![]() Currently, there are three major regional powers in the Middle East vying for supremacy: Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. The power structure of the world, and especially of the Middle East is likely to change, with a trend toward consolidation of power.(Many translations render Yavan as Greece.) Four kingdoms emerge (verse 8), leading to the rise of the Antichrist (the “little horn”). We believe this stands for Turkey, based on the connection to the territory of Javan (or Yavan) in verse 21. This war describes Iran (the ram) conquering new territory, but being overcome by “the goat”. Before the end, we will see war between the powers in the Middle East as described in Daniel 8:1-14.Either way, the scenario is that Israel will be attacked by its neighbors and other major powers, but will be miraculously delivered by the hand of God. If this war happens sooner rather than later, it will be hard to miss-but if it happens later rather than sooner, we shouldn’t let the absence of it affect our perception of other signs. Others believe this war describes the battle of Armageddon, which happens at the triumphant return of Christ near the end of Revelation. Some believe the “Gog of Magog” war, described in Ezekiel 38-39, will come before the events of Revelation.When these things come to pass, the world is one step closer to the resolution of the age. However, it is still worthwhile to pay attention to military actions in the Middle East because there are some unfulfilled Old Testament prophecies about wars. Yes, war has been a regular feature in most of human history, and it is one of the things that Jesus said does not mean that the end has come. We are not completely in the dark, and while no one knows the day or the hour of Christ’s return, we should be able to see it coming. The takeaway from these prophetic passages is that there are signs to watch for. However, there will eventually be one giant, unmistakeable sign that ushers in a “great tribulation,” followed immediately by His return. But Jesus is careful to explain that although these things must happen, they do not mean that the end is near. In Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13, Jesus gave a list of “the beginning of birth pangs” that would be precursors to His return, including persecution of the saints, false messiahs, wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. But there are many signs which will show we are nearing the end of the end times, the events of the book of Revelation that describe the final years leading to the return of Jesus Christ. The apostles considered themselves to be living in the end times, which biblically means the period of the new covenant leading up to the second coming of Jesus. The “end times” started in the first century AD.
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