Although there is no sign of repentance among the Jews, there is one sign that the Times of the Gentiles are coming to an end. The return of Jews to the land of Palestine is sign that the times of the Gentiles are coming to an end (we are also seeing some of the birth pangs of the next age). Some of the events related to the conversion of the Jews take place in Palestine. Hence a return to the land had to come, prior to the Fullness of the Jews.

The existence of Israel is not a sign that the judgement of Israel has come to an end, because despite returning to the land, Israel is continuing to provoke the wrath of God. However, the establishment of the nation of Israel last century may be a sign that the season of judgement is nearing completion.

Return to the Land

God decides the times and boundaries of nations.

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands (Acts 17:26).

God determines the rise and fall of nations in two ways, but he prefers the second method. The first method is suboptimal.

1. Geopolitical Events

   God can manipulate evil kings and nations to achieve his purposes.

   Cyrus the Emperor of Persia is an example. This wicked Emperor destroyed the Babylonians opening up the way for the Jewish people to return home from exile in Babylon.

   Cyrus was not God’s first choice for the task. If the rulers of Babylon had listened to Daniel, they would have sent the exiles back to Israel after seventy years of exile, but they grew proud and corrupt, so God raised Cyrus to do it.

2. The Holy Spirit

   He works to change people’s hearts and leads them in God’s ways.

   God called Terah to leave Ur (which is in modern Iraq) but he stopped in Haran (Gen 11:31). His son Abraham followed the leading of the Holy Spirit and moved to the land of Canaan.

   The early church changed the heart of the Roman Empire by obeying the Spirit.

The modern state of Israel was created using the first method.

God intended to return the Jews to Israel in the second way, but the Zionist movement rushed ahead, before he could complete his plans. During the First World War, Britain invaded Palestine to secure the Suez Canal, access to the Indian Empire and control of Persian oil. British control opened the way for more Jews to return to the land, but this was not God’s plan. The motives of Britain were no better than those if Cyrus, but it opened up a path that led to the creation of the state of Israel (there is very little merit in being a Cyrus.)

Return by the Sword

We must be careful not to make too much of the establishment of the state of Israel. The state of Israel is not the miracle that is often claimed. It is not a sign that Israel’s judgement is complete. And while there are many prophecies in the Old Testament which speak of the Jews being gathered to their land, most of these have not yet been fulfilled.

Ezekiel described God’s second best for Israel’s return.

In the latter years you will come into the land that is restored by the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste (Ezek 38:8).

Ezekiel promised that in the latter years (of the times of the Gentiles) the land would be restored after being been desolate for a long time. This is not a return in blessing, but a “return by the sword”. The promised restoration will be accomplished by political manipulation and military action.

Ezekiel's prophecy was fulfilled last century when the state of Israel was established. The emergence of the Israeli state was the work of a well-organised nationalism, not a miraculous act of God. God allowed it and will use it to accomplish his purposes, but it was not a return under the covenant as promised in Deuteronomy. Since 1948, Israel has been defended by a powerful army supplied by the United States. “The sword” is a symbol of political and military power, so Israel was “restored by the sword”.

God sets the boundaries of the nations (Deut 32:8; Dan 2:21; Job 12:23,24). He works within history to accomplish his purposes. He allowed Israel to arise, just as he allows other nations to arise at various times. The restoration of Israel was amazing in many ways, but it is not a miracle in the same sense as the Exodus. God allowed it to come into being, but he did not intervene directly to bring it about.

God allowed some Jewish people to return to the land of Palestine, but that does not mean that the land of Palestine now belongs to Jewish people. It does not mean that the Israeli state is his plan for the redemption for his chosen people.

Return in Faith

A second return to the land was prophesied by Ezekiel. A return in peace and blessing takes place after the nations have attacked Jerusalem and the Israeli people have come to acknowledge Jesus as their Lord. It is described in Ezekiel 39:25,28.

I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel.... I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind.

We have not yet seen the main return of the Jews. There are still more Israelites outside Israel than there are inside. There are many people who do not know that they are Israelites. The time will come when millions of Israelites return to Israel in a mighty Exodus. This will take place after the calling of the Jews.

In contrast to the earlier return “by the sword”, this is a return in faith. Like the Exodus from Egypt, it will be a mighty demonstration of God's power that will amaze the nations (Is 11:11-16). Everyone will recognise it as an act of God. Isaiah says,

The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God (Is 52:10).

Most of the biblical prophecies about a return to the land apply to this latter event. Applying these scriptures to the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 is a mistake. The fulfilment of these prophecies and the miracles they describe belong to the future. Confusion about this has led many Christians to believe that Israel's time of judgement has come to an end. The fact that Israel has not acknowledged Jesus as Lord and Saviour shows that this is not true.

The rise of the Jewish nation is not a sign that Israel's time of judgement has ended. It is a sign of God's mercy in judgement. God allowed the Jews to return to their land, but he was not directly involved, as he was in the Exodus. He allowed the people to return to the land, so that the events that will lead to their conversion can take place. It was an act of prevenient grace.

Broken Covenant

The Israeli government has continued to break the terms of the Mosaic covenant.

1. God requires that the same laws apply to all people living in the nation.

   You are to have the same law for the alien and the native-born. I am the LORD your God (Lev 24:22).

   This is not the situation in Israel. Many Palestinians do not have the privileges of citizenship. Many laws and regulations discriminate against them.

2. God requires his people to be kind to the strangers living in their midst.

   When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God (Lev 19:33,34).

   Israeli treatment of the Palestinian people does not meet this standard.

3. The law gives instructions about how war should be conducted. Non-combatants should be protected and the land should not be harmed (Deut 20).

   • thousands of homes have been demolished by bulldozers
   • woman and children are killed by missiles from helicopters and tanks.
   • assassination of political leaders.

   The Israeli army has ignored this aspect of the covenant. There is a tendency among some Christians to discount these evils. They claim that Israel’s actions are justified because it is surrounded by hostile nations. However, the defence of a nation never justifies evil treatment of civilians.

4. The law declares that parents should not be punished for their children’s sin.

   Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin (Deut 24:16).

   Standard practice for the Israeli army is to destroy the homes of militants, even if the home belongs to their parents.

5. The first commandment requires Israel to honor God before everything.

   I am the LORD your God, who brought you … out of the land of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me (Ex 20:2,3).

   The people of Israel trust clever politics and strong military leaders for security.

6. The prophet Isaiah warned against alliances with other nations.

   Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help.... but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord (Is 31:1).

   Modern Israel has to depend on an alliance with the United States for survival. Israel trusts an alliance with a nation whose people honor the Messiah that most Jews have rejected. If Israel had God’s protection, it would not need American military and financial support.

7. The nation of Israel has been established as a Jewish state. God did want a Jewish state established in the promised land. Ethnicity does not count in the Kingdom of God, because we are all heirs of the same promise in Christ.

   There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Gal 3:28,29).

   A state based on ethnicity mocks this promise. God’s plan was to establish a Christian nation in which all the inhabitants of the land can live in peace together.

While their government continues to break the covenant, the nation of Israel cannot expect to live in covenant blessing. Being surrounded by evil nations is not an excuse for breaking the covenant. Israel was surrounded by evil nations when God made the covenant with Moses, but he never gave any exemptions.

Mistreatment of Palestinian People

Israel was supposed to amaze the nations by the wisdom of its laws.

Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? (Deut 4:5-7).

This has not happened. On the contrary, the Israel government is getting a reputation all over the world for harsh treatment of those who oppose it.

Israeli treatment of the Palestinians has been unnecessarily harsh and cruel. God expects his people to be kind to the Palestinian people (Lev 19:33,34). The Jews have been aliens in the world for many centuries. They should be able to understand better than anyone else what it is like to be a refugee. God requires his people to love the aliens among them and treat them kindly. The Israeli people have not met this standard. Instead they have done everything possible to make life difficult for the Palestinian people. The following list is a few of the terrible things that have happened in Israel:

• waiting at checkpoints
• arbitrary arrest
• imprisonment for long period without trial
• torture and forced confession of crimes
• land and homes confiscated
• stolen water rights.
• preventing crops from being grown or harvested
• roads that stop farmers getting to their land.
• many people live below the poverty line
• massive unemployment in some towns
• per capita much lower than the rest Israel.

Many Palestinians do not have the full privileges of citizenship. A vast number of laws and regulations discriminate against Palestinians. They are terrorised by unjust laws.

Many Palestinians were expelled from their homes and lands after the nation of Israel was established. In 1947, Israelis owned only 6 percent of Palestine. Today they control most of the land. While some of this land has been purchased, most of it was seized by dubious means. This has not stopped. Palestinians are still being forced off their land in the occupied territories for Jewish settlements to be established. Since 1967, Israel has seized or restricted the use of a huge amount of the land on the West Bank.

The requirements of the covenant are much higher than the standards of international law. The government of Israel often assumes that it can operate in the same way as other nations. That is not true. God requires a higher standard of his people, because he has given them great privilege.

Bullying Servant

Jesus parable of the unmerciful servant is relevant.

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed (Matt 18:23-34).

The parable shows that people do not always learn from their own experience in their treatment of others. Those who are bullied often go on to bully others.

The Jewish people received terrible treatment under the Nazi regime in Germany. They were imprisoned and powerless in lands where they were unwanted, but now the boot is on the other foot and Israel is the strongest military power in their part of the Middle East.

The Jews have been aliens in the world for many centuries. Their treatment in many parts of the world was absolutely terrible. They should understand better than anyone what it is like to be a refugee. Given this experience, they could be expected to have empathy for the Palestinian people. Instead they have done everything possible to make life difficult for them.

When the Jewish people escaped from Europe, they resolved never to again be in a situation where they could be bullied. However, to get that place they have had to become bullies. They have escaped from tyranny, but they are now behaving like tyrants. They have transformed from victim to bully in two generations.

God of War

The Israeli nation does not trust in God for its defence. Israel has an army of almost one million troops and an arsenal of several hundred nuclear weapons. Instead of trusting in God it relies on military power supplied by the United States for security.

If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven (Deut 28:1,7).

If Israel was under the blessing of God, they would not have to rely on the gods of war. This trust in force and violence has tended to de-sensitise and brutalise them.

Israel is very quick to discredit Palestinian terrorism, but this is hypocritical, as Israel has made intensive use of terror and violence throughout its history. One of the great ironies of history is that modern terrorism was invented in Israel by Jewish groups. In 1946 a Jewish terrorist group called Irgun bombed the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. The hotel was being used as the headquarters for most of the British Administration of Palestine. Ninety-one people were killed in the explosion. After the bombing Irgun published a pamphlet claiming responsibility for the bombing and explaining what they wanted to achieve. Some textbooks on terrorism say that this act was the model copied by many modern terrorists. The leader of Irgun was Menachem Begin, who later became an Israeli Prime Minister.

Israel has always used a policy of “an iron fist” to control the Palestinian people in both Israel and the occupied territories. Although Palestinian groups have killed thousands of Israelis, the Israelis defence forces and secret services have killed nearly three times as many Palestinians. Thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed by Israeli defence forces, with very little legal accountability.

Israel was built on a foundation of political opportunism and military power. Terrorism was there from the beginning. This cracked foundation will have to be smashed before Israel can return to faith and trust and God. The Bible teaches that we reap what we sow. Israel was sprouted in a seedbed of terrorism and now it is reaping a whirlwind of violence. Before, the end of the Times of the Gentiles, Israeli military power will be totally smashed by a greater military power. This will destroy their trust in military power once and for all.

The current Israeli regime will continue to live by the sword, but they will not obtain peace and will eventually die by the sword. They will not be invaded by the neighbours it fears, but by some of their own friends, who eventually gets fed up with their war mongering.

No Covenant Blessing

One sign that Israel’s judgement is not finished is that it has not yet returned to a place of covenant blessing. Life in Israel has been very hard for those who have returned. Young people have had to do extensive military service and casualties have been high. Economic progress has required a great deal of sacrifice, and rapid inflation has eroded many of the gains that have been made. Many Jews have found the life too hard and returned the places they came from. Many migrants from Russia have moved on to the United States. Israel, this time round, has not been a land flowing with milk and honey. Although tremendous progress has been made in agriculture, this has required intensive irrigation. In contrast, the promised land “drinks rain from heaven” (Deut 11:10, 11).

Israel continues to be dependent on the United States for its existence. When the Israelites entered Canaan, they did not need to depend on alliances with other nations for survival. These were unnecessary because God was with his people. In fact, alliances with other nations were expressly forbidden. The prophets condemned those who sought protection in an alliance with Egypt.

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help.... but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord (Is 31:1).

The irony is that modern Israel has to depend on an alliance with a nation whose people honour the Messiah that most Jews have rejected. Without financial and military support from the United States Israel would probably have been destroyed. The fact that this alliance has been necessary indicates that it has not been established under the covenant blessing of the Lord.

The people of Israel have placed their faith in clever politics and strong military leaders, but this has not brought the peace and blessing that would be expected in a covenant nation. The warning of the libertarian prophet Samuel is being fulfilled. He warned the people not to copy the nations and appoint a king to rule of them, because the king would tax them hard and take their sons and daughters to be his servants (1 Sam 8). This is what has happened in modern Israel. Taxes are extremely high and young men and women serve many years as conscripts in the Israeli army. What is good for a military state is rarely good for its people.

Lost Protection

The Zionist movement wanted a homeland, because they believed it would give them peace and security. This has not happened. After sixty years in the land, they still do not have security and many live under fear. Unfortunately, Jesus prophecy makes peace and security impossible (Matt 23:38,39).

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain (Ps 127:1).

Returning to the land ahead of God’s timing was dangerous, because during the Times of the Gentiles, the Jews are kept safe by being scattered among the nations of the world.

The dragon pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach (Rev 12:13-14).

When Jesus ascended into heaven, the devil was outraged and turned on Israel. The Romans (an eagle) scattered the people of Israel among the nations. This was the devil’s first plan to destroy Israel, but God worked everything for good and turned dispersion into protection. He has guaranteed to “take care” of the Jews during the Times of the Gentile. This promise has been fulfilled. The Jews maintained their identity and culture for 2000 years, while scattered among the nations.

When they gather together in one place, the Jews lose God’s protection and make themselves vulnerable to the enemy’s attack. History will eventually prove that the Jewish state is a terrible mistake. It will become a dangerous place for the Jewish people. Christians who have encouraged the Jews to return to their land before the Holy Spirit has moved are doing them harm. They have encouraged them to go to a place where they are not safe and many will eventually suffer terribly.

No Spiritual Protection

When Jesus said that the house of Israel would remain desolate, he explained how damaging this could be.

When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation (Matt 12:43-45).

This warning was for an entire generations. The current generation in Israel has amassed a huge arsenal of conventional and nuclear weapons, yet it has a no spiritual protection. Without the cross and the Spirit, they have no way of dealing with evil spirits. This chink in Israel’s armour has allowed a huge host of evil spirits to flood this small nation, carried by people who do not understand what is happening.

During the 20th century, evil in Europe was concentrated in two countries with a strong Christian heritage: Germany in the West and Russia in the Easts. These two countries were subjected to enormous demonic attacks despite their long Christian traditions. Links with these two countries have allowed a huge transfer of evil spirits.

Germany was the cradle of the Reformation and the engine room of the evangelical church. Despite a wonderful heritage, Germany lost its moral compass and plummeted into great evil. Fear of the future gave birth to a violent and ruthless state. Anger at the way Germany was treated by the world justified propaganda. Fear of internal enemies fed upon lies and deception Anger at external enemies fired violence and destruction. The greatest manifestation of evil was in the death camps, where millions of people lost their lives at the hands their fellow citizens. These were run by ordinary Germans, men and women from good families, who loved their children and their country. Evil had gained such a stronghold that educated and civilised people became instruments of propaganda and destruction.

When the devil finds a moral vacuum, he gathers evil spirits from all over the world and sets them to work. Spirits of fear, anger, deception, lies, violence and destruction made their home in Germany.

When the war ended, the German people repented. In the cold light of peace, most Germans were revolted and repulsed by what they had done. When they renounced violence, deception and destruction, these evil spirits had to leave but could find no home. They hung around the death camps and other places where evil had prevailed, waiting and looking for another desolate house to be their home. Sixty years later, visitors still get a sense of the evil that saturates these places.

To perpetuate the memory of the holocaust, many Israeli children are taken on visit to the Auschwitz between the ages of ten and twelve. They are visiting a home of evil at a vulnerable age without any spiritual protection (the blood of Jesus and the discernment of the Spirit are the only true protection). The displays in the museum produces feelings of anger at the way people were treated and fear for their own future. Unfortunately, these emotions open the door to evil spirit looking for a new home. School visits have unwittingly transported thousands, if not millions, of evil spirits from Germany to Israel.

Russia was the other place in Europe where evil gain control of a Christian country. A succession of Christian emperors entered into futile wars that put great suffering on their people. Poverty and hunger became widespread. These terrible conditions opened the way for a revolution that overthrew the existing order and established a government committed to atheism. Struggles for power in the new government allowed evil men to gain control. They dominated Eastern Europe for half a century. The devil used this moral vacuum to set millions of evil to spirits of deception and violence to go to work. The large numbers of Jews migrating from Russia had no protection from the evil spirits that dominated their country. When they migrate to Israel, they often carry these spirits of violence and control to their new home.

By bringing all these evil spirits from Russia and Germany into their home, the Jewish people have allowed them to form hierarchies and leverage their power. The house of Israel has become the home of numerous spirits of fear, hatred, pride, deception, anger and violence. So far, the propaganda of the lying and deceiving spirits have kept quiet the violence and destruction of their colleague spirits, but this uneasy alliance is now falling apart, and their true character will soon be exposed. They are hidden at the moment, but will eventually break out do great evil.

Heart Exposed

Sympathy with their suffering has caused most Christians have given Israel the benefit of the doubt, so the heart of the house had remained hidden from them. But, those days are coming to an end. In the next few years, the true heart of the desolate house will be revealed. Most Jews live in Israel without blessing of the Holy Spirit or the protection of the blood of Jesus. This has allowed an insidious flood of evil spirits to slowly penetrate their culture. This host of evil spirits will eventually break out and cause and the political leadership of Israel to go ugly. The true heart of the house will be exposed before the world.

The exposure of evil will cause the world to turn against Israel. The United States will be really embarrassed by the behaviour of its client. American politicians have consistently bowed to the Jewish lobby and supported Israel through thick and thin. When the rotten heart of Israel is exposed, they will feel betrayed. People who are taken for granted and then betrayed can quickly turn nasty. To misquote Shakespeare, “Hell hath no fury like a politician scorned”. American politicians will be outraged by the way their trust has been abused and will seek revenge.

Final Distress

Luke 21:24 says that Jerusalem will be trampled until the Times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Some people believe this prophecy was fulfilled in 1967, when Israel took control of Jerusalem. The Bible actually teaches that Jerusalem will be trampled again. The nation has further tribulations to undergo because it is still adding to its sins. The Times of the Gentiles will only come to an end when the Jews have come to faith in Jesus. Before that happens Jerusalem will be trampled by the nations one last time.

Israel is still provoking God by its faith in the god of war. The judgement of Israel began with a terrible tribulation. It will end with a time of terrible distress that will cause it to cry out to God for mercy. The first tribulation was provoked by their rejection of the Messiah. Towards the end of the Times of the Gentiles, the Jews will provoke God’s wrath one last time. This time of distress will also be triggered by an unjustified and provocative use of the Israeli military force. This will begin a terrible time for the nation that will only end when they call on the mercy of Jesus.

Daniel describes a time when the people of Israel will use violence to try and force God’s plan to be fulfilled before the time has come. This is not faith but presumption.

The violent men among your own people will rebel in fulfilment of the vision, but without success (Dan 11:14b).

Men who place their trust in military power will take advantage of instability in the Middle and by attempting to use violence to establish their vision for the dominance of Israel. Daniel says that they will fail to achieve their goal, because they are rushing ahead of God’s agenda in obedience to the god of war.

Presumption always ends in disaster. The result will be a disaster for Israel. Their actions will provoke such outrage throughout the world that Israel will be invaded, not by Arab nations, but by the nations of the Western alliance.

The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it (Dan 11:16).

The nations of the world will turn against Israel and a powerful army will also invade Israel. The expression “power to destroy” literally means “destruction in his hand”. The invading army will have weapons of mass destruction. This might be because Israel has already used nuclear weapons against its enemies. It would be terrible, if Israel were the first nation in the Middle East to use weapons of mass destruction.

A great army will take control of Israel. Resistance will be impossible.

And he shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and with him equitable conditions; and he shall perform them (Dan 11:17a ASV)

The invading nation will use force to impose a solution to a major outstanding problem in the Middle East. They will force Israel to adopt a more equitable solution to the Palestinian problem. Israel may have to accept a full Palestinian state.

A series of invasions of Israel will add to the distress of this time (see also Dan 11:41). This will be a terrible time for the people of Israel. Each army that travels through the land will plunder and destroy as it goes. Israel will be trampled by the Gentiles again and again. Although the Jewish people have been allowed to return to their land, they have put their faith in alliances and military power. Terrible destruction by alliances of nations and their mighty military machines will be the logical consequence of this lack of faith. The nation that has trusted the god of war that will be ravaged by the god it trusted.

Faith Broken

One reason for this time of distress is that Israel’s trust in military and economic power will have to be broken. Michael the angel said to David,

The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed (Dan 12:7).

Since 1949, the people of Israel have trusted in military and economic power for their security. At the same time they have continued to reject the salvation that Jesus died for. This faith in their “own arm” will have to be broken. Michael says that it will happen after a "time, times and half a time". This is the length of the Times of the Gentiles. The power of Israel will be broken during the Time of Distress that marks the end of the Times of the Gentiles.

Days of Darkness

Many Jewish people have looked forward to the day of the Lord. The prophet Amos warned that it would be a day of darkness for the people of Israel.

Woe to you who long
for the day of the LORD!
Why do you long for the day of the LORD?
That day will be darkness, not light.
It will be as though a man fled from a lion
only to meet a bear,
as though he entered his house
and rested his hand on the wall
only to have a snake bite him
(Amos 5:18,19)

We can see why Amos called it a day of darkness. With great armies invading the land, Israel will have a terrible time.

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