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Is there anyone who believes in Mashiach Yeshua
(Messiah Yeshua) who does not want Him to return and restore peace on earth? I think that
every believer is looking forward to the soon coming of Mashiach. Even the traditional
Jewish community wants Mashiach now. We see their slogan "We Want Mashiach Now"
on bumper stickers and in their printed materials. So both believers (Jewish and
non-Jewish) as well as the unbelieving Jewish community want Mashiach now; or do we?
Scripture tells us that before Mashiach returns there would be a
time of great trouble. In fact the L-rd gave the period prior to the coming of Mashiach
the name "Ya'acov's (Jacob's) Trouble:"
Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) {30:5}For thus saith
HaShem; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of
peace. {30:6} Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with
child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as
a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? {30:7}
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the
time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. {30:8} For
it shall come to pass in that day, saith HaShem of
hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and
strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: {30:9} But they shall serve
HaShem
their G-d, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.
From this Scripture alone we can see that the coming of Mashiach is
preceded by a time of great trouble. Ezekiel also tells us about a time of great trouble
before the world totally turns to G-d:
Yechezkel / Ezekiel
{38:22} And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I
will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are
with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
{38:23} Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known
in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am HaShem.
The book of Daniel chapters 7-12 also describes a
time of great tribulation on the face of the earth prior to the coming of the Mashiach.
Then of course we have the words of Mashiach Himself:
Uri
/ Mark {13:7} And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be
ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. {13:8} For
nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be
earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the
beginnings of sorrows. {13:24} But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun
shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, {13:25} And the stars of heaven
shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. {13:26} And then shall they
see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
So it should be obvious to any diligent student of
the Bible (believer) that prior to the coming of Mashiach there will be war and much
tribulation. Considering that we know a time of war and tribulation will precede the
coming of Mashiach, what should our attitude be toward current events in the world and
more specifically in the Middle East?
No one wants war and
I am sure you will not find anyone, other then perhaps a psychopath, who
wants to see innocent people; men, woman and children needlessly killed.
However the Bible
clearly states that wars will take place prior to Mashiach's return. War
involves death and that unfortunately includes the death of civilians as
well.
We do not understand the ways of G-d. In fact He
tells us that His ways are not our ways.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) {55:9} For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
If not a sparrow
falls from the sky without G-d's knowledge, then He is certainly aware of
who should die and who will live. Add to that fact that for the redeemed
that die, death is a beginning and not an end and then of course there is
the resurrection.
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