It almost feels a bit surreal. I have been aware of the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy at least since my seminary days in the late 1970s. As a young pastor, I spent many Sunday evenings teaching through the book of Daniel, highlighting its prophecies. During the past ten years, I have often written about the peace covenant that the antichrist will make with Israel (Daniel 9:27).
Now, as I watch the world clamoring to bring peace to the Mideast by seeking to impose a peace accord upon Israel, I wonder, “How much closer can we get to the Tribulation without the Rapture happening?”
Just this past July 28-29, the nations met at the UN to agree upon a resolution aimed at bringing peace to the Middle East. The US and Israel didn’t send representatives to the meetings, but almost every other country attended. The result of this assembly was a document entitled, “New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.” The formal UN vote on the document is set for this September at its annual gathering.
The Prophetic Implications
In many ways, this conclave and resulting declaration are what we might expect to happen during the period of time leading up to the start of Daniel’s seventieth week.
First, the document uses the phrase “peace and security” five times. The words “peace” or “peaceful” occur twenty-eight times, while “security” appears twenty-four times. We are living at a time when the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:3 are coming to life: “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
In the context of 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, the apostle refers to the devastation that will come upon the world at the beginning of the “Day of the Lord,” which happens after the Rapture. The world’s cries for “peace and security” tell us that our remaining time on earth is rapidly ending. Jesus is coming soon.
Second, the late July get-together of nations signals the future fulfillment of Zechariah 12:2-3: “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”
I believe the “siege of Jerusalem” is a reference to Armageddon, which happens at the end of the Tribulation. However, the recent conclave in New York appears to be a warmup to what’s ahead as the nations gathered to impose their will upon Israel. Do they really believe that taking land away from Israel will bring security to the nation? It didn’t work so well with Gaza.
Third, the text of Daniel 9:27 implies that the antichrist will take an existing covenant and make it stronger. It’s highly unlikely that the statement recently approved in New York will be the text that kicks off this last week of years, or what we know as the seven-year Tribulation. However, the fact that there’s such a declaration of peace already in place is a momentous step toward the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy.
Roadblocks
Although the July 28-29 UN agreement is noteworthy, it faces at least a couple of roadblocks that, at least for the moment, keep it from resulting in the covenant of Daniel 9:27.
First, Israel will never agree to its terms. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has often stated that a return to the pre-1967 borders, which the New York declaration demands, would be suicidal for Israel.
In Isaiah 28:14-18, the Lord referred to Israel’s future peace accord with the antichrist as “a covenant of death” and chastised its future leaders for agreeing to it. By the time Israel comes to terms with the antichrist, its leaders will accept the terms of the covenant. That won’t happen with the current UN plan, but it will when the antichrist comes to power.
Second, Israel can stand firm in its resistance to the UN accord because it has the strong backing of the US and President Donald Trump. We saw this in response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s statement that he would recognize a Palestinian State in September. The Trump administration quickly voiced its disapproval of Macron’s intention to recognize a Palestinian state.
Reuters quoted Secretary of State Marco Rubio as saying that the United States “strongly rejects (Macron’s) plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN general assembly.” In a post on X, he said about Macron’s statement, “This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.”
President Trump has repeatedly voiced strong disapproval of the willingness of France, Canada, and other nations to formally recognize a Palestinian State. With his staunch support, Israel can emphatically say no to any UN imposition of terms that claim to “guarantee” its peace.
The Missing Piece
The covenant of Daniel 9:27 cannot happen until the antichrist appears on the world scene and is capable of assuring Israel that he can guarantee its future peace, at least for seven years. So, what needs to happen to take us from the calls to recognize a Palestinian State to the start of the Tribulation?
The Rapture is the missing piece to the puzzle. According to 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8, the man of lawlessness can’t make himself known until the Lord removes the Restrainer, which happens when He takes us up to Heaven. We won’t be here when the antichrist inks his deal with Israel.
Once the Rapture happens, the other events leading to the Daniel 9:27 peace covenant will rapidly take place. A greatly weakened America will create a void, leaving Israel without the protection of a powerful ally. The Bible doesn’t provide us with the details of how the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel might lead to the Daniel 9:27 peace accord or even if it will, but I believe that after the Rapture, prophetic events will accelerate even faster than their current rapid pace.
As you know, a powerful 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Russia on July 28, the last day of the New York meeting and its formalization of its intent to divide the Land God gave to Israel. Perhaps the timing of one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded was a coincidence, but I think it displayed God’s displeasure of what happened at the UN that same day.
We live at a time like no other. So many signs herald the rapidly approaching start of the seven-year Tribulation, and before that, our departure. Regardless of what happens at the UN this coming September, the New York declaration tells us that Jesus’ appearing is not only imminent but could possibly happen very, very soon.
