By Reggie Kelly
A brief answer to a query on whether we can rightly and scripturally ‘expect’ that the Lord will safeguard the Land of Israel at this time. A fuller apologetic is expected.
There is great confusion that exists among many concerning the present state of Israel. Many are confusing the distinct stages of the modern (1948 to present) return; and this mistaken order predisposes them towards an unbiblical optimism concerning Israel’s future. Many of the key leaders in the Land today subscribe to the ancient heresy of Israel’s ‘inviolability.’ They can conceive that Israel may indeed be tested and buffeted by enemies, but expect nothing on the scale of a future Jacob’s trouble and the collapse of the modern state. Certainly, to us it is clear that Israel will be the first focus of Antichrist’s fury throughout the 42 months of his persecuting career, but against a volume of scriptural evidence to the contrary, they consider the Land the special object of supernatural divine protection; and that the greatest safety for Jews from the brunt of Antichrist persecution will be for those who have ‘obediently’ returned to the Land, the “ark of safety.” Astonishing deception! One would think that this is clear enough from scripture, but the issue is almost hopelessly complicated by emotional presuppositions. There is much more to this issue than meets the eye, but it is an end-time deception of the first magnitude that has ironically infected the messianic leaders in the Land more than anywhere else, except parts of Europe and Russia where these leaders exercise their greatest influence.
