It is an undisputed tenet of Christianity that Jesus will return, and when He does, He will fully usher in the Kingdom of God. The prophet Zechariah declared: “Therefore thus says the LORD: I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it, says the LORD of hosts, And a surveyor’s line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem” (Zechariah 1:16). At the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus ascended to Heaven from the Mount of Olives. Two angels who stood there spoke to the disciples, saying, “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Jesus is returning to Jerusalem in the clouds with power and great glory. Every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.

In Psalm 2, we read: “Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession” (Psalm 2:8). It should be clear that the Father is speaking to the Son, for it says in the preceding verse, “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, You are My Son, Today I have begotten You” (Psalm 2:6-7). Jesus, the Son of God, has been set upon the hill of Zion, which represents God’s Kingdom, and will physically establish His Kingdom from Mount Zion, in Jerusalem. He will take the nations for His inheritance and the ends of the earth for His possession.

Before landing at Plymouth in 1620, the Pilgrims signed what is known as the Mayflower Compact, whereby they acknowledged God as the reason for their voyage. They stated that they were undertaking the journey for the Glory of God and the Advancement of the Christian Faith, and covenanted together to establish a civil government under God. The Puritans believed they were entering into a covenant with God, like that of ancient Israel.

It was in early 2019 that I wrote how I saw God’s prophetic timeline beginning to unfold for Israel—namely that Israel would become increasingly isolated and eventually stand entirely alone. This scenario, I believe, is God’s will for His covenant nation: not to trust in their own weapons or to make covenants with other nations, but to trust God fully and to know that He alone is their protector and redeemer. Ultimately, God will prove His love and faithfulness to His people and show them that He is their only Savior.

For nearly two thousand years, the church has wrestled over its identity with Israel. I say “identity” because, if we truly knew the inheritance the church has in Christ, we would not desire anything else. Paul said, “Indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). Our failure to understand who we are in Christ will continue to lead to confusion and immeasurable conflict. Thus, it should not be surprising that the church is becoming increasingly divided over one of the most controversial theological issues since the Council in Jerusalem—the identity of Israel and the church.

There is a growing theological shift, especially amongst younger Evangelical Christians, that has led to the belief that the church is the fulfillment of the covenant promises given to Israel and, in a sense, has become a “new” Israel. The verses most often quoted are from Paul’s writings to the Galatians, where he closes with these words: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:15-16). Looking at the broader context, Paul is speaking to a mixed, but likely predominantly Gentile audience, who are being persuaded to follow the Law of Moses. The Jewish congregants were likewise being persuaded to return to the Mosaic Law. Rightfully so, Paul was correct to tell the Galatians not to return to the Old Covenant, but rather to hold steadfastly to the New Covenant, which has made us a new creation in Christ.

The land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael) is often referred to as the Holy Land (Eretz Hakodesh) and “our Holy Land” (Artzeinu Hakedoshah). But Israel is more than land; it is a body for the soul of a people. In Hebrew, the God of Israel is called “Holy Israel” (Kadosh Yisrael – קדוש ישראל). The Hebrew language communicates oneness. God is holy, and He is also Israel. The implication here is that Jesus, Yeshua, the Word of God revealed in the flesh, is Holy Israel, and His land and His people are inseparably one in Him. Thus, Yeshua is the physical embodiment of Israel, which is why Paul repeatedly said, “We are in Christ.”The sages affirm this by saying that God’s Kingship (His Malchut) is also His congregation of Israel (His Knesset Yisrael). They consider Israel an aspect of God, meaning that God, Israel, and His Torah (His written word) are all one.

The Beatitudes are a series of nine blessings that are part of a more extensive order of teachings, including the Lord’s Prayer, called “The Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7). The Beatitudes describe the virtues and attitudes of those who will inherit God’s Kingdom. The Latin beatitude derives from the Hebrew word ashrei (אֲשֶׁרִי), meaning blessedness or supreme happiness. Today, the Church of the Beatitudes is built on the traditional site where Jesus spoke.

The return of Christ to establish His eternal Kingdom initiates an exciting time of restoration for much, but not all, of the earth. After the final battle of Armageddon, some places will never be inhabited again. We read, “It [Babylon] will never be inhabited, Nor will it be settled from generation to generation; Nor will the Arabian pitch tents there, Nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there” (Isaiah 13:20).

God’s judgments are punitive, but they are also redemptive, particularly for Israel. We read, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9); “For I am with you,’ says the Lord, ‘to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, Yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished” (Jeremiah 30:11).

The Book of Daniel gives us the timeframe for the tribulation—seven years. However, Revelation provides considerable detail and specificity about what will occur during this period. Some chapters in the Book of Revelation are parenthetical, providing a broader timeframe for more detailed events. For example, Revelation chapter twelve provides an overview of Israel’s struggle with Satan for the past two thousand years, beginning with the birth of Christ and culminating in the time of Jacob’s trouble. Another example is in chapter thirteen, where we read about the rise of the Antichrist (the beast from the sea) and the false prophet (the beast from the earth). This chapter provides more detailed information about the kingdom of the Antichrist, revealed earlier in chapter six, which begins in the first year of the tribulation. Therefore, recognizing these parenthetical chapters is essential to interpreting the prophetic timeline.

The seventieth week of Daniel is divided into two periods of three and one-half years.[i] We can associate eschatological prophecies from this mid-point with explicit signs of the seven-year tribulation called out in Revelation. We read, “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate” (Daniel 9:27).