About 500 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, the ancient empire of Persia extended from India in the east down to Ethiopia, or, Northern Sudan in the south.   Persia’s northern border extended well into present day Turkey.  Persia was a vast empire.  Wicked Haman, a descendant of the anti-Semitic nation of the Amalekites, who had become a high official in Persia, developed an evil scheme to destroy all of the Jews under the rule of that empire.  Esther, the Jewish queen of the Persian king, Ahasuerus was used by God to intercede with the King for her people and, through her courage and God’s providential working,  God delivered millions of Jews from certain destruction.

This supernatural deliverance of Israel from their enemies has been repeated many times over the centuries. While many cruelties have been perpetrated upon the Jews throughout history, as for example through the Nazis of World War II, yet God has preserved His people supernaturally.  Remember how, out of  the atrocities of the German death camps, God re-established Israel once again as a Nation in 1948.  The Jews are back in their land, once again speaking Hebrew, and many of them are watching for the Messiah!

As the latter days unfold, we are to expect a rise in global anti-Semitism.  This is because Satan hates the Jews.  He will one day raise up his special man, the Antichrist, to seek the total annihilation of the Jews and of Israel from the face of the earth.

In preparation for this attempt by the future Antichrist in the Great Tribulation Period the world now witnesses Israel’s Islamic enemies seeking to kill as many Jews as possible through terrorist activities against Israel and the United States.  Just this past Monday we began hearing of the latest effort to scare Jews in Ukraine into registering with the Russian controlled government or face the confiscation of their property.  Ynetnews.com reported as follows:

“A leaflet distributed in Donetsk, Ukraine calling for all Jews over 16 years old to register as Jews marred the Jewish community’s Passover festivities Monday (Passover eve), replacing them with feelings of concern.

The leaflet demanded the city’s Jews supply a detailed list of all the property they own, or else have their citizenship revoked, face deportation and see their assets confiscated.

Donetsk, a Ukraine province with 4.3 million people – 10 percent of Ukraine’s population – and 17,000 Jews, is home to much of the country’s heavy industry, and is thus the biggest prize of the eastern regions where pro-Russian separatists have captured government buildings in the past week.

The leaflet, signed by Chairman of Donetsk’s temporary government Denis Pushilin, was distributed to Jews near the Donetsk synagogue and later in other areas of the city where pro-Russians activists have declared Donetsk as an independent “people’s republic”, defying an ultimatum from Kiev to surrender. “

There is some question as to the source of these leaflets, but, there is little doubt that Russian President Putin is well aware of this situation and has approved of it.

It is interesting to note that these leaflets were distributed on the eve of Passover.  Passover, next to Creation itself, is the most significant celebration for Israel.  It is the very heart of who they are in their relation to their Almighty Covenant God.  Passover commemorates the God of Israel in His covenant and redemptive love for His people when they were captives in Egypt.  He instructed them to place the blood of a sacrificial and unblemished lamb on the door posts of their houses.  The death angel whom God sent to destroy the first-born in Egypt was going to pass over all the houses where he saw the blood.  God kept Israel from death.  Then God brought Israel out of Egypt by dividing the  Red Sea so the Jews could walk across on the dry sea bed in mighty victory.  The same Red Sea that divided for the Jews to escape Egypt was also used by God to destroy the Egyptian army who pursued them!  The Jews have celebrated this miraculous event ever since!

The devil despises this celebration of Passover.  He also hates that which the Passover points to, which is the cross where the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Lamb of God, died for the sins of the entire world!  Three days later Jesus rose from the dead! Those who place their faith in Jesus Christ as their crucified and resurrected Savior will have their sins passed over!  They will not come into judgment, but will have everlasting life! This is the Passover that both Jewish and Gentile Christians celebrate now in the Lord’s Supper!

Satan is seeking to intimidate all the Jews and all those who seek to support Israel such as Bible believing Christians and the nations of the United States and Great Britain. Revelation 12 speaks of a coming time when Satan will go out in great wrath on the earth in the latter days to destroy Israel and the Jews with one last diabolical pogrom.  But he will fail again because of God’s supernatural intervention!

As a further indication of the Lord’s imminent return, it is intriguing how many earthquakes there have been around the word in recent days.  Today alone, April 18, there have been reports of a 7.2 earthquake in Mexico City, also this morning, there was a quake in Los Angeles California; Tokyo experienced a 4.7 earthquake today; a 5.1 quake hit southern Iran yesterday; and a small quake, a 2.7, hit Mount Vernon Ill; still, another, “a strong earthquake struck off the Solomon Islands Thursday evening. The 6.0-magnitude quake was recorded at 6:13 p.m. Hawaii time 76 miles west-southwest of Lata, Solomon Islands at a depth of 6.2 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.” (Rapture Ready News)   Reports of new diseases are also on the rise. For example, a new strain of the Ebola virus has been reported and is already taking lives.

The Lord Jesus Christ predicted that there would come an obvious time in the world when “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  and there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.” (Matthew 24:7)  People who glibly respond that these things have always happened do not understand the movement of history and are showing their willful ignorance of Biblical and prophetic history.

What we see now in Ukraine, in Crimea, and what is going to happen in other countries that Russia sets its sights on, is very likely all a part of  Russia’s future attack on Israel. This attack will happen along with the help of Iran and other Muslim nations.  The prophecies of Ezekiel predicts this attack.

Ezekiel begins his prophecy with an incredible vision of the power, presence and providence of God over His people Israel as well as over all the nations. (Ezekiel 1)  The central chapters of Ezekiel deal with the horrible love affair that the world has with the occult and false religions.  The latter part of Ezekiel describes the latter days when Russia and the Islamic nations will attack Israel, while some countries, like the U.S., will passively look on.  Ezekiel shows how God will intervene at the right time and destroy these attacking armies. (Ezekiel 38-39)  Additionally, the book of Daniel (9-12), gives great insight as to how the Antichrist will rise to power after this Russian attack and supernatural defeat!  Ezekiel, in the closing chapters of his book of prophecies, describes the amazing beauty and proportions of the Millennial Temple and the new expanded boarders of Israel at the return of Jesus Christ to the earth! (Ezekiel 40-48)

Many mock at the teaching that Jesus is coming back! Peter predicted this mocking attitude in his second letter.  He said that this mocking attitude will be the result of “scoffers who will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?'”(2 Peter 3:3-4) Especially disturbing to me, even more unsettling than these anti-Semitic measures in the Ukraine, is the reality that current well-known preachers are deliberately avoiding the subject of Bible prophecy and of coming judgment!  Yet the fervent preaching of the Lord’s coming will always result in believers who are strong in faith and who will be active witnesses for Jesus.  Preaching on the coming of the Lord will produce Christians who are actively walking in truth and holiness until the Lord comes to rapture the Church. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Peter 3:14-18).

This recent outbreak of anti-Semitism in Ukraine is an encouragement for us to be all the more prepared for the Lord’s soon return.  The rise of global anti-Semitism is why we should take seriously the Bible’s command to watch for the Lord’s coming.  Jesus said that we do not know when He will return, that is, as far as the day or the hour.  Jesus said:  “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” (Matthew 25:13) This keeps the devil in the dark where he belongs.  But all Christians are to watch for Him!  As we watch Israel and how the world grows in its hatred for the Jew, we can be all the more assured that we are in the last days!

Jesus will return first to rapture His Church suddenly and without warning to heaven.  Then the Great Tribulation will come upon the earth!  This will be a horrible time that you can escape if you have trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior.  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:44)