The Deliverer Out Of Zion

by G.M. Hydon, of Toronto, Canada | Category: Christ's Return - Approaching World Crisis | Sept 1984

It is a token of God's over-ruling that despite the severity of vindictive oppression there remains today a thriving people carrying the national name of "Israel"; an identifiable race that has survived conflict and persecution of a scale which, as recorded in secular history, has been more than sufficient to erase the identity even of empires. Yet the cup of suffering and wrath that God has determined Israel shall drink is to be more bitter in the future than all her experiences to date. Such days of suffering were dramatically forecast by the Lord Jesus Christ when, as Son of Man, he discussed the future with His disciples (see Mat. 24 and Luke 21). Moreover, Re told them that only His personal return to Zion would be sufficient to deliver Israel from the great tribulation she will pass through in those days.

In our review of the coming of the Lord to Zion as deliverer of Israel we shall first consider the dreadful background of those days, but pause to reflect upon the Messianic hope that will fill and prepare the hearts of faithful ones for Christ's return. Then we shall briefly consider the manner of Israel's delivery from the world opposition she faces. Finally, we shall review the prophetic statements concerning Israel's response when their true King is unveiled in the person of the Son of Man.

Israel's extremity

The period of the great tribulation has been referred to in earlier articles in this series. It will therefore suffice to remind ourselves briefly of these future events, all of which are scheduled in God's programme to occur after the Church which is the Body of Christ is caught up to the Lord upon His return to the air (cf. 1 Thess. 4:17 & 5:2-5).

The great tribulation will be heralded by natural disasters of extraordinary severity and frequency (Mat. 24:7) which will increase in intensity toward the end of this three and a half year period. Political and religious conflict will likewise develop. This results from the satanically inspired but divinely permitted plans of the man of sin (who is also termed "the beast", "the abomination of desolation" and "antichrist" Rev. 13:1-10; Mat. 24:15; I John 2:22 respectively). He is to rule over the nations of the world and will presumptuously assume religious as well as political leadership, even to the point of enthroning himself in the temple at Jerusalem - declaring himself to be as God (2 Thes. 2:4). Then will follow a time of dictatorship as the ten confederate kings surrender all their power and authority to the bestial man of sin (Rev. 17:12-13). The latter is served by a second character, inferior in position but not in wickedness (Rev. 13:11-18). He it is who forces the "mark of the beast" on to all those who want to have any right to buy or sell (v.17) and applies the death sentence to those who will not worship the image he sets up in the Jerusalem temple (v.15).

It is difficult for those of the present generation who have grown up in an industrialized country to have any true conception of the poverty and deprivation that will be the lot of those who refuse the mark of the beast in that future day. Singled out for particularly oppressive treatment are the Jews. They will by then stand almost alone in the world as worshippers of the God of heaven, albeit the majority of them will only pay lip service in this respect. The seven year covenant they will have entered into with the man of sin will be broken mid-term by him and he will seek to force Israel, like the rest of the world, into total submission (see Dan. 9:27). The Jewish people will at that time be clearly divided into two groups; the larger group will choose relief from the immediate persecution of the man of sin and will accept his mark. These will also bow in worship to his image, sealing their eternal destiny in the Lake of Fire(Rev. 14:911). The minority who refuse to subject themselves to the religious demands of the man of sin will suffer greatly, even to accepting martyrdom. But to "die in the Lord" in those days is a blessing indeed (Rev. 14:13).

Then will come against the apostate majority of Israel (and unbelieving mankind generally) the time of the Lord's vengeance on behalf of those faithful ones who have given their lives for Him (Rev. 6:9-11; 20:4). God will begin to unleash the salutary examples of His coming wrath as the "woes" from heaven are poured out upon the earth.

Imagine the consequences of a polluted environment following the holocaust of a world war; the drawn-out suffering of wounds from biological, chemical and nuclear warfare. Is this in view in Revelation 9? John was given these scenes in signs and symbols (Rev. 1:1) and their interpretation cannot always be precise. However, it is clear that whatever the actual means of accomplishing the words of the prophecy, the suffering will be beyond any that has gone before. The dreadful scourge of the man of sin in his control of trade pales against the problems of world poverty and suffering caused by the outpouring of the wrath of God in blights and famine (Rev. 6), God-directed, but perhaps accomplished

through indiscriminate warring activity led by the man of sin. Despite. these things it is recorded that "they repented not of their works" (Rev. 16:11). A special guilt attaches to those of the household of Israel for the way they had treated Christ. Failure on their part to repent brings fulfilment of Paul's words "the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost" (1 Thess. 2:15-16). It is surprising perhaps to present-day readers that the larger part of the Israeli people will be among those who fail to repent of their sin, thus bringing such awful circumstances upon them. Instead they will look for escape, or even speedy death, but they will not find it (Rev. 9:6).

This is the time of Jacob's trouble (Jer. 30:7). It is characteristically Jewish, and Old Testament prophecies concerning this time are primarily directed to Israel. Although a place of safety is prepared for some of the Holy People (Rev. 12:14) it is clear from Zech. 13:8-9 that the majority will not survive the persecution and tribulation. Perhaps these are the faithful ones who refuse to leave Judea. Against this background of extremity and suffering, a remnant of faithful ones will look earnestly for their promised Messiah. They will wait in expectation for the destruction of the man of sin prophesied by Daniel (7:25-28) which must come to pass when the power of the Holy People has been completely broken (12:7). But it is apparent that the bulk of the Jews who survive persecution will not recognize Jesus as their Messiah until they see Him "coming with the clouds of heaven."

Deliverance

After earthquakes have become commonplace in the destruction typifying those days, the dividing of the Mount of Olives may not be viewed as totally surprising. This occurrence will accompany the return of the Son of Man to the earth, for He it is who will be the Deliverer out of Zion (Rom. 11:26). The creation of the valley by the splitting of the Mount will be the first stage of His deliverance; through it the surviving remnant will be able to go to safety from the mounting military opposition of the man of sin (Zech. 14:15). It seems that the latter will then orchestrate the various armies he had brought to crush Jerusalem to direct their attack against the Deliverer instead (Rev. 19:19). That final battle (discussed in July issue) will take place in the valley of Armageddon and will be summarily concluded by the Son of Man who, in the presence of a multitude of His saints (brought with Him from heaven), will slay the man of sin by the breath of His mouth and then proceed to destroy his armies in a great slaughter. However, we turn from that scene of carnage to look at the reaction of the Holy People to their deliverance.

Israel in Mourning

Consider the words of Scripture:

Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be!

This prophetic statement by John (Rev. 1:7 NIV) deals with men generally, but Zechariah applies the truth more specifically to the "house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem" (12:10). He compares their feelings to those who mourn the death of an only son in his poignant description of Israel mourning what they did to their Messiah. So distasteful is their shame that it seems that even husbands and wives will not be able to face one another on the issue (12:12). The reaction is a response to looking on Him "whom they pierced". What an experience for the remnant Israel! They will at first feel abject sorrow when they meet the gaze of the Man of Sorrows their nation once rejected. However, the Lord will pour upon them the spirit of grace and supplication and then proceed to open a fountain (what vitality and sufficiency is in that word) for them, to cleanse their sin and impurity (13:1) and to fit them for the kingdom that the Lord will then establish. Isaiah 52 tells of their relief and joy at such deliverance when waiting, watching ones see their redemption (vv. 8, 9).

Deliverance, like salvation and separation, has more than one aspect. We have considered in some depth the circumstances Israel will be delivered from, but of equal if not greater importance is the condition to which she will be delivered. A renewed central place in God's purposes on earth is the privilege of Israel through such deliverance. Out of Zion will He come and to Zion will flow the wealth of nations thereafter. Isaiah 12 pictures the joy of the redeemed of Israel; the Lord's anger is turned away; He comforts; He is their strength, their song, their salvation. In the light of the positive effects of such deliverance the prophet's words are imperative in character: "Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you" (NIV).

What a challenge exists for us to reach out to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel". Those in God's house today enjoy so many spiritual privileges in circumstances that for many are much more comfortable than the approaching days we have considered above. It is far better that those lost sheep find the Deliverer and Saviour now, rather than delay with the possible consequences of being sufferers during the soon-coming day of tribulation and vengeance. The words are written for our action: "how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Rom. 10:14 NIV).

G.M. Hydon, of Toronto, Canada | Sept 1984
Christ's Return - Approaching World Crisis