Dear Brethren and Co-workers with Christ,
War has once again broken out in the Middle East, and this is no small skirmish. It is war, and a very serious one that could easily escalate into something far worse. Events are fluid. Who knows where events will have led by the time you receive this? We now have a full-blown war in the Middle East that is in many ways even more dangerous than the one between Russia and Ukraine, though either conflict has the potential to drag other nations in more directly.
At the beginning of each year, our Tomorrow’s World telecast gives viewers trends to look for in the new year. For 2022, I said, “When you think it cannot get any worse, it will!” And it did! And it will continue to get worse. Yes, there will be ups and downs, but the overall trend is certain. As long as mankind continues to arrogantly reject its Creator and descend further and further into immorality, our world is destined for nothing but trouble.
In the telecast recorded at the end of 2022, my third trend to watch for in 2023 was: “But also, don’t forget what is happening in the Middle East. Jerusalem is at the center of many Bible prophecies. So, expect greater tension in the Middle East between Israel and her neighbors.” This prediction was not based on a crystal ball or a spook in the night, but on Bible prophecy.
The hope of Middle East peace was actually on the rise after the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain on September 15, 2020. This initial step to bring about normalization of relations was expanded further to Morocco and Sudan in the months that followed. Enthusiasm for peace was buoyed by recent statements coming from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia and Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, indicating that normalization between the two countries was possible in the very near future. But then came the brutal and barbaric surprise attack on Israel 50 years after the Yom Kipper surprise attack. This time it was on another biblical Holy Day and Sabbath, celebrated by many Jews. Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, murdering hundreds of civilians, raping women, beheading children, and taking hostages back to Gaza to use as bargaining chips and human shields. Many believe the attack was specifically designed to rally the Arab world against Israel and sabotage any chance of peace between the Saudi kingdom and Israel. And as I finish writing this letter, it looks like Hezbollah is entering into the fray of attacks against Israel.
While the world was hoping—even cautiously believing—that peace could be in the offing, Bible prophecy reveals a very different story. Scripture foretells a time at the end of the age when Judah (today’s Jewish state called Israel) will be a troublesome stone on the world scene and all attempts to solve the problem will only bring sorrow. “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it” (Zechariah 12:2-3).
That is the state of Jerusalem and Israel today—a troublesome stone—exactly as foretold 2,500 years ago. Much, but not all, of the reason for the conflict is religion. When this prophecy was written, Christianity was still half a millennium off in the future and Islam would not arise for another 600 years after Christianity. And from 135 AD until 1948, there was no Jewish state. And the Jews did not control the whole of Jerusalem until 1967. For more than 1,800 years these prophecies could not be fulfilled. These prophecies regarding the Jews and Jerusalem are for our time today!
Conflict over the Jewish state will continue to the very end, until the time known as “the day of the Lord,” when God will intervene powerfully in world affairs. “Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city” (Zechariah 14:1-2). This is not yet that time. Much has yet to happen according to Bible prophecy, but that time cannot be far off. The wise will continue to watch events in Europe and the Middle East. If you have not read our booklet, The Middle East in Prophecy, be sure to let us know and we will happily send you a free copy.
Dear members and co-workers, those who have eyes to see can recognize that world events, as outlined in Scripture, have sped up dramatically. Many troubles—too many to list here—are converging during this most dangerous time in mankind’s history. Israel’s government has been severely divided for several years. The United States left behind billions of dollars in military hardware in its disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal and is dramatically depleting military supplies over the war in Ukraine. Many question the cognitive state of the president and wonder who is really in charge calling the shots. On the other side of the political aisle, Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his position as Speaker of the House of Representatives—a first in the nation’s history—effectively putting all business on hold during this critical time until a new Speaker can be elected. It appears that if anything can go wrong, it will.
Referring again to my “2023 in Bible Prophecy” telecast, recorded in November 2022, I stated: “Yes, when you think it can’t get any worse, 2023 may once again prove that notion wrong. The United States, Britain, Australia, Canada, and other British-descended peoples are on a downward spiral, and unless we turn back to God—and we see no evidence of that—no elected leader will save us. We will have ups and downs, but the trend will continue down.”
Members and co-workers, time is short. By that I do not mean that next year, or the year after, will begin the three-and-a-half year period the Bible calls the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord, but stage-setting troubles can and will come at any moment. The time of Jacob’s trouble (see our booklet The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy) could descend on us sooner than we might expect. However, God gives us fair warning: “But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:48-51).
Nevertheless, let us never forget these words of Jesus Christ: “By your patience possess your souls” (Luke 21:19). Nor, let us fail to remember these encouraging words: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (v. 28).
Yes, there is good news. Christ will return to stop our insanity (Matthew 24:21-22). He will set up a world-ruling kingdom, and He will be “King over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:9). Nations will “beat their swords into plowshares” (Isaiah 2:2-4). And there will be a lasting peace under His rule when adversarial nations will work together in harmony (Isaiah 19:24-25).
Thank you, dear members and co-workers, for all your support in this Work of the living God. Life on this earth is short, but there is a reward for those who put God first in their lives, and that reward is eternal life. That is the reward that truly matters.
Sincerely, in Christ’s service,
Gerald E. Weston
P.S. You’ll be reading more about this in the January-February 2024 Tomorrow’s World magazine. Because of time needed for printing and mailing, the November-December 2023 issue went to press prior to the Hamas invasion.