I have been reading about your thoughts on the timing of Ezekiel 38 with Israel’s resultant turning to the Lord again as a nation and the antichrist using that opportunity to make a treaty and assist with building the temple. It makes the most sense to me of all the scenarios I have read about. Do you think that Israel as a nation might also believe that the antichrist is their long-awaited messiah? (Except the problem is he is not Jewish.)
I respect your approach to Scripture very much; you are logical but do not claim as fact ideas that the Bible leaves unexplained–a good balance.
It’s important to remember that in Jewish thought the Messiah is just a man. He’s called a man of peace, and when he finally brings Israel what appears to be real peace for the first time in their modern existence they’ll embrace him. It’s only when he claims to be God that the trouble begins.
The Lord called their seven year agreement with him a covenant with death (Isaiah 28:15) and when He returns to the Temple in the Millennium, He’ll accuse them of having let uncircumcised foreigners officiate there. (Ezekiel 44:7-9) Since this has never happened in history, it likely refers to the anti-Christ during the 70th Week and if so confirms their acceptance of him.