On Dec. 29, 2024, our Lifeway Adult Sunday School lesson was titled “Power Revealed.” And in a nutshell, the writer was saying God led the Israelites out of Egypt and took them to a seemingly hopeless entrapment at the Red Sea to reveal His power and glory by fighting for them.
It begins with God sending Moses to tell Pharaoh to “Let my people go” (Ex. 5:1).
Pharaoh responded, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?” (Ex. 5:2)
God could have moved Pharaoh’s heart to let Israel go, but God hardened Pharaoh’s heart to cause him to resist and to reveal His power and glory to Pharaoh and Israel (Ex. 7:13-14).
This revelation involved God sending Ten Plagues upon Egypt (Ex. 7:14-12:30).
Following the Tenth Plague (the death of the firstborn, including Pharaoh’s son), Pharaoh sent for Moses and said, “Get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord” (Ex. 12:31-32), “And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste” (Ex.12:33).
God had brought the unbelieving, arrogant Pharaoh from the point of saying, “I will not let them go,” to the point of saying, “Get out of here,” “Go,” “Make haste.”
God led the Israelites out of Egypt in an orderly manner (Ex. 13:18).
He went before them by day in a pillar of cloud and by night in a pillar of fire, and He took them along an unusual path toward the Red Sea (Ex. 13:17-18, 21).
Pharaoh was soon told that his people were asking, “Why have we done this? Why have we let all of our slaves go?” (Ex. 14:5)
So God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and caused him to take a powerful army with 600 chariots to chase after Israel (Ex. 14:5, 8, 17).
Why did God tell Pharoah to “Let my people go” and then harden his heart to go after them?
Why did God lead the unarmed, helpless Jews to a place where a well-armed military would trap them?
The Jews were afraid, and they thought God had brought them to the Red Sea to die (Ex. 14:10-11).
Moses told them not to be afraid, God would fight for them, and they would see the Egyptians no more (Ezek. 14:13-14).
God parted the Red Sea, Israel crossed on dry ground, God destroyed them, and the Jews believed (Ex. 14:18-31).
There are many more examples, but to save time, I will very quickly mention just two more.
Example one: in the Battle of Gog and Magog, God will put a hook in the jaw of Russia’s leader and drag Russia, Iran, Turkey, and others onto the Mountains of Israel to destroy Israel (Ezek. 38-39).
Why does God cause them to attack Israel and then destroy them?
He said, “Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord” (Ezek. 38:23).
Example two: God said, “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zech. 12:2-3).
Why does God cause the nations to turn against Jerusalem and Judah and then destroy those nations that attack them?
He will do this to cause the Jews to realize that the Lord of Hosts is their God (Zech. 12:5).
Concerning Israel, God said, “Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms” (Jer. 51:20).
God doesn’t fight the way nations fight, but God is the source of Israel’s survival, and He always wins.
Here are recent events that seem to indicate that the end of the age is close.
One, during the night of Dec. 29, 2024, Israeli troops trapped and killed 106 Hamas terrorists in about two hours without losing a single soldier.
An Israeli source said, “It was the most significant night we remember in the fighting in the northern Gaza Strip.”
Two, on Jan. 1, 2025, Israel’s Defense Min. said if Hamas does not release the 100 hostages it has been holding for 454 days and halt its rocket attacks on the Jewish state, Israel will hit Hamas with a force not seen in Gaza for a long time.
Three, concerning an Israeli-Hamas hostage deal: on Jan. 5, 2024, outgoing U.S. Sec. of State Antony Blinken said world pressure on Israel harmed hostage release deals and encouraged Hamas to repeatedly reject them while laying the blame at Israel’s feet.
Blinken added, “Whenever there has been public daylight between the U.S. and Israel and the perception that pressure was growing on Israel, we’ve seen it: Hamas has pulled back from agreeing to a ceasefire and the release of hostages.”
(My opinion: One reason some hostages have been held for more than 450 days, tortured, raped, etc., is the failure of politicians, universities, and the media to support Israel. It has also prolonged the war and led to the suffering and death of more Palestinians.)
(More: On Jan. 7, 2025, a Hamas spokesman said no captives can be released until Israel agrees to a permanent end to the current war in Gaza and a full withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip. “We are determined to stop the aggression and for the enemy to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, and for relief and reconstruction to be without Israeli conditions.” Regarding the administration of Gaza after the war, Hamas hopes to form a national committee with other Palestinian Arab groups to govern the coastal enclave.)
(More: On Jan. 7, 2025, Pres.-elect Trump repeated his warning that if Hamas doesn’t release the hostages by the time of his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, the gates of Hell will open, and it won’t be good for anyone.)
Four, concerning Israel being a great army at the end of the age (Ezek. 37:10): on Jan. 8, 2025, an Israeli military official said,
- Israel’s military will remain in place in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is fully dismantled.
- Anywhere Hezbollah tries to rebuild itself, they will meet the Israeli army, and there will be retaliation.
- If the Lebanese army doesn’t fully deploy, if they don’t dismantle Hezbollah in south Lebanon, and if they don’t push Hezbollah out of south Lebanon, the Israel’s forces will remain in their positions to protect the citizens of Israel.
Five, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog: on Jan. 4, 2024, Iran’s Foreign Min. warned that another Israeli strike on Iran will lead to a large-scale war.
Six, concerning wars and rumors of wars and the Battle of Gog and Magog: on Jan. 6, 2025, a committee that assesses Israel’s preparedness for threats warned that Israel needs to prepare for a war with Turkey and its proxies, chief among them Islamist rebel forces in Syria who have seized control over Damascus and are now working to establish a new government.
Seven, concerning wars and rumors of war (and a potential Psalm 83 war): on Jan. 7, 2025, it was reported that Israel asked Egypt why it has significantly increased its military forces in the Sinai peninsula in violation of the peace agreement between the two nations.
Eight, concerning open borders, a borderless world, and terrorist attacks in the U.S.: on Jan. 1, 2025, a former CIA official said Al-Qaeda claims that it has more than 1,000 trained terrorists in the U.S.
The driver of a rented pick-up truck drove it into a crowd of people in New Orleans, killed 15, injured more than 30, and caused the Sugar Bowl to be postponed.
The driver was probably a U.S. citizen, but he had an ISIS flag in the back of his rented truck.
It was later reported that he attended a pro-jihad Muslim Brotherhood Mosque in Houston, that he recently traveled to the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, and that investigators found a Koran in his house that was opened at a verse about martyrdom.
(FYI: Several of the terrorist groups that have helped take over Syria have ties to Al-Qaeda and ISIS.)
(My opinion: U.S. citizens have every right to be concerned about who has come across America’s wide-open borders in the last four years.)
(More: Shortly after the attack in New Orleans, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protestors marched in New York City demanding an uprising against Israel, calling Zionism a cancer, and calling for an end to all aid to Israel.)
Nine, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on Jan. 7, 2025, Pres.-elect Trump warned NATO members that they should spend 5 percent of their gross domestic product on defense, a significant increase from the current 2 percent target.
Ten, concerning a covenant of peace in the Middle East: on Jan. 2, 2025, Pres.-elect Trump nominated Morgan Ortagus to be the Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Middle East Peace.
Ortagus said, “The most important thing is that through President Trump, we bring peace and stability (peace and safety) to a troubled region, and I’m grateful to play a small role in that endeavor.”
Eleven, concerning the tracking of all buying and selling: on Jan. 5, 2024, it was reported that So. Korea will start evaluating a new digital ID system in nine regions of its nation.
Supporters claim that the new ID system will keep people safe and avoid fraud.
(My opinion: The creation of digital ID systems will lead to the tracking and control of everyone on earth starting at the middle of the Tribulation Period. Millions, perhaps billions, will refuse to comply and be killed. Those that do comply will be eternally doomed.)
Twelve, concerning deceit at the end of the age: on Jan. 4, 2025, it was reported that Germans were told:
- That green energies would lead to a clean and prosperous country that would be the envy of the world.
- That replacing their nuclear power plants with wind farms would do wonders for the nation.
Because the wind doesn’t always blow, here is what that led to:
- Brownouts have become common.
- The rationing of energy before 11 am each day.
- Consumers are asked to stop using energy-intensive appliances and stop charging the battery in their electric vehicle, computers, etc., at certain times.
(FYI: Trump has promised to get rid of Biden’s green energy policies.)
Thirteen, concerning corruption and deceit in the UN: on Jan. 7, 2025, an Israeli report at the end of Dec. 2024 found that:
- Officials of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) routinely meet with Lebanese and Gazan terror groups, mutually praise each other for cooperation, and describe each other as partners.
- UNRWA officials knowingly allow Hamas and other terrorist groups to infiltrate UNRWA’s employee base, indoctrinate impressionable Palestinian children to pursue a path of terrorism against Israelis and Jews, and install military infrastructure underneath or next to UNRWA facilities.
- More than 10% of UNRWA’s senior educators in Gaza are members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Fourteen, concerning an increase in knowledge at the time of the end: on Jan. 5, 2025, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said,
- We are now confident we know how to build AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) as we have traditionally understood it.
- We believe that, in 2025, we may see the first AI agents join the workforce and materially change the output of companies.
- We are beginning to turn our aim beyond that to superintelligence (Artificial Super Intelligence; ASI) in the true sense of the word.
- We love our current products, but we are here for the glorious future.
Fifteen, concerning inflation, America’s energy independence, and the economic collapse of America: on Jan. 6, 2025, Pres. Biden permanently banned offshoring drilling in all federal waters off the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and portions of the northern Bering Sea in Alaska.
Trump said: It’s ridiculous. I’ll unban it immediately.
Critics are accusing Biden of trying before he leaves office to sabotage Trump’s effort to Make America Great Again.
Sixteen, concerning an increase in violence and murder at the end of the age: on Jan. 2, 2025, it was reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) figures show:
- That abortion was the leading cause of death on earth in 2024.
- That 45.1% of all deaths on earth were aborted children.
- That approximately 1/3 of all deaths in the U.S. were abortions.
- That a 2016 study found that more than 60% of deaths by abortion in the U.S. are African Americans.
- That more than 185,000 abortions were performed in the first two days of 2025.
Seventeen, concerning natural disasters: as I write this on Jan. 8, 2025, a wildfire has broken out at Palisades, Cal. About 1,000 structures have burned, about 30,000 people have evacuated, two people have been killed, several people have been injured, the fire is out of control, strong winds are fanning the fire, and they are expected to get worse tonight.
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.