December 2024 Newsletter

Rhoda & I had the privilege of celebrating 52 years of marriage in August 2024.

When Jesus was living on earth in Judea, the Jews despised Him and His message. They blasphemed and claimed that He cast out demons through Satan’s power. Through treachery they plotted for His crucifixion. When Pilate (the Roman governor) found Jesus innocent of any crime, the Jews clamored, “His blood be on us and on our children!” (Matt 27:25). Jesus was therefore crucified on a Roman cross, but rose again so that all who receive Him as Lord and Savior can be forgiven of sin and live forever with Him in glory.

Meanwhile, the Jewish ethnic self-condemnation was fulfilled In the centuries that followed. Rome soon tired of endless revolts and turmoil in Judea. Roman legions arrived, destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, and crushed the Jewish population in AD 70; Rome also smashed the Barkhba revolt of AD 132, and expelled Jews from Jerusalem. In the years since, millions of Jews who were living among the nations, have been murdered by inquisitions and systematic exterminations.

Ezekiel’s “dry bones” passage makes it clear that someday Israel would be regathered to their ancient homeland in unbelief (Ezek 37:1-8). This regathering happened in 1948 with the re-formation of the State of Israel after 1900 years of being scattered among the nations. This demonstrates that God will faithfully fulfill his promises even if it seems impossible.

In the years since 1948 Israel has fought multiple wars on multiple fronts against Islamic nations bent on Israel’s annihilation. Even in Israel’s unbelief, God has obviously intervened to prevent Israel from being destroyed.

2024 has brought an acceleration of events pointing to the nearness of Christ’s rapture of the Church to heaven.

Repeatedly God has intervened so that Israel who as a nation refused their own Messiah, would not be destroyed. Under the leadership of Netanyahu, Israel has brilliantly fought war on many fronts, outmaneuvering and destroying hundreds of Islamic terrorists.

Russia has been supplying the Islamists with advanced military equipment to facilitate the destruction of Israel. Within the last week or so, one of Israel’s enemies, Assad of Syria, has fled to Russia with his family. This sets the stage for Assad to accompany Russia in the Gog-Magog War.

Ezekiel used the term “Gog” to refer to a future Russian leader who would at the time of the End mount a massive invasion against Israel, often referred to as the “Gog-Magog War.” Someday, God is going to put a hook in “Gog’s” jaw, and drag him into the mountains of Israel. And there God will smash him and his army. God will proclaim His glory by supernaturally destroying a massive invasion launched by a nation who has made a religion of claiming God does not exist. Suddenly, people who have been taught from babyhood that God does not exist, and that the universe created itself, will know that there is a God and He is powerful.

However, this invasion cannot happen today, because it will come at a time when Israel is dwelling safely with no fear of surrounding enemies. Israel is not dwelling safely now; Israel is on high alert, attacking enemies, and dealing with ceasefire violations.

It is interesting that in the Gog-Magog War, Israel’s adjacent neighbors (her traditionally implacable enemies) do not participate in the battle. Evidently they have already been incapacitated and therefore are unable or unwilling to participate.

Someday a world Ruler will arise, and make a deal: Israel can rebuild its Temple in Jerusalem, and relax, not needing to worry at all about self-defense; and the Islamists will agree to it. This will amaze the entire world: the world will go agog after this amazing Ruler who can solve the Middle East crisis that has eluded diplomats for centuries. Come! Take control of our country, and help us! We can have peace and prosperity without needing to obey the God of Heaven. However, this amazing leader will be a master of deception, the masterpiece of the Devil himself.

This amazing Ruler is known as the “Man of Sin”, the AntiChrist. However, Paul’s Thessalonian Epistles make it clear that the Church will be raptured to heaven before the AntiChrist is revealed. Thus, these rapidly developing events admonish us to endeavor to do what is pleasing to God, and to warn those we meet to turn to Christ as Lord and Savior before the Tribulation disasters come crashing onto our world.

If anyone would like to obtain a book detailing more of this information, residents of USA can go to our website [www.wengerministries.org], click on the “Books” tab, and order a copy of “Jesus Christ Delivers from Dazzling Deception,” which can be shipped out by media mail.