Welcome back friends!  Are you ready to dive into current events and Biblical prophecy?  That’s where we’re headed, so check back often.  I don’t foresee having a set schedule of posts, but will trust the Lord to provide direction and insight a few times a week.

Let’s set the stage for our journey together.  In order for this all to make sense:

• We need to know a bit about Israel’s history…and we’ll interweave some of that.
• We need to know what God’s Word says about the last days…and we’ll build a framework of Biblical prophecy on which to hang current events.
• We need to interpret current events in light of Bible prophecy…and that’s exactly our aim!

I’ll do my best to weave it all together, and I pray you are blessed.

So, let’s get started with the basics.  Though we can’t be absolutely certain of the exact date, the history of Israel dates back all the way to about 2000 BC when God called Abram (later renamed Abraham) out of Ur of the Chaldeans to a land called Canaan (modern-day Israel).  (Genesis 11:31-12:9)  At that time there was no such thing as Israel or Jews…so God was into creating again, and He used Abraham as His instrument!  Here’s Abraham’s route to the Promised Land.

This is a side note, but I find it very interesting to study which patriarchs were alive at the same time.  Did you know Abraham was born before Noah died?  Not that it’s important to today’s study, but interesting nonetheless!  In fact, study for yourself.  Below is a timeline of Biblical patriarchs.  (Take note that lifespans shrunk after the flood of Noah’s day…God’s judgement upon the earth.)

If you recall, a city gate from ancient Tel Dan was discovered and could be the gate Abraham entered as he came into the land of Canaan.  If you missed it, see Abraham’s Gate.  So, history on fast forward: Abraham ultimately made it to Canaan (the Promised Land), and God birthed the Israelites.  Due to disobedience, however, conflict started from the very beginning, and we’ll dig into that in days to come!

But let’s close today by looking briefly at the present.  I will draw your attention over the next few days to 4 issues that are currently in the news, are critical to Israel, and are addressed in Bible prophecy:

1. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and peace talks
2. The civil war in Syria
3. The rise of a Russian czar
4. Iran’s nuclear ambitions

Putting the puzzle pieces together will take some time, but I hope you’ll stick with me as we work our way through Israel’s history, God’s plan for the last days, and what Scripture says about today’s events!  Check back soon!

Shalom!