Dr. Jim Denison has an informative essay up over at GodIssues.org about the new developments surrounding Israel and Lebanon. He gives a brief history and overview of Hezbollah and Hamas, the Muslim organizations who use terrorism as their chief weapons in pursuit of their goal of eradicating Israel as a nation, and then addresses the question of whether the events that are now unfolding in that part of the world herald the end times, as described in the Bible.
I’m not an eschatologist. Frankly, I’ve never understood why anyone would obsess over an apocalyptic timeline when it’s pretty clear that none of us can predict the second coming. I suppose it’s a harmless study, but I also don’t see the benefit. Perhaps someone reading this can enlighten me.
Anyway, I tend to agree with Jim’s leanings in the matter of Israel’s role in the end times:
…that the nation reconstituted in 1948 is important but not necessarily part of the “end times.” Those who adopt this perspective look to passages such as Galatians 3:26-29: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
All who follow Christ are “Abraham’s seed,” not just those who are descended from him by race. Many who adopt this view see Israel as significant and valuable, the most significant democracy in the Middle East and a needed homeland for the Jewish people. But they do not tie end times predictions to events related to the nation.
“Significant and valuable.” I think that’s a good — if overly succinct — description of modern day Israel. I agree, and I also believe strongly that Israel has the right to defend itself with all resources at its disposal against the same strain of terrorists who would do the same damage in America if given the opportunity.
I don’t know. Maybe we are seeing “the beginning of the end” in the escalation of conflict between Israel and its myriad enemies. There’s certainly enough lunatics in power in Iran to provide all the dangerous jokers the game can support. On a national level, I hope our country stays the course in providing Israel with the ally it deserves. On a personal level, I hope these events serve to motivate folks to figure out which side they’re on from a spiritual perspective, because — in the end — borders and nationalities won’t mean a thing.
As Dr. Denison puts it:
I like to read what people think on end times because I’m curious and would like to have an idea of what could be coming so that I may recognise it however I would not even begin to predict dates etc (as the Bible says no-one can anyway) and I wouldn’t call myself obsessive by any means.
I’m in Rachel’s camp — I think it is an interesting topic and have some friends who are helpfully knowledgeable about the various interpretations and schools of thought, but all of us take God’s word for it that we will not know the day or the hour. I tend to be more interested in understanding the scriptural underpinnings than in trying to fit current circumstances to a/the model.
(A scholarly friend jokingly subtitled the LeHaye/Jenkins series, “(If this is true I pray I’m not) Left Behind”)
As with many dire topics — Satan/evil, et al — I do think there’s a healthy middle ground between blithe ignorance and obsession.
While I’m not an eschatologist by any stretch of the imagination, I do think it’s important for Christians to pay attention and be aware, and I also think that while yes, we’re all Abraham’s seed under the cross, at the same time Israel has served a special purpose throughout history and I don’t think we can discount the notion that God will continue to use a literal interpretation of the nation of Israel in the fulfilment of His prophecies.
Beyond that, I think it’s important that we realize that the beginning of the end started the moment Christ ascended into heaven after the resurrection. And just as the Thessalonians were reprimanded for ceasing to work in expectation of Christ’s return, we too should be more focused on what we can do today to serve Christ and not be centering our thoughts and actions on the coming end.
So I guess, long thought process short, I think it’s critical that we be informed and educated and able to give an answer to any who ask – on this and on any aspect of Christianity but that we should avoid finding any one aspect of Christianity and making it an obsession that overpowers.
I think you all have the right approach to these issues. Thanks for sharing.