In 2017, the Year of Jubilee was celebrated in Jerusalem for the first time in 2000 years and exactly 50 years after Israel recaptured Jerusalem in 1967. The newly reborn Israeli state had defied the odds and exceeded all expectation in their never ending dream of repatriation to their ancient homeland. Such an incredibly historic event, especially in terms of Biblical prophesy is hard to overstate. The sounding of the shofar, (a ram’s horn trumpet) was heard over Jerusalem announcing that the year of liberty, restoration and rejoicing had come. And not only for the land of Israel, but for the world as the coming of the Lord draws near.
Other signs that 2017 was prophetically a very significant year include the culmination of the Aliyah, the return of the Jewish people to their homeland. For over 100 years, beginning in 1896 with Theodore Herzl and the Zionist movement, wave after wave of Jews have come to Israel to settle and transform the land from a dry, desolate place into the fertile and prosperous nation it is today. For Jews and Christians all over the world, this “going up” to Jerusalem is a fulfillment of biblical prophesy. Ezekiel clearly linked the repatriation of the Jews and re-flowering of the Land of Israel after centuries of desolation as an eminent sign of Christ return. All this was according to God’s plan.
Scoffers may say there’s nothing to it. That it is just a happy coincident; nothing to see here and especially that this has nothing to do with the fulfillment of prophesy. Maybe they are right, but the words of Ezekiel are clear. Israel shall once again be a united nation living in the land of their forefathers, a desolate land that has been reborn.
‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
Ezekiel 37:21-23
Another major development in 2017 that shocked the world was the election of Donald Trump and President of the United States. But what most people don’t know is the back story. Prior to his election, Christians and God fearing people all across America were assembling for prayer at the Capitol steps of each of the States. Each week for 50 weeks leading up to the election, people gathered and prayed one simple prayer – God have mercy and heal our land. The year long effort was organized by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, was led by his son Franklin and is widely credited among Evangelics as the reason Donald Trump was elected.
Once elected, his administration acted quickly to change the course America was on resulting in a revival of the American spirit and its economy to all-time highs. This reversal in America’s fortunes from the dismal state it was in prior to Trump’s election was a Godsend. Under Trump’s leadership the economy skyrocketed and national sovereignty vis-a-vis global internationalism was restored. ISIS, a major threat before the election, was defeated and dictatorship regimes around the world put on notice. Trillions of dollars belonging to US companies but that were held hansom oversea under excessive tax liabilities were suddenly set free under the new Make America Great Again doctrine. The unleashing of America’s entrepreneurial spirit through government deregulation and tax cuts send the stock market to all time highs and the jobless rate to all time lows.
The ultimate prophetic effect of Trump’s Presidency so far may be his recognition of Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel. This act alone has endeared him in the hearts and minds of the Jewish people forever linked him with their destiny. Hard as it is for some to believe, God knows what He’s doing!
Scholars and historians do not all agree on the date of the first Jubilee or even how to calculate its counting. In the end, however it makes no difference whether or not the year 2017-2018 (5777) aligns exactly with the first Jubilee of approximately 3400 years ago since Christ is the end of the Law (including the laws of Jubilee) to all who believe. Nevertheless, God gave the Year of Jubilee to his people for a reason and the impact of that gift is still being felt in the world today. In that regard, 2017 was definitely the Year of Trump, the Jerusalem Jubilee and Prophesy fulfilled.