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| The Dome of the Rock |
Why does it seem like the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem are always in the news lately? Israel is a small nation that possesses few natural resources. And Jerusalem is certainly an old city with a lot of history. But there are a lot of old cities throughout the world that possess a significant amount of history.
Why then should Israel matter? Certainly, three major religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) have historical roots in that city. In fact, Judaism claims that Jerusalem belongs to the Jews and no one else while Islam claims that city belongs to the Muslims and to no one else.
And the Christians? The Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church claim that Jerusalem belongs to them while Protestants and Evangelicals claim that Jerusalem belongs to both Jews and Christians.
Why do the Catholic and Orthodox churches claim that Jerusalem belongs to them and not to the Jews? Because they embrace Replacement Theology that teaches that God rejected the Jews after they corporately rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah 2,000 years ago: Replacement theology (also known as supersessionism) essentially teaches that the church has replaced Israel in God’s plan. Adherents of replacement theology believe the Jews are no longer God’s chosen people, and God does not have specific future plans for the nation of Israel. All the different views of the relationship between the church and Israel can be divided into two camps: either the church is a continuation of Israel (replacement/covenant theology), or the church is completely different and distinct from Israel (dispensationalism/premillennialism).
Thus, Replacement Theology plays a very important role in the future of Jerusalem and the events leading up to the appearance of the Antichrist, Armageddon and the return of Jesus Christ. But how? Because the Catholic and Orthodox churches believe that in order for Christ to return and set up His earthly kingdom, He must have a temple to return to. Therefore, the Catholic Church must control Jerusalem in order for that temple to be built.
Why do the Catholic and Orthodox churches claim that Jerusalem belongs to them and not to the Jews? Because they embrace Replacement Theology that teaches that God rejected the Jews after they corporately rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah 2,000 years ago: Replacement theology (also known as supersessionism) essentially teaches that the church has replaced Israel in God’s plan. Adherents of replacement theology believe the Jews are no longer God’s chosen people, and God does not have specific future plans for the nation of Israel. All the different views of the relationship between the church and Israel can be divided into two camps: either the church is a continuation of Israel (replacement/covenant theology), or the church is completely different and distinct from Israel (dispensationalism/premillennialism).
Thus, Replacement Theology plays a very important role in the future of Jerusalem and the events leading up to the appearance of the Antichrist, Armageddon and the return of Jesus Christ. But how? Because the Catholic and Orthodox churches believe that in order for Christ to return and set up His earthly kingdom, He must have a temple to return to. Therefore, the Catholic Church must control Jerusalem in order for that temple to be built.
Obviously, that can't happen as long as Islam's third holiest site, the Dome of the Rock, occupies the Temple Mount in Jerusalem where the Jewish Temple existed until 70 A.D. when the Romans destroyed that building during their invasion of Jerusalem.
But that still doesn't solve the mystery as to why Jerusalem has become one of the focal points of world affairs in the last days. Why is Jerusalem so important to the world? It's the epicenter between good and evil being fought in the spiritual realm. The apostle Paul explained it best: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)
The battle for Jerusalem has become the battle being fought between God and Satan for eternity. That city was given by God to the Jews and to no one else. It's known as the city of David where God's presence on earth dwelled in two ancient temples that existed on the Temple Mount.
And Jerusalem is the city where Jesus Christ will rule the world when He returns. And according to the prophetic events revealed in the Bible concerning the last days, Christ's return is getting near. That's why the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem have become so visible since Israel was reestablished as a world nation once again in 1948 after it had been voided by Roman Emperor Hadrian in 130 A.D.
Satan desperately wants to prevent Jesus Christ's return because that spells his doom. Therefore, he's tried to destroy the Jewish people and the nation of Israel since the ancient times. Having failed to exterminate the Jews through the Holocaust, he's encouraged Israel's hostile Islamic neighbors to annihilate the Jewish nation since 1948.
Today's so-called two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians is his latest attempt to destroy Israel. There can be no two-state solution. As long as Islam exists, the Muslim world will attempt to destroy Israel because the Koran teaches that the Imam Mahdi (Islamic messiah) cannot appear and establish his global caliphate until Israel is gone and all the Jews have been eliminated from the world.
However, Islam will be going away while Israel will continue to exist. How can we be sure of that? Because Israel will be allowed to rebuild her coveted Temple on the Temple Mount. But how is that going to happen? And who will have the authority to make that happen? The Antichrist will be the man who will make that happen after he rids the world of Islam. But how? By force.
Israel will never be able to rebuild her Temple as long as Islam exists. Therefore, Islam has to go away. But how do we know that the Antichrist will authorize the rebuilding of Israel's third temple? The prophet Daniel, who lived about 2,600 years ago, gave us a clue: "He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." (Daniel 9:27)
What is this covenant? It will be a treaty that this diabolical world ruler will sign with Israel. The Antichrist will promise to protect the Jewish nation from her enemies and allow her to rebuild her coveted temple in exchange for her sovereignty. What is this 'seven'? That will be the time-period of the treaty. Israel will be offered protection and a new temple if she agrees to give up her sovereignty to this world ruler for seven years.
And what is this "abomination that causes desolation"? When the temple reopens, the daily sacrifices spelled out in the Mosaic Law will be reinstituted. However, in the middle of the seven-year treaty, the Antichrist will cancel the sacrifices and will defile the Temple with his presence. The apostle Paul explained: "He (Antichrist) will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (2 Thessalonians 2:4)
The Antichrist will be an elaborate counterfeit of Jesus Christ. And he will come through the Roman Catholic Church via Russia. For that to happen, the Catholic and Orthodox churches must reunite after their 1,000-year separation. Realize that the Orthodox Church came from the Catholic Church. And realize that the Catholic Church believes that Jerusalem belongs to her and not to the Jews. Therefore, it's imperative that the coming world ruler drives Islam out of the world so he can have Israel build him his temple.
Greek-Melchite Archbishop Cyrille Bustros said it best concerning the Orthodox Church's position that the Jews no longer have any right to claim Jerusalem as their capital city: "We Christians cannot speak of the promised land as an exclusive right for a privileged Jewish people. This promise was nullified by Christ."
The Catholic and Orthodox churches believe that while the old Jerusalem belonged to the Jews, the "new" Jerusalem belongs to them and they must take control of that city in order for "Christ" to return.
Joel Bainerman of RedMoonrising.com writes: The Roman Catholic Church wants Israel to lose sovereign control over the Old City of Jerusalem so that the promises to the literal descendants of Abraham will be applied to the "New Jerusalem." If Israel controls Jerusalem it is evidence that Rome's claims are not legitimate and that the literal interpretation of Scriptures is correct. There is no place for the restoration of the nation of Israel in its theology. How can the Vatican claim to be "the New Jerusalem" and "rightful heir to the Kingdom of God" if the Jews control Jerusalem? How is the Catholic Church going to convince the world that its version of theology is correct?
How do we know that the Catholic Church will play an important role in a world government, the rise of the Antichrist and the prophetic third temple in Jerusalem? From an allegorical vision that the apostle John received from God while in exile from Rome on the desolate island of Patmos in about 90 A.D. John "saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries." (Revelation 17:3-4)
Who is this mysterious woman? She represents the global religion that will be partnered with a global government that was depicted in John's vision as the scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. What's the identity of this religion? The woman represents the Roman Catholic Church.
But how can we be sure of that? John revealed the world headquarters of this religion; it's a city that's surrounded by seven hills. (Revelation 17:9) What city is that? There are only two cities in the world that are surrounded by seven hills; Rio de Janeiro that's located in Brazil and Rome that's located in Italy. The Vatican is located in Rome and is the world headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.
Furthermore, John saw this title written on the woman's forehead: Mystery Babylon The Great, The Mother of Prostitutes And of The Abominations of The Earth. (Revelation 17:5) And furthermore, John described the colors of the woman's dress as purple and scarlet. (Revelation 17:4)
Purple and scarlet are the colors worn by the Roman Catholic priesthood. And Mystery Babylon is an historical moniker that the Catholic Church has used to describe herself. When John recorded the Revelation, the Catholic Church didn't exist and wouldn't come into existence for another 250 years. Was John's vision merely a coincidence? That's extremely unlikely.
And so, Israel isn't going away and the Jewish nation is going to build her Third Temple under the authority of the dreaded Antichrist. But when? When the Antichrist becomes the ruler of a world government.
Vatican II spelled out the Catholic Church's ambition to unite all the world's religions under Rome and to take possession of Jerusalem: In our time, when day by day mankind is being drawn closer together, and the ties between different peoples are becoming stronger, the Church examines more closely her relationship to non-Christian religions. In her task of promoting unity and love among men, indeed among nations, she considers above all in this declaration what men have in common and what draws them to fellowship. One is the community of all peoples, one their origin, for God made the whole human race to live over the face of the earth. One also is their final goal, God. His providence, His manifestations of goodness, His saving design extend to all men, until that time when the elect will be united in the Holy City, the city ablaze with the glory of God, where the nations will walk in His light. (Declaration On The Relation of The Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate, October 28, 1965)
The "Holy City" that Vatican II mentioned is Jerusalem, not Rome. When the world is united as one under a world government, the Antichrist will move his throne to Jerusalem (Daniel 11:45) where he will declare himself God to the world in the new Temple. How close are we to seeing this happen? We are getting very close.
The battle for Jerusalem has become the battle being fought between God and Satan for eternity. That city was given by God to the Jews and to no one else. It's known as the city of David where God's presence on earth dwelled in two ancient temples that existed on the Temple Mount.
And Jerusalem is the city where Jesus Christ will rule the world when He returns. And according to the prophetic events revealed in the Bible concerning the last days, Christ's return is getting near. That's why the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem have become so visible since Israel was reestablished as a world nation once again in 1948 after it had been voided by Roman Emperor Hadrian in 130 A.D.
Satan desperately wants to prevent Jesus Christ's return because that spells his doom. Therefore, he's tried to destroy the Jewish people and the nation of Israel since the ancient times. Having failed to exterminate the Jews through the Holocaust, he's encouraged Israel's hostile Islamic neighbors to annihilate the Jewish nation since 1948.
Today's so-called two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians is his latest attempt to destroy Israel. There can be no two-state solution. As long as Islam exists, the Muslim world will attempt to destroy Israel because the Koran teaches that the Imam Mahdi (Islamic messiah) cannot appear and establish his global caliphate until Israel is gone and all the Jews have been eliminated from the world.
However, Islam will be going away while Israel will continue to exist. How can we be sure of that? Because Israel will be allowed to rebuild her coveted Temple on the Temple Mount. But how is that going to happen? And who will have the authority to make that happen? The Antichrist will be the man who will make that happen after he rids the world of Islam. But how? By force.
Israel will never be able to rebuild her Temple as long as Islam exists. Therefore, Islam has to go away. But how do we know that the Antichrist will authorize the rebuilding of Israel's third temple? The prophet Daniel, who lived about 2,600 years ago, gave us a clue: "He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." (Daniel 9:27)
What is this covenant? It will be a treaty that this diabolical world ruler will sign with Israel. The Antichrist will promise to protect the Jewish nation from her enemies and allow her to rebuild her coveted temple in exchange for her sovereignty. What is this 'seven'? That will be the time-period of the treaty. Israel will be offered protection and a new temple if she agrees to give up her sovereignty to this world ruler for seven years.
And what is this "abomination that causes desolation"? When the temple reopens, the daily sacrifices spelled out in the Mosaic Law will be reinstituted. However, in the middle of the seven-year treaty, the Antichrist will cancel the sacrifices and will defile the Temple with his presence. The apostle Paul explained: "He (Antichrist) will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (2 Thessalonians 2:4)
The Antichrist will be an elaborate counterfeit of Jesus Christ. And he will come through the Roman Catholic Church via Russia. For that to happen, the Catholic and Orthodox churches must reunite after their 1,000-year separation. Realize that the Orthodox Church came from the Catholic Church. And realize that the Catholic Church believes that Jerusalem belongs to her and not to the Jews. Therefore, it's imperative that the coming world ruler drives Islam out of the world so he can have Israel build him his temple.
Greek-Melchite Archbishop Cyrille Bustros said it best concerning the Orthodox Church's position that the Jews no longer have any right to claim Jerusalem as their capital city: "We Christians cannot speak of the promised land as an exclusive right for a privileged Jewish people. This promise was nullified by Christ."
The Catholic and Orthodox churches believe that while the old Jerusalem belonged to the Jews, the "new" Jerusalem belongs to them and they must take control of that city in order for "Christ" to return.
Joel Bainerman of RedMoonrising.com writes: The Roman Catholic Church wants Israel to lose sovereign control over the Old City of Jerusalem so that the promises to the literal descendants of Abraham will be applied to the "New Jerusalem." If Israel controls Jerusalem it is evidence that Rome's claims are not legitimate and that the literal interpretation of Scriptures is correct. There is no place for the restoration of the nation of Israel in its theology. How can the Vatican claim to be "the New Jerusalem" and "rightful heir to the Kingdom of God" if the Jews control Jerusalem? How is the Catholic Church going to convince the world that its version of theology is correct?
How do we know that the Catholic Church will play an important role in a world government, the rise of the Antichrist and the prophetic third temple in Jerusalem? From an allegorical vision that the apostle John received from God while in exile from Rome on the desolate island of Patmos in about 90 A.D. John "saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries." (Revelation 17:3-4)
Who is this mysterious woman? She represents the global religion that will be partnered with a global government that was depicted in John's vision as the scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. What's the identity of this religion? The woman represents the Roman Catholic Church.
But how can we be sure of that? John revealed the world headquarters of this religion; it's a city that's surrounded by seven hills. (Revelation 17:9) What city is that? There are only two cities in the world that are surrounded by seven hills; Rio de Janeiro that's located in Brazil and Rome that's located in Italy. The Vatican is located in Rome and is the world headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.
Furthermore, John saw this title written on the woman's forehead: Mystery Babylon The Great, The Mother of Prostitutes And of The Abominations of The Earth. (Revelation 17:5) And furthermore, John described the colors of the woman's dress as purple and scarlet. (Revelation 17:4)
Purple and scarlet are the colors worn by the Roman Catholic priesthood. And Mystery Babylon is an historical moniker that the Catholic Church has used to describe herself. When John recorded the Revelation, the Catholic Church didn't exist and wouldn't come into existence for another 250 years. Was John's vision merely a coincidence? That's extremely unlikely.
And so, Israel isn't going away and the Jewish nation is going to build her Third Temple under the authority of the dreaded Antichrist. But when? When the Antichrist becomes the ruler of a world government.
Vatican II spelled out the Catholic Church's ambition to unite all the world's religions under Rome and to take possession of Jerusalem: In our time, when day by day mankind is being drawn closer together, and the ties between different peoples are becoming stronger, the Church examines more closely her relationship to non-Christian religions. In her task of promoting unity and love among men, indeed among nations, she considers above all in this declaration what men have in common and what draws them to fellowship. One is the community of all peoples, one their origin, for God made the whole human race to live over the face of the earth. One also is their final goal, God. His providence, His manifestations of goodness, His saving design extend to all men, until that time when the elect will be united in the Holy City, the city ablaze with the glory of God, where the nations will walk in His light. (Declaration On The Relation of The Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate, October 28, 1965)
The "Holy City" that Vatican II mentioned is Jerusalem, not Rome. When the world is united as one under a world government, the Antichrist will move his throne to Jerusalem (Daniel 11:45) where he will declare himself God to the world in the new Temple. How close are we to seeing this happen? We are getting very close.
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