Our world is shifting at a breathtaking pace, and the conditions we see today are shaping the perfect stage for what the Scriptures call the Tribulation or the Day of the Lord. According to the prophet Daniel, this time will last seven years, a period of unparalleled conflict between nations, unlike anything the world has ever witnessed. But this brings us to a vital question: What will ignite the coming seven-year period? Which prophecy, once fulfilled, will set it in motion?
According to Daniel 9:27, this period will begin with the confirmation of a covenant, a security pact between a dominant world power and the nation of Israel. Why would Israel need to seek such a treaty of peace and protection? This is when we look around us and begin to realize that this period is not that far away.
The nations of the world are presently rallying against this small piece of land that is Israel, throwing accusations of oppression, apartheid, starvation, and even the deliberate killing of children, charges often built on distorted and fabricated reports. Furthermore, day by day, acts of antisemitism are escalating across the globe. And now, nations such as Canada, France, Ireland, Spain, and England, which were, before this, friends of Israel, are pressing for the recognition of a Palestinian state, without showing much concern about the survival of Israel. Today, we are coming very close to the time when Israel would need such a security treaty.
Yet, what is striking is that in the midst of all this turmoil, we hear talk of peace in the Middle East. How can peace with Israel be discussed while, at the same time, voices call for Israel’s destruction? These behind-the-scenes actions align perfectly with what Scripture has foretold. Daniel the prophet also indicates that the first part of this coming 7-Year Tribulation period will be one of prosperity and seeming peace, and today we see traces of this coming peace over the Middle East.
Let’s look at some information that is not so publicized today. These past weeks, Israel has signed its largest gas deal with Egypt, amounting to $35 billion. Israel has a massive offshore natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea called Leviathan. The agreement between Israel and Egypt will nearly triple the yearly supply of natural gas from Israel’s offshore Leviathan field to Egypt, while significantly increasing state revenue.
In the past few weeks, peace talks between Syria and Israel have been ongoing. Last Tuesday, Syria’s foreign minister confirmed that it held a rare meeting with an Israeli delegation in Paris. The talks were brokered by the United States, which has been pushing for Syria and Israel to normalize relations, and it is working. Furthermore, the United States has been pushing for the continuity of the Abraham Accords, attempting to bring peace between Muslim countries and Israel; four countries have already signed: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. According to Trump, others such as Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia will soon follow.
Isn’t it strange that we have these two, almost contradictory pieces of news: on the one side, the world is turning against Jews and Israel, but on the other, there are economic negotiations, peace talks, and even plans made toward the rebuilding of the Third Temple in Jerusalem. This is precisely how Daniel the prophet predicted the situation would be at the end, and we are coming closer to this moment, when the Tribulation time will begin.
This is what the prophecy says, “And he –(the coming world leader John calls the Antichrist) – will make a firm covenant with the many for 7 years, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering” Daniel 9:27. And so, he comes first on a white horse, pretending peace, then, in the middle of the 7 years, wars will be unleashed all over.
The last three and a half years are confirmed by John in the Book of Revelation, described as a period of war lasting 42 months or 1,260 days—exactly three and a half years. John also sees the world in a heightened state of riches and prosperity just before the wars begin, as we read in Revelation 18. This then explains how we can have such peace in the Middle East when at the same time the nations of the world are raging against Israel.
But beyond these things, there is some great news. The Lord is at work in a most wonderful way. Let us go to Gaza, where we hear that more and more people from this tiny strip are coming to a saving knowledge of Yeshua. How is this happening?
Because it is so difficult to openly proclaim the Word in these regions, God Himself is breaking through in extraordinary ways. We hear reports from Gaza about those who are encountering Yeshua through visions and dreams. One powerful testimony comes from Taysir Saada, a former PLO sniper who became a follower of Yeshua and later a Christian leader. Last year, in an interview with CBN, he shared that more than 200 Gazans reported seeing Yeshua in dreams and visions, leading them to a saving, eternal faith. And his is not an isolated account. Other ministries confirm the same phenomenon, not only in Gaza but across the world. As Mission Network News declared, “We’re seeing Muslims encounter dreams and visions of Jesus all over the world.”
But here is something just as remarkable. We are hearing similar testimonies among religious Jews. It is nothing less than amazing that there are Haredi Jews (ultra-orthodox), even more than 10 who can be accounted for, and who knows how many more, who have either accepted Yeshua or are in the process of inquiry to know more about Him. We also hear that dreams and visions are the means by which many of those have their encounter. This is wonderful news!
Let us not forget that the Tribulation will not only be a time of judgment, but also a time of great revival, and the first signs of that revival are already appearing. These two dimensions, judgment and restoration, stand at the very heart of end-time prophecies, and nowhere is this more vividly proclaimed than in the Book of Joel, where both aspects are revealed with unmatched power and urgency.
Click here for the Video: Israel and the Nations: Countdown to the Final Hour