Hi friends! We’re spending a few days considering what God’s Word has to say about the time and season in which we live. It is clear: the world we live in today is not the one we grew up in. Something is happening and even non-believers are commenting on what seems to be coming disaster.

Yesterday, we took a sidestep to hear Amir Tsarfati, an Israeli, describe what is happening in Israel right now. It was a sobering report, but I hope you listened all the way through because, as believers, we know how this all plays out, and Amir brought that to our attention as well!

In continuing with a focus on Israel, today would be a great day to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is said to be a time of fasting, reflection, community and charity, yet it proves differently every year as extreme violence breaks out in Israel. In fact, the last Friday of Ramadan is known as International Quds Day, an annual day of organized protest in cities around the world against Israel and in solidarity with the Palestinians. If it were only about solidarity, it would be one thing, but the fact that a protest organized by the Iranian government is meant to target and actually destroy the “Zionist regime” tells us all we need to know.

Chants of “Death to Israel, Death to America” will be heard in demonstrations around the world (including US cities), and overt Anti-Semitism will be commonplace. These will not be little rallies led by unknown radicals. They are acts of violence encouraged by Iranian leaders. Here is what Ayatollah Khomeini said when Quds Day was inaugurated following the 1979 Iranian Revolution:

I invite Muslims all over the globe to consecrate the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan as Al-Quds Day and to proclaim the international solidarity of Muslims in support of the legitimate rights of the Muslim people of Palestine. …I ask all the Muslims of the world and the Muslim governments to join together to sever the hand of the usurper [Israel] and its supporters. …I ask God Almighty for the victory of the Muslims over the infidels.”

~Ayatollah Khomeini, August 7, 1979

Since the 1979 revolution, Iran’s intention has been to make a global issue of the “Palestinian struggle” in order to claim leadership over them and conscript them into service to carry out the Iran’s evil agenda without putting Iranian lives on the line or subjecting Iran to direct attack. After all, they can say it was the Palestinians who caused the trouble, and it will be the Palestinians (and other Iranian proxies) who take the hit.

It is pathetic, yet fits exactly with what the Bible describes as the last days. Deception…convince the Palestinians to do the dirty work of the Iranian ayatollahs. Iran has absolutely no concern for the Palestinian people, whether they live or whether they die. They are simply cannon fodder to be used to accomplish Iran’s evil schemes. That’s what deception does.

Certainly, the Bible warns of great deception in the last days. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Matthew 24:4, Ephesians 5:6) We are also warned of an evil coalition, including Iran, who will attack Israel in the last days. (Ezekiel 38) Those coalition partners are already in alliance with one another, and in place and present on Israel’s northern border.

Indeed, we are not living in the world we grew up in. What we see in the world today should strike fear into the heart of every person. Unless, of course, you know and put your faith in Jesus Christ. For those of us who have, there is absolutely nothing to fear! God’s promises have proven true from the beginning of time, and they will not cease to be every bit as true today!

Dear friends, Israel WILL stand…with or without any other nation on earth.

Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

~Psalm 121:4

124 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,”
Let Israel now say—
² “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
When men rose up against us,
³ Then they would have swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us.

~Psalm 124:1-3

My all-time favorite passage regarding Israel’s staying power:

³⁵ Thus says the Lord,
Who gives the sun for a light by day,
The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night,
Who disturbs the sea,
And its waves roar
(The Lord of hosts is His name):

³⁶ “If those ordinances depart
From before Me, says the Lord,
Then the seed of Israel shall also cease
From being a nation before Me forever.”

~Jeremiah 31:35-36

Iran and their friends would be more successful trying to shoot down the moon and stars than to wipe Israel off the map!

But let’s make it personal. God’s faithfulness to Israel is the guarantee of His faithfulness to us as believers. That means we can rest assured that when He tells us He did not destine us to wrath, but intends to rescue us from it, we can trust Him 100%! (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10) Do you believe that? If so, there is no need to fear!

So, enjoy your freedom from fear, and please pray for Israel today.