When I led a team to the Holy Land in February, the Holy
Spirit spoke these words to me: “The earth is groaning louder in Israel.”
I shared it with a few people and have been praying on it. I
knew immediately the Holy Spirit was pointing me to Romans 8:22-24,
“For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with
birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly
waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this
hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what
he sees?”
The whole creation includes the earth, stars, plants,
animals and human beings. But the Holy Spirit specifically pointed to the earth
groaning in Israel, and even louder in Israel than in other places.
What does this mean? It means we’re edging closer to the
return of the Lord Jesus Christ. After Joel prophesied about God pouring out
His spirit on all flesh and people prophesying, having dreams and visions in
Joel 2:28-29, he prophesied about the end-times in verses 30-32:
“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into
blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall
come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in
Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said,
among the remnant whom the Lord calls.”
The signs of the times are all around us, and Jesus expects
us to recognize them (see Matthew 16:3). Certainly, we’ve entered into the
beginnings of sorrows Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24:4-8:
“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in
My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of
wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things
must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and
earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
Sorrows in this verse means birth pangs. And so we’re back
to Romans 8:22-24 with the whole earth groaning and laboring with birth pangs
together. What is all the groaning about? Romans 8:19 tells us: “For the
earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons
of God.”
So why is the earth groaning louder in Israel? Israel is
center stage of the world. All eyes are on Israel. International media is
stationed in Israel waiting and watching. This is where the Messiah will
return. Here’s what we know. God always hears Israel’s groaning. Over and again
in Scripture, God hears her groans and responds. He always hears her cries for deliverance.
The Holy Spirit told me, “The earth is groaning louder in
Israel.” I am still praying through this, but what I know is the sons of God
need to rise up. God is coming back for a glorious bride without spot or
wrinkle. That means there’s some sifting in store, some falling away to
witness, some false prophets to avoid, and some evangelism to do.
I do not know when the Lord is returning, but I know we’re a
day closer than we were yesterday. And I know the earth in Israel is groaning
loudly.
What do you see?
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