Where is the ongoing war in the Middle East headed? Can Israel survive when it seems the whole world is lined up against it? And many chant "from the river to the sea"--meaning there can be no Israeli state--drive all Jews out, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. In what way will events in the Middle East affect you and your family? Can you know?
And what about Europe, where there is still a very real war being waged by Western nations against Russia and its allies: China, North Korea, and Iran. Is it possible to know the future? And if so, how? And what should we watch for in 2024? At the beginning of each year, we here at Tomorrow's World give you trends to watch for in the coming year and beyond. Our predictions come from an ancient source that has proven to be accurate and reliable.
And that source is the Bible, where God makes this bold statement to the skeptic in Isaiah 46:9-10: "I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure." Now that's a bold statement. Is it true? On today's program, you may be shocked at how precise and accurate Bible prophecy is regarding what you are seeing right now in the Middle East.
And the Bible shows that events in that part of the world will affect the rest of the world. To complement this program, we're offering you our free resource, The Middle East in Prophecy, so be sure to have writing material available so you can take down our contact information to receive your free copy of The Middle East in Prophecy.
Now I'll be right back in five seconds to reveal what the Bible foretells about Jerusalem, about the Jewish state called Israel, and how all of this will affect you and your loved ones. Stay with me as we explore-- 2024 in Bible Prophecy. ♪ A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow's World. On today's program, I'll be giving you five trends to watch in 2024 and beyond-- especially in the Middle East.
Thousands of years ago, the Bible foretold what you see in living color in today's news. None of us here at Tomorrow's World are prophets, but we can read what the biblical prophets, under inspiration from God, foretold. How can we be so certain about the Bible as a reliable source for future events?
no human could so accurately tell what would happen thousands of years in advance. Do you doubt that? Well tell me this, what will happen 2,000 years from now, in the year 4024? Pick any nation, any city, any people, and make your prediction. And what about 3,700 years from now? Where will the Jews be then? Will they have a country to call their own? What about Germany or the United States? What about cities such as New York, London, Berlin, or Jerusalem?
Give it your best shot and see if you can match God for precision and accuracy--not that you'll be alive in the flesh to know what happens, but I think you get the point. Making predictions that far into the future is impossible apart from God. Based on Bible prophecy, let's review what I said last January, as we looked ahead to 2023. Trend #1: The crisis in Europe will continue until a strongman arises to bring ten kings together.
And just as there were two legs and feet in Nebuchadnezzar's image, so there will be two legs in this combine of nations. So, Trend #2: Watch for a geopolitical realignment in the next few years between eastern and western Europe. The invasion of Ukraine moved countries, such as Germany to begin rearming--something we've predicted for decades. Several U.S. presidents put pressure on Germany to do more militarily-- but to no avail-- the invasion did it in a matter of hours.
These two predictions will come to pass. A strongman will rise up in the very near future, and bring together ten nations or leaders in Europe, and this implies a geopolitical realignment. Therefore, watch Europe as there will likely be surprises along the way. After giving those two trends to watch in Europe, I then shifted to the Middle East and to what to expect where you may live. Even though we cannot know the exact timing, the stage for these biblical prophecies is being set.
But also, let's not forget what is happening in the Middle East. Jerusalem is at the center of many Bible prophecies. So, Trend #3: Expect greater tension in the Middle East between Israel and her neighbors. But what about where most of you live who are watching this telecast? Expect Trend #4: More chaos, confusion, division, and disasters (manmade and natural) for America and the British- descended peoples. Yes, when you think it can't get any worse, 2023 may once again prove that notion wrong.
The United States, Britain, Australia, Canada, and other British-descended peoples are on a downward spiral, and unless we turn back to God--and we see no evidence of that-- no elected leader will save us. We'll have ups and downs, but the trend will continue down. The last four years saw optimism for peace in the Middle East. The Abraham Accords brought normalization of relations between Israel and several of its neighbors.
And both Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were optimistic about normalizing relations between their two countries-- possibly as soon as a few days or a few weeks. And U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan declared: And the middle east region is quieter today than it has been in two decades. Now he did say that could change, and it did only 8 days later with the barbaric attacks by Hamas.
In the remainder of this program, I'll give you the Bible verses that explain why we knew absolutely in spite of the Abraham Accords and other positive signs, that there would be greater tensions between Israel and her neighbors. But first, let me tell you about today's free offer-- The Middle East in Prophecy. As fellow evangelist and Tomorrow's World presenter Richard Ames explains in this vitally important resource: The Bible outlines end-time events leading up to Jesus Christ's return.
What happens in the Middle East, as His return draws near, will affect your life and the lives of everyone on earth. Understanding those events will help you take action for your family's welfare. You can escape the prophesied disasters and judgments (Luke 21:36) upon a warring and God-defying world. Yes, there is good news. There is a way of escape from the troubles ahead, but it's not what most people think.
Jesus Christ will return to bring peace to a troubled world, but until then, you need to know what to expect. So our resource--The Middle East in Prophecy-- looks to the Bible and shows what is ahead. The Middle East in Prophecy can be yours free of charge, so order it today. And after this short break, I'll come back and read from the Bible what it says about the future of the Middle East and the world. ♪ For today's free offer call... Or go to...
This clear and straight-forward resource will help you understand this vital truth-- straight from the pages of the Bible. If you're calling for the first time, you will also receive a free annual subscription to Tomorrow's World magazine. Six inspiring issues discussing news, science, and modern culture will help you make sense of your world from a biblical perspective.
Call today and join millions around the world who are turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times. Call now! Or go to... ♪ On this Tomorrow's World program, we're looking at trends to watch for in 2024 and beyond. Before the break, I said I would read what the Bible says about the future of the Middle East and the world. So let's get started.
More than 3,700 years ago, the grandson of Abraham brought his twelve sons to him and said, "Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:" "In the last days" is specific, but it's doubtful that Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, had any idea how far into the future that would be. Apart from a revelation from God, no human being could possibly know what to expect of his progeny, so far into the future.
Now here's a prophecy for his son Judah, meaning the Jews. "Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people."
Note that the promised lawgiver, that is the Messiah, would come from the Jews, and He did 1700 years later. Many recognize this, but what about the part that describes the "time of the end" when the Jews would be as a lion that is best not roused? Is that not the history of the last 75 years and what we see even now? Dear friends, there are even more specific prophecies that were given 2500 years ago by the prophet Zechariah.
Notice what God foretold through him in chapter 12 and verses 2-3: "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah [the Jews] and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it." Consider how specific and remarkable this passage is.
Note these five points: #1: The Jews will be in Jerusalem Now that was far from a given--it has not always been that way. The Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD and expelled Jews from the Holy Land in 135 AD. For more than 1800 years there was no Jewish state-- not anywhere on earth. As Richard Ames explains in The Middle East in Prophecy: "Jerusalem was in the hands of Byzantine rulers when it fell to a Muslim army led by Caliph Umar in 638....
This crusade brought Jerusalem under Western control in the "Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem," which held the city from 1099 to 1187, when Saladin reconquered Jerusalem for Islam. Later crusades brought Jerusalem briefly under Western control from 1229 to 1239, and from 1243 to 1244, when it was sacked by the Tatars. In 1247, the city fell to the Egyptian Mamluks, under whose control it remained until 1517, when Ottoman sultan Selim I conquered the city.
In 1917, the British took control, and through a series of events, the Holy Land was partitioned, giving the Jews a portion of it. They declared their independence to form a Jewish homeland in 1948. Arab neighbors immediately attacked and tried to drive the Jews out, but the lion rose up and prevailed. So while we may take it for granted that there is a Jewish state on the eastern end of the Mediterranean, it was not always so, not from 135 AD until 1948.
But what else do we learn from Zechariah? #2: And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples. Now is that true my friends? When this was written, Christianity was more than 500 years in the future, and Islam nearly 600 years after Christianity. Yet today, Jerusalem is at the heart of three religions--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All lay claim to Jerusalem. It truly is a troublesome stone--the great sticking point in all peace talks.
#3:... all who would heave it away [that is the heavy stone of Jerusalem] will surely be cut in pieces. Remember Jacob's prediction that in the last days, Judah would be like a resting lion that is best not aroused? In 1967 Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nassar threatened Israel by moving troops to Israel's border. Jordan and Syria would join the fight, but the Jews struck pre-emptively and defeated their enemies on all sides in a mere six days.
In 1973 Israel's neighbors attacked on the most sacred Jewish Holy Day--Yom Kippur--when the Jews were weak from fasting. But once again, they cut their enemies in pieces. There are two more lessons we learn from Zechariah, and I'll give them, and more, in the next portion of today's program, but I want to take a 15 second break to remind you of our resource-- The Middle East in Prophecy. In it you will find a two-page chart outlining seminal events in the history of the region.
It provides scriptural proofs that it is God who accurately, and with great detail, gave end-time history in advance. With The Middle East in Prophecy in hand, you can look up all the scriptural references to see for yourself what is ahead for the Middle East and for mankind as a whole, so order your free copy today by calling our toll-free number or by going to TWTV.org/East. And in 15 seconds, I'll be back to show you what else to expect in 2024 and beyond.
♪ This clear and straight-forward resource will help you understand this vital truth-- straight from the pages of the Bible. Call now! Or go to... ♪ What's ahead in the Middle East as we enter 2024? What does the Bible have to say about it? As we're seeing, quite a bit. So far, we've seen three lessons from Zechariah 12. #1: The Jews will be in Jerusalem. #2: Jerusalem would be a very heavy stone in the world.
#3: ... all who would heave it away [the heavy stone of Jerusalem] will surely be cut in pieces. Now let's look at another point from Zechariah 12: #4: ... though all nations of the earth are gathered against it [that is Israel]. Are all nations gathered against the Jews? There are more United Nations resolutions condemning Israel than all other countries combined.
And consider the massive demonstrations taking place all over the world against the Jews-- in Russia, in China, in Germany, in France, in the United States, in Australia, and in Britain. The father of the Jews prophesied 3,700 years ago that they would be a powerful military force. They would be like a lion that is best not aroused.
This is also confirmed in Zechariah 12:6: "In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place--Jerusalem." This has hardly been the Jewish history until the last 75 years.
So, we next read: #5: The Jews ability to wield great military might Dear friends, these are remarkable prophesies, but there's more. Despite their military prowess, there is coming a time in the near future when Jerusalem will be overrun by the Jews' enemies. What happened October 7, 2023 will happen in Jerusalem. Zechariah 14 gives the details. "Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst.
For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city." Note that Jerusalem today is a divided city, just as the prophet indicated when he said "Half the city shall go into captivity." Again, Zechariah speaks of the world lining up against the Jews.
Revelation 11:2 tells us that Jerusalem would be overrun by the Gentiles for a period of three and a half years leading up to the return of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. "But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. The time setting of Zechariah 14 is yet future.
It's that two and a half year period called the Great Tribulation and the one-year day of the Lord when God's wrath on rebellious mankind leads to Christ's second coming. This is stated explicitly in verse 4: "And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south."
And if that's not clear enough, here's what it tells us in verse 9: "And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be-- "The LORD is one," and His name one." So where are we in the scope of end-time Bible prophecy? Those who have eyes to see recognize that we're on the edge of a worldwide war of catastrophic proportions, just as the Bible shows elsewhere. But the end is not yet. There are other prophecies that must first take place.
Before giving you the five trends to watch in 2024 and beyond, let me remind you again of today's free resource, The Middle East in Prophecy. As Richard Ames--long-time evangelist and fellow Tomorrow's World presenter, writes: The Middle East has been in turmoil for decades, and many who follow world news wonder what will happen next.
Yet very few realize that Bible prophecy explains in advance the earthshaking events that will lead to increased conflict and greater disasters in the region--ultimately to World War III and then the return of Christ. If you want to know the future, be sure to order your free copy of The Middle East in Prophecy. And after this short break, I'll give you trends to watch in 2024 and beyond. ♪ For today's free offer call... Or go to...
This clear and straight-forward resource will help you understand this vital truth-- straight from the pages of the Bible. If you're calling for the first time, you will also receive a free annual subscription to Tomorrow's World magazine. Six inspiring issues discussing news, science, and modern culture will help you make sense of your world from a biblical perspective.
Call today and join millions around the world who are turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times. Call now! Or go to... ♪ As stated at the beginning of this program, we here at Tomorrow's World give you trends to watch, based on Bible prophecy for the coming year and beyond. Note that we say "and beyond," because while we understand the general time-frame, we cannot know the exact day or even the year these events will take place.
That's why we read this warning from Jesus Christ in Luke 21: "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
So here are trends to watch in 2024 and the immediate years ahead. #1: Watch for increasing demand for international intervention and control over Jerusalem. World leaders are already wondering what to do in the aftermath of this current war. Who will administer Gaza, the West Bank, and yes, Jerusalem itself?
Mr. Richard Ames writes in The Middle East in Prophecy, As violence escalates in the region around Jerusalem, watch for more world leaders to join in demanding international control of this ancient city held dear by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. #2: Watch for the forming of what the Bible calls "the king of the South" arising in the Middle East and Northeastern Africa.
The 11th chapter of Daniel gives a detailed history of intrigue and war between a king of the north and a king of the south. This interplay between the two covers a period of 2,500 years, all the way to the time of Christ's return. Verses 40-45 tell us how it will end.
"At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon.
He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many.
And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him." Psalm 83 speaks of a coalition of nations who conspire together against Israel. Is this not the attitude that we see right now? "They have said, "Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more." For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a confederacy against You."
This coming confederacy will include Assyria-- modern day Germany and the European Beast power. This will be the king of the north. And this is why we say: #3: Watch Europe-- especially Germany. Expect to see the formation of a German led group of ten leaders or nations that the Bible refers to as the Beast. #4: Watch for animal sacrifices to begin in Jerusalem. As explained in The Middle East in Prophecy, this does not require a temple.
The Jews began sacrificing after returning from Babylonian captivity prior to building the second temple. And finally, #5: Watch for a charismatic miracle-working religious leader to rise up in Europe. Again, we cannot know exactly when these events will happen, but according to Bible prophecy, they will. As we have seen on today's program, the Bible is very accurate and specific, and many prophecies are coming to pass right before our eyes.
So remember to order your free copy of The Middle East in Prophecy. So that you will know what to expect in the very near future. And be sure to come back next week, and every week, when Richard Ames, Wallace Smith, Rod McNair, and I bring you more understanding from the pages of the Bible. See you next week. ♪ For today's free offer call... Or go to... Call today and join millions around the world who are turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times.
♪ The preceding program is produced by the Living Church of God. ♪