It has been three years since Hamas invaded Southern Israel, massacred 378 Israelis at the Nova Festival and various kibbutzim and moshavim. Twelve hundred casualties in one day and over 250 hostages taken to Gaza and shoved into tunnels in conditions eerily reminiscent of the Holocaust era.
This was the largest death toll in one day since the Holocaust. 1,200 seems like a small number to some, but proportionally, these casualties would be equivalent (based on population size) to 40,000 to 50,000 fatalities in the USA.
October 7, 2023 didn’t just change Israel forever; it also changed the world forever… unfortunately, not the way you would expect!
Israel was already in the crosshairs of a lot of people on a global scale and across the ideological and religious spectrums. The Jewish State was born, partially out of the ashes of the Holocaust and also as a prerequisite for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled. Soon after, the Middle East turned on the Jewish State, and under the leadership of Yasser Arafat, starting in the early 60s, history was slowly revised, partially denied, and heavily rewritten. And yet, after 78 years, Israel is still standing against all odds, and as a testimony of God’s unwavering faithfulness (Deuteronomy 30:1-6; Jeremiah 30:1-3; 31:35-27).
It took decades for the tree of “Palestinian Narrative” to take root, but today it is a tree of deceit firmly planted in Western tolerance and multiculturalism, and it continues to be watered by social justice and wokism from the Left AND from the Right. In 2026, the switch is complete. In the eyes of our global village, the Jewish victims have fully morphed into the new perpetrators in the Middle East (and by proxy, all Diaspora Jews), seeking occupation, apartheid, and genocide.
At the same time, Palestinian Arabs have been recast as the new victims, through the crafty media productions in books, movies, online, and on the streets. It is a method known as “Pallywood,” where scenes are staged and filmed with actors and fake victims to simulate victimization and heavy casualties of Palestinians and, as a result, demonize and delegitimize Israel in the eyes of the world. If there were ever an award ceremony for the “Palestinization” of the world, the events of October 7, 2023 would win in every category.
So, it is appropriate to remember the tragedy of October 7. In a gruesome Holocaust fashion, many lost their lives after psychological torture, violence, rape, and fire. Many more were taken hostage by Hamas and a plethora of willing Palestinian co-perpetrators (70%-75%). Even during Nazi Germany, some Germans rescued and sheltered Jews. Not one Palestinian did such a thing in Gaza. The families of all these innocent victims are remembered on this sober third anniversary. Will the wounds of October 7, 2023 ever heal? They might, to a point, but not without a scar.
Then there are all those who survived, came back from Gaza, and even to this day continue to fight for the survival of Israel. Much of Israel is suffering from CTSD (Continuous Traumatic Stress Disorder). It is happening now, and it is very real. This will affect this generation and their children for decades. Almost everyone in Israel knew someone directly affected by October 7. Israel will never be the same again. Along with 1,200+ victims, something else died on that day: The Two-State Solution.
Yet, beyond the necessary remembrance, we must understand that October 7 was a symptom as well as a tragedy. It was a symptom of a world turning exponentially against Israel, as prophetically predicted in Zechariah 12. It is a sign that Satan is running on fumes and that we are living on borrowed time. Yes, if, like me, you are a pre-Tribulational, pre-Millennial Dispensationalist believer, you understand that time is of the essence. The irrational and satanic component in the new antisemitism is more obvious than ever before, and it truly is a symptom of the final hours of mankind.
โข When Israel is accused of genocide the very day it retaliates to protect its existence against genocide… It is a symptom of end-times antisemitism.
โข When up to 75% of “peaceful Palestinians” agree with Hamas and even helped them during the attack… It is a symptom of end-times antisemitism.
โข When the vast majority of US universities have protesters screaming “Free Palestine!” and some even openly support Hamas… It is a symptom of end-times antisemitism.
โข When Australia organizes a “Vigil for Gaza” each year on the Oct 7 anniversary to remember the “Palestinian victims”… It is a symptom of end-times antisemitism.
โข When the Netherlands threatens anyone doing business with Judea/Samaria with up to six years in prison if caught in the act… It is a symptom of end-times antisemitism.
โข When heavily Jewish New York elects a Marxist/Islamist mayor with over 22% of the votes coming from Jews… It is a symptom of end-times antisemitism.
This tragedy should always be remembered and commemorated on a yearly basis. The least that Christians and people of good will can do is to come alongside Israel and the Jewish people in their realm of influence and show support. This is a must, but it will not be easy to accomplish in a world of Jew-hatred now on steroids.
We remember the tragedy and pray for the surviving victims and their families, but even more so, I pray that we see that it was a symptom of much worse times on the horizon, because our Jewish friends really need us now.
