From the JPost last night:
“The capital of the United States of the Arabs will be Jerusalem,” preacher tells thousands at Brotherhood rally.
“Egypt’s Islamists aim to install a global Islamic caliphate with its capital in Jerusalem, a radical Muslim preacher told thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters in a clip released Monday. “We can see how the dream of the Islamic caliphate is being realized, God willing, by Dr. Mohamed Mursi,” Safwat Higazi told thousands of Brotherhood supporters at a Cairo soccer stadium as Mursi – the movement’s presidential candidate – and other Brotherhood officials nodded in agreement. The capital of the caliphate – the capital of the United States of the Arabs – will be Jerusalem, God willing,” Higazi said. “Our capital shall not be in Cairo, Mecca or Medina,” he said, before leading the crowd in chants of “Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem.” Higazi is an unaffiliated Islamist who is barred from the United Kingdom for making statements endorsing terror attacks against Israelis. The clip, from Egypt’s Islamist-oriented Al-Nas television station, was aired last week and uploaded to YouTube on Monday by the Middle East Media Research Institute.”
(Left, Safwat Higazi, source). Why, oh why do they come against Jerusalem? Why not London or New York or LA or Adelaide or Hong Kong? Why Jerusalem? Well, there is a reason.
“and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24).
So the next question is, “What are the times of the Gentiles? It’s a period of time from 586 B.C. when Israel first went into captivity, until the end of the Tribulation when Christ comes to establish His Kingdom. Through this whole time they have been, to one degree or another, under the attack, the oppression, the influence of Gentiles. But the times of the Gentiles will end. It didn’t end in 70 A.D., so this can’t refer to that. It didn’t end in 160’s, so this can’t refer to that. The end of the times of the Gentiles is concurrent with the day’s vengeance of God, when all things will be finally fulfilled. This is the future of the world.” (Source)
And again, we read in Revelation the Holy City will be trampled upon:
“But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.” (Revelation 11:2).
Photo source- “Folio 26v of the Bamberg Apocalypse”
And again the prophecy of Jerusalem:
“The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, said the LORD, which stretches forth the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling to all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. (Zechariah 12:1-3).
Notice verse 1 of the Zechariah prophecy. It opens with a reminder that the One creating the prophecy is LORD, and additionally, there is a reminder that He is sovereign. He stretches the heavens, He laid the foundation of the earth, He formed spirit of man within Him. ONLY the LORD can do that. It is His will, His sovereign will, that Jerusalem become a cup of trembling to all the people and a burdensome stone.
Now here is how it will go, and how it has gone:
“The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.” (Rev 12:4b-6)
“When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. (Revelation 12:13-17).
When satan caught on to Jesus’ plan, satan tried to kill the babe. God instead warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt, and while they fled, Herod killed all the boy babies under the age of two. Jesus grew up and ascended into heaven upon His resurrection.
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| Romans burning Jerusalem, ALEXANDER Master Date: C. 1430 |
Jesus warned the Jews to flee when they see the antichrist desecrate the Temple during the Tribulation. (Matthew 24:15-20). That is because satan has just been finally kicked out of heaven as per the Revelation verse above, and he pursues Israel (the woman who had given birth to the male child). He persecutes Israel but a remnant escapes and hides at Petra. Frustrated he can’t get at them, satan then turns to pursuing the woman’s children, the Christians, and makes war with them. (We are adopted sons, AKA ‘the woman’s children’ Ephesians 1:5).
Thwarting Jesus’s plans is the center of satan’s plans. Coming after the Israeli people, GOD’S people, and their children is priority #1. Because satan knows he has but a little time, he ramps up the warfare. (Revelation 12:12).
This is God’s sovereign plan. He decided to show Himself Holy through the city’s protection in Ezekiel 38-39, and though He allows the Holy City to be trampled on, though it has been a city of bloodshed and its darkest days are ahead, the city will never be destroyed.
“Then the LORD your God will come, and all the holy ones with him. On that day there shall be neither cold nor frost. And there shall be continuous day (it is known to the LORD), not day and not night, for at evening time there shall be light. On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea; it shall continue in summer as in winter. And the LORD will become king over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be one and his name one. The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft upon its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses.” (Zechariah 14:2-10).
The Muslim priest can spout off all he wants about Jerusalem! We know the end of the story! Though trampled on now, though it will be burdened and occupied by the antichrist, the city is holy and soon we will see reigning from it the LORD Himself, in person, who will be one and His name one! Maranatha!
the-end-time.org 