The Final Invasion of Israel and Jerusalem (The time of Jacob's Trouble) – The Second Holocaust before the Salvation of Israel?
A mantra in the Jewish world is “Never Again.” Israel vows they will never again allow a genocide like the Nazi holocaust. But does this line up with prophecy? What is predicted for the future of the Jewish people in Israel? Daniel 12:1,7 A time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time. There is a future event coming on Israel that is worse than the Holocaust.
In the first half of Daniel’s 70th week, a covenant of Death is signed between Israel and the Antichrist. Israel will trust in this false peace offered by the Antichrist rather than the true peace offered by Jesus Christ the Messiah. This event sets in motion the release of the Four Horsemen, signifying Antichrist’s deception, his Satanic rise to power with a “great sword” of bloodshed and destruction, famines creating economic hardship and collapse, and the ultimate consolidation of an Islamic coalition (see Chart The Antichrist, Multiple Visions of the Final Beast) ruled by the Beasts of the Earth (Antichrist and False Prophet). Add to the mix Mystery Babylon, the Religious and Economic powerhouse, which will align with the Antichrist.
In the middle of the week, the Abomination of Desolation Jesus warned of takes place, Jerusalem is surrounded by Antichrist’s armies, Antichrist takes his seat in the temple and proclaims he is greater than the God of the Temple, abolishes the daily sacrifices and then begins his siege upon Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 5:8-15 (NIV) 8 "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself am against you, Jerusalem, and I will inflict punishment on you in the sight of the nations. 9 Because of all your detestable idols, I will do to you what I have never done before and will never do again. 10 Therefore in your midst fathers will eat their children, and children will eat their fathers. I will inflict punishment on you and will scatter all your survivors to the winds. 11 Therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your vile images and detestable practices, I myself will withdraw my favor; I will not look on you with pity or spare you. 12 A third of your people will die of the plague or perish by famine inside you; a third will fall by the sword outside your walls; and a third I will scatter to the winds and pursue with drawn sword. 13 "Then my anger will cease and my wrath against them will subside, and I will be avenged. And when I have spent my wrath upon them, they will know that I the LORD have spoken in my zeal. 14 "I will make you a ruin and a reproach among the nations around you, in the sight of all who pass by. 15 You will be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and an object of horror to the nations around you when I inflict punishment on you in anger and in wrath and with stinging rebuke. I the LORD have spoken.
Zechariah 13:8-9 (NIV) 8 In the whole land," declares the LORD, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. 9 This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'" What will happen to Israel in the second half of Daniel’s 70th week?
Some will experience horrible things like the siege, genocide, dispersion and captivity. One-third of the nation will escape, a small remnant, and will be protected by God during Jacob’s Trouble and saved upon Jesus return to earth. “All Israel shall be saved!”
Other End Time verses relating to the invasion and coming captivity of Israel:
Psalms 14:7, 53:6, Isa. 14:2, 27:13, 28:3, 45:12-13, 49:25, 52:2, 61:2, Ezekiel 20:32-35, 28:25-26, 39:23, 27-28, Obadiah 1:12-20
Remember, Jesus is the One who sets the captives free!
Isaiah 63:1-4 (NIV) 1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? "It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save." 2 Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? 3 "I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. 4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come.
Jesus will appear in dazzling apparel, his garments stained with His enemy's blood. Trampling of the grapes in a winepress is the image of God’s final judgment on sin. Daniel 9:24 is realized, the day of vengeance and year of redemption has arrived, the transgression of Israel is finished, the end of sin is complete, the atonement applied, righteousness is declared, all vision and prophecy is sealed up, the most Holy is anointed and all Israel is saved!
Zechariah 12:10 (NIV) 10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
“The Church needs to understand these prophecies regarding Israel in order to explain to the people experiencing these end times events what is occurring and how Jesus the Messiah is their only hope. One thing to remember about the Jews who experience these things is they are unsaved. If they die in the genocide that is coming it will be an eternal death unless they hear the gospel and repent first. So the first and primary thing we should all consider is our evangelistic efforts BEFORE the 70th week. The effort should be both near and far. Far efforts should focus on ministries in Israel. Near efforts should take place in your hometown (e.g. Jews for Jesus) and attempt to establish relationships with Jews that live there. The other aspect of preparation we should begin to consider is how to protect these people when severe persecution breaks out. This should also have a near far aspect in terms of what we can do close to home. In WW2 the Nazis were persecuting the Jews, some Christians like Corrie Ten Boom hid them in their homes and tried to help them escape through an underground network. These are the things Christians should undertake right now prior to any persecution beginning. In Israel one group “Wings of the Eagle” are planning out an underground railroad of sorts in the Middle East to help lead the Jews to the mountains as Jesus instructed. Jesus will hold us responsible for what we did for the least of his brethren.” Nelson Walters, The Coming Death Angel
During Daniel’s 70th week, Israel is on a tragic path that results in the 2nd Holocaust. However, at the conclusion of Daniel’s 70th week, and after the 7 Seals are complete, all the promises God has made to Israel will finally be realized and the promised kingdom of God will begin while multiple events occur around all Israel being saved.