The present situation in the Middle East is very significant! In 1948 the nation of Israel was re-formed, and in 1967 the city of Jerusalem was returned to the Jews. When I was saved more than fifty years ago, I read the prophecies concerning the re-forming of the nation of lsrael. At that time I could hardly believe that the nation of Israel could be re-formed. It seemed impossible for Jerusalem to be returned to the Jews. But Hallelujah! What seems impossible to us is possible with God! And the Lord did it! It was the Lord's doing and it was marvelous in our eyes.
In 1948 the nation of Israel was suddenly re-formed. Then in 1967 in only six days the city of Jerusalem was returned to the Jews. For twenty-five centuries, since 606 B.C., Jerusalem had not been under the control of the Jewish people. But suddenly overnight it was put back into their hands. Surely this is the Lord's doing. Today the focus of the world's attention is upon the Middle East situation with the little nation of Israel as the center. All of the Ishmaelites, the Arabs, are still plotting against the Jews. But Israel is being preserved by the Lord.
In addition to the Middle East situation there is the European situation. Soon Europe will have ten nations. Besides the Middle East and the European situation, there is the Far East. The dividing line is the river Euphrates. Surely the Antichrist will be the leader of the European powers. The Europeans will form armies under his hand. They will go forth to Palestine to fight against the nation of Israel in order to capture Jerusalem. At the same time two hundred million horsemen will come from the Far East, passing through the river Euphrates. All those powers will come together. While they are gathered together, the Lord will come to tread the wine press. The armies will be formed in the territory of Europe and the horsemen will be assembled in the Far East during the time of the tribulation.
We have seen that some of the more matured saints will be taken as firstfruit to the third heavens before the tribulation. The harvest will be taken in the midst of the tribulation. The firstfruit will be taken away to the third heavens, God's house. They will come with the Lord Jesus to the air, and the rest of the harvest will be caught up to the air to meet with them. There the Lord Jesus will exercise His judgment over all the believers to select the overcomers for His army. While the Lord Jesus is forming His army in the air, all the nations will be forming their armies on the earth and will be gathered to Jerusalem (Rev. 16:14, 16; 19:19). This means that the grapes from every corner of the grape field will be collected to the center of the wine press (Rev. 14:18-19). The Lord will come from the air with His army of called, chosen, and faithful ones, and He will destroy Antichrist with his army and the two hundred million horsemen from the Far East (Rev. 19:11-21). At the same time, the Spirit will be poured forth upon the besieged Israel (Zech. 12:10). They will repent, and the whole house of David will be saved.
The whole earth will become the kingdom of Christ (Rev. 11:15). The stone that smites the Gentile world will become the mountain, the kingdom, filling up the whole earth (Dan. 2:35). Some of the Gentiles will be left alive after the battle of Armageddon, and they will become the peoples, the nations, upon the earth. The converted and saved Jews will be the priests in Jerusalem teaching people how to serve the Lord. The Lord Jesus will set up Jerusalem as His capital, and from His throne will reign as King over the whole earth.