Much is happening in the Middle East today. There are wars, plans to rebuild the temple in Israel, the influx of Jews back to their homeland, and much more. The Bible has foretold many End Time signs, and some of them are coming to pass. In his book, Flee to the Mountains: The Church’s Responsibility to Israel in the Final 7 Years of the Age, Pastor Christopher Mantei delves into the topic of “Jacob’s trouble,” when the great tribulation will take over Israel itself.
Pastor Christopher particularly wrote about the Church’s responsibility in the End Times. As Christians, we have a crucial role to play! Read on to find out what, how, and why the End Times will truly be a significant era for Israel and the Church.
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Tell us about your new book. How were you inspired to write it?
I have been personally interested in the End Times for over 25 years. There are many prophetic passages in the Bible regarding this period. In Matthew 24, it says, “Let the reader understand.” So [we can say] that Scripture was written for me and everyone who would read it. Understanding this was the genesis for me to realize how crucial this topic was.
What really solidified my decision to write the book was my trip to Israel in 2017. I started praying when I was there. I saw how Israel was significant in the Biblical passages, especially in the End Times.
The Scriptures talk about how it will not be a very good time for Israel (Jeremiah 30:7, Daniel 11:41, Matthew 24:16, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:21). As a Believer, I found myself asking, “What’s the status? What is the Believer’s part in this? Is anyone making plans? Is anyone preparing for this?
We toured around Israel and caught a pretty good glimpse of the nation’s slice of life. We talked to Messianic congregations and Arab churches, but I couldn’t find anyone actively planning anything. You can’t even get all of them to agree on what was coming. Period.
Sometimes, there was this attitude of, “We do agree with you… but we’re really not doing much. We’re kind of busy. We’re just reading Bibles.” And that’s great! Yes, we have to study the Word. But I didn’t see any concrete forward thinking regarding the End Times.
My prayer was, “I’m really not the one who should write the book. God, are you sure about this?” But the call to write it down and to collate a spiritual case persisted.
You mentioned how Israel is significant, especially in the End Times. How so?
The story of the Bible—even from the beginning of human history—is an Israel-centric story. If you look at our maps, you’d see Israel right smack in the center of the world. That’s not a coincidence.
The nations mentioned in the Scripture who have specific roles in the last days encompass a very small area. I took a pen and circled the nations mentioned from Scripture–they are all in the Middle East.
Scripturally speaking, God’s End Time plan is focused on this region.
So what should our role be when it comes to the impending Last Days? My opinion is very simple: whatever God is specifically concerned with, I should be specifically concerned with.
And that includes Israel and the events that will be unraveling around it.
-Interview with Christopher Mantei by Nicole Gusto
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Continue with us next week when we discuss the significance of Israel as a nation with Pastor Christopher Mantei.
To purchase Christopher Mantei’s book, Flee to The Mountains: The Church’s Responsibility to Israel in the Final 7 Years of The Age, check out his website at Wings of The Eagle.
Pastor Christopher Mantei
Christopher Mantei is the Associate Pastor of Iron Faith Fellowship church, co-Pastor of the revolutionary Endtime Church, and President of Wings Of The Eagle. Christopher has been immersed in God's Word –particularly the prophetic scriptures– for the past 30 years. Experienced in the Catholic, Protestant, and non-denominational traditions, he has been teaching (and learning) Bible prophecy in online forums since 1995. He built his first website in 1999 and has preached to thousands in person and online. Christopher also loves hosting his own radio program. He lives in the Philadelphia area with his wife and two sons.
Nicole is part-nerd and part-artist. She’s a passionate speech pathologist, writer, dreamer, occasional ventriloquist, and a total geek for stories. She dances through words and writes to speak life to readers. She also regularly blogs at https://nicolegusto.com
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