Tag Archives: End Times

Is America in Bible Prophecy? Quite Possibly Yes!

Posted on by
2

Isaiah 18:1–3, In the chapter heading in some Christian Bibles, Isaiah chapter 18 is titled “Ethiopia.” Is this an accurate chapter heading? Isaiah 18:1 refers to “the land … which is beyond [on the other side of] the rivers of Ethiopia.” The traditional view among many biblical commentators (both from Christian and Jewish sources) is that this prophecy is referring to the area of modern Ethiopia, which is just south of Egypt. It is believed that the river mentioned in this passage is the Nile with its tributaries, while the ships are a reference to boats that regularly ply those waters, and the whirring wings refer to either locusts or to tsetse flies, which are abundant in that region. These same commentators offer various views on how this prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled in ancient times. In these commentaries, no explanation was given of the meaning of the word sea in verse two and how that relates to Ethiopia, or how Ethiopia was a nation that was feared far and wide (verse 2). Perhaps another interpretation could be offered that would better fit the descriptions of the land and its people given in this prophecy.

USA-1 21632842

It would be presumptuous to base our entire premise that America is in Bible prophecy on this passage alone, but united with other similar passages that speak clearly of end-time Ephraim, perhaps Isaiah 18:1–3 should be considered in this context. This is all the more plausible when we consider the fact that the scholarly views that this prophecy pertains only to ancient Ethiopia are from before the twentieth century when America was not yet a world power, and airplanes were yet to be invented. Also consider the fact that as rabbinic Jewish scholars do not know who end-time Ephraim is, so Christian scholars do not know who Ephraim is either. Neither group relates Ephraim to “Gentile” Christianity.

Now with some of these things in mind, let us take another look at Isaiah 18:1–3 and see how several well-known Bible translations render these passages.

Verse 1, This verse literally refers to “a land buzzing/whirring with wings” beyond Cush (Ethiopia, Africa), or to “clamorous wings” (ASET), or to “whirring wings” (NAS). Could this be a reference to the modern airplane and the role of aircraft in end-times America? Which nation on earth has more aircraft than America? Where was the airplane invented? What nation is the world’s leader in the aero-space industry and technology? Where can one not go in America without hearing aircraft overhead? What nation of people fly more than any other people?

Verse 2, This country sends ambassadors by sea, is a nation which has been feared from its beginning, is feared far and wide (KJV and NAS), is a powerful and oppressive nation (NAS) whose land is full of rivers meaning there are many mountains and lakes, as well—it’s a well-watered land, and it is a land where people speak a strange language. English is a very recently developed language! Additionally, America has been a mighty nation from its founding. It twice defeated the mighty British empire in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. America is also a land of many large and small rivers flowing out of numerous mountain ranges.

Note: This excerpt is part of a much larger work I wrote and published a few years ago entitled, “Is America in End-Times Bible Prophecy?” available at http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/america.pdf.

 

Isaiah and the Second Exodus

Posted on by
1

What is below is an extract from a much larger work I have published on this blog on the subject of the second exodus. You can find it at http://hoshanarabbah.org/blog/2014/04/19/the-second-exodus/. Natan

Isaiah 11:10–12:6, The Second Exodus

Although consisting of two chapters, this passage of the Scriptures is part of the same prophecy and speaks about the coming of Messiah, and the regathering of the outcasts of Israel from the nations to which they have been scattered. Below is a list of the salient points that pertain to the second exodus along with my commentary.

Suitcases and bags in trunk of car ready to depart for holidays

11:10, The root of Jesse (the Messiah) will be an ensign or banner to the Gentiles of the nations. We know that Yeshua was that root of Jesse who commanded his followers to preach the gospel to the Gentile world. The gospel has gone to the entire Gentile world only in the 20th century via the means of modern travel and mass communications.

11:11, Here, the prophet seems to be talking about another group of people — a remnant of his people (the outcasts of Israel, verse 12) as opposed to the larger group of Gentile believers from among the nations (who have heard the gospel message) referred to in verse 10. YHVH will recover his people ­— the remnant of Israel — the second time (i.e., the second exodus) from all lands including the islands of the sea (North and South America, England, Australia, Japan, etc.).

11:12, YHVH will set up an ensign or banner for the nations and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah. Yeshua is that banner. Even though Yeshua is the ensign for the Gentiles of the nations and for the remnant outcast of Israel who are scattered among the nations, only the outcasts of Israel will be regathered along with the dispersed of Judah.

11:13, It is among this remnant group of scattered redeemed Israelites and dispersed redeemed Jews that peace between the two groups will occur. How may we ask are these two previously antagonistic groups brought together? This can Continue reading →

 

YHVH’s Judgment on Egypt’s Idol-Gods About to Repeat Itself

Posted on by
1

Exodus 7:14, The ten plagues plus one. The ten plagues were Elohim’s judgment against the gods and idols of Egypt (Exod 12:12; 33:4; Num 33:4). Here are the list of plagues and possible suggestions as to which gods of Egypt YHVH was judging. Modern man worships these same false gods, and YHVH will bring his judgements against them in the last days.

Divine Intervention

  • The first plague was the water turning to blood. This may have been a judgment against abortion (the Egyptians threw their babies into the Nile for sacrificial purposes) and against materialism (since fewer children mean fewer expenses for a family, and the Nile River was the source of Egypt’s prosperity).
  • The second plague was frogs. This may have been a judgment against pride (frogs puff themselves before they croak) and environmentalism or animal worship. In America, for example, after 9/11, how many bumperstickers did we see that had the words “pride” on them, and “God bless America” as if YHVH is duty-bound to bless America? How can YHVH bless a nation that refuses to repent and turn from its arrogant and wicked ways?
  • The third plague was lice. This may have been a judgment against pride and narcissism (self worship), since the Egyptians were highly focused on their personal appearance and hygiene, their appearance and in shaving of body hair.
  • The fourth plague was flies, which may have been a judgment against devil worship, occultism and witchcraft (i.e., the whole religious system of Egypt). A biblical name for Satan was Beelzebub, or lord of the flies (Matt 2:25–27; Luke 11:15–19).
  • The fifth plague was the death of the livestock. This may have been a judgment against transportation and commerce.
  • The sixth plague was boils, which may have been a judgment against the Egyptians obsession with their bodies and faith in medical science.
  • The seventh plague was hail, which may have been a judgment against their agriculture industry and earth worship.
  • The eighth plague was locusts. This may have been a judgment against Egypt’s food production. The Nile River and its delta was one of the bread baskets of the ancient world and a source of great wealth to Egypt.
  • The ninth plague was darkness. This may have been a judgment against Egypt’s intelligentsia and religious system, which was spiritually devoid of the light of truth.
  • The tenth plague was the death of the firstborn, which was a judgment against Egypt’s future and posterity.
  • The destruction of Pharaoh and his armies in the Red Sea was a judgment against Egypt’s political and military might.

Is YHVH Elohim bringing America and other “Christian” nations under judgment for the sins they have committed against him even as he brought judgment against the gods of Egypt? What are the similarities between gods of ancient Egypt and those of western and Christian culture? In America, for example, in recent years, there has been a marked increase in adverse weather conditions, natural catastrophes, terrorism, bank and financial failures, personal and corporate bankruptcies, high unemployment and inflation rates, and high foreclosure rates on homes just to name a few possible judgments against a nation that has turned its back on Elohim and the Bible.

 

Watch, Pray and Be Prepared So You Won’t Be Naked!

Posted on by
2

Mark 14:51, A certain young man…naked. The reason for the inclusion of this detail in the Gospel record has puzzled many commentators. For example, Matthew Henry suggests that it was added to show the barbarous nature of the Jewish gang that arrested Yeshua, and how narrow was the disciples’ escape from their hands.

14510472

There seems, however, to be a greater spiritual lesson to be learned from this story. Previous to this, Yeshua, as he and his disciples were coming into the Garden of Gethsemane, admonished them to sit and pray with him (v. 32), to stay and watch (v. 34), to watch and pray so as not to fall into temptation because of the weakness of the flesh (v. 38). Instead, the disciples slept (vv. 37, 40).

Elsewhere, Yeshua instructs the elect saints of the last days to endure tribulation and spiritual apostasy to the end (Matt 24:13), and to watch vigilantly and be ready for his second coming (Matt 24:42, 44; 25:13).

These warnings are in the context of his Parable of the Ten Virgins. All slept while awaiting the bridegroom’s arrival. While five were spiritually prepared, five were not. Those who were unprepared were dubbed as foolish and weren’t allowed into the wedding.

Likewise, in the end times, there will be believers who YHVH views as wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked because they have grown lukewarm spiritually (Rev 3:14–17).

The point of this discussion is this: If the disciples of Yeshua fail to maintain a state of spiritual preparedness (by watching, praying, keeping oil in their spiritual lamps, enduring to the end) while awaiting his return, they, like the young man in Gethsemane and the Laodiceans in the Book of Revelation, will be found to be spiritually naked lacking robes of righteousness on the day of his return and thus unprepared to meet him (Rev 19:7–9 cp. Matt 22:2, 11–12).

 

Ezekiel 37, Matthew 24, Revelation 6–7: Putting Pieces of the Prophetic Puzzle Together

Posted on by
Reply

Ezekiel 37 Explained: On Bones, Earthquakes, Wind, Angels, Revival and the Second Coming

Ezekiel 37, The Reunification of Israel and The Return of the Messiah. Before we start studying this passage, let’s identify and define the key players who are mentioned in Ezekiel 37. They are:

20431779

  • Judah: This name refers to both the tribe of Judah and to the southern kingdom. Scriptural context will determine which is meant.
  • Children of Israel: This term is found 603 times in the Scriptures and is used 472 times from Genesis through Second Samuel in obvious reference to the united kingdom (prior to the split of the northern ten tribes from the southern two tribes [in addition to the Levites]). There are times, however, when, after the division of the kingdom, this term refers specifically to either the kingdom of Israel (i.e., the northern kingdom) or the kingdom of Judah (i.e., the southern kingdom), but not to both (e.g. in reference to the southern kingdom only see 1 Kgs 18:20; 19:10, 14; 20:15,  27,  29; and in reference to the northern kingdom only see 2 Kgs 17:7,  8,  9,  22,  24).
  • Joseph: He was the eleventh son of Jacob and the father of Ephraim and Manasseh, who fathered two tribes of their own (i.e., the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh). These two tribes took the place of what might otherwise have been known as the “tribe of Joseph.”
  • Ephraim: This name is used 180 times in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and is referring to this specific Israelite tribe or as a metaphor for the northern kingdom of which the tribe of Ephraim was the leading and largest tribe (Isa 7:9, 17; 9:9; 11:13; Ezek 37:19; Hos 4:17; 5:12,  13,  14; 6:4; 7:1; 10:11: Zech 9:13). When blessing the two sons of Joseph, Jacob placed his right hand of power and strength upon the head of Ephraim signifying the position of primogeniture for him and his descendants (Gen 48:17).
  • House of Israel: This term is used 146 times in the Scriptures. Prior to the division of the united kingdom after the death of Solomon, this phrase referred to all twelve tribes of Israel. Afterwards (during the time of the prophets) it was used in contradistinction to the phrase “house of Judah” in reference to the northern kingdom. In the Testimony of Yeshua (the NT), Yeshua makes reference to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt 10:6; 15:54). In some references in the Testimony of Yeshua, this term refers to all twelve tribes of Israel (Acts 2:36; 7:42; Heb 8:10), while in some biblical passages it refers to just the northern kingdom (Heb 8:8). The context of the passage of the scriptures surrounding this phrase determines its meaning.
  • Mountains of Israel: This is a poetic metaphor referring to the twelve tribes of Israel (Ezek 34:13, 14; 36:1,  4,  8; 37).

Ezekiel 37:1–14, The vision of the valley of dry bones. Ezekiel 37 continues where chapter 36 left off by giving us two prophetic visions focusing on the (spiritual) rebirth and reunification of the nation of Israel. The first part of the chapter recounts Ezekiel’s vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, while the second half of the chapter is his vision of two sticks or trees being reunited and becoming one tree.

Both prophetic visions concern the same people: the whole house of Israel comprised of Continue reading →

 

New Video: 12 Benefits: Knowing Who the Two Houses of Israel Are

Posted on by
Reply

The biblical prophetic writings speak of the house of Israel/Joseph/Samaria/Ephraim and the house of Judah/the Jews. The Bible teaches that these are two different groups of people and they will exist on the earth in the end times. Knowing who these players are in biblical prophecy will help us to understand what will happen prophetically in the end times as this video shows.