it would be using RFID to track travelers' luggage." (see Japan school kids to be tagged with RFID chips ).
    
    UPDATE (09/22/2007):
    Take a look at this excerpt from a CNN article, which describes a foreshadowing of the future "mark of the beast" system:
    "In May 2005, Congress passed the "Real ID" Act, which requires states - starting in May 2008 -- to issue federally approved driver's licenses or identification (ID) cards to those who live and work in the United States. ...
    The Real ID Act's identity cards will be required if one wants to drive, visit a federal government building, collect Social Security, access a federal government service or use the services of a private entity ( such as a bank or an airline) that is required under federal law to verify customer identity.
    It will be nearly impossible to live without such an ID." (Why the 'Real ID' Act is a real mess , emphasis added)
    
    Here is a forum in which people are discussing their implanted chips: The "Tagged" RFID implant forums .
    
    Step by step, end-times prophecies are coming together, right in front of our eyes.




12. The only way for this type of "mark of the beast" system to be implemented is if we are a totally cashless society, because this would allow for complete control over who can buy or sell. There is a movement already underway to create this cashless society, as you can see once in awhile in the news (see Cashless Society or Digital Cash? or Canada poised on brink of the cashless society or Cashless society gets mixed reviews , for example). This cashless "global village" will make it easy to force everyone on earth to use one specific mechanism for buying or selling, such as a "mark" on the right hand or on the forehead.
    
    This global cashless society would be impossible without today's technology of computers, global telecommunications, the Internet, online banking, e-commerce, and so on. It is no coincidence that we are now living in the very first time in history in which the end-times "mark of the beast" prophecies could technologically be fulfilled.
    
    Keep watching the news and reading the newspapers and magazines with a discerning spirit and you will be able to watch this cashless society coming together, step by step, right before your eyes. The world is shaping itself into an exact picture of the end-times world described in Bible prophecy. Jesus is returning soon.




13. The Bible tells us that the city of Babylon will be destroyed during the seven-year Tribulation:

    "With a mighty voice he [an angel] shouted: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! ... The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries."" (Revelation 18:2-3)

    So the book of Revelation tells us that Babylon will be destroyed in some way during the seven-year Tribulation. But the ancient city of Babylon died out and vanished millennia ago.
    
    According to this and other passages, the ancient city of Babylon will become a center of commerce during the Tribulation, and possibly it will be the headquarters of the Antichrist, so it will need to be rebuilt somehow. Some people try to interpret this Babylon in a spiritual sense, saying that America is the new Babylon, or that capitalism is the spiritual Babylon, and so on.
    
    However, Saddam Hussein spent millions or billions of dollars rebuilding and reconstructing ancient Babylon, and you can see pictures of the rebuilt Babylon at Why the Confusion? . He followed in the footsteps of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of ancient Babylon, by embossing his own inscription into bricks throughout the many walls and buildings. Some of these inscriptions say:

    "In the era of President Saddam Hussein all Babylon was constructed in three stages. From Nebuchadnezzar to Saddam Hussein, Babylon is rising again."

    In this article we have seen a number of signs which indicate that we are in the season of Christ's return. The Bible says that Babylon will be a center of commerce during the seven-year Tribulation, and possibly it will be the headquarters of the Antichrist, so perhaps it is no coincidence that the ancient city of Babylon has now been rebuilt in preparation for its destruction during the seven-year Tribulation. We can't really say for sure whether Saddam's Babylon is the same as the "Babylon" described in Revelation, but we shouldn't lightly dismiss the possibility. Remember, these different end-times prophecies are all being fulfilled in the same timeframe, right in front of our eyes.




14. At some point during the seven-year Tribulation, God will raise up two witnesses to proclaim His name:

    "I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." (Revelation 11:3)
    
    "Now when they [the Two Witnesses] have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth." (Revelation 11:7-10)

    Notice that people all over the world will gaze on the dead bodies of the Two Witnesses. This is another example of the many end-times Bible prophecies which could not have been understood in any other time period but ours. For example, the dead bodies of the Two Witnesses will probably be shown around the world on CNN and other news shows, and the images will no doubt be broadcast across the Internet.
    
    It is no coincidence that we are now living in the very first time in history in which the end-times prophecy of the entire world gazing on the bodies of the Two Witnesses could possibly be fulfilled. Before 1926, when the first television picture was transmitted from one room to another (see First television transmission 1926 ), nobody could have even understood how this prophecy can be fulfilled. But we can understand how.
    
    We are living in a very unique period in history. We've already seen that the "birth pains" have begun, as Jesus called them. We're in "labor." We're in "the end of the age." These different end-times prophecies are all being fulfilled in the same timeframe. History as we know it is coming to an end. Jesus is returning soon.




15. Another major end-times prophecy yet to be fulfilled is a Russian invasion of Israel:

    "The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him and say: ... I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army --your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops--the many nations with you. ... In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety." (Ezekiel 38:1-8)

    According to this passage there will be a massive invasion of Israel sometime in the future. The passage tells us that the people being invaded will be the regathered Jews, and that the land in Israel used to be desolate: "whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate" (Ezekiel 38:8, above). From some of the signs of the times which we have already examined we know that the regathering and the replanting are currently in progress, so this invasion is still in the future, it is not a past invasion.
    
    The leader of the invasion is "Gog, of the land of Magog" (Ezekiel 38:1-8, above). Many Bible scholars identify Magog as being Russia, as in the following quote:

    "The identification of Magog, Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal is to be determined from the fact that these tribes of the ancient world occupied the areas of modern day Russia. Magog, Meshech and Tubal were between the Black and Caspian Seas which today is southern Russia. ... These names, then, cover the modern territories of northern and southern Russia in Europe and Siberia to the east in Asia. The modern nation of the Soviet Union encompasses all these areas of Ezekiel.
    
    As if to avoid any further possible doubt, verse six adds that these come from the uttermost parts of the north. This is repeated in 38:15 and 39:2. From Israel the uttermost parts of the north is Russia with Moscow being almost a straight line due north from Jerusalem." (The Footsteps of the Messiah, Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum, p.70)

    Other nations involved in this massive invasion of Israel are "Persia, Cush and Put" (Ezekiel 38:5) as well as "Gomer ... and Beth Togarmah" (Ezekiel 38:6). The names and borders of nations have changed over the centuries, but prophecy teachers tend to agree that the invasion force will probably include Russia, Iran, Ethiopia, and Germany, and it will also probably include Somalia and Armenia. Other possible allies (according to various prophecy teachers) are Iraq, Lybia, Jordan, and the Persian Gulf states including Turkey, Syria, Egypt, Bahrain, and Yemen.
    
    This massive invasion force will advance against Israel "like a cloud that covers the land" (Ezekiel 38:16), and God gives us the purpose of this invasion: "I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself holy through you" (Ezekiel 38:16). God will show Himself holy through this invasion by supernaturally defeating it:

    "This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man's sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.'" (Ezekiel 38:18-23)

    Some people see the possibility of nuclear war in some of the descriptions of the destruction of this invading army, but there are also indications that it will be a supernatural defeat. For example, it is intended to demonstrate the greatness and holiness of God, not the power of man's destructive arsenal. Also, it appears that God will supernaturally create confusion or anger among the armies, causing them to turn on each other, because the above passage says that "Every man's sword will be against his brother."
    
    After this massive destruction of the invading armies, the Jews will burn the weapons of war for fuel for seven years. There will be people who are employed to bury the dead and cleanse the land, and workers who find a human bone will set a marker beside it so that the specialists can bury it. This is sometimes taken as an indication that there will be radioactive contamination:

    "'Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up--the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel. They will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut it from the forests, because they will use the weapons for fuel. ... For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. ... Men will be regularly employed to cleanse the land. Some will go throughout the land and, in addition to them, others will bury those that remain on the ground. At the end of the seven months they will begin their search. As they go through the land and one of them sees a human bone, he will set up a marker beside it until the gravediggers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog. (Also a town called Hamonah will be there.) And so they will cleanse the land.'" (Ezekiel 39:9-16)

    Scripture is not specific concerning the timing of the Russian invasion, so we don't know when it will happen. Keep an eye on international news, especially where it concerns the former Soviet Union and Israel. Prophecy teachers point out that in times when Russia has had internal chaos, they have attacked somewhere in order to get more resources. With Israel trading land for peace and with the republics of the former Soviet Union struggling economically and fighting among themselves, it's not too hard to imagine that the time is almost ripe for the prophesied invasion.
    
    Iran will probably be part of the invading force (as we saw above), and when Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum originally wrote his prophecy book, The Footsteps of the Messiah, he said:

    "Though Iran has generally been pro-western and pro-Israel, this must eventually change." (p.70, emphasis added).

    In the 1995 printing of The Footsteps of the Messiah, the above statement has a footnote:

    "Written before the Khomeini Islamic revolution. As of now Iran is anti-western and anti-Israel but not as yet within the Russian sphere of influence." (p.70, emphasis added).

    UPDATE (09/27/2002):
    On August 1, 2002, CNN ran an article entitled Anger at Russia-Iran nuclear ties . This article said:
    "After meeting with Russian officials in Moscow on Thursday, U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said Washington was deeply concerned that Russia was helping to build nuclear reactors in Iran. ... "We do have concerns about the potential assistance Iran is gaining from contacts with Russia with respect to chemical and biological weapons," U.S. Ambassador to Moscow Alexander Vershbow said during Thursday's news conference."
    
    So it would appear that Iran might be coming under the Russian sphere of influence.
    
    UPDATE (09/22/2007):
    Here is an excerpt from a recent CNBC.com article:
    "Today commodities traders are trying to determine whether recent talk of a new OPEC-style cartel for natural gas is serious or not. The proposed alliance would primarily be between Russia and Iran. ...
    "The Russians want to increase their influence in the Middle East," he said. "They want to be seen as a power broker... In respect to that, this move makes sense for strengthening Russian influence in foreign policy."
    In other words, Putin is trying to put himself center stage in the nukes dispute between Iran and the White House. "He has carrots to give the Iranian regime," continued Turtletaub. "If (Iran) sticks it out and continues to improve relations with Russia - "Russia has things to offer that will be valuable to Iran as a dependable ally." (Putin: Russia/Iran Gas Cartel "Interesting" Idea )
    
    Step by step, end-times prophecy is being fulfilled right in front of our eyes.




16. To provide some background for this next sign, let's consider the history of the Church. In the first century there were the original apostles, and the New Testament was in the process of being written. That's one period in Church history. According to the book, The History of Christianity, by Dr. Tim Dowley (p.82), there was brief, localized persecution of Christians under Nero, but it was near the end of the first century when a long period of persecution against Christians began (The History of Christianity, Dr. Tim Dowley, p.82-84). That's the second period in Church history, and it lasted under a number of Roman emperors until Constantine converted to Christianity around 312 A.D. (The History of Christianity, Dr. Tim Dowley, p.139). This began the third period of Church history, in which the Church and the state were generally "married," so to speak, under a number of Christian emperors (The History of Christianity, Dr. Tim Dowley, p.139-151). Then in 590 A.D., Gregory the Great became pope. The History of Christianity says that :

    "Gregory's period as pope, by its extension of the pope's authority, marks the transition from the ancient world of imperial Rome to medieval Christendom united by the Roman Catholic church." (p.203, emphasis added)

    So that was the fourth period of Church history, the period of the Middle Ages, which brings us all the way up to 1517 A.D., when the period of the Reformation began (The History of Christianity, Dr. Tim Dowley, p.366), which is the fifth period in Church history. Then in 1648, with the Peace of Westphalia, an era of wars of religion came to an end, according to The History of Christianity (p.466). This opened the door for the Great Missionary Movement (The History of Christianity, Dr. Tim Dowley, p.466-484), which is often considered to be the sixth period in the history of the Church, and this brings us up to the modern era, which is the seventh period of Church history. That's a general outline of how Christian scholars tend to break down the history of the Church Age. Church history just naturally falls into these 7 distinct periods.
    
    Now, notice that in chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation, Jesus dictated letters to 7 churches:

    "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:1-7)
    
    "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death." (Revelation 2:8-11)
    
    "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it." (Revelation 2:12-17)
    
    "To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): Only hold on to what you have until I come. To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations--'He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery' -- just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 2:18-29)
    
    "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 3:1-6)
    
    "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars--I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 3:7-13)
    
    "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold r