Street-level Apologetics Armageddon It?

Review Apologetics= lit. “a defense of” (Acts 26:2) Apologetics is knowing what I believe, why I believe it, and then being able to give voice to it What I believe affects how I live

What’s the Next Event on God’s Calendar? And what does that have to do with the Jews?

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing…”

“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you…” The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him- Gen 12:1-3, 7

Abrahamic Covenant – I’ll make your name great – You will become a blessing – I’ll bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you – All peoples on earth will be blessed through you – I’ll give this land to your offspring

The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you"- Genesis 13:14-17

Genesis 15: The Covenant -Heifer, Goat, Ram in half -Abraham falls into a deep sleep -God alone walks through the middle, sealing the Covenant in blood -The Covenant is unconditional

Genesis 17- Sign of the Covenant (Circumcision) Note: Obedience by Abraham and his offspring doesn’t involve the promises of the covenant, which are unconditional, only their experience of the promises

Isaac, then huge tribe of people Slavery in Egypt Exodus from Egypt Land is taken- continuous presence for next 3,500 years (remnants during exile) - What about the inhabitants of the land before it is taken?

"The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD.

"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD.

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-- the LORD Almighty is his name: "Only if these decrees vanish from my sight," declares the LORD, "will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me"- Jeremiah 31:31-36

Law placed in their minds, written on their hearts= Holy Spirit All Israel will know God Descendants of Israel will never cease to be a nation In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you- Luke 22:20

Pentecost- Church is born AD 70- Jerusalem destroyed and Jews scattered. A remnant remains in the land Church becomes mostly Gentile

Focus of God’s activity today- the church Have the Jews been cast aside? Abrahamic Covenant- Unconditional And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written...for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable- Romans 11:26, 29

Israel= God’s wife Church= Christ’s bride

The Future: The Quick Skinny -Cataclysmic Event -Focus of God’s Activity= Israel -Peace Agreement for 7 Years -3.5 Years- anti-Christ Attacks Israel (Daniel 9:27)

The Future: The Quick Skinny -Jesus Returns, Armageddon, Defeats the Enemy -Millennial Reign

The Cataclysmic Event Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him…

The Cataclysmic Event According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first…

The Cataclysmic Event After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed- 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come- Matthew 24:40-42

2 Returns The Rapture= for his church, in the air, invisible The Reign= with his church, on the earth, visible

2 Returns The Rapture -The church is taken up from the earth. The dead are given new, resurrected bodies. Those alive are changed instantly - With the church gone, the anti-Christ is freed to reign

2 Returns The Reign - Christ comes down and takes out all those against Israel - He begins to rule for 1,000 years

God has not forgotten Israel- he will restore and reign over her - Blessings and Cursings Scofield- “Israel will become a nation again” Israel becomes a nation Day War

Dispersed 2,000 years ago- come back to their ancient tribal lands - Reconstituted nation - Reconstituted culture - Revival of ancient language - Revival of ancient religion - Every nation and people who existed at the time of Israel’s start as a nation 3,500 years ago are gone

The New Covenant has yet to be fulfilled in Israel - National Restoration - Spiritual Restoration When Jesus Comes

The rapture is the next event on God’s calendar- imminent "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come...So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him- Matthew 24:42, 44