"Dr. Armageddon" and the Future of Israel

American Vision ^ | 7/31/2007 | Gary DeMar

[topcat54]

John Hagee’s “Christians United for Israel” held its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., last month (July 2007). Supporters of CUFI are looking forward to Armageddon. Of course, they believe they won’t be around to experience it. God will finally fulfill his covenant promises to Israel, but not until He wipes out millions of Jews and billions of others around the world in one final judgment. No wonder an increasing number of people fear “Dr. Armageddon” and his millions of followers. Could their political clout push us toward an all-out Mideast war? There are Jews who support Hagee and CUFI, but I bet they don’t know the whole story.
           
John Walvoord writes that these supposed future judgments will be “without parallel in the history of the world. According to Revelation 6:7 the judgments attending the opening of the fourth seal involve the death with sword, famine, and wild beasts of one fourth of the world’s population. If this were applied to the present world population now approaching three billion, it would mean that 750,000,000 people would perish, more than the total population of North America, Central America, and South America combined.”¹
           
Hal Lindsey supports Walvoord’s position, affirming that during the “great tribulation” there will be “death on a massive scale. It staggers the imagination to realize that one-fourth of the world’s population will be destroyed within a matter of days. According to projected census figures this will amount to nearly one billion people!”² Of course, with the latest census figures (6.6 billion), with the dispensational view in mind, about 1.65 billion people will die. Not only does the world come in for a beating under the dispensational hermeneutic, but Israel is specifically hit hard. Walvoord, with his view of a future post-rapture “great tribulation,” must claim that a large number of Jews living in Israel will be slaughtered. He writes:

The purge of Israel in their time of trouble is described by Zechariah in these words: “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith Jehovah, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried” (Zechariah 13:8, 9). According to Zechariah’s prophecy, two thirds of the children of Israel in the land will perish, but the one third that are left will be refined and be awaiting the deliverance of God at the second coming of Christ which is described in the next chapter of Zechariah.³

Israel’s present population is around 7 million. If two-thirds of the Jews living in Israel at the time of the “great tribulation” are to die, this will mean the death of more than 4.5 million! In addition, there is continued immigration from the former Soviet Union supported by Christian organizations like “On Wings of Eagles.” Financial support is raised by Christians to fund Jewish settlements in the occupied territories. “‘This is a biblical issue,’ says Theodore T. Beckett, a Colorado developer who founded the Christian-sponsored, adopt-a-settlement program. ‘The Bible says in the last days the Jews will be restored to the nation of Israel.’“⁴ For every three people who enter, two of them will be killed during the dispensational version of the “great tribulation.” Why aren’t today’s dispensationalists warning Jews about this coming holocaust by encouraging them to leave Israel until the conflagration is over? Instead, we find dispensationalists supporting and encouraging the relocation of Jews to the land of Israel. For what? A future holocaust?
           
Israel was warned by Jesus to “flee to the mountains” (Matt. 24:16). The New Testament is filled with warnings about the coming A.D. 70 holocaust with no encouragement to take up residence in Jerusalem. In fact, there was a mass exodus from the city by those who understood the world-wide implications of the gospel message and the approaching destruction of what was the center of Jewish worship at the time (John 4:21–24).
           
Preterists believe that the events described in Matthew 24:1–34 were fulfilled in the events leading up to and including the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. “The guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom [they] murdered between the temple and the altar” (Matt. 23:35) fell upon the generation of Jews who “did not recognize the time of [their] visitation” (Luke 19:44) and crucified “the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:8). How do we know this? Because Jesus told us: “Truly I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation” (Matt. 23:36 and 24:34). No future generation of Jews is meant here. Hagee and his supporters are wrong and dangerous.

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1. John F. Walvoord, Israel in Prophecy (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan/Academie, [1962] 1988) 108.

2. Hal Lindsey, There’s a New World Coming (New York: Bantam Books, [1973] 1984), 90. Emphasis in original.

3. Walvoord, Israel in Prophecy, 108. Emphasis added.

4. Ann LoLordo, “Evangelical Christians Come to Jews’ Aid,” Atlanta Constitution (August 8, 1997), A8.

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Permission to reprint granted by American Vision P.O. Box 220, Powder Springs, GA 30127, 800-628-9460.

[topcat54]

Reformed Eschatology Ping List (REPL)

"For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." (Luke 21:22)

[BlackVeil]

Preterists believe that the events described in Matthew 24:1–34 were fulfilled in the events leading up to and including the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Are Preterists the ones whose views are discussed in the article? Or is that a different interpretation. It seems different.

[topcat54]

Are Preterists the ones whose views are discussed in the article? Or is that a different interpretation. It seems different.

The article is a critique of futurist dispensationalism. That view holds that there is a future vengeance still to fall upon physical Israel. Two-thirds of those living in the land will be killed. This event happens after the "rapture" of the Church.

[Lee N. Field]

Are Preterists the ones whose views are discussed in the article?

For the preterist view, look at the last couple paragraphs of DeMar's piece. Be aware, also, that there are a variety of different views all called "preterism", some less orthodox than others.

[Uncle Chip]

He writes:

The purge of Israel in their time of trouble is described by Zechariah in these words: “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith Jehovah, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried” (Zechariah 13:8, 9).

According to Zechariah’s prophecy, two thirds of the children of Israel in the land will perish

Actually his interpretation of Zechariah here is an overstatement of what it actually says. The "two parts therein" does not specifically constitute the children of Israel as those who will be cut off, but may very well refer to the non-Jewish element in the land, aka the Palestinians, whose numbers are swiftly approaching that "two thirds" number.

The "two parts therein" may very well constitute the Palestinian contingent (and those who are selling out their Jewish heritage), and "the third part" would constitute the Jewish inhabitants in the land brought through the fire.

[BlabItGrabIt]

John Hagee, CUFI-bashing ping.

ROTFLM*O!!!!! I'm atellin' ya!!!!

[topcat54]

The "two parts therein" may very well constitute the Palestinian contingent (and those who are selling out their Jewish heritage), and "the third part" would constitute the Jewish inhabitants in the land brought through the fire.

The context makes it impossible for such an interpretation of the text:

"In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness."

The subject of the prophecy is the house of Israel who have defiled themselves with the idols of the nations. This is a judgment against Israel, not Palestinians.

Of course the fundamental error is in trying to apply it to yet-future events.

[Uncle Chip]

The subject of the prophecy is the house of Israel who have defiled themselves with the idols of the nations. This is a judgment against Israel, not Palestinians.

Not entirely. The subject of chapters 13 and 14 is the Land of Israel and the cleansing of the land of the unclean spirit, false prophets, and those of other nations who have risen up against Jerusalem. There is no doubt that the spirit of Islam is an unclean spirit within the land and within those who are daily rising up against Jerusalem.

[Religion Moderator]

Please do not use potty language or references to potty language on the Religion Forum.

[topcat54]

Not entirely. The subject of chapters 13 and 14 is the Land of Israel and the cleansing of the land of the unclean spirit, false prophets, and those of other nations who have risen up against Jerusalem.

But the judgment clearly in these chapters is directed against Israel, not the foreign nations.

You seem to be eisegeting the text based on modern events in the Middle East. A very bad idea indeed.

[Uncle Chip]

But the judgment clearly in these chapters is directed against Israel, not the foreign nations.

Oh really --- not according to the chapters in my Bible:

"Behold the day of the Lord cometh . . . For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle . . . Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. . . And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth." [Zechariah 14:1,2,3,12]

[topcat54]

And what exactly does that have to do with the judgment of the two-thirds in the land back in chapter 13?

There's also the part that you have conveniently ignored:

"The city [Jerusalem] shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city." (14:2)

And how does this section begin:

"The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel." (12:1)

People also seem to forget some of the time indicators:

"I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness."

The prophecy was intended for a day when men rode horses for transportation and in war, not modern times like today.

It is also a time with the people were still known by their tribe and family (12:12-14). Modern Israel has no such knowledge of family lineage. They have become a nation of inbreeding, cross-breeding with the nation and familial uncertainty.

I'm afraid the idea that this prophecy is about modern times cannot be support from the text.

[Uncle Chip]

And what exactly does that have to do with the judgment of the two-thirds in the land back in chapter 13?

The two-thirds of those living in the Land will perish in this battle culminating with chapter 14. They will either join in the siege of Jerusalem, or be casualties of the battle, along with the foreign nations that invade Israel. The one-third that survive will be all Israel brought through the fire.

There's also the part that you have conveniently ignored: "The city [Jerusalem] shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city." (14:2)

I didn't ignore it, I was waiting for you to bring it up. Only half of the city will be captured [probably the Palestinian half of East Jerusalem]. The remnant of the people of Israel will hold onto the other half and the Temple Mount.

And how does this section begin: "The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel."(12:1)

Well clearly this is a heavy message and will not be a walk in the park for anyone, especially for Israel.

"I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness." The prophecy was intended for a day when men rode horses for transportation and in war, not modern times like today.

And yet even in this day vehicle engines are measured in terms of "horsepower". How many horses does your car have under the hood????

It is also a time with the people were still known by their tribe and family (12:12-14). Modern Israel has no such knowledge of family lineage. They have become a nation of inbreeding, cross-breeding with the nation and familial uncertainty.

God knows their family lineage --------- don't you think??? And the marvels of DNA are enabling the Israelis to definitively identify the descendants of the Tribe of Levi, and other tribes to follow.

I'm afraid the idea that this prophecy is about modern times cannot be support from the text.

If it is not yet future then when did it take place in the past????

[Lee N. Field]

And yet even in this day vehicle engines are measured in terms of "horsepower". How many horses does your car have under the hood????

Literal hermeneutic?

[Uncle Chip]

Literal hermeneutic?

Transportational hermeneutic

[joebuck]

Dr. Hank Hanegraaff (the Bible Answer Man) has a new end times book out “The Apocalypse Code” which takes a very preterest view. I didn’t find it very convincing. One can make a decent preterest argument with regard to Chapter 24 of Matthew (because of the “and this generation shall not pass...” language) but I’ve never heard a convincing preterest interpretation of Revelation. The argument that 666 = Nero Caesar is ludicrous.

[topcat54]

The argument that 666 = Nero Caesar is ludicrous.

Sounds like you have only heard anti- position.

I would suggest you read Before Jerusalem Fell: Dating the Book of Revelation by Ken Gentry. It's available online. Check out the chapter on "six hundred and sixty six" and how it fits with Nero.

Then come back and we can talk about what is so "ludicrous" with the position.

[joebuck]

"Then come back and we can talk about what is so "ludicrous" with the position."

His argument depends on his very unconvincing assertion that Revelation was written before 70 AD. If one accepts Revelation was written approx 95 AD (the conclusion of the vast majority of those who have researched the issue) it falls apart. Nero had been dead aroud 30 years by that time and had been followed by emporers (Domitian) who were much more prolific in their persecution of the Christians.

[Ping-Pong]

The prophecy was intended for a day when men rode horses for transportation and in war, not modern times like today.

The prophecy was "given" in a day when they understood horses as transportation. They wouldn't have understood tanks, F16's, etc. but we can understand their words and apply them to today's vehicles. I believe it was written for us to warn us about the end of days.