Tag: Tribulation Period

The liberal west does not know it, but our world is in the middle of a religious war that is about to engulf all nations. While living in a godless culture, the masses and the leadership of the West are blinded toward the deception of radical Muslim elements. These elements currently seek to be political partners with them in the United Nations. The Communist and Socialist leaders believe they can temporarily support the Islamic war efforts to eradicate the United States and Israel. Then, they must think they can subjugate the Muslim world and establish a godless socialist New World Order. However, it is apparent that the West is in the process of moral and spiritual bankruptcy. All the major nations of the West are on the verge of economic collapse. When the Western nations internally collapse, it will leave Islamic forces to rule the World. This conclusion is supported by the prophetic Scriptures.

I believe there is overwhelming biblical evidence to conclude that the coming Antichrist and his global kingdom will be an Islamic kingdom, with its headquarters in the Middle East. According to Revelation 17-18, the Antichrist and his kingdom will be controlled by a very powerful religion that is in the desert (Revelation 17:3). This religion will hate Christians and Jews and will kill them by decapitation (Revelation 20:4). This conflict between the forces of the Antichrist and Israel will be the conclusion to the historical conflict in the book of Genesis between Ishmael and Isaac, and Jacob and Esau.

There are many Islamic groups that are working toward the establishment of a global Islamic kingdom. However, at the forefront of these efforts is the nation of Iran. Since the revival of the rise of Radical Islam in Iran in 1979, Iran has continued to call for the annihilation of the nation of Israel. Iran is recognized by many nations as the leading sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East and around the world. The Iranian supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly called for the destruction of Israel. In April 2018, he lashed out at Israel, calling the Jewish state a “cancerous tumor’ of the region that must be “removed and eradicated.”

In the last few decades, Iran has established it proxy Islamic terrorist groups in a ring of fire, surrounding the nation of Israel. See the map with this article. As you look at this map and reflect upon the events that have transpired in the Middle East since October 7^th, it is very apparent that Iran has begun to make its final move to annihilate Israel. Iranian backed terrorist groups in Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, the West Bank, and Yemen are all prepared to join each other in a multi-front war effort to overwhelm and defeat Israel. All of this is happening while it is being reported that Iran is very close to the development of several nuclear weapons.

As we watch these developments, we must remember that the Bible tells us what is about to take place. (1) We are watching the continuation of a campaign of “wars and rumors of wars” against Israel (Matthew 24:6). (2) We will see how the keeper of Israel will protect and defend His people (Psalm 121:1-8). (3) We will see the developments that will cause the West to collapse and make way for the rise of political Islam to take control of the world. This will not fully materialize until the beginning of the Tribulation Period (Revelation 6:1-8). (4) At any moment the church will rise to meet Jesus and be snatched out of this world in the Rapture.

We must rejoice that our God is sovereign and is directing the nations toward His divine conclusion. Read Daniel 4:34-35. May the Lord give us wisdom to know how to pray. Be bold for the Lord and proclaim the gospel. Keep listening for the shout that will take us out!

According to Israel Today, about 50 Jewish communities near Gaza and in the north near Lebanon have been evacuated due to the war with Gaza, and the threat of war in the north. This means that a total of about one-half million Israelis have been displaced by war. This represent just a small fraction of the pain and suffering that the Israeli public is enduring at this hour (Israel Today, October 17, 2023).

In the midst of all of their misery, death, and destruction, the Israelis are beginning to realize who they at war with. Israel Today describes how the Israeli public views this current crisis and war, “The Palestinian Arabs and their supporters want to eliminate the State of Israel, and they want to kill every single Jew—but these are two separate objectives. They will kill, torture, and maim as many of us as they can, whenever they can, even if it has absolutely nothing to do with achieving the objective of statehood.

“It’s worth noting that the purportedly ‘secular’ Palestinian Authority begins each of its official communications with the words, ‘In the Name of Allah,’ and actively supports both objectives—death to Jews and replacement of the State of Israel with an Islamic Arab entity.

“Another thing that should be clear is that the distinction between Hamas, the PA [Palestinians on the West Bank], Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine and all the other ‘factions’ is an artificial and meaningless one. This enables the United States, the European Union, and ‘enlightened’ countries around the world to play a deadly shell game.

“There is no difference between these groups; They share objectives, support one another in every possible way, and are all equally dedicated to the destruction of the Jewish, democratic State of Israel” (Israel Today, October 17, 2023). Therefore, any attempt to create a Palestinian State on the land West of the Jordan River would be asking Israel to commit political suicide. In the minds of Israelis, the idea of a two-state solution to the Arab/Israeli conflict is dead. It has never worked, and it cannot work due to religious hatred promoted by the Arab Muslims for centuries. Furthermore, according to the prophetic Word of God, this conflict and war over the land of Israel will not end until Jesus comes to establish His physical kingdom upon this earth. Only then will the acts of violence, terrorism, and war against Israel end once and for all.

The world is currently sympathetic toward Israel. However, when Israel’s war against Iran and its Islamic militant groups begins, the world will change its tune. They will all call for an immediate cease fire that would force Israel to continue to endure many more attacks like what happened on October 7th. This would indicate that either the world has forgotten about Israel’s suffering, does not care about its suffering, or really hopes that this ongoing war will end with the eventual elimination of the Jewish state of Israel in the Middle East. The bottom line is that anti-Semitism is flooding the global population, and this is fueling the rejection of the nation of Israel.

The Jewish people have had enough suffering. They are adamant that the idea of a Palestinian State on the West Bank is dead. It is impossible due to the Arab hatred for Israel that has existed for more than 4,000 years, and continues to this day! According to the Bible, the nation of Israel will continue to be at odds with the world concerning the conflict over the Promised Land. This conflict with the nations will fester and become very painful for Israel. This conflict will produce wars and rumors of wars. It will ultimately lead the world to declare war on Israel to force them out of their land. That is the purpose of the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation.

From where we are today, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Soon, the church will be raptured and the global conflict with Israel will intensify. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm122:6). Be ready for the shout that will take us out!

The Lord has promised that when the last days come, He will cause His people to return to the land that He promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He said, “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries and will bring you into your own land” (Ezekiel 36:24). A multitude of passages declare that the Lord will settle His people upon “the mountains of Israel” (Ezekiel 36:1, 4, 6, 8). An examination of the map of ancient Israel will demonstrate that this is a reference to the mountains of Samaria and Judea. These mountains are currently a part of what the world refers to as “the West Bank.” This area is the very heartland of the land that God promised to His people 4,000 years ago. This area was the location of the majority of biblical accounts recorded in the Bible.

The Bible informs us that at the end of this age, during the final weeks of the Tribulation Period, the armies of all the nations (Zechariah 14:2) will converge on Israel, attempting to force the Israelis to surrender their land and the city of Jerusalem. According to Ezekiel 36:1-7, the nations that surround Israel will resist the Jewish effort to resettle their ancient homeland in the last days. In this conflict, God will defend His people against this aggression and defiance that is opposing His eternal land covenant with Israel (Genesis 13:15). He has warned the Arab/Islamic nations that “they shall bear their shame” (Ezekiel 36:7). This simply means they will suffer a continual humiliating defeat that will bring disgrace upon them.

According to the Bible, the regional war against Israel over her land will ultimately involve all nations. God has declared that the reason for Armageddon is because the nations “have scattered [His people] among the nations, and parted my land” (Joel 3:2). This war over the land of Israel is about to become very intense.

The world continues to reject the biblical truth and push for Israel to allow the creation of a Palestinian State upon the heart of the Promised Land. It seems no nation really wants to protect and defend the Jewish nation. Instead, they are supporting the creation of another Arab Islamic terrorist state, rather than defending the democratic nation of Israel. More importantly, they are choosing to rebel against the eternal work of God, while ignoring His promises to Israel and their right to their land.

I am convinced here are six factors that are about to cause this conflict to escalate and create the march of the nations toward Armageddon. (1) For five decades Israel has cooperated with the global demand for a two-state solution to resolve the conflict over the land. However, most Israelis realize that this is now impossible. The new biblically conservative Israeli government, which includes the religious parties, are now pushing for more new Israeli towns and villages to occupy the disputed territory of the West Bank. These plans are enraging the nations. The world views this as a roadblock that prevents the creation of a viable Palestinian State on the West Bank. (2) Those who have been following the efforts of creating a two-state solution over the last five decades are realizing that the Palestinian leadership has never been serious about establishing a Palestinian State along side a Jewish State – Israel. There is much proof that demonstrates the real goal of the Arab nations and the Palestinian leadership has been the refusal to recognize the continued occupation of the Jewish nation in the Middle East. The Palestinians do not want to only occupy the West Bank, but all the land “from the River to the Sea.” The proof of this is the incitement of hatred against the Jews in the Palestinian mosques, schools, media, and the entire Palestinian culture. Terrorists who kill Israelis are rewarded and glorified in the Palestinian territories. (3) Recent polls throughout the Palestinian territories demonstrate that most Palestinians would rather conduct terrorist attacks against Israel, rather than to promote peace. (4) The armed conflict between Israel and the Palestinians on the West Bank is now escalating rapidly. It is reported that more than 400,000 Palestinians have rifles that have been smuggled into the country by Iran. In recent days, a few Palestinian terrorist groups have launched rockets into Israel from the West Bank. Israel has answered with great military force in several of the towns that are controlled by radical terrorist groups. (5) Global anti-Semitism is escalating and reaching very dangerous levels in the West, especially in Europe. As a result, more Jewish people are immigrating to Israel. Since about one-half of Israel’s territory is desert, the new immigrants need more room to settle. The answer is to allow them to occupy biblical Judea and Samarian (the West Bank). (6) In recent days, President Joe Biden commented that the current Israeli administration is the “most extreme ever.” He made these comments because Israel is ignoring the U.S. warnings about building on the “West Bank.” Israel’s answer was, “We will not compromise on the land of Israel. … It is ours. … The Land of Israel is for the People of Israel, according to the Torah [Law] of Israel. … The United States wants two states for two peoples and we think it’s suicide” (World Israel News, July 10, 2023).

I have been following this conflict for five decades and it is very clear to me that we are about to enter the final phase of the war for the Promised Land. Considering all of the other global developments, we are getting very close to “the shout that will take us out.”