I have a very respectful question regarding the Christian Theology of "End of Days" and the state of Israel.

Question

It's almost impossible to ask this question without someone calling me anti-semetic. But I am going to try.

For the record, I'm an atheist wishing to learn about Christian theology; additionally, I wish my country America would appropriately support the Democracy that is Israel.

My question is this: Before Jesus makes his second return, is it Biblical prophesy that the state of Israel be destroyed? If so, please explain this to me using Bible references so I can read them and understand.

I ask because I heard this on Air America's Randy Rhodes show yesterday and don't like "only hearing one side". I agree with the liberal position regarding "appropriate support"; and not the current neo-conservative foreign policy's support of Israel.

Answer 1

From a Biblical perspective, the Messiah was to be the one to resurrect Israel. That happened in 1948 without a Messiah, which means that the modern state of Israel is not the Biblically prophesied Israel, and is totally irrelevant to eschatology.

Answer 2

Okay, I'll give it a shot. There's a place in the bible (can't remember where exactly), where it states that Israel will become a nation again, and during that generation (a biblical generation is 70 years), the end times will start. Israel became a nation in 1948, so we have until 2018 for things to heat up. Israel will rebuild their temple, which I see as being very difficult considering the dome of the rock is there now, but things are changing rapidly in the mid-east, so who knows. The Israelites (chosen people), had their hearts hardened when God became angry with them, but during end times, he will soften their hearts and they will come to believe in Jesus as His son. There is also a place in the bible where its states quite clearly that any country that goes against Israel will suffer for it, which is one reason you won't find a lot of christians wanting to against Israel. Egypt became convinced during the 6 day war or whatever it was called that Israel had divine intervention, so they will never go against Israel again, which is why you'll notice Egypt is not getting into the mid-east conflict.

After the abomination of desolation, (this is when the anti-christ goes into the new temple and declares himself God), there will be a war, starting in Israel and ending at Armagaedon, which is a literal place. That's about all I remember off hand.

Answer 3

a difficult question with an both confusing answer. A a million state answer is a none starter as neither aspect ought to comply with it Obama is searching for a 2 state yet the position will those 2 states be positioned.? The Gaza Strip ought to ,in the present day, grant 0.5 with the West economic agency being the different 0.5 joined with suggestions from a staggering highway or a lengthy tunnel. the placement the following is how are the Israelis going to eliminate four hundred,000 basic settlers?the placement about the right to exist is only a minor situation so long because it does no longer substitute to the no properly to exist. a 0.33 decision ought to be to positioned the completed of the West economic agency lower than finished administration, of the Palestinians which includes the elimination of Israeli troops and police. . With that plan lots of the unlawful settlers ought to flow out voluntarily. That leaves East and West Jerusalem no longer so confusing because the West remains Jewish at the same time as the East is going to the Palestinians. This link filmed with suggestions from CBS information provides a sturdy account why the West economic agency will be the major situation

Answer 4

Israel will not be destroyed.
God made a covenant with the Jewish people and He will keep it.
The Christians are of the New covenant. God turned to us so that all of Israel would be saved. That is to say, God's chosen.
Rom 11:25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in;
Rom 11:26 and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB."
Will Israel go through tough times? Yes they will.
It is only the remnant that will be saved.
What is a remnant? That which is left over from the whole.
As a lesson:
Jesus fed the 5000.
John 6:12 And when they were filled, He said^ to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost."
John 6:13 And so they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten.
Why did He say that nothing be lost? The remnant of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Jesus fed the 4000.
Mat 15:36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
Mat 15:37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
How many baskets? Seven. The remnant of the seven churches of the ages. We are now in the church of Laodicea Rev.1 through 3.
In the begining of the 4th chapter of Rev verses 1 and 2 it is a picture of the church leaving the earth. John being the representation of the church. Once the church leaves God will turn back to the Jews, His chosen.
OLAY!

Answer 5

There is no reference at all to the modern state of Israel in the Bible. When Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70, all prophecy about that nation was fulfilled.

When Jesus returns, the earth will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:10) and all will face judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10).

That's it. No 1000 more years on earth, no 'rapture', no reconstituted earth.

Answer 6

The Israelite nation that God led was destroyed by Babylon, the remant of Israel is the nation that will be saved. The remnant refers to those who have become his chosen people by faith in the Savior.

Romans 11:1-24 explains how the gentiles are also among the remnant of Israel.

Romans 9:8"In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring."

Romans 9:24-28 also explains this. Notice how Israel is like the sand of the saeshore but only the remant of Israel will be saved. The Israelite nation in those days was a couple hundred thousand.

Lord's blessings on your study.

Answer 7

Israel has already been destroyed but it was formed again in the 20th century. After the holocaust the jews were brought back together to form the nation of israel. Before this they had no country because they were dispersed throughout the world. I do believe we may be in the last days because the bible says that they will be brougt back together before judgement day. What to look for is when Israel is attacked on all sides.

Answer 8

i think that some of the prophecies that ppl refer to about the destruction of Israel have already happened, such as the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in the 100's. However, what you heard may have been referring to the end-time prophecies in Ezekiel 38. They refer to an attempt by "Gog" (which biblical scholars have identified as modern-day Russia) to destroy Israel:

verses 14-16 say:

"Thus says the Lord God: 'On that day when my people Israel are living securely, you will rouse yourself and come from your place out of the remotest parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army; you will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the earth."'

and 18-23:

"'On that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,' says the Lord God, 'my wrath shall be aroused.

For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare: On that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and the animals of the field, and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all human beings that are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground.

I will summon the sword against Gog in all my mountains,' says the Lord God; 'the swords of all will be against their comrades.

With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him; and I will pour down torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur, upon him and his troops and the many peoples that are with him.

So I will display my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD."'

of course, these prophecies also refer to a divine intervention to protect Israel, so i don't think that Israel will be destroyed. i don't know all the Bible prophecies obviously, but from what i do know, Israel won't be "destroyed" --- at least, not any more than the rest of the world is during the Great Tribulation.

hope this helps!

Answer 9

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that the modern state of Israel is going to be destroyed specifically. The Bible says that Jesus apostles asked him what would be the sign of his presence in the last days. Luke 21:7 "Then they questioned him, saying: “Teacher, when will these things actually be, and what will be the sign when these things are destined to occur?” 8 He said: “Look out that YOU are not misled; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time has approached.’ Do not go after them. 9 Furthermore, when YOU hear of wars and disorders, do not be terrified. For these things must occur first, but the end does not [occur] immediately.”

10 Then he went on to say to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 and there will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another pestilences and food shortages; and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs.

12 “But before all these things people will lay their hands upon YOU and persecute YOU, delivering YOU up to the synagogues and prisons, YOU being haled before kings and governors for the sake of my name."
So the signs of his presence or "second coming" as some people call it were wars, food shortages, pestilences, earthquakes, the appearance of anit-Christs, and persecution of Christ's true followers. Since 1914 these things have pointed to the presence of Jesus Christ in kingdom power. Soon he will take action against all the governments of the world (Dan. 2:44) with God's approval, including Israel.

Answer 10

I am not a Christian but this "appropriate support" ?! what kind of appropriate support has been show by liberals?

The only thing I have heard is that they demand a cease fire and that Israel has been to harsh in trying to destroy terrorists whose only goal is to kill them.

do you know how many cease fires their have been in the Middle East! The only thing they do is allow groups like Hezbollah to rearm, just like they did from 2000 till now. Before that they did not have rockets that could reach Haifa! I have been to Haifa its not a border town.

sorry about the rant I just had to get it off my chance because I have yet too see anything positive come from a liberal position on this issues.