The Significance of Israel in God’s End-Time Purposes
I. LAYING A FOUNDATION: UNDERSTANDING THE BATTLE OF JERUSALEM
A. The Battle for Jerusalem is the most significant battlefront in the spirit today. It is central to the Armageddon Campaign
and Jesus’ Second Coming to reign as King of the whole earth. Gentile believers have a significant role in this battle.
Therefore, the Church must understand it.
B. Jesus insists that the Church stand with His purposes for Israel. This is a litmus test of the Church’s obedience,
especially in the End-Times (a litmus test is a test that uses a single indicator to make a decision). The highest issue in
serving God’s purpose in Israel is in obeying Jesus’ sovereign leadership. We love Him, therefore, we embrace whatever
He wants. We want to do what He does and love what He loves, that is the first reason that we are interested in this.
C. The Armageddon Campaign is a war for Jerusalem. Why? After Jesus wins this war and is received by Israel in
Jerusalem as their King, then Satan will be cast into prison (Revelation 20:1-3) and the Antichrist and the False Prophet
will be thrown into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20).
Behold, a white horse. He (Jesus) who sat on him…judges and makes war…15 Out of His mouth goes a sharp
sword, that with it He should strike the nations…16 He has on His robe…a name written: KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS…19 I saw the beast (Antichrist), the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together
to make war against Him (Jesus)…20 Then the beast (Antichrist) was captured, and with him the false prophet…
these two were cast alive into the lake of fire…20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having
the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of…Satan, and bound him for a
thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him…
(Revelation 19:11-20:3)
D. Jesus will not rule Jerusalem until He is officially invited by the Jewish leadership to be their King. Jesus “bound”
Himself by His own prophecy to only come back to Jerusalem after Israel’s leadership asks Him to reign over them. Satan
seeks to exploit this prophecy as a “loophole” in God’s prophetic plan. How does Satan seek to do this? By controlling
Jerusalem and seeing to it that no Jews are alive to invite Jesus back to be King in Jerusalem over Israel.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how often I wanted to gather your children together…but you were not willing!
38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, “Blessed
is He who comes in the name of the LORD!" (Matthew 23:37-39)
He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God
would appear immediately. 12 Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman (Jesus) went into a far country (heaven)
to receive for Himself a Kingdom (seated at God’s right hand; Eph. 1:20-22) and to return (to Jerusalem at the
Second Coming)…14 But His citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this
man to reign over us.' 15 So it was that when He returned, having received the Kingdom…”27 Bring here
those enemies…who did not want Me to reign over them, and slay them…. (Luke 19:11-28)
E. Israel will make a covenant with the Antichrist requesting him to rule them (Isaiah 28:14-18; John 5:43; Daniel 9:27).
Jesus will wait until they reverse this decision by asking Him to rule them.
Hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men (leaders of End-Time Israel), who rule this people who are in
Jerusalem, 15 because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol (hell) we are
in agreement. When the overflowing scourge (of the Antichrist) passes through, it will not come to us…we
have hidden ourselves"…18 Your covenant with death will be annulled (Antichrist will betray his promises to
Israel), and your agreement with Sheol (hell) will not stand; when the overflowing scourge passes through,
then you will be trampled down by it. (Isaiah 28:14-18)
But you are not willing to come to Me…43 I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if
another comes in his own name (Antichrist), him you will receive. (John 5:40-43)
F. First, Jesus will be established as King over Jerusalem and Israel by the covenant invitation of the official political
leaders of the nation. After that, He will branch out as His government replaces the evil governments of the nations. In
other words, from Jerusalem He will take over the government of every nation (Isaiah 2:1-4; Micah 4:1-5; Jeremiah 3:17;
Ezekiel 37:28; 43:4-7).
G. Jesus prophesied and thus promised that He would not come back to Jerusalem until the governmental leaders of
Israel received Him as their Messianic King of their own free will. Satan wants to demonstrate that Jesus’ prophetic word is
false and not faithful and true. Thus, Jesus could not return to Jerusalem in “integrity and truth.” Satan’s strategy is to kill
the entire Jewish race or to see that they are so offended at Jesus that they will never receive Him as their King.
II. THE CENTERPIECE OF GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE
Having made known to us the mystery (hidden plan) of His will…10 that He might gather together in one ALL
things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. (Ephesians 1:9-10)
A. The centerpiece of God’s purpose is for Jesus to establish His Kingdom over all the earth as He joins the heavenly
and earthly realms together. This is the interpretive key to understanding the End-Times. Jesus will bring heaven and
earth together at His Coming, when the New Jerusalem descends to earth (Revelation 21:2, 10; 3:12) establishing a vital
connection with earthly Jerusalem.
B. Jesus will rule all the nations from His Throne of glory in Jerusalem.
When the Son of Man comes in His glory...then He will sit on the Throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered
before Him... (Matthew 25:31-32)
At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it,
to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 3:17)
I heard Him (Jesus) speaking to me from the Temple (in Millennial Jerusalem)...7 He said to me, "Son of man,
this is the place of My Throne...where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever.” (Ezekiel 43:6-7)
C. Jesus’ heavenly Throne is also in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:3). Jesus’ one Throne will be in both Jerusalems,
as there will be a dynamic convergence between the two Jerusalems.
D. Jesus rules in heaven as the Son of God (New Jerusalem) and He rules on the earth as the Son of David (earthly
Jerusalem). The government of heaven and of earth come fully together at the Second Coming. He is the only one
with authority to bring both realms together.
E. There will be an explosion of God’s glory, when the government of heaven is joined together with the government
of the earth. This will usher in God’s fullness on the earth and result in Satan being cast into prison. When the two
Jerusalems come together under one Man as the “resurrection of the earth occurs” the created order is delivered from
bondage conditions (Romans 8:17-23; 11:15; Isaiah 11:6-9; 35;1-8; 65:17-25).
III. SATAN WILL BE THROWN INTO PRISON BY A MAN IN COVENANT WITH GOD
A. The Father could easily cast Satan into prison by Himself. However, the Father has chosen to defeat Satan through
a Man on the earth who walks out full covenant obedience to Him. When Jerusalem is under the government of such a
Man, Satan will be sent to prison by that Man. This will result in releasing the glory of God on earth and removing demonic
presence from the earth.
B. Jesus will reverse the situation that occurred when Satan defeated Adam in the Garden of Eden. Just as Adam as
the First Adam lost his place of authority to Satan (Luke 4:6), so Jesus as the Last Adam won that authority back and will
use it at the Second Coming to sentence Satan to prison.
C. In the wilderness temptation, Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the earth (Matthew 4). Jesus refused them,
choosing rather to receive them after He embraced obedience to His Father. Jesus will face Satan again at His Second
Coming, as a Man who overcame him in the wilderness temptation and on the cross (Colossians 2:14-15) and thus earned
the authority to sentence him.
IV. SATAN’S RAGE AGAINST JERUSALEM AND ISRAEL
A. Satan wants to exterminate the Jewish people so that a believing remnant cannot invite Jesus to rule Israel
as her Messiah. Satan seeks to exterminate Israel (Revelation 12:13-17) and the Church that stands with her
(Daniel 7:21, 25; 8:24; 11:33-35; 12:7, 10; Revelation 6:9-11; 7:9, 14; 9:21; 11:7; 13:7, 15; 16:5-7; 17:6; 18:24; 19:2;
Matthew 10:21-22, 28; 24:9; Luke 12:4-7; 21:16-19; John 15:18-16:4).
When the dragon (Satan) saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman (remnant of Israel)
who gave birth to the male Child (Jesus). 14 The woman…(escaped) into the wilderness…from the presence
of the serpent (Satan). 15 So the serpent spewed water…like a flood after the woman (remnant of Israel), that
he might cause her to be carried away by the flood (persecution)...17 The dragon was enraged with the
woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring (Church), who…have the testimony of Jesus.
(Revelation 12:13-17)
B. The Great Tribulation will be the most severe time in history for all (Israel, Church, unbelievers).
At that time (Antichrist: Daniel 11:36-45)...there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was...7 He (angel)...
swore...that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time (3½ years); and when the power of the holy people
(Israel) has been completely shattered … (Daniel 12:1, 6-7)
For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob's trouble. (Jeremiah 30:7)
C. Satan's attack on Israel will kill 2/3 of Israel and bring the remaining 1/3 to salvation.
In all the land…2/3...shall be cut off and die...1/3 shall be left (saved) in it (Zechariah 13:8).
D. Israel’s condition just before Jesus’ Coming is described in Scripture as being in prison camps and assaulted by
foreign armies. This is one of the most prominent features in Scripture about the Second Coming (Isaiah 11:11-16;
27:12-13; 40:10-11; 42:6-7, 14-17, 22-24; 49:9-12, 19-21, 24-25; 61:1; 66:20; Jeremiah 23:3-8; 30:3-9; 31:1-23;
Ezekiel 20:33–44; 39:25-29; Hosea 11:10-11; Amos 9:8-15; Joel 3:1-2; Micah 2:12-13; 4:6–7; 5:3-9; 7:12-15;
Zephaniah 3:17-20; Zechariah 9:9-10; 10:10-11). This truth is usually dismissed and ignored. This reveals the nature of
Satan’s rage against Israel as well as the intense measure that God will use to purify Israel and the Church.
E. When Jesus returns, hostile anti-Semitic nations will have once again imprisoned and taken Jewish people captive,
even scattering some of them across the nations. There will be another deportation of Jewish captives before the Lord
returns. We do not know the number or percentage of citizens that will be taken. Zechariah prophesied that half the city of
Jerusalem will be taken into captivity. How staggering! About 600,000 Jews currently live in Jerusalem. Half the city of
Jerusalem being deported could be as many as 300,000 Jewish people!
For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and
the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off
from the city. (Zechariah 14:2)
F. Many Jewish people will be deported out of the land of Israel against their will. Some of those in Israel will flee,
some will stay in Jerusalem; and of those who stay, some will be supernaturally protected and some will join the evil regime
of the Antichrist. Still others will be raised up by God as missionaries, “sent ones” to come and go to the nations. There will
be different responses to God in Israel during this time period.
G. God requires the Church to stand with Israel in this (Corrie ten Boom, Bonhoeffer, etc.). The Church is brought to
maturity and evaluated based on our responses to Jesus’ leadership in standing with Israel (Matthew 25:31-46). Many who
profess faith in Jesus will fall away from the faith at this time. The litmus test of obedience will be in standing with Israel
during and after the Great Tribulation (Matthew 25:31-46). The Church will be persecuted (Daniel 7:21, 25).
H. Jesus will suddenly bring deliverance and reverse all Israel’s oppression as He kills her enemies. Then Jesus will
restore Israel to the land with God’s favor making her the nation that leads all the nations of the earth. Israel's children will
come from all the nations in which they were held captive (Isaiah 49:22-26).
V. JERUSALEM IS THE VORTEX OF GOD’S END-TIME DRAMA
Repent therefore and be converted, that your (Israel’s) sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may
come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
21 whom heaven must receive (retain) until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by
the mouth of all His holy prophets… (Acts 3:19-21)
A. The winner of the Battle for Jerusalem will be worshiped there and govern the earth from there. A portal in the spirit
will be opened on the earth as the New Jerusalem descends. Thus, an open heaven will be established over that city that
will affect the whole earth.
B. Jesus already won the war on the Cross. However, Satan will not be cast into prison until after the battle for
Jerusalem is decisively won and under the governmental leadership of the Son of David. Jesus will not take Jerusalem
from the sons of Abraham (Jewish leaders of Israel) by the force of arms, but only on covenantal terms of invitation and
after all the nations understand it.
C. Satan is focused on avoiding this prison sentence that later leads him to being cast into the Lake of Fire
(Revelation 20:10). His primary agenda is not to keep people out of heaven, but to stay out of prison. Satan hates it when
people get saved. However, Satan’s main rage is not against humans (that is second on his agenda), but on staying out of
prison. Satan is using terrorists to destroy Jerusalem (not mega-ministries). He is not threatened by many “successful”
ministries because they are usually disconnected to the Battle for Jerusalem that pertains to Satan’s prison sentence.
And “this” gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the
end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
VI. THE CALL TO THE CHURCH TO ENGAGE IN THE BATTLE FOR JERUSALEM
A. Part of our spiritual warfare includes making prophetic proclamations to Israel.
"Comfort, yes, comfort My people!" Says your God. 2 "Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that
her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned..." (Isaiah 40:1-2)
B. Part of our spiritual warfare includes making prophetic proclamations to the Gentile nations. We must shout it,
declare it, decree it and sing it so that all the nations of the earth hear it as part of the witness of the gospel of the Kingdom
(Matthew 24:14).
For thus says the LORD: "Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations; Proclaim,
give praise, and say, 'O LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel!' 8 Behold, I will bring them from the
north country, and gather them from the ends of the earth...a great throng shall return there. 9...for I am a
Father to Israel...” 10 Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, “He
who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.” (Jeremiah 31:7-10)
VII. PRINCIPLE: HONOR GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY BY BLESSING ISRAEL
God promised Abraham that any Gentile that blessed Abraham or his offspring, the Jewish people, would be blessed by God.
This principle has operated throughout all of history. It will have significance during the Great Tribulation and then
afterwards during the transitional period.
I will bless those who bless you (Abraham’s family), and I will curse him who curses you. (Genesis 12:3)
(Isaac to Jacob) Let peoples serve you, and nations (Gentiles) bow down to you…cursed be everyone who
curses you, and blessed be those who bless you! (Genesis 27:29)
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.” (Psalm 122:6)
Blessed is he who blesses you (Israel), and cursed is he who curses you. (Numbers 24:9)
VIII. UNDERSTANDING GOD’S MYSTERY (HIDDEN PLAN) CONCERNING ISRAEL
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be IGNORANT of this mystery (hidden plan), lest you should be wise
in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel UNTIL the fullness of the Gentiles has come
in. 26 So ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED, as it is written: "The Deliverer (Jesus) will come out of Zion, and He
will turn away ungodliness from Jacob." (Romans 11:25-26)
Have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, TO PROVOKE THEM TO
JEALOUSY, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure
riches for the Gentiles, how much more THEIR FULLNESS! 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling
of the world, what will their acceptance be but LIFE FROM THE DEAD? (Romans 11:11-12, 15)
A. Paul proclaimed three vital parts of God’s plan that all must understand in order to cooperate with God’s End-Time
purposes and the large End-Time Ingathering of souls. Paul wanted the Gentile believers (in Rome) to understand God’s
plans for the salvation of the nations.
B. Paul’s urgency is that we not be ignorant of this mystery. Why? So that Gentile believers would be equipped with
revelation so as to stand firm in the unique End-Time pressures that will come against the Church related to Israel. Some
believers who lack understanding will progressively draw back in compromise resulting in some denying their faith, thus
being cut off by God.
Do not boast against the branches…20 Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural
branches (Israel), He may not spare you either. 22 Consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who
fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
(Romans 11:18, 20-22)
C. First, all Israel will be saved (v.26) and brought to fullness (v.12) in context to the events related to Jesus’ Second
Coming. The Millennial reign of Jesus is the first time in history in which all Israel will be saved and brought to fullness
(maturity; Rom. 11:12) resulting in life from the dead (Rom. 11:15) for the whole world. All Israel being saved means that
literally 100% of the Jewish people who survive the Great Tribulation will be born again believers in Jesus.
D. Second, Jewish people have a temporary spiritual blindness (v.25) related to seeing Jesus as Messiah. If the
Church is ignorant of this “supernatural blindness,” then we will wrongly conclude that God will not use Israel in a future
prominent role in His salvation purposes (in the Millennium). Israel's present blindness does not mean that Israel has
“fallen” from her original calling to have this future primary role. God has NOT given up on using Israel as His primary
instrument to establish His Kingdom on earth.
E. Third, the Fullness of the Gentiles (v.25) will provoke (v. 11) Israel to seek Jesus. The Fullness of the Gentiles speaks
of the coming of the greatest revival in history. The Gentiles’ fullness will bring hundreds of millions (Revelation 7:9) of new
radical believers together in the Holy Spirit as a mighty intercessory weapon in God’s hand to break the spirit of blindness
off of Israel. The Gentiles were used as God’s primary vessel of salvation to the nations during the last 2,000 years. They
will be dynamically used in ushering in salvation to Israel (Romans 11:25-26).
IX. PROVOKED TO JEALOUSY – FOUR PRACTICAL WAYS
A. Israel being provoked to jealousy by Gentiles is one of the most surprising and remarkable dimensions of God’s
End-Time plan. To be provoked to godly jealousy means that Israel will deeply desire what Gentile believers have
spiritually. Israel has been repulsed and hostile towards the Church for 2,000 years and not provoked by it. What will
cause this drastic and great change? It is only the dramatically set circumstances of the Great Tribulation. God has
planned this difficult time frame to cause Israel to be jealous and to purify the Church and bring in the large End-Time
Ingathering of souls. Israel will receive mercy through the mercy shown by Gentiles (Romans 11:31). This is God’s means of
unifying and purifying Jews and Gentiles as One New Man (Ephesians 2:14-16; 3:1-10) that will be fully manifest in the
Millennium.
B. Paul emphasized the role of Gentile believers in Israel’s salvation in provoking Israel to jealousy by being vessels
that release God’s mercy to Israel (Romans 10:19; 11:11, 14, 27, 30).
To provoke them (Israel) to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles...that through the mercy shown you
(Gentiles) they may obtain mercy. (Romans 11:11, 31)
C. Providing refuge – for Jewish people in flight. Those who provide refuge to Jews will risk their life. The Antichrist’s laws
will require (as did the Nazis) the reporting of Jewish people in flight. Refusal to do so will result in being charged as an
accomplice to a state crime.
D. Performing Miracles like Elijah – multiplication of food, healing the sick and prophesying (receiving prophetic
direction by visions and dreams as promised in Acts 2:17; Jeremiah 31:9).
E. Godly living – by living in the “bright righteousness and humility” as the world is filled with deep darkness as it
embraces immorality and the occult, etc. (Revelation 9:21; Isaiah 60:1)
F. Transcendent lifestyle – to walk fearless in the face of death with the revelation of eternity.
X. PAUL’S URGENCY THAT ALL UNDERSTAND AND NOT BE IGNORANT (ROMANS 11:25)
A. We must be equipped with understanding so as to not deny our faith in the End-Time pressures.
Do not boast against the branches…20 Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural
branches (Israel), He may not spare you either. 22 Consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who
fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
(Romans 11:18, 20-22)
B. The progression of ignorance: ignorance can become arrogance, which can become passive resistance, then
active resistance (progressively cooperating with those who persecute Israel) and then apostasy (Romans 11:22).
C. If this passivity continues then it may grow into arrogance with the risks of denying their faith and thus being cut off
by God. In other words, some believers who lack understanding will progressively draw back in compromise resulting in
some actually denying their faith.
D. This is reason for Paul’s urgency that we not be ignorant of this mystery. Why? So that Gentile believers would be
equipped with revelation so as to stand firm in the unique End-Time pressures that will come against the Church related to
Israel. Ignorance can lead to arrogance (Romans 11:18, 20-22, 25) or boasting against God and His plan.
XI. WARNING OF A FALLING AWAY FROM THE FAITH IN THE END-TIMES
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (Second Coming) and our gathering together to Him (Rapture)
…3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and
the man of sin (Antichrist) is revealed… (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving
spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot
iron… (1 Timothy 4:1-2)
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have
become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to
come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the
Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)