Israel and Iran have been in the news a lot lately. Currently, several nations are trying to strike a deal with Iran to curtail its nuclear ambitions. The question on the minds of many Bible prophecy students is what does the Bible say about this? Are Iran’s nuclear ambitions a sign of the end times? Maybe. Maybe not.

Rest assured that Iran itself does have a role in the future fulfillment of Bible prophecy (see Ezekiel 38 and 39). But no one can say for sure whether or not the current nuclear talks will play a significant role in the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. What I can tell you is that this generation is already a witness to the fulfillment of numerous Bible prophecies, and Benjamin Netanyahu’s much publicized speech from earlier this week should make that crystal clear.

On Tuesday, March 3rd, the Israeli Prime Minister addressed the U.S. Congress, and while the media replayed several sound bites from the speech, one passage in particular resonated with me. Here it is:

We are no longer scattered among the nations, powerless to defend ourselves. We restored our sovereignty in our ancient home. And the soldiers who defend our home have boundless courage. For the first time in 100 generations, we, the Jewish people, can defend ourselves. This is why — this is why, as a prime minister of Israel, I can promise you one more thing: Even if Israel has to stand alone, Israel will stand.

Why do I find this passage so interesting? Because this simple paragraph reads like a collection of Bible verses. In fact, it reads like a collection of recently fulfilled and soon-to-be fulfilled Bible prophecies. Here are the key points that stood out:

1) “We are no longer scattered among the nations…”  This is a direct fulfillment of God’s promise to bring the Jews back into the land of Israel. A promise made multiple times thousands of years ago through the prophets:

“Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind.” Ezekiel 39:28 (NLT)

“He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.”Isaiah 11:12 (NLT)

“However, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when it will no longer be said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ but it will be said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ For I will restore them to the land I gave their ancestors.” Jeremiah 16:14-15 (NLT)

“Then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you.Even though you are banished to the ends of the earth, the Lord your God will gather you from there and bring you back again. The Lord your God will return you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will possess that land again.” Deuteronomy 30:3-5 (NLT)

2) “We restored our sovereignty in our ancient home.” Note to Netanyahu: This should read “God restored our sovereignty in our ancient home.” Why? Because God made it clear thousands of years ago this was all a part of His plan:

“I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy through you in the sight of the nations. Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors.” Ezekiel 20:41-42 (NLT)

“I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number.” Jeremiah 23:3 (NLT)

“I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered – with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.” Ezekiel 20:34 (NLT)

“‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess’” Jeremiah 30:3 (NLT)

“Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will return.”Zechariah 10:9 (NLT)

“He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.”Isaiah 11:12 (NLT)

3) “The soldiers who defend our home have boundless courage.” God promised even the weakest soldier in modern day Israel will be like David:

“On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David.”  Zechariah 12:8 (NLT)

“Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid.”Jeremiah 30:10 (NLT)

4) “We, the Jewish people, can defend ourselves.” This is a big one. Israel barely cracks the Top 100 nations in terms of population, but its military consistently ranks among the most powerful on earth. Think this is the result of random chance? I don’t think so. Israel’s exceedingly great army was foretold over 2,000 years ago:

“On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place.” Zechariah 12:6(NLT)

“They came to life and stood up on their feet – a vast army.” Ezekiel 37:10(NLT)

5) “Even if Israel has to stand alone…” According to God’s Word, the day will come when Israel will stand alone. The war prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39 portrays Israel as an isolated nation under attack, and only God comes to Israel’s aid. Furthermore, the prophet Zechariah foresees a day when “all the nations of the earth are gathered against her”:

“In that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” Zechariah 12:3 (NLT)

6) “Israel will stand.” Nevertheless, even though Israel will one day stand alone, Israel isn’t going away. Because God not only promised to bring His people back from their faraway lands of exile and firmly plant them in Israel, he promised they will never be uprooted again:

“And I will bring my people Israel back from exile. ‘They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,’ says the Lord your God.” Amos 9:14-15 (NLT)

Israel’s enemies should take note: “Israel will stand.” She isn’t going anywhere. Not because it has a great military or the support of the United States, but because the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob made a promise:

“I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.” 1 Kings 6:13 (NLT)

When the dark days of this age come to an end, God will make good on His promise, and He will come to live among the nations, and there will be no more war:

“‘Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,’ declares the Lord. ‘Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.’”Zechariah 2:10-13 (NLT)

Whether or not the events of this week have any immediate prophetic significance, you can be sure that we’re living in the last days. Jesus, Moses, and the prophets pointed to the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel as one of the foremost signs of the Second Coming. Jesus Himself said the generation that witnesses the re-emergence of Israel will not pass away before He returns (Matthew 24:34).

So what’s the big lesson from this past week’s events? While we’re not yet in the seven-year period the Bible calls the “Tribulation,” we’re very close. Much closer than we’ve ever been.

Jesus is coming. Are you ready?

I ran across an article last week about the recent drop in gasoline prices. While the recent decline could be attributable to a number of factors, this particular article speculated that Saudi Arabia and the United States are working together to increase production and lower oil prices. Their goal? To punish Russia and Iran economically.

Now, I don’t necessarily accept the article’s hypothesis, but I had to do a double-take when I read that. Why? Because the article inferred that two strategic geopolitical alliances have formed: One featuring the United States and Saudi Arabia and the other featuring Russia and Iran. And why is this such a big deal?

Because 2,600 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel stated that an alliance of nations will form in the latter days, just before Christ returns (Ezekiel 38), and that alliance will include Russia and Iran. Historically, Russia and Iran have never been a part of such an alliance (at least until recently).

The Gog of Magog Alliance

Ezekiel identifies the nations in this alliance as “Magog, Rosh, Meschech, Tubal, Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah” (Ezekiel 38:1-6). I don’t blame you at all if none of these names make any sense. After all, these don’t sound like the names of any nations on earth today. But keep in mind that Ezekiel named the nations of this alliance as they were known in his day, and each one represents a clearly identifiable nation currently in existence.

In fact, long before Russia became a world power, scholars identified Rosh as the nation of Russia and Gog as its ruler. And of course, right up until the day of March 21, 1935, the world knew the nation of Iran as Persia – the same Persia referenced in the Gog of Magog Alliance. So Persia is a clear reference to Iran.

Below is the list of nations cited by Ezekiel. The Old Testament name is listed first, followed by its modern day equivalent:

Rosh = Russia
Magog = Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan
Persia = Iran
Cush = Sudan
Put = Libya
Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah = Turkey

In the history of the world, such an alliance of nations has never existed. But today we see it coming together right in front of us. Don’t believe me? Just check your history books.

In the 2,600 years since Ezekiel recorded his prophecies, the nations of Russia and Persia have never been part of an alliance of any sort. Until around 1989, economic and military cooperation between Persia (Iran) and Russia had never taken place.

Today, that cooperation continues. Iran and Russia are strong allies. For example, in 1995 the Russian Ministry for Atomic Energy signed an agreement with Iran to finish the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Construction on the plant had come to a stop following the 1979 Islamic revolution. But today, thanks to Russia, work is once again in progress. The two nations continue to strengthen their economic and military ties, and Russia is one of the few world powers that consistently defends the existence of Iran’s nuclear program.

When Will This Alliance Form?

The Bible says this alliance will form and come against Israel “in the latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8). The Hebrew word used in this passage is “acharith,” and it generally translates as the “after-part, latter part, last, close, or end.” In other words, this alliance will form in the last days just prior to the return of Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel uses this same word “acharith” again, when God says He will bring the alliance against the land of Israel “in the last days” (Ezekiel 38:16). And, at the beginning of verse 8, he reveals that this will happen “a long time from now” or “in the distant future.” In other words, this is not a prophecy fulfilled in Ezekiel’s day.

But that’s not all that’s said. Ezekiel provides us with additional clues. In the same passage cited above, God reveals the exact time when this invasion will occur. In verse 12, Russia’s ruler (Gog) says to himself, “I will attack the once abandoned cities that are now populated with the Jews who returned from exile among the nations” (Ezekiel 38:12). Did you catch that? The ruler of Russia (Gog) will attack the land when it’s filled with the exiles who return from among the nations. The target of this future invasion is the modern day state of Israel.

God Himself confirms this when He says the invasion will occur “after Israel’s people have been gathered from among many nations” (Ezekiel 38:8). He says it will happen “when I bring my people home from among the enemy nations” (Ezekiel 39:27). This return home from among many nations has happened only once in all of human history. And our generation is a witness to that event – the 1948 gathering of the Jewish people and the restoration of Israel in the Promised Land.

Today’s headlines point to the fulfillment of the Ezekiel 38-39 prophecies in the near future, and those prophecies point to the fulfillment of all the Second Coming prophecies in short order – within the expected lifetime of many of the people reading this article.

Never before have so many signs of the Second Coming been present. And never before has it been more important to share the Good News. So make sure to tell everyone you know “the Messiah you’re looking for is Jesus” (Acts 5:42), and He’s coming soon (Revelation 22:20)!