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Dr. Tim LaHaye - Ezekiel 38-39

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Tim LaHaye is an internationally-known minister and speaker, and author of the Left Behind series of apocalyptic fiction based on the prophecies of the Bible.

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10/4/2008
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Dr. Tim LaHaye
Ezekiel 38-39
Dr. Tim LaHaye
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Tim LaHaye is an internationally-known minister and speaker, and author of the Left Behind series of apocalyptic fiction based on the prophecies of the Bible.
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Alert Prophecy Conference

Alert Prophecy Conference

Alert! The fulfillment of Biblical prophecies is imminent. How will you respond? This intense series features timely messages from Pastor Skip Heitzig, prophecy expert and author of the Left Behind series Dr. Tim LaHaye, LTG. William G. Boykin, and former terrorist Kamal Saleem. Learn how prophecy is being fulfilled before our very eyes, and consider what we can expect in the near future.

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A few months back, I made a deal with a pastor. Here was the deal. He asked me to speak at his church. And I said, only if you come and speak at our church. Well that was Dr. David Jeremiah with Shadow Mountain Community Church. The one that I'm going to introduce to you now is the one who was the founder of Shadow Mountain Community Church.

And he pastored there for 25 years. Eventually that church grew to three locations. During that time, Tim LaHaye founded two accredited Christian high schools, a school system of 10 Christian schools, and Christian Heritage College. Dr. Tim LaHay also assisted dot Dr. Henry Morris in founding the Institute for Creation Research. And that was a great help to me when I was doing my medical training. I really appreciated their work.

Dr. LaHaye started the pre-tribulation, pre-trib research center. He's the author of 50 books and the Left Behind series, which everybody knows about, sold 60 million copies.

[APPLAUSE]

Pretty impressive. But you now, at heart, he's just a regular guy, a servant of the Lord, a wonderful pastor. Please welcome Dr. Tim LaHaye.

[APPLAUSE]

Wow. Thank you. Wow. My father would have enjoyed that introduction. My mother would have believed it.

[LAUGHTER]

What an honor to be with you today in this incredible prophecy conference. I mean, prophecy is what I'm all about in the last 25 years of my life. And I'm just so thrilled that on Saturday afternoon, so many of you have come. I'll try my best not to drive you away.

[LAUGHTER]

But prophecy is God's means-- and I'll show you in a moment how God uses prophecy, fulfilled prophecy, to prove that he alone is the Lord. Now get your pencil out, because I want you to write it down. But before you do that, I'm not just about speaking on prophecy. I want God's people to be blessed by prophecy. Because prophecy has done three things for people.

Whenever they get stirred by the prophetic word of God, it causes them to be more evangelist. It causes them to be more missionary minded. It causes them to be more interested in a holy living in an unholy age. And I submit to you that's one of major things we need today. So I'm commending you for studying prophesy. But make it a priority in your life, because all the motivation it gives you is helpful.

Now on the book table back there, we have special prices for special books. And I want to tell just a few of them. I brought too many books and I'd written too many books to bring along. I don't have a freight train.

[LAUGHTER]

But I wanted you to see this one. I've always dreamed of a chartered book of prophecy. 50 of the major charts-- major issues of prophecy are charted in this book, and described. It's a seminary course that you can do at home. But I'm just so grateful of God for His blessing. I had the vision for this and I went to a publisher and I said, I want a fold out chart to start this.

And they said, no, you can't. It's impossible. And I wanted to show you what's impossible.

[LAUGHTER]

It's God's plan of the ages. And once that grasp you-- I don't think you can really understand God or his method until you understand his plan for your future. God has two plans for you. One, the long range prophecy that he has for all of us, his plan for the future. And by the way, the best is yet to come. Believe me. And then he has a plan for you, for your life. He wants to use your life.

And I want to tell you, as a veteran of the ministry for over 61 years, the best bargain you can ever make with God is to give it to him. It blesses you in this world and the world to come. And it even blesses you in your life and marriage. I see so many young people. How many of you are single. Let me hold up your hand. OK. Look around. See who's here.

[LAUGHTER]

I have a great affinity, as a pastor for 37 years, I have an affinity for marrying people. I think I've married over 356 people. That's about three more than I've buried.

[LAUGHTER]

And it's exciting. I love to see people get together and be maritally happy. I have been blessed in that I've been married for 61 years.

[APPLAUSE]

I want to tell you the two secrets. Always obey these secrets. Number one, you only want to marry a committed Christian. And two, you want to marry someone who has your calling, the same calling you have, to serve Jesus Christ. And it's best if that person has found that before they ever met you. My wife and I met in a Christian college. She was only three years ago when we met.

[LAUGHTER]

And we have literally-- and I'm not saying this for effect. This is true. We have literally had a running romance for 61 years. And that's the best way to live.

[APPLAUSE]

Now to help you folks that are learning about prophecy for the first time, my colleagues and I and in the pre-trib research center moved together and we wrote the prophecy study bible. It's called Tim LaHaye-- and I've got to explain why. There were four of us that made the vote and they suggested we put my name on it. And so I lost three to one. And anyway, it's the Tim LaHaye Prophecy Study Bible, and I've always wanted to have charts and diagrams. And it's got 16 color charts in it.

It's a wealth of material. But the dream I had was that only the explanation for a prophecy would be on the same page as the prophecy in the Bible. So you'll find a course there. And then of course, there are other books on the book table. I won't bore you with them. Commentary on every passage of prophecy in the scripture. And in my latest book that has three chapters of what I'm going to get to you today, if I get time to get to it, that is global warming. No, no. Global warnings.

[LAUGHTER]

The big mistake I made with this was not dedicating it to Al Gore.

[APPLAUSE]

Enough said. The question that I answer in this book is, are we on the brink of World War III? And may I point out to you that I believe not only that, but we're also on the brink of the second coming of Jesus, or the first--

[APPLAUSE]

The first phase of the Second Coming of Jesus, which is the Rapture of the church. But that's a session for tomorrow. Turn with me in your Bible to two passages of scripture. First of all, I want to be very quick and give you this that I want you to memorize. In Isaiah 46, Isaiah was the prince of prophets. He ranks up there with Daniel himself.

And of course, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, they're hard to beat. No wonder they're called the major prophets. But Isaiah lived at a time when Israel had apostatized and they were worshiping idols and he couldn't understand why. People would make something with their hands, cover it with silver and gold or platinum, and then bow down and worship it.

And then worse than that, ask it questions about the future. What should I do? It's insane. And yet they were doing that. And so God himself spoke through Isaiah with these words. 9th verse. These are the verses that you should memorize. By the way, I only found these about three years ago. And it just tuned me into the importance of Bible prophecy.

Remember the former things of old, all the miracles I perform in saving the children of Israel is what he's saying. For I am God and there is no other. I am God, and there's none like me. That's an astonishing thing for God to say through his great prince of prophets. But then he shows us how we can believe that, declaring the end from the beginning.

Now what is the end? The last days. How the world is going to come to its end. It's going to be the subject of my next series of fiction books. The end. As we're approaching the end, we need to see that God has a plan. And he said, I declare the end from the beginning. Now when I first read that, as one of the founders of the Institute for Creation Research and a colleague of Dr. Henry Morris, who's Mr. creationism, I couldn't help but wonder, why does he start with the end first, instead of as he starts in the Bible.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth. Very simply. Because there were no witnesses to creation. There are all kinds of witnesses to prophecies that have been fulfilled. And just to wet your appetite for this, do you know how many prophecies there are in the Bible? Over 1,000. Closer to 1,100. We have them all listed in our prophecy study bible.

And then he said, I am the one that can declare the end from the beginning. Well, with over a 1,000 prophecies in the Bible, you reckon with the fact that over 500 of them have already been fulfilled. Whenever someone says to you, why do you take Bible prophecy literally? Very simply. Because over 500 prophets prophesied something in their time and it has already been fulfilled.

For example, I'll just give you one. I don't want to get carried away on this because I've got my message that I've been assigned and I can't wait to get to. But it is incredible how God himself has given us clarion illustration that this is the supernaturally written word of God. Everything we hold dear is in this Bible. Everything that we base our future expectations on is in this Bible. And we believe that it came from God.

It says that over 1,200 times in the Bible. How do we know it? Because the Bible has fulfilled over 500 prophecies literally. For example, how in the world do we know that Jesus, of the 13 billion people that are either on the earth today or have lived in the aggregate population of the world, how do we know that Jesus is the only person that has fulfilled all the messianic prophecies?

By laying them out. And you find 109 prophecies just of the Messiah. And how many did Jesus fulfill? All of them. How do I know that he is the only one that is the way to God? Because he's the only one that has fulfilled all the prophecies. For example, you know how many someone else may have fulfilled by the time he's born of the seed of the woman?

He's born of Abraham's seed and Jacob and Joshua and Judah and David. And born of a virgin. We're getting-- there's limited number of that 13 billion. And that's only scratching the surface. Jesus fulfilled them all. I don't think anyone who's ever lived has fulfilled more than seven or eight prophecies. But Jesus fulfilled them all.

Therefore we can trust him to keep his word, and his blood could cleanse all our sin. Well, let that wet your appetite for the subject of Bible prophecy. Now to get to the subject that I've been assigned and I can't wait to get to. Turn with me in your Bible just over a couple more prophets. Ezekiel, chapter 38 and 39. One of the most astonishing chapters in the Bible.

In fact, these two chapters come right after chapters 36 and 37.

[LAUGHTER]

And you know why? Because 36 and 37 tell us about an absolute miracle that has taken place in our generation. The children of Israel were without a homeland for 1700 years. In the year 135, the Roman emperor issued a decree. He was so disgusted with the Jews and they're always creating a revolution or something. He issued a mandate that anyone that finds a Jew in Palestine could kill them legally.

Now that would make the Jews rather scarce in the land. And they went from 135 to '37, they were scattered all over the world. Now no nation in the history of the world-- you can check this out-- has ever succeeded in being lifted up from its national homeland and taken to another land or scattered around the world that's been able to maintain its identity for more than 300 years.

For example, have you ever met a Hittite? And yet at one time, they were an enormously powerful nation. And there are many other illustrations of people that have sunk beneath the sands of time. But how many of you have met a Jew? And you see, the Jews lived somewhere for 1700 years. All the while, the Bible prophets were saying they'd be gathered back into the land.

And just at the turn of the century, last century, they began coming back into the land until today. They're almost six million of them in the land. And we don't have any question that Ezekiel 36 and 37 is talking about that, because of the 11th verse, he's talking about the bones coming to his bones and so on in the valley. And he says, these bones are the whole house of Israel.

So what do we have? The regathering. And it's been fulfilled in our lifetime. What an incredible indication that this is the book of God. We can trust it. Now with that in mind, we take you into the future with the children of Israel coming back into the land. Now God said-- and remember as we go through this, this was written 2,500 years ago.

And the prophet was moved by God to say, now the word of the Lord came to me saying, son of man, set your face against God and the land of Magog and the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against them and say, this is the Lord God. Behold. I'm against you, oh God, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. I will turn your around, put the hooks into your jaws, and lead you out with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields and all of them handling swords.

You mean to say, we're going back into that kind of warfare? We could. They've discovered that if they put a neutron bomb up into the atmosphere about 250 miles that it can shut off and fry every electronic part in the whole country. You put one over Kansas City, they say, and it will wipe out everything in the United States. Won't kill the people, but it will wipe out everything that we depend on.

All you folks who didn't turn your cellphone off can be wiped out.

[LAUGHTER]

Now notice what he says. Prophesy against these nations. And God said, behold, I am against you, oh God, prince of Rosh, Meshech. I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out with all of your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.

Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them, with shield and helmet. Now back to the implements of war. Remember, Ezekiel is teaching this 2,500 years ago. Those were the typical means of warfare. He may have used what they understood. Could you imagine if he said tanks and airplanes and nuclear bombs and all that? I mean, obviously he used what they could understand, and then we make a 21st century application.

Gomer and all the troops, the house of the garment, from the far north and all its troops. Many people with you. Now what I want you to see is four things in this passage of scripture. I want to deal with quickly who we're talking about, what is going to happen, when it will happen, and why. So keep that in mind as we go. I'm going to bounce back and forth, because I want to pick this out and seal it into your mind.

This is one of the premier passages of scripture. And you'll find in many prophecy scholars shy away from this because it's so complex. But if I have a gift, it is simplifying the truths of God. And that's what I want to share with you. Quickly, instead of spending a lot of time on who, let me call your attention to the ancient names and the current name.

Rosh is obviously Russia. Magog is Russia, part of Russia. Meshech is Turkey and Tubal is Turkey. Persia is Iran. Kush is Sudan, in modern terms. Put is Libya, and Gomer and Beth-Togarmah are both Turkey. Now on this map, you'll see these spelled out. And they all are pointed at the nation of Israel. And the intriguing thing is, the one thing that they have in common is a hatred for the children of Israel.

It's almost devilish. Well, it is. Satan has inspired them to hate the children of Israel, the people that God loves. Now look at that map and you see the Mediterranean Sea on one side and the Arabian desert on the other. Do you know why God laid the children there? This is the center of the Earth. But you know why God gave it to the children of Israel?

His original plan was, in giving them the Ten Commandments and blessing them incredibly, that they would become a model to the rest of the world. They're a bridge between the continents of the north and the continent to the south. And he intended for them to communicate as travelers would go from one to the other-- and they had to do too much trafficking there-- they would see what a blessed land.

And when you read the story of the Queen of Sheba who went into Solomon's area and looked at his land and she said these classic words. The half has not been told of the blessing. Now that's what God wanted to do with the children of Israel. Unfortunately he had warned them that if you do not obey me, I'll bring a curse upon you. And they didn't obey him and he brought a curse. And that bridge then became the bridge of armies from the north. Anyone in the north that wanted to go into the South and conquer Egypt, they had to go over the bridge of Israel.

And Israel what was supposed to be a time a blessing, became a time of cursing or a place of cursing. So you understand some of the history of why it went about like this. And God intended the whole world to profit by recognizing that there was a God in Heaven who could bless their people if they will obey him. Remember this-- God's commitment to obedience has never changed.

The one thing he wants us to do is commit our way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and He will bring it to pass. It's his indelible eternal blessing. Well, we've got to get on. But what I want you to see before we turn from the map-- forget that guy.

[LAUGHTER]

Look at the map. Here we are. You notice something about these nations? Something about these nations that are very interesting. Number one, they're all the current enemies of Israel. They're all the current enemies of Israel. But there's one nation in that enemy or that neighbor list of countries that isn't mentioned. Notice what it is?

Iraq. Now I'm just speculating. Why in the world would Iraq be missing? Because America has gone over there and bought up over 125 acres of property and is building the biggest embassy in the entire world. That's going on right now. Does it make you think maybe there's something special preserved for Iraq? Well, may I suggest that it could be the future home of the United notions-- United Nations.

[LAUGHTER]

Slip of the tongue, you know. I remember some of you young people-- you don't remember this-- but I was preaching in Minneapolis as a pastor and I was preaching about the futility of the United Nations getting together all the countries and solving the problem of world peace. And I said, it's doomed to failure. Why? Because in order to placate the Soviets, they eliminated God from the entire process.

Have you ever seen that classic picture of-- I think the Seventh Day Adventists or something put it out-- the tall picture of Jesus knocking at the United Nations building. And he's on the outside knocking for entrance. Well, that's the picture. They left Jesus out. I've been there. I've seen them worshiping-- announcing the worshipped at nine o'clock the next morning of the Wiccans.

But you can't have Jesus there. Amazing how they are antagonistic. But the thing is that I want to call your attention, I predicted it would be a failure. In the 55 or so years that the United Nations has been there, we have had more wars than in any other comparable period of time in history. More people have died as an act of government during the time of the United Nations.

And yet they would have us believe-- in fact, I'm criticized when I'm interviewed by someone on TV for saying something negative about the United Nations. Do you know why I say something negative about it? Because I know what's going to happen to it. There is a one world government coming and we're seeing it. And I'm not sure it's always going to be in Manhattan. Thank God for that.

[LAUGHTER]

It could be that this new era or this new place for the United Nations could be the home of the Antichrist capital, or both. It could be the United Nations moves to-- they're complaining about how they can't park on every street. The people or New York complain because they can't find a place to park. And you'll find a lot of tension. And it's a murder capital.

And they'd like to get out of New York. And we'd like to have them get out of New York. But I kind of believe that Babylon is going to be rebuilt. Well, I don't kind believe it. I know it's going to be rebuilt because there are four passages that talk about its future. And just read Revelation chapter 17, 13 and 17, you'll see the future of it.

We don't have time to go into that, but it could be that that's the place where the Antichrist is going to come in. When he takes over the world, it would seem like he would just move into the United Nations. And it would be just like the United States when they give away all of our tax money out, just tax us and give it to whoever, the bankers or stockholders or whoever needs it. We'll just fill everybody's pocket except the people who pay the taxes.

And the good news is, according to one of the candidates, only 5% of the people are going to be taxed.

[LAUGHTER]

I'm not getting political, I want you to understand. Now what is going to happen with these nations that are surrounding Israel and want to stamp her out. Well, look at verse 8. He says, after many days, you will be visited in the latter years. I'll come back to that in a moment when we get to when. You will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate.

They were brought out of the nations and now all of them dwell safely. You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you. Doesn't that sound like an airborne invasion? You ever been to Fort Benning, Georgia and watched the paratroopers come out en masse?

Just the sky is filled with all just like that. Thus says the Lord God, on that day, it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind and you will make an evil plan. You will say, I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. By the way, that's the situation today. Even the wall around Jerusalem, the gates aren't locked at night.

Remember in the old days, they used to have the Needle's Eye. That was a small gate that they let in. And camels would have to get down, take off their load for travelers or caravans, and come in on their knees because of safety. And then they'd open the gate during the daylight time if there was nobody there. But now they don't even close the gates.

Why? Because this is a time of unwalled gates, unwalled villages. I will go to a peaceful people who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates. And that's the condition of the city of Israel today in the Middle East. But may I point out that there we are only a treaty away from seeing a time of peace, temporary time of the peace. It could be negotiated.

And he says, to take a plunder and to take a booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against the people gathered from the nations. Who is this going to be? The people that have been gathered from the nations. The children of Israel, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.

And you know enough about Israel to know that it is the most flourishing country in all of the Middle East because of God's blessing. Sheba and Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, have you come to take a plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?

Doesn't that sound like the diplomatic UN and the US? When Russia and their mob who get ready to go down against Israel. And that's what you have. By the way, this is the first time in the history of the world that the Russians have worked with the Islamo-fascists and recognized that they have something common. Who's the great supplier of arms? Everybody knows that it's Russia.

And they're arming up to get ready to do the thing that they all have in common-- hate Israel and drive them into the sea. Well, look at verse 18. And it will come to pass in that same time when God comes against the land of Israel, says the Lord God, that my fury will show in my face, for in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath, I have spoken.

Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel so that the fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at my presence. The mountain shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall. And every wall shall fall to the face of the ground.

Now folks, you that have studied history, know that this has never happened. But it will. And it could be close at hand. I will call for a sword against God throughout all my mountains, says the Lord God. Every man's sword will be against his brother. And I will bring him to judgment. And with pestilence and bloodshed, I will rain down on him and on his troops and on the many peoples who are with him flooding rain, great hailstones, fire and brimstone. Thus I will magnify myself.

So what do we have here? We have God's supernatural intervention in the affairs of men. Russia and their hordes will gather around Israel and the northern confederation, the Western confederation will say, what are you doing down there? And won't stand up for Israel. Israel will be abandoned. And the only place they can look in that moment is up to God. And then God, in a supernatural way, protects them.

They'll even have-- look at verse 6 of the next chapter, 39. He rehearses this whole thing. I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in security in the coast lands. Then they shall know that I am the Lord. So I will make my holy name known in the midst. So God is going to destroy the Islamo-fascists and the Russians, not only on the battlefield, but also those that secretly hide in the places where they've gone.

And I might backup and say that there are some scholars who say that there could be a reference to the United States here. I've never found the United States in prophecy. Never seen anything that indicates in history any nation that has been as good to Jew. In fact, I might just slip in this thought-- I think the best plan of national defense in America is our treatment of the Jew.

In the 12th chapter of Genesis, he makes it very clear that I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee. And I've heard all my life that someone has said if God doesn't judge America for our sins-- we're the pornographic capital of the world, thanks to the liberal Supreme Court Justice members, and many of the evils that have happened in my lifetime, as we've brought people in that are not of a Christian background but have a socialist mentality, that there's no God, man is the measure of all things and they can solve the problems of man independent of God.

Bring them in, and they change our heritage until we have earned the judgment of God. But personally, compensating for that or balancing that, is our treatment of the Jew. If you know history, you know there has never been a nation that has been as good to the Jew as the United States of America. May it ever be so. Not only for the sake of the Jews--

[APPLAUSE]

Not only for the sake of the Jews, but also for the preservation of America. Now when will these things be? When is this armada of nations going to go down to Israel making all kinds of threats? And talk about, if we happen to be alive during this time, don't be surprised if it taxes your faith. We'll be wringing our hands and saying, oh God, what are you going to do?

Well, just read this passage and you'll find he's going to do. When the pressure is on and Israel has no one else to look to, then God will do all these things. He will call fire and brimstone down from heaven. He'll have incredible earthquakes. The world will be transformed by the intervention of God and he'll wipe out this enemy. And I'll show you in a moment why. But when will these things take place?

Well first of all, in the 38th chapter, to go back to what I skipped over just briefly, after many days, you will be visited. In the latter years, you will come into the land of those that are brought back from the sword. So when will this take place? In the latter years. That's a term that has to do with the last days. And I'll show you that charted in a moment.

In fact, let me show you this chart. God's basic plan for the future. Now I'm so glad that all of you have a photographic memory and that you can look at that chart. Because all I want you to do is burn it into your mind. It is the eschatological plan, or the prophetic plan of God for the end times. And you'll find that starting with the cross, the church age, that little green area-- I kind of make it skimpy. It's really 2,000 years of great history.

Then at the end of that time, you have the Rapture of the church and you have the Antichrist who makes a covenant with Israel for seven years. That's during a tribulation period. And if we had time, I've found 49 references in the Old Testament to the tribulation. In fact, in Deuteronomy chapter 4, it's called tribulation, or the time of Jacob's trouble and many other terms for it.

And you'll find that for seven years, he makes a covenant with Israel. And because they're so blessed. They're going to find something in Israel. Someone thinks it's oil. They're down 19,000 feet hunting for oil and they haven't found it yet. I'm not sure what they're going to find. But one thing I know, they're going to find the place of the headquarters of the Millennium to be a very fertile area.

And God is going to make it very attractive to the enemies of Israel. And during that tribulation period-- notice I have that in red in the diagram-- that's only seven years. If we were put it in according to scale, it would be so small you could hardly see a blip on the screen. But I've elongated it because it is a very, very important passage of scripture.

In fact, more space is given in the Bible to the tribulation period than any other subject except the life of Jesus and the words of Jesus. And of course, it is his story. But it shows you the importance of that seven years. And I'd like to put it in perspective very quickly. And that is, God in his marvelous grace plans for the millennium to come short at the end of the tribulation.

We don't wonder when the millennium is going to come. In Matthew 24, Jesus said, immediately after the tribulation of those days, then he comes and is glorious appearing and he sets up his kingdom. So during that tribulation period, you have the merciful God of prophecy. And that to me is what he is. He is the merciful God who is always saying to mankind, come unto me and I will give you rest.

Come unto me, and I will give you forgiveness. Come unto me, and I will bless you. And of course the thrilling thing to me is, God didn't say, all you perfect people, come to me.

[LAUGHTER]

You notice that? Never in the Bible does he do that. Instead, all you that are sinners, come now, let us reason together. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as wool. How could that be? I was on a plane recently and a man who was obviously a skeptic, he said, you know the thing I can't understand is how you can believe that one man's blood could atone for all the people that have ever lived and that are on the earth now?

And I said, he couldn't. He was kind of startled that I answered that and agreed with him. The only thing we agreed on.

[LAUGHTER]

And he said, how do you explain it? I said, that was not the blood of a man. That was the blood of God, his only begotten son.

[APPLAUSE]

Now when you inject God into the formula, could it be that one person's blood could atone? Sure. Quality. And we understand that today. Now during that tribulation period, the thing I want you to see is, God brings-- in the Book of Revelation, there are 21 specific judgments that he brings on the earth. What is he doing? Trying to torture people? No, no.

What God is doing, he knows that the millennium is just around the corner and people will have to make their decision and they must make it within that seven years. So what he does is he shakes the earth's violently from its-- so that we lose, or the people living during that time, will lose their false sense of security. I live in the earthquake zone, just a few miles from the fault zone in California.

And that's why I read about all these floods and these plagues and all thee other things happening and wonder, how long, oh Lord? Will it be before or after the Rapture? My wife and I have a covenant with God. We are going up together in the Rapture. Anyway.

[LAUGHTER]

But during that tribulation period, what God is doing is he's shaking man. And the result will be just like in 9/11. What happened across America when suddenly we were bombed for the first time and we're no longer protected by the oceans on each side? Suddenly fear gripped the hearts of people. And many people turned to Christ during that time. Now some of it was not-- just emotional. But many were very sincere.

Well, that's what God is doing, is during that tribulation period, he's going to shake the earth. And then he also send 144,000 Jews as servants of his out to preach the gospel. Can you imagine what that will do to world evangelism when the Holy Spirit pours out upon 144,000 apostle Paul types? Wow.

[LAUGHTER]

We'll see a revival movement. No wonder that passage in Revelation 7 says, the result is, that a multitude which no man can number from every tongue and tribe and nation will stand before the Lord. I mean, there's going to be a soul harvest during that time that is just incredible. During that tribulation period, God is getting people ready. Because when Jesus comes in is glorious appearing, it's too late.

You have already made up your decision. People will have made their decision by then. And it's no longer opportunity for them to be saved. The only people who will go into the millennium, by the way, will be believers in their natural body. See, the population during the millennium is going to be astronomical. That's why I if optimistically think there probability will be more people in heaven than in hell, because the population-- can you imagine when people will live in the normal lifestyle?

And besides, they'll live, some of them 900 years. Can you think of how many kids you could have if you lived for 900 years?

[LAUGHTER]

What a frightening thought.

[LAUGHTER]

Bev and I have only lived together for 61 years and we've got four children, nine grandchildren, and next December we'll have 10 great grand children. That's just in our lifetime. Can you imagine what it's going to be during the millennium? The population is going to be astronomical. And during that period, Jesus is going to be the King of Righteousness.

There won't be any pornography. There won't be any filth. In fact, Satan himself won't be able to tempt people because he'll be in the bottomless pit. The overwhelming--

[APPLAUSE]

The overwhelming majority of them will be saved during that time. Well, I've got a rush on. Those of you who don't get the rest of this message, read my book. I got three chapters on--

[LAUGHTER]

Global warming on this. Any way, at the end of the tribulation period, the Antichrist and the false prophet are cast alive into the lake of fire. Now we've already seen when this is going to be, when Russia goes down to attack Israel. I'm only halfway through and I got only seven minutes. In the eighth chapter, we've already seen that this is after many days left after the latter years.

In chapter 38, verse 11 and 14, it says, Israel dwelling safely. And I mentioned that. It could be Armageddon, but I'm not sure that that's possible because of something I'm going to share with you in a moment. But the important thing is the seven years of burning. I want to see in chapter 39, verse 9 through 11. It says-- mark this as a special-- then after he has destroyed them, then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and the arrows, the javelins and spears.

They will make fires with them for seven years. Now they don't take all the implements of war and put them in a big pile and make a big bonfire. They will not take wood from the field nor cut down any from the forest because they will make fires with the weapons and they will plunder those who plundered them and pillage those who pillaged them, says the Lord, our God.

Very quickly, what he's doing, he saying here is that, for seven years, the children of Israel, after this destruction, won't have to cut down any natural trees. Instead, they can use the implements of war. The winners in Israel are somewhat moderate. And they don't need a big bonfire. They need something to heat up their home. And they'll find the implements of war.

But notice the period of time they're doing this. For seven years. That's very important. If you look at the chart, you've got to locate that seven years somewhere. Now you can't locate it in the millennium because it's a whole new world going into the millennium. So you have to move it back. Well, it could be the seven years of the tribulation, if Russian and their allies are destroyed at the beginning of the tribulation.

But the last half of the tribulation, you'll find that that's a time when Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel, according to Daniel chapter 9. And so it must be at least before in the first half of the tribulation, when he makes a covenant with Israel and keeps while he's getting ready to take over the control of this world government, and then he breaks in the middle.

So if you're putting the seven years of war, you've got to put them before that. It could be 3 and 1/2 years before, because during the last half, he's going to persecute the Jews all over the world. So they won't be living in the Holy Land to burn the implements of war. So what I'm saying is you're putting the destruction of Russia and their Muslim allies at the beginning of that tribulation period.

Now whether it's going to be before the Rapture or afterward, I don't know. And nobody else does either. Could be either one. Now I'm not saying it is, but I'm saying it could be. In fact, I'm going to show you in a moment the results of all this and why it's so important. But the seven years have to be spent burning that before the millennium begins. And it could be before the Rapture or after the Rapture.

See, one of the mistakes of the pre-trib position is that the Rapture does not trigger the tribulation. It's the signing of the covenant with Antichrist and Israel that starts to tribulation, according to Daniel 9. Which means that Israel could be rescued by God in a supernatural way, even before the Rapture. And I'll show you that in a moment.

But let's quickly go on to something else. I want to get to the why will God do all this. I feel a little bit like the Egyptian mummy. You know how he felt? Pressed for time.

[LAUGHTER]

Why will God destroy the Russia Islamic invaders? Number one-- obviously we read in the second verse of chapter 38, because God against Gog, Magog, and the Arab hoards. Why? Because they're against God and their against humanity. The Russians have caused more death to more people because of the spread of communism and other things and their governmental dictatorship and spreading dictatorships around the world than any nation in the history of the world.

No wonder God is against them because of their godless ambitions and persecution of believers. And then of course the Arabs, they have butchered people. You get a lot of converts when you say, either believe in what we believe in or off with your head. And they have massacred millions of Christians and millions of Jews. It's just incredible. And now what I want you to see is why will God do all this.

This is the exciting part to me. Ready? Put on your thinking cap and turn with me to chapter 38, verse 16. So that the nation's may know me when I'm hallowed in you, Israel. When God protects Israel-- can you imagine what the newspapers of the world will say when they lead up to that massacre and then suddenly God intervenes?

And then in verse 23-- I will magnify myself and sanctify myself and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord. Verse 23 B. Verse 6 in chapter 39. Fire on Magog and the secret Islamists in the coast lands. Then they will know that I am the Lord. So I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people, Israel. And then in 39 verse 22-- the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord. And in verse 23 of the 39, it says, the Gentiles will know that he is the Lord.

Then in verse 28 he says, then Israel will even know that God is Israel's God. Finally, they get the message. And it has brought their historic calamities on them and now delivered them. In other words, why is God going to this? Eight times-- and I hope you will copy those down and go back and look them over-- eight times God is going to do something in my entire lifetime I wish that God would do it.

I don't second guess God. He's God. He makes the rules. He does what he wants. But he is a spirit. I've never seen God. I don't know anyone else in his right mind that has seen God.

[LAUGHTER]

And you will find that God doesn't always reveal-- now, he does miracles. But have you noticed when God performed miracles, he likes to remain anonymous? He wants men to worship him in spirit and in truth. The word is truth. He wants people to hear the word of the Lord and accept him and worship him because of the word, not because of miracles that he performs. Now he does do miracles.

But may I suggest he doesn't use miracles as a means of convincing people they should get saved. All right, now there is going to be one exception. When God is going to bear his strong arm and once and for all demonstrate that he is the Lord. Eight times in these two chapters, he says in essence that all of the world will know that I am the Lord.

Pastor Skip and I were talking in between about the book we both have read minutia on what's so great about Christianity. And he ridicules the atheists and the skeptics who are so autocratic. They think they know everything because they've never seen God and they refuse to acknowledge the things that we're talking about today as being messages from God.

But there is going to be one exception-- when Almighty God will reveal himself as God so that I don't think there will be any atheists. There will be rebels. There will be people who turn against him. But people will not be able to say there is no God. I have never seen any evidence of God. They will say, Israel has been spared by the supernatural power of God.

And what will be the result? An enormous soul harvest. That's why personally I hope we're still alive when all this takes place. It could happen this year, next year, a few more years. Depends on the election.

[LAUGHTER]

[APPLAUSE]

And I think I know something about God in my 61 years. I have found God is a merciful god. We were singing about it so beautifully earlier today. God looks at this world, and how many people does he want to be saved?

All.

Just we Scotch men or Irish men or Germans or Arabs or whoever? You know, my favorite verse in the whole Bible, besides John 3:16 and about 12 other verses, is II Peter 3:9. It's not God's will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. And that's the will of God for you. God's will for everyone in this room, it starts out the same.

It's not his will that you perish. And how can you avoid perishing? By calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, where you say, yes. Jesus, I believe you died for my sins and you rose again the third day. By the way, why did he rise the third day? Because he said he would.

[LAUGHTER]

Seven times in the gospel. It went right over the heads of the apostles. They were so depressed. But he said, I am going to die and I'm going to rise again. Like Jonah was three days and three nights. You know the whole drill? Seven times he predicted he would. Why didn't he rise on the second day or the fourth or fifth day? Because it would be on the third day. That's the sign that we know we're right, that Jesus is the one and only way of salvation. So let me close this meeting.

[APPLAUSE]

Jerry Jenkins, my fiction co-writer on the Left Behind series and I have received thousands of letters, emails, personal conversations that people here have already told me, that they read the books and they accepted Jesus. And as Jerry says in his inimitable way, I never tire of hearing that. I can say the same. Incidents Its music to our ears.

One of the letters that sticks out in my mind is a registered nurse who wrote somewhere back east. And she said, Pastor LaHaye, we just buried my father, who died at 84. When he was 82, he went blind. And being a nurse, our children are graduated, we invited him to stay in our home. And he came to live with us. And she said, dad, you remember when I was a little girl? You wouldn't let us pray at meal time. You said there's nobody up there and we don't pray in this house.

And so she said, because we lived in your house, we abided by your rules. Now you live in my house and you abide by my rules. And so she said, we pray at every meal and we pray at night and I read the Bible. So he's blind. He's at her mercy. And so he agreed. And she read many portions. And one day he said to her, honey, would you read fiction to me?

I miss fiction. I really enjoyed it. And she said, yes, I will.

[LAUGHTER]

And she started with Left Behind. And she got all the way through to the fourth book. And she kissed him goodnight. Now He's 82 or 83 years old by this time. And she went in the next morning and he had a big smile on his face. And he said, honey, you don't have to pray for me anymore. Last night, I prayed the prayer of Rayford Steele. Remember that prayer?

[LAUGHTER]

[APPLAUSE]

10 days after his memorial service, she writes this note to me. She says, dear Pastor LaHaye, you could just feel her heart. Would God forgive a man who rejected him over 82 years of his life, who blasphemed his name and talked against him? Would he forgive him just a few weeks before he was saved? And I was tempted to take my letterhead, my big felt pen, and say, yes!

Because that's what he does. He loves all mankind, in spite of our sin. And the good news is, there's nobody here that has sinned too great but what God can cleanse your sin. Let's bow together for prayer.

[APPLAUSE]

With every head bowed and every eye closed, look into your heart and answer the most important question in life. Have you really called on the name of the Lord? If you can't think of a time when you really did, when you prayed that simple prayer, oh God, I believe Jesus is your son. He died on the cross for our sins, my sins. I want him to come in and save me, forgive me, let me into your heaven someday.

If that's your need, make it your prayer. The neat thing is, God hears the heart cry of any individual. He loves you. He's demonstrated that what could he do more than give his own son to die for you? Are you willing to call upon him? You say, well, Tim, I'm not sure I know how to prayer. Let me word a prayer for you. Oh God-- just say this in your heart. Oh God, forgive me. I have sinned against your son. I have rejected him.

But I realize he is the only way of salvation. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. Forgive my soul. Cleanse me. If that's your prayer, your need, make it your prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for this great conference and these people who love you prophetic word. And I pray that they may have burned into their heart and soul that you are going to demonstrate your presence one day to this lost and dying world, and that they can walk by sight as well as by faith. Speak to us. In these closing moments, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.


Additional Messages in this Series

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10/4/2008
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Kamal Saleem
Revelation 12:7-17; Habakuk 1:2-11
Kamal Saleem
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Former terrorist Kamal Saleem was born to a large Sunni Muslim family in the heart of the Middle East. Recruited by the Muslim Brotherhood at a very early age he completed his first mission to Israel at the age of seven. After several years Kamal was also recruited by the Palestinian Liberation Organization and other radical Muslim groups. Kamal became a Christian in 1985 and now carries a message to awaken the church through Koome Ministries.
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10/4/2008
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Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin
Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin
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Lt. General Jerry Boykin (Ret.) was United States Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and a founding member of the Delta Force. He played a role in almost every recent major military operation, including the apprehension of Manuel Noriega, service in Grenada, Somalia, and Iraq. He is the author of the book, Never Surrender: A Soldier's Journey to the Crossroads of Faith and Freedom.
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10/4/2008
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Skip Heitzig
Ezekiel 36
Skip Heitzig
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Skip Heitzig is the founder and senior pastor at Calvary of Albuquerque, a congregation of over 13,000 members. His radio broadcast, The Connection, is heard internationally and he is the host of several video documentaries, including Epicenter with Joel Rosenberg, and Israel - Learning from the Land.
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There are 3 additional messages in this series.
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