Introduction

Israel is never out of the news. It seems strange that such a small nation and piece of land should remain in the middle of world politics, and at the centre of the global conflict! Perhaps this warfare is not just physical but spiritual, because of the role God has chosen for Israel to play among the nations. It is impossible to know what is going on in the world today without understanding Israel and the plans and purposes that God has for her.

Israel’s Rebirth in 1948 and recapture of historic Jerusalem (1967) were major events. Were they accidents of history or part of the outworking of God’s Plan? Were they prophesied in the Bible? Are they signs from God that we are in the last of the last days? In this book we will explore these issues and see how the Bible helps us to understand the times we are in, and live accordingly.

Many Christians have been taught ‘replacement theology’ that says that these issues are irrelevant, because the Church now is ‘spiritual Israel’ or ‘the Israel of God’ and therefore has forever replaced ‘natural Israel’ in God’s purposes. What does the Bible actually say about this? Our position on this issue makes a great difference in our understanding of where the world is in God’s Timetable, and how we are to align ourselves with God’s present purposes.

The Bible talks about the Times of the Gentiles, a time-period of Gentile dominion over Israel as a discipline due to her sin. We will discover that God revealed exactly when these Times would end, and when Israel would rise again, proving we live in the end-times!