Iran has vowed to avenge Israels’ October 26 attack against its military sites in Iran. Iran’s leadership has stated that “the scope of Israel’s unprecedented October 26 retaliatory strikes was ‘too large to ignore.’ … IAF jets hit 20 sites in Iran in multiple waves, reportedly knocking out its air defenses and significantly setting back its missile production industry. The Israeli strikes reportedly also destroyed multiple radar systems required to guide the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missiles” (The Jewish Press, November 1, 2024).
It is expected that Iran’s attack on Israel will originate from Iraq. Israeli military leaders have announced, “If Iran makes the mistake of launching another missile barrage at Israel, we will once again know how to reach Iran, with capabilities that we did not even use this time, and strike very, very hard at both their capabilities and locations that we set aside for now” (The Jewish Press, November 1, 2024).
Friends, I believe we are about to witness the beginning of a great war in the Middle East that will lead to the wars mentioned in the Bible. The stage is being prepared for the war mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39. The actors of that evil coalition are about to march against Israel.
According to Ezekiel 38, in the last days, a massive number of ground troops will gather on the Golan Heights in Syria for an invasion of Israel. They will include troops from Russia, Iran, Turkey, and other radical Islamic nations. This battle is called “the Gog and Magog War.” The following report indicates that since October 7th, troops are beginning to gather in this very same location for a ground invasion of Israel. Could this be the beginning of the gathering for Gog and Magog?
“The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a research group associated with the Syrian opposition, this week reported that 700 pro-Iranian fighters have been deployed in the area adjoining the Golan Heights. The fighters, according to the SOHR report, are of “Syrian, Iraqi, Palestinian, and other nationalities.” They have been deployed in the countryside of Quneitra Province, the area immediately adjacent to the Golan Heights, and in ‘western Rif Dimashq and parts of western Deraa countryside.’” (November 25. 2023, Jerusalem Post online edition).
According to an ancient prophecy in Ezekiel 38, in the last days a massive ground invasion of Israel will take place. This attack upon Israel will not be the same as the Armageddon war that will happen at the conclusion of the Tribulation Period. According to this prophecy, Russia, Iran, and Turkey and other radical Islamic allies will attack Israel “in the latter years” (Ezekiel 38:8). I think this attack will happen immediately before the Tribulation Period begins.
The Bible states that God will use something to lure these armies into this war so that He can defeat them on the mountains of Israel. Ezekiel wrote, “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog [leader of Russia], the land of Magog [Russia], the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen,…” (Ezekiel 38:1-4).
Bible students have always wondered what “the hook in the jaw” represents. What will God use to force Russia and its allies to invade Israel? Could it be that we are watching this unfold at this moment? Since Hamas’ brutal and deadly attack upon Israel on October 7th, the world has twisted the facts and made Israel the aggressor and murderer of innocent people in Gaza. As a result, there has been an explosion of antisemitism around the world, calling for the death of Israel while praising the Hamas murderers. On Saturday, November 4th in Washington DC, it is estimated that 100,00 protesters (see photo) declared that Israel is the terrorist and chanted dead to Israel.
“Since the invasion, China, Russia, and Iran have all used their state-controlled media outlets to promote Hamas claims downplaying or outright denying the terrorist organization’s atrocities, while accusing Israel of persecuting Palestinians and even committing genocide” (World Israel News, November 5, 2023). It is apparent that the evil enemies of Israel and the United States are masking the truth and creating the dangerous context for genocidal attacks upon Israel and the United States.
Israelis are talking about Ezekiel 38 and its possible fulfillment at this current time. It is time for the Lord to demonstrate His sovereign strength when He destroys the armies who want to annihilated Israel (Ezekiel 38:18-23).
All this signals that we are near the time for the exit of the church to heaven. These are very serious developments that demand our attention and prayers. Please pray for truth to prevail. Pray for Israel. Those who hate Israel are the enemies of God (Psalm 83: 1-8). Prepare your soul for the time when we will all stand before Jesus as our judge.
It is very clear that the Israeli public is not in the mode of hesitation concerning the war with Iran and its terrorist proxies. The Israeli people are calling for their political and military leaders to attack Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in the north, and to strike the heart of Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, it seems that the leaders in Israel are not listening to their people, but to the counsel of former President Obama and President Joe Biden.
I understand that the United States is Israel’s strongest ally. However, I fear that it is a big mistake for Israel to listen to Obama and Biden. (1) Both of these men have failed America and the world with their lies and weakness in foreign policies. Thanks to their weakness, our world is much more dangerous. (2) Both of these men have said that Israel is their friend, but their actions have demonstrated otherwise. Both have negotiated with Iran in Iran’s march toward the production of a nuclear arsenal. They have trusted the liars of Tehran and given them large sums of money. All of this happened while the religious leadership in Iran continued to call for the death of the U.S. and Israel. (3) It is apparent that the West does not understand the Middle East. They do not comprehend the passion and dedication of Islamic warriors who are willing to commit suicide for the will of their god who call for the death of the free world. They do not understand that the radical religious elements in Iran are serious about bringing about global carnage so that their messiah will come to establish his sinister global kingdom over all the earth. (4) The nations of the world have told Israel for 75 years that Israel does not have the right to the land that God gave them. The world has consistently told Israel that they do not have the right to defend itself against those who are committed to the destruction of the one and only Jewish state in the world. (5) Most importantly, the counsel from Obama and Biden and other leaders in the West is not godly counsel. These men do not know God and do not have wisdom of God. They do not know or understand the Word of God. Their ways are not God’s ways. Their standards of morality and justice are not based upon just and righteous principles that reflect the holiness of God. Therefore, their counsel is deadly and misleading.
Israel needs to understand that this is not their battle. They are God’s people in God’s land. The Lord has promised them victory in their wars with their enemies. Like Israel in the past, they are trusting in the might of man instead of the power of God. Oh, that the Lord would have them to know Psalm 20:7, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”
I believe that the Lord is about to demonstrate to Israel that they must turn back to Him and trust Him. When the war of Ezekiel 38 comes (and it appears to be getting closer every day), the Lord will supernaturally destroy the enemies who invade Israel, which include Russia, Iran, and Turkey (Ezekiel 38:5-6). He will destroy them with a massive earthquake and volcanic eruptions on the Golan Heights (Ezekiel 38:19-22). As a result, the Lord declares, “Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 38:23).
As we watch this current war unfold, let us pray that the Lord will demonstrate His presence and power to His people. Let us pray that the leadership in Israel will seek God’s wisdom, and not man’s counsel. Let us pray that the current situation in Israel’s war with Hamas is not a hesitation, but a time for seeking a godly strategy.
Just as many of us have expected, there seems to be much intelligence gathering that indicates Israel’s declaration of war against Hamas, an Islamic terrorist group that is funded and controlled by Iran, is about to erupt into a full-scale war in the Middle East, and perhaps WW III. Israel Today (published by Messianic Jews in Israel), reports, “There are strong indications that the attacks carried out by Hezbollah last week on were only a prelude to something much bigger. …The situation along Israel’s northern border is rapidly deteriorating after Hezbollah stepped up its attacks on the IDF and attempted to infiltrate Israel a number of times. Rockets were also fired at Israel from the Syrian Golan Heights.
“[There] are the indications that a major war is about to break out [on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon and Syria]. The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Brigade, Esmail Qaani, is in Syria overseeing the activities of Shiite militias there. These militias are now moving from eastern Syria to the border with Israel on the Golan Heights” (Israel Today, October 15, 2023). Is this the first movement of troops that will lead to Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38-39)?
Rumors are being circulated throughout the radical Islamic world that Hamas’ stunning attack on October 7th has revealed that Israel is very weak and is not prepared for war. They believe that the growing presence of U.S. military forces in the Mediterranean also support their view. These radical Islamic elements are like sharks swimming in the water. They smell blood and they believe it is time to attack their enemy that is bleeding. Listen to their chatter, “Israel is on the verge of collapse,” and this is “the last war with Israel.” They believe it is their sacred duty to destroy Israel for the sake of Allah. The radical Islamic regime in Iran is telling their people that this war with Israel “is now or never” (Israel Today, October 15, 2023).
Israel believes that they must proceed with their planned ground invasion of Gaza. This invasion was to begin yesterday. However, they have delayed this invasion for reasons they are not disclosing. They are almost sure that when this invasion begins it will cause Iran’s proxy militia groups in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and even the West Bank to openly beginning their attack upon Israel. Israel has known about this planned attack against them for months. The events of October 7th appear to be the beginning of this multifront war against Israel. This intelligence was shared with the U.S. several weeks ago and that is why President Biden has committed three aircraft carrier divisions to be prepared off the coast of Israel in the event that Israel’s needs U.S. assistance.
The FBI sent out a warning this morning to all American citizens in the U.S. to be aware of a possible terrorist attack on American soil. It is believed there are many Iranian-backed sleeper cells already in the U.S. Many have come across our open southern border. Our intelligence is asking us to be vigilant as we watch our surroundings as we anticipate this possible development. This does not come as a surprise to me. One of Iran’s greater goals is to destroy the United States, whom they call “The Great Satan,’ while Israel, they say, is “the little Satan.” Iran is very deceptive. It would be just like them to conduct a ground war against Israel and the United States as a diversion, while they finalize their manufacturing of nuclear bombs. Just a few weeks ago, we were told that Iran has the ability to create the nuclear material they need for a bomb in about two weeks.
Friends, I am calling out to you to pray like you have never prayed before. It is obvious that our world is about to enter into a time of violence, danger, and war like we have never known. I hope I am wrong about this. However, there seems to be too much evidence to conclude anything otherwise. Our world is about to be thrust into the Tribulation Period. We must share the gospel with family and friends. Be compassionate and bold. Weep before God! Pour your heart out to Him for our unsaved friends and family members. Our time is short. We are going home in a short while. Prepare your soul to stand in our Lord’s holy presence. Occupy until He comes, but be ready for our imminent departure!
