Prophecy Letters
"Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." Matt. 13:16-17
The Prophecy Letter is a circular letter that we send out relating to the development of latter-day prophecy.
May 2024
Rafah and the Surge of Antisemitism
TGP Prophecy Letter – May 17, 2024
While many exciting things are developing, not too many new things have transpired which have caused us to write an urgent letter. Yet things are progressing and building in important ways and should now be commented upon. One of the most volatile subjects is Israel’s operation in Rafah.
Israel’s Rafah Operation is in Full Swing
Against US wishes, Israel has proceeded with their operation in Rafah and made great advances, apparently resulting in 450,000 Palestinians fleeing (The Times of Israel). Given how this comes in the context of heightened tensions with Israel’s other neighbors, it brings to mind a prophecy in Isaiah 11 which correlates to those of Psalm 83, Zechariah 12, 14, and others. We’ll start at verse 12 for context:
Isaiah 11:12-14 – And he shall set up an ensign (literally, “a flag”) for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (a process which began many years ago and continues to this day) (13) The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. (14) But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
It's interesting to note the sequence of events here which line up with today. The Zionist flag of the late 1800s gave unity to the cry for a return to the land and helped kickstart aliyah (Jewish return to the land). The state of Israel has been reborn and many Jews now live there as the Scriptures said they would, and it is after this that we read of them swooping down on the Philistines (the Gaza Strip) and then Jordan (Edom, Moab, and Ammon). While the prophecies of Psalm 83 others show a multi-front war between Israel and basically all of her bordering Arab neighbors, it seems that Isaiah 11 might reveal which nation is attacked first: the Philistines. If this is the case, then what we are witnessing now between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip (the Philistines) is incredibly interesting, particularly since Israel is currently “flying upon the shoulders of the Philistines”.
But not only does the Rafah operation potentially signal the beginning of the Psalm 83 war, it’s also helping to prepare the stage for other prophecies. This fact is a testament to the limitless wisdom of the Most High and the work of the angelic hosts who execute His will. Because Israel has proceeded with Rafah, they are increasingly isolated from their greatest ally (the US) and the rest of the world, something else which we expect from prophecy.
From a natural viewpoint, it’s an insult to reason to see what is happening. Hamas, a self-declared terrorist organization, started this war in October of last year, and as Israel tries to eliminate this threat which has been a thorn in their side for countless years, the world now sides with Hamas and is calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state. We’ll consider these two things under their own headings.
Israel Becomes an Island
The US is very critical of Israel’s operation in Rafah, even though they formerly made a deal with Israel that allowed Israel to go in. You might recall Israel’s strike on Iran which took place in the last month or two. The US was worried that too heavy of an attack on Iran could spark a regional war, so they made a deal with Israel. If Israel agreed to a limited strike on Iran, they would have US blessing to go into Rafah. Israel agreed and only targeted Iranian facilities around their nuclear sites instead of the plants themselves. They then entered Rafah, but now the US has told them to stop. What happened here? I don’t know, but it looks like the US plainly lied about agreeing to a Rafah operation. Here’s what we’re seeing now in the US-Israel relations:
Report: US withholding ‘sensitive intelligence’ on Hamas from Israel – Israel365 News
Blinken tells Israel they cannot destroy Hamas, just demilitarize them – World Israel News
Report: Biden freezes shipment of smart bombs to Israel – World Israel News
US fumes after Israeli protesters torch Gaza aid convoy – World Israel News
Aid is being withheld and the rift continues to grow. What’s interesting is that in 2019, Joe Biden emphatically stated that “Cutting off military aid to Israel is absolutely preposterous; a tragic mistake… The idea that we would cut off military aid to Israel, our only true ally in the entire region, is absolutely preposterous. It is beyond my comprehension that anyone would do that” (World Israel News). Today, this is precisely what he is doing.
It’s important to point out that these stresses between the US and Israel are not simply a matter of administration, although that’s a decent chunk of it. While many Americans do support Israel, the younger up-coming generations who can now vote and are beginning to transition into roles of power are overwhelmingly anti-Israel. In colleges throughout the US, students are protesting in favor of Hamas. The most recent example of this I know of took place in Florida (World Israel News), but many colleges have had troubles with this. One even had to call in the police to disperse the protest. Whereas before such protesters would say that “we are not anti-Israel, we simply see the need for a Palestinian state”, they are now are proudly declaring that they are anti-Israel, and it is causing the same antisemitism which was seen leading up to WW2 to show its ugly head once again in disturbing ways.
For example, to speak of Hitler in any good way was considered anathema. You just didn’t do it because he is considered one of the most evil people in recent history. Yet now, some children are being taught that he was not all bad. One example of this took place in Connecticut:
US teachers put positive spin on Hitler, ask students to draw swastikas – World Israel News
This is not rampant in all schools, but this is how such a thing begins. If one looks at the time leading up to WW2 and how antisemitism grew to the point of the Holocaust, one sees the same kinds of things happening today on many fronts. The phrase and promise “Never Again” is becoming less potent.
The result of this (largely stemming from Israel’s Rafah operation) is what we expect from prophecy: ISRAEL IS STANDING ALONE, and they must do so in order to be humbled and call for their Messiah (Isaiah 63:1-3). While there are a number of passages that relate to this topic, one interesting one relates to Joseph and his brethren. Many are aware that the life of Joseph is a beautifully detailed type of Christ, and it’s in line with the rest of prophecy concerning Christ’s return to Israel that it was only after Judah repented that Joseph revealed himself to his brethren (Genesis 44:18-45:1). We therefore have been waiting for Israel to be on their own. The great thing is that it does not take a genius to see this isolation right now since Israel is stating it in clear terms!
Isolated and Defiant, Israel Vows to ‘Stand Alone’ in War on Hamas – The New York Times
Israel declares independence from Biden – World Israel News
Again, it seems that the Rafah operation is playing a critical role in achieving this isolation. Even Egypt is threatening to end their treaty with Israel over the matter (World Israel News).
There are simply too many things to talk about on this subject of Israel’s isolation, and although it’d be nice to discuss them all, the sheer number of these events is encouraging to us as servants of the Lord, for it shows us that we are fast approaching the return of our Lord.
Calls for a Palestinian State
On the same note, we now look at how the world is increasingly isolating Israel and siding with her enemies. One big stab in the back came from the United Nations acting in favor of the concept of a Palestinian state and upgrading their UN status:
UN General Assembly backs Palestinian bid for membership - The Jerusalem Post
In a landslide vote of 143-9, the UN General Assembly voted “to upgrade the status of Palestine as a non-member observer state, granting it all but voting rights with regard to all activities related to its plenum.” The article explains that while the vote is mostly symbolic, it shows the overwhelming support of Palestinian statehood. But even though the UN couldn’t officially recognize a Palestinian state, many countries plan to do this very thing:
Ireland to recognize Palestinian state by end of May - FM – The Jerusalem Post
“European Union members including Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and Malta, had planned to make the recognition next week, arguing that a two-state solution is essential for lasting peace in the region.
“‘We will be recognizing the state of Palestine before the end of the month,’ Micheal Martin told Newstalk radio. ‘The specific date is still fluid because we're still in discussions with some countries in respect of a joint recognition.’”
What’s heart-wrenching is that this is rewarding the Hamas terrorists for their attack on Israel back in October. Had they not done so, the world would not be taking these drastic steps and trying to legitimize a Palestinian state – a state which would unquestionably be dedicated to terror and the end of the state of Israel. Becoming a state would not only show world approval and recognition, but it also makes it easier to buy arms and weapons as nations can do this legally, whereas before they generally have to smuggle weapons.
Whether a state of Palestine will actually be born I cannot say. I know of no prophecies which state or require this, but it would certainly work to worsen the situation in the Middle East. We’ll just have to watch and wait.
The Upcoming US Election
Very briefly, I believe it’s profitable to comment on the upcoming US election as that will largely determine world events to follow, particularly in relation to Israel. Right now, the three main candidates are Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and third-part candidate Robert Kennedy Junior. Polls are not reliable sources for projecting who will win, particularly this early on, and they’ve shown Biden being way ahead and while showing Trump way ahead the next week. We know that “the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men” (Daniel 4:17), and we therefore have no reason to worry whatsoever as to the outcome of the election. Whoever is placed as president will be who the Lord puts there to accomplish His purpose. But we must remember that rulers are not appointed by God to create the best living conditions for man. They are placed to further His eternal plan, and presently, that involves gathering the nations against Jerusalem. My belief is that whoever becomes president will either be incredibly anti-Israel (simply a continuation of the current administration) or will be unable to do much in favor of Israel due to US opinion.
Yet the person who may end up being president may not even be on the ballot. At nearly 82 years old and supposedly only working 30 hours a week, Joe Biden is barely able to carry out his normal duties. His mind is failing him in many respects, and reporters can’t wait for his speeches as the teleprompter becomes a constant source of blunder. In this respect, he is clearly unfit to run a country and therefore quite unelectable, yet physical and mental capacity don’t appear to be the biggest factors for voters. What does appear to be important for voters are the moral values which one represents, and as humanism and liberalism take over the United States, this may be enough to win him the White House again.
But as stated, he is not physically or mentally robust, and it seems likely that another four years would be very difficult to carry out. The likelihood is that he either would die or be replaced by his second in command, either case placing Kamala Harris as president (American Greatness). This would seem to fast-track anti-Israel actions from the US.
As stated, we need not worry about who is in power. We can rest knowing that whoever is appointed will be the perfect person to execute the Lord’s purpose, and unfortunately for Americans, latter-day prophecy and the current moral trend of the nation seem to suggest that the US will continue its down-ward spiral. But regardless of which nation we live in, it is not truly our country. We are “strangers and pilgrims on the earth”, and “here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come” (Hebrews 11:13, 13:14). It is for this reason that we are grateful to live in a nation which allows us the religious freedom to worship our God (although that is changing as we speak), we act like other aliens and do not vote or take part in government. The Kingdom to which we yearn and belong is soon to come, and that is where our citizenship lies! It is then that we will be granted positions of authority over the nations with Christ:
Daniel 7:27 – And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Revelation 20:6 – Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
See also 2 Timothy 2:12, 1 Corinthians 6:1-2.
Until then, we abide by all of the laws of the lands we reside in, patiently waiting for our Lord and the salvation he will bring. Thankfully, the signs we’re seeing tell us that we may not have to wait much longer!
In the Hope of Israel,
Tanner Hawkins