What is happening in the Middle East? Are we watching peace draw near, or are we witnessing another cycle of delay and deception? At times, the region seems trapped in a pendulum swing, going nowhere. In just a few days, the message changed dramatically.
On April 20, Trump declared that a deal with Iran would be signed that day, even though talks had not yet officially begun. He promised an agreement far superior to the previous nuclear deal and suggested that peace was within reach. The next day, Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely, saying more time was needed for negotiations. The tone shifted from confrontation to diplomacy, offering another opportunity for peace.
Then, on April 23, after reports that talks had collapsed, the tone shifted again. Trump ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill” Iranian boats laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, signalling a return to direct military warnings.
Within days, the sequence was clear: peace promised, diplomacy extended, then warlike warnings renewed. Why does logic seem not to work in the Middle East? Normally, one would expect that after suffering major losses, the government of Iran would quickly seek an agreement with the United States, the far stronger military power. Yet events do not unfold so simply.
Why not? Because the conflict runs deeper than armies, weapons, and negotiations. Scripture reminds us that our struggle is not merely against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers of darkness in this age. Such forces are not swayed by ordinary consequences.
The mightiest nation on earth may threaten bridges, power grids, and military targets, yet the opponent remains unmoved. By human reasoning, the war should already be over. Iran has suffered heavy losses. But evil does not operate by logic. It is driven by rebellion, pride, and a determination to harm. This may explain why even the sharpest politicians cannot make sense of the sequence of events. And economists are beginning to panic as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz increasingly affects the global economy, causing a shock shortage of energy.
Then, just last Thursday, the head of the International Energy Agency, the organization that has advised governments and monitored global energy markets since the 1970s, warned: “We are facing the biggest energy security threat in history.” For instance, one of the world’s largest airlines, Lufthansa, has already cut 20,000 summer flights as fuel prices surge. Other airlines, including Air Canada and Delta, have also begun reducing flights. Jet fuel prices have doubled since the start of the war, and no one seems able to stop the crisis, especially the Iranian government, which appears unmoved even by the suffering of its own people. However, this is not the end, and a few things must still happen before the final confrontation. Yet this crisis will leave deep scars on world politics, many of which will shape the very near future.
But as these events continue to shape the world, they and others are also contributing to Israel’s growing isolation and fueling a marked rise in anti-Israel sentiment. Last month, a Pew survey conducted March 23 to 29 found that unfavorable views of Israel had risen sharply. According to the survey, 60% of Americans now hold unfavorable views of Israel, and that number climbs to 70% among those aged 18 to 49, the future generation.
After Trump, it is increasingly uncertain whether America will remain Israel’s friend and supporter. The United States is the last major ally standing. If it shifts its position toward Israel, Israel will stand alone in the sea of nations, as prophecy says it will in the last days. Are we slowly entering a crucial era of prophetic fulfillment? This reminds us of something we have already seen in Scripture—Exodus 1:8 says, “Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” Who might the next president be, who might not hold Israel in the same light as today?
We also read a striking statement by Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a religious Jew and Israel’s Minister of Finance. Last Tuesday, April 21st, during the transition from Yom HaZikaron (Remembrance Day) to Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, he declared that the nation would rebuild settlements in Gaza to fulfill prophecy. He said: “We are not just reading the prophecies; we are privileged to be the generation that fulfills them.”
It is true that the Messiah is coming, but what about the other prophecies in the Tanach that will accompany His Coming? How can someone simply choose the prophecies he prefers while ignoring many others, even the Talmud, their own sacred tradition, warns about, and which speak of fierce wars the world has never seen before?
Imagine a man walking into a vast library filled with thousands of books. He goes straight to a shelf, pulls out a single page, reads a sentence he likes, and declares, “Now I understand the whole story.” Yet he ignores the chapters before it, the warnings after it, and the ending that gives the story its true meaning. That is what happens when people choose only the prophecies they prefer and neglect the rest of God’s Word.
His statement reflects the mindset of many religious Jews in Israel who are living with the expectation that the Messiah could come at any moment now, restore the kingdom, and fully secure the land for the people of Israel. For them, current events are not merely political developments, but signs that redemption may be drawing near.
The prophet Amos warned against this kind of unfounded optimism. He addressed the same problem Israel faced in his day: enemy nations were preparing to strike, yet the people were unaware and spiritually unprepared. He declared, “Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord! For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you? It will be darkness and not light.” Amos 5:18
The Day of the Lord is the period surrounding the Messiah’s coming, but Amos and all other prophets agree that it will be preceded by judgment and tribulation. Before anyone claims the promises of restoration, they must first heed the warnings of judgment, for the road to the Kingdom always passes through repentance, purification, and the fulfillment of all that God has spoken.
There is one more striking piece of information I want to share with you. After so many weeks of war and disruption to Israeli life and the economy, one would expect Israel to be facing deep financial trouble. But listen to this: On April 15th, reports said the Israeli currency, the shekel, had reached one of its strongest levels against the U.S. dollar since 1995. It had risen 5% since the war began. Israeli media, such as The Times of Israel, attributed this to growing optimism about an improvement in Israel’s geopolitical situation. But that cannot be the whole explanation. This is another remarkable sign of God’s protection over this country; otherwise, it would have been completely swallowed up by these wars and pressures from the nations. This is another reminder that God is with His people, and He will be until the very end.
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