On Apr. 29, 2025, Tania Curado-Koenig (wife of Bill Koenig) posted a letter that she received from a Messianic Jewish diplomat in Israel in response to a letter she had written to him. Koenig wrote the diplomat in an effort to remember and honor Jews that have fallen in war.
The diplomat answered her on Yom HaZikron (the Day of Remembrance of The Fallen Soldiers in Israel’s wars).
- This is the cost of covenant.
- Not in theory, but in blood.
- The defense of Israel is not political — it is spiritual.
- It is rooted in a promise God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
- A promise that still stands. A promise that is tested in every generation.
- On this Yom HaZikaron, we remember not only the fallen — we reaffirm the covenant.
- We stand with those who carry the weight of this defense.
- Those who have buried friends.
- Those who continue to fight.
- Those who refuse to surrender their inheritance — even when the world demands it.
(My comment: God made an everlasting covenant to give all of the Promised Land to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants after them in their generation. He gave it to them, but they have had to fight to keep it. On the Day of Remembrance, Jews remember the fallen, reaffirm God’s covenant, and they promise to keep fighting for the Land God gave to them, even though the whole world is against them. And guess what? They will prevail.)
Here are recent events that seem to indicate that the end of the age is close.
One, concerning wars and rumors of wars at the end of the age: on May 1, 2025, Worthy News reported that:
- S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday delivered a stern warning to Iran over its ongoing support for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, amid rising tensions in the region and the collapse of planned nuclear negotiations.
- Hegseth posted the following on X: “Message to IRAN: We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing. You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.”
(Update: On May 7, 2025, Pres. Trump delivered an ultimatum to Iran: Iran must either dismantle its nuclear facilities peacefully or brace for a forceful response.)
(My opinion: The U.S. is wasting time trying to deal with Iran, and even if the U.S. could get an agreement, Iran wouldn’t keep it. Iran is committed to establishing an Islamic world government and religion, and they will not stop until God intervenes during the Battle of Gog and Magog.)
Two, concerning wars and rumors of wars at the end of the age: following attacks by Islamic groups on the Druze in Syria, Israel’s Defense Min. told the Syrian government that if the attacks on the Druze in Syria do not stop, we (Israel) will respond with great severity.
He added that Israel is committed to their protection and is closely monitoring the situation.
(My comment: I do not know what will bring about the destruction of Damascus in one night, but Syria has been a thorn in the flesh of Israel for a long time. Many of the Druze live on the Golan Heights, which have been annexed by Israel.)
Three, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on May 1, 2025, Israel’s Chief of Staff warned Hamas:
- The Hamas terrorists still hold fifty-nine of our brothers and sisters.
- But they, too, know their safety is not forever!
- The IDF is ready and prepared to strike them a decisive blow.
- We will use all the strength at our disposal, increase the pace of operations, and intensify our power.
- If necessary, we will do so soon, with determination and confidence in the righteousness of our path.
(More: On May 4, 2025, the Israeli security cabinet unanimously approved a major expansion of the military offensive in Gaza and an overhaul of the humanitarian aid distribution system. This expansion is expected to start after May 15, 2025, when Pres. Trump returns from a visit to the Middle East.)
Four, concerning Iran’s efforts to get nuclear weapons: on May 2, 2025, an Iranian official confirmed that Iran and Russia are partnering on the construction of a new nuclear plant in Iran.
The Iranian official said the new nuclear plant would produce peaceful nuclear energy.
Russia will provide the financing for Iran’s new nuclear plant.
Five, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on May 4, 2025, a Houthi hypersonic ballistic missile fired from Yemen struck near Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport, wounded six people, and disrupted the landing and takeoff of passenger planes.
Prime Min. Netanyahu posted:
- Attacks by the Houthis emanate from Iran.
- Israel will retaliate against their Iranian terror masters at a time and place of its choosing.
- This isn’t a one-and-done… there will be some big hits.
- Iran and its proxies will face serious consequences for this unprecedented attack on Israeli soil.
Benny Gantz, the head of Israel’s National Unity Party, posted the following on X:
- This is not Yemen—this is Iran. It is Iran that is firing ballistic missiles at the State of Israel, and it must bear responsibility.
Iranian, Hezbollah, and Hamas officials celebrated the successful attack and rejoiced over the failure of Israeli and U.S.-supplied defense systems to shoot down the Houthi hypersonic missile.
There is growing skepticism in Israel of America’s negotiations with Iran over the Iranian quest for nuclear weapons.
There are also calls for world leaders to begin to question Qatar’s financial support for Hamas in Gaza.
(Update: During the night on May 4, 2025, U.S. and Israeli jets struck a major port in Yemen that Iran uses to deliver weapons to the Houthis. They also struck multiple concrete facilities that produce concrete for the construction of tunnels and terrorist infrastructure. Since Netanyahu said there won’t be a one-and-done, more attacks are expected.)
(Update: On May 6, 2025, the Houthis announced that they will stop attacking U.S. ships in the Red Sea, and Pres. Trump announced that the U.S. will stop attacking the Houthis in Yemen. Israel has been caught by surprise because the ceasefire does not cover Houthi strikes on Israel.)
(My opinion: It appears that the latter years and latter days Battle of Gog and Magog is close, but many who are watching are weary of waiting.)
Six, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on May 5, 2025, Israel announced that it has found the headquarters (including bunkers and many weapons) that the Syrian military had established on Mt. Hermon.
Israel seized many of the weapons and destroyed the bunkers.
Seven, concerning the election of a new pope, the first vote was held on May 7, 2025, and no one got the required 2/3 vote.
More votes will follow, and several votes before someone is elected are not unusual.
Eight, concerning the ashes of a red heifer: on May 7, 2025, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, and his wife visited Shiloh.
While there, Jewish News Syndicate (JNS News) reported that Huckabee and his wife made an official visit to Shiloh where they viewed “biblically pure red heifers” that are being kept at the site, which are being raised to be used as part of a purification ritual after the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Nothing was said about whether “biblically pure” means some of the red heifers are qualified for sacrifice or not.
FYI: God does not send anyone to Hell (all of us are born with a sin nature and destined to go to Hell because we sin), but God has provided a way (Jesus) for everyone to go to Heaven (and He is the only way to get there; John 14:6).
Finally, are you Rapture Ready?
If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.