House of Israel lost hope in the valley of dry bones. 

Ezekiel 37:11

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’” Ezekiel 37:11

For 1878 years, the house of Israel was scattered and dispersed across the globe. That is the time between 70 AD and 1948. In 70AD, the Roman general, Titus, decimated Jerusalem and the Temple, and the Jewish people fled far and wide. Since that time, there was no Jewish occupation/rule in Jerusalem, and it remained that way until 1948. Down through the centuries, the Jewish people lost hope that they would ever be reunited again as a Jewish nation within Jerusalem, within the land of Israel. Their very many bones were very dry as they mourned, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!‘

As followers of Jesus Christ, we could grow weary in waiting for the return of Jesus Christ, and in that weariness, we could lose hope and mourn, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ We live in a world where a war has been declared upon belief in God, acknowledging our need for Jesus Christ, and living in the presence of the Holy Spirit, “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17 Click here for a post on the extinction of Christian births.

The culture of today has made war with those born-again through Jesus Christ. They live by the entity that replace their conscience and spirit to give them what to think, feel, do, and say as it enables the image of the beast to speak and live through them. The masses of the global culture are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do. The “he” in the following verse is the beast of the image and mark of the beast, “Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:6-8

The Christians of the past, those persecuted for the testimony of Jesus Christ, look upon this earth and cry out, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” The reply is that His retribution will not come until the end of the global tribulation of this earth, “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.” Revelation 6:9-11

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

Jesus Christ spoke a parable in Luke 19:11-27 about people thinking the Kingdom of God would come immediately, and it begins with this verse, “Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. Therefore He said:…” Luke 19:11

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1