Gaza

This transcript was generated automatically. Its accuracy may vary

Short Summary
The discourse interprets the recent conflict in Gaza as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy, emphasizing that the turmoil is part of God’s sovereign plan for the restoration and salvation of Israel, which will ultimately benefit the entire world. It stresses that the land, including Gaza, was divinely granted to Israel through an unbreakable covenant with Abraham, and that the ongoing conflict reflects an ancient spiritual enmity rather than mere political rivalry. The speaker urges believers to view current events through the lens of scripture, remain steadfast in faith, and pray for God’s will and the spiritual awakening of Israel.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Discourse on Gaza (Approx. 500 words)

Introduction: Context and Emotional Climate
– The discourse begins by acknowledging the global chaos and confusion following the tragic events of October 7th involving Gaza.
– The world views Gaza as a humanitarian crisis and a seemingly endless cycle of violence.
– As followers of Jesus Christ, believers feel pain and sympathy for the innocent suffering caused by others’ foolishness.
– A key question arises for Christians: *Where is God in all this? What should our perspective be?*

God’s Sovereign Plan and Biblical Certainty
– The speaker emphasizes that answers are not found in news media but in the Scriptures.
– The events in Gaza are not random but prophesied and part of God’s sovereign plan for Israel and ultimately the world.
– This plan involves two ages of redemption: salvation of Israel first, then the whole world.
– God is saving Israel without their belief, a powerful prelude to the salvation of the world through Jesus Christ.
– Believers’ faith amid chaos brings hope, peace, and safety.

Prophetic Foundation: Micah 4:1-3
– The prophecy describes Israel rising to prominence (“mountain of the house of the Lord”) above all nations.
– Nations will come to learn God’s ways from Jerusalem; swords will be beaten into plowshares—no more war.
– This future salvation is near and will start with Israel before extending globally.

Ancient Roots of Modern Conflict
– Gaza was the heartland of the Philistines, ancient enemies of Israel, described in Jeremiah 47:4 and Amos 9:7.
– The Philistines were immigrants from Caftor (likely Crete), not native Canaanites.
– Samson’s story (Judges 16) exemplifies the bitter conflict.
– Ezekiel 25:15 reveals the conflict is not mere politics but a deep spiritual hatred aimed at destroying Israel.
– The modern Gaza population is Arab, not Philistine by blood, but the conflict reflects the ancient spiritual enmity.
– Psalm 83 speaks of this ongoing spiritual battle.
– Hamas’ 1988 charter calls for Israel’s obliteration, reflecting this “everlasting enmity” (Ezekiel 25:15).

Collective Responsibility and Judgment
– When populations support violent authorities like Hamas, they become complicit in sin and subject to divine judgment.
– The people of Gaza allowed their land to be used for terror; some families participated in hostage captivity, a war crime.
– A slow rejection of Israel even among some Christian communities is noted, suggesting end-times proximity.

Signs of the Times: Luke 21:25-28
– Jesus predicted signs in sun, moon, stars (representing gospel, law, apostles’ teachings) growing dim.
– Nations are in distress and confusion, paralleling today’s bewilderment and loss of trust in truth.
– These signs coincide with Israel’s restoration (parable of the fig tree / Ezekiel 37).

God’s Unbreakable Covenant and Title Deed to the Land
– Genesis 15:18: God’s covenant with Abraham grants the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates.
– This covenant is unconditional, irrevocable (Romans 11:29), and includes Gaza, Judea, Samaria (West Bank).
– Obadiah 1:19 and Joshua 13:2-3 affirm the land, including Philistine territory, belongs to Israel.
– No biblical provision exists for a two-state solution.
– Sympathy exists for innocent Arabs, but the land is God’s exclusive gift to Abraham’s descendants.
– Giving away the land for peace would be sinning against God.

Prophecies of Judgment on Gaza and Philistine Cities
– Amos 1:6-7 prophesies fire devouring Gaza’s strongholds, fulfilled by current destruction.
– Zephaniah 2:4-5 predicts Gaza’s desolation and emptiness.
– Ezekiel 25:15-17 describes God’s great vengeance on the Philistines for their hatred.
– Gaza is the last of the four Philistine cities still outside Israel’s control; the others (Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron) are under Israel.
– This judgment paves the way for Israel’s restoration and future global salvation (Micah 4; Zechariah 8:23).

Providence in Enemy’s Strategic Failure
– Hamas’ attack was poorly coordinated and isolated, preventing a wider war.
– This is seen as God’s protecting hand preserving Israel.
– Israel’s sanctification is twofold: external purification of the land and internal spiritual awakening.

Application and Charge to Believers
– Christians should:
1. Watch with understanding – view events through Bible prophecy, not worldly narratives.
2. Pray with purpose – for God’s perfect will, Israel’s victory, full restoration, and Jewish spiritual awakening.
3. Stand with confidence – trust God’s irrevocable promises made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
– The turmoil is not God’s absence but evidence of His work and the nearness of His Kingdom.
– Psalm 46:2-3 (paraphrased): “Therefore we will not fear though the earth be removed… God is in the midst of her.”

—

Key Bible Verses Cited:

– Micah 4:1-3
– Jeremiah 47:4
– Amos 9:7; Amos 1:6-7; Amos 9:15
– Ezekiel 25:15-17
– Psalm 83
– Luke 21:25-28
– Genesis 15:18
– Romans 11:29
– Obadiah 1:19
– Joshua 13:2-3
– Zephaniah 2:4-5
– Zechariah 8:23
– Psalm 46:2-3 (implied)

—

Summary Conclusion:

The Gaza conflict is part of a long-standing spiritual war prophesied in the Bible. God’s covenant promises to Israel are unconditional and are being fulfilled amid current geopolitical events. The destruction in Gaza is a precise fulfillment of biblical prophecy and a step toward Israel’s restoration and the eventual salvation of the world. Believers are called to trust God’s sovereign plan, pray earnestly, and stand firm in faith amid global chaos.

Transcript

The title of our service today is Gaza.

Turn on your televisions, scroll through your news feeds, and what do you see? Well, you see chaos. You see confusion.

Since the terrible events of October 7th, the world has been inundated with a storm of conflicting reports, emotional arguments. Have you noticed the emotional arguments and political maneuvering surrounding the land of Gaza? Now, the world looks at Gaza and sees a humanitarian crisis, and it certainly is, but you know, the whole world is a humanitarian crisis. The world looks at Gaza and they see an intractable problem, a cycle of violence without end. But God’s people, which we are as God’s people and followers of Jesus Christ, we feel pain and we feel suffering whenever we see any people whose health or their life or their pursuit of happiness is in danger of being destroyed or ended.

And we sympathize with the innocents who suffer because of the foolishness of others. So in this context, and I know we’ve all had these questions, from our young people that go to college and get in these discussion groups to the times that you scroll through your social feed and see all these bad things, you don’t know who to believe anymore. But with this context today, a question rises in our hearts, and that is, where is God in all of this? And what should we as Christians think about what is happening in Gaza?

So with all the certainty that God’s word provides, the answer is clear. The answer is powerful, and the answer is not found in your news feeds. Your answer is not found in the headlines of today, but the answer is found in the scriptures. So this morning we will demonstrate that the events unfolding in Gaza are not random.

They are not a political accident, but are precise. They are prophesied, and they are a necessary step in the sovereign plan of God for his people, not only for Israel, but for the whole world of mankind, and that’s what makes you different, Brother Aaron. That’s what makes you different, Brother Jonathan. That’s what makes you different.

You see the salvation of the whole world of mankind. You see two ages of redemption, as brother David Rice used to likes to use, and right now we’re seeing the destruction of Babylon. Now, the scriptures tell us that the salvation of Israel is a prelude to the salvation of the world. Now this is a big idea.

It’s very important point, Tim. It’s what makes you different.

And the big idea here is that God is saving Israel without belief. Have you thought about that, Hannah? God is saving Israel without belief, and that is so powerful. That is such a powerful witness because he’s going to save the world of mankind without belief.

And he did that by giving his only begotten Son to be testified in due time.

But our belief, our belief, our belief and trust in God through the storm, this chaotic storm that we’re living in right now, it’s precious. It gives us hope, it gives us peace, and it gives us safety from chaos. Now this beautiful salvation of Israel is prophesied in Micah chapter 4. Remember this, Jonathan my Micah chapter 4, verses 1 3. But in the last days it shall come to pass that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the tops of the mountains.

That’s the tops of the nations of the earth. Do you see Israel rising? Do you see Israel rising to the top of the nations of the earth? Yes sir, we do, and it shall be exalted above the hills and people shall flow unto it.

And many nations shall come and say, come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord into the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths. For the law shall go forth out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Wow. The people from many nations are going to come and say, hey, God will teach us his ways and we will walk in his paths. This is the psychological point of turning that the world of mankind is on its way to enjoy.

And he shall judge among people and rebuke strong nations afar off. Do you see that happening? And they shall beat their swords into bowshears and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up a sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war anymore.

Brethren, future salvation is not far away. It’s close. It’s even at the door, and this future salvation is for Israel first and then for the world of mankind.

So for a moment, let’s look beyond the fog of war. Let’s look beyond the noise. Look beyond that noise of, you know, they call it social media, but it’s really a jungle where predators exist. Let’s look beyond that digital jungle and see the steady, unwavering hand of Jehovah at work. Now, the scriptures help us understand the ancient roots of this modern conflict.

And in this presentation, we’re going to cover four things. Number one, we’re going to examine God’s unbreakable covenant.

This is the divine title deed to the land. God gave the land to Israel, and yes, it includes Judea and Samaria. The world calls that the West Bank. It includes Gaza.

Number two, we will turn to the specific and powerful prophecies in Amos and Zephaniah, Zechariah and Ezekiel, and these prophecies are being fulfilled right before our eyes today. Number three, we’ll uncover how the enemy’s own attack was providentially mistimed, and it was a strategic folly that reveals God’s protecting hand over his people, Israel, and number four, we’re going to understand God’s ultimate purpose as he prepares Israel concern and the world for his glorious kingdom.

His glorious kingdom. His kingdom is coming. So let’s take a look at part one, the ancient roots of modern conflict, and to understand this, to understand what’s happening in Gaza today, we must first understand what happened there yesterday, and in the yesterday of Bible history.

Now, this coastal strip of Gaza was the heartland of one of Israel’s most persistent and bitter enemies. Do you remember who that was? Timmy? You got it. I think maybe Goliath was bigger than you.

That’s kind of hard though.

It was the Philistines. Gaza was the home to the Philistines. Now the Bible introduces the Philistines not as a native Canaanite people, but, but as immigrants. The Bible says this, they were immigrants. They were from the place called Caftor.

They were a sea people. Immigrants mean sea people in this definition of this word here in the Bible, and they came from a place called Caftor, that’s widely believed to be the island of Crete, and we can read about this in Jeremiah 47 verse 4 and Amos 9, verse 7. From the time of the Judges, the Philistine story is one of relentless conflict with God’s people.

They were some of Israel’s bitterest enemies, and it was in Gaza that Samson, a judge of Israel was blinded and he was enslaved and where he brought down the temple of their false God Dagon, and we can find that in Judges 16. Now throughout the reigns of Israel’s kings, the Philistines were a constant threat, a thorn in the side of the God’s covenant nation.

The prophet Ezekiel describes this attitude not as a mere political rivalry, but and this is important and we can find it, write the scripture down. Ezekiel 25:15, Ezekiel 25:15. It describes it not just as a political rivalry, and that’s the way the world likes to frame this. They like to frame it as a political rivalry.

But this scripture says that it’s a deep seated spiritual sickness. It’s an old hatred, a despiteful heart, an everlasting enmity with the goal to destroy Israel.

Now the modern Arab population in Gaza, they are not the ancient Philistines. Might need a glass of water. Ah, thank you. The modern Arab population, they’re Arabs, they’re not Palestinians. They’re Arabs.

They’re not the ancient Philistines.

So what’s the connection?

The connection is not one of blood. The connection is one of spirit, and the conflict that we are witnessing today is not fundamentally political. It is the modern manifestation of this ancient spiritual war, this everlasting hatred, this spiritual war with a despiteful heart, this old hatred. It’s the spirit of the Philistines, that implacable, destructive, genocidal hatred aimed at God’s Covenant people.

It’s what Psalm 83 talks about, and this is what is being judged today by God, the spirit that’s embodied in the charter of the actions of Hamas, whose 1988 founding covenant explicitly calls for the obliteration of Israel through jihad.

And when the Hamas terrorists stormed across Israel’s border on October 7, 2023, they were not acting as political negotiators. They were acting in everlasting enmity, as described in Ezekiel’s prophecy.

And this brings us to a difficult but necessary truth that our world and its humanistic thinking actually refuses to see.

And from a biblical perspective, when a population chooses to support or allows a governing authority like Hamas to rule over them, an authority that fires tens of thousands of rockets from civilian areas, an authority that builds a network of tunnels beneath homes and hospitals, we’re going to read a scripture that I think refers to that. An authority who celebrates in the street at the brutality of October 7th. Did you notice? You ever see those street celebrations?

An authority whose founding principle is the destruction of their neighbor.

When the population supports that type of authority, they actually become complicit in their sin, and as we see in God’s justice over the years, judgment falls upon the people, not just the leaders.

What we see happening is that the people of Gaza permitted Hamas to be their authority. Was it by choice? Probably not. In order to win authority, Hamas brutally beat Fatah. Anybody who disagrees with Hamas is basically rounded up and executed.

I’ve seen the videos.

But the people actually allowed the land to be used as a launch pad of terror, and from the testimonies of several of the hostages, we see that the families in Gaza, several families in Gaza, also participated in the captivity of the hostages.

Now, it’s the direct involvement in the captivity of the hostages that would be called a war crime. But there’s a greater collective responsibility.

If I was a bad father at home and my son and daughter didn’t speak up, it would. They would be authorizing me as A bad father.

I think there’s a greater collective responsibility, and this is especially true in the eyes of Jehovah, that makes the population accountable for the actions of its leadership, and have you noticed the slow but steady rejection of Israel in the usa, even in the Christian community? It’s pretty spellbinding, isn’t it? Makes me think that we’re getting close. We’re getting close to the end.

In fact, in some of these churches and I’ve been in in them, I was supposed to attend a Palestinian Christian theologian meeting this past week and by the Lord’s providence it didn’t work out. But I caught 15 minutes of it before I had to hang up. Made me sick somebody was trying to apply Jesus principles to reacting to Hamas.

But what we see happening in our world today, especially in Christian churches, is what we find in Luke chapter 21, verse 25. Luke chapter 21, verse 25 through 28. Now these four verses think these four verses actually come right before, before the parable of the fig tree. Remember the parable of the fig tree. It basically is the New Testament equivalent to the Ezekiel 37 prophecy of the valley of dry bones.

And think of these as Jesus’s words right before the valley of the. The prophecy of the valley of dry bones because it’s right before the prophecy of the fig tree, and this is what this says, and there will be and there shall be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the seas and waves roaring. Now we see this happening today and for some of the younger people the.

The sun is a symbol of the gospel and we see the gospel truth being darkened just like this prophecy talks about the signs in the sun we see in the. In the moon is. Represents the law covenant and we see God’s law being misrepresented. The stars, the signs and the stars are the apostles teachings, and we see those teachings fading.

And then we also see the distress of nations, the perplexity and the sea and the waves roaring and, and this is the fact that the people are being moved with selfishness. Man, we can’t even determine what’s true on what we read or hear. We can’t even. We don’t believe anything.

I don’t believe anything anymore. I mean that. Think about how terrible that is.

I think it’s exciting that this warning is associated with the time of restoration of Israel. You.

Let’s take a look at part two. The unbreakable title deed to the land. Now in any Conflict over territory. The first question is always who owns that land? And in the case of Israel and Gaza, we really don’t need to turn to the United nations or international courts to answer that question.

But we really need to talk to the One who created heaven and earth, who has absolute authority to give that land to anybody that he pleases, and we read in the Scriptures that the foundational title deed for the land of Israel was written and signed by Jehovah in his covenant with Abraham. We can find this quickly in Genesis chapter 15, verse 18, and it says, in the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying, unto thy seed, unto thy seed I have given this land from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

Now if you take a look at your May June Herald issue, which I brought a few issues with me, you’ll see a map insert inside that Herald issue, which is a concept of where that future boundary lies, and guess what? It covers all of their specific a whole list of scriptures on that map. I got a few of them with me. That covers all of Gaza and covers all of the west bank and covers parts of a big part of Jordan, a big part of Syria, all the way up to the Euphrates river, and that’s the generous portion.

This is the land that God gave to the Jews. Do you think they should bargain it away for peace with other nations that aren’t even nations? No. It was not a temporary lease. It was a permanent unconditional grant.

And God’s covenant is not dependent upon Israel’s faithfulness. That’s the secret. That’s the secret that you need to take to your school friends. God’s covenant was not dependent upon their faithfulness, but it was given as an unconditional promise to Father Abraham. In thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

And it was oathbound. It was an oath bound covenant that God made with Abraham, and remember what Romans chapter 1129 says, and it says that the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable. So this is an irrevocable oathbound promise that was given to Father Abraham and is being realized today in the parable of the fig tree, the restoration of the nation of Israel.

It’s being realized in the prophecy of Ezekiel 37, the Valley of dry bones.

So the question that we have is, does this prophecy give the divine grant specifically to include the territory of Gaza? Now the prophets leave no room for doubt here. Here’s prophet Obadiah In Obadiah chapter 1 verse 19, the prophet Obadiah, he’s speaking about the future restoration of the nation of Israel, declares that they, meaning the people of Israel, they of the plain, shall possess the Philistines. It’s a direct reference to the coastal plain, including Gaza. In the book of Joshua, Joshua 13:2,3 it says, it talks about the land being allotted the territory of the Philistines.

And it’s explicitly listed as the land that God has given to Israel, which they have yet to fully possess.

So in God’s divine blueprint, in his divine blueprint of the title deeds of the land, there really is no provision for a two state solution.

Now, do we have sympathy for the Arab people that are in God’s covenanted land given to Israel? Absolutely we do. We have sympathy with any innocent people that are in the way of the foolishness of others.

But this land was promised exclusively and entirely to the seed of Abraham, to the seed of Isaac, through the seat, to the seed of Jacob, and in my opinion, if this current peace process that is in on the table today, if that peace process continues to fruition, Israel will be sinning against God because they would be giving away the land of that God gave them for the sake of peace.

And any nation that supports this is in trouble.

So for centuries this promise remained only partially fulfilled, and Israel did not control Gaza, it was occupied by her enemies. But in our lifetime today we are witnessing a dramatic and decisive shift. Now, if you have any questions about the peace process, the peace initiatives that Israel has made against the people of Gaza, at the end of our service today, I have a handout which is a white paper that I compiled. It’s called the Pursuit of A Comparative Analysis of Israel Concessions and Gaza Based Rejectionism.

So take a look at it. It’s a very nice read, I think you’ll enjoy it. I’m actually just gave got a promotion a couple of weeks ago to become the global ambassador to something called the Israel Leadership Institute. It’s a group in Israel that I’m very close with to the highest level of Israeli government are included in this, My friend Amir Ohana, he’s the speaker of the Knesset, number three guy in charge in Israel, and in fact this pin I got from him right here, it’s the Knesset pin.

I then we got obviously a flag of Israel and then the yellow ribbon shows my support for the hostages.

So we got some tough questions to answer. One is, is God orchestrating the expansion of Israel’s borders through these geopolitical shifts?

And the answer is yes, we think so. Was God in charge of Israel’s re establishment as a Nation in 1948? You betcha.

How about the modern military campaigns of the nation of the Israel’s Defense Forces, particularly this war in Gaza where thousands of people that are have been killed. I mean, it’s just really terrible carnage.

There’s no way to approach this but through the prophetic lens, and we don’t have any kind of enjoyment for people’s pain and suffering. It’s not a football game.

This is real life that’s been completely destroyed in the future for generations is going to be felt felt by this destructiveness.

To the secular world, Israel’s taking of hostages or Israel’s taking of Gaza is seen as the defensive action or political maneuvers. But to us students of prophecy, they are instruments of God’s sovereign will, working to restore his people to their full covenanted inheritance. This war is a tragedy, but I think it’s serving as a divine catalyst. It’s the painful but necessary process of God fulfilling his promise. From the prophet Amos.

Now take a look at this scripture. We’re going to read four scriptures here. The first one is Amos 9, 15, and I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be plucked up out of their land which I have given them, saith Jehovah, thy God.

So for this promise of permanent settlement to be fulfilled, the hostile entities that have sworn Israel’s destruction enumerated in Psalm 83 must be removed from the land that God gave them. Now this not only includes the frontline terrorists, but all who directly or indirectly support them. We’ve got some more scriptures to share in in a minute. It’s one thing to speak of general principles in ancient covenants, but it’s another more powerful thing to see the very words of the prophets written over 2500 years ago coming to pass with stunning precision on our screens. Now.

The prophets Amos, Zephaniah and Ezekiel spoke with one voice about the ultimate judgment that would befall the territory of the Philistines, and in fact there were four Philistine cities, maybe five. But there were four Philistine cities that God prophesied would suffer God’s judgment, and these four cities would come under Israel’s control, under the control of God’s covenanted people. Gaza is the only remaining of those four.

All of those other three are already under Israel’s control. Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron are the other three, and those are all under Israel’s control. But Gaza is the one remaining, and it’s clear from the context of God’s entire plan, that there’s a final end time judgment against this in this everlasting hatred, the spiritual connection with the Philistines, and we’re witnessing it today. So here’s the four scriptures that I mentioned earlier.

Amos 1:6 through 7. Amos 1:6 7, Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away punishment thereof, but I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza. Wow. That’s what’s happening today. The wall of Gaza, that’s their fortifications, which shall devour the palaces thereof.

Woo. Have you seen pictures of Gaza lately? Oh, basically it’s flattened. We think of Damascus. It says the scripture says that Damascus will become a ruinous heap.

Maybe that’s next.

Now, the King James version of this verse in Amos 1:6 and 7, the word palaces is the word Hebrew word Arman, and that more accurately means strongholds or fortified places. So what is this prophesied fire? All we have to do is look at the footage of Gaza and this precision artillery that’s raining down upon Hamas’s command centers, their weapons depots, their terror headquarters, and their vast underground tunnel network. This is a direct and visceral modern fulfillment of this fire devouring the strongholds of God’s enemies.

Ironically interesting in this Amos chapter 1, 6 and 7, what triggered the judgment was that Amos says it was because they carried away captive the whole captivity to Edom. This was what the Philistines did to the Jews way back when. But isn’t that what happened in October 7th?

I think it’s chillingly accurate that this horrific Hostage taking on October 7th was an act that awakened this judgment. Zephaniah 2, verses 4 through 5, the desolation of the sea coast. Listen to what this says. Zephaniah 2, verses 4 through 5, the Lord proclaims, for Gaza shall be forsaken and Ashkelon a desolation. Woe unto the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethites, the land of the Philistines.

I will even destroy thee, that there will be no inhabitant.

This is a prophecy of complete desolation. It’s also a prophecy of a complete emptying of the land.

So the world sees a humanitarian catastrophe. But the student of prophecy sees the fulfillment of the words Gaza shall be forsaken, and the fulfillment of the words there shall be no inhabitant. So this is not really a political outcome. It’s divine judgment, and fortunately, the prophecy does not end in desolation.

Look at verse 7, and the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah, and they shall feed their flocks thereon. So God’s judgment makes way for his ultimate purpose, the reclaiming and resettlement of that land by his covenanted people, the Jews, and the future salvation of the world of mankind. Remember Micah chapter 4, verses 1 through 3. It says that the word of the Lord will go from the tops of the mountains, and it says the nations will come to it.

Remember Zechariah 8:23. Through this whole mess, the world of mankind is going to see that God is with Israel, and they’re going to grab the skirt of the Jew and say, we’ve seen that God is with you, we want to follow you. They’re going to follow them up that mountain to the top of the mountain to catch capture that word of the Lord. Ezekiel chapter 25 is another scripture that’s really important.

Ezekiel 25:15 through 17, and it uses this idea of great vengeance, and it’s very explicit, it’s very sobering. Thus saith the Lord God, because the Philistines have dealt by revenge and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart to destroy it for the old hatred. Behold, I will stretch out my hand upon the Philistines, and I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes, and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.

The motive for God’s judgment is this everlasting enmity, and it’s the Philistines everlasting hatred.

Thank goodness for the final clause in this prophecy, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Brethren, this judgment is witnessed by our generation, and it will be so complete. Whatever comes out of this peace process, what’s going to happen is it will be so complete, so decisive, that eventually it will serve as an undeniable demonstration of the sovereign power of the God of the people of Israel.

I’m going to skip an entire part of my service. We can talk about it later. So in conclusion, where does this leave us? Where does all this leave us as children of God? Where does it leave us watching these momentous events?

When you go to college and you have discussions with your friends, when you go to college and you see these encampments and these protests, where does it leave us? Does it shake our faith? Does it make us question what our parents taught us? Does it make us question our consecration? Does it make us question all of the position of, and its support of the.

Of the rise of Israel that we’ve seen in the Scriptures?

It leaves us understanding the prophetic word which states that this conflict in Gaza is the result of ancient spiritual enmity with the God, the creator God of the universe.

And Israel is acting within the borders of a land title deed granted to them by Jehovah. Do they know that? Some of them do. Some of them are biblically oriented.

But we have witnessed how the horrific destruction is a literal and precise fulfillment of these prophecies, and Amos in Zephaniah and Ezekiel against the territory of the Philistines, against Gaza, the last one to fall. It’s a spiritual connection.

And we have understood that God’s own providence was at work in the enemy’s strategic failure. That’s the part that I skipped. I got to tell you about that, and the strategic failure of Hamas. It was not coordinated with Hezbollah.

It was not coordinated with, coordinated with Iran. It was done in a vacuum, and the Jews know this because of intelligence and cell phone gathering.

But it’s the providence of God that was at work in the enemy’s strategic failure, and this strategic failure actually prevented a wider war and preserved Israel as a nation. What could have happened if all of those sources were in league with each other could have been truly cataclysmic against Israel, greater than the Yom Kippur War of 73.

But God is sanctifying Israel. He’s setting them apart for God’s holy work and holy purpose to be a blessing, to be a light to the nations, and Israel’s sanctification is happening on two levels. Just like us. God has a sanctifying hand on us.

And that sanctifying hand of God is happening in Israel on two levels. It’s. It’s happening externally as God is purging the promised land of God’s enemies and helping to restore Israel to its covenanted borders, and it’s also happening internally, where the nation of Israel. There are growing numbers of people that are biblically charged with the scriptures and they are turning to God.

And these fiery trials that Israel is having right now are designed by God, in my opinion, to ultimately turn the heart of the people back to Him.

Therefore, in conclusion, in light of these scriptures, I have a charge for each one of you. I have a charge for the Gospel Age church, and there’s three things I would like to charge you with. First, watch with understanding. Don’t be confused.

Don’t be dismayed by the world’s narrative. View these events through the clear, unwavering lens of Bible prophecy. Number two, pray with purpose. Our prayers should not be for a simple return to a flawed status quo.

We must pray for the fulfillment of God’s perfect will, for the complete victory of his people Israel, for the full restoration of their promised land, and for the spiritual awakening of the Jewish people that is to be the prelude of the salvation of the world. Number three. Finally. Stand. Stand.

Stand with confidence. Your heavenly Father Jehovah made these promises to Abraham. He made these promises to Isaac. He made these promises to Jacob thousands of years ago, and this Jehovah is the same who is faithfully and powerfully bringing them to pass in our headlines today.

The turmoil that we see is not a sign of God’s absence. The world would have you say that. Where is God in all of this? He’s right there. He’s got Jesus doing the work for him.

It’s the undeniable proof of his power. The rumbling of his approaching footsteps in the sure sign of the establishment of his righteous kingdom on earth with his beloved Israel at its very center. My friends, my brethren, therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. God is in the midst of her. Make sure you stay with that sure foundation in your heart and make sure that you internalize the promises that God made.

Because he holds the future in the palm of his hand and we see that future unfolding right before our eyes. May God be with you.

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