On Dec. 6, 2023, UN Sec. Gen. Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, which allows him to ask the UN Security Council to restore the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas because the war is threatening “peace and security” on earth.
On Dec. 8, 2023, officials from Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia visited Washington to urge U.S. support for a ceasefire when it came up for a vote in the UN Security Council.
When the issue came up for a vote later that day, the U.S. vetoed it.
Iran’s Foreign Minister responded by warning that America’s veto could lead to an uncontrollable explosion in the Middle East.
He said a big explosion could be coming with Lebanon and Yemen (Hezbollah and the Houthis) already involved and more countries poised to join.
Some might say his warning is about wars and rumors of wars, and Bible prophecy teachers may be thinking of Psalm 83, Isaiah. 17, Ezekiel 38-39, etc.
Is a big explosion coming?
The answer is the Bible teaches that there will be several big explosions in the latter days and latter years (before and during the Tribulation Period).
Is that shaping up?
The best answer may be that it sure looks like it.
More: On Dec. 20, 2023, an Israeli spokesperson said:
- Hezbollah has so far fired more than 1,000 different types of ammunition, rockets, missiles, drones, mortars, and others toward Israel since Oct. 8.
- Everyone knows Hezbollah is a proxy of Iran.
- Israel is closer than ever to opening a new frontline in what people view as a battle for the existence of the Jewish nation and its people.
Here are some reports on events that could relate to Bible prophecy.
One, concerning Muslim violence in the last days: a Dec. 11, 2023, report shows the following events in the West Bank of Israel since the Israeli-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, 2023 (in about 9 ½ weeks):
- One Israeli soldier killed.
- One border patrol agent killed.
- One Israeli civilian killed.
- 52 Israelis injured (569 cases of rock-throwing; 70 shootings; 143 Molotov cocktails thrown at people; 287 attacks with explosives, 2 car rammings, etc.).
In addition to this, 15 members of Israel’s security forces were injured when they tried to arrest the Muslim attackers.
Despite these facts, the U.S., UK, UN, and others criticize Israelis for their treatment of the Muslims on the West Bank.
(More: On Dec. 15, 2023, Hamas fired several rockets toward Jerusalem that were intercepted by Iron Dome defensive missiles. Video footage shows that one of the rockets nearly landed on the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount.)
Two, concerning corruption in Washington and the decline of America: on Dec. 13, 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives voted along party lines to formalize an impeachment inquiry into why China, Russia, Ukraine, and others were sending millions of dollars to the Biden family.
The Bidens and most Democrats say they have done nothing wrong, but Hunter has defied a legal Congressional subpoena to testify in private, the U.S. Dept. of Justice has urged witnesses to refuse to appear for questioning, Pres. Biden has refused to turn over many of the documents Congress has requested, etc.
If the Bidens have done nothing wrong, why are they hindering the investigation?
(My opinion: There is something rotten in the White House.)
(More: The Bidens and many Democrats constantly charge that the wealthy do not pay their fair share of taxes. At least two members of Pres. Biden’s immediate family, his son Hunter and his daughter Ashley, are in trouble with the law right now for not paying their taxes.)
Three, according to the Bible, God told Abraham He will bless those that bless Israel and curse those that curse Israel (Gen. 12:3).
Concerning Israel’s war with Hamas: on Dec. 12, 2023, a 53-year-old politician told Turkey’s parliament, “Israel will not escape the wrath of Allah.”
He barely got the words out of his mouth before he collapsed and was taken to the hospital, where his condition was diagnosed as “extremely critical and serious.”
(More: On Dec. 15, 2023, it was reported that he died.)
(My opinion: I do not know, but I wonder if Jehovah was warning Turkey to leave Israel alone. This I do know: Turkey’s military will be destroyed when it attacks Israel in the Battle of Gog and Magog, and when the Antichrist confirms a covenant with many for peace in the Middle East, world leaders will declare peace and safety; “then sudden destruction will come upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (Ezek. 38, I Thess. 5:3). Perhaps, other world leaders should be careful about criticizing Israel for defending itself.)
Four, concerning world government: I recently referred to the UN as the United Nothing.
In 2006, the UN passed Resolution 1701, which established a demilitarized zone between the Blue Line and the Litani River in Lebanon.
It allows Lebanon to have troops between the Litani River and Israel’s border, but it forbids any other group to have armed troops in that area.
Hezbollah has constantly ignored it, and the UN has never done anything about it.
On Dec. 11, 2023, Israel told the U.S. that Israel can no longer accept the UN doing nothing about Hezbollah troops in the demilitarized zone.
An Israeli official said if Hezbollah does not get out of the demilitarized zone and go back to the other side of the Litani River, Israel will go to war with Hezbollah when its war with Hamas is over.
Netanyahu said, “First of all, we will win in the south, and then we will deal with the north. As a first step, we will push Hezbollah beyond the Litani River, and later, we will also have to take care of the organization itself.”
(My opinion: Israel told world leaders they can avoid another war by enforcing UN Resolution 1701, but doing nothing means there will be another war after Israel takes care of Hamas. I cannot predict what will happen, but it is important to remember that Hezbollah has troops in Syria, and Hezbollah is financed by Iran. A war with Hezbollah could very well lead to the destruction of Damascus and to the Battle of Gog and Magog soon after the Israeli-Hamas war is over.)
Five, concerning a statue of the Antichrist that can talk and order everyone on earth to take the Mark of the Beast or be killed during the Tribulation Period (Rev. 13:14-17): on Dec. 16, 2023, it was reported that CNN will launch the first-ever known AI generated TV news network in the U.S. next year (in 2024).
CNN Channel 1 will be a digital version of CNN that will use avatars (statues that look like people) to report the news instead of human news anchors.
Viewers will need to download an app to watch the news on their TV or mobile phone.
AI reporters will join preachers who are using AI to write and preach sermons and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) who are using AI to rewrite Bible stories.
The lost are running out of time to be saved before the False Prophet builds an AI statue of the Antichrist.
Six, concerning the Mark of the Beast and the tracking of all buying and selling at the middle of the Tribulation Period: on Dec. 17, 2023, it was reported that multi-billionaire Bill Gates has launched an effort to require the citizens in 50 nations to have a digital ID, make digital payments that can be tracked and shared, and be in a social credit score system by 2028 or be excluded from society.
Gates’ effort is called the 50-in-5 campaign (50 nations in the next 5 years).
The World Health Organization (WHO) wants to link citizen’s healthcare records to a system like this, force people to be vaccinated, etc.
Pre-Trib Rapture prophecy teachers believe the Rapture will happen at least 3 ½ years before this kind of system goes global under the Antichrist and False Prophet.
(More: According to the same report, Russian Pres. Putin and his associates believe Klaus Schwab and his closest advisors are legitimate military targets because they are trying to seize power over everyone on earth. My opinion: It is a good point. If Trump can be prosecuted for illegally trying to seize power in the U.S., why cannot Schwab, Gates, and others be prosecuted for illegally trying to seize power in the U.S. and the rest of the world.)
Seven, concerning corruption in Washington and the decline of America: a little more than one week ago, on Dec. 10, 2023, it was reported that Iranian-backed terrorists have attacked U.S. troops in Syria and Iraq 92 times since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, 2023.
On Dec. 15, 2023, it was reported that officials in the Biden administration have acknowledged that the Biden administration recently released billions of dollars of frozen Iranian funds and Iran has made two transactions with those funds.
The fact that Iranian-backed terrorists are attacking U.S. troops in Syria and Iraq and Biden has allowed Iran access to billions of dollars is good reason to question his mental state.)
Eight, concerning a falling away and a departing from the faith in the Church and the coming one-world false religion at the end of the age: on Dec. 18, 2023, Pope Francis released a document that allows Roman Catholic clergy to bless same-sex couples.
Francis is clearly ignoring the Scriptures and traditional Roman Catholic teachings, but none of that seems to matter to him (I Cor. 5:9-13; 6:9-11).
Some in the LGBTQ community are responding favorably, but some in the Roman Catholic Church are extremely disappointed with Pope Francis.
Nine, concerning an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters at the end of the age: a 6.2 earthquake in China on Dec. 18, 2023, killed 127 people, injured more than 700, dozens are missing, and property damage is extensive.
(More: Also on Dec. 18, 2023, it was reported that some districts in southern India had received 37 inches of rain in the last 24 hours. Heavy rain this time of the year is not unusual, but 37 inches in 24 hours is unheard of, and the damage is extensive.)
Ten, concerning the decline of America and world government, some of the goals of the Biden administration are:
- Slowly shut down all coal mines.
- Kill about 100,000 head of cattle.
- Restrict the amount of fertilizer farmers can use.
- Reduce the amount of land that can be farmed, mined, and drilled for natural gas and oil.
- Reduce the production of gas vehicles.
- Shut down more of America’s electric grid and spend more on solar power.
- Require U.S. citizens to have a global ID, global healthcare, etc.
- Keep the U.S. border with Mexico wide open.
- Employ 86,000 armed IRS agents to monitor citizens’ tax payments.
(More: On Dec. 19, 2023, Natural News posted the following: “Earlier in December, Sheriff Mark Lamb of Pinal County, Arizona, dropped a ‘truth bomb’ on a YouTube video post, revealing that individuals crossing the border illegally in Arizona are promptly awarded a $5,000 gift card upon entering the United States, along with cell phones and costly plane tickets, all of which are being paid for by the American taxpayers.”)
(My opinion: It is my understanding that Biden is seeking a way to convince voters that these are good policies, not bad policies that need to be corrected. If the voters do not wake up, many aspects of their lives are going to rapidly get worse. The Rapture will remove the saved before the worst hits, but those that are left behind will probably not survive what is coming (Matt. 24:22). We do not know the day or the hour, but we can know when it is getting close (Matt. 24:36, Luke 21:28, Heb. 10:25.))
Eleven, concerning deceit and a population reduction on earth at the end of the age: on Dec. 12, 2023, it was reported that several former officials in the Italian government are under investigation for murder because their e-mails show that they knew the Covid-19 vaccinations were killing citizens, but they ordered health officials to tell people they were safe and to give them to citizens anyway.
Here is a daily update on the Israel-Hamas war.
Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023 (Day 69): The fourteenth day of the resumed war.
- A senior Hamas official called for violence against Israel’s allies (U.S., UK, etc.).
- Israel put a bounty on the leaders of Hamas ($400,000 on Yahya Sinwar; $300,000 on Sinwar’s brother Muhammed; $200,000 on the commander of the Khan Yunis Battalion; and $100,000 on Hamas’ general military commander).
- Netanyahu said, “We (the Israeli forces) are continuing until the end (of the war); there is no stopping us. I say this even given the great pain and the international pressure. Nothing will stop us; we will continue until the end, until victory, nothing less.”
- A senior U.S. official said Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s days “are numbered. He has American blood on his hands, and he is holding American hostages. I think it is safe to say it doesn’t matter how long it takes… justice will be served.”
Friday, Dec. 15, 2023 (Day 70): The fifteenth day of the resumed war.
- Several rockets (there were 31 alerts) were fired at Jerusalem, but the Iron Dome intercepted all of them.
- The U.S. ordered one of its aircraft carriers and another warship to remain in the Mediterranean Sea for several more weeks (The U.S. has a total of 19 warships in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea at this time).
- Israel’s military said they mistakenly killed 3 hostages.
Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023 (Day 71): The sixteenth day of the resumed war.
- Israel and Hamas may be considering another hostage deal.
- The U.S. intercepted 14 drones dispatched from Yemen toward the Red Sea.
- More warships may soon be heading to the Red Sea to deal with the Houthis in Yemen.
Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023 (Day 72): The seventeenth day of the resumed war.
- Israel found a tunnel next to its border with Gaza that is about 2 ½ miles long and large enough for a vehicle to drive through it.
- Israel raided a hospital that Hamas was using as a command center; 90 terrorists surrendered; Israel captured a stash of weapons, documents, and communications; and some of the hospital workers admitted that they had concealed those items at the hospital.
Monday, Dec. 18, 2023 (Day 73): The eighteenth day of the resumed war.
- Ten nations formed a coalition to protect ships from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. (Note: This has nothing to do with the Ten Kings that will assist the Antichrist during the Tribulation Period.)
Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023 (Day 74): The nineteenth day of the resumed war.
- The UN Security Council will vote today on a resolution to limit the fighting in Gaza and dramatically increase aid to the Palestinians.
- There were 59 alerts in Israeli towns and cities, including Tel Aviv, when Hamas launched a barrage of rockets into Israel.
Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023 (Day 75): The twentieth day of the resumed war.
- The head of a hospital in northern Gaza admitted that high-ranking Hamas military activists hid in his hospital to avoid being targeted by Israel. He said he knew 16 hospital staffers, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, and clerks, were also members of Hamas’ military wing.
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.