Why The Rapture Will Precede Ezekiel 38
Q. First, let me start off by saying that this is the best resource for realistic and credible eschatology I have ever found on the internet. Most other sites make claims with no foundation. I love the study of end-times and prophecy, which brings me to my question.
I have long believed (because of my previous denominational upbringing and family influence) that the events of Ezekiel 38 would happen before the Rapture, which of course wouldn’t happen until the preaching of the Gospel to the world was complete. This site has effectively changed my mind on the stance of the preaching of the Gospel issue. I really would like to believe that the Rapture is going to take place before Ezekiel 38’s events take place, but I need more basis then just Romans 11:25. Can you provide more basis for this claim (either in a direct response or point me to where it currently exists on the site?) I would like to know how you came to this conclusion.
Thank you very much for your site’s wonderful resources and insight.
A. Romans 11:25 says that Israel has been blinded in part until the full number of Gentiles has “come in”. In the Greek language that phrase means to arrive at one’s intended destination. John 14:3 says that our intended destination is our Father’s house. In Acts 15:13-18 James told early Church leaders that the Lord was first going to take a people for His name’s sake from among the Gentiles before rebuilding David’s fallen Tabernacle. Daniel 9:27 says that the anti-Christ will defile this building in the middle of the missing 70th week. Matt. 24:15-21 and 2 Thes 2:4 confirm this as the beginning of the Great Tribulation.
Today if you offered Israel a Temple, they’d refuse it because they’re not a covenant nation. Only after God reveals Himself will this change and Ezekiel 39:22 says that Ezekiel’s Battle serves this purpose. From that time on, Israel will know that the Lord is their God, but they still won’t recognize Jesus as their Messiah. If they did, they wouldn’t want a Temple, and wouldn’t be fooled into thinking that the anti-Christ is their Messiah.
Put it all together this chain of events emerges. Christ has been building His Church for nearly 2000 years. During this time the Jews have been sidelined, blinded in part. When the Church’s number is complete He’ll whisk us off to our mansion in the sky before revealing Himself to Israel by dramatically winning the Battle of Ezekiel 38. Jews from all over the world will flock to Israel demanding a Temple for worship. A covenant with the one we know as the anti-Christ will permit its construction, kicking off Daniel’s 70th week. In the middle He’ll claim to be God and the Great Tribulation is on. You know the rest.
