When I was growing up, I was taught that while maybe God acted in the past, he doesn’t (really) act now.
Rendering God impotent-on-the-big-issues had the (unintended) effect of rendering him irrelevant on the smaller, day-to-day issues too … like my life.
God was painted as a distant deity. An inactive God. He may have existed … and maybe in some mystic way he could still comfort and encourage … but basically, we were on our own to “do life.”
That view may be well-intentioned … but it bears zero resemblance to the witness of scripture!
While none of us knows exactly when the next round of prophetic fulfillments will take place (see Matthew 24:36!), scripture repeatedly urges us to be awake and ready! Jesus spoke to the sleeping Pharisees in his day, saying, “You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky” [and the signs and seasons of nature] “but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”
With no prediction of where history is heading – but wanting you to be much more curious – here are some fascinating prophesies that have been fulfilled in recent generations … 1
The Jewish people will be re-gathered from the four corners of the earth.
Fulfillment: 20th Century and continuing
Isaiah 11:11 Then it will happen on that day that the Lord will again recover … the remnant of His people … 12 And He will assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
The state of Israel will be re-established.
Fulfillment: May 14, 1948
Ezekiel 37:21 Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; 22 and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel …
The Jews will once again re-occupy the city of Jerusalem.
Fulfillment: June 7, 1967
Zechariah 8:7 Thus says the Lord of Hosts … 8 I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.’
The land of Israel will be reclaimed from its desolation, becoming once again a land of agricultural abundance.
Fulfillment: 20th Century and continuing
Personal note: It’s amazing to see what is growing in the most desolate deserts you can imagine!
Ezekiel 36:34 “The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation … everyone who passes by 35 will say, ‘This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’
All the nations of the world will come together against Israel over the issue of the control of Jerusalem.
Fulfillment: Currently occurring
Zechariah 12:1 This is the burden of the word of the Lord concerning Israel. Thus declares the Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, 2 “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around … 3 All the nations of the earth will be gathered against it. … 2 And when the siege is against Jerusalem … 3 in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone [and] all who lift it will be severely injured.
Prophecies Yet To Be Fulfilled The nations of the world will attack Israel in a coordinated effort to annihilate this nation.
Psalm 83:6 These Edomites and Ishmaelites, Moabites and Hagrites, 7 Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites, and people from Philistia and Tyre … 8 Assyria has joined them too [i.e. The Arab countries] 4 say, "Come, let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence."
[Some say that this will be the first of two major battles.
The second battle will include – see italic below …]
Ezekiel 38:2 Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal [Russia] … 5 Persia [Iran], Ethiopia, and Libya … with all their weapons. 8 will be called into action … a long time from now .... In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be lying in peace after her recovery from war and after the return of her people from many lands. 11 You will say …12 “I will go to those once-desolate cities that are again filled with people who have returned from exile in many nations. I will capture vast amounts of plunder … 14 "Therefore, son of man, prophesy against Gog [Russia]. Give him this message from the Sovereign LORD … 15 You will come from your homeland in the distant north with … your mighty army, 16 and you will cover the land like a cloud. This will happen in the distant future. I will bring you against my land as everyone watches, and my holiness will be displayed by what happens to you. Then all the nations will know that I am the LORD. 18 But when Gog invades the land of Israel … 21 I will summon the sword against you … 22 I will punish you … with disease and bloodshed; I will send torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur! 23 Thus … I will make myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the LORD!
Again, I’m not predicting where any of this is heading. But isn’t some of this eerily similar to this past month’s headlines?
As Syria deteriorates as a city …
Prophesied in Isaiah 17:1-3? “Damascus is … to be removed from being a city. … The fortified city will disappear.”
Russia (Gog) is suddenly reasserting world dominance.
Some are arguing that in one week last month the U.S. (which was rebuked nationally and internationally over our weakness in handling the Syrian situation) abdicated our role as world leader (Pax Americana dominated peacefully from 1943-2013) and handed it over to a resurgent Russia (Pax – or “peace” – may not define Russian stewardship under the leadership of the former head of the KGB).
Curious!
And again, I’m not predicting anything. I just want you to say, “Hmm. Maybe I ought to pay more attention!”
Or here’s the real key … “Maybe I ought to be living with a greater sense of urgency!!!”
Note 1:
Much of this is taken directly from David R. Reagan of Lion and Lamb Ministries, http://www.lamblion.com/articles/articles_jews12.php. (The danger of footnoting: When citing any human being – especially any internet commentator – I surely can’t say I agree with 100% of what he believes because I surely haven’t read 100% of his writings! I’m just saying that on this matter, his summary is quick and helpful!)
Note 2:
Historically, prophecy has been fulfilled on multiple levels. It was written, originally, yes, for the people of the prophets day. But as is the case with many Messianic prophesies (prophesies of Jesus), the fulfillment in the prophets day prefigured the fulfillment in Jesus’ day. Indeed, it’s the dual fulfillment that has been historically understood as revealing the power, sovereignty, and consistency of the Lord!
I say this because many “modern” scholars have a different take. And I want you to hear this from me before you go researching. There is a school of thought that says if these prophecies were fulfilled at all, they were fulfilled in the past. For example, Isaiah was speaking of Judah’s 5th Century BC return from Exile, not some 20th Century AD return after a Holocaust. (In fact, do a little digging and you’ll find that most of these “scholars” claim that Isaiah’s prophecy wasn’t “prophecy” at all. They generally believe that passages like this were written after the event.)
Before you go researching, know the two worldviews!!! One says “our God is an active God.” The other is what I described at the beginning of today’s reflections. It may be well-meaning, but they essentially describe an impotent God (and a man-made Bible) that ultimately is irrelevant to our lives.
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