“Blow the trumpet in Zion, And SOUND AN ALARM in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING, For it is at hand…” (Joel 2:1)
*WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN? “…as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many people. “And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for THOSE THINGS MUST TAKE PLACE, but THAT IS NOT YET THE END.” (Matthew 24:3-6)
*HOW WILL WE KNOW? “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I BRING BACK THE CAPTIVES OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM, I will gather all the nations And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there On behalf of MY PEOPLE AND MY INHERITANCE, ISRAEL, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And they have DIVIDED UP MY LAND.” (Joel 3:1-2)
In 70AD Roman General Titus attacked Israel, completely destroyed the large, beautiful temple, killed thousands of Jews and sent the rest all over the world. This was the second time this happened to them. The armies of Babylon did it in 587BC. Well on May 14th, 1948, Israel was given their land back once again and Jewish people began coming from all over the world back home. The Hebrew Language was completely forgotten, a special language given to then by God Himself, is now their official language. THAT WAS 74 YEARS AGO.
*WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN OF HIS COMING? “Now learn this parable from the fig tree (Israel): When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves (when Israel becomes a nation once again), you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, THIS GENERATION WILL BY NO MEANS PASS AWAY (the generation that sees Israel become a nation) till ALL THESE THINGS take place.” (Matthew 24:32-34)
*HOW LONG IS A GENERATION? “SEVENTY YEARS are given us! And some may even live to EIGHTY. But even the best of these years are often empty and filled with pain; soon they disappear, and we are gone.” (Psalms 90:10)
“…let us COME NEAR to God with an honest and true heart. Let us COME NEAR with a faith that is sure and strong. Our hearts have been SPRINKLED. Our minds have been CLEANSED from a sense of guilt. Our bodies have been WASHED with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22)
-Bill Stockham