There are at least five critical issues facing our world today. What does the modern nation of Israel have to do with the End Times? How should Christians respond to a world overrun by rampant violence and militant Islam? Does the Bible give us insight into Russia’s resurgence on the world stage? What can be known about how the Rapture and End Times will occur? Could divine judgment be meted out during our lifetime? I’ve sought to answer these questions through my book People Are Asking...Is This the End?, but here is a quick look at these crucial questions.
Issue 1: Israel
Long ago, God set aside a people for Himself, starting with one man whom He called out of a pagan nation and to whom He promised great renown, innumerable descendants, and a good land. That man was Abraham. Four thousand years later, his name is still held in the highest esteem by Jews, Christians, and Muslims; his descendants have survived the harshest persecutions imaginable in ancient, medieval, and modern times; and the land into which God brought him is once again in the possession of the Jews.
Clearly Abraham’s God is a God who keeps His covenants.
Since 1948, many have looked on the establishment of the modern state of Israel as the modern fulfillment of God’s promises to His chosen people. Despite being hemmed in on all sides by hostile nations, and against all odds or human logic, Israel has survived all-out war and constant domestic terrorism. Yet increasingly the international press portrays Israel as an aggressor nation, an occupying force, a brutal regime afflicting poor and disenfranchised Palestinians who have had their land stolen out from under them.
The Isolation of Israel, one of the chapters in People Are Asking...Is This the End?, delves deep into the covenant God entered into with Abraham as recorded in Genesis and reiterated throughout the prophetic books of the Old Testament, unveiling which prophecies concerning the nation of Israel have been fulfilled... and what is yet to come.
How should Christians view the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians? And what does the reestablishment of the nation of Israel in the Holy Land mean for us? Is it merely an accident of international politics? Or could it be a sign that the end is near?
Issue 2: ISIS
Hardly a day passes anymore without dire news of the expansion of ISIS. Whether they are recruiting disenfranchised youth through social media, bombing busy marketplaces full of civilians, kidnapping journalists, beheading Christians, or funding new terrorist groups, ISIS looms large on our TVs, on our smart phones, and in our imaginations. Fear is their greatest weapon, and they wield it without mercy.
Not only are they expanding their reach and spreading violence throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Europe but we have also seen their incursion on American soil. What is the Christian’s proper response to ISIS and other forms of militant Islamic extremism, both at home and abroad? Do we despair and give up? Do we meet violence for violence? Do we let fear and anger color our interactions with Muslims and taint our witness? Or is there a better way?
The Insurgency of ISIS explores the development of ISIS, starting in the biblical book of Genesis and ending with its modern-day manifestations. We’ll learn about its ultimate goal, its methods for reaching that goal, and what role Christians can play in combating its influence.
Issue 3: Russia
After decades of seeming slumber, Russia is flexing its muscles, annexing territory, and making alliances with dictatorial countries that daily call out for Israel’s destruction. The threat of radical Islamic factions like ISIS seems to grow like an unstoppable cancer, devouring all people and nations in its path. Our own nation seems incapable of stemming the tide and has even entered into agreements with hostile nations like Iran with blatant disregard to its traditional allies.
With upheaval as the new normal and no end in sight, dare we conclude that God has abandoned His people to an ignominious fate? Or could it be that what we humans see as chaos is really something God has been orchestrating all along? And if that is the case... why?
The Resurrection of Russia points us to the mysterious prophecies of Ezekiel 38–39 and how they reveal both the key to understanding our troubling times and the all-powerful hand of our mighty God.
Issue 4: The Rapture
Due in large part to the phenomenal success of books such as the Left Behind series, the Rapture has been solidly on people’s minds for the past twenty years. Some look for this event as a release from a world that seems increasingly broken beyond repair. Others find the concept terrifying as they consider whether they may, in fact, be left behind. And because the Rapture is an event without precedent, it’s understandable if we approach it with a bit of trepidation. After all, can we really know what will happen?
The Rapture of the Redeemed sifts through dozens of prophetic writings that speak of a time when Christ will remove His Church from this world, answering tough questions such as...
- Will there be a Rapture? If so, who will be taken up, and where will they go?
- Will there be any warning beforehand?
- What will the actual event be like?
- Is there hope for believers who are already dead when the Rapture occurs?
- Will those taken up keep their bodies or will they undergo some kind of transformation?
- What will raptured Christians do after the event itself?
- Will Christians have to endure the Tribulation?
- When will Christ return?
- How should we handle people who make predictions about when the Rapture will happen—especially when those predictions do not come true?
- Is there anything we can do to prepare for the End Times?
- Most of all, does it really matter what we believe about the Rapture?
We live in uncertain and desperate times. Read on to experience the comfort and assurance found in God’s good plan to save His Church.
Issue 5: The Tribulation
Over the centuries, many people have made predictions about coming catastrophes. Sometimes the prognosticators are correct. More often than not, they are wildly off base. One source of prophetic declarations that has never been proven false is the Scriptures. God has warned human beings of judgment, famine, defeats and victories in battle, periods of bondage, and the manner of His coming into His creation, both as a helpless baby and as a conquering king. We can be sure that whichever prophecies we read in the Bible that have not yet come to pass will be fulfilled in God’s perfect timing.
So what does the Bible have to say about the times yet to come?
It is clear from the Old Testament that one of the most frequent types of prophecies God’s messengers declare to His people are those concerning judgment. Whether in the form of a flood or raining sulfur or conquering armies, the judgment of God is preceded by a warning and a call to repentance. Did such punishments cease when Jesus came? Or does the Bible warn us of a future judgment—one that may happen within our own lifetimes?
In Translated Before the Tribulation, we delve into the meaning, manner, and timing of the Tribulation, a period of increasing wars, political upheaval, violent natural disasters, and widespread persecution. We’ll explore such questions as...
- What does the word tribulation mean?
- Why would God unleash such punishment on the world?
- When will the Tribulation begin?
- Will there be any warning?
- What will happen to believers and unbelievers during the Tribulation?
- How long will it last?
- How will it come to an end?
- Is there any hope for those who must endure it?
- What should people do in light of the coming wrath?
Our merciful God is long suffering, slow to anger, and does not want any to perish. Yet, He is holy and will mete out perfect justice on the unrepentant. The question you must ask yourself is, “Is this the end?”
Request your copy of People Are Asking...Is This the End? to delve deeper into these five timely topics.
For deeper study of Revelation and Prophecy, visit Dr. Jeremiah's Prophecy Academy where you will find a panorama of prophetic materials to enhance your understanding of God's Plan for the end of the world.