A discussion of the nearness of the endtimes

Jews don’t follow the God of Abraham either unless they are saved Jews.

In the context You are using it, then yes. But both the Muslim/Jews are following the Old Testament God which Abraham presented unto them through Ishmael and Isaac.

As long as they are in rebellion against the true God then they are not following the true God. If they’re not following the true God then they are following a false god.

They are following THEIR version of the God of Abraham not the real God.

AMEN!

I can see there has been a bit of a discussion while I was away. I am not very informed about the muslims and their God but I do know that while their word Allah does mean God it is not the God. Unless I am mistaken their version of god is not of love but of persecution, their rules are so strict and if you speak in protest even if it seems like the right thing you will get stoned and also their prophet is a person named Muhammad and they seem to hold him in far more regard than Jesus.
There do seem to be some close similarities between the Jews and Muslums even some of their practices but the jews do not kill and attack others because people speak against their God or traditions the muslims do

Animals do what they do, day in and day out, over and over and over for years without changing until they die.

When they're young animals or newborns, what they do is simplistic in execution, but as they get older their actions are perfected more and more...but what they do is always the same.

What am I getting at as it relates to your post, Ahwatukee?

Well it was the "beast of the earth" that would cause all to receive a mark for buying and selling.

A beast is an archaic English word that simply means animal in our modern English.

So this specific animal - from the earth - would be created with a purpose: "create a mark for buying and selling that the whole world takes".

This is why I say the animal from the earth has been here for hundreds of years.

An animal does what it's created to do, over and over and over again, perfecting what it does as it gets older. An animal will also reproduce itself by instinct if left unchecked.

That's why I agree with what you said below...

...but it's why I also say the beast has been here since 1776.

Scripture uses beasts to prophetically represent kingdoms. So it was to be a kingdom that first establishes this global monetary/commerce system that's tied to a mark.

A beast will continue to do what it does day in and day out, over and over and over for years without changing until it dies.

Maybe we're looking at different parts of Israel?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_West_Bank_barrier

If "walls" in the prophecy is figurative, then I think the Iron Dome air defense system would qualify as a wall.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Dome

God wrote the book, perhaps His definition is not our definition.

here's they way I got it, and it explains a lot of how they can steal, kill, and destroy and think they are worshiping the one true God, what they worship is not.
https://www.faithfreedom.org/was-allah-the-moon-god-of-ancient-arab-pagan/
best wishes

His ways are not our ways after all and it isn't as if we naturally see through his eyes

Since Christ indwells the believer we can see through His lens as we grow in faith and obedience. That is the purpose of Christianity, to be conformed to the image of the Son.
best wishes

I assume you're speaking of the reference in Revelation 13:11-18 (re: "beast from the earth"), right?

Do you believe there is any merit to what some say, that the phrases:

--"[beast] from the earth" ['from the earth' (Rev13:1)] refers to Israel/Jews/Jewish;

whereas

--[beast] from the sea" ['from the sea'] refers to "Gentiles" (sea = Gentile)


Do you see any merit to this idea?

I agree, Dan. It's indeed still prophecy, but not Ezekiel 38.

The book of Ezekiel was written while in Babylonian captivity. Now, if we're relying on prophecy as true (which it is), we're told everything that must happen - IN ORDER - starting when Israel would return to the land during the SECOND TEMPLE PERIOD and Roman occupation.

Notice how the themes matches history:


1. Ezekiel 33:28-29 - Jews will start sinning again in the land

2. Ezekiel 34 - Corrupt shepherds will mislead; The Almighty will search out his sheep and make a covenant with them (who used this language?)

3. Ezekiel 35:5-15 - Jerusalem will be destroyed and Edom will claim land as theirs, but live through constant war; never at peace there

4. Ezekiel 36:1-7 - The Almighty will be angry at Edom for claiming the land as their property, and angry at every nation of the world for scattering his people

5. Ezekiel 36:8-15 - The nations will mock & mistreat the Almighty's people until He gathers them from the four corners (clearly language of the 2nd coming per 2 Thessalonians 2:1).

6. Ezekiel 36:24-27 - Almighty will gather his people out all lands and then confirm the new covenant with them. They'll remain scattered until He does this

7. Ezekiel 37 - Valley of dry bones. This is clearly a chapter describing the resurrection of the dead at the time of gathering.

8. Ezekiel 38-39 - Israel will live is safety in their land without any protective walls or barriers, until Gog & Magog thinks to invade. But the Almighty will destroy them himself in his fiery fury.

----

Notice how each chapter fits the order of prophetic events how we understand them.

So not only is the current State of Israel building more and more walls between them and the Palestinians, but there's been no resurrection with their gathering, they're in constant war, and they still don't accept the Messiah (proof of the new covenant).

So prophetically, we must be in Ezekiel 36, not 38.

I can agree with "from the sea" representing the nations because Revelation 17:15 explains that the seas represent different nations and tongues.

...But I haven't heard of the earth representing Israel or the Jewish people. Can you think of a reference in scripture that ties them? I can't at the moment...

My understanding of the earth comes from what we're told "of the sea" in Rev 17:15. If the sea = multitudes of nations and peoples, then "of the earth" would - to me - represent a land that isn't populated.

So to me it says there'd be a kingdom born from a land that wasn't heavily populated with nations and peoples; that it would be more or less a wilderness.

But what both the Jews and Muslims fail to realize is that they can have a much better understanding of the God of Abraham by accepting that Jesus is the son of God and reflects the nature, image and characteristics of the true God of Abraham.

Well the thing about the muslims and jews is that they share one common trait, they are very traditional. Tradition is something that is not easily bypassed and when you grow up in that system it is like tring to undo a code built into the window computer system it is not in any way easy.

Not all the Jews are like this but the ones who are can be extremely difficult to reach

The year 1948 since the foundation of nation Israel, let us have the start of the countdown from 1948 up to 100 years, what will be the events up to year 2048?

I agree that there are many beliefs in Islam that are in line with the moral beliefs of Christianity. That can be said about all the main religions. But from a Christian perspective all other religions fall short in regard to salvation through belief in Jesus Christ alone. Islam falls short regarding the essential issue of our sinful nature. It is a religion of works. The basis of it is salvation by works. There is no assurance of salvation in Islam, Judaism , Buddhism or any other religion you care to mention. Jesus said that'' Abraham rejoiced to see my day''. If Jesus was just another prophet as Islam teaches why didnt he rejoice to see all the other previous Prophets that came before him?

I believe in the pre-trib rapture and I believe it is 'imminent', meaning that it could happen in the next five seconds. I sense that things have gotten very strange lately. The strangest year in my fifty-some years. Even if the Lord does tarry another 50, I'm pretty sure I won't God bless you, @Blain

Impossible were it not for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. We must just do our part and let God take it from there.