from Israel My Glory Vol. 58, No. 1
Struttin' On Through the Fire, Part 2
by Elwood McQuaid
It is regrettable that irresponsible, self-appointed, prophetic gurus have demeaned the subject of the Antichrist by repeated attempts to name him and sensationalize his life and times.
Israel at the Epicenter
A three-day conference was held in California last November under the banner of “Middle Eastern Christians in the Islamic Context: Lessons From the Past, Prospects for the Future.” The leadership consisted of religious theologians and personalities who are all convinced that a “New Israel,” namely, the church, has replaced the seed of Jacob. Islamic participants, of course, believe that both Israel and the church have been sidelined in favor of Islam and that an alliance of sorts with Islam is the only religiously correct position to take.
It goes without saying that in the past few years, Muslim leaders have campaigned vigorously to mute Christian support for Israel by forging a vocal union with religious groups that espouse a kind of theological anti-Semitism. In the minds of these groups, Israel’s resurrection in the twentieth century has been a theological embarrassment and has raised a considerable number of questions among their constituents. Joining Muslims to take a slap at Israel must seem like an opportunity to enhance their credibility and demonstrate unbiased compassion.
At issue here is not personal salvation or discriminatory practices against Muslim or Arab peoples. Responsible evangelicals believe that Muslims and Arabs need to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior—and that Israelis and Jewish people need to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. This conviction, however, does not relegate God’s program for Israel’s national destiny to the dustbin of history. Any serious study of the book of Daniel makes this exceedingly clear. God is not through with Israel. Thus, if one sincerely wishes to make sense of prophecy or history, Israel must be given its place. There is no other viable option. As a matter of fact, Scripture has much to say, Old Testament and New, about rejecting or abusing Israel and the Jewish people.
The Fifth and
Final Kingdom
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near
before him. And there was
given him dominion, and
glory, and a kingdom, that
all people, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting
dominion, which shall
not pass away, and his kingdom
that which shall not be
destroyed (Dan. 7:13-14).
Those who interpret Scripture in a literal and historical manner have a significant advantage over those who don’t. Those who don’t, hold a kind of gossamer view of scriptural texts, including texts related to prophecy. A premier expression of this attitude is to claim, with a disparaging chuckle, to be a “pan-dispensationalist.” That is to say, everything will pan out all right in the end. That may get a laugh and defer further inquiry, but it does not address the issue or answer questions that hosts of believers want to have answered.
The Bible, thankfully, is a Book of certainties. If it is allowed to speak for itself, it will provide satisfactory conclusions. With respect to the question of the essential elements of the coming Kingdom, there is no reasonable room for misinterpretation. One may deny it, as some choose to do. Denial, however, does not negate what the Scriptures have to say about the King or His Kingdom. There will be a future theocratic Kingdom. The Messiah will reign in triumph from Jerusalem over reconciled Israel and a subdued Gentile world. Only the redeemed Jews and Gentiles will enter the Kingdom age, during which “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14). If we grasp this, the deterioration of modern society that we are witnessing, if not less painful to accept, is more easily under stood. We are moving toward an objective consummation. God is competent and in control.
What’s in It for Me?
This seems to be the question of the hour. Members of the Me generation are compulsively asking this of God (if they believe at all) and the society that has spawned them. The query is not altogether foreign to the world of believers. You will remember that the apostle Peter asked the Lord the same thing. “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee. What shall we have, therefore?” (Mt. 19:27). Jesus was careful to give His somewhat spiritually underdeveloped follower a sensitive answer.
The material covered in Daniel’s treatise personalizes some otherwise complex matters and speaks to what we may legitimately expect for ourselves. Here are very broad prophetic strokes that give us magnificent panoramas of the future and direct us to spiritual higher ground.
1.
A godless world will become increasingly more godless.
2.
The Antichrist will appear and, for a brief period of time, wreak havoc on Israel and among the nations.
3.
Israel is the central focal point of all prophetic revelation. Keep an eye on Israel, and you can know approximately where the hands on the prophetic clock are positioned.
4.The King is coming. And when He does, He will set things right.
Consequently, what we will learn from the articles to follow will flesh out these truths and offer us the courage, as it did our eloquent, spiritual forebears, to go struttin’ on through the fire.
 Elwood McQuaid served as the executive director of The Friends of Israel
for 12 years. He currently serves as executive editor of Israel My
Glory magazine.
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