(Note: This week, I received an email from a reader who said, “The Good News about the future for the Christian is that it is all working exactly as Almighty God said it would (through His Word) toward the end of the age. The future is glorious for those in Christ.” I believe the reader is right on target.)
On Dec. 27, 2023, Worthy News’ Chief International Correspondent, Stefan J. Bos, wrote, “A nuclear arms confrontation between Iran and Israel and its allies has come closer.”
Bos gave the following reasons for making this statement:
- Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, 2023, Iran has increased its production of weapons-grade uranium.
- Iran supports Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, three groups that are dedicated to the destruction of Israel.
- On Dec. 25, 2023, Israel struck several targets in Syria, an Iranian General was killed, and Iran has vowed to retaliate.
- Israeli and Western officials do not believe Iran is producing weapons-grade uranium for peaceful purposes, and they are concerned that the Middle East has moved closer to a larger war.
On the same day, Bos wrote a second article that says U.S. jets shot down at least 12 drones, 3 anti-ship missiles, and two cruise missiles that Iranian-backed Houthis launched toward cargo ships in the Red Sea over a 10-hour period.
The Houthis are blaming the U.S. for supporting Israel’s war against Hamas.
The U.S. is blaming the war on Iran for supporting Hamas.
In a third Worthy News article, Correspondent Emmitt Barry reported that Hezbollah fired 34 rockets from Lebanon into Israel on Dec. 27, 2023, and the Israeli military’s Chief of Staff approved a plan to attack Hezbollah if Israel is forced to do so.
In his Weekly Newsletter (December 21 – December 27, 2023), prophecy expert Amir Tsarfati wrote, “I believe that the worst of the war has not yet begun. Currently, there are only skirmishes taking place across our northern border. That will not last. Both Hezbollah and their Iranian leaders, as well as the generals of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), have their strategies planned for an all-out war across the Lebanese and Syrian borders.”
The Bible teaches that bigger wars are coming (perhaps Psa. 83; Isa. 17 and Ezek. 38-39), and concern that the Middle East is steadily moving closer to a bigger war is spreading.
(Update: On Dec. 27, 2023, Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s war cabinet, said, “If the world and Lebanon’s government will not work to stop the shooting at Israel and to distance Hezbollah from the border, the IDF will do so.”)
(Update: On Dec. 29, 2023, there was a report that Iran is speeding up the transfer of precision weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. It is not likely that Israel will let that go unchallenged.)
(Update: On Dec. 30, 2023, Israel announced that it will expand its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.)
(Note: On Dec. 31, 2023, the New York Post reported that Pres. Biden spent 138 days — 37% of the year — on vacation, at Camp David, or in Delaware.)
(Update: On Jan 3, 2024 – the 4th anniversary of Trump’s assassination of Iranian Gen. Soleimani – two bombs exploded about 15 minutes apart at a graveside ceremony to honor him. 103 people were killed, and 141 were injured. We do not know who did this, but we do know that Israel authorized their Mossad forces to track down and kill everyone who had a part in planning the Oct. 7 attack.)
Here are some events that appear to relate to Bible prophecy:
One, following the confirmed death of a U.S.-Israeli hostage, Presidential candidate Nikki Haley said, “Another American is confirmed murdered by Hamas. Finish them.”
In an interview, she said, “There would be no Hamas without Iran. There would be no Hezbollah without Iran. There wouldn’t be the Houthis without Iran.”
She accused Pres. Biden of being “Obama 2.0” and said, “It is very dangerous when you are trying to appease a group that says, ‘Death to America.'”
Iran, the worst terrorist nation on earth, is on the verge of building nuclear weapons while the world is moving closer to a nuclear confrontation between Israel and Iran. Iran is financing terrorist proxies in Iraq and Syria that are killing and injuring U.S. troops while Iran’s paid proxy, Hezbollah, is escalating its attacks on Israel. Pres. Biden seems unsure of who killed the American citizen, and he is planning to spend several days in the Virgin Islands to rest up before his Presidential campaign gets into high gear.
(My opinion: Hamas celebrated the raping of women, beheading of babies, burning Jews alive, killing children, cutting up some of the bodies, seizing hostages, etc. They are proud of what they did on Oct. 7, 2023, have not apologized for it, and are still holding hostages. They say Oct. 7, 2023, was just a dress rehearsal for what they intend to do to Israel in the future. Haley is right. It is better to finish them than it is to protect them and let them do worse in the future. But trying to finish Hamas will move the Middle East closer to a much larger war. The international community should have addressed these problems a long time ago.)
Two, concerning world government: on Dec. 27, 2023, it was reported that World Health Organization (WHO) Director Gen. Ghebreyesus wants everyone to eat less meat and to transition away from fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas, etc.) to combat climate change and protect the planet.
Ghebreyesus said, even though the world has taken a giant step forward, “we are still only at the start of the journey.”
He added, “Stay tuned.”
In May 2024 (less than five months from now), world leaders will vote on an International Pandemic Treaty (IPT) and International Health Regulations (IHRs) that, if passed, will empower the WHO to force its will on everyone on earth (and they are just getting started).
(Note: The vote will be in May 2024, but Canada’s globalist Prime Min. Trudeau has already announced his support for the WHO documents that will allow the WHO to force its will on the world during a potential pandemic.)
Three, on a positive note, concerning the days of Lot: Pope Francis recently gave his approval to Roman Catholics blessing same-sex couples, but that has triggered a worldwide pushback.
Officials in several nations are refusing to go along with it.
(My opinion: Pope Francis can bless sin if he wants to, but God does not bless sin, and He will deal with it.)
Four, concerning an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters at the end of the age: on Jan. 1, 2024, a powerful 7.6 earthquake (and at least 30 smaller quakes) struck off the central coast of Japan.
It was reported that 4 nations (Japan, Russia, No. Korea, and So. Korea) are bracing for tsunami waves up to 16 ft, drownings, landslides, destruction of property, etc.
Japan ordered about 100,000 citizens to evacuate their homes.
Early reports say at least 6 people are known to be buried under rubble, and a massive fire is raging in a residential area of Japan.
(Update: On Jan. 2, 2024, it was reported that the number of confirmed dead in Japan has reached 48, 5,000 houses may have been destroyed, and rescue workers are struggling to reach many people in freezing temperatures that they fear are trapped in collapsed buildings. Helicopter pilots say there are many fires in areas that will be difficult to reach.)
Five, concerning an increase in the frequency and intensity of wars and rumors of wars at the end of the age: on Dec. 31, 2023, No. Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, instructed his military to mobilize its forces to destroy the U.S. and So. Korea if they attack his nation.
Six, concerning a departure from the faith at the end of the age: on Jan. 2, 2024, it was reported that a professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville (a Catholic university in Ohio) urged Pope Francis to resign and spend the rest of his life in a monastery praying for forgiveness over his approval of blessings for gay couples.
The professor said someone needs to tell Francis he is all wet, and heads need to roll at the Vatican.
The criticism of Francis in the Roman Catholic church is widespread, but no one expects him to resign or officials at the Vatican to be removed.
I may be wrong, but I have the impression that the Vatican is infested with gays and pedophiles.
(More: In Dec. 2023, the UK Methodist Church released an Inclusive Language Guide advising Methodists to stop using the terms husband and wife because many will find the words offensive. God inspired those who wrote the Bible to use these words hundreds of times, but the UK Methodist Church does not want people to use them.)
Seven, concerning the coming global economic collapse: on Dec. 29, 2023, America’s national debt topped $34 trillion, our government expects to have to borrow another trillion dollars by the end of March, and there seems to be no end to Biden’s spending on Ukraine, illegal aliens, climate change, and the like.
Interest on America’s national debt was $879 billion in fiscal year 2023 ($2.4 billion per day), and it is expected to keep soaring.
An economic collapse in the U.S. would likely collapse the global economy.
(More: On Jan. 2, 2024, it was reported that financial analysts are concerned that the U.S. economy could be in trouble in 2024. Many businesses need to refinance their commercial loans, but interest rates are up, and their property is not worth as much as they owe on it.)
Eight, concerning world government and persecution: on Jan. 2, 2024, prophecy expert Terry James wrote, “Christians are a roadblock to globalism – and the world powers know it.”
James urges people to resist globalism and be sure they are saved.
Here are some daily updates on the Israel-Hamas war.
Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023 (Day 82): The twenty-seventh day of the resumed war.
- Hezbollah attacked Israel with rockets and drones about 3 dozen times, the most in one day since the Israel-Hamas war began.
- Israel threatened a military attack on Hezbollah (war) if the international community does not convince Hezbollah to stop attacking Israel.
- Turkey’s Pres. Erdogan compared Israel’s Prime Min. Netanyahu to Adolph Hitler. Netanyahu responded, “Erdoğan, who is committing genocide against the Kurds and who holds the world record for imprisoning journalists who oppose his regime, is the last person who can preach morality to us.”
Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023 (Day 83): The twenty-eighth day of the resumed war.
- Israel warned Lebanon that the time for a diplomatic solution to Hezbollah’s attacks is running out.
- Israeli residents in a town on the West Bank that is near a Palestine town say they are hearing drilling and feeling the ground shake at night, which may be due to the construction of tunnels.
- Israel has captured 65 million digital files and half a million physical documents in the Gaza Strip.
- The war is spreading, and Israel is bombing cities, towns, and refugee camps all over Gaza.
- A Jordanian official burned an Israeli flag at an Arab League meeting in Egypt (Jordan and Egypt are mentioned in Psa. 83).
Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 (Day 84): The twenty-ninth day of the resumed war.
- Israeli jets struck the Damascus airport and several military sites in the vicinity of Damascus.
- Pressure on Israel to kill fewer Palestinians is intense, but Israel says it is finding tunnel shafts in houses, schools, and mosques, and it will continue to go after Hamas wherever they are.
- Under interrogation, a captured Islamic Jihad terrorist in Gaza confessed that his unit raped Israeli women on Oct. 7, 2023.
- One Israeli witness said he watched as 5 different terrorists raped a Jewish woman before finally shooting her.
- Netanyahu has blasted the UN and international women’s organizations for remaining mostly silent about these crimes.
- Israel said it has destroyed the tunnel that Yahya Sinwar used for a hideout.
- Hamas agreed in principle to exchange 40 hostages for an undisclosed number of Palestinian prisoners and a one-to-two-week halt in fighting. Israeli officials think the offer is positive, but they want more details.
- The U.S. shot down 2 anti-ship ballistic missiles that were fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen.
Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023 (Day 85): The thirtieth day of the resumed war.
- Israeli jets carried out at least 9 air strikes on military targets in Syria that killed 19 pro-Iranian fighters, 6 Iraqis, 4 Syrians, and wounded more than 18 others.
- Netanyahu said the Israel-Hamas war will last many more months.
- Netanyahu said, “If Hezbollah expands the warfare, it will suffer blows that it has not dreamed of – and so too Iran.”
- Israel discovered an unreported number of Hamas terrorists hiding in a school with civilians.
- A major Hamas terrorist was killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 (Day 86): The thirty-first day of the resumed war.
- S. helicopters sank 3 small Houthi boats in the Red Sea, and the terrorists on them drowned.
- Israeli investigators are preparing court cases to charge Hamas and its associates with torture, the repeated violent rape of women and girls, the mutilation of private parts of men and women, kidnapping, the murder of innocent women and children, etc. Israel already has about 2,000 witness statements and about 200,000 photos and videos, many taken by terrorists who were proud of what they were doing.
- Israel urged world leaders to demand the release of all hostages.
- Israeli troops found explosive devices in a Gaza kindergarten school.
- 23 Israeli officials sent Pres. Biden a letter asking him for proof of his accusation that there is a major problem with Jewish violence against Palestinians in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). They believe he is falsely trying to pave the way for a Palestinian state (Two-State Solution).
Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 (Day 87): The thirty-second day of the resumed war.
- Hamas fired at least 20 rockets from Gaza into central Israel (10 intercepted by Iron Dome; no casualties).
- In response to the U.S. sinking 3 small Houthi boats in the Red Sea, Iran announced that it is sending a warship to the Red Sea.
- The Israel-Hamas war is turning into a war between Iran and the free world.
Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024 (Day 88): The thirty-third day of the resumed war.
- Since Oct. 7, more than 2,500 suspected terrorists (1,300 with ties to Hamas) have been arrested in the West Bank of Israel.
- Israel captured Hamas’ intelligence and control headquarters (37 buildings in the heart of Gaza City near houses, schools, and hospitals) with an underground bunker about 65 feet below the buildings containing large operations rooms, living quarters, and many weapons. (Note: Israel might not have found this if they had let those pushing a ceasefire have their way.)
- Israel’s Defense Min. said, “The fighting is intense, and any sense that we are stopping is wrong.”
- An alleged Israeli drone strike killed the #2 top-level Hamas official and at least 4 other high-level Hamas leaders in Lebanon. At one time, the Hamas official oversaw terrorist attacks on Jews in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). His assassination may lead to more attacks on Israel by Hezbollah in Lebanon because their leader Nasrallah has warned Israel that Hezbollah would retaliate for any attacks on Palestinian leaders in Lebanon.
- Iran said the assassination of Hamas leaders in Lebanon will increase the resistance to Israel worldwide.
Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024 (Day 89): The thirty-fourth day of the resumed war.
- S. intelligence officials are confident that terrorists held at least a few of the Oct. 7 hostages at the al-Shifa hospital and in the tunnel beneath it in Gaza City for at least a few days before Israel attacked it.
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.