The world is in chaos. Antifa and other Marxist groups are stirring violence in America and Europe. China and India are clashing on their borders. China has infected the world with a tremendous pestilence that shut down and crippled the most robust economies across the globe. Israel’s government is in turmoil. Turkey has been bombing northern Iraq and is in conflict with Libya. The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency has reprimanded Iran for covertly developing both nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems. In Nigeria, Islamic terrorists, Boko Haram and the Fulani are committing genocide on Christians. These events could be tied into the end time prophecies of the Bible, but the end is not yet.
While America’s eyes have been focused on COVID-19, the prophecy clock has moved forward. There are many Christian teachers and preachers teaching that we are now living in the biblical tribulation (Send them money and they will tell you more). They are deceived. We are not yet living in the time more accurately depicted as Jacob’s Troubles. But these current events may well be the precursor to that time. In the most chronologically ordered description of what will happen in the end of days, Christ began in Matthew 24:4 by saying, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Then he went on to describe the events of the end times. He said there will be wars, rumors of wars, pestilences, earthquakes, false christs and false prophets, but the end is not yet, these are what he described as the beginning of sorrows.
In Daniel 8:19, Gabriel says, “Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. The ram which you saw having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia.” Strong’s Concordance interprets the word “Grecia” in Hebrew as “Yavan, a son of Japheth (the third son of Noah),” his descendants and their land.” The Genesis 10 table of nations indicates this area was not only Greece (as Bible interpretations imply), but also the Eastern Mediterranean, including key parts of today’s Turkey. Noah’s grandsons Gomer, Magog, Meshech, Tubal are specifically mentioned in Ezekiel 38 as part of a coalition led by Gog of Magog against Israel. Currently, Iran has control over much of Iraq and Syria. Turkey is challenging that control.
For Ezekiel 38 and Daniel 8 to be fulfilled, Iran (Persia) must submit to Turkey’s (Magog, Meshech, Tubal) leadership against Israel. Currently, these major prophetic actors are in turmoil. Turkey is in contention with Libya and Iraq. Iran is aggressively trying to build nuclear weapons and is a major disruptor nation in Syria. Islam continues to persecute Jews and Christians. Israel is divided politically and is considering a US-brokered agreement to divide its land with the “Palestinians.” As these events develop, Christians and Jews should keep their eyes open. When you recognize the “beast” (antichrist) arising from among these actors, you will know that the time is near, even at the door.
