SIGNS OF THE TIMES

"He answered them, 'When it is evening, you say, "It will be fair weather; for the sky is red." And in the morning, "It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening." You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times'" (Matthew 16:2-3).

In Israel, like in every other country, there are extreme conservatives to extreme liberals. The extreme conservatives want to destroy the Dome of the Rock so that the literal Temple can be rebuilt there. The extreme liberals want to "give away the store." They do not believe that the nation of Israel is even necessary in the Middle East for the Jewish people to maintain their identity. But a theme that is common to all Jews, conservative, liberal or atheist alike is their sense to be a light to the world. Is that the Jew gene that God implanted in them?

If I were looking for a general sign of the times, the return of the Jewish people to their homeland, and becoming a viable nation, stands out to me to be one of them. It was against all odds that should have happened, and yet it was predicted by the Old Testament prophets. So, to me, it stands as a general sign of the times. Jesus wants us to be aware of what is happening around us and to evaluate what those happenings mean. Jesus was healing the sick, raising the dead and casting out demons, but the people of his day seemed unaware that the Kingdom of God had come upon them. The modern nation of Israel and I are the same age, 60. I take some pride in that. Against all odds, the nation came into existence again according to the prophets, doesn't that seem to indicate that God is on the move again? I just happen to think that the rebirth of Israel is one of those general signs, like the storm clouds, that we need to make sure we are ready to meet our Lord and Savior face to face.

Grace&Peace
Tom