On Apr. 9, 2026, the Prophecy News Watch (PNW) staff posted an article about Israel’s view of war in the Middle East.
In my words, here is my understanding of some of the comments in that excellent article.
- There is a dangerous difference between peace and pause (a ceasefire) — and Israel knows it.
- The world is talking about de-escalation, but Israel knows that this ceasefire is not the end of the war.
- Israel knows that more war is coming.
- This is why Israel is still attacking Hezbollah in Lebanon.
- Hezbollah is central to Iran’s future war plans.
- Israel appears to be operating with a hard reality in mind: if the world forces a pause too early, Hezbollah survives to fight another day.
- If Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been significantly disrupted or delayed, then Tehran’s need for its proxy network (Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, etc.) only increases.
- If Iran cannot move toward its long-term strategic goals (of destroying Israel and establishing an Islamic world government and religion) as quickly through nuclear leverage, it will need missiles, militias, terror infrastructure, and regional alliances all the more.
- That means Hezbollah becomes even more valuable.
- While others see a pause, Israel sees preparation.
- While others see de-escalation, Israel sees unfinished danger.
- While the world wants calm, Israel already sees the next war coming.
- And after everything it has learned, it is increasingly clear that it has no intention of waiting politely for that war to arrive.
(My opinion: God is protecting Israel. He used the prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, etc. – to reveal many things about Israel’s future at the end of the age. Israel knows it must be prepared for those things.)
Here is a link to the entire PNW article.
https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=9793
(Update: On Apr. 11, 2026, it was reported that Israeli Army and intelligence officials have concluded that Iran’s news leadership is more extreme than the previous one.)
(FYI: According to the Bible, Israel will not have peace until the nation accepts Jesus as its Messiah. Unfortunately, it will accept the Antichrist as its Messiah first, and the nation will have to go through the seventieth day of Daniel – the Tribulation Period – before it accepts Jesus.)
Here are recent events that seem to indicate that the end of the age is close:
One, concerning Israeli attacks on Hezbollah: on Apr. 9, 2026, Israeli Prime Min. Netanyahu said:
- The Jewish state would continue to strike Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon with “force, precision and determination” as it pursues direct talks with Lebanon’s government to achieve the disarmament of Hezbollah and promote peace between the two countries.
- Our message is clear: whoever acts against Israeli civilians will be struck.
- We will continue to strike Hezbollah wherever required, until we restore full security to the residents of the north (Jews in northern Israel).
Later in the day, Netanyahu addressed the citizens of Israel:
- I want to tell you: There is no ceasefire in Lebanon.
- We continue to strike Hezbollah with force, and we will not stop until we restore your security.
Two, concerning all the nations turning against Israel at the end of the age: on Apr. 10, 2026, it was reported that:
- There is a significant and growing rift between the leadership of the American conservative movement and its younger generations of voters.
- The alliance between the U.S. and Israel can no longer be taken for granted.
- It is difficult to imagine a future where an American president will intervene so boldly on Israel’s behalf, and raises the possibility of a future where the two nations are no longer strategic allies.
Three, concerning all the nations turning against Israel at the end of the age: on Apr. 14, 2026, the Frum report said:
- Turkey, China, Russia, and all Europe are now against Israel – and the U.S. has no answer.
- The Western alliance is fracturing in real time — and this week, it became impossible to hide.
- Turkey just declared a moral military obligation to respond to what Israel is doing.
- Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, one of Europe’s most pro-Israel leaders, publicly said Israel has crossed the line.
- Spain called for breaking the EU strategic partnership with Israel entirely.
- France, Ireland, and Italy are all on record against the Israeli military campaign.
- And while all of this is happening inside NATO, China is confirmed to be supplying Iran with cruise missiles and advanced air defense systems, Russia is providing targeting intelligence, and the United States is responding with confused, contradictory statements that reveal an administration that has lost control of the narrative and the coalition simultaneously.
- On top of that, Trump’s tariff threat against China — the country that holds a global monopoly on rare earth magnets that American missiles, satellites, and military hardware cannot be built without — is being laughed at in Beijing.
- They already called his bluff once.
- They know they can do it again.
(My comment: God said this would happen at the end of the age. If we are not there, why is this happening now? Nevertheless, all the world will turn against Israel, but God will not turn against Israel. This means the world will lose.)
(More: Many in the Church will also fall away, and that is happening too. And Jew-hatred is rising all over America, especially on college and university campuses.)
(More: On Apr. 14, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping lamented a world in “disarray,” using some of his strongest language yet to describe a collapse of the Western-led international order as he vowed to play a constructive role in the Middle East.)
(My opinion: Global disarray, China’s involvement in the Middle East – one of the Kings of the East – is a sign that the Tribulation Period could be close.)
Four, concerning the global economy: on Apr. 9, 2026, Michael Snyder (The Economic Collapse blog) wrote:
- Iran is still holding traffic through the Strait of Hormuz hostage, and the entire world is going to suffer.
- Before the war, commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz flowed freely, and the global economy functioned normally.
- But even though there is a temporary ceasefire, Iran continues to maintain a stranglehold on the waterway, and they are insisting that this will continue to be the case when a permanent deal to end the war is reached.
- In other words, the Iranians are making it clear that this is how things are going to operate from now on, and they know that the U.S. and Europe are not eager to do what it would take militarily to reopen the Strait.
- Of course, even if there is a military operation to reopen the Strait, it will take an extended period of time before it is safe for commercial traffic to pass through the waterway once again.
- Any way that you look at it, the truth is that this is going to be a complete and utter disaster for the global economy.
Here is a link to Michael Snyder’s entire article.
(More: On Apr. 14, 2026, it was reported that the International Monetary Fund – the IMF – has downgraded its global growth outlook, warning that the ongoing Iran conflict could push the world economy toward recession if energy disruptions intensify and inflation pressures worsen. And the IMF warned that the U.S. is not immune.)
Five, concerning the expansion of Israel’s borders at the end of the age: on Apr. 9, 2026, Israel’s Finance Min. said:
- There will be a political component that completes the outcome in Gaza that will expand our borders.
- There will be a political component that completes the outcome in Lebanon that will expand our borders to the Litani [River] within defensible boundaries.
- There will be a political component in Syria, the Mount Hermon peak, and at a minimum, the buffer zone.
After that, he commended the government for establishing another new community and 30 others in southern Samaria during his time in office.
Six, concerning wars and rumors of wars and Turkey’s involvement in the Battle of Gog of Magog in the latter days and latter years: on Apr. 12, 2026, it was reported that Turkey’s Pres. Erdogan said:
- If Israel doesn’t stop playing with fire and creates hurdles for the peace process in the region, we will make sure Israel learns a good lesson.
- Any attack on Lebanon and Iran now will be considered an attack on Turkey.
- On the day of the ceasefire, Israel killed hundreds of innocent Lebanese people.
- Netanyahu is blinded by blood and hatred.
- If it was not for Pakistan mediating the war between the US and Iran, we would have shown Israel its place.
Seven, concerning famine on Apr. 12, 2026: Michael Snyder (The Economic Collapse Blog) posted an article titled “Global Food Shortages Will Hit The World Like A Freight Train In 6 To 9 Months Because Virtually Nothing Will Get Through The Strait Of Hormuz Now.”
(Note: Jesus said there will be famine at the end of the age, and I believe the Rider on the Black Horse in Rev. 6:5-6 is hyper-inflation and famine.)
FYI: A reader sent the following to me:
- I have many times contemplated the oil and wine reference in the following verse:
- “And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!’” (Rev. 6:6)
- The reader added, “I was just reading one of Michael Snyder’s articles about the Strait of Hormuz. Yields for annual crops such as wheat, barley and corn will be severely affected if the Strait of Hormuz is not opened very soon. But yields for crops that do not have to be planted each year, such as olives and grapes, will not be significantly affected.”
- “The oil and wine obviously come from the olives and grapes! In reading that, it suddenly became clear to me the accuracy of the Revelation verse.
- Made my heart leap in anticipation of just how close we can be to finally going HOME!
Here are some war reports as they came in from the U.S. and Israel:
The U.S. calls its attacks Operation Epic Fury.
Israel calls its attacks Operation Roaring Lion.
Thurs. Day 41 (Apr. 9, 2026) (Day 2 of the latest two-week ceasefire)
- A U.S. drone has disappeared from radar over the Persian Gulf near Iran.
- Trump said Iran must comply with the ceasefire agreement or the shooting starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.
- Trump accused Iran of doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz is closed again.
- According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, more than 1 million people in Lebanon have been displaced since last month, and at least 1,500 people have been killed.
- NATO’s top official said some NATO allies have begun making concrete pledges of support for a future mission aimed at ensuring the safe passage of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz (My note: Why are they TALKING about support in the future? Why not right-now support?)
Fri. Day 42 (Apr. 10, 2026) (Day 3 of the latest two-week ceasefire)
- S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to travel to Pakistan this weekend for peace talks with Iran.
- Hamas has just hours to respond to the Board of Peace’s proposal that would force the group to disarm.
- Negotiations are slated to take place in Washington early next week, when the U.S. will convene the envoys from Israel and Lebanon for rare direct, public talks aimed at reaching a peace agreement between Beirut and Jerusalem.
- There were several mysterious major explosions in Iran overnight.
Sat. Day 43 (Apr. 11, 2026) (Day 4 of the latest two-week ceasefire)
- An Iranian delegation of at least 170 people, including its highest decision makers, arrived in Pakistan to negotiate a Middle East peace treaty with America’s team (Vice-Pres. J.D. Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and others). Iran invited China and Russia to send witnesses. The US invited Saudi Arabia and Qatar to send witnesses. (My Note: The Bible teaches that Saudi Arabia will not help Iran, etc., in the Battle of Gog of Magog, and it is interesting to note that Saudi Arabia is opposing Iran in the current war. It is also interesting to note that Russia is helping Iran in the current war. So, Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia are lining up just as the Bible says.)
- Several U.S. Navy ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz, and they were not fired upon.
- Iran threatened to attack any US Navy ships that enter the Strait of Hormuz shortly after American vessels moved through the channel for the first timesince the war broke out. Iran told the Pakistani mediators that if a vessel continues to move, it will be targeted within 30 minutes, and the Iranian-American negotiations will suffer.
- A Greek oil tanker bound for Malaysia passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. Two Chinese oil tankers are due to make the same trip. It normally takes a large oil tanker eight hours to get through.
- Prime Min. Netanyahu said there is still enriched material in Iran, and it needs to be removed. Either it will be removed by agreement, or it will come out in other ways.
Sun. Day 44 (Apr. 12, 2026) (Day 5 of the latest two-week ceasefire)
- S. Vice-Pres. J.D. Vance said following 21 hours of negotiations, Iran has decided not to accept America’s demands. Vance said that is bad news for Iran more than it is bad news for the U.S. (My note: The situation appears to have reached a stalemate, but many events verify that God is in control, so we can believe that He will influence where we go from here.)
- Trump said we are fully locked and loaded, and our military will finish up the little that is left of Iran!
- Trump announced that the U.S. will block the Strait of Hormuz.
- Trump said, any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL.”
- Trump ordered U.S. forces to expand enforcement beyond the waterway itself, directing naval units to “seek and interdict” vessels in international waters that have paid what he described as illegal tolls to Iran.
- China buys 90% of Iran’s oil. Blocking the Strait of Hormuz will cut off China’s access to that oil. It has been reported that China is livid about Trump’s latest move. (Note: There have been reports that China is already supplying Iran with weapons to use against U.S. forces.)
- Trump said I doubt that China is supplying weapons to Iran, but if we catch them doing that, it is a 50% tariff, which is staggering.
- The U.S. began clearing mines from the Strait of Hormuz, 34 ships passed through the Strait, and Iran did not attack them.
- Trump said we have received a call from the right people, the appropriate people, and they want to work a deal.
Mon. Day 45 (Apr. 13, 2026) (Day 6 of the latest two-week ceasefire)
- China warned the U.S. not to block or intercept Chinese ships or tankers moving in or out of the Strait of Hormuz, or it faces consequences that could potentially include military.
- Trump set a new 2-week deadline for Iran to make a deal, warning the situation won’t be pleasant” if Iran does not agree by April 27.
- A record number of oil tankers are headed to the U.S. to purchase oil.
Tue. Day 46 (Apr. 14, 2026) (Day 7 of the latest two-week ceasefire)
- There could be a second round of peace talks between the U.S. and Iran in Pakistan this week.
- Iran said it doesn’t trust the U.S., and it is busy preparing for the next round of war.
- A Chinese tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz despite the U.S. blockade.
Wed. Day 47 (Apr. 15, 2026) (Day 8 of the latest two-week ceasefire)
- Iran secretly obtained a Chinese-made reconnaissance satellite in late 2024 and used it to help target U.S. military positions across the Middle East during the recent conflict.
- Trump declared that the U.S. will not agree to any peace deal with Iran unless Tehran fully abandons its nuclear ambitions.
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.