The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-17, titled "Bible Questions and Answers."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.  Copyright John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.

Question

I would like to know your personal viewpoint about the state of Israel, with regard to Benjamin Netanyahu, and how he fits into God's Biblical Clock?

Answer (given in 1997)

My personal viewpoint on the state of Israel, of course from a theological standpoint, is that Israel is still to receive the promises of God.  Israel, according the Romans 11:25-27, will be saved in the end, and they will receive the Kingdom promised to them. The fact that they are in the land and that they still exist is within the purposes of God, as He has His people still in existence, still identified as a national entity in their land, and that positions them, I think, for the coming salvation.

So far as whether Benjamin Netanyahu, or for that matter, any other leader in Israel, fits into the prophetic scheme, I don't think there is any way that you can identify any current political leader in Israel in terms of the actual fulfillment of any prophecy.  The reason I say that is that the Scripture does not identify any leader in Israel, by specific identification, in the end times, except for the fact that the antichrist makes a pact with Israel.  There is no identification of any leader in Israel.

Now as to what Netanyahu means politically or socially to the country of Israel; obviously he is a conservative; obviously he takes a more hard line and a more traditional Jewish viewpoint as over against conciliation with the Arabs.  I don't know how that plays in terms of the future animosities and hostilities between the Arabs and the Jews, but I do believe that Netanyahu, notwithstanding, he may come, he may go, others may come and go before the Lord does His work with Israel, but in the end, Scripture is very clear that the Lord will gather His people, not only to the Land, but He will gather them to Himself, He'll purge out the two-thirds of the rebels (the prophet says), and then He'll save the remnant and then the Kingdom will come in which they will participate in the fulfillment of messianic blessing.

Question (continued)

Is there not some kind of movement from Netanyahu about nationalizing Israel?

Answer (continued)

As I said, Israel is already a nation so Netanyahu is not going to contribute to the nationalization of Israel; he will contribute to the firmness and the rigidity, and the solidarity of Israel as a nation, as over against any kind of blending with the Arab world.  It may be that he makes a contribution to the sustaining of the purity of that nation, although that runs so deep, that even if Netanyahu was not there it would be highly unlikely that they would ever decide to amalgamate or mingle with other Arabic cultures.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur Collection" by:

Tony Capoccia
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