The great earthquake of the Ezekiel 38 war has NOT begun. But we are in the midst of a major foreshock. In the last few hours, Hamas fired thousands of missiles from Gaza into Israel. They targeted Israeli civilians. Hamas soldiers broke through checkpoints and bulldozed parts of the border fence. Their army attacked Israeli neighborhoods in border towns, randomly killing and randomly taking hostages.
But this did not originate with Hamas. A peace agreement with Saudi Arabia seemed close just a few days ago. But the Saudis cannot make peace with Israel now because they cannot seem to be taking the side of Jews against Muslims. The reason Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations have been willing to cooperate with Israel is their common enemy, Iran. So, who benefits with peace set aside? Iran.
This attack was planned, funded, and equipped by Iran. That’s why I consider it a precursor to the war prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39 — a war led by Russia and Iran. And make no mistake, Russia is tied to this. Just last month, Iran’s Minister of Defense said, “Russia and Iran have significantly broadened the range of their cooperation over the past few years. In particular, I would like to note regional affairs, such as the joint war on terrorism and extremism.” How is that for ironic? These are the words of the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.
If you find it hard to believe that the orders came from Iran, consider this. A few days before the attack began, a billboard went up in Iran’s capital city of Tehran. The billboard says, “The liberation operation ‘Storming of Al-Aqsa’ has started.” Al-Aqsa refers to the oldest mosque on the Temple Mount. It irks Iran’s mullahs that Jews have ultimate jurisdiction over what Islam claims to be its third holiest site.
Shortly after the attack, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard posted on X (previously Twitter), “We Told You We Would Come for You.” That’s a terrorist organization taking credit for its work! And this is definitely a war of terror. These people are shooting schoolgirls on the streets. They are kidnapping whole families including children and the elderly. Their missiles target civilian neighborhoods and other civilian locations with no connection to the military. These are terrorists fighting a war of terror!
Israel has been standing as a buffer between us and radical Islamic terrorists for decades. If Israel doesn’t stop them now, Iranian terror will continue to spread in the Middle East and around the world. Never forget that Iran considers Israel the little Satan and the United States the big Satan. We are a target, too. And, ironically, we are helping to fund these attacks on our friends and eventually on ourselves. We keep releasing money to Iran and Iran keeps using it in its campaign of terror around the world.
After the attack began, the US State Department’s Office for Palestinian Affairs put up a post on Twitter urging all sides to “refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks.” After receiving heavy criticism, they removed the tweet. But their knee-jerk reaction was that Israel should allow their citizens to be pummeled without responding. That shows the kind of thinking in the State Department’s entrenched bureaucracy, also known as the deep state.
The Palestinian attack has been especially egregious, easily qualifying as a series of horrible war crimes. How will the world respond?
And how will you respond? Christians should remember that this did not catch God by surprise. His plan continues. He’s taking care of you, and His offer of salvation remains open to everyone.
