Luke 21:24

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them... But you, brethren, are not of darkness that the day should overtake you as a thief. You are the children of the light and the children of the day... For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5)

As 2009 closes, the world cries "peace and safety" over Jerusalem—but Scripture says the children of light must watch, knowing the day of the Lord is near.

A Historic Year and a Familiar Cry

2009 is one for the history books—a year of stimulus packages and swine flu, climate change and tea parties, and even real pirates in the news. One year ago today, Israel's Air Force was 72 hours into its strike against the Gaza Strip in response to weeks of Palestinian rocket fire.

This was the year of a historic inauguration—Barack Obama, the first African-American president, who would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize and to focus on bringing peace to the Middle East. Many of you saw his September 23rd speech at the UN Security Council, where three times he called for "peace and security," "peace and safety."

When I listened to that speech, my ears perked up each time. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, "For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape." The president declared the goal of "two states living side by side in peace and safety"—a Jewish state and a Palestinian state, ending what he called the occupation that began in 1967.

A Burdensome Stone for All People

It sounds good, and it is a longstanding desire—but Obama is not the first to call for peace in the Middle East. The Scripture foretold in Zechariah 12:2 that in the last days Jerusalem would become a cup of trembling to all peoples. And Zechariah 12:3 adds, "And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people... all those that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces." Is this not being fulfilled in our day? God has made this little piece of land, with no major natural resources, a burden to every nation that handles it.

I hope our president knows what he's doing. To end the "occupation" that began in June 1967, in the Six-Day War when Israel took Jerusalem, is to say what many are saying: that for peace, the Jews must give up Jerusalem. How many of you think that will ever happen? If you do, you've been drinking the Kool-Aid. It will not happen.

The president also envisions peace between Israel and Lebanon, Syria, and its many neighbors. Yet this little nation, reestablished in May 1948, just reached a population of 7.5 million—surrounded by nearly a billion enemies who do not like them. Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has made it clear his goal is to wipe Israel off the map and push them into the Mediterranean.

Land for Peace Has Never Brought Peace

The UN, many European nations, and the United States are essentially calling for Israel to be divided—back to the pre-1967 borders, the 1949 armistice lines. The call sounded loudly in 1993 with the Oslo Accords—that famous handshake on the White House lawn between Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat. It even reached back to the Camp David Accords of 1979.

But every time Israel has given up land, has it won peace? Since 1993 many portions of land have been ceded, and never has it brought peace. Prime Minister Netanyahu is even calling for a Palestinian state, which is remarkable considering the last two prime ministers who pursued this received the judgment of God. Yitzhak Rabin, who made the Oslo Accords, was assassinated shortly after. Ariel Sharon, who gave up the Gaza Strip on the 9th of Av in 2006, suffered a massive stroke that December. I believe that was the judgment of God, for Joel 3 tells us He will judge those who divide His land.

I think Netanyahu—Bibi—is a very intelligent man calling the bluff of the Palestinian Authority. He sets two conditions: the Palestinians must recognize the Jewish state, and they must completely demilitarize. Neither will ever happen, and he knows it. But Obama called for negotiations without preconditions—so Netanyahu's conditions stand against what the president and the world body demand.

The Rabbis Appeal to the Bible

Just today in Tel Aviv, a group of rabbis met with U.S. Ambassador Cunningham, carrying the signatures of over 350 prominent rabbis, calling on the United States to reassess its policy toward Israel and the Palestinians. They said the past 17 years have proven that every square inch ceded by Israel has been transformed into a platform of hatred and terrorism. The land-for-peace formula, they said, is against the divine will of God, and is ineffective, obsolete, and an exercise in futility.

"From the day we started ceding and withdrawing," they said, "we have not had one day of rest and peace. Why should our enemies make peace when by terrorism they get everything they want?" They told the ambassador, "God gave the U.S. the power and influence to affect the rest of the world, and supporting Israel is the key to America's success." Notably, a recent Jerusalem Post poll found only 13% of Israelis believe the current U.S. administration is pro-Israeli; they feel their best friend has left them high and dry.

I believe America's blessing is tied to Israel, for God promised Abraham in Genesis 12:3, "I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you, and in you shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." When the ambassador asked for a solution, one rabbi answered, "We all believe in the Holy Bible, and up until now we have tried every formula except the one delineated in the Bible. Let's try what it says and see what happens. Mr. Ambassador, maybe this is your defining moment."

What the Scriptures Say About the Land

What do the Scriptures say? In Genesis 15:18, God made a covenant with Abraham: "Unto you and your seed I have given this land from the river of Egypt unto the great river, even the river Euphrates." And in Joel 3:1–2, He warns, "In those days... when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land."

This regathering has happened before—after the Babylonian captivity, 70 years later—and again in our day. Beginning with the Zionist movement of the 1890s, and decisively on May 14, 1948, the children of Israel reestablished their homeland. In 2009 alone, another 16,000 Jewish immigrants resettled there. God is prospering the nation just as He promised in Ezekiel 36–37 and here in Joel 3. But He warns that He will enter into judgment with the nations who scatter His people and divide His land.

Iran, the Unclenched Fist, and a Decision

Those who curse God's people will themselves be cursed (Genesis 12:3). Over recent years, Iran has railed curses against Israel. In his inaugural address, President Obama told the Muslim world, "We will extend a hand if you will be willing to unclench your fist." But in 2009 Iran made clear it has no intention to unclench its fist or back down from acquiring nuclear weapons—for the express purpose of wiping Israel off the map. And the international community has done essentially nothing.

A December 23rd op-ed by Alan Cooperman in the New York Times argued the United States faces a stark choice: military airstrikes against Iran's nuclear facilities, or acquiescing to Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons. He concluded, "Negotiation... is always preferable to military action, but in the face of failed diplomacy eschewing force is tantamount to appeasement. We have reached the point where airstrikes are the only plausible option... The sooner the United States takes action the better." The question is whether we will act. Even as the UN met this fall, it was revealed that another secret nuclear site had been found at Qum, Iran—and still the international body did nothing.

Only one nation is gearing up to stand against this: Israel. Two historic signs have appeared in the last two weeks. For the first time since 1948, all of Israel's ambassadors to the world have been summoned back to Jerusalem—December 27th through 31st—for a security briefing, as if the government is preparing for the fallout of something to come. And Netanyahu has been urging his opposition, led by Zippy Livni, to join him in a coalition government, because they are gearing up for war with Iran.

The Destruction of Damascus

We must be watchful and sober, for these events are the barometer of the end times. Israel's rebirth was the next domino to fall on the prophetic calendar, and several other prophecies remain unfulfilled.

In Isaiah 17:1, "The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap." Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world—excavations reach back to about 8,000 B.C., and it has never once ceased to be a city or been made a ruinous heap. So this prophecy is yet to come.

I believe it will be fulfilled before the Lord returns. Damascus is the capital of Syria, long at odds with Israel. After Saddam Hussein's removal, Israel's stated first-strike target against any nation attacking it with nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons is Damascus. Israel is clearly planning to strike Iran's nuclear facilities, as it struck Iraq's in 1981. If it does, Syria—armed by Iran and believed to possess chemical and biological weapons—will likely strike Israel, and Israel will answer with nuclear weapons against Damascus. This could come about in the very near future.

The Invasion of Gog and Magog

Another unfulfilled prophecy is Ezekiel 38–39. "Son of man, set your face against Gog and the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshach and Tubal... Persia and Ethiopia and Libya with them, all of them with shield and helmet, Gomer... and many people with thee." This alliance comes down against Israel, into the mountains—likely the Golan Heights in the north—and is destroyed in a miraculous, almost nuclear-like devastation, since the land must be cleansed for seven years.

The nations are striking. Persia is clear—until 1913, Iran was called Persia. Ethiopia in that day covered much of the Nile Delta and northern Africa, and Libya lies in northern Africa as well—not friendly to Israel. Some believe Gog, Magog, Meshach, and Tubal point to Russia, and in recent years strong ties have been forged between Russia and Iran. Ezekiel 36–37 described Israel's regathering, which we have watched come to pass since 1948; Ezekiel 38–39 describes the coming invasion; and Ezekiel 40 goes on to speak of a rebuilt third temple. These things tell us to look up, for our redemption draws near.

A Judgment Upon the Whole Earth

Isaiah 13–23 contains judgments on the nations surrounding Israel, nearly all already fulfilled except the one against Damascus. But Isaiah 24 broadens to a judgment upon the whole earth: "Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty and makes it waste and turns it upside down... the land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled." It falls upon every class—priest and people, master and servant, lender and borrower alike—because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances, and broken the everlasting covenant.

All joy is removed: "They shall not drink wine with a song... the city of confusion is broken down." Men will be so few that it will be like the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done, or the few olives left at the top of a shaken tree. "Fear and the pit and the snare are upon the inhabitant of the earth"—he that flees the noise of fear falls into the pit, and he who climbs from the pit is taken in the snare. Amos pictures it likewise: you escape the lion and the bear gets you; you escape the bear, lean on the wall, and the snake bites you. There is no fleeing the wrath of God. Revelation 6 says men will cry out for death and it will flee from them.

The chapter ends with the proud and haughty gathered as prisoners, shut up, and after many days visited—as Revelation's final chapters describe the wicked cast into the lake of fire. "Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem"—for, as Revelation 21–22 says, the glory of God will outshine the sun. Will these things come to pass? Read the rest of the prophetic calendar; God has made good on His word, and He will fulfill the rest.

Look Up, Your Redemption Draws Near

In Luke 21, Jesus said, "Nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines and pestilences..." He warned of persecution, betrayal, and the trampling of Jerusalem until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near."

Matthew 24 records the same. Jesus gives the sign of the end: "When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place..." For this to happen, there must be a temple; a temple can only be in Jerusalem; and for a temple to the one true God in Jerusalem, His people must be in Jerusalem. Before 1948 they were not in the land; before 1967 they did not hold Jerusalem. Now the world demands they surrender it—and I say it will not happen, for the Lord's word will stand, and let every man be a liar. He will come again, as the lightning that flashes from east to west.

When Israel became a nation in 1948, the prophetic calendar resumed. We see things coming to pass before our eyes, setting the stage for the return of the King. He could come at any time.

Comfort or Fear—and Our Commission

For some, this is a frightening thought. In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul speaks of the Lord's coming and says, "Comfort one another with these words." It is a comfort to those whose redemption draws near, but a fearful thing for those who have not found salvation in Jesus Christ. If that is you tonight, repent and turn to the Lord. Get ready, for He is going to come.

Many friends and family say, "Stop sharing that stuff—it scares me." Good. Share with them what the Scriptures say, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. For Matthew 24:14 says, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come." We have a commission to take the gospel into all the world until He returns. Matthew 25 calls us to be watching, waiting, and working as good stewards, so that when He returns He finds us doing what He called us to do.

So the question comes to you and to me: are we doing what the Lord called us to do? Are we preaching the gospel of the kingdom? Yes, we have jobs on the line, families to provide for, mortgages to pay—and Scripture says if you don't provide for your family you're worse than an infidel—but we were given a commission to bring the light of the gospel to those in darkness. As 1 Thessalonians 5 says, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation. God has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Preach the Word

So as we step into 2010, my exhortation is to preach the word. "Be instant in season and out of season," Paul told Timothy, for the time will come when men will not endure sound doctrine but heap up teachers having itching ears—and we see it coming to pass. "Watch in all things, endure afflictions, and do the work of an evangelist."

You say, "I'm not Billy Graham or Greg Laurie." Those men are the exception, not the rule. An evangelist is simply one who gives forth the good news. You don't need to stand before thousands or even fifty—you may just need to stand before your neighbor and share the good news. Make full proof of your ministry.

When the Lord returns—and He very possibly could return in our lifetime—I want to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." And if He does not return for the whole church in our lifetime, He is coming for you individually one day. Ten out of ten people die. He's coming. Amen.

Closing Prayer

Lord, perhaps a half dozen times in the prophetic passages, we read of a caution You give to us, Your people—a caution when we hear people saying, "Peace, peace," because we know there is no peace until the Prince of Peace comes. In Psalm 122 we are told to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and tonight we do. The fallen world desires peace, and so does the church, but we may not mean the same thing—for when I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, I'm praying that You would come and stand upon the Mount of Olives, as we read in Zechariah 14, and establish peace in the world. So, Prince of Peace, come quickly.

Stir our hearts to look up, because our redemption draws nigh, and stir us to reach out with the gospel of truth. And if anyone here is fearful about Your return, stir their heart to cry out to You right now, to repent. If that is you, do not leave this place without coming to talk with me, with one of the pastors, or with the person beside you. For the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will come again and fulfill His word. Thank You that You are faithful. Keep this fresh in our minds as we step into 2010, and may it be a bountiful year for the kingdom of God here in Escondido and throughout the world. May we see the increase of Your government and peace. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.