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NOTE: This article or series has not been updated recently. As such, it may possibly contain some outdated information, and/or ideas and beliefs which I no longer embrace, or which have changed to some degree.



Continuing our discussion from part two, of course, as we now know, and as we discussed earlier in this series, the Israelites would not feel the full weight of Jesus' words, and the wrath of Rome, until almost forty years later, when General Titus would march into Jerusalem with is Roman legions, and utterly destroy it, along with Herod's temple. You may recall that in part two, I shared the following verse with you from Matthew chapter twenty-four, where Jesus clearly told His Disciples:

". . . See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

As I have pointed out before, according to my research, the Romans were not content with just burning down the temple. Precisely as Jesus prophesied in Matthew chapter twenty-four, they also tore the temple remains apart, block by block, in order to recover all of the gold which had melted down into the cracks; and there was apparently plenty of it, based on the descriptions found in the Old Testament. To our current time, the temple has never been rebuilt, and it is also my understanding that those blocks remain untouched by the Jews, due to their fear of offending God.

Imagine how shocked the Apostles must have been to find out that the beautiful building which they so admired, would be destroyed. So their first inquiry was answered by Titus in 70 A.D.; but please note that this event may not necessarily have been the complete fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy. As I mentioned earlier in this series, and explain more fully in other articles, there is Scriptural evidence which suggests that a third temple may be built on the Temple Mount in East Jerusalem, sometime in the near future, after the Israelis and the Palestinians have resolved the various issues which exist between them. Will this third temple also be destroyed by the enemies of Israel? Please refer to the aforementioned articles for more details.

Another point of interest is that at the time of our Lord's Crucifixion, God gave the Jewish religious leadership a very clear sign that He was displeased with them. You may recall that on one occasion, while Jesus was teaching in the temple in Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priests and Elders came and challenged Him. In response, the Lord shared a Parable with them, and then He concluded by saying:

". . . Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."


In the previous verses, the word "taken" is derived from the Greek word "airo". One meaning of this word is to take by force or violence. You may recall that after John the Baptist had been imprisoned, he sent two of his disciples to inquire of Jesus whether or not He was the Messiah. In His response to them, one of the things that the Lord said was this:

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."


So, as I've shared before in a number of my spiritual warfare articles, there is in fact a very real, violent spiritual war that is being fought for the Kingdom of Heaven, between the forces of Light and the forces of Darkness; and our souls are in fact a part of the prize. In that last verse, let me point out that in the original Greek, the word translated as "the violent" also means "the strong"; so we could translate that phrase as "the strong take it by force". It's interesting to note that the phrase "take it by force" is derived from the Greek word "harpazo". Some of you who are sharp students of God's Word may realize that this is precisely the same word that is used in some other beloved verses that are familiar to many Christians. I am referring to the following found in Paul's first Epistle to the Thessalonian brethren:

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."


That verb "caught up" is likewise translated from "harpazo". Thayer's Greek lexicon defines it as follows:

----- Begin Quote -----

1) to seize, carry off by force
2) to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly
3) to snatch out or away

----- End Quote -----

As I share in other articles, such as "The Great Tribulation and the Rapture", for we Believers, the situation is going to be very bad, and will look very dark, just prior to Jesus' Return. In fact, it will be very bad for the entire world. It is for this reason, that while sharing the Endtime signs with His Disciples in Matthew chapter twenty-four, Jesus pointedly tells them:

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened."


Putting all of the previous verses together, it appears that from a worldly perspective, it will look as if the forces of Darkness have won. But then, when the world least expects it, when our cause appears to be lost, Jesus will appear in the clouds of heaven, and He will send His Angels to rip us right out of this violence-prone world. He'll forcefully snatch us up in order to save us out of the grips of our enemies. You may wonder exactly how the Lord is going to accomplish this. I offer one intriguing perspective in the series "Chariots of Fire: A Voluntary Voyage to Heaven?".

Some of the previous verses paint a side of God which some people don't like to see; particularly those Christians who like to promote an image of a "lovey-dovey" Jesus, and a God who would never resort to force or violence, or even punish us. The truth is, as I have pointed out before, God can, and has, presented Himself as a gentle lamb, but He can also be a roaring lion as well. It depends on the situation and with whom He is dealing. I mentioned earlier that at the time of Jesus' Crucifixion, God gave the Jewish Elders a very clear sign that He was very displeased with them. In fact, it was an omen that their power would soon be ripped right out of their hands, precisely as Jesus had prophesied. That sign can be found in the following verses:

"And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,"


Imagine that. When Jesus was resurrected, God split the veil of the temple, which divided the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple, right in half from top to bottom. What a clear indication of His anger. I honestly don't know if there's any truth to this theory, but some Bible researchers have stated that the reason why God did this, wasn't just to demonstrate His anger with the Jewish religious hierarchy; it was also to expose the fact that the Ark of the Covenant, (which was a gold-plated chest which contained the holy items, such as the tablets on which were written the Commandments, Aaron's rod which budded, and a sample of the manna), was long gone.

In fact, the general belief is that the Ark of the Covenant had either been spirited away for its own protection by the Jews sometime prior to the Babylonian invasions, or carried off by the Babylonians, (highly unlikely since anyone who touched the Ark died, or was at least plagued), or simply disappeared from history in some other way. Some people are convinced that it remains hidden in a secret chamber within the Temple Mount in East Jerusalem; and that at the right time, once the final temple has been built, as many people believe it will be, the Orthodox Jews will present the Ark to the world once again. If I recall correctly, there have also been claims that the Ark of the Covenant is currently hidden somewhere in Jordan, around Mount Nebo, or possibly in Ethiopia.

Whatever happened to the Ark, if it truly no longer resided in the temple at the time of Jesus' Crucifixion, the temple veil being torn from top to bottom certainly exposed what a dead, hollow religion the Jewish hierarchy was forcing upon their people. You see, in addition to the fact that the Ark contained the holy items, it was upon the Mercy Seat, which was located on the hood of the Ark between the wings, where the Lord would appear in order to speak with Moses, or to instruct the High Priest, (such as Aaron), each year. Here are two verses for your consideration. Once again, I have added a few words in brackets for the sake of clarification:

"And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him [meaning the Lord], then he [Moses] heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him."


"And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat."


So if the Ark of the Covenant was truly gone, then this was indeed a clear indication that God had abandoned their false religion centuries before; but the common people just didn't know it yet, because the Scribes and the Pharisees purposely kept them in the dark concerning it. Is it any wonder then, that in Luke chapter four, Jesus stated that He had come to give sight to the blind; that is, to the spiritually blind? Let's also not forget that in speaking of the Jewish Elders, (the Pharisees in this case), on one occasion the Lord said:

"Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."


But let us backtrack a moment now, lest we lose sight of why I am sharing these things with you. Earlier in this series, I shared two clear examples with you where Jesus used things from nature in order to emphasize a point. In one case, the Lord used a budding fig tree; and in another, the weather. I pointed out that in both cases, in my view, there wasn't any secret meaning hidden in His words. Jesus was more than clear regarding what He meant. The Lord was merely using something which was quite familiar to every single listener, to ensure that they would make the proper connection to the lesson He was trying to share. He was making simple comparisons, as He often did. This, in fact, is exactly what Parables were for. According to Thayer's Greek lexicon, the word "parable" finds its origin in the Greek word "parabole". In a Biblical sense, its principle definition is "A comparing, comparison of one thing with another, likeness, similitude; an example by which a doctrine or precept is illustrated".

So, in my view, the practice of making a statement such as "Jesus said that the generation that is alive at the time that Israel becomes a nation will live to see His Return", is not only misleading, it is in fact false; it is putting words in Jesus' mouth; and it is twisting the meaning of the Scriptures. Lest someone misinterpret my words, allow me to clarify that I am not saying that our generation, (I'm what they call a "Baby Boomer"), won't still be alive when Jesus returns. Perhaps some of us will be. The situation in the Middle East is certainly becoming more aggravated; and as I explain in some of my other articles, there are indicators which seem to suggest that the time of Christ's Return is drawing near. So all that I am saying, is that Jesus never said that the budding fig tree represents Israel becoming a nation in 1948, and it is wrong for anyone to say that He did.

To reiterate what I said earlier, the 1948 theory is merely one interpretation of what the fig tree may have symbolized; but, as I have made more than clear, I don't believe that it was meant to symbolize anything. It was simply a comparison that Jesus used so that His followers, (including us), would know that what He prophesied is indeed going to happen, and that we are supposed to watch for the signs of the Endtime, just as the Jews knew that summer was approaching, when they saw the fig tree sprout its leaves. Period.

As we discussed in parts one and two, part of the confusion concerning this 1948 doctrine, and the year 2,000 fiasco, is a result of trying to apply a specific length of time to the Biblical word "generation". To refresh your memory, the man who wrote to me stated "if we use the biblical definition of a generation as 52 years". That is his mistake right there. He obviously picked up this idea from one of those preachers. To my knowledge, nowhere does the Bible specifically say that a generation is equal to fifty-two years. Fifty-two is simply an average that these American preachers dreamed up, because it helped to prove their year 2,000 theory.

In fact, it would really be impossible to assign a specific number of years to a generation, because throughout Biblical history, human beings have lived different lengths of time. Adam lived to the ripe old age of nine hundred and thirty. Abraham died rather young, comparatively speaking, at the age of one hundred and seventy-five years. Moses fulfilled his days at the age of one hundred and twenty. King David died even earlier at the age of seventy. On the other end of the spectrum, some people die at birth, or at a young age. In short, it is foolhardy to try to assign a specific number of years to a Biblical generation.

So exactly what is a generation in the Bible? The best way to answer this question is by examining the original Greek word. According to my Thayer's Greek lexicon, the word "generation" is translated from the Greek "genea", which it defines as follows:

----- Begin Quote -----

1) fathered, birth, nativity

2) that which has been begotten, men of the same stock, a family

  2a) the several ranks of natural descent, the successive members of a genealogy

  2b) metaph. a group of men very like each other in endowments, pursuits, character

    2b1) esp. in a bad sense, a perverse nation

3) the whole multitude of men living at the same time

4) an age (i.e. the time ordinarily occupied by each successive generation), a space of 30 - 33 years

----- End Quote -----

Please note that aside from the transliteration of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words into English, the definitions provided in Bible dictionaries and lexicons are subject to the opinions, beliefs and prejudices of the author of the work. Thus, the creator of the above entry states that a Biblical generation was about thirty to thirty-three years in length; which obviously conflicts with what these modern Bible preachers are saying.

If we set aside these doctrinal prejudices, and take all of the previous definitions at face value, then we can arrive at the conclusion that a Biblical generation was variable in length, and consisted of the time that passed from the birth of one man, to the birth of his son, and anyone else who was born in that man's family while that man was alive. In other words, anyone who is born in that family while that man is alive, is a part of his generation. In similar fashion, we can say that anyone who is born in that family while the son is alive, is a part of the son's generation. A generation is simply all of the people who are living in that family at any given moment of time. On a larger scale, anyone living in the world during any specific time period, is likewise a part of that historical, global generation.

Based upon the previous definitions and explanations, it's my belief that when Jesus used the word "generation" in Matthew chapter twenty-four, He was not offering us a subtle hint of a specific number of years. He was simply saying that some of the people who would be alive on the Earth at the time that all of those Endtime events begin to occur, in other words, earthquakes, wars, famine, pestilence, invasion of Jerusalem, Great Tribulation, etc., would still be alive, and would see His Return in the clouds of Heaven. Again, it has nothing to do with 1948, or adding a magical number to 1948. That is all manmade doctrinal baloney. Are you convinced of this yet?

But you really have to wonder, why it is, and how it is, that this 1948 idea has become so deeply rooted with some American Christians. Well, as I've already stated, I believe that part of the problem is that too many of them allow themselves to be spoon-fed by their popular radio and television preachers, instead of studying and researching the Bible for themselves. They adopt this attitude that the preacher must know what he is talking about; after all, he went to seminary school, and he is supposed to be the authority on these subjects. Sadly, as I have said before, that isn't always true. These men are not any more infallible than the Pope is. Let me also remind you that when these fellows graduate from seminary school, they have already been indoctrinated with some very specific theological ideas from that school, and that is what they begin to preach to their flocks, whether those doctrines are Scripturally-sound or not.

As in other parts of the world, American Christendom consists of a lot of different branches, flavors and colors insofar as doctrines are concerned. Some churches and denominations are very pro-Israel while others are not. The 1948 interpretation of the Parable of the Fig Tree is clearly from the pro-Israel camp, which just so happens to hold a lot of political power and sway within the United States. It is precisely for this reason that president after president has been such a strong advocate and supporter of Israel. The American Conservative Right is to a large degree comprised of older, conservative Christians, and high-profile evangelical preachers in large part control them, influence how they vote, and instruct them doctrinally as well.

So the question is, where did this 1948 doctrine originate? As I first mentioned ten years ago in my lengthy series "The Kings of the North and the South", there is in fact a verse in the Bible which has been used by pro-Israel preachers to support their 1948 view. That verse is the following, found in the Book of Isaiah:

"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."


According to these preachers, the previous verse describes, or prophesies, the birth of the nation of Israel in 1948, following the "Diaspora". The Diaspora, or Dispersion, as it is also known, refers to the historical fact that the tribes of Israel were scattered around the world as a result of the various invasions of ancient Israel by foreign armies, such as the Assyrians, Babylonians and Romans. Of course, as I explain in such series as "The Fruits of Disobedience", the invasions were in fact a part of God's chastisements against them, due to their continuous disobedience to His Will.

At any rate, the Diaspora is believed by some people, (such as certain Jews, as well as the aforementioned preachers and their followers), to have come to an end when the Jews from around the world began migrating back to the land of Israel during the twentieth century. Furthermore, this migration is believed to mark the end of "Jacob's Trouble". Jacob was the original name of Israel, before God changed his name in the Book of Genesis. Jacob was the father of the twelve sons who became the first leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel. I discuss the return to Israel, and Israel becoming a nation, in much more detail in the second part of "The Seven Heads" series.

Regarding this modern-day return of thousands of Jews to the land of Israel, following is a set of Scriptures which these same people insist is a description and prophecy regarding the Diaspora, or scattering, and the Jews' return to Israel:

"For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment."


So the question we need to ask ourselves is whether or not the previous verses are really describing the modern return of the Jews to Israel. Personally, I have some very serious doubts. To understand why I have these reservations, and don't just hop on the 1948 bandwagon, one must understand the history and context of these verses. Similar to Daniel, Ezekiel was a Jewish Prophet, and captive, in Babylon. His mission wasn't just to help his brethren to understand why they found themselves in such a predicament, and why God had allowed their enemies to invade and capture Jerusalem; it was also to give them comfort and hope; by letting them know that their captivity would not last forever; and that someday, they would be allowed to return to Israel as free people again.

In my mind, it makes absolutely no sense that Ezekiel would then proceed to tell them things which would not occur for about another 2,500 years, until the twentieth century. What kind of comfort would that give to them? They would be long gone and dead. On the other hand, if Ezekiel was speaking of a more immediate return, that is, within decades, and not in centuries, that would certainly offer a lot more hope to the captives in Babylon. Perhaps they might not live long enough to see it, but some of their children would. As I explain in other articles, it turns out that the Jews of Jerusalem were held captive by the Babylonians in Babylon and the surround- ing provinces, for a period of seventy years, precisely as the Prophet Jeremiah had told them would occur, as we see by these verses:

"And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations . . . For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place . . . For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it."


Thus, within Christian circles, we refer to this historical Jewish period as the "Seventy Years Of Captivity". We know from history, that following the invasions by the forces of Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, and the fulfillment of the "Seventy Years of Captivity", the Jews were indeed allowed to return to Israel by Cyrus the Great, considered by many to be the greatest king of the Medo-Persian Empire. Again, this topic is discussed in more detail in "The Seven Heads" series. In Jeremiah chapter thirty, a few verses later, we find these additional verses which speak of the "time of Jacob's trouble" and the eventual return to Israel. As with the previous verses, while we can try to apply them to our current time, and the modern return of the Jews to Israel, in my view, it is clear that they're really referring to the exodus from Babylon, which was initiated by Cyrus the Great. The reference to David may be a look into the future, when Jesus fulfilled His Ministry in Israel. You may recall that in the Gospels, the people repeatedly referred to Jesus as the son of David:

"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. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD 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: But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished."


There is another clear hint in the previous sets of verses which further supports my belief that these Scriptures are prophesying of the Jew's return to Israel hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, and not of a modern 20th century return to Israel, as these wayward American preachers, as well as some Jews, are trying to convince us. Please notice that in the prophecy, the Lord says through Ezekiel:

". . . but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment."

In similar fashion, Jeremiah, who began preaching decades before Ezekiel, also clearly stated in his prophecies:

". . . And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations."

This same warning of impending judgement is issued to the Babylonians in other places, and in other prophetic books as well. It is a proven historical fact that this is precisely what happened. As I explain in other articles, such as "The Fruits Of Disobedience", time and time again, God would use the heathen nations to punish the Israelites. He would use these nations as His "vessels of wrath" against the Jews; but then He would turn around and judge those nations for their own wickedness. The reason why the "Seventy Years Of Captivity" came to an end, is because the Babylonians were defeated by the Medes and the Persians, who initially formed the dual empire of Medo-Persia. The Persians are still with us today. As I noted earlier, they are the Iranians. It is also believed by some people that the Kurds are descended from the Medes.

But what I hope you can see here, is that these prophecies, which, according to some people, are supposedly talking about the Jews returning to Israel in our modern day, in order to found the modern nation of Israel in 1948, are in fact about historical events which actually occurred over two thousand years ago. Please notice that they very specifically mention the fate of Babylon. They were very time-specific prophecies, which cannot possibly be applied to our modern times. We are very specifically told that when the Seven Years Of Captivity ended, and the Jews returned to Israel, God would punish the Babylonians; and that is exactly what happened. These events are intrinsically tied together, and they occurred thousands of years ago.

You see, the perpetrators of this deception, have to convince you that the return of the Jews to Israel today is supported by the Scriptures; because if they don't, then obviously, the rest of their deception simply falls apart. In other words, if they have purposely, or perhaps ignorantly, misinterpreted the previous verses, what else have they been teaching that is wrong? If the modern return of the Jews to Israel does not fulfill prophecy, then what about Israel becoming a nation in 1948? What about all of the other things the Israelis have done in order to claim modern Israel as their own, such as the decades-old fight with the Palestinians?

Please go to part four for the continuation of this series.

⇒ Go To The Next Part . . .

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