EZEKIEL 37
Every Sunday we present a prophecy update. We show how news and trends in the world corroborate centuries-old prophecies you read in the Bible.
A four-chapter passage in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel has long captivated students of Bible prophecy. Ezekiel 38 through 39 tells of a future invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations that surround it. As we read the headlines in the newspapers of today, and witness the conflict in the Middle East, it’s not hard to imagine that this invasion prophesied over 2600 years ago, could be fulfilled in our lifetime.
Ezekiel 36-37 predicted a regathering of the Jews to the nation of Israel which obviously must precede any such invasion. For 19 centuries the Jewish people were scattered throughout the world, and there was no nation of Israel to invade. The, on May 14, 1948, a nation was reborn in a day and since that time Jews have indeed regathered in their ancient promised land – just as foreseen and foretold by Ezekiel.
I found it amazing that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that Ezekiel 37 has been fulfilled. He recently delivered a speech at the ceremony commemorating sixty-five years since the liberation of Auschwitz.
Excerpts:
I came here today from Jerusalem to say to those who perished here: The people of Israel live!
We have returned to our homeland, to the land of our fathers, to our capital Jerusalem. We have come from every corner of the earth – Holocaust survivors and Jewish refugees from Arab lands, Jews from the Soviet Union and Ethiopia, Poland and Yemen, Romania and Iraq, France and Morocco, Jews from seventy lands and five continents.
The Jewish people rose from ashes and destruction, from a terrible pain that can never be healed.
Armed with the Jewish spirit, the justice of man, and the vision of the prophets, we sprouted new branches and grew deep roots.
Dry bones became covered with flesh, a spirit filled them, and they lived and stood on their own feet.
As Ezekiel prophesied:
“Then He said unto me: These bones are the whole House of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone; we are doomed.’ Prophecy, therefore, and say to them: Thus said the Lord God: I am going to open your graves and lift you out of your graves, O My people, and bring you to the land of Israel.” ((http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/PMSpeaks/speechauchwitz270110.htm))
Israel regathered is perhaps the most powerful indication we are living in the last days predicted in God’s Word.
Ezekiel 36 & 37 have already been fulfilled. Can we doubt that Ezekiel 38 & 39 will be fulfilled?
In previous Updates we’ve seen how the nations named in those passages are aligning against Israel. While there is debate among Bible scholars as to the exact timing of the invasion of Israel from the North by that coalition, we can no longer doubt that it will, in fact, occur just as God has said.
Something else will occur just as God has said. Jesus will return to resurrect His church. When He does, living believers will be raptured along with the dead in Christ rising. It’s a prophesied event that is presented as being imminent. It could happen any moment.
These are the last days.
Get ready, stay ready, keep looking up.
Ready or not, Jesus is coming!
