Gino (31 Dec 2023)
"Israel's ultimate test with the second commandment?"


Is it possible, that the second commandment will find its greatest test for Israel in the tribulation?

Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:


Deuteronomy 5:8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:


Israel's greatest foe, the devil, has been in, and has had access to heaven above, until Revelation 12:

Revelation 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

  9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.


Then there will be the antichrist (anti-messiah) that comes from the water, and also from under, or beneath, the earth:

Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.


Revelation 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.


And then there will be the false prophet that comes from the earth beneath:

Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.


There is a culmination of the cooperation of these three, in getting the people to make of a graven image:

Revelation 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.


The people who dwell on the earth are told to do this.
But what about that small subset of the people who dwell on the earth, the children of Israel?
Will this be their ultimate test with the second commandment?
Will this image be placed in a rebuilt temple on the temple mount?
Will not there then be a Nebuchadnezzar type command to worship the image?

Revelation 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.


Will, sadly, many, go along with this?
But will there be a remnant of Israel in the tribulation who will not, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn't with Nebuchadnezzar's image in Daniel's time?
But then, won't the wrath of all three, the devil, the anti-messiah, and the false prophet, be directed against Israel, resulting in the time of Jacob's trouble?



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