I have a solid dislike for the Left Behind series. Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins have led a lot of people down the Pre-Millenial path and filled their heads with a lot of mumbo-jumbo about the End Times. People will more easily read a popular novel than study the Scriptures to see for themselves what God has said about the conclusion of history. So the material is taken as gospel truth even though it is based on a Hal Lindsey-ish premise. Unfortunately readers will assume what they are reading is possible.
Maybe it is. Not in the way LaHaye and Jenkins say it, but perhaps I have ignored, together with other theological thinkers, the possibility of real-time Middle East prophecy coming true. I have been reading Joel Rosenberg's "Epicenter" and I would say he fits in with the Left Behind stuff for the most part. The difference is that he bases more of what he says on careful research and an understanding of the Israeli-Palestine-Russia scenario. He is Jewish and has ties to Russia.
Based on Ezekiel 38-39, Rosenberg paints an all too real and believable picture of the political turmoil surrounding Israel. I had no idea that Russia (Soviet Union) had such an incredible distaste for Israel and has supported the Arab countries surrounding them to attack Israel. Now there is an agreement in the works between Russia and Iran to develop nuclear power for the purpose of energy consumption in Iran. The president of Iran, Ahminejad, hates Jews and has publicly sworn to destroy Israel with the bomb when he gets his hands on it. This is not over folks. If you thought Israel was done having to fight wars against overwhelming enemies you thought wrong.
Where Ezekiel comes in is the interpretation Rosenberg makes of Gog and Magog. He carefully argues that Russia is Magog and Gog is some sort of leader of Magog. Persia is easy since that is the ancient name for Iran. The other countries make sense too in the historical overlay. In short I have come to believe in the prophecy concerning Israel's role in the Final days. I was a skeptic because of Hal Lindsey; I am intrigued because of Rosenberg. We will have to watch the Middle East crisis more carefully from now on. Although I will continue to be discerning about End Times prophecy I will look with more fascination at the developing events. I guess God's not done with Israel after all. What do you think?
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3 comments:
I don't know what I think, but I am intrigued too.
What is so cool is that just today I was referred to Joel Rosenberg's work by someone else. Twice in one day? Hmmmmm....
Me thinks I must do some reading.
Now I would like to read that book too.
I agree that God is not done with Israel, I think that is biblical and we have started to see it fulfilled in the last century.
Okay I read the book and found it very interesting.
He makes some good points but what seems to set him apart is his apparent ability to predict the peripheral details that need to fall in place before the prophesies can come true. I don’t think that Joel is what I would call a prophet but he appears to have the gift of interpreting prophesy.
Anyway it was very interesting.
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