The carnage left behind by Hamas’ massacre of Israeli citizens and several from other countries shocked and deeply saddened me as I read hundreds of messages and viewed a few pictures of the slain.
Because the tragic events of October 7, 2023, involve Israel, prophetic implications from what's happening in the Middle East will reverberate long afterward.
Is it the fulfillment of Psalm 83? Before the tragic events of October 7, 2023, several respected Bible prophecy experts said the Psalm refers to a future attack while other such specialists placed it in the past. Although it’s not clear whether or not all the participants listed in verses 6-8 will join the coming war, the opening verses to the Psalm apply to the plotting of Israel’s current enemies:
O God, do not keep silence;
do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
those who hate you have raised their heads.
They lay crafty plans against your people;
they consult together against your treasured ones.
They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
The terror attack was the result of careful planning with the intent to ultimately eliminate Israel as a nation. As I write, tensions are rising as it appears that Hezbollah in the north and Syria are ready to join the fight against Israel. Should Jordan join the forces rallying against Israel, that would bring in more participants from Psalm 83.
Below are a few observations that I see as they relate to biblical prophecy.
It’s Not the Gog/Magog War, But Could Lead to It
The current conflict is not the Gog/Magog war, but could lead to it in the future. I say this for a couple reasons:
This invasion will begin at a time when Israel is “restored from war” (Ezekiel 38:8). So it could begin after peace is restored from the current war.
The war of Ezekiel 38-39 will begin at a time when Israel is dwelling “securely” (38:10-11). There has been talk of a large-scale war in the Middle East for several months.
If Israel were to achieve a decisive victory in the coming months, it could create a sense of security and peace that the Bible says will exist before the coalition led by Russian, Iran, and Turkey invade the Land. Since the attack, Israel has threatened to destroy Damascus, which would be a fulfillment of Isaiah 17:1. This would add further fire leading to the fulfilment of Ezekiel 38-39.
God Will Restore a Glorious Kingdom for Israel
Regardless of what happens in the future, one thing remains absolutely certain: God will surely keep His promise to restore a glorious kingdom for the people of Israel.
The Lord will restore Israel just as He promised in Ezekiel 36:22-37 and 37:15-28. If we can trust the words of Scripture, and we absolutely can, the nation of Israel is here to stay.
Jesus will reign over a restored Israel during His thousand-year rule over the nations. God will not renege on His covenants with His people nor with David. In fact, according to the prophet Jeremiah, this is just as certain as the appearing of the sun in the morning sky (Jeremiah 31:35-36).
The bad news for Israel is that the path between now and the restoration of the kingdom will include increasing hardship and terror that will reach its peak during the second half of the Tribulation. The prophet Zechariah states that only one-third of the Israelites will survive (13:8-9), but those that remain will inherit the long-awaited kingdom for Israel.
It’s after Jesus returns to a repentant Israel that the words of the prophet Isaiah will surely apply:
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:1-2)
In the past couple weeks, the Lord has impressed these verses upon my mind as they speak of a time when Jerusalem’s “warfare” will cease. The situation looks bleak for the city at the moment, but God will keep His solemn promise to preserve Israel and establish His covenant of peace with the nation (Isaiah 54:10; Ezekiel 37:26).
Zechariah wrote about a still future repentance of Israel (12:10-13:1) and Jesus prophesied of a time when the people of Israel would greet Him with the words, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:37-39).
There can be no doubt: Scripture assures us of a glorious future for Israel.
The Current Attacks Will Make the Antichrist’s Covenant More Appealing
The pain and overwhelming grief caused by the current attacks on Israel will make the peace plan offered by the antichrist all the more appealing. This is the covenant that kicks off the seventieth week of Daniel (Daniel 9:27), which we refer to as the seven-year Tribulation.
The leaders of Israel will believe that the terms offered by the man of lawlessness will save them from another devastating war, but he will betray them after three and a half years, which will cause many of them to flee for their lives (Matthew 24:15-21). If the rebuilding of the third temple is part of the deal, it will make his covenant all the more inviting.
The Prophet Isaiah refers to the antichrist’s plan as a “covenant of death” (28:14-22). The one-third of Israel that survive the Tribulation, however, will forever enjoy their Messiah’s “covenant of peace” (Isaiah 54:10; Ezekiel 37:26). Just as it was through much suffering and death that Israel became a nation again, so shall it be leading up to their unending time of security beginning with the millennial reign of Jesus.
Our Enemy Is Vicious and Deadly
Satan hates all the Jewish people as well as all those saved by the blood of Jesus. The Lord’s description of our enemy in John 8:44 is something of which we must be constantly aware in this day. He described our enemy as “a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Satan’s stirring up of murderous hatred toward Jews among the militant Muslims is all about stopping Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecy. His objective is to prevent the Lord’s rule over a restored Israel, but just as he failed to stop God’s redemptive plan at Jesus’ First Coming, so our enemy will fall far short again.
The same Lucifer who was behind the demonic massacre of innocent people in Israel is also behind the deadly schemes of the globalists. It’s their intent to reduce the population of the world to 500,000 and they have already massacred a substantial number of people in furthering this agenda. The same demonic forces that dragged entire families out their homes and viciously murdered them in Israel also lies behind the deadly push to inject everyone on the planet.
With the worldwide demonstrations supporting Hamas and the growing hatred for believers for their stand on biblical values, it’s easier than ever to imagine the widespread killing of Jews and Tribulation saints that the Bible says will happen after the Rapture. Satan will be furious, but Jesus will prevail and God will not let the devil annul His covenants with (and promises to) His chosen people, nor to us as New Testament saints who will reign with our Savior.
America on the Edge
The long-term consequences for America are grim at best. Shortly after coming to power, the Biden administration renewed funding for the Palestinians and Hamas. Recently, in a deal to get back hostages, President Biden freed up six billion dollars in assets for Iran, who is the principle financial backer of Hamas. It’s certain that the Lord will not take kindly to America’s funding of terror and death.
It gets much worse. Under Biden, somewhere between five and seven million illegal immigrants have flowed through our southern border, many of them are military age men from a variety of nations, including China. We have caught many terrorists at our southern border, but it’s certain that a multitude of those seeking to destroy America have avoided capture and remain within our borders.
Will the U.S. be attacked from within by unfriendly forces? It’s probable. Regardless, it’s clear that America is on the edge of destruction; it’s only God’s restraining hand that’s keeping us from an economic implosion or devastating attacks from enemy forces. It’s clear that the nation I love lies precariously on the edge of destruction.
We Live in Biblical Times
The good news is that we live in biblical times, which signifies that Jesus’ appearing to take us home is imminent. The bad news is that we live in biblical times with lawlessness, violence, wickedness, and deception are increasing exponentially, just as Scripture said would happen in the last days.
I’m certain that the Rapture can happen at any moment, but I don’t know what hardship we might experience in the meantime.
It’s also clear that our enemy is exceedingly deadly and vicious. His rage will reach its peak during the Tribulation, but he’s already working through his minions to stop Jesus from reigning over the nations from Jerusalem. To do so, he must destroy all humanity starting with the people of Israel and Bible-believing saints (see Matthew 24:22).
Regardless of what comes against Israel or us, God will accomplish His purposes. Nothing can stop the Lord from destroying the devil’s rule during the Tribulation nor can anything hinder Him in setting up His thousand-year rule in the coming kingdom of which we will share as coheirs with Jesus (Romans 8:16-17; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54).
Just as at His Frist Coming, Jesus will fulfill biblical prophecy and God will restore a kingdom to the descendants of Jacob. Satan’s efforts to stop the Lord from fulfilling prophecy seem to always end up fulfilling what the Bible says will happen.
I provide a detailed defense of the Pretribulation viewpoint in: The Triumph of the Redeemed-An eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times. I demonstrate, using an abundance of quotes, that the belief in a thousand-year reign of Jesus dominated the church during its first three hundred years. The historic view of the millennium is a literal view of Revelation 20:1-10 that places it between the Tribulation and the eternal state. There’s no such thing as a “historic premillennialism” that denies a literal interpretation of this text.
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