Mission Venture Ministries

Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:13-14) 

For approximately 1,900 years, the Jewish people had felt that God had hidden His face from them, especially in light of the Holocaust, but since the event of May 18, 1948 they are back again in their beloved land. God is bringing the Jews back to Jerusalem on a daily basis. The Hebrew language has returned to be the spoken language and the land of Israel is thriving. 

Jeremiah 30:3 tells us: “For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.” And Jesus in Matthew 24 prophesied that the re-establishment of the nation of Israel would be an end time sign. Using the fig tree as a symbol of Israel, He prophesied that when the fig tree re-blossoms, the generation that sees that happen will be the one that will witness His return. Well, the fig tree re-blossomed on May 14, 1948 when the nation of Israel was re-established, making our generation the one that will witness the Lord’s return. 

Jesus gave a similar prophecy about the city of Jerusalem in Luke 21:24 where He prophesied that the Jews would be dispersed from Jerusalem and be led captive among the nations. He then said to watch for their return to Jerusalem because, when they return, it will mark the season of His return. 

In fulfillment of this prophecy, the Jews were dispersed from Jerusalem in 70 AD, and Jerusalem was reunified under Israeli rule as a result of the 1967 Six-Day War launched against Israel by the Arab world, marking this day and time as the season of the Lord’s return (Luke 21; Zechariah 8:4-8). 

There are other prophecies concerning Israel that mark the end times when Jesus will return. One is found in Isaiah 35 where we are told that the decimated and barren land of Israel will flourish once again. In fulfillment of this prophecy, early in the 20th Century the Jewish settlers began to reclaim the land, and today, Israel has become the breadbasket of the Middle East. 

Zechariah 12 tells us that Israel will become a military powerhouse in the end times, and today, the tiny nation of Israel is considered by military experts to have the fourth most powerful military force in the world. 

Another key prophetic sign related to Israel in the end times is the one whose fulfillment we are witnessing today, the focusing of world politics upon the nation of Israel (Zechariah 12:2-3). All the nations of the world are coming against Israel over the issue of who controls the city of Jerusalem. 

So why is God giving us all these signs to let us know about Jesus’ soon return? Well, the key lies in why He is returning. Jesus is returning to deal with rebellion and sin before setting up His Kingdom on earth. 

It is God’s merciful and loving nature to let us know beforehand when He comes in justice and judgment to give us a chance to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 explains, “God does not wish that any should perish but that all should be brought to repentance.” 

What an awesome, loving, and kind God we serve! He has done for the Jews and for all of us what we could never do for ourselves and that is to reconcile ourselves to Him. He has, by “His divine power granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). And, for one specific generation, He tells them of what life will be like at the time of the end. 

“Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6).

Our amazing God has not left us in the dark about the last days and the time of sudden destruction. Light and darkness are commonly used in Scripture. When someone is in the dark about something, it means they are ignorant about the subject. But we, as Christians, are not uninformed of the signs preceding the day of the Lord. Hebrews 10:25 even tells us we can see the day approaching. 

Another aspect of God’s goodness and kindness toward us is that He gave very detailed information about when the day of the Lord is getting close, which is preceded by His Son’s glorious appearing to meet His church in the air. 1 Corinthians 15:52 tells us that “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” 

Jesus also gave us a very important detail about this same timeframe and the nearness of the day of the Lord: “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place”  (Matthew 24:32-34). 

Jeremiah 8:13, Hosea 9:10, and Joel 1:7 all refer to Israel as a fig tree, and the content of the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24-25 concerning events before and during the 70th week of Daniel, also referred to as the Great Tribulation. That means that the fig tree Jesus is referring to is the nation of Israel, and when its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, indicating new growth, we can know that summer is near. From that example Jesus said that the generation that sees this will not pass away before all things in the Olivet Discourse take place. 

What this means to us as Christians living at the end of the time of the Gentiles and the church age is that we have been given notice about the coming of the Lord in advance. He will come first for His church before the Tribulation, and then with His church at the end or the Tribulation. 

The Jews are back in their land, the fig tree is putting forth leaves, and the unknown day or hour is likely very near. So what do we do? Sit and wait? No, we go and tell others about the One who died to save their soul. We tell them about the coming time of Tribulation and, even more importantly, the eternal destiny of those who are not ready, should they perish before they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. 

Our good and gracious God has given us ample evidence, and He is providing us time to tell others of His great love for mankind and the sacrifice of His own Son for the sins of the whole world. Time however, is running out for all of us in one way or another so let us spend the precious time the Lord has given us by telling someone about Jesus today! 

Remember that no one knows the day or the hour of the Lord appearing in the air to meet the dead in Christ first and then the living saints. However, He did tell us to be ready “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44). 

Come quickly Lord Jesus – Maranatha! 

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