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.
October 2024
On Every Front, Israel is Isolated as Enemies Increase
TGP Prophecy Letter – October 28, 2024
So much is going on that we had to leave out certain topics of discussion for the sake of space (and reader’s attention)! Big events are taking place now, and we encourage the reading of all of this document to gain a glimpse of just a few of them. In this article, we cover Israel’s strike on Iran, Iran’s planned retaliation, Israel’s prepping for war with Syria, Saudi Arabia growing friendly with Israel’s enemies, Israel’s deteriorating relationship with the US, and the role of China in prophecy. It’s hoped that these hurried comments help others see the Lord’s hand at work!
Israel Strikes Iran & Iran Vows Retaliation
It finally happened: Israel struck back at Iran for firing a vast number of missiles at Israel. This is the second such attack from Iran in the past year, and many were expecting (and hoping) that Israel would use this opportunity to hit Iran hard and destroy their nuclear weapons program. Israel’s response was effective but underwhelming to many:
Israeli attack crippled Iran’s primary missile defense system – World Israel News
Israel strikes multiple targets across Iran in retaliatory strikes – The Jerusalem Post
Expert: Israeli Airstrikes Cripple Iran’s Ballistic Missile Production – United with Israel
What Israel destroyed were Iran’s missile defense and missile production systems. This now leaves Iran unprotected from attack (though Israel has already been able to effectively strike them twice now without issues), and it greatly inhibits their ability to produce missiles. While still a significant blow, this somewhat “limited” strike on Iran is not what many were hoping for, and Netanyahu is in hot water with some of his government members (World Israel News). More damage could have been done, and Netanyahu supposedly gave Iran advance warning before the attack took place (World Israel News).
We wonder why the Israeli response was not more severe, and it may have something to do with the US leaking all of Israel’s plans ahead of time (something we’ll discuss shortly). Yet it seems that Netanyahu might be blaming his defense minister for the smaller response, for he’s announced that he may dismiss him for the strike (The Jerusalem Post). We will see. Either way, Iran has vowed swift and significant response:
Iran vows decisive action after Israel's strategic strike – Conflict Watcher
There is a real fear in Iran that Israel will target Iranian government officials, potentially even the Supreme Leader Khamenei. Since there was an attack on Netanyahu’s home, Iran has now opened up their own leaders as viable targets (All Israel News). I believe some of these Israeli strikes have been to send the message to Iran’s leaders that we can reach you if we want to, so be careful, yet Iran seems only to be growing more and more defiant. It seems that things will continue to escalate.
All of this is incredibly exciting to see! We have talked for years about the possibility of an Israeli strike on Iran which would neutralize Iran for a short period, and thus explain Iran’s absence from Psalm 83 but later involvement in Ezekiel 38. We believe Iran might suffer a blow too large to handle and therefore “activate” all of their proxies. We therefore view an Israel-Iran conflict as an event which could lead directly to the Psalm 83 war.
What’s more exciting is that when this suggestion was first made a few years ago, it was uncertain whether Israel could even reach Iran because it is so far away. Since that time, Israel has conducted two strikes on Iranian territory, showing that this is now a very doable feat for them. Indeed, it seems that Israel is building up to striking Iran’s nuclear facilities. The first strike earlier this year took out the defensive systems surrounding the nuclear facilities, and this latest strike took out the rest of their missile defense systems. The next step up would seem to be either oil or nuclear facilities. We wait to see.
As we’ve seen, the relevance of Israel-Iran tensions on prophecy is significant, and we expect it to result in an all-out regional war. While students of the Word have perceived this through prophecy, the secular news agencies of the world are now seeing this same truth. An article from All Israel News was entitled “From shadow war to open conflict: Iran and Israel's dangerous escalation”, and it stated,
“The long-simmering conflict between Iran and Israel has reached a boiling point, with recent events shattering the delicate balance of proxy warfare and pushing both nations to the brink of open hostilities. This escalation marks a significant shift in Middle Eastern dynamics, threatening to engulf the region in a conflict with far-reaching global consequences.”
A Coming War with Syria?
Adding to this mix of trouble is heightened danger on Israel’s borders with her Islamic neighbors. The Hamas war has been going on since last October, Israel continues to combat Hezbollah in Lebanon, and now we see increased activity between Israel and Syria:
Israel bolstering border security on Syrian frontier – World Israel News
Israel strikes Syrian capital Damascus, military site near Homs – Al Jazeera
We expect Syria to be involved in the Psalm 83 war by their mention as “the Hagarenes” in Psalm 83:6. We also expect such a conflict with Syria because of the prophecy of Isaiah 17. This prophecy (which includes the whole chapter) shows a war which results in the destruction of Syria’s capital of Damascus, the weakening of Israel, and their recognition of the Lord through his salvation. We won’t include the whole chapter here, but here are some of the main verses:
Isaiah 17:1, 4-7, 12-13 – Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap... (4) And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. (5) And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim. (6) Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. (7) At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel… (12) Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! (13) The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
Israel “looking to their Maker” and having “respect to the Holy One of Israel” is an important and beautiful milestone in prophecy, for not only does it show their salvation by Christ and therefore his return to their, but it shows Israel’s recognition of him when the blindness which has befall Israel is removed (Romans 11:25). Compare Isaiah 17:7 to the following passages:
Hosea 5:15 – I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.
Joel 3:16 – The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
Zechariah 12:5 (RSV and ESV) – Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the LORD of hosts, their God.'
Zechariah 12:8 – In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
Isaiah 31:4-5 – For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. (5) As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.
Israel will be humbled, cry to their Lord, and he will appear to their salvation! This day is drawing near as the enemies which we believe will bring about this humility are joining themselves together. Today, most of the nations who will comprise this Islamic confederacy have either already assumed a hating attitude to Israel or are getting closer to it. One that we believe needs the most development is that of Saudia Arabia, but recent events have shown great changes in this nation.
Saudi Arabia Changes Its Tune
There are various views on Saudi Arabia’s role in latter-day prophecy, but it’s my understanding that their role has been largely misunderstood due to misidentification and misinterpretation of certain passages. The only sure principle to determine the meaning of a Biblical latter-day nation is to see where the ancient power inhabited and then look to see which nation now occupies that territory. The Ishmaelites will be amongst the nations of Psalm 83, and a study of these people shows them to be Midianites (see Genesis 37:25-28, 36, Judges 8:22-26). Midian is the land just east of the Gulf of Aqaba and south of Jordan, encompassing what is now the northern parts of Saudia Arabia. No other power answers to this title, and I can therefore only conclude that Saudi Arabia is the latter-day Midianite/Ishmaelite.
Yet, there was a period when Israel and Saudia Arabia grew quite close to one another, and many will remember the talk of a “historic deal” in the works which would establish solid, peaceful ties between the two nations. Saudi Arabia and Iran are rival, enemy states, and Saudi hatred of Iran is one thing which actually drew them closer to Israel on the reasoning of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” It therefore looked unlikely that Saudia Arabia would come against Israel but would rather side with Israel, yet the Bible is a foundation which cannot be moved. If our understanding is correct (which we believe it to be or else we wouldn’t teach it), then we reasoned that Saudi Arabia has to change their tune. For a long time, we did not know how or when, but such was our thinking based on what’s written.
Now, as in in the past week, it seems that this change might finally be occurring! We see a shift in the opposite direction – Saudi Arabia is growing closer to Iran and distancing themselves from Israel:
Iran and Saudi Arabia to hold joint Red Sea military drills – World Israel News
The article was written before the event took place, and it explained,
“Iran and Saudi Arabia will hold naval exercises in the Red Sea, in what would mark the first time the two countries – which have a long history of hostility towards each other – will collaborate in a military setting… From 2016 to 2023, the two countries official suspended diplomatic relations with each other, mutually withdrawing their ambassadors and closing their embassies. Saudi Arabia and Iran officially re-established diplomatic relations in a China-brokered March 2023 agreement, but the level of trust between the two nations remains unclear.”
It was wondered whether this historic military exercise would be carried out or if it was just a rumor, but it was confirmed shortly thereafter. FOX News reported after the fact,
Consider what this report has to say!
“This week, Saudi Arabia and Iran held their first-ever joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman, their ministries revealed, in what would seem to be a sign of rapprochement between the longtime regional foes. ‘The Royal Saudi Naval Forces had recently concluded a joint naval exercise with the Iranian Naval Forces alongside other countries in the Sea of Oman,’ Saudi armed forces spokesperson Turki al-Malki confirmed to the French news outlet AFP. ‘The Saudis are concerned about being caught between [Iran and Israel],’ Meir Javedanfar… told Fox News Digital, adding that they took part in the naval drills to ‘not be seen as taking Israel's side.’”
Could this be the shift we have been expecting? Will their attitude toward Israel continue to worsen? As of now, all signs say most likely! Saudi criticism of Israel is certainly on the rise:
Saudi Arabia calls to hold Israel accountable Temple Mount violations – The Jerusalem Post
It’s important to realize that these “holy sites” can make all of the difference for an Islamic country. Indeed, the Psalm 83 war is prophesied to be one of hatred and contentment over the claims to the land and its holy places (see Psalm 83:4, 12). We wait to see how this will develop, but we must emphasize the importance of this change!
The US – No Friend of Israel
Speaking of change, we have expected the same kind of change to take place between the US and Israel, for only then can Israel truly stand alone. While the US election is merely weeks away and we can’t say for certain who will win, we can look back at recent events and see worsening US-Israel ties. Here are just a few headlines which tell the story:
US threatens Israel with arms embargo – The Jerusalem Post
Leaking precious intel to Israel’s enemies is not the action of an ally, nor is threatening them with an arms embargo. With how the relationship has soured, one respected news agency argues that Israel is already fighting on her own (Gatestone Institute). All of this this is precisely the kind of thing we expect from prophecies which show only the Lord helping and saving Israel in their time of need (Isaiah 63:3, Zechariah 2:5).
The Role of China?
China is increasingly talked about as a growing threat which must be watched by the Western powers. Indeed, we see them entrenching themselves with nations who will comprise the Ezekiel 38 confederacy. They have grown close with Russia and have just recently made commitments to Iran:
This all begs the question: will China have a role in the latter-day conflicts, and if so, what will it be? It seems to me that China has become too prominent to be completely absent from the latter-day wars, yet it must be acknowledged that there is no direct mention of them as being part of any confederacy. They are not with the Islamists when they come against Israel, and they are not shown as coming down with Gog either. Where do they fit?
The passage most frequently tied to China is Isaiah 49:12. Here is the verse with context:
Isaiah 49:8-13 – Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; (9) That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. (10) They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. (11) And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. (12) Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. (13) Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
“Sinim” is understood by some to refer to the Asiatic countries like China, but the foundation for this I do not know for certain. It is noteworthy though that the Septuagint version says “Persia” and not “Sinim”, but there appears to be some evidence that China is the intention here. If it is, what we learn from this passage is simply that people from China will comes to worship the Lord in Jerusalem. There is no mention of war at all.
However, a recent study of ours has led to a consideration of another prophecy which could relate to China:
Psalms 48:2-7 – Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. (3) God is known in her palaces for a refuge. (4) For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. (5) They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. (6) Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. (7) Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
The context here indicates that this is speaking about the time right before or shortly after Christ’s return (Isaiah 2:19-21). Or, is it referring to the troubles preceding Christ’s return about the sea and waves roaring (Luke 21:25)? Either way, it is a troublesome and warring context here, for we see that the “ships of Tarshish” are broken with an east wind. If we’re correct in understanding the ships of Tarshish as Britain and her “young lions” which comprise the Western powers, this indicates a time when these Western powers would be finally broken. But what would break their power? An east wind. What does this mean?
In a recent series of classes I was listening to, a Brother suggested a meaning of this verse which lines up with other things we know from prophecy and particularly what we see today. China has been quietly rising as a military power for decades, and they have developed a missile system called the Dongfeng, meaning literally “east wind” (Dongfeng (missile) - Wikipedia). Dongfeng is not just one kind of missile, but rather line of missiles which can range from medium range to intercontinental missiles. Dongfeng 41 supposed to be the longest-range missile in the world, likely even surpassing those of the US. This means that this Dongfeng (east wind) can reach anywhere on the planet.
Could this prophecy be teaching us that China will play the role of breaking the power of the Western nations? If so, this would explain two things in our mind:
1. It could explain why we see the Western nations sidelined attitude in Ezekiel 38, for when Gog comes down, there is no mention of the West fighting Russia. They simply question Gog’s intent. Perhaps they do so because they have been rendered incapable of doing any more because their “ships” have been broken?
2. It would explain why China is becoming such a great power but is largely absent from prophecy, the reason being that China would impact the Western nations directly and not Israel. Most prophecy centers upon Israel, so if a nation does not impact Israel directly, they are often not mentioned in prophecy. If China weakened the West, they would be indirectly affecting Israel by weakening her allies. This would explain why we aren’t told a lot about China in the Bible, but their role so far as relates to Israel is detailed for us. The same thing is seen with the first two World Wars. Only Britain and the Ottomans were mentioned with WWI as their actions dealt with the Holy Land (Daniel 11:40-45), and only the Germans were mentioned with WWII as they impacted the Jews (Jeremiah 16:14-18, Jeremiah 30:7-9, Daniel 12:1).
In light of these things, it’s very interesting to see a stark rise in tensions between the US and China over Taiwan:
China vows 'countermeasures' after $2 billion US arms sale to Taiwan – Rueters
It is thought by some that Taiwan could be the spark for WWIII because China has been wanting to reacquire it for some time. The US opposes this position and is therefore an enemy of China, so it’s easy to see how things can grow to all-out war where China uses their “east wind” against America and her allies. Time will tell, but it seems to fit the puzzle pretty well.
We were planning to discuss some recent developments regarding the Ezekiel 38 confederacy, more prospects for a third World War, and many other things, but these comments are long enough. It can be difficult to keep up with all of these important developments, but that is a great problem to have, and it’s one that we would expect to have if we truly live in the last days. Let us take comfort in these things and prepare ourselves for our Master!
In the Hope of Israel,
Tanner Hawkins
BREAKING: Israel Invades Lebanon!
TGP Prophecy Letter – October 1, 2024
Israel recently warned that a ground assault against Lebanon was imminent, and they meant it. As of 10:30pm Monday night, Israeli tanks rolled into Lebanon:
Israeli tanks cross into Lebanon for the first time since 2006 - report – World Israel News
Israel Launches Ground Offensive into Lebanon – The Jewish Press
Israel’s Third Lebanon War is underway. Here’s what you need to know – The Jerusalem Post
At this early stage, Israel has yet to encounter and resistance from Hezbollah (The Jerusalem Post).
We are only a few days away from the one-year mark of when Hamas invaded Israel, and the conflict is clearly not slowing down. Hezbollah has been firing rockets into Israel since that time, but now that the Hamas threat has been significantly reduced, Israel can now confidently turn their attention toward their northern border.
What will happen? How should we feel about further crisis in the region? While it is too early to tell how far the ripple-effect will go, it seems likely that things will only continue to get worse. But before we consider how the nations are responding, let us first consider how we should as servants of the Lord.
The Lord’s servants are not to love war or violence in any capacity, particularly never to engage in it (John 18:36, Matthew 10:16). Yet it is the God of heaven who rules in the kingdoms of men and “giveth it to whomsoever he will” (Daniel 4:17), and He directs the nations through His angelic messengers to accomplish His will. Contrary to what many would like to think, the Lord’s actions upon the nations is not always calculated to give the inhabitants comfort and prosperity. The Pharaoh of the Exodus was one of the most wicked and hateful rulers to oppress God’s people, yet it is written,
Romans 9:17 – For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
God’s purpose with Pharaoh was to utilize him so that the strength of God’s right arm might be known. Had Pharaoh been a push-over or had been kindly to the Jews and let them go upon Moses’s first request, we would not have had the wonders of the plagues of Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, and many other miraculous signs which showed that God is all-powerful and full of mighty works. It is for this purpose that God “hardened” Pharaoh’s heart throughout the plagues.
Examples of this sort are numerous. The Assyrians were a wretched and violent group, God raised them up for another specific purpose. He calls them “the rod of mine anger” as God was going to utilize them to exact judgment upon Israel and many other nations in the region (Isaiah 10:5). Therefore, “the staff in their hand is mine indignation.” The Lord works through such nations and utilizes them as tools, and this fact is even specifically called out. A few verses down in Isaiah 10, Assyria is condemned for boasting of their great successes as they did not know that it was God who gave them their success:
Isaiah 10:15 – Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.
Such is true for all nations. They are mere tools in the Lord’s arsenal to accomplish what is needed. In regards to what we are seeing now in the Middle East and the rest of the world, these are working toward the most wondrous purpose: the Lord is setting the stage for the return of Jesus Christ to this earth.
While we have discussed this subject frequently and in great depth, we will offer a quick review for new readers, for the things going on in the earth are a just cause for worry. But once we see these things for what they are, our worry turns to joy and excitement! Here is why:
The return of Jesus Christ is a focal point and climax in God’s 7,000-year plan. The past 6,000 years since the fall has been about bringing about a way of restoration to the wondrous conditions in Eden, a rebinding of the relationship between God and man (this is the meaning of “religion”). While man and the earth were cursed as a result of the fall, God provided His son to remedy these problems. The goal of his first coming was to conquer and subdue the enemy within himself (his sinful nature, called “the Devil), but his second coming will be to conquer the rest of the earth and establish the Kingdom of God, Christ himself to sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem. Of his reign, we read
Isaiah 9:7 – Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
In multiple prophecies, the Scriptures show that Christ will come to conquer the nations and establish this Kingdom which will eventually encompass the entire planet:
Psalms 72:7-8 – In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. (8) He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Unfortunately, the response of most of the nations will not be welcoming. Of them, it is recorded, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, (3) Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Psalms 2:2-3). The Lord’s work will therefore be one of conquest, the obedient nations who submit enjoying blessing while those who refuse to submit will be destroyed – “The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted” (Isaiah 60:12).
This is what the world is now being prepped for. It is why we see the decline in morality and the demonization of the Bible. But we focus more intently on the things going on in the Middle East because of what prophecy says concerning Christ’s coming. In short, the Bible teaches that Christ will appear to Israel when they are being attacked by a confederacy of Arab nations which will comprise Hamas in the Gaze Strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the nations of Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and some aggressors from the Negev region. This confederacy is listed in Psalm 83, and the conflict is described in dozens of prophecies. Because it is from this conflict between Israel and the Arab “people round about” that Christ reappears to Israel, it marks the first step in his battle plans. See Zechariah 12:2, 8.
Therefore, when we see the enemies of this confederacy draw closer together against Israel, this tells us that we are nearing the fulfillment of the prophecy. The closer we are to these Arab nations uniting against Israel, the closer we are to Christ’s return. This, in short, is why we rejoice to see these specific conflicts being developed. In these days of darkness, the Lord does not speak directly to man as He had in Biblical times, but does so through His Word. Prophecy is the tool He uses to tell his servants where they are on the timeline of his prophetic plan. The things we are seeing now (and have been seeing for a good while) tell us that we are drawing very near to the return of Christ. It is this student’s belief that the covenanted of the Lord could be gathered at any moment, for the Scriptures show that Christ it is not only Jesus who saves Israel from her Arab enemies, but the redeemed of the Lord. It is written, “the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee” (Zechariah 14:5).
This being established, let us see how the nations are responding at this early stage. While many will post-pone their input to see how the rest of the world is responding, this should suffice for now.
The US Response
The American response has been mixed. Biden is no fan of Netanyahu, and he told Israel not to invade Lebanon, demanding a cease-fire instead (New York Post). Yet the US has sent more air support and warships to the region in what is being painted as “support” for Israel in case the war gets out of hand and Israel needs assistance:
US boosts air support and hikes troop readiness to deploy for Middle East – Reuters
However, it is my belief that there’s another reason for sending the forces. While they can certainly be used to help Israel, they can just as easily be used to deter Israel. Israel knows how the US feels about their actions, and having “big brother” standing right next to them the whole time is likely intended to influence their decisions. We know from prophecy that Israel must eventually stand alone against the Arab confederacy in order to cry unto their Messiah, but the time for this does not seem yet.
The Iranian Response
Of great interest is how Iran will respond to this. Hezbollah is essentially a puppet for Iran, and Israel’s recent assassination of their leader was an enormous blow to Iran. It was expected that Iran might retaliate by intervening directly against Israel, yet they stated that Iran would not be sending forces to the region (AFP). It seems that Iran may think it’s too risky to get involved with how things have been going, and they are reassessing how to best wield control over the region. It is entirely possible that Iran will take a more aggressive approach, but it seems at this stage that the time is not yet. We know that they will eventually come against Israel, but this is after Christ has returned and while take place when Russia comes against the land (Ezekiel 38-39).
The Turkish Response
We look to Turkey’s response because they too will one day come against Israel when Russia comes down. Yet it appears that they may have an indirect role in this first Arab conflict, potentially helping to muster the Arab nations together into a confederacy. They have been calling for a united Arab front against Israel, and now that Israel has taken out Hezbollah’s leader and is invading Lebanon, they are continuing their dangerous rhetoric:
Erdogan-affiliated paper: 'World won't be safe until Israel is destroyed' – Israel National News
Other Responses
While many nations have yet to comment on the matter, we can expect wide-spread anger and hatred against Israel. The United Nations is becoming more and more hostile to Israel (if that is even possible), and this largely reflects the world’s position. It was just reported that these relations have sunken to new depths (AFP).
On the world religious stage, we see the false prophet of Revelation playing his part to muster the nations against Jerusalem. Revelation 16:13-16 shows certain entities speaking doctrine and principles which “go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty”, and one of the main players in this scheme is called the False Prophet – a fit name for the one who calls himself “God on earth” and claims to speak on His behalf. The Pope’s response to Israel’s assassination of the terrorist leader Nasrallah is as follows:
Pope Francis calls assassination of Nasrallah “immoral” and “disproportionate” – Israel365 News
While this is certainly no cry for direct with Israel yet, the way nations are influenced is not through swift, bold statements, but by a slow-drip method of consistently and moderately voicing antagonism against the enemy. This way, people come to the conclusion “on their own” (or so they think) that war is the only viable and commendable action.
In summary, Israel’s invasion of Lebanon has just opened a new front of war, and some of the biggest and most drastic changes to the world scene are accomplished through war. If this war continues to expand to include the nations of Psalm 83, we will grow even more in excitement. Yet we mortals must recognize that we are limited in our ability, and it’s possible that the other Arab nations decide to sit this round out if their chances of success are not great enough. Either way, the present situation is cause for self-examination, rejoicing, and humble preparation as we await the return of Christ.
************UPDATE************
An incredibly significant development has arisen since we sent out our comments earlier this morning. At the time, Iran said very little about responding to Israel's invasion of Lebanon, but now the following reports are coming in:
Iran preparing imminent missile attack on Israel, US says - FOX News
US says Iran is preparing missile attack on Israel - BBC
The article from FOX says,
"'The United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel,' the official said. 'We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack. A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran.'
"Another U.S. official told Fox News that Iran could launch its attack as soon as Tuesday afternoon, saying that the U.S. has seen additional movement of missiles in Iran to prepare for the now "imminent" attack.
"The official added that Iran's attack could look like the one it launched in April against Israel, which had more than 300 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones."
While have yet to see the strike, the fear is that this could lead to a direct confrontation between the US and Iran. It is too early to forecast how severe this could be, yet it is important to point out that we have been expecting something which would prevent Iran from being a direct player in this final war between Israel and the Arab nations "round about". The Scriptures omit "Persia" (modern Iran) from the Psalm 83 confederacy for a purpose, and we therefore conclude that something will prevent them directly intervening in any significant capacity, although it is possible that they could play the "puppet master" and order the Psalm 83 nations into action. We wait to see.
Please keep an eye on these developments as it will be difficult for us to provide updates with how fast things can materialize!
In the Hope of Israel,
Tanner Hawkins