Church Age: Prelude to the Tribulation

In 1948, the two-state solution divided the land between Israel and Palestine. Israel took their land and became a prosperous nation. Palestine refused their land over and over again and went to war. Egypt occupied Gaza and Jordan annexed Judea and Samaria (West Bank of Jordan). After the Six Day War in 1967, Israel captured Gaza, Judea, Samaria, Golan Heights and Sinai. In 1979, Israel returned the Sinai to Egypt and in 1993, gave Palestine self-rule over parts of Gaza, Judea and Samaria. In 2005, Israel surrendered control over Gaza and in 2006, Hamas defeated Fatah in the last election. Hamas has two key principles: conquer Israel and replace it with an Islamic state and reject any permanent peace plan.

Israel has diplomatic relations with Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994). In 2020, the Abrahamic Accords added Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates. Before the war, Israel and Saudi Arabia were negotiating peace. China, Russia and Iran (Axis of Evil) are united for future wars. Now that the Israel-Hamas War has begun, what options get to the Covenant that begins the Tribulation?

2023 Israel-Hamas War to the Covenant: Options

1) No War?

After initial bombing of Gaza City as world opinion turning against Israel, the war fizzles and there is a ceasefire. There is "peace in our time". This usually happens in previous skirmishes but weakness and appeasement always leads to more war. This is Israel's 9/11 but more than 15 times the causalities.

2) War Contained?

After initial bombing of Gaza City as world opinion turning against Israel but Israel stays committed to defeating Hamas in Gaza. The 2014 Gaza War started with kidnapping and murder of three Israelis and later Gaza shooting rockets into Israel. Then Israel sent troops into Gaza to weaken Hamas, find rockets and destroy tunnels that lasted two months. Without regime change, completely destroying the terrorists and a change of heart, Hamas is back in 2023. The world has sought peace in the Middle East since the Ottoman Turks lost Jerusalem in 1918.

3) War Expands?

After two weeks, one failed missile launch from Gaza hit a hospital parking lot. Most Islamic nations have turned against Israel. Iranian proxies shot missiles in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen and the United States struck Iranian bases in Syria and Iraq. There is a possibility this expands to some of Israel's neighbors fulling Psalm 83 prophecy.

Israel fought four major wars in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973 against their neighbors and Arab cousins and now this war. Terrorist groups Hamas is in Gaza and Hezbollah is in Lebanon. Esau refugees (Palestine, south Jordan and south Lebanon), Lot of Ammon and Moab (north and central Jordan) with Hagar (Egypt), Ishmael (Saudi Arabia) and Assyria (Syria, Iraq) unite to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. The Psalm 83 War occurs so the world sees the God of Israel.

[Your enemies] have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against you: the [tents] of Edom [Esau], and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarites; Gebal [northern Lebanon], and Ammon, and Amalek [Esau]; the Philistines [Esau] with the inhabitants of Tyre [southern Lebanon]; Assyria also is joined with them: they have [strengthened] the children of Lot. Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord-that you alone are the Most High over all the earth (Psalm 83:4-6, 7-8, 18).

4) Damascus Destroyed?

The Hamas invasion was supposed to be a coordinated attack of Iran proxies Hamas from Gaza and Hezbollah from Lebanon that overwhelm Israel. The 1973 Yom Kippur War occurred by surprise. Instead, Hamas started early without Hezbollah. Israel sent a warning to Iran that if Hezbollah attacks from the north, Israel would hold Damascus accountable. This happened with previous Gaza conflicts.

Psalm 83 mentions Assyria which is Syria and Iraq. Iran supports terrorists Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis in Yemen. The Israel conflict that includes Syria could fulfill the Damascus prophecy. Damascus is thirty miles from the Israeli border. Ezekiel 38-39 does not mention Syria.

Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee ... (Isaiah 17:1, 13).

5) Egypt Destroyed?

Psalm 83 mentions Hagar who was from Egypt. The Egyptian prophecy describes the destruction of Egypt and the Nile River. In 1970, the Soviet Union built the Aswan Dam in Southern Egypt and erected a tower representing the five pillars of Islam. Since 95 percent of the population lives along the Nile, a tactical nuclear weapon could destroy the dam, flood the riverbanks and leave radioactive waste lasting forty years. Ezekiel 38-39 does not mention Egypt but Antichrist steals from the Egyptian treasury (Daniel 11:42).

Thus says the Lord God; Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lies in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself. Behold, therefore I am against you, and against your rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia. No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years (Ezekiel 29:3, 10-11).

NOTE: Psalm 83, Damascus and Egypt prophecies occur soon but prophecy teachers vary on when these events occur: before the Tribulation, World War III (China), World War IV (Gog-Magog) or World War V (Armageddon). However, this war has the attention of the Church who is awake and watching.

1) Covenant with Many: Tribulation Begins
    First Half of the Tribulation (3½ Years)

Jesus Christ was born ~7-1 BC and died ~27-33 AD, then ~2027-2033 could be the Second Coming. Since years pass, that leaves ~2024-2026 to begin the Tribulation, within the margin of calendar errors. Time is running out.  The war leads to the Covenant: final borders of Israel, status of Jerusalem and sharing the Temple Mount.

He [Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [of years] … (Daniel 9:27).

This gives Israel 3½ years of relative peace to build the Jewish temple. However, nuclear World War III (China vs United States, India) occurs during the first half of the Tribulation.

    Great Tribulation - Second Half of the Tribulation (3½ Years)

After 3½ years passes, ten kings give power to the Antichrist who rules the beast (political system), False Prophet who rules the second beast (religious system) and Mark of the Beast that controls the world (economic system) (Revelation 13:2, 11-12, 16-17, Revelation 17:12-13). See Unholy Trinity.

When you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso reads, let him understand:) Then let them which are in Judaea [Palestine] flee into the mountains. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be (Matthew 24:15-16, 21).

On Saturday, October 7, 2023 (22rd of Tishri, Shemini Atzeret, 8th Day of the Assembly) Hamas brutally targeted civilians of Israel and other nations, shot 6000+ missiles, massacred over 1,400 people, raped women and kidnapped 240+ people. This is the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement) is a terrorist organization that governs the Palestine territory in Gaza but is financially supported by Iran, other countries and the United Nations.

Since Israel is the center of Bible prophecy, where does this war lead? The answer is the end of the Church Age and seven years of Tribulation through the Covenant, Antichrist, Armageddon that ends with the Second Coming and Millennium. Here are key prophetic events of Israel and the Middle East.

World War III ends and World War IV (Gog-Magog, Russian-Radical Islamic War) begins soon after the Antichrist sits in the temple (Revelation 11:14, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). Russia and radical Islamic nations (Libya, Iran, Turkey) usurp the Antichrist's authority and attacks Israel. In 2008 Georgia, and 2014 and 2022 Ukraine, Russia's hook has been oil. This war ends badly for the radical alliance.

After many days you [Gog/Magog] shall be visited: in the latter years you shall come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. You shall ascend and come like a storm, you shall be like a cloud to cover the land, you, and all your bands, and many people with you (Ezekiel 38:8-9).

During the second half of the Tribulation, the Bowl Judgments occur.

I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God upon the earth (Revelation 16:1).

3) Armageddon
    End of the Tribulation (~Last 6 Months)

The 7th seal, 7th trumpet, 6th, 7th bowl is World War V that starts at Armageddon (Revelation 14:17-18, 19-20). The seals, trumpets and bowls include lightning, thunder, voices, earthquake, great hail.

He gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon (Revelation 16:16).

4) Second Coming
    End of the Tribulation (Atonement-Tabernacles)

Jesus Christ returns at the Second Coming. Israel is rescued and redeemed (Zechariah 13:8-9), Antichrist is defeated (Revelation 19:20), Satan is bound (Revelation 20:1-2) and the nations are judged. Then Jesus begins His millennial reign on earth and eternal reign with His people.

I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he [Jesus] that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God (Revelation 19:11-13).

5) Millennium
    After the Tribulation (1000 Years)

I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years (Revelation 20:4).

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6).