The Next Prophetic Shift-Part 1

     As with any lengthy saga, sometimes the author will insert a preview to guide the reader through the next plot change. So before we see what happens after the Church is caught up to Heaven and the revived Jews receive the latter-Day rain, let’s take a brief look at what the Old Testament prophets said about this pivotal shift.
       To understand the timely shift, we will take a look back at a timely prophetic event from the Old Covenant. It answers the question as to how people can be saved after the rapture even though the Church is seated as the heavenly court before God’s throne.
       Zechariah affirms the latter-Day outpouring of the Spirit. “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son” (Zech. 12:10; see also Ezek. 39:21-29). This is what we see in Rev. 12—the Jewish remnant has seen the error of their ways and has embraced the Savior.
       Zechariah 14:9 declares, “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that Day it shall be—the Lord is one, and His name one.” Verse 11 adds, “The people shall dwell in it; and no longer shall there be utter destruction, but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.”
         Without giving away too much, the Revelation will show us how the Antichrist is destroyed and Satan is incarcerated. We will see how God’s righteous kingdom shall be restored on the earth, bringing the godly one-world order as originally conceived in Genesis 1. We will see this shortly in the Revelation.
       End-Time Lesson: Daniel’s vision of the invasion and Israel’s escape to their prepared place ends with this statement as the result of the Church being raptured and seated as the heavenly court that ensures the Antichrist’s defeat. “Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven [that is, the nations of the earth], shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High [the revived Jews]. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him” (Dan. 7:27).
        Isaiah 62 describes Israel’s new position in God’s redeemed family. It was foreshadowed in the book of Esther by Mordecai, Esther’s uncle who raised her and was placed as second in command in the empire. In short, the passage tells us that God will not rest until Israel’s new-born righteousness goes forth as a bright light revealing God’s saving grace. Sound familiar? [Mt. 5:14-16]. 
          All the nations of the world shall recognize that Israel is called by a new name—the saints of God for they have finally accepted Jesus as the Savior and Messiah. Her covenant relationship with God is restored as promised to King David (2 Sam. 7:16), for his earthly throne is established forever and Jerusalem becomes the praise of the earth (Is. 62:7).
          Zechariah affirms that Israel will take over the earthly mantle of preaching the gospel to all the world. In fact, all the nations of the earth will be called to worship at the Feast of Tabernacles, and if any nation refuses to send a delegation, their country will suffer the just reward of their decision—a plague of no rain.
          We highly recommend reading Ezekiel 39:21-29. It summarizes God’s purpose in allowing the 3½-year war, both for the nation of Israel and the nations of the world.