By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post #355 ~
Sadly, sovereignly, and purposely, there’s another war going on, this one with three internationally significant countries – Israel, Iran, and the United States. But how does this war relate to the end-times, to the future God has planned for us? Politicians, academians, the news media, and other so-called experts all have opinions as to the nature of this war and what will happen next. But as Christians, we shouldn’t focus on what man says, but on what God tells us in His word.
First, let’s look at some general truths:
1. God’s eschatological word is true (Ps. 119:143), is what we must believe, and what instructs us about what is occurring in our world now and in the future. God gives us a good outline about what will be taking place, but He doesn’t tell us everything, only what we need to know. And don’t speculate and say things about this world and its future that aren’t based on God’s word.
2. God always works with nations (Gen. 10, Dan. 2:20-21). In these final years before Christ’s coming and earthly reign, God is realigning nations according to His end-times’ plan. That He brought Israel back to her land is the #1 sign that we live in the end-times (Ez. 37:21-24). Be thrilled that God’s prophetic word is now being fulfilled in this world.
3. God’s purposes and plans will be carried out, completely and perfectly so. No ruler, nation, devil, or person can thwart what God has decreed from eternity past. (Ps. 2; 33:10-12). The war that Israel and the United States are waging is what God wants them to do, for He is sovereign, and He uses countries for His divine purposes. “I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure, calling… the man of My purpose from a far country. Truly, I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.’” Is. 46:9-11
4. God’s end-times’ plan for the Jews are related to His end-times’ plan for the church. Look at these side-by-side passages that show that God is working concurrently with both the Jews and the church. (Matt. 24:9-14, 15-27; Lk. 21:12-19, 20-24; 1 Th. 2:1-9; Rev. 7:4-8, 9-17). It’s by knowing God’s word and what’s taking place in this world that you realize that it won’t be long before Christ returns for His church. That Christ is coming soon should truly stir your heart with love for Him. “I myself will see Him with my own eyes… How my heart yearns within me.” Job 19:25-27
Here are some eschatological events that will be happening in these end-times:
1. Birth pains: Matt. 24:6-8 talks of birth pangs, and one is “wars and rumors of war.” This Iran war is a birth pang, and there will be more and more wars, and famines and earthquakes too. Vs. 8 tells us that “these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs” which means we are not to think that Christ’s return will happen right away. “These things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.” Lk. 21:9
2. Confirming a covenant: Dan. 9:27 states that Israel will confirm a treaty with many nations at the beginning of Dan. 70th week. A key player in this confirmation is a person known as the Antichrist (1 Jn. 2:18). The primary reason Israel is fighting Iran is to gain peace and security, but it sure won’t happen because of this present war or this future treaty, but only because Christ will return and defeat His enemies at Armageddon, one of which will be Iran, aka Persia.
3. Abomination of desolation: Dan. 9:27 and 2 Th. 2:4 tell us that the Antichrist will show His hate for the Jews by desecrating and desolating their temple in Jerusalem. This happens at the midpoint of Dan. 70th week. Soon after this, the Antichrist will begin persecuting both Jews and Christians, but only for a short time. Matt. 24:9, 21-22; Rev. 12:13-17
4. Rapture of the church: Christ returns to rapture the church at the end of this age, at His coming, which is immediately after this persecution is cut short and just before God’s wrath is poured out on earth, sometime during the last half of Dan. 70th week. (1 Th. 1:10, 4:15-18). Israel and Iran, and I believe the United States too, will still exist on earth after the rapture.
5. Salvation of a remnant of Jews: At the end of Dan. 70th week, God will spiritually save a large remnant of Jews. “All Israel will be saved, just as it is written. ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.’” Rom. 11:25-26, Is. 45:17, Jer. 31:31-34
6. Defeat of Antichrist’s kingdom: Rev. 16 speaks of the fast-happening bowl judgments. They describe God’s plan to justly punish unrepentant unbelievers on earth, as well as to destroy Antichrist’s kingdom – which happens at the battle of Armageddon. Iran will be part of this final battle and will be royally defeated. Rev. 16:13-21, 19:20-21
7. The millennial kingdom: Christ’s kingdom will begin (Rev. 20) after the defeat of Antichrist’s kingdom. The saved Jewish remnant will live in Israel and, along with other believers, reign with Christ over the world ((Is. 60-62, Rev. 5:10). This glorious kingdom will display the power, love, goodness, justice, and rule of Christ on earth. “He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet… When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.” 1 Cor. 15:25
Let me now tell you how the United States, Iran, and Israel each relate to end-times’ prophecy:
1. United States: Since its beginning days, close to 250 years ago, the United States has been extremely blessed – economically, technologically, militarily, and spiritually. Since WW 2, they have been the most powerful, prosperous, and influential country in the world. Without question, God raised up the United States and is now using her for His purposes in these end-times. And this war is an important part of God’s perfect plan to bring about the return of His Son – and only God knows exactly how this war will affect this country.
Know also that the United States, especially since the ‘60’s, has been in severe spiritual decline. And it’s because of her sin, her widespread evil, her rebellion against God. Rom. 1:18-32 sums up this decline and depravity that we are now witnessing. Yes, there is a spiritual remnant in this country, but God cannot ignore this spiritual, stage-4 cancer. He has to judge her! Read more about the United States in these recent posts – 343, 344, 345, 346, and 347.
The United States, because of her grave sin, will grow sicker and weaker, and will soon lose her status as the world’s most significant and powerful nation. And we don’t know what country will replace her, will become the #1 global power. But sooner or later, the Antichrist, along with his 10-nation kingdom, will be #1 and will rule this earth, and be worshiped all over the world. Rev. 13:3-5
2. Iran: Iran is one of the longest, continually existing countries and civilizations. Biblically, we go back to Cyrus the Great, who conquered Media and created the Medo-Persian empire in 550BC, which went on to defeat the Babylonian Empire in 539BC (Dan. 5). Daniel, Esther, Ezra, and Nehemiah all lived in Medo-Persia, as did King Xerxes and King Artaxerxes.
Dan. 2:39, 7:5, and 8:20 all speak of Medo-Persia as existing in the end-times. Dan. 10:20 talks of “the prince of Persia”, an evil angel, fighting against Michael, a good angel, “one of the chief princes” (Dan. 10:13, Rev. 12:7-8). This is in the context of “what will happen to your (Daniel’s) people in the latter days” (Dan. 10:14). Revelation, the last book in the Bible, talks of “a great, fiery red dragon” (12:3) and this is “the devil and Satan” (12:9). The devil has already inspired seven different kingdoms to defeat Israel, a chief enemy – and these include Medo-Persia (vs. 3). But the devil has always failed, for God is holy, wiser, and infinitely stronger. Dan. 4:34-35
Spiritual battles are continuing in 2026 in countries all over the world. This war in Iran is physical in nature, but also spiritual (Eph. 6:10-12). Ez. 38, like Dan. 10, is about this physical / spiritual battle in“the latter years” (Ez. 38:8), the final battle on this earth. Ez. 38:5 tells us that Persia is one of the countries united with the Antichrist in opposing God and Israel – but the Antichrist and his kingdom is easily defeated by Jesus Christ. “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” Dan. 2:44
It’s true that the United States and Israel are hammering, are pounding Iran with tons of bombs, and it’s deserved. “Let the nations be judged” (Ps. 9:19b). The news is that Iran is militarily being degraded, decimated, and diminished, but Daniel wants us to know that she won’t be totally destroyed, at least not at this time. None of us know how Iran will recover from what looks like certain defeat, but God’s word, the “Scripture of Truth” (Dan. 10:21), is making it clear that she will continue on until that day when Jesus Christ defeats her. Ez. 38-39
3. Israel: God planned for Israel to be a great nation and a blessing to the whole world, and he told this to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3). The Old Testament focuses on God’s patient working with Israel, on her victories and sins, and on her history (Gen. 12 – Mal. 4). Through Israel, Christ was born (Rev. 12:5). But during Christ’s ministry years, the Jews, as a whole, rejected Him as their Messiah and, consequently, were scattered all over the world (Lk. 21:20-24). God began gathering them back to their land in the late 1800’s (Jer. 32-37-41), and in 1948, they once again became a nation. Since then, they have continually had enemies, and this is true today. But Israel, because of God’s word, because of His promise to her, has not been wiped out – and though the whole world fights against her (Zech. 12:3), she will keep going and be victorious.
As mentioned earlier, the next major event is Israel confirming a treaty with the Antichrist at the beginning of Dan. 70th week (Dan. 9:27). At the midpoint of those 7 years is when the Antichrist desolates Israel’s temple and begins greatly persecuting them. Miraculously, many Jews will escape (Rev. 12:13-16), be saved at the end of that 70th week, and take back all their land (from the River to the Sea), and reign with Christ over the world during the kingdom ages (2 Sam. 7:12-13, 16). Indeed, Israel will be an eternally and greatly blessed nation.“Praise the Lord, all nations, laud Him, all peoples! For His love is great toward us (Israel), and the truth of the Lord is everlasting.” Ps. 117, Ps. 72:18-19
Here are some concluding statements:
1. God is reconfiguring the geopolitical landscape of the world in these end-times so that it’s just the way He wants it to be. God has given us an idea of what this will look like, but none of us will know all the details. But it’s all coming together and leading to the return of Jesus Christ, His Son.
2. God is now working with every nation, person, and event – all the pieces must pefectly fit together to bring about Christ’s coming, the rapture of the church, your glorification, the judgment of the world, the salvation of the Jews, the defeat of the Antichrist, and Christ’s reign over this world. Rom. 8:28-30, Eph. 1:9-12
3. Don’t ever be afraid! Know the Lord and what He says in His word, and you will be filled with faith, hope, and courage, and “see the day drawing near.” Heb. 10:25
4. God works with individuals, churches, and nations. So learn about the end-times, work with Christ in sharing the gospel with individuals, build the church, and make disciples of all the nations. Matt. 24:3-46, 24:14, 16:18, 28:19-20
5. Be a watchman (“keep watch” – Matt. 24:42), and tell others everything you know about about Christ’s return. Be a “faithful and wise slave.” Matt. 24:45
6. The United States may win this war, but don’t forget that she is now being judged by God because of her sin. Sooner or later, she will decline in power and no longer be very influential in this world. Iran will survive this war with Israel and the United States, and continue on until Christ defeats her and the Antichrist’s kingdom. Finally and eventually, Israel will, with Christ, defeat all her enemies, and then forever reign over the world with Him.
7. As for yourself, remember that God is victorious, and that you are an overcomer. “In all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” Rom. 8:35-39
P.S. I love the fact that by reading and studying God’s word, we can get a basic understanding of our future. So be reading and studying. Here are two posts that will help you understand what I am talking about today: “World History and International Studies“ and “The Downfall of the United States Before the Return of Christ.”