An article on June 23, 2026, by James Lasher (writer and editor at Charisma Media) asks why is the Red Heifer back in the spotlight, and why should Christians be watching this?
Lasher interviewed Mondo Gonzales of Prophecy Watchers to get his opinion on the answer to these questions.
Here are a few things that Gonzales said:
- My first thought is that I don’t think this is going away.
- I think often times what we’ve seen over the past few years is there’s been ups and downs with the news cycle and red heifers being offered up in ceremonies, and then it kind of fades away.
- And then to have this one born in the land of Israel is bringing it all back to the forefront.
- Gonzales said confusion surrounding recent red heifer headlines comes from misunderstanding its role in Jewish worship.
Gonzales said:
- The red heifer is not required to be offered before the temple’s built.
- The temple can be built if they wanted to build it.
- But the ashes of a qualified red heifer are necessary for the complete restoration of Temple services.
- What the red heifer is required for is the full implementation of all of the ceremonies that you would have in the temple.
- For the full gamut, yes, they need the red heifer, and they know that.
Gonzales added:
- This week they mentioned the birth of this new red heifer born in Galilee in Israel.
- So, by itself, that lifts it up to be better than the ones born outside of the land in Texas.
- It is also significant that the Temple Institute publicly promoted the announcement.
- They’ve been relatively quiet if you look over the past couple of years, trying to keep the information down.
- But now they’re the ones that promoted this.
- So, I find that instrumental.
Finally, Gonzales said:
- Gonzales said the red heifer discussion cannot be separated from developments unfolding across Israel.
- He pointed to increasing Jewish activity on the Temple Mount.
- All that is part of this whole convergence of things.
- The conversation leads directly to Bible prophecy and the future temple described in Scripture.
- The prophecies related to the existence of a third temple aren’t an endorsement of it.
- The Bible simply says this is what’s going to be there at the end.
- So, for the Christian, get excited.
- We’re watching these things unfold.
- This is pretty amazing.
- The Bible has talked about it.
- The early church has talked about it.
- And so, now that we’re seeing all these developments, truly exciting times.
Here is a link to the entire article.
Here are some recent events that seem to indicate that the end of the age is near:
One, concerning a rebuilt Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem: on July 1, 2026, it was reported that:
- A new red heifer born in Israel’s Galilee region has reignited calls among Temple-focused rabbis, educators, and activists for a broader national movement to prepare the Jewish people for the restoration of Temple service in Jerusalem.
- Israel365 News reported that a recent survey commissioned by the Temple Mount Heritage Foundation and conducted by Direct Polls found that 55 percent of Israeli Jews support rebuilding the Holy Temple on the Temple Mount. The outlet also cited a separate editorial claiming that 150,000 men have already enrolled in training connected to Temple service, out of a reported goal of 200,000.
- For the Church, the message is urgent. The hour is not merely one for curiosity about prophecy, but for faithfulness, discernment, and evangelism. If the world is moving closer to the days Yeshua and the apostles warned about, then the time to reach the lost, strengthen the saints, and proclaim the Gospel before the grand deception intensifies is rapidly growing short.
- The call is clear: watch, pray, discern the times, and labor while it is still day, because the night is coming when no man can work.
Here is a link to the entire article:
Two, concerning an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters at the end of the age, on June 25, 2026, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit Venezuela about 160 km (100 miles) west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Initial reports said 32 were killed and more than 700 injured, but these numbers are expected to rise drastically.
Update: On June 27, 2026, the official death toll was 920, and the number of injured was more than 3,300.
More: A few hours later, a 6.9 earthquake struck near Japan, and later, on the same day, a 5.6 earthquake struck northern California.
More: Here is the opinion of the Prophecy News Watch (PNW) staff on June 25, 2026:
- Individually, none of these events prove anything prophetically.
- Earthquakes happen every year, and geologists rightly caution against drawing conclusions from any single event.
- But when several significant earthquakes occur almost simultaneously, they capture people’s attention—and they naturally raise an uncomfortable question:
- How prepared are we if something much larger is coming?
More: On June 28, 2026, it was reported that more than 1,300 people died since June 21, 2026, as an extreme heatwave gripped Europe, shattering temperature records across several countries.
Update: On June 30, 2026, a NASA assessment based on satellite imagery suggests almost 60,000 buildings may have been damaged or destroyed in Venezuela, and teams from all over the world have joined increasingly frantic efforts to find anyone still trapped alive under the rubble.
Three, I believe the Bible teaches that nuclear weapons will be used during the Tribulation Period (Zech. 14:12; Rev. 6:14).
On June 28, 2026, Iran’s state media said it now has no choice but to obtain the atomic bomb to remove the military option for the occupation and partitioning of Iran from the table.
The media opinion argues that Iran must absolutely reach nuclear deterrence before current negotiations can be conducted from a correct position.
Iran adds the acquisition is not only driven by negotiation leverage but also by Trump’s two recent nuclear threats against Iran.
Four, concerning deceit, on June 19, 1926, Israel’s envoy to the UN Security Council (Danny Danon) said the UN helps spread false claims about terrorists labeled as journalists.
Danon said, “A claim is made against Israel. The U.N. repeats it, the world condemns it, then the truth comes out. No apology, no correction, no retraction. They move on.”
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 118 (June 25, 2026) (Day 65 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (26 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)
- Iran Demands U.S. Exit from Hormuz. Warns it will strike Israel with nuclear weapons.
- Iran said, “Warships are approaching Hormuz, and we will deal with them decisively. If America starts a ground war, we will deploy one million of our troops.”
Fri. Day 119 (June 26, 2026) (Day 66 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (27 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)
- Israel, Lebanon and the United States signed a framework agreement and security annex aimed at removing the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group from southern Lebanon and laying the groundwork for broader political cooperation between the neighboring countries. “It’s the beginning of the beginning. There’s a lot of work ahead,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after the signing ceremony.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the agreement allows Israeli forces to remain in southern Lebanon if Hezbollah fails to disarm.
- Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire agreement after Iran attacked a cargo vessel off the coast of Oman.
- S. forces struck Iran in response to the Islamic Republic’s attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Armed ground battles have broken out between Iranian IRGC forces and Kurdish forces near Baneh City, Iran. It’s unclear how many combatants are involved, but an update said the IRGC has taken many casualties.
Sat. Day 120 (June 27, 2026) (Day 67 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (28 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)
- Hezbollah supporters rioted in Beirut over the weekend following the signing of an agreement between Israel and Lebanon that aims to secure an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and the disarmament of the Iran-backed terrorist group.
- The US military said it struck Iran again. Pres. Trump said, “It is very possible that they will never learn! There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!”
- It is obvious that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire is not holding.
- Israeli Prime Min. Netanyahu said there is “no room for two states” between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.
Sun. Day 121 (June 28, 2026) (Day 68 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (29 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)
- Following Turkey’s Prime Min. Erdogan’s strong criticism of Israel on Sat., Israel’s Foreign Min. said, “Erdoğan will pass. Israel will remain forever.”
- The upcoming US-Iran talks in Switzerland have now been completely canceled due to yesterday’s attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Jordan is firing Interceptors to take down what appear to be Iranian Ballistic Missiles heading west toward Israel.
- Israeli Fighter Jets are also in the sky heading east toward Iran. It appears hostilities have re-commenced.
- Iran and the U.S. agreed to halt their attacks, and they will reportedly meet again on Tuesday in Doha to discuss the Strait of Hormuz.
Mon. Day 122 (June 29, 2026) (Day 69 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (30 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)
- The Israel Defense Forces held a conference marking 1,000 days of fighting in the War of Redemption, launched in response to Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.
- Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker (a Hezbollah sympathizer) said that the framework agreement with Israel “will not pass” and “will not be implemented.”
Tues. Day 123 (June 30, 2026) (Day 70 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (31 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)
- During a visit to southern Lebanon, Prime Min. Netanyahu said Hezbollah needs to get out of here (leave southern Lebanon).
- Netanyahu said Gaza no longer poses a military threat to Israel, but Hamas still needs to be dismantled.
Wed. Day 124 (July 1, 2026) (Day 71 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (32 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)
- In the last three days, there have been increasing clashes between a Kurdish Iranian opposition group and elements of the Iranian regime. The clashes appear to have taken place in several towns and cities in western Iran’s Kurdish region. It also appears as if members of the armed Kurdish group have targeted several Kurds accused of collaborating with the Iranian regime.
- Trump said technical talks with the Iranian regime in Doha were going “very good.” Tehran has “come a long way” in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 17 and was “getting along very well” with the U.S.
Thurs. Day 125 (July 2, 2026) (Day 72 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (33 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)
- During the first 1,000 days of the Israel-Iran war, 26,200 Jews have been treated for wounds in the war.
- The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) is considering moving its military bases’ operational systems in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia to Israel in order to increase their distance from further Iranian missile and drone attacks.
(BTW: Military experts seem to be divided over who won the war. If Trump ever declares total victory over Iran, it will probably be immediately disputed.)
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.