When asked about Pres. Trump’s quest for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, on July 2, 2025, Tammy Bruce, spokeswoman for the U.S. State Dept., noted the rapid changes in the Middle East (caused by the pounding Israel gave to Iran in their 12-day war).

Bruce said,

• The Middle East changed a couple of weeks ago very dramatically. It changed forever.
• The goal is not to make it (a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas) the world’s longest ceasefire.
• It’s going to be peace that’s achieved fundamentally by the changes on the ground, which we have already seen implemented over the last couple of weeks.

When asked if Pres. Trump still supports the Two-State Solution, Bruce declined to answer.

Concerning the impact of Israel’s 12-day war with Iran, Tania Curado Koenig reported that behind-the-scenes meetings are taking place that could be the most consequential diplomatic moves of the year.

According to Koenig, the White House is trying to:

• Ensure calm in the Middle East.
• Coordinate the hostage negotiations.
• Advance the Saudi-Israel Normalization Accords.
• Advance a post-war plan for Gaza.

The next day, July 3, 2025, Mike Huckabee, America’s Ambassador to Israel, said:

• Hamas must be completely dismantled.
• Hamas will have no future in Gaza.
• Any proposal that allows the terror group to retain power is senseless.
• A lasting peace in Gaza hinges on the full removal of Hamas’s power, infrastructure, and influence.
• Iran’s nuclear aspirations–they’re over.
• They need to give it up.
• The Israelis, the Americans, even the Europeans have said Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon.
• Hamas eliminated, hostages freed, and a region prepared to embrace lasting security and new alliances.

We should not be surprised that there are rapid changes in the Middle East: The Bible teaches that the signs will increase in frequency and intensity like birth pains at the end of the age.

We should not be surprised that meetings are being held to produce a lasting peace in Gaza or to get many to embrace lasting security in the Middle East: The Bible clearly teaches that there will be a covenant with many, and people will declare peace and safety.

The question is when.

We don’t know, but these things could develop rapidly.

And I am of the opinion that the Rapture of the Church (removal of the restrainer) could cause things to come together at warp speed.

We shall see.

Here are some recent events that seem to indicate that the end of the age is close.

One, here is a link to a video a reader sent to me that has some good information about rebuilding the Temple (about 10 min.).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsQeWKYpNmA

Two, concerning Iran: on July 4, 2025, Pres. Trump said Iran has not agreed to inspections of its nuclear program or to give up enriching uranium, and he would discuss what to do with Prime Min. Netanyahu when Netanyahu visits the White House on July 7, 2025.

Three, concerning natural disasters increasing in frequency and intensity at the end of the age: an incredibly powerful storm dumped 15 inches of rain along the Guadalupe River in Texas this week, and as of July 6, 2025, there are 67 confirmed deaths, 11 camp girls missing, and about 850 people that had to be rescued.

(Update: On July 7, 2025, “The White House Faith Office asks you to join us in prayer for the precious lives lost in the Texas floods. Amidst this tragedy, our nation must come together to pray for the victims, their families, and the first responders conducting rescue missions to find those still missing. May God wrap his loving arms around all those in Texas. Psalm 34:18 – “’The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.’”)

(Update: On July, 25, 2025, it was reported that all of the missing campers have now been confirmed dead. At least 90 people, including 28 children were killed.)

Four, concerning the days of Noah when violence and wickedness were great, more than 50 people were shot over the Fourth of July weekend in Chicago, and, sadly, this seems to be about normal these days.

Five, on July 6, 2025, several evangelical figures (Michelle Bachman, Bill and Tania Curado Koenig, and Jan Markell) posted an urgent open letter to Pres. Trump requesting that he:

• Recognize Israel’s right to act without restriction in its covenant land.
• Remove any reference to Israel’s land in future Abraham Accords negotiations.
• Refrain from pressuring Israel into military or political concessions, especially regarding Gaza.
• Publicly affirm opposition to any two-state plan that divides Israel’s biblical inheritance.
• Declare that Israel’s boundaries, as defined in Genesis 15:18, are not subject to negotiation.

Six, concerning a peace in the Middle East: on July 4, 2025, it was reported that Prime Min. Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. will be more than talk about a ceasefire with Hamas and what to do about Iran’s continuing efforts to enrich uranium.

It will include Pres. Trump’s “Deal of the Century” — an ambitious and far-reaching Middle East peace initiative.

The Trump administration is expecting major progress soon.

(Update: On July 7, 2025, Bill Koenig reported that Pres. Trump and Prime Min. Netanyahu took questions before their dinner meeting started. Both men were unequivocal when asked about the long-standing question of a two-state solution. Trump deferred the question to Netanyahu — “the greatest man in the world to answer that age-old question,” he said. Netanyahu’s answer was firm: no Palestinian state that threatens Israel’s security or compromises its sovereign control. “We vow never again.” The message was clear: there will be no revival of the traditional two-state narrative — not now, and not on Trump’s watch. That message was not just for domestic audiences, but for foreign leaders in Europe, the Arab League, and within the Biden-aligned diplomatic community who are still pressing for land concessions.)

Seven, concerning the coming hyper-inflation and a global economic collapse during the Tribulation Period: on July 4, 2025, Pres. Trump signed his “Big Beautiful Bill” into law.

America’s national debt has topped 37 trillion dollars, and the “Big Beautiful Bill” is expected to add another 3 trillion dollars to that.

Eight, concerning Israel’s great army, Hamas and the Gaza Strip: on July 6, 2025, a senior Hamas official told the BBC that Israel has killed 95% of the Hamas leaders, and Hamas has lost control of 80% of the Gaza Strip.

(Update: On July 9, 2025, James Sinkinson, a Middle East expert, wrote, “Israel has emerged as the sole Middle East superpower, and as such, its neighborhood and the world are safer…. Israel’s definitive defeat of Iran and its proxies was achieved through military superiority.”)

Nine, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on July 7, 2025, Israeli jets struck three Houthi naval ports, a power station, and a radar ship. There has been no report on damage.

Ten, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on July 7, 2025, following a vicious Russian attack on Ukraine, Pres. Trump reversed himself and said the U.S. will be sending more weapons to Ukraine.

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.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com

Time and space will not permit me to adequately cover this subject, but here are some of my understandings that I think people should know:

>Some say that many Muslims are peace-loving moderates, but it is a mistake to overlook the violent nature of the fundamentalists. They say that only one to two percent support terrorism. This is a whitewash job, but if it was true, there would still be millions of supporters of Islamic terrorism in the world.

>Some say that Islam began with Abraham, but I believe it really began with Muhammad around 570 A.D. (about 2,500 years after Abraham).

>Muhammad was a caravan trader who often went to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. He was troubled because the Saudis worshipped about 360 gods and goddesses, and he believed there was just one god. He started having visions and believed he was called to be a prophet. He started speaking against idolatry, abuses of the wealthy, and advocating for the poor. Christians would agree with some of his teachings.

>Some in Mecca plotted to kill him, and he had to flee for his life. He went to Medina, was well received, gained political power, and eventually, after more than one try, conquered Mecca.

>At first, he was friendly toward Christians and Jews, but some of his teachings became an issue, and he drove them away.

>This set the stage for a major problem today. No one is allowed to question the teachings of Muhammad. And many Muslim communities will not tolerate the presence of Christians and Jews.

>Muslims are reluctant to sign peace treaties with non-Muslims. But if they sign a peace treaty, they believe it is nothing more than a temporary truce to allow them time to build up their military. Once they think their military is strong enough, they see nothing wrong with breaking their peace treaty (because Muhammad signed and broke a peace treaty at Mecca).

>It is a long story, but Muhammad eventually got rid of 360 or so gods and goddesses at Mecca, except for the moon God called Allah. Many historians say the crescent shape of the moon on the Muslim flag and the crescent shape of the moon over Muslim mosques is there because Allah was the moon god in the days of Muhammad.

>Muslims believe the Bible has been distorted, that it is filled with mistakes, that God’s real truth has been suppressed, and that Christianity and Judaism are nothing more than altered or misunderstood forms of Islam.

>They want to replace the Bible with the Koran, replace Jehovah with Allah, replace Jesus with Muhammad, replace Israel with the Palestinians, and replace the church with the umma (the community of faithful followers of Islam).

>They believe in Adam, Noah, etc., but they believe they were Muslims; they believe Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Jesus were prophets, but they believe Muhammad was a greater prophet, and they believe what Muhammad said supersedes what all the others said.

>According to the Koran, Islam is the only true religion. This is why some Muslim countries have banned all other religions, why some Muslim clerics preach death to the Jews, and why some Muslim countries persecute Christians and Jews.

Here are some other quick facts about Islam:

• • A man is superior to a woman.
  • A man’s testimony carries twice as much weight in court as a woman’s testimony.
  • A man’s inheritance shall be twice as much as a woman’s.
  • A man can beat his wife to punish her.
  • A man can have more than one wife.
  • A Muslim cannot marry a non-Muslim unless she converts.
  • A Muslim can force his enemy to submit to Islam.
  • A Muslim cannot befriend a Christian or Jew.
  • Allah cannot be known in a personal way.
  • Allah is not love.
  • Allah is not a Father.
  • Allah is not the Son.
  • Allah requires total obedience to Islam.
  • Everyone has two angels: one records our good works; the other records our bad works.
  • Jesus didn’t die in our place.
  • Someone died in His place.
  • Jesus was not the Son of God.
  • God has no sons.
  • The Holy Spirit is the angel Gabriel.
  • Non-Muslims will be cast into hell.
  • Theft is punishable by amputation of the hands.

Muslims have something called the Five Pillars of Faith.

One—Affirmation or profession.

• To be a Muslim, a person must repeat the creed, “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.

Two—Prayer.

• A Muslim is required to pray five times a day while kneeling and facing Mecca.

Three—Almsgiving.

• A Muslim must give two and one-half percent of his income to the poor, the mosque, or the Islamic state.

Four—Fasting.

• Every Muslim must fast during the daylight hours in the month of Ramadan.

Five—Pilgrimage.

• At least once during their lifetime, all Muslims who can afford it must make a pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Some Muslims have a sixth (Jihad or the spread of Islam through holy war).

(Note: The Ayatollah Khomeini said he wants to hear the cry “There is no god but Allah” all over the world.”)

Here are some events that seem to indicate that the end of the age is close:

One, concerning Islam: on June 28, 2025, an Iranian Shiite Ayatollah issued a fatwa (Islamic religious ruling) calling for the death of Pres. Trump, Israel’s Prime Min. Netanyahu, and other high-ranking Israeli officials.

His fatwa cites the Koran and declares that Trump and Netanyahu are enemies of Allah for threatening the Ayatollah Khomeini.

Iran also wants terrorist sleeper cells to step up attacks in the U.S.

Two, on June 25, 2025, Israel’s nascent (powerless) Sanhedrin (70 Israeli Jewish leaders) issued the following religious declaration to all our cousins, the seed of Ishmael, and all Muslims everywhere in the world.

• The religious court explicitly connects Israel’s military achievements to biblical prophecy, stating that all of humanity now sees the Israeli attacks on Iran that amaze the entire world, and as believers, we all understand that the Creator of the world, the God of Israel, is the one who gives his children, the children of Israel, these wonderful successes and victories.

(My opinion: They rightly declared that Old Testament prophecy is being fulfilled and that Israel’s great victory is God’s doing.)

Three, concerning wars and rumors of wars (including the Battle of Gog and Magog): on June 25, 2025, in remarks following his presence at the NATO Summit, Pres. Trump told a reporter the ceasefire between Iran and Israel may not hold.

Trump said, “Someday, it could maybe start again soon.”

(My opinion: It is not over. Iran cannot be trusted. Gog and Magog is coming.)

(More: On June 25, 2025, Pres. Trump said the U.S. and Iran will discuss a ceasefire in the coming week, but Iran responded that it will not give up its nuclear program.)

Four, concerning Iran’s efforts to build nuclear weapons: on June 25, 2025, Pres. Trump said the U.S. will launch further strikes against Iran if it attempts to rebuild its nuclear infrastructure.

(More: On July 1, 2025, it was reported that satellite images show that Iran has moved heavy equipment to its bombed nuclear reactor at Fordo and is actively clearing the underground debris.)

(More: On July 2, 2025, it was reported that a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Rep. introduced new legislation this week that would grant Pres. Trump the authority to provide Israel with access to B-2 stealth bombers and bunker-busting bombs should Iran resume efforts to develop nuclear weapons.)

Five, concerning Israel being a great army at the end of the age: Iran had 2-3,000 missiles in many locations, drones, a supposedly very powerful military, and yet Israel had them begging for help in about one week and agreeing to a ceasefire in just twelve days.

Six, concerning the Abraham Accords and peace treaty with many in the Middle East: on June 25, 2025, Pres. Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said the White House will have big announcements about other nations joining the Abraham Accords soon.

Seven, concerning a ceasefire in Gaza: on June 26, 2025, it was reported that the U.S. and Israel have agreed to five proposals:

• The hostilities in Gaza will cease within two weeks;
• Four Arab nations (including Egypt and the UAE) will oversee Gaza’s administration, replacing Hamas;
• The remaining Hamas leaders will be exiled while hostages are being freed;
• Various countries will accept Gazans who want to emigrate;
• An expansion of the Abraham Accords will lead more Arab nations to recognize Israel officially.

It was also reported that Israel might be willing to accept a Palestinian State contingent upon reforms by the Palestinian Authority, and the U.S. might agree to limited Israeli authority in Judea and Samaria.

(My opinion: It is hard for me to believe that everyone will accept this – but if they do, and even if they declare peace and safety in the Middle East – I don’t think God will accept it because it ignores His promise to give all of the Promised Land to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants after them in their generation. Jacob’s descendants are the Jews. The Jews will get all of the Promised Land, and they cannot give part of it away and get away with it.)

(Update: On June 27, 2025, Pres. Trump said he believes it is possible that a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict will be reached by next week.)

(Update: On July 1, 2025, Pres. Trump said Qatar and Egypt will deliver a U.S. and Israel FINAL ceasefire proposal to Hamas.)

(Update: On July 2, 2025, Israel’s Prime Min. Netanyahu said, “There will be no more Hamas. It’s over. We will free all of our hostages, and we will eliminate Hamas down to its very foundations.”)

(Update: On July 2, 2025, Hamas said it is ready to accept any initiative that clearly leads to the complete end to the war.)

Eight, concerning peace in the Middle East: on June 26, 2025, Pres. Trump’s Press Sec. Karoline Leavitt said:

• Trump wants peace in the Middle East.
• He is not afraid to use strength if he needs to.
• He believes the Middle East is on its way to peace and prosperity.
• He hopes that negotiations will lead to a new era of peace in the Middle East.

(My opinion: I believe the Bible teaches that there will be a treaty with many for peace in the Middle East for seven years. At some point, the Antichrist will confirm – strengthen – it, and that will begin the Tribulation Period. I also believe the Pre-Trib Rapture view is the correct view.)

Nine, on June 27, 2025, i24NEWS reported that a Syrian source said Israel and Syria are expected to sign a peace agreement before the end of 2025.

(My opinion: Notice all of this talk about peace in the Middle East. World leaders are crying out for peace in the Middle East, and it is badly needed. They should want peace. But it must be on God’s terms or it will fail. And that is what the Bible says will happen. They will agree to a peace treaty that ignores God’s promises to Israel in the Bible. God won’t accept it, and it will fail.)

Ten, on June 30, 2025, Israel confirmed that it is actively pursuing peace deals with Syria and Lebanon but denied that it will give back the Golan Heights.

Israel’s Foreign Min. said, “The Golan Heights will remain part of the State of Israel.”

(More: On July 1, 2025, the Golan Heights Regional Council Governor said, “While we welcome real peace efforts, we are very clear: any future agreement must recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan.)

(More: A second report on June 30, 2025, said Syria has made it clear that under any agreement, Israel will not be permitted to operate or strike targets within Syrian territory. Israel, on the other hand, insists on retaining the ability to address security threats, particularly in scenarios where Israel withdraws from the buffer zones.)

Eleven, concerning offerings at a rebuilt Israeli Temple, on June 29, 2025, it was reported that the Israeli milling company Shtibel has announced plans to produce semolina, specifically kosher and pure, for the Temple offerings—including the minchah (meal offerings) and the shtei halechem (Two Loaves) offering brought on the Festival of Shavuot (Lev. 2:14, 23:17).

According to the report, “For many, it is more than a flour product—it’s a sign of redemption taking shape, one grain at a time.”

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.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com