Peruse these haunting current headlines:
British Jews are “full of fear, like I’ve never seen before” ;
Antisemitic graffiti in Paris worries French leaders; and
Open hatred of Jews surges globally, inflamed by Gaza war.
Anti-Semitism (hostility toward Jews) is on the rise in a way not seen since the Holocaust. War has been the impetus, but the undercurrent of such hatred has been with us throughout history, and it swelled in the early twentieth century. As far as I can see on the timeline of biblical prophecy, the final crescendo of Anti-Semitism will happen under the rule of the Antichrist.
We must not forget what the Bible predicts of the future event of the “Great Tribulation” – that “the man of lawlessness”, the Antichrist, will seek to devour the entire people group of Israel (called such because they have descended from the patriarch, Jacob, whose name was changed by God to “Israel.” In fact, the Great Tribulation is referred to in Jeremiah 30:7 as “the time of Jacob’s trouble.”
The prophet Daniel follows a description of this time of end-time warfare on God’s chosen people in chapter 11, verses 40-45, with an apt reminder, “At that time [of the Great Tribulation] Michael, the great prince [archangel of Israel] who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since nations came into being until that time. But at that time all your people [the Jews] who are found written in the book will escape.” (Daniel 12:1, HCB) Jesus Himself refers to the prophecy of Daniel during His famous Olivet Discourse, as He warns that the Jews during the time of the Great Tribulation will need to “flee to the mountains” (Matthew 24:16).
Many of God’s chosen people will return to the Messiah during the time of tribulation. This will be God’s selected era to bring the Jews back to Himself. During this current age of grace, the Lord is drawing Gentiles into the kingdom of God, but He has not given up on Israel, and He will work during the end times to save them, too. (Romans 11:25-27) The world shall witness of revival of God’s chosen people, through whom God gave us His Son (Jewish, by earthly heritage) and the holy Scriptures.
The trendline we see of growing anti-Semitism is concurrent with the swelling antichrist spirit in the world. Jesus is for the Jews and the Gentiles. Jesus died for the world. He came to break down the barrier between the Jews and non-Jews (Ephesians 1:11-18). God has a special place in His heart for those He chose through whom to bless all the nations (Genesis 12:3). As the world more and more rejects the plainness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the narrative of God’s Word concerning His overarching plan for both Jews and Gentiles, we will see a move toward anti-Semitism, which will ultimately culminate with the evil, one-world ruler to come.
God brings all evil to a head, so that He may eliminate all evil and set up His righteous kingdom. Sure enough, during antichrist’s delusional reign of wickedness, God will “gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle” (Zechariah 14:2). Then, at Armageddon, the Lord Jesus Christ will win the final victory against all the earthly evil Hell could bring together in the flesh of humankind. (Revelation 19:11-21; Revelation 20:1-15)
All of the clearly outlined prophecy in the Word of God allows us to properly “discern the times” (1 Chronicles 12:32) in which we live. We must evaluate news in light of the Bible. Holding God’s Word at the helm of our heart and life, we live with confidence, knowing where current events and all of history is headed. As devastating as the newsfeed is recently, we know that the Lord is coming soon to eliminate sin. He will defeat the “man of sin,” under whom the world will soon be held in wicked lunacy.
This is no time to hang your head. This is precisely the time to live the truth and tell the truth so that people may be convicted to put their trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. To tell and live the truth, you must know the truth. Pray, and then open your Bible. Read. The time is drawing near.
– Shelli Prindle