Seventy years ago, Zipporah ("Zippy") Porath had joined the Haganah (defense forces) and received training as a medic. In her book, “Letters from Jerusalem, 1947-1948,” she wrote; 

“Our soldiers are like no others I'VE ever seen. They don't have much to fight with besides guts and determination. No swagger, spit or polish. No drinking, no shirking. Doing the dirtiest jobs, they sing and joke -- even in the fiercest moments, and never with a "here today and gone tomorrow" attitude. Tomorrow is what it’s all about.”

Independence for Israel (as detailed in the book above) was won in May of 1948 (70 years ago next month) with “blood, sweat and tears” followed by a Declaration of Independence and the establishment of the Jewish state. With that the time-line of end-times events began. In human history no other single event has more importance than the re-gathering of the Jewish people into one nation. The beginning of the end of latter days prophecy, which began about six thousand years ago had reached its first major plateau with that event. 


When the modern state of Israel was established a time-table was set. We don’t yet know all the details but as the days go by, the pages flip and we see the chart a little better. One thing seems clear, we are headed for a date with destiny and May, 2018 may well be the tipping point that kicks it off. 


In the last Seventy years the state of Israel has weathered many storms. They began with the odds stacked heavily against them (5 Arab countries to 1 beleaguered small group of Jews) with their declaration of Independence but in spite of it fought off the innumerable hordes of Islam which have only multiplied since as the years progressed. 

The re-gathering and the existence of Israel is the single most important prophetic sign of the wind-up of history. 


There is coming a time in the probable near future, when Israel will once more come under direct attack by its neighbors.

War is obviously building in the region with different alignments coming into play as end-time characters jockey for position.

The Bible names the players in Ezekiel 38 with that war and mentions in Zechariah 12:2,3 Jerusalem will be both a “cup of trembling” and a “burdensome stone.” Great trouble obviously lies dead ahead.

Ezekiel says when the armies of Gog come against the “mountains of Israel” He will turn them back (Eze 39:2)… and leave but the sixth part of thee…, In other words, 83% of the invading armies will be destroyed, not by Israel but by the Almighty Himself. Five out of six will die on the mountains. How will it happen? The Bible says not by raining fire down from heaven, but by messing with the minds of the soldiers and turning them against each other. 


If we put it all together yes, we are having and hearing of wars and rumors of war (Mt 24:6). And yes, there are famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes (7) testifying we are at least in the beginning of the final act. And at least in many parts of the world believers are being delivered up and killed but there still seems a long way to go. Christians in America so far seem far away from being put to death for their faith. Persecution? Obviously yes, considering bakers being forced to cook for perverts wanting to marry other perverts. But we are not yet being hunted like animals which is bound to come according to prophecy. Nor has the Gospel been preached in all of the world though several ministries are making a valiant effort. 


Yet the text tells us the fig tree is putting forth leaves and it’s high time we start looking after the things of God instead of the things of the world. In the midst of it all we must not forget the gospel (good news) of Christ is available to all who will call on His name.