CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
What is going on in the middle east?
After almost 2,000 years, how and why did the Jews return their own country?
Why were they dispersed for almost two-thousand years?
Will they one day recognize Christ as the Messiah?
Will they one day recognize Christ as the Messiah?
Did God utterly forsake Israel in the flesh?
The Prophet Ezekiel prophesied their dispersion (70 AD), their eventual return to Israel (1948), and their future acceptance of Christ. These and many questions other questions are addressed in
the wonderful prophecies preserved intact only in the Holy
Orthodox Church and the Scriptures preserved, of which the Old Testament is preserved in the form of the Septuagint (Old Testament).
Prophetic words from our all-knowing God are history written in advance. It is obvious that they are authentic and true by their existence and accurate fulfillment. We will see that God wants the
Israelites, to accept the Son whom He sent, and for this reason, we Orthodox Christians honor all man as being the image of God, and as fellow sinners, invite them to this great salvation found in Holy Orthodoxy. Let us soberly examine these wonderful prophetical words!
MOSES SPEAKS TO ISRAEL
The Coming of the Messiah
“The Lord your God will raise up to you a prophet from among the brethren like me. Unto him shall you listen. According to all that you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God, neither let us see this great fire anymore, that we may not die. And the Lord said unto me, that which they said was well spoken. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto you, and he shall speak to them all that I will command him. And it shall come to pass that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak, I will avenge myself against him”
The Coming of the Messiah
“The Lord your God will raise up to you a prophet from among the brethren like me. Unto him shall you listen. According to all that you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God, neither let us see this great fire anymore, that we may not die. And the Lord said unto me, that which they said was well spoken. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto you, and he shall speak to them all that I will command him. And it shall come to pass that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak, I will avenge myself against him”
(Deut. 18: 15-20)
The " prophet from among your brethren like Moses”, would be the Teacher and Lawgiver sent from God to His chosen people. This is the Messiah or Christ. On the basis of such prophetic texts for almost two-thousand years, Jews worldwide had openly proclaimed the certainty of the coming of their Christ or Messiah (Christos in Greek, Messiah in Hebrew). They publicly yearned for the coming of Him who eventually did come in the name of the Lord, to whom the Hebrew children cried: “Hosanna in the highest!”
“I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto you, and he shall speak to them all that I will command. And the Lord said to me: And it shall be that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak, I will avenge myself against him.”
These are words from the Lord himself through Moses to the people. It speak s of the certainty of the Messiah, and the twelve Jewish disciples of Christ with St. Paul preached Jesus the Christ first to the Jews and then to the nations.
THE VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE
Prophecy of Isaiah:
“Take, eat, this is my body, which is shed for you for the remission\ of sins.” He also said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven; if a man eat this bread, he shall never die. My flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink.” One drop of the blood of the God-man is more powerful than all the sins in the world! True Orthodox Christians, partake of this and become able to avoid sin performing only good works as Christ the Messiah commands, and as God ruled in the Old Testament. The Holy Scripture speaks firmly and clearly: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.”
Isaiah’s Prophecy, agreeing with Moses, tells more about the coming of the Messiah. “Hear now, house of David , is it a little thing for you to contend with men, and how do you contend against the Lord ? Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive in her womb and shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Emmanuel.
The prophecies of both Moses and Elias were fulfilled when the young Jewish Virgin Mary, conceived in her womb without the seed of man, the eternal Son and Logos of God and in the fulness of time, gave birth to the only God-man , our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ. He who existed before the ages is the eternal Logos of God, but He entered time, born as a babe of Mary the Ever-virgin.
As prophesied He instituted a New Covenant and a new law, which did not do away with the law of God given by Moses, but perfectly fulfilled it. When it was time to offer himself for the race of man, Jesus, a priest after the order of Melchisedec, did not present an animal offering as the Mosaic law ordained – that is, the blood of
irrational animals. But what a wonder, what majesty, what compassion, Jesus, the great High Priest offered himself to the Father as the supreme offering, the logical sinless sacrifice, as He became theSacrificer and the sacrificial Victim.
It is understood that the blood of animals cannot cleanse anyone’s sin, but were an merely an offering for sins. This sacrifice was a type of the only effective sacrifice of all our sins, that of the
God-man, the Lamb of God on the Cross. Instead of sprinkling the blood of animals on the people as a sin offering, He commanded:
These Prophecies are now history, verifying the prophetic words.
DISPERSAL OF THE JEWS (70AD)
“And the word of God came to me saying, son of man, the house of Israel dwelled upon their land, and defiled it by their acts and their idols, and with their uncleanness, and their way before me was as the uncleanness of a woman sitting apart. So I poured out my wrath upon them and I dispersed them among the nations and utterly scattered them throughout the countries and I judged them according to their actions and according to their great sin.
(Note: the word sin is singular – indicating the great sin and willful slaughter of their sinless Messiah – Christ) and they went among the nations and they profaned my holy name while it was said of them, these are the people of the Lord and they came forth out of his land. But I spared them for the sake of my holy name which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went. And I will sanctify my great name which you profaned in the midst of them, and the nations shall know that I am Lord when I am sanctified among you before their eyes.”
DELIVERED UP TO THE HITLER AND NAZI GERMANY
“And all the nations shall know that the house of Israel was led captive because of their sins, because they rebelled against me,[for Israel is a rebellious house] and I turned my face from them,
and delivered them into the hands of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. According to their uncleanness, and according to their transgressions did I deal with them, and I turned my face away from them.” “Therefore, says the Lord, now will I turn back captivity in Jacob and on Israel will have mercy for the sake of my holy name. And they shall bear their reproach and the iniquity which they committed when they dwelled on their land in peace. Yet there shall be none to terrify them when I have brought them back from among the nations. And I will be sanctified among them in the presence of the nations. And they will know that I am the Lord their God when I have been manifest to them among the nations.”
DID GOD FORGET ISRAEL IN THE FLESH?
St. Paul’s Prophecy:
“I say then, has God rejected his people? May it not be so! I myself am an Israelite, a descendent of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you know what the Scripture says of Elias, how he pleads with God against Israel? Lord they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars and I alone am left, and they seek my soul. But what is God’s reply to him? I have kept for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed their knee to Baal. Even so, in the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace then it is no longer by works, otherwise it is not by grace. What them? Israel failed to obtain what it sought. The chosen obtained it but the rest were hardened because of their sins, as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of slumber, eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear, to this very day . . . Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery brethren, A hardening of the heart has come upon all Israel until the nations have come in and then all Israel shall be saved as it is written: The Redeemer has come out of Sion; he will banish impiety from Jacob, and this will be my covenant with them when I takeaway their sins.” (Romans 11-27)
THE REPATRIATION OF ISRAEL
This took place in 1948
“after the sword” of Adolf Hitler slaughtered them by the millions. “Thus says the Lord, behold I will take the whole house of Israel out of the midst of the nations among whom they have gone, and I will gather them that are round about them, and I will bring them into the land of Israel. And I will make them a nation in my land even on the mountain of Israel. And they shall have one ruler, and they shall no longer be two nations, neither shall they be divided anymore into two kingdoms, that they may no longer defile themselves with their idols. And I will deliver them from all their transgressions whereby they have sinned, and I will cleanse them, and they shall be to me a people, and I the Lord, will be to them a God.”
“Thus says the Lord God, I will also gather Israel from the nations among whom they have been scattered, and I will be sanctified among them, and before the people and nations:” (Ezek. 28:25).
“And I will take you from the nations and gather you out of their countries and will bring you into your own country. And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be purged from all your uncleanness and from your idols, and I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and will put a new spirit in you; and I will remove the heart of stone from out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh. And I will place my spirit in you and will cause you to walk in my ordinances, and to keep my judgments and to do them. And you shall dwell upon your own land which I gave to your fathers, and you shall be to me a people, and will be to you a God. And I will save you from all your uncleanness, and I will call for the wheat, and multiply it, and will not bring famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the trees, and the produce of the field, that may not bear the reproach of nations. And you shall remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you shall be hateful in your own sight for your transgressions, and for you abominations. Not for you sake do I do this, says the Lord God, as it is known to you; be ashamed and confounded for your ways, House of Israel”.
(Ezekiel 36: 24-32)
“And I will bring them out from the nations, and will gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land, and will feed them upon the mountains of Israel. I will seek that which is lost, and I will recover the stray one, and I will bind up that which is broken, and will strengthen the faint-hearted, and will guard the strong and will feed them with judgment”
(Ezek. 34:13).
WHY GOD SPARED THEM
“And they went among the nations and they profaned my holy name while it was said of them, These are the people of the Lord and they came forth from his land. But I spared them forthe sake of my holy name which the house of Israel profaned among the nations among which they went. Therefore, say this to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord, I do not this, O house of Israel, for your sake, but because of my holy name which you have profaned among the nations in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, when I am sanctified among you before their eyes.”
JEWS WILL GLORIFY JESUS CHRIST
“And my servant David, shall be a ruler in the midst of them; there shall be one shepherd of them all for they shall walk in my ordinances and keep my judgments and do them . . . and David my servant shall be their ruler for ever . . . And the nations shall know that I am the Lord that sanctified them, when my sanctuary is in the midst of them for ever. And I will place my glory among you, and all the nations shall see my judgment which I have wrought and my hand which I have brought upon them. And the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God, from this day onwards.”
My servant David: Jesus Christ, Son of David in the Flesh
The Sanctuary: the Holy Orthodox Church
The Glory: God’s only begotten Son, the God-man
The Glory of Christ: the Cross through which He saved the world.
Jesus testifies:
PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE CHRIST
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall aim at your head, and you shall aim at his heel." (Gen. 3:15)
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall aim at your head, and you shall aim at his heel." (Gen. 3:15)
The Seed of Abraham:
"Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him
(Gen 18:18)
The Seed of Isaac:
"And God said unto Abraham, you shalt keep my covenant therefore, you, and thy seed after you in their generations.
(Gen 17:9)
The Seed of Jacob
"I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth." (Num 24:17
)
He will descend from the tribe of Judah:
"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." (Gen 49:10)
He will be heir to the throne of David:
"Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from this time on
even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of the powers will perform this." (Isa 9:7)
He will be born in Bethlehem:
"But you, Bethlehem Ephratha though you be small among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth unto me he that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." (Mic 5:2)
The point in time of his birth:
"Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times." (Dan 9:25 )
He will be born of the virgin:
"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isa 7:14 )
Slaughter of the innocent infants:
"Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not." (Jer 31:15
)
PROPHECIES
Purpose:
"And we have the prophetic word made sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19).
Prophecies:
Able to bring people to repentance.Strengthen the faithful and encourage them.
Confirm the truth and immutability of the word of God.
"Prophecy is a continuous wonder. The more time goes on and by, the greater this wonder becomes. Time makes the other wonders old and even forgotten, but time makes the prophecy wonder constantly greater." (Arch. Joel Yannacopoulos)
THE ANONYMOUS PROPHECY (1053 AD)
From the Libray of the Koutloumousiou Holy Monastery
Mt. Athos, Greece.
1. Great European War
[World War I]
2. Defeat of Germany, Catastrophe of Russia and Austria
3. Defeat of the Hagarenes (Turks) by the Hellenes (Greeks)
4. Reinforcement to the Hagarenes (Turks) by the Western peoples. Defeat of the Greeks by Hagar. [England, France and other Western nations greatly help the Turks]
5. Slaughter of the Orthodox peoples.
[Genocide of Orthodox Asia minor; destruction of Smyrna]
6. And great anxiety in the Orthodox peoples.
7. Invasion of foreign troops from the Adriatic Sea. Woe unto those who live on earth; for Hades is ready.
8. The Hagarene is great for a moment.
9. A new European War.
[WorldWar II] 10. Union of Orthodox peoples with Germany.
11. Defeat of the French by the Germans.
[Due to Mahatma Ghandi 1947]
13. England to the Saxons alone.
[The sun did go down on the British Empire for she lost all her possessions]\ 14. Victory to the Orthodox peoples and general slaughter of the Hagarenes by the Orthodox.
15. The world is in anxiety.
16. General despair on earth. (Perhaps due to a decision to use nuclear bombs)
17. A battle of seven states in Constantinople. Slaughter for three days and three nights. Victory of the largest state over the six states.
18. Alliance of six states against the seventh one; slaughter for three days and for three nights.
19. Cessation of the war by an angel (of God and of Christ), and delivery of the city to the Hellenes.
20. Submission of the Latins to the faultless Faith of the Orthodox believers.
22. The barbarians fearing and trembling at it.
23. Discharge of the Pope, and proclamation of one Patriarch for all Europe.
24. In five and fifty years the end of the afflictions; and in the seventh there is not a miserable man, there is not a banished man; returning to the Mother’s rejoicing arms (i.e. the Church). So shall it be, and we wish that it be.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
I am the Alpha and the Omega (as in Revelation 1:8). First and last
The end. One flock and one shepherd shall there be, from the true Orthodox faith.
We wish that it be done.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
(A slave of the true God’s Christ)
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