November 3, 2023
“The eastern world it tis explodin’
Violence flarin’, bullets loadin’
You’re old enough to kill but not for votin’
You don’t believe in war, but what’s that gun you’re totin’
And even the Jordan river has bodies floatin’
But you tell me over and over and over again my friend
Ah, you don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction”
The classic protest song of the 1960’s, popularized by Barry McGuire could easily describe the condition of the world today.
“The Eve of Destruction” was written at a time when the world was more unstable than at any time in human history. The United States began to escalate the war in Viet Nam, there were riots in the summer of 1965 in many American cities, racial tensions were at an all-time high, and the nation was still reeling from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, less than two years earlier.
The topic of “Mutually Assured Destruction” (MAD) became a part of the national defense strategy of the two largest nuclear powers of the day — the Soviet Union and the United States. The combined nuclear arsenals then had the capability to destroy all life many times over in the middle of the 20th Century. The “Doomsday” clocked clicked to 12 minutes to midnight, signifying the close proximity to nuclear holocaust. But today, the predictor of devastation has moved to only 1 and a half minutes to midnight!
With tensions in the Middle East poised to bring the major world powers of the United States, Russia and China to the conflict, suddenly, the “eve of destruction” is a real possibility.
Israeli Response
Three weeks after the Hamas terrorist attacks in Southern Israel, military experts question how the most heavily defended nation in the world, with the most advanced security apparatus could have been surprised by a rag tag group of terrorists? How was the most prepared military in the world unable to respond to terrorist attacks for 7 hours? How could Hamas terrorists go on a wanton killing spree, breaking through Israel’s defense corridor by breaching fences with hang gliders and pickup trucks? Something doesn’t add up.
But now Israel’s response in the Gaza strip has resulted in the deaths of more than 8 thousand Palestinians, many of them civilian, while Israeli leadership earlier decried the senseless killing of Israeli citizens!
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on October 29, invoked the “Amalek theory” quoting the instruction of the prophet Samuel to King Saul in I Samuel 15:3 “Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
Does this mean Israel is determined to exterminate the 2 million Palestinians living in Gaza? And what will be the reaction of the Islamic world to such rhetoric? Whatever the case, the remarks by the Prime Minister of Israel haven’t been received well in most of the world.
President Erdogan, of Turkey, with largest military in the region, and also a nuclear power, has hinted at intervention in Gaza.
Middle East in Focus
Escalation of trouble in the Middle East is one of five areas of Bible Prophecy serious Bible students follow. Other prophetic keys are punishments in the nations of the descendants of the ancient patriarch Jacob — the English-speaking nations of the world, the rise of a powerful union of nations in Europe, the rise of a powerful church centered in Europe, and finally, the proclamation of the Gospel, or “Good News” of the return of Jesus Christ, and the establishment of God’s Kingdom.
At the “time of the end,” (Daniel 8:17, Daniel 11:35, Daniel 12:4,9) and before the triumphant return of Jesus Christ, these are the five “hot spots” to observe and be aware of.
For now, the spotlight is on Israel, surrounded by mostly hostile nations.
America / Israel Alliance
Putting aside the tactics of the Israeli response, in the past, Israel has been more than able to defend itself. They haven’t needed U.S. funding or assistance in repelling its enemies. So why is the U.S. Congress approving military aid for Israel? Why is the U.S. giving troop support, as well as placing two Aircraft carrier groups in the Mediterranean?
One hint may be found in the book of Hosea. Hosea was a prophet from the Northern Kingdom, Samaria, or Israel, (consisting of 10 tribes who separated from the unified Kingdom after the death of Solomon). but he also prophesied about “Judah.”
In Bible prophecy, there is a clear separation between Israel, (northern 10 tribes) and Judah. In fact, Hosea makes it plain that God’s judgment will be rendered to both Judah and Israel at the same time, an event which never happened in history, as the two kingdoms went into captivity 120 years apart. Note Hosea 5:5 “The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah also stumbles with them.”
This verse indicts the descendants of Israel and Judah in the modern age showing both nations failing at the same time. Both nations are also mentioned in Hosea 8:14:
“For Israel has forgotten his Maker, And has built temples; Judah also has multiplied fortified cities; But I will send fire upon his cities, And it shall devour his palaces.”
It is very clear that the world is now in the formative stages of aligning against both the United States and Israel. Will their combined efforts in defeating Hamas and Hezbollah, both Iranian proxies, be the catalyst for even greater hatred and retribution against both nations? Only time will tell.
Truly, though, we are living in very serious times, and perhaps on the very “Eve of Destruction.”
World News and Prophecy Review