March 20, 2008

Time Magazine: McCain's visit to Israel was aimed at gaining support from Evangelicals who believe the Jewish state fulfills Bible prophecy

According to an article in Time Magazine, John McCain's Holy Land pilgrimage during his trip to the Middle East was aimed at gaining support of the Jewish community in America, but more crucially, the support of Evangelical Christians who are a large part of the Republican party base and until now, have regarded the twice married McCain as too liberal and too hard to pigeonhole.

A recent Pew Poll says that 65% of Evangelicals believe the state of Israel fulfills a Biblical prophecy about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and McCain's support of Israel may tip the balance in his favor.

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

The Pew Poll that reveals 65% of all Evangelical Christians believe that Israel today is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is at best a mixed blessing in light of the prophetic truth that can be found in the Bible.

Time Magazine's coverage had an interesting twist. The story accused McCain of using the Israel visit to play to the Christians who believe that the state of Israel is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy in connection with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, thus McCain's stop in Israel could gain the support of the Evangelical Christian in the presidential election. That part of the story aside, my concern is that only 65% of Evangelical Christians see Israel today as a fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

The Bible reveals through the record of the covenants of God, promises by God to the Jewish people, that He has a plan for the Jews, His chosen people, that will be played out in the future. In Genesis 12 and 15, the Lord promised the Jews that they would have a nation forever and a piece of real estate in the Middle East and that forever. Ezekiel, the ancient Jewish prophet, said in chapters 34, 36 and 37 of his prophecy that the Jews would return from all over the world to the Middle East to a piece of real estate that He would give them and they indeed would build a nation among the nations of the world, all of this leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

The truth be known, 100% of Evangelical Christians should know and believe that Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.