Since its rebirth as a nation in 1948, Israel has been the key to understanding Bible prophecy. This remains the case as we watch the growing determination of many nations to recognize a Palestinian state along with dividing the land of Israel and Jerusalem via a two-state solution.
They have scheduled two meetings for next month, June, with the purpose of furthering this “solution” as the pathway they erroneously believe will lead to peace in the Middle East.
According to a BubbaNews report on Telegram, the first UN two-state solution gathering of the nations will be a preparatory meeting in PARIS from June 11-13. This gathering of a “diverse group of people will serve as extensive preparation for the international conference scheduled at UN headquarters in New York between June 16-18.”
According to an online May 19 report on Israel Hayom: “The Paris conference is expected to draw Israelis and Palestinians from across society – politicians, business leaders, academics, artists, and civil society activists – alongside opinion leaders from Europe, Arab countries, and throughout the world. According to those behind the initiative, this represents the first such effort of its kind since the Oslo Accords and their accompanying international efforts, aiming ‘to build broad popular and professional support for practical steps toward regional peace, and to prepare the ground for the hoped-for breakthrough in New York.'”
BubbaNews summarized the purposes of the upcoming meetings in this way: “Both UN conferences share a single objective – promoting the establishment of a Palestinian state WITHOUT depending on a diplomatic process with Israel.” In other words, the decisions for dividing the Land and Jerusalem will happen regardless of objections from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.
The Bible Said This Would Happen
Although it grieves us to watch this push to reward Palestinian violence with a piece of the Land and Jerusalem, the Bible said this would happen in the last days. In Joel 3:1-2, the Lord warned His prophet about the end-times push to divide His Land: “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land.”
The above verses reveal one of the Lord’s motives for destroying the armies at the battle we know as Armageddon. At the end of human history as we know it, the nations will pay a great price for dividing the Land God gave to the Jewish people. God will severely judge those who participate in the dividing of Israel and Jerusalem.
The prophet Zechariah also warned of dire consequences for countries that become obsessed with dictating Israel’s future: “On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it” (12:3)
Not only will the Lord judge the nations at His return to the earth, but here the Lord also warns that in the near term, they will “surely hurt themselves” for interfering with the boundaries of Israel. Many have documented the cause-and-effect relationship between natural disasters in the U.S. and decisions by our presidents that in some way limited Israel’s access to the Land God gave to them.
Are such outcomes in store for those that now seek a two-state solution in the Middle East?
Setting the Stage
The UN Conferences for establishing a Palestinian State signal the nearing fulfillment of another key prophecy, that of the peace agreement between the antichrist and Israel (Daniel 9:27). This covenant will start the clock ticking for Daniel’s seventieth week, the seven-year Tribulation.
Although the June gatherings of the nations are setting the stage for this future accord, some of its key components remain missing.
First, we do not yet see the presence of one man, the antichrist, leading the charge for this deal. Instead, the push is coming from a variety of world leaders, and that’s what we would expect at the present time. According to 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8, the Rapture will occur before the man of lawlessness appears on the world scene and has the power to make a deal with Israel, guaranteeing its nation’s security.
Second, the current movement to divide Israel is happening without input or approval from its government. Benjamin Netanyahu will most certainly not agree to giving up Judea and Samaria, along with a part of Jerusalem. He has repeatedly objected to any such scenario, referring to it as “suicidal” for the nation.
When the Lord spoke through Isaiah concerning this future agreement with the antichrist, He referred to it as a “covenant with death” and chided His people for making such a deal (Isaiah 28:14-22). It will not be a solution forced upon them, as we see happening at the moment, but rather something for which the Lord will hold them accountable.
Lastly, in contrast to what the nations currently propose, I believe the antichrist will offer genuine peace and security for Israel. I agree with many others who believe he will include the building of the third Temple in his deal since we know it must exist by the midpoint of Daniel’s seventieth week for the antichrist to defile.
Game Changers
The current clamoring of the nations for a Middle East peace deal doesn’t appear to be the event that will someday kick off Daniel’s Tribulation period. However, two other prophesied events could rapidly bring about the fulfillment of Daniel 9:27 and disrupt any decisions made this June.
The Rapture will change everything. We know it will remove the Restrainer (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8), which will allow the antichrist to rise to power. After our departure, he will gain the needed authority to make a covenant guaranteeing peace and security for Israel. Some believe he will take an existing agreement and make it better or stronger.
I believe that the Gog/Magog war will most likely happen between the Rapture and the start of the seven-year Tribulation. This also will drastically change the landscape of the Middle East and perhaps make it possible for the antichrist to include the rebuilding of the Temple in his deal.
The obsession of so many nations to interfere with Israel’s sovereignty is bizarre. How can we possibly understand it apart from Bible prophecy? It may look like it’s the world versus Israel, but behind the scenes, it’s Satan seeking to disrupt the Lord’s intent to bring a remnant of the Jewish people to repentance before His return, and then reward them with a glorious kingdom.
