The Times of The Gentiles

A Covenant God And A Covenant Land

Israel's Covenant Land Series

As we continue our series on Israel's Covenant Land, we take a look in this message of the rapid approach of the end of what scripture calls "the Time of the Gentiles." All things concerning the harvest, the soon coming of the Lord Jesus both for the church and with the church, and the need for America to always honor Israel and in doing so HONOR GOD!

By Chris McDonald

As we continue this series of messages on Israel’s 58^th year celebration as a nation on the 14^th and the reunification of Jerusalem celebration on the 26^th, let the reader be sure that the Times of the Gentiles spoken of by our Lord in Luke 21 are rapidly drawing to a climatic close.

Luke 21:24 - And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

From scripture, we know that Israel's restoration in 1948 was more than just a random event in history; it was the prophetic fulfillment of Isaiah 66:8. We also realize that, according to Psalms 102:16, Jerusalem must be built up in order for the Lord to return. In 1967, the start of that process began to this moment at the time of this writing.

Isaiah 66:8- Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children

Psalm 102:16 - When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

The Holy Spirit through Paul tells us that in the last days the Lord will do a work in both the church and the world where He will make known to us the “mystery of His will.” This mystery of His will is the same type of mystery spoken of in Romans 11 where Paul describes the blindness in part on the heart of Israel that will remain until the fullness of the Gentiles be completed is ALSO a "mystery."

Ephes. 1:9-10-

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

[10] That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Romans 11:22-30 - Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. [23] And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. [24] For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? [25] For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. [26] And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: [27] For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. [28] As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. [29] For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. [30] For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

This message today is to continue to warn those reading of the shortness of the time ahead concerning the harvest, the soon coming of the Lord Jesus both for the church and with the church, and the need for America to always honor Israel and in doing so HONOR GOD!

There are two prophecies in scripture that underscore this theme of the rapid approach to the end of fullness of the Gentiles and God turning His full focus once again to Israel- the vineyard and the olive tree. The vineyard is a literal nation; the olive tree is the Gentile church. Christ used the parable of the vineyard to explain how God would transfer His blessings from the nation of Israel to another nation that would bring forth fruit in its seasons.

Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Israel was the nation spoken of here by Christ which was first given the good news of the Kingdom of God. Because of unbelief in the hearts of the religious leaders of Israel, a Gentile nation would be appointed in her absence, "that would bring forth the fruit thereof.

Since 1776, America has been the leading Gentile nation for spreading and proclaiming the gospel for nearly 225 years now. When America was formed, Israel was still in dispersion among the nations of the earth. In spite of this God’s providence in America gaining freedom from England went far beyond creating a land where those coming here could experience religious freedom. America was discovered and formed as a nation to one day be the protector of another important nation in the heart of God – Israel! The church up to the time of 1948 had become mainly Gentile in nature. Even as early as the late 1980s, a good majority of believers in the Body of Christ were not Jewish, but Gentile.

In the same sense, Israel was not only connected to America as a nation, but also was the tree into which the Gentile church was grafted into after Israel fell because of unbelief. Paul uses an analogy of this connection by using an olive tree and wild branches; the olive tree represents Israel, and the grafting of a new branch onto the olive tree represents the Gentile church. When the fullness of the Gentiles is complete, the Gentile branch will be removed and replaced by the original, natural Jewish branch. Let’s look at this connection a bit closer for it holds a great deal of meaning for the times we live in at the present and future events coming to Planet Earth.

Israel and the Church

When God made a covenant with Abraham, He promised Abraham many children. In fact, Abraham’s descendants would be a group so large in number that it would compare to the number of “the stars of heaven and the sand which is upon the sea shore.”

Genesis 22:17 -That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

This promise revealed that through Abraham, God would produce a natural seed (Israel) through Isaac and a heavenly seed (the church) through Christ. The sand symbolizes Israel and the stars represent the church. There are five different factors that distinguish the earthly and the heavenly seed of Abraham:

1. Israel was given earthly promises, and the Gentile church heavenly promises

2. Israel was promised an earthly kingdom, and the church promised a spiritual kingdom

3. Israel will rule from an earthly Jerusalem, and the church will rule from a heavenly Jerusalem

4. Israel is the theme of the old covenant; the church the theme of the new covenant

5. Israel is promised the Second Coming of Christ; the church is promised the rapture.

The church today is comprised of both JEW and Gentile. When we say Israel we are speaking of NATIONAL ISRAEL, which as a whole, has still not recognized Christ as her Messiah. However, there are nearly 40,000 Jewish believers living in Israel – a number that staggers the mind considering that as late as 1995 there were less than 1,000! There is tremendous prophetic significance to what is happening right now in the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and end time events soon to hit Planet Earth.

Scores of Jewish people are coming to know the Lord! This is a restoration in a small portion to the original call God placed on Israel, His original vineyard. Israel was given the responsibility of covenant with God through the Law, along with the institution of Divine service in the Tabernacle and the Temple. For centuries, Israel was a fruitful, spiritual nation. God actually offered Israel grace at Mount Sinai through His desire to “dwell” among her, yet Israel wholeheartedly chose the Law. Choosing the Law of God over God’s grace is spiritual suicide for any people whose hearts are carnal and sold under sin. Israel declared she could keep the Law and failed miserably!

By the time of Christ, religion was formalized and powerless. Traditions of men had replaced the truth, and Temple services became boring, routine rituals without meaning.

Mark 7:6 - He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Mark 7:13 - Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

God, in his infinite knowledge, knew that the Hebrews would be dispersed for over 1,900 years. As a result, God selected the church, not to replace Israel, but to bring forth spiritual fruit in Israel’s absence. The church will never replace Israel; we, however, as the Lord’s Body, have been given the task of taking the gospel message of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom to a lost and dying world – a task Israel was first called to do in the beginning and a task yet to be fulfilled by her in the end!

Jesus said that God would let out His vineyard to other husbandmen who would bring forth fruit in their season. In Greek, the words “let out,” mean “go give forth to lease.” The church and the Gentiles have a lease on the vineyard, but friend, the time is rapidly approaching when that “lease,” will eventually expire.

The Example of The Circumcised and the Uncircumcised

Paul was the one given the responsibility to explain how God would raise up the Gentile church to minister to the world. In Romans 10 and 11, he explained in detail the mysterious relationship of Christ to natural Israel and to the spiritual Israel, the Christian church, made up of both Jew and Gentile! Since natural Jews confirm their covenant relationship to God through circumcision, Paul used the term “circumcised” when speaking about natural Jews, and the phrase “uncircumcised” when speaking about when speaking about the Gentiles.

Romans 3:30 - Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

Paul was Jewish, yet he was called of God to “bear the Lord’s name to the Gentiles.” Paul wrote in another scripture in Acts, “I preached among the Gentiles….and confessed that he “preached among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” (Eph. 3:8).

Ephes. 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Galatians 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

Peter was ordained by the Holy Spirit to minister to the Jewish branch of the Christian church, while Paul served the Gentiles. Paul confirms this when he wrote:

Galatians 2:7 - But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

The first church was ONE UNIT consisting of two different branches, one being Jewish and other Gentile. Both preached the same Gospel and received the same Holy Spirit. Due to religious and cultural differences between the two groups, contention often arose within the church that had to be settled by leaders on both sides. In Romans, Paul used the imagery of two olive trees. He taught that there was a natural olive tree (the Jews) and a wild olive tree (the Gentiles).

Romans 11:17 -And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakes of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

Romans 11:24 -For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Paul used imagery already stated in two separate visions in Isaiah:

Isaiah 11:1 -And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Isaiah 5:1-7 -Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: [2] And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. [3] And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. [4] What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? [5] And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: [6] And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. [7] For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

David, whose father was Jesse, was given the promise of a future kingdom that would be ruled by a Messiah coming from David’s descendants. The Messiah would be from the house of David and would rule the nations with a rod of iron. In Isaiah 11:1, the Messiah is identified as a “rod from the stem of Jesse.” The Hebrew word for rod is "cheten," which means a twig or tender shoot. This correlates with another Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 53 which states the Messiah would “grow up before him as a tender plant and as a ROOT out of dry ground.” (53:2).

We know Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David and He is from the tribe of Judah. This fulfills prophecy. Isaiah 11:1 states, “A branch will come forth out of His roots.” The word for a single branch in Hebrew is "netzer," and the plural form is "netzrim." Netzrim is the Hebrew word for Nazareth, where Christ was raised. There is evidence that the first Christians were actually called Netzrim before they were called Christians in Antioch.

Isaiah 11:1 -And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Rev. 2:27 -And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Isaiah 53:2 - For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Acts 11:26 - And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Netzrim is actually the contemporary Hebrew word for Christian. When Paul used the analogy of the olive tree in Romans 11, he may well have been referring to Isaiah’s prophecy which could read,” There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse and Christians shall grow out of his roots.”

Paul taught that there are two olive trees – one is a natural olive tree representing Israel, the other is a wild olive tree representing the Gentiles. The natural branches were broken off “because of unbelief.” Christ acme unto His own and His own received Him not! The priesthood and religious leaders of Israel rejected Him just as the religious in the wilderness rejected God’s offer of Grace and wound up dying before entering the Promised Land. Unbelief always brings eternal consequences no matter how little it may seem to the individual or nation involved at the time. Unbelief grieves the heart of God!

Romans 11:20 - Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear:

John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Hebrews 3:6-12 - [6] But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. [7] Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, [8] Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: [9] When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. [11] So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) [12] Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Therefore, because of unbelief, God grafted in branches from the wild Gentile olive tree.

Romans 11:19 - Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

According to Paul, the root of the tree is JEWISH in nature, YET the branches are now Gentile. Paul reveals to the Gentile believers that the natural branches were broken of so that we (GENTILES) might be grafted in!

In the beginning of Christ’s ministry, He worked only with Jews and told His disciples to avoid the Gentiles.

Matthew 10:5-6 - These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: [6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Eventually, the religious Jews began rejecting Christ’s ministry and accused Him of being of the devil.

Mark 3:1-6 - And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. [2] And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day; that they might accuse him. [3] And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. [5] And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. [6] And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

In the middle of Christ’s ministry the Lord began reaching out to the Gentiles. Later, at Christ’s public trial, many of the religious Jews told Pilate,”His (Christ’s) blood be upon us and upon our children.” (Matthew 27:25). This rejection of Christ was UNBELIEF and Paul said it caused Israel’s natural branch to be severed. Let the reader be warned today that if we as Gentiles embrace this same spirit of unbelief – OUR BRANCHES WILL BE CUT OFF TOO!

Matthew 27:25 - Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Romans 11:13-24 - For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: [14] If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. [15] For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? [16] For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. [17] And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; [18] Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. [19] Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. [20] Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: [21] For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. [22] Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. [23] And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. [24] For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

The first church was a Jewish congregation, consisting of one hundred twenty believers in the upper room.

Acts 1:14-16 - These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. [15] And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) [16] Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

Shortly, thereafter, religious Jews began persecuting Jewish believers in Christ.

Acts 13:45 - But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

Acts 13:50 - But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

Acts 14:2 - But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

Acts 18:2 - And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

In Acts 9, Rabbi Paul received Christ as his Messiah, and shortly thereafter the Gentiles received Christ and the gift of the Holy Ghost. From that moment on till NOW, the Gospel was preached to the Gentiles throughout the Roman Empire. This acceptance of the Gentiles into the New Covenant began the season called the “times of the Gentiles” and the “dispensation of the grace of God.”

Ephes. 3:2 - If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you ward:

Acts 10:45 - And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Fullness of The Gentiles; The Dispensation of Grace

Since the first century, a Jewish remnant of believers worked along side Gentiles to advance the gospel. After the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the headquarters for Christianity eventually moved to Rome, Italy. From that point, the number of Jewish believers began to decline as the Greek-Roman culture overpowered the smaller, Hebraic remnant in the church. The Gentile believers flourished for over 1,900 years. This dispensation of God’s grace, commonly called the church age, will continue until the return of Christ for His church – the RAPTURE.

To state it again, Paul’s warning to us as Gentile believers in these last days is if we fall into unbelief, God will remove our branch from the olive tree and replace it with the original branch.

Romans 11:21- For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

Paul also taught that Israel’s spiritual blindness would be removed when God completed His mission among the Gentiles.

Romans 11:25-26 - For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. [26] And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

The End of This Age Is Approaching Rapidly

Luke 22:37- For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

In summary, the end time pattern is as follows according to Paul and the words of Christ: the Gentiles will preach the Gospel to every nation (along side a Jewish remnant), “then shall the end come,” meaning not the “end of the world,” but the “end” of the dispensation of Grace. Jesus once said during His earthly ministry that the “things concerning Me (JESUS) had an end.” ALL things have an end neighbor.

There will be a last altar call one day. There will be an end to God’s mercy and willingness to extend man a chance to repent. There will be an end to this dispensation to gather in the harvest as spoken of in Joel. The Holy Spirit is doing His part – we the church must do our part! Our part is to gather this harvest into the church as unto CHRIST – pointing men to the Cross of Christ where victory over the power of sin is found. Our job is to preach heaven as the prize for those who come to Christ in faith and hell hotter for those who don’t. Our job as the church is not to appease false religion but to name it and denounce it as being what it is – from hell itself sending men’s souls into eternal damnation. We as the church have been called to lift HIGH the banner of the cross as the ONLY remedy for man’s ills and stop hiding behind the unbelief of our denomination’s tenants of faith.

At the cross, the penalty and the power of sin were broken is such a way that man need not be bound! Man need not be deceived! Man need not be in darkness.

The clock is ticking neighbor; its hands say “ten to midnight.” Every single second that goes by at this point in history takes us all another step closer to the END of this dispensation of Grace. Every single time you and I sit in a church and hear the gospel that is one less gospel message that will be preached before this whole thing wraps up called the church age. When the Gentile church completes its mission to witness to all nations, then its assignment will be complete.

Matthew 24:14-15 - And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. [15] When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

When Jesus said, “the end will come,” He was meaning that the end of dispensation of God’s grace upon the Gentiles would end, not the world itself. Matthew 24:15 refers to the “abomination of desolation that makes Jerusalem desolate.” This abomination causes Jews to flee into the wilderness. These events are recorded in Revelation 12-14, and they will happen in the middle of the Great Tribulation period.

Prior to this happening, two things are about to take place: the fullness of the Gentiles will be completed and Israel will be grafted back into the olive tree. We’re not that far off from both events neighbor. And when Israel is grafted back in – God will judge those Gentile nations who have broken His covenant in unbelief – just as He judged Israel of old!

Severe judgments will strike the earth during the first 42 months of the Tribulation period on Gentile nations through the world as the wrath of God visits those who will not repent of their wickedness. As a preacher of the gospel I am seeing such a hardening of America’s heart and a more difficult time reaching people’s heart with the pure gospel message. Hearts are being hardened like stone and people scoff at the idea of sin and judgment. This is a sign the fullness of the Gentiles is nearing an end and close. When Israel rejected Christ as Messiah, great trouble followed; likewise, as America rejects Christ the Messiah, trouble is surely going to FOLLOW!

Rev. 9:20 - And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

Rev. 16:9 - And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

Rev. 16:11 - And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Recent surveys show America own at least one Bible. Yet, according to those same surveys, Americans are biblically ignorant. Only half of Americans can name the first book of the Bible (Genesis), and only one third know who delivered the Sermon on the Mount (many named Billy Graham instead of Jesus). Most do not know that the Christian reason for observing Easter is to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Today, less than 59% claim to read the Bible at all. The pollster George Gallup once said, “We believe in the Bible, but we don’t read it.”

May this writer add, America believes and knows there is a God, but we refuse to repent! The world’s leading “Christian” nation has entered a post-Christian era where the killing of innocent babies, the promotion of sexual perversion through homosexuality and lesbian have become the norm, pornography is considered art, alcoholism and drug addiction are no longer sin, they are “social disorders,” and divorce because of adultery and fornication is considered part of marriage itself instead of sin in the sight of God.

America’s greatest opportunities to reach the end-time harvest are before us, but friend, the doors will not remain open forever. If 9-11-2001 taught us anything is that in one single day our world can change and this nation can be attacked. No one was prepared for that fateful Tuesday day five years ago now. More 9-11 type events are slated for this nation and our cities if we don’t repent!

And the reason America faces greater judgment is not that our ignorance is ignorance based upon the lack of facts or information. Our ignorance is WILLFUL ignorance in the face of LIGHT given to us through the Bible, the church and Christ Himself! Sin is one thing, but when we sin against light, we literally bring on a greater degree of judgment upon ourselves than if we lived in the dark woods of Africa without a TV, Radio or newspaper. My God, help us today. My God, I cry out as I write this to cleanse the filth from America’s soil and forgive us for the innocent blood of BILLIONS of babies that cry out to Him from our ground!

Lord, forgive us for the sins of homosexuality, lesbianism and pornography. Forgive us for taking marriage covenants lightly and destroying homes for the idol of lust, greed and money. One out of ever two marriages fail today because of spousal infidelity. The other 50% face uncertainty because of money issues and greed. Lord, cleanse us today!

America was ordained by God to be a spiritual vineyard! Its purpose was to be a lighthouse to the world, shining the light of the Kingdom of God into every dark corner. America is the only Gentile nation in history of its like that can trace its origins and prophetic patterns – BACK TO ISRAEL! Just as Jesus predicted that the vineyard would be taken away, the Hebrew prophets said the day would come when God would return to His original vineyard (ISRAEL) with blessings.

Psalm 80:14-16 - Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; [15] And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself. [16] It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

This is a picture of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 606 B.C., which was repeated by the Romans in A.D. 70. The Holy City was burned, yet Isaiah gave this encouraging word to Israel:

Isaiah 27:2 - In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine.

Isaiah 27:6 - He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.

Prophetically speaking when God returns His attention to Israel that is a sign His judgment on the Gentiles is not far off. Seeing the tremendous outpouring of the Spirit on Jewish people at this moment lets this writer know that the time for that is not far spent or long. It’s getting late neighbor. We WATCH for Israel, so we can pray. We WATCH for America, so we can PRAY. We watch for the souls of men and preach this gospel through the internet so that perhaps some soul, somewhere searching for answers may come upon this website and read something that convicts their heart and soul before eternity beckons. The THINGS concerning CHRIST have and END and the END of this dispensation of GRACE is coming!

We will pick up this theme in part two of this message series as we look deeper at the prophetic picture in scripture of the Vine and the Olive Tree and how it relates to the time we live in and National Israel.

I pray your heart is right with God today. Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power, are you WASHED in the blood of the Lamb? Are you trusting in HIS GRACE this hour, oh, be WASHED in the blood of the Lamb! If you’re not sure of your soul’s state you can BE sure before you leave this site. Pray with me now:

Heavenly Father, I’m a sinner. I come to You today in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ confessing my sin. I have rebelled against Your Holy Name and against Your Spirit for many years. I know the time is late and ask You today to cleanse my heart from ALL unrighteousness, sin and depravity. I repent today, promising that by Your same Grace, I will not return to the sin I am involved with at the present. I choose today to follow CHRIST and take up His cross and walk daily after HIM. I seek only to OBEY YOUR WILL for my Life. Your Word says, “if I shall confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, I shall be saved.” With my mouth I confess and with my heart I believe that YOU raised Jesus from the dead. I make this CHRIST today my LORD and Savior. In your name I pray, AMEN.”

I pray you know Him today. Sadly, many read that prayer and smirk and scoff at its simplicity. One day neighbor the smirking and the scoffing will be turned to weeping and mourning as judgment on sin hits with a thundering sound of eternity before the presence of a Holy God. Hell is a real place. It’s not some curse word or slur we use in punch lines or jokes at our office parties and get togethers. MILLIONS are there right now and millions more are going there if they don’t repent. I pray you know the LORD today! My heart breaks knowing that billions don’t and that is the call on the church in these last days - PREACH THE GOSPEL to those who will heed the call of the Holy Spirit today! Praise God.

Make no mistake, the Times of the Gentiles are near an end and the rapture is SOON to occur! It doesn't matter what you or I believe about - the WORD OF GOD says the Lord HIMSELF shall descend from heaven with a SHOUT and with the TRUMP OF GOD - the dead in Christ shall rise FIRST, then we which are alive and remain will be caught up together in the clouds and be forever with the Lord forever!

Do you know Christ today?

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The Two Covenants (Covenant Land 2)

Israel: God's Prophetic Anvil (Covenant Land 3)

A Covenant With Death and With Hell We've Made Agreement (Covenant Land 4)

The Mountains of Israel Part One (Covenant Land 5)

The Times of the Gentiles (Covenant Land Series)