March 13, 2026: Similarities Between the Falls of Babylon, Tyrus, Babylon the Great, and America

“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Revelation 17:4-5)

PART 1: INTRODUCTION

Having just finished an in-depth study of the books of Ezekiel and Revelation, while I was writing my last devotional, I realized the stunning similarities between the city of Tyrus, also called Tyre, in the book of Ezekiel, and the nation of the United States of America, but specifically the city of New York City. There are also many similarities between the city of Tyrus and what is written about in the book of Revelation and what is called “a great city,” also called “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” I believe this city is none other than New York City, but with a twist. It is these similarities that I want to discuss in this devotional message. I believe with my whole heart, as led by the Holy Spirit in the understanding of His word, that we will see the complete destruction of New York City within a couple of years at the most. As an American citizen, this is not an easy thing for me to write, but I can see with my own eyes and hear with my own ears that America is on a pathway that leads to hell. The only hope it has, is for its citizens to turn to Jesus Christ and believe in Him with their whole heart to save us from our sins. Sadly, because the Bible tells us this, the majority of people, and that includes Americans, reject God’s truth to believe the lies of Satan. I believe there are many Americans, including many in so-called “churches” who are under a strong delusion, for they have chosen to “Make America Great Again” and have put their faith and trust in a man whom I believe is the antichrist. Time will tell if what I believe is true. Now, let us get started.

While writing my last devotional about what I believe to be the timing of Gog and Magog that is written about in the books of Ezekiel and Revelation, it occurred to me that it seems God gives us subtle hints or clues that we likely will not notice just with a casual reading of His word but only when we do a deep-dive into His word, and not just once but several or many times. I believe that to be true regarding Tyrus, New York City, and Mystery, Babylon the Great. I suspect, just as the last devotional I wrote, that this one will be very difficult to write but is one which must be written.

There are many instances in the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures, where the prophets, through the power of God, prophesied that disaster would come upon not only Israel but also upon certain Gentile nations. I believe there are some prophecies that will have dual fulfillments of those disasters, where the first fulfillment has already happened and the second would occur sometime in the far future. I believe the Bible contains ancient patterns that, if we read and study His word. letting the Holy Spirit lead and guide us, we will then see the patterns in the events that are still yet to unfold before our very eyes.

As a former software tester, I am all about the details, and that includes looking for patterns in God’s word. I believe that the Old Testament gives us previews of similar things that already happened so that we may read God’s word and see what happened when people back then didn’t listen to Him, and that we would turn from our sins and turn to Him, that we would not repeat those same mistakes they made. Even if the nation in which we live will not do that, won’t surrender to Him, we must do that individually. That applies to both the modern state of Israel and the Gentile/non-Jewish nations in our world today.

Before diving in, I also want to say that I am not against the people of Israel, those who truly love God. Though they may not be saved yet by turning to Jesus Christ and believing that He is their Messiah, sent by God, to save them from their sins, I pray that they will see that He IS their Savior, their prophesied Messiah who came the first time offering salvation, and who will come again at His second coming, but this time it will be in judgment.

I also want to say that the modern state of Israel is just like every other nation in the world today, and its leaders are just as corrupt as many leaders in other nations, including the USA. As I have stated previously in other devotional messages, I do not believe the alliance between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu is a good one, but an extremely corrupt and evil one. I do not think that they have the best interest of either of their nations at heart and are only concerned with empowering themselves and their rich friends and associates. I believe that at some point in the not too distant future, Donald Trump is going to turn against Israel. I believe we are seeing the beginning of the fracturing of this unholy alliance. As Donald Trump moved to form his “Board of Peace” and its executive board, the following was reported by The Times of Israel on January 17, 2026 after it was announced it will include senior representatives from Turkey and Qatar, two nations that have not supported Israel’s war in Gaza: (Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-fumes-at-gaza-oversight-panel-makeup-as-trump-invites-erdogan-to-peace-board/)

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Saturday that the White House’s unveiling of a key international oversight panel for Gaza ‘was not coordinated with Israel and contradicts its policy,’ in a rare break with US President Donald Trump’s administration that was met with a sharp rebuke from a senior US official.”

“After Netanyahu’s statement, an unnamed senior American official was quoted by the Axios outlet as lashing out at the Israeli leader.

“‘This is our show, not his show,’ the official reportedly said. ‘We managed to do things in Gaza in recent months nobody thought was possible, and we are going to continue moving. If he wants us to deal with Gaza, it will have to be our way. We worked over him. Let him focus on Iran and let us deal with Gaza. We are not going to argue with him. He will do his politics and we will keep moving forward with our plan. He can’t really go against us.’”

We will see how things progress in the future between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. As a side note, on January 18, 2026, Reuters reported: (Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trumps-gaza-peace-board-charter-seeks-1-billion-extended-membership-document-2026-01-18/)

“A draft charter sent to about 60 countries by the U.S. administration calls for members to contribute $1 billion in cash if they want their membership to last more than three years, according to the document seen by Reuters.”

I wonder what will become of this money? What is its purpose? Neither this article nor others I read about it specified what the funding will be used for, stating that it had not been specified by the US administration.

The following was reported by the Times of Israel (ToI) regarding the text of the charter for the Board of Peace, which ToI stated it has verified: (Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-charter-of-trumps-board-of-peace/)

“This charter was attached to the invitations sent out to dozens of world leaders who were asked to join Trump on the panel tasked with overseeing the postwar management of Gaza.”

“It notably makes no mention of Gaza, bolstering The Times of Israel’s reporting that the US wants the Board of Peace to assist in the resolution of other conflicts around the globe. However, the mandate of the board approved in November by the Security Council is limited to Gaza and only until the end of 2027.”

In an article dated January 27, 2026, the American Jewish Committee also voiced its concerns about this: (Source: https://www.ajc.org/news/5-things-to-know-about-trumps-board-of-peace)

“What began as a Gaza-focused initiative tied to ending the Israel-Hamas war is now being described as a broader international peace body, raising questions about its ultimate mission and how central the conflict involving Israel will remain going forward.”

“The draft charter suggests that President Trump believes the United Nations has often fallen short in maintaining global peace, stating that durable peace “requires pragmatic judgment, common-sense solutions, and the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed.” Some observers, noting that the Board of Peace charter makes no mention of Gaza, Israel, Hamas, or Palestinians, worry the new entity could extend its Gaza mandate to other conflicts, potentially undermining the UN’s diplomatic role.”

I ask you: How does the Board of Peace seek to obtain “peace” between Israel and Gaza when its charter mentions nothing about Gaza? I believe the answer is that Donald Trump does not seek to obtain peace in Gaza or anywhere in the world for that matter, but to have world domination.

Now, let’s get started, in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, chapter 26.

One of the things I have learned since I started not only reading the Bible but studying it, and there is a major difference between the two, is that you can’t just read a couple of Scriptures and expect to get a full understanding of what God meant when He had the writers, in this case the prophet Ezekiel, write what they wrote. No, you have to read an entire chapter, and in some cases, the entire book. The Bible is all connected. The Old Testament connects to the New Testament and vice versa. There are many Scriptures in the New Testament that are near verbatim quotes from the Old Testament. Whenever Jesus quoted Scripture, He was quoting the Old Testament, for there was no New Testament at that time. The book of Revelation contains many passages from the Old Testament. I have read from several different articles that Revelation quotes more Old Testament Scriptures than any other New Testament book. One such article is written by the American Journal of Biblical Theology: (Source:: https://biblicaltheology.com/Research/OladosuT01.pdf)

“It is observed that Revelation contains more references to the Old Testament books than any other document in the New Testament. John, the Revelator, draws on many books in the Old Testament, including the Pentateuch, Judges, proverbs, Song of Solomon and Job. The author of Revelation frequently uses Daniel, as well as echoing regularly the prophecies of Ezekiel and Isaiah.”

As also noted at the top of page 2 in the referenced article above and in which I am in full agreement, if we do not read the entire Bible for ourselves, we will not understand fully the intention of God and His plan for Israel and for the Gentile nations.

PART 2: EZEKIEL CHAPTER 26-28 PROPHECIES OF TYRUS THAT ALSO SEEM TO APPLY TO NEW YORK CITY

There are three chapters in Ezekiel, 26-28, that address a land or a country name Tyrus, also called Tyre. The first two chapters clearly speak of judgment that God will bring on Tyrus, and that has happened historically. Bible Reading Archaeology has a very interesting article about Tyre that I recommend reading (https://biblereadingarcheology.com/2017/09/13/what-happened-to-tyre/). In addition, I also recommend reading an article from Bible Hub titled “The Downfall of Tyre.” Below is a brief summary from that article regarding Tyre: (Source: https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_downfall_of_tyre.htm)

“Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city, was renowned for its wealth, maritime prowess, and strategic location on the Mediterranean coast. It consisted of two parts: a mainland settlement and an island fortress. Tyre's prosperity was largely due to its role as a major trading hub, facilitating commerce between the East and the West. The city's affluence and influence are well-documented in ancient texts, including the Bible, where Tyre is often mentioned in the context of its interactions with Israel and other nations.”

“The downfall of Tyre is a significant theme in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament. The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all prophesied against Tyre, foretelling its destruction due to its pride and opposition to God's people.”

Ezekiel Chapter 26

Before I discuss the similarities between the Old Testament book of Ezekiel and the New Testament book of Revelation, I want to discuss something that is written in Ezekiel chapter 26 that I believe is at least a partially- fulfilled prophecy regarding the United States of America, and specifically New York City.

In Ezekiel chapter 26, God talks to Ezekiel about a city called Tyrus and the actions it has taken against God’s city, Jerusalem. Consequently, God tells Ezekiel that He is going to bring judgment upon Tyrus:

“And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of [gateway of] the people: she is turned unto [turned over to] me: I shall be replenished [filled], now she is laid waste: therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up.” (Ezekiel 26:1-3)

We read above that Tyrus saw that Jerusalem was broken and Tyrus took advantage of the situation and came against Jerusalem. I believe there is a secondary meaning and it relates to the USA. I believe that this Scripture is also referring to the relationship that Israel currently has with the USA. Israel is surrounded by her enemies and is hated by many nations in our world. Thus far, the USA is the one nation that has consistently defended Israel, and especially so since Donald Trump stepped on the political scene in the United States. However, as I will discuss later, I believe that America will turn against Israel because the Bible tells us this will happen:

“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling [drunkenness or reeling] unto all the people round about, when they shall be in siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome [very heavy] stone for all people [peoples]: all that burden themselves with it [would heave it away] shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.” (Zechariah 12:2-3)

As we read in the last sentence of the Scriptures above from Ezekiel 26:1-3, God told Tyrus that as a result of its actions, He would bring many nations against Tyrus. I believe the same is true regarding Mystery, Babylon the Great described in Revelation. Let us continue reading about Tyrus’ destruction:

“And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD: and it shall become a spoil [plunder] to the nations. And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 26:4-6)

When I was working on my prior devotional and doing a deep-dive into the book of Ezekiel, when I read the Scriptures above, it struck me like a lightning bolt because the Scriptures in bold sound exactly like what happened to New York City on a dreadful day, September 11, 2001. The similarities between what is written about Tyre and what happened on 9/11 in NYC absolutely blew my mind, and I cannot convey how this has affected me. I cannot fathom that they are just random coincidence and believe they are purposeful, by God Himself. As a side note, I do not believe the lie that has been told to us regarding how and why the events of 9/11 happened. I believe these Scriptures are providing us clues as to the identity of Babylon the Great. I say this because there are many times in the Old Testament where something is prophesied that not only was fulfilled in the days of the Old Testament but which will also be prophesied in the days of the New Testament, meaning they are dual-fulfillment prophesies.

Let us closely examine the Scriptures above from Ezekiel and compare them to the events of 9/11:

“And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus”: The Hebrew meaning of “wall” is “a wall of protection.” (Source: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2346.htm) That wall of protection for the USA was most certainly removed during and after the horrific events of 9/11 that occurred not just in NYC but in Washington, DC and a field in Pennsylvania In fact, after the events of 9/11 took place, the US government enacted the USA Patriot Act on October 26, 2001, the Homeland Security Act on November 25, 2002, and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act in 2002. The US government also created two agencies after 9/11 regarding its security: the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which changed both domestic and international travel forever, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Homeland Security Act did away with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and replaced it with three new government agencies: Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the first two of which have been very controversial recently.

“and break down her towers:”: Notice that the word “towers” is plural, just as there were many towers in NYC brought down on that day. Besides the two tallest towers, the Twin Towers, many others were damaged. I want to emphasize what is said below regarding every building of the World Trade Center. That is not coincidence; I believe it is prophetic.

“The Federal Emergency Management Agency lists 56 buildings damaged or destroyed in New York City due to the September 11 attacks. Five buildings fully collapsed,[a] three partially collapsed, 11 buildings suffered major damage, and 37 buildings sustained moderate damage. Every building of the World Trade Center either fully or partially collapsed.” (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_buildings_damaged_or_destroyed_in_the_September_11_attacks)

I do not believe it is by mere coincidence that every single building of the World Trade Center was damaged or destroyed on 9/11. As we will read in Ezekiel 27, it discusses the extensive trade that Tyrus conducted with the nations, just as NYC. Britannica.com states that the World Trader Center “was built by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as a central facility for businesses and government agencies involved in international trade.” (Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/World-Trade-Center)

I believe it is at least a dual fulfillment prophecy, with the first fulfillment being when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Tyre during 586-573 BC (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Tyre_(586–573_BC) ) and the second being fulfilled on 9/11/2001.

There is also another eerily similar event to 9/11 that happened to Tyre. This time it was when Tyre was sieged by Alexander the Great of Greece in 332 BC. In his attack of Tyre, since he could not attack it by sea, “he built a kilometre-long two hundred foot-wide causeway (claimed so by Diodorus) stretching out to the island on a natural land bridge no more than two meters deep.” He then had two siege towers built, which “were possibly the largest of their kind ever made” and moved them to the end of the causeway. At the time the Twin Towers were built, they were the tallest buildings in the world. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_(1973–2001) ) The Tyrians, in their counterattack, used an old horse transport ship, “set the ship on fire and ran it up onto the causeway. The fire spread quickly, engulfing both towers…” (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Tyre_(332_BC) ). I believe this is yet another clue that connects Tyrus to Mystery, Babylon the Great and helps us to identify who is this Mystery, Babylon.

“I will also scrape her dust from her,”: One of the images forever imprinted on my brain from that horrible day was seeing all of the dust in the air that resulted from the collapse of the Twin Towers. With each tower collapse, you could see this enormous cloud of toxic dust enveloping the other buildings around it, the cars, the streets, and the people as they fled for their lives. Per an article from Resto NYC: (Source: https://www.restonyc.com/how-long-did-the-dust-last-after-911/)

“This dust settled as a thick layer of debris over many blocks and lingered for months afterward, posing health risks for residents and recovery workers. Determining exactly how long the dust persisted is difficult, but estimates range from at least four months to over a year in some areas.”

The word “scrape” in Ezekiel 26:4 comes from the Hebrew word “sachah,” which is a verb that means to sweep away. The Topical Lexicon for this word states: (Source: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5500.htm)

“The verb pictures a vigorous action—scraping, scouring, or raking off material until nothing remains but the underlying bedrock. Rather than the more common ideas of “sweeping” or “wiping,” the imagery here stresses abrasive removal. What is targeted is reduced to its most basic form, stripped of every adornment and protective layer. The picture is simultaneously violent and purifying; what endures is what cannot be removed.”

I do not believe it is any coincidence that during the massive cleanup of the resulting 9/11 debris, it undeniably met the description above, and the World Trade Center site was exposed down to the bedrock. There is even a memorial repository maintained by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner that contains the remains of those who lost their lives on that day, and it is located at the bedrock of the World Trade Center site and a National September 11 Memorial Museum built at Ground Zero bedrock: (Sources: https://www.911memorial.org/connect/911-family-members/ocme-repository, https://www.dwell.com/article/at-ground-zero-bedrock-the-911-museum-prepares-for-visitors-1dc51921)

“A repository for the remains of 9/11 victims under the jurisdiction of the Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York (OCME) is located at bedrock at the World Trade Center site.”

“and make her like the top of a rock.: The location of the World Trade Center after 9/11 was known as “Ground Zero” and also “the Pile.” Per Resto NYC, “The debris pile at Ground Zero reached 70 feet deep and stretched over 16 acres. This was a staggering amount of material to be cleaned up and disposed of.” (Source: https://www.restonyc.com/where-did-911-rubble-go/) This pile could possibly be what Ezekiel wrote about making her like the top of a rock. In another strange coincidence, there is an observation deck in NYC called “Top of the Rock” that overlooks Midtown Manhattan.

“It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea:” I very well could be wrong, but I believe this relates to the sifting of the debris that was left at the World Trade Center site after 9/11. The debris from the buildings was first sifted on site at The Pile. Then, it was taken to a landfill that was reopened after it had been permanently closed on March 22, 2001, where it was further sifted and sorted: (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_and_recovery_effort_after_the_September_11_attacks_on_the_World_Trade_Center)

“Numerous volunteers organized to form "bucket brigades", which passed 5-gallon buckets full of debris down a line to investigators, who sifted through the debris in search of evidence and human remains.”

FBI Assistant Director Cassandra Chandler commented in an article from March 19, 2004 regarding what she saw at Fresh Kills: (Source: https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/stories/2004/march/chandler_032104)

“No one should forget the difficult and gut-wrenching work accomplished by people at those fearful evidence recovery sites. I visited the Fresh Kills site during the ongoing effort to sift through mountains of debris.”

However, what about the part of the Scripture that says, “in the midst of the sea?” Let’s address this from the sifting that occurred at the World Trader Center site. Per Wikipedia, the location of where it sat was once under water, under the Hudson River: (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_(1973–2001))

“The western portion of the World Trade Center site was originally under the Hudson River.”

“To construct the World Trade Center, it was necessary to build a "bathtub" with a slurry wall around the West Street side of the site, to keep water from the Hudson River out.” (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_(1973–2001))

It is very interesting to me also that where the secondary sifting of the 9/11 debris was done, it was performed at a landfill named Fresh Kills. The landfill had just closed on March 22, 2001 but was reopened after 9/11 to sort through all of the debris. Per Wikipedia: (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresh_Kills_Landfill)

“The name comes from the landfill's location along the banks of the Fresh Kills estuary in western Staten Island.”

There is another interesting fact about the Fresh Kills. The how “Kills” part of its name is from a Dutch word that means riverbed or water channel. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresh_Kills) Thus, the sifting of the debris is very near water. Could the sifting of the 9/11 debris be like the spreading of a net in the midst of the sea?

“and it shall become a spoil [plunder] to the nations”: There was an immediate negative impact on the New York Stock Exchange in the days after its reopening on September 17, 2001. However, over the years, it has rebounded. There was another even more significant financial impact, and that was the cost of going to war with Iraq and Afghanistan, post-9/11, not to mention all of the people who lost their lives in the US-led War on Terror. A September 1, 2021 article reported: (Source: https://www.brown.edu/news/2021-09-01/costsofwar)

“A report from the Costs of War project at Brown University revealed that 20 years of post-9/11 wars have cost the U.S. an estimated $8 trillion and have killed more than 900,000 people.”

Consider also the billions of dollars of military equipment the US left both in Iraq and Afghanistan. This definitely resulted in a spoil/plunder to the nations. Below are quotes from two articles regarding the military equipment left in Iraq:

“The withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq over the years, culminating in the official end of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2011 and the later drawdown of troops, resulted in a significant amount of military equipment remaining in the country. While a precise, constantly updated inventory is elusive due to the fluid nature of the security situation and equipment transfers, available reports from organizations like the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) and other government oversight bodies provide a substantial overview. The value of equipment transferred or left behind is estimated to be in the billions of dollars. This includes everything from vehicles like Humvees and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, to weapons, ammunition, and sophisticated surveillance technology. The disposition of this equipment has been a subject of considerable debate and scrutiny.” (Source: https://thegunzone.com/how-much-military-equipment-did-we-leave-in-iraq/)

“At big bases like Victory, buildings, mess halls, offices, water treatment and electrical plants, Containerized Housing Units (CHUs), desks, tables and chairs, are being handed over to the Iraq government, and tons of equipment is being scrapped.” (Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us-withdrawal-from-iraq-eight-years-worth-of-stuff-idUSTRE7AN1T8/)

Regarding the military equipment left in Afghanistan in August 2021, reports vary widely from $85 billion but most estimating it at $7 billion. Two articles regarding this are shown below. Regardless of the amount, the type of equipment left in both Iraq and Afghanistan, including weapons, aircraft, and vehicles, and communication and surveillance equipment, certainly would benefit those nations that obtained it, and I suspect, some of it may be used to our own peril.

“The recent withdrawal of the U.S. from Afghanistan also resulted in a significant amount of military equipment being left behind. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Defense, approximately $7 billion worth of military equipment that the U.S. transferred to the Afghan government over the course of 16 years was left behind in Afghanistan after the U.S. completed its withdrawal in August 2021.” (Source: https://onlinemilitaryeducation.org/blog/436-how-much-military-equipment-was-left-behind-in-vietnam-and-afghanistan.html#hmenu-3)

“Understanding the extent of the equipment left behind requires acknowledging the context of the US presence in Afghanistan for two decades. The US military built up a substantial logistical infrastructure and equipped the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) with the intention of fostering self-sufficiency. However, the rapid collapse of the Afghan government resulted in this equipment falling into the hands of the Taliban.” (Source: https://thegunzone.com/how-much-equipment-did-the-us-military-leave-in-afghanistan/)

“and her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword;” I do not know with certainty if this is what this means, and it is odd to me that it refers to a field. However, perhaps it relates to the plane that crashed in the field of Pennsylvania on 9/11.

Before moving on to Ezekiel chapter 27, I want to point out some other things in God’s word about the fall of Tyre that eerily remind me of the events of 9/11 in New York City. Not every verse in Ezekiel 26 aligns with 9/11, but there is enough in it that seems to present a case that there may be a connection. Again, I do not know with 100% certainty that Tyre and the events of 9/11 in NYC are connected, but it certainly makes me raise my eyebrows and makes me wonder. Let us read from Ezekiel 26:9:

“And he shall set engines [battering rams] of war against thy walls, and with his axes he shall break down thy towers.” (Ezekiel 26:9)

Again, here the word “walls” means “a wall of protection.” I find it interesting that it says he, meaning Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, will set engines or battering rams against Tyrus’ walls. What was used in the 9/11 attacks? It was planes, and they were used like a battering ram to knock down America’s wall of protection, the Twin Towers that were the key part of the World Trade Center. Something also very interesting is that God’s word says an axe will be used to break down the towers. What were we all told by the American government that was used by the terrorists in order to commandeer the planes? It was box cutters. The Hebrew meaning of the word “axes” in the Scripture above is “also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement.” (See: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2719.htm) Is this merely just coincidence?

History tells us that Tyre’s downfall happened with two events, with the first being from King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and the second being by the Alexander the Great of Greece: (See: https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_downfall_of_tyre.htm)

“The prophecies against Tyre were fulfilled through a series of historical events. Nebuchadnezzar II besieged the mainland city of Tyre around 586-573 BC, leading to its eventual subjugation. However, the island fortress remained resilient until the arrival of Alexander the Great in 332 BC. Alexander's campaign against Tyre was marked by the construction of a causeway, allowing his forces to breach the island's defenses. This conquest effectively ended Tyre's dominance as a maritime power.”

I believe that some of the prophecies in Ezekiel 26 refer to conquering of Tyre by Babylon, while others refer to the later conquest by Alexander the Great. Similarly, I believe they also are a picture of what happened to NYC on 9/11 and what will come to her, as Mystery, Babylon the Great, in the events described in the book of Revelation.

Before moving onto Ezekiel chapter 27, there are two instances of the word “terror” in the second half of Ezekiel chapter 26 that I want to discuss briefly. The first is shown below:

“Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee. And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed [thous hast perished], that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it [her inhabitants]!” (Ezekiel 26:16-17)

This seems to be saying that Tyre was a terror to those she inhabited. To me, this sounds a lot like what the USA has been doing for a long time, which is to cause terror not only on its own people with lies about what really happened on 9/11, but also on nations it has invaded. Just think about this for a minute and consider how many military bases the USA has around the world and the influence it has had on those countries. Per one article, the USA has 750+ military bases worldwide on “every inhabited continent.” The article further states: (Source: https://www.studyiq.com/articles/list-of-us-military-bases-around-the-world/)

“The United States maintains the largest network of overseas military bases globally, giving it unmatched global reach and power projection. With over 750 military installations in more than 80 countries and territories, these bases enable the U.S. to deter threats, support allies, conduct military operations, and respond swiftly to global crises.”

God did not excuse this with Tyre, and I believe He will not excuse this with America. The events of 9/11 shook America to its core and changed life in it to this day. I believe every single bit of it was planned by the wicked of this world. I believe it was intended to cause terror on the American people in order to bring about a government that has taken away our privacy and has become increasingly authoritarian. I believe this lines up perfectly with Bible prophecy, and will result in bringing in the antichrist/beast system.

Because of Tyrus’ actions, God has Ezekiel tell Tyrus that it will be a terror, and He will bring her to nothing; she will never exist again:

“For thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall make thee a desolate city, like cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee; when I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old [from antiquity], with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living: I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 26:19-21)

I do not know if this was the actual fulfillment to the prophecy above but in 551 AD, an earthquake occurred estimated at 7.5 magnitude that reduced Tyre to ruins. The earthquake also triggered a tsunami: (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/551_Beirut_earthquake)

“There is little in the way of detailed descriptions of the damage caused by this earthquake in contemporary accounts. Sources refer to the coastal cities from Tyre to Tripoli being reduced to ruins with many thousands of casualties.”

“The tsunami affected the whole of the coast from Tyre to Tripoli. Withdrawal of the sea by up to two miles was recorded in some contemporary accounts.”

Perhaps the Scriptures in Ezekiel 26:19-21 were in fact prophesying about a tsunami that would come upon Tyrus and which would also relate to the events described Revelation 16:17-20 and 18:21 that prophesy of Mystery, Babylon and what will become of her. I believe the throwing down of a stone by a mighty angel into the sea, as written about below, could certainly cause a tsunami:

“And there were voices [noises], and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.” (Revelation 16:18-20)

“And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.” (Revelation 18:21)

Are the above Scriptures above describing a tsunami that would be triggered by this great earthquake and the throwing down of a millstone, that would destroy the great city of Babylon, such as happened in 551 AD to Tyre? I think it is a possibility. Now, let us move onto Ezekiel chapter 27.

Ezekiel Chapter 27

In this chapter, God shifts from telling Ezekiel about the judgment that is coming to Tyrus to having Ezekiel tell Tyrus what is coming upon it. I find it interesting that God doesn’t tell Ezekiel to tell these things to the king of Tyrus, but apparently to speak these things to the city itself:

“The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus; and say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate [dwell] at the entry [entrance] of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles [coastlands], Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty. Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.” (Ezekiel 27:1-4)

This is what I believe another similarity between Tyrus and NYC, and that is the location of the two cities. Wikipedia describes the location of Tyre as: (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyre,_Lebanon)

“Tyre juts out from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and is located about 80 km (50 mi) south of Beirut. It originally consisted of two distinct urban centres: Tyre itself, which was on an island just 500 to 700 metres (yards) offshore, and the associated settlement of Ushu on the adjacent mainland, later called Palaetyrus, meaning "Old Tyre" in Ancient Greek.[7]”

Similarly, New York City, at least part of it, is located on an island, including Manhattan, the location of the World Trade Center. Just as Tyre was known as a merchant of the sea, so is New York. “The Port of New York and New Jersey was established as a new world trading center in New Amsterdam in 1624.” (Source: https://sanynj.org/facts/) In fact in 2022, it became the busiest port for cargo by ship for the entire USA, and the “New York Harbor is one of the world's largest natural harbors.” (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_New_York_and_New_Jersey)

“The Port of New York and New Jersey is the port district of the New York–Newark metropolitan area,[1] encompassing the region within approximately a 25-mile (40 km) radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.

“It includes the system of navigable waterways in the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary, which runs along over 770 miles (1,240 km) of shoreline in the vicinity of New York City and northeastern New Jersey,[2] and is considered one of the largest natural harbors in the world.

“Having long been the busiest port on the East Coast[3] it became the busiest port by maritime cargo volume in the United States in 2022[4][5] and is a major economic engine for the region.[6][7]”

At least one other person has noted the similarities between ancient Tyre and NYC: (Source: https://beliefmap.org/prophecy-fulfilled/tyre)

“Tyre was the Phoenician equivalent of New York City and, at the time Ezekiel prophesied her doom, the city ‘had reached the summit of its greatness as mistress of the sea and the centre of the commerce of the world.’ Further like New York, which exists as five boroughs (Brooklyn, Staten Island, etc.), ‘Tyre consisted of two distinct parts, a rocky fortress on the mainland, called ‘Ushu’ or ‘Old Tyre,’ and the city proper, built on a small, rocky island about half a mile distant from the shore.’”

From the article I mentioned previously from Bible Reading Archaeology regarding the downfall of Tyre, it states: (Source: https://biblereadingarcheology.com/2017/09/13/what-happened-to-tyre/)

“Ancient Tyre consisted of two parts. The first part of the city was on the mainland and the second part was on an island just under a kilometre from the shoreline. The island city of Tyre was blessed with not one but two separate harbours which faced opposite sides of the island.”

Before moving on, I want discuss something that struck me as odd in that last part of verse 3: “O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty.” (Ezekiel 27:3) I believe this is a direct connection to what is written in Ezekiel chapter 28, when God speaks specifically to the prince of Tyrus. I will discuss that later in this devotional.

Verses 5-23 discuss all of the lands and peoples with whom the city of Tyrus conducted trade, and that included many cities such as Egypt, Damascus, and also “Judah, and the land of Israel.” (Ezekiel 27:17) Fine and costly goods were traded between Tyrus and her many merchants. Skilled oarsmen from Zidon and Arvad piloted Tyrus’ ships. We are also told that the men of Persia, which is modern day Iran, Lud (Lydia), and Phut (Libya) were in Tyrus’ army and were their men of war. Ezekiel goes on to say that men of Arvad along, with the army, manned the walls, and men from Gammad, who were called “Gammadims” manned the towers of Tyrus.

Now, I want to read the words of God that He told Ezekiel to tell Tyrus and how her merchants would respond when they would see God’s judgment on her:

“These were thy merchants in all sorts of things, in blue [purple] clothes, and broidered work, and in chests of rich [multicoloured] apparel, bound with cords [strong twined cords in thy marketplace], and made of cedar, among thy merchandise. The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee [were carriers of your merchandise] in thy market: and thou was replenished [were filled], and made very glorious in the midst of the seas. Thy rowers [oarsmen] have brought thee into great [many] waters: the east wind hath broken thee in the midst of the seas.” (Ezekiel 27:24-25)

Thus, Ezekiel prophesied that Tyrus would not only be attacked by Babylon, but that there would be a disaster brought upon her in the midst of the seas as written in Ezekiel 26:19-20 and in the above Scriptures. As I stated previously, this sounds to me like a tsunami. Let us continue reading:

“Thy riches, and thy fairs [wares], thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers [caulkers], and the occupiers of [dealers in] thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin. The suburbs [commonlands or pasturelands] shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pilots. And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land [shore]; and shall cause their voice to be heard against [because of] thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes: and they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing. And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea? When thy wares went forth out of the seas [by sea], thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise. In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall. All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their countenance. The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror [horror], and never shalt be any more.” (Ezekiel 27:24-36)

Let us compare the Scriptures above to those in the book of Revelation that writes about Mystery, Babylon the Great. I will discuss this Mystery, Babylon in depth later in this devotional. However, for now, I want to focus on the similarities of what is written in Ezekiel and in Revelation. Just as Tyrus was very wealthy and traded with the merchants of the sea in luxurious and expensive goods, so too, does Mystery, Babylon. However, Mystery, Babylon takes it one step further and commits fornication with them:

“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power [authority]; and the earth was lightened [illuminated] with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils [demons], and the hold of [a prison for] every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful [hated] bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed [have become] rich through the abundance of her delicacies [luxury].” (Revelation 18:1-3)

Notice the Scriptures above refer to Babylon the great’s “fornication.” The Strong’s Concordance for “fornication” and its Greek origin is shown below: (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/4202.htm)

“From porneuo; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry -- fornication.”

You will notice the Greek word “porneuo,” from which we get the word “pornography.” It is no coincidence that the USA leads this disgusting and immoral industry that produces 40% of all content, with Japan being next at 10%: (Source: https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/top-15-countries-that-supply-the-most-pornography-online-understanding-global-trends-and-the-role-of-ethical-content-creation-1441936/)

“The United States has long been the world’s biggest producer of pornography. The United States produces 40% of all the adult content available online. Although other countries have adult content, the United States still has the most production studios, platforms, and independent creators. Because websites such as Pornhub and Xvideos are U.S.-based, they’re even more of a hub for adult media.”

Has there been any other nation in the world that has lived more luxuriously and become more sexually deviant than the USA? I believe the answer is an unequivocal “No!” Let us continue reading:

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:4)

When I previously read this many times prior to writing this devotional, I thought that the command in bold above is being addressed to everyone living in “Babylon the great” during this 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble. However, I believe it may be addressing specifically the Jews who are living in Babylon the Great, particularly those in NYC. There is a similar Scripture in Jeremiah that seems to support my suspicions and is speaking about God’s people, the captives of Judah in Babylon, who would eventually be freed by King Cyrus after he conquered Babylon:

“For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of [by] his God, of [by] the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul [life]: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.” (Jeremiah 51:5-6)

We must remember that the book of Revelation discusses the judgments that will happen during the 7-year time period right before Jesus returns. This time period is called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7) because the focus is on Israel. We must also remember that it is the Jews whom God has called “My people.” The earliest usage of this term that I could find in the Bible is from the book of Exodus 3:7, when Moses was tending to his father-in-law’s flock on Mount Horeb. Moses saw a burning bush and turned away from it. God called to him out from the middle of the bush, and said to Moses:

“Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows…” (Exodus 3:6-7)

Judah was taken into captivity by Babylon and God set them free after 70 years and enabled them to return to their land, the land He gave their fathers. God told His people to come out of her, and the same is true for Babylon the Great. Whether it be only the Jews who are living in Babylon the Great, or it also includes everyone who will turn to Jesus Christ during the time of Jacob’s trouble, one thing is for sure: God wants them to get out of her for He will destroy Babylon the Great.

Let us continue reading some of the Scriptures which sound almost verbatim as to what we read earlier about Tyre in the book of Ezekiel:

“How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously [luxuriously], so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously [luxuriously] with her, shall bewail [weep for] her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more…” (Revelation 18:7-11)

There are two key points I want to mention about the Scriptures above. The first regards the statement that Babylon the Great says in her heart, “I sit a queen.” Is it any coincidence that within New York City is the Statue of Liberty, and with what resting upon her head? It is a crown, as though she is a queen, with all eyes gazing upon her as they enter her harbors. The second point I want to mention is the abundance of trade that Babylon the Great will conduct with the merchants of the earth. What is America known for in our world today? Is it known for the goods it manufactures and exports to other countries or is it known for importing and buying goods from all around the world? It is definitely the latter. In fact, in 2025, America is the top importer in the world of goods at $3,966 Billion (which is $3.966 TRILLION), followed by China at $3,127 Billion (which is $3.127 Trillion). (Source: https://worldostats.com/country-stats/imports-by-country/) The top three countries that import goods to America as of 2024 were Mexico, China, and Canada. (Source: https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/imports-by-country) Can you imagine if suddenly this were to stop, even if it was just the Port of New York and New Jersey, which is the third busiest port in the country? (Source: https://maritimeducation.com/top-20-u-s-ports-strategic-maritime-gateways-driving-american-trade/)

Just as we read in Ezekiel 27 about Tyrus’ merchants weeping for the destruction of Tyrus, so too will Babylon the Great’s merchants weep and wail because no one will be able to buy their stuff anymore.

Revelation 18:12-13 describe some of the expensive goods that Babylon the Great buys from her merchants, and I want to point out two things mentioned which are listed as merchandise sold to Babylon the Great. Tyrus also traded people, as mentioned in Ezekiel 27:13:

“…and slaves [bodies], and souls of men.” (Revelation 18:13)

“they traded the persons [human lives] of men…” (Ezekiel 27:13)

America, including New York City has a long history of transporting African slaves to its city: (Source: https://eji.org/report/transatlantic-slave-trade/new-york/#trading-on-wall-street

“Enslavement is a defining feature of New York City’s origin story. New York City was a critical port in the Transatlantic Slave Trade, resulting in the trafficking and sale of thousands of kidnapped Africans on Wall Street.”

“Enslaved people cleared and cut the road that would become Broadway, built the wall that Wall Street was named for, paved the roads that expanded the city uptown, and grew crops in Brooklyn to feed their enslavers.

“Almost half of New Yorkers in 1730 personally enslaved Black people—a higher percentage than any colonial city except Charleston, South Carolina.”

And its history started early in the founding of New York City, which was formerly named New Amsterdam:

“In 1626, the Dutch West India Company trafficked 11 enslaved Africans to New Amsterdam, a Dutch settlement established that year that would become New York City. By the early 1630s, approximately 100 of the city’s 300 residents were enslaved.”

“By 1660, New Amsterdam was the “most important slave port in North America.”

Though legal slave trading stopped long ago, America is still conducting and participating in a form of slavery, and that is in its sexual trafficking of people. Though widely reported that a man named Jeffrey Epstein, a man connected to many rich and powerful people, including to the man ruling America and who wants to make it great again, the case has now been closed by the FBI, who said there wasn’t enough evidence to support such claims. Even though the American “justice” system won’t judge this evil man and those connected to him and who committed horrific acts, I know that Almighty God will judge the guilty, and it won’t end well for them if they do not repent and turn to Him with their whole heart.

Revelation 18:17-19 continues to describe the angst of the merchants when they see the destruction of Babylon the Great destroyed in one hour. In verse 20, we read that while Babylon is being destroyed, heaven is rejoicing:

“Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.” (Revelation 18:20)

Then we read something interesting in verse 21:

“And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.” (Revelation 18:21)

To me, this sounds similar to what we read in Ezekiel 26:19. If a mighty angel casts a stone into the sea, it very likely will trigger a tsunami. I believe this may well be what is described in the above Scriptures.

We also read that Babylon the Great “shall be found no more at all,” which is what we read in Ezekiel 26:36 about Tyrus. There are several Scriptures that also say the same thing about ancient Babylon:

“Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished [horrified], and hiss at all her plagues.” (Jeremiah 50:13)

“And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 51:26)

“And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.” (Jeremiah 51:29)

I will write more about Babylon the Great later, but now I want to discuss Ezekiel chapter 28.

Ezekiel Chapter 28

This chapter is an enigma to me. Though it is addressed to “the prince of Tyrus,” as I read it, it became clear that it is not only speaking to the human ruler, the prince, of Tyrus but also to the spirit, the evil spirit, behind him. That spirit I believe is Satan. It was Satan who had inspired Tyrus to believe that Jerusalem had been turned over to him or given into his hands, as we previously read about in Ezekiel 26:2. As I will discuss further, I believe this is happening before our very eyes with the USA, where Donald Trump is the modern-day prince of Tyrus, and modern day Israel,. Let us read how chapter 28 opens:

“The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up [Proud], and thou hast said, I am a God [a god], I sit in the seat of God [gods], in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: with thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: by thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart of God [a god]; behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness [splendour]. They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God [a god]? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 28:1-10)

I have put in bold font above the Scriptures that I believe are those that God is speaking directly to Satan. I do not believe that the prince of Tyrus was wiser than Daniel the prophet, but the spirit behind the prince, which was Satan, is wiser than Daniel.

The prince of Tyrus became very rich and very prideful. In that pride, he felt that Jerusalem was his for the taking, which caused his fall. Not only did he become very prideful, he even went so far to believe that he was a god. This is what pride does to a person: it destroys them. That is the reason why God hates pride. I believe the exact same thing is happening in my country, the USA, with Donald J. Trump. I think he believes he is a god, even possibly believing that he is God. I do not know of any other president in US history that has been more prideful and more pompous than Donald Trump. Just as the prince of Tyrus grew proud in his wealth and power, so too, has Donald Trump, and we are watching before our very eyes as he seeks to conquer and take sovereign nations, including Venezuela, Greenland, Cuba, and Mexico, which have been the news a lot lately.

Now, let us read where I believe God shifts from speaking to the prince of Tyrus to Satan himself directly. God has done this also during the times in which Jesus walked the earth at His first coming, when He was speaking to HIs disciples about what was going to happen to Him (Jesus):

“From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him [took him aside], and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee [God be merciful to you], Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” (Matthew 16:21-23)

Jesus knew that the words that Peter had spoken to Him were by the spirit of Satan, and Jesus rebuked Satan, just as I believe is happening in Ezekiel 28. Now, let us continue reading from Ezekiel 28. Notice in the first sentence below that God now changes from calling the ruler of Tyrus a “prince,” as was the case in Ezekiel 28:2, to a “king.” I believe God is intentional in His words because He is elevating the power behind the prince of Tyrus to the evil spirit behind him, which is Satan. In other words, Satan is really the one who is running the show. I believe we had hints of this in Ezekiel 26-27, but here I believe it is clear whom God is addressing, and that is Satan. I believe everything written below is addressing Satan, and I put in bold font the Scriptures I want to emphasize:

“Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum [were the seal of perfection], full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets [timbrels; a small hand drum or tambourine] and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou was created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” (Ezekiel 28:11-15)

I believe it is crystal clear that God is not speaking to the prince of Tyrus in the Scriptures above but directly to Satan himself. Satan, not the prince of Tyrus, was in the garden of Eden. Satan, not the prince of Tyrus, was created perfectly and was in the holy mountain of God. Satan, not the prince of Tyrus, was the anointed cherub until his sins caused him to fall from God.

Before continuing in Ezekiel 28, I want us to read some very similar Scriptures that Isaiah the prophet wrote in Isaiah chapter 14 when God told him to take up a proverb against Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. I believe that it is speaking to a time into the future other than when God would send the Medo-Persian Empire to conquer Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon. I believe that future time period is at the end of the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble, when Jesus Himself will save Israel and bring all of the surviving remnant of Israel back into the land that God gave their fathers long ago. It is then that an angel of God will cast Satan into a bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-3), and Jesus will reign on earth during that time period. It is only at that time that Israel will have rest from their sorrows. After the 1,000 years, Satan will be let out of the pit, and he will have one final time to deceive the nations and many people will revolt against God and Israel. God will then destroy by fire all people who will ally with Satan, and He will cast Satan into the eternal lake of fire. (Revelation 20:7-10). It is these events from Revelation that I believe provide the context for the Scriptures below, for they go far and beyond King Nebuchadnezzar. They are speaking to the evil and wicked spirit behind him, and that is Satan himself:

“For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave [cling] to the house of Jacob.” (Isaiah 14:1)

“And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. Yea, the fir [cypress] trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller [woodsman] is come up against us. Hell from beneath is moved for thee [excited about thee] to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols [harps or lutes]: the worm [maggot] is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shall be brought down to hell, to the sides [lowest depths, recesses] of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; that made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that open not the house of his prisoners? All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment [garment] of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned [named].” (Isaiah 14:3-20)

In these two accounts of two rulers of very rich and powerful nations, we see how their riches caused them to be prideful, so much so that they began to see themselves as a god, or even God Himself. I believe we are seeing that in the USA today, with Donald Trump desiring and lusting after sovereign nations to conquer them to obtain even more wealth and power, to put his name all over the world. A May 5, 2025 article from Novatr lists the 15 “notable” skyscrapers/towers that Donald Trump has built and proudly displayed his name on them, ranging from New York City, Chicago, Las Vegas, Florida, India, Turkey, Uruguay and other locations. (Source: https://www.novatr.com/blog/trump-towers-around-the-world)

Though the rich and powerful King Nebuchadnezzar and the prince of Tyrus had everything they could possibly want, God allowed them and their cities to be conquered and to become desolate. This is what pride does: it corrupts, and it opens the door wide open for Satan to come into a person a rule over them. This is exactly what we read about in the book of Revelation with Mystery, Babylon the great, who will be led by the spirit of the Beast of the Sea/antichrist, who will get his power from Satan.

Before finishing with our focus on Tyrus in Ezekiel 28, I want to acknowledge that I know I say “I believe” a lot in these devotionals. My beliefs represent my understanding of reading God’s word through the power of the Holy Spirit within me. However, I do not want to state anything as if I understand everything completely and know beyond the shadow of a doubt that what I have stated is factual, that I have it all right. Time will tell if I have correctly understood or not. If I don’t, and if I am still here and still have ability to write these devotionals, I will go back and correct what I have written or write another devotional stating such. Having said that, let us finish with Ezekiel 28:

“By the multitude of thy merchandise [trading] they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up [proud] because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness [splendour]: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick [trading]; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror [horror], and never shalt thou be any more.” (Ezekiel 28:16-19)

The passages of Scripture seem not to describe Satan in the context of Tyrus but in the context of the last time in human history before the return of Jesus Christ when Mystery, Babylon the Great is ruling on earth. Just like Tyrus, she is known for her life of luxury and trading with the merchants of the earth. Just like Tyrus, she will be filled with pride. However, Mystery, Babylon also has another very specific sin, and that is she will corrupt the earth with her fornication. She will commit fornication with the kings of the earth. (Revelation 17:2, 4, 18:3, 9).

There is something interesting in the Scriptures above and that is, “Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by thy multitudes of thine iniquities.” In Hebrew, the word “sanctuaries” is “miqdash or miqqedash” and it means “a consecrated thing or place, especially, a palace, sanctuary (whether of Jehovah or of idols) or asylum.” (Source: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4720.htm) There is not a similar Scripture in Ezekiel 26-27 as it related to Tyrus, and I believe this is speaking of Babylon the Great. I believe what is written in Ezekiel may be referring to the corrupted Babylon the Great/American “churches” that are located all throughout the USA as they deceive and entertain the masses. The apostle Peter warned us about false teachers and false prophets in 2 Peter chapter 2. The apostle Paul also warned that there would be a falling away first before the man of sin, the final antichrist, is revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3). In the book of Revelation, Jesus Himself warned five of the seven churches that He addressed that they needed to change their ways or they would be under His judgment.

Notice also in the Scriptures above from Ezekiel 28:16-19 that God says “there will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.” In Ezekiel 26-28, God did not say He would destroy Tyrus by fire, but God does tell us this in the book of Revelation regarding Babylon the Great. (Revelation 17:16, 18:8-9, 18).

PART 3: WHY GOD ALLOWED JUDAH AND JERUSALEM TO BE CONQUERED AND TAKEN INTO CAPTIVITY BY BABYLON

Before discussing the similarities between ancient Babylon that destroyed the first Jewish Temple and Jerusalem and took many of the Jews living in Judah captive to Babylon, I want to discuss the reasons why God allowed this to happen, as was foretold by the prophet Jeremiah. Let us read a little bit about Jeremiah, who is known as “the weeping prophet” because of his tearful laments for his people, the people of Judah, and also for their hard-heartedness and refusal to listen to God’s warnings. (Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Jeremiah.html)

“Jeremiah the prophet lived in the final days of the crumbling nation of Judah. He was, appropriately, the last prophet that God sent to preach to the southern kingdom, which comprised the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. God had repeatedly warned Israel to stop their idolatrous behavior, but they would not listen, so He tore the 12 tribes asunder, sending the 10 northern tribes into captivity at the hands of the Assyrians. Then God sent Jeremiah to give Judah the last warning before He cast them out of the land, decimating the nation and sending them into captivity in the pagan kingdom of Babylon. Jeremiah, a faithful, God-fearing man, was called to tell Judah that, because of their unrepentant sin, their God had turned against them and was now prepared to remove them from the land at the hands of a pagan king.”

The book of Jeremiah is a 40-year long appeal by the prophet Jeremiah to the people in Judah and Jerusalem, telling them to turn from their sins and return to God or face judgment by God. The judgment would come because of their extensive idolatry, meaning their worship of false gods. It was almost like God was saying to them through the prophet Jeremiah, if you want to worship your false gods, I will send you to a nation that worships many false gods. Long ago, before God allowed Israel to enter into the land that He gave them, He warned them not to commit the same sins that the people who lived there before God allowed Israel to conquer the land, else He would vomit Israel out of the land, as He did with the Canaanites. (Leviticus 18:25, 28, 20:22). However, Judah did not heed God’s warnings and were committing abominations against Him. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God warned Judah that He was going to expel them out of His land if they did not change their ways. However, God told Jeremiah to tell them that He would not send judgment against them if they turned from their wicked ways:

“The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels [Potter’s wheel]. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred [ruined] in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil [relent concerning the disaster] that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent [relent] of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil [am fashioning a disaster] against you: return ye now everyone one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination [stubbornness] of his evil heart. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen [Gentiles], who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing. Will a man leave [forsake] the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken? Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity [worthless idols], and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up [and not on a highway]; to make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag [shake] his head. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the [My] back, and not the [My] face, in the day of their calamity. Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices [plans] against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite [attack] him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. ” (Jeremiah 18:1-18)

The men of Judah did not want to hear the warnings from God that were spoken to them by the prophet Jeremiah. They wanted to live they wanted to live, which was in sin, and still receive the blessings of God and to live in His land. They were worshipping false gods then, and they still are to this day. While the false gods of today may not be made of wood or stone, they are still worshipping them and not Almighty God. Instead of listening to the words that Jeremiah spoke to them and turning back to God, the men of Judah said they would continue to walk in their ways according to their evil heart. In Jeremiah 18:20, Jeremiah asks God if evil should be repaid for good, because instead of heeding his warnings from God, they sought to kill him. Then Jeremiah appealed to God and asked Him to punish them by sending a famine and to kill them by sword. I am sure this was not easy for Jeremiah, as he likely knew many of these people. God did send punishment, and it came by the Gentile nation of Babylon and its king, King Nebuchadnezzar. This foreign king destroyed Judah and Jerusalem and the Temple, and many people from Judah were taken into captivity in Babylon.

However, God also gave Jeremiah words of hope and encouragement for the future. These words of hope were spoken to the pastors/shepherds/religious leaders of Judah after God had pronounced woe upon them because they had not fed and taken care of their sheep, meaning the people of Judah, and instead had driven them away. God promised the false shepherds that He - not them - would bring His people back from where they had been scattered, and He - not them - would set up shepherds, true shepherds, over them. Jeremiah also prophesied of the second coming of Jesus Christ:

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper [act wisely], and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

In Jeremiah chapter 29, Jeremiah wrote a letter regarding what the captives should do while they were being held in Babylon:

“Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue [remainder] of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon…” (Jeremiah 29:1)

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.” (Jeremiah 29:4-7)

It was clear that the captives of Judah were going to be there for a long time; it wasn’t something that was temporary and they would return home soon. God told them to go on with their lives and to seek peace, praying to Him for it. Then He told them this:

“For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 29:8-9)

God told them this because prior to the words that Jeremiah spoke to them as shown above from chapter 29, there was a false prophet named Hananiah who spoke to Zedekiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar had appointed to rule Judah, and to the priests and all the people who were there. Hananiah told Zedekiah:

“Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon: And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah [Or Coniah or Jehoiachin] the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives [or exiles] of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.” (Jeremiah 28:2-4)

I encourage you to read Jeremiah 28:5-14 to learn what transpired between this false prophet and the true prophet of God, Jeremiah. Let us read what Jeremiah told Hananiah in the remaining verses of chapter 28:

“Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD. So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.” (Jeremiah 28:15-17)

God does not take false prophesy lightly, as we clearly read in the above Scriptures. Just as the rulers of Judah and Israel had false prophets prophesying lies to them, so too did they when Jesus came to earth the first time, and so too are they to this day. Nothing has changed. Now, let us read what Jeremiah said regarding how long the people of Judah would be held captive in Babylon:

“For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.” (Jeremiah 29:10)

Just as God prophesied through His prophet Jeremiah, the captives were returned to their homeland after seventy years by the decree of the king of the nation that overthrew King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. That king was Cyrus, King of Persia, whom, through the prophet Isaiah, God called by name 100+ years before Cyrus was even born:

“That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden [held], to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins [armour] of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates [double doors]; and the gates shall not be shut…” (Isaiah 44:28-45:1)

“For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from [to its setting] the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil [calamity]: I the LORD do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:4-7)

As prophesied above by Isaiah, not only was Cyrus born and became king of Persia, conquered Babylon, and released the captives of Judah, he also authorized the building of the second Temple, under his authority and used his own funds to build it:

“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house [Temple] at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised [stirred up], to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.” (Ezra 1:1-5)

PART 4: THE FALLS OF BABYLON AND MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT THAT ARE EERILY SIMILAR TO AMERICA

Now, I want to discuss the reasons why God had King Cyrus, the king of Persia, who, after conquering the Medes, allied himself with them to form the Medo-Persian Empire, invade and conquer Babylon, where the captives of Judah had been held for 70 years. In the Scriptures below, Jeremiah tells Chaldea, which was located in southern Babylonia, and oftentimes was another name for Babylon, why it was going to be punished, to be a plunder. Chapter 47 of the book of Isaiah opens with God addressing Babylon as a virgin daughter of Babylon and daughter of the Chaldeans, saying:

“And Chaldea shall be a spoil [become plunder]: all that spoil [plunder] her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD. Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls; your mother shall be sore confounded [deeply ashamed]; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost [least] of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.” (Jeremiah 50:10-12)

“Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate [pampered].” (Isaiah 47:1)

As we consider the words of God to Babylon above, let us ask ourselves if we know of a country in our modern world today that is similar to ancient Babylon that is described above? II know of no other country that could be called “delicate” or “pampered” than that of the United States. Is there any other country in our modern world that has lived with such abundance and extravagance than America? Can you see the similarities between it and ancient Babylon, of which Isaiah and other prophets in his time wrote? Though America has not yet turned its back on Israel, I wholeheartedly believe that it will, and it will happen sooner than many may think. Let us continue reading:

“Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks [remove thy veil], make bare the leg [take off the skirt], uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man [arbitrate with a man]. As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel. Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of the kingdoms.” (Isaiah 47:2-5)

Is there a parallel between ancient Babylon and America today, with the Statue of Liberty, also called “Lady Liberty,” that stands as an entrance to those entering from kingdoms around the world? I believe there is.

Now, let us read what God said about Babylon’s treatment of His people who lived in Judah. God allowed them to be taken into captivity by Babylon because of Judah’s sins against Him. Let us read how Babylon treated God’s people in their captivity, as well as Babylon’s pride against God:

“I was wroth [angry] with my people, I have polluted [profaned] mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient [elderly] hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.” (Isaiah 47:6)

“Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar [Or Nebuchadnezzar] king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.” (Jeremiah 50:17-18)

“Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense [repay] her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel. Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD. Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit [punish] thee. And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.” (Jeremiah 50:29-33)

“Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, [delicacies], he hath cast me out. The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and taken vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry. And Babylon shall become heaps [a heap of ruins], a dwellingplace for dragons [jackals], an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.” (Jeremiah 51:34-37)

King Nebuchadnezzar’s power over God’s people went to his head, and it sounds like it wasn’t just him but the people of Babylon. They were full of pride. Babylon abused the people of Judah and showed them no mercy, even to the elderly. When it came time for the captives to be released, Babylon refused to let them go. This reminds me of how badly Pharaoh treated God’s people in Egypt and why God sent Moses to deliver them out of Egypt. Just as Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go, so too did Babylon. Thus, God sent judgment upon Babylon, as He did to Egypt. While the United States has supported Israel, I believe there is coming a time, and I believe it not to be too far into the future, when it will turn its back on Israel. We know this because, as we previously read in Zechariah 12:2-3, the Bible tells us that all people, meaning all nations, will come against Israel in the latter days, and that includes America. We know that it will be God - and only God - who will protect Israel, as we read in the Scriptures below:

“Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil [plunder] shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled [plundered], and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue [remnant] of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.” (Zechariah 14:1-3)

As we continue in Isaiah 47, the words that the prophet Isaiah spoke to Babylon sound eerily similar not only to the words of Ezekiel spoke to Tyrus, but also to the prophecies of John the apostle in the book of Revelation regarding Mystery, Babylon the Great. Let us compare the Scriptures from Isaiah and Revelation:

“And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it. Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly [securely], that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: but these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection [fulness] for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.” (Isaiah 47:7-9)

“How much she [Babylon the great] hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously [luxuriously], so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” (Revelation 18:7-8)

“… for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.” (Revelation 18:23)

There are three main points I want to emphasize regarding the Scriptures above: 1) As ancient Babylon believed, so too will the coming Mystery, Babylon believe that she will go on living in luxury and securely, forever. She will believe that because she is so rich and powerful, that she is invincible, that no harm can come to her. This truly was the attitude of the USA on September 10, 2001, but September 11 changed that attitude, and I believe it changed it to this day. I will discuss this more later. 2) Both ancient and Mystery, Babylon are involved in the use of sorceries. 3) The destruction of both of them would come suddenly.

I want to call to your attention something from the above Scriptures and that is God’s use of the word “sorceries.” In Isaiah, which was written in Hebrew, it means: (Source: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/3785.htm)

“Designates the practice of sorcery or witchcraft—intentional manipulation of spiritual powers apart from the revealed worship of the LORD.”

However, in the book of Revelation, which was written in Greek, it is from the Greek word “pharmakeia.” We recognize this word, as from it we get the English word ‘pharmacy.” Per the Strong’s Concordance, it means: (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/5331.htm)

“From pharmakeus; medication ("pharmacy"), i.e. (by extension) magic (literally or figuratively) -- sorcery, witchcraft.”

Now, I ask you, which nation in our modern world today is known for its rampant drug use, not only illicit drugs but also pharmaceuticals as prescribed by a doctor? What nation develops and sells the most pharmaceuticals? I would say beyond the shadow of a doubt, it is America. Let us read about this from an article from pharmchoices.com: (Source: https://pharmchoices.com/the-top-global-pharma-companies-pharma-markets/)

“The US remains the top global pharma market, and is home to most of the top global pharma companies. In 2023, North America accounted for 53.3% of all global pharmaceutical sales, while Europe accounted for 22.7%."

“US pharmaceutical companies dominate the list of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies, with 9 out of the 20 companies, followed by Germany (3), Switzerland (2), UK (2), France (1), Denmark (1), Japan (1), and Israel (1).”

In addition, the article shows that the USA is #1 of the top ten of global pharmaceutical markets, at 44.4% outpacing the second largest, China, at 7%, a remarkable difference between the top two markets. Consider too the population of these two nations. As of February 23, 2026, the day I checked the referenced website, the USA has approximately 349 million people, representing 4.2% of the world’s population. (Source: https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/us-population/) China has over 1.4 billion people, representing 17% of the world’s population. (Source: https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/china-population/) Why does the USA sell so many pharmaceuticals?

A different article from 2024 shows that out of the top 15 pharmaceutical companies by drug and vaccine sales, the US has 8 of the 15 top companies. Out of the total sales revenue of $713.66 Billion, the US has $389.03 Billion, or 54.51% of the market share. The top three US companies are Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson (J&J), and Merck & Co. (Source: https://www.getreskilled.com/pharmaceutical-companies/) In another article titled “Drugged Nation: Over Half of U.S. Adults Take Medication Daily, Survey Finds,” it was reported that 61% of American adults are currently taking at least one prescription every day, with only 13% taking one medication daily and a whopping 27% are taking four or more medications every single day. (Source: https://headlineusa.com/prescription-nation-over-half-of-u-s-adults-take-medication-daily-survey-finds/)

With all of the prescription drugs Americans are taking, do you think it results in Americans being healthier than other nations? The answer, it seems, is a resounding “No!” based on an article that ranked countries by a global health index that includes ten different criteria: (Source: https://ceoworld.biz/2025/06/17/ranked-the-healthiest-and-unhealthiest-countries-in-the-world-2025/)

“These criteria encompass healthy life expectancy, blood pressure levels, blood glucose (a key indicator of diabetes risk), obesity rates, prevalence of depression, overall happiness, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, levels of physical inactivity, and government expenditure on healthcare.

“The index computed a ratio to determine each country’s proximity to the optimal health score.”

The top five countries with the best health scores were Taiwan, Singapore, Israel, Japan, and Switzerland. So, how did America rank? 61st, with Argentina ranking at 58th, Bosnia and Herzegovina at 59th, and Oman at 60th. Romania and Jamaica followed closely behind America at 62nd and 63rd, respectively.

The reason that America ranks poorly is not attributed to how much it spends on healthcare per capital; no, in fact it is quite the opposite. America is ranked as the #1 country that spends the most on healthcare, with Switzerland being the second. The amount that America spends compared to Switzerland is not even close; no,, America spends 52% more (14,900 PPP) than Switzerland does (9,800 PPP). (Source: https://statranker.org/health-health/top-100-countries-by-health-expenditure-per-capita-2025/)

Clearly, America is doing something terribly wrong when it comes to the health of its citizens. I believe its fascination with, and rampant usage of, both pharmaceutical drugs and illicit drugs has a lot to do with it. Now, add to that the explosion of weight loss drugs like Ozempic/GLP-1 injections, which now are available in a pill format, I anticipate America’s pharmaceutical industry will continue to increase and its citizens will get sicker and more people will die.

Let us not forget that in 2020 and subsequent years with the COVID-19 lockdowns, it was America that deceived the entire world, with what I believe was a pandemic deception in order to bring in the “vaccines” at a pace unprecedented under “Operation Warp Speed” by none other than Donald Trump during his first administration, after which many people died or were injured due to severe adverse events and side effects. I encourage you to view the VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System) website. This site is used to report adverse events occurring after vaccine administration, including the COVID vaccines. Anyone can report the information. Below is information about the site from cdc.gov: (Source: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety-systems/vaers/index.html)

“The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is the nation's early warning system that monitors the safety of FDA-approved vaccines and vaccines authorized for use for public health emergencies. The system accepts and analyzes reports of possible adverse events after vaccination and is co-managed by CDC and FDA. The number of reports submitted varies each year. VAERS accepts reports regardless of seriousness or how likely the vaccine may have caused the adverse event.”

You can view data regarding the reported adverse events for COVID vaccines here: https://openvaers.com/covid-data)

The adverse events reported on this site are vastly underreported: (Source: https://openvaers.com/faq/what-is-underreporting-and-why-it-matters)

“VAERS is widely acknowledged, even by the CDC, to be vastly underreported. From their Dataguide:”

“Further it states, Adverse events from drugs and vaccines are common, but underreported. Although 25% of ambulatory patients experience an adverse drug event, less than 0.3% of all adverse drug events and 1-13% of serious events are reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Likewise, fewer than 1% of vaccine adverse events are reported."

I encourage you to review the reports of death reported on this site since 1990 for all vaccines and see for yourself the large spike in deaths reported in 2021 after the rollout of the COVID vaccines. (Source: https://openvaers.com/covid-data/mortality)

On December 9, 2025, it was reported by Reuters that the FDA is probing deaths “across multiple age groups” possibly related to the COVID vaccine: (Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/fda-probes-possible-link-between-covid-vaccines-related-deaths-across-age-groups-2025-12-09/)

“Last month, the agency's chief medical and scientific officer Vinay Prasad had told staffers in a memo that COVID shots probably contributed to the deaths of at least 10 children who died of heart inflammation and announced plans to tighten vaccine oversight.”

I find it very interesting that in July 2025, it was announced that Vinay Prasad was leaving the FDA to “spend more time with his family.” (Source: https://apnews.com/article/vinay-prasad-fda-vaccines-laura-loomer-83030ad6eb7651095e3c40444dd69f12) Then, in a surprising reversal, it was announced on August 11, 2025 that he was returning to his job. In an article from the Associated Press, it was stated:

“Prasad left the agency late last month after drawing ire of right-wing activists, including Laura Loomer, because of his past statements criticizing Trump.”

“But Prasad has had the backing of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who have both called for scrutinizing the use of COVID-19 vaccines. Under Prasad, the FDA restricted the approval of two new COVID-19 shots from vaccine makers Novavax and Moderna and set stricter testing requirements for future approvals.”

One of the ten children, a 16-year old boy, who died after receiving a COVID vaccine has been identified in a December 2, 2025 article from The Connecticut Centinal. I encourage you to read this article for yourself. The article also discusses problems with VAERS, to which the boy’s death had been reported but nothing became of it. (Source: https://connecticutcentinal.com/health/2025/12/02/teen-who-died-5-days-after-pfizer-vaccine-among-10-deaths-fda-cited-in-leaked-memo/)

I also encourage you to read the May 5, 2024 article titled “COVID19 vaccines linked to myocarditis, pericarditis, ITP, Guillain Barre Syndrome, Bell's Palsy, ADEM, PE, Febrile seizures & more” from Dr. Prasad that is posted on his website. In this article, he discussed his concerns with a paper published in a journal called Vaccine, and he includes a link to that paper. (Source: https://www.drvinayprasad.com/p/covid19-vaccines-linked-to-myocarditis)

Based on the above information, I do not believe there is any doubt as to why there are critics coming against Mr. Prasad for his memo stating the COVID vaccines probably caused the deaths of children.

In addition, in February 2026, Dr. Prasad was in the news again when he, as the FDA’s chief medical officer, refused to review Moderna’s latest MRNA flu vaccine. Again, there was another quick reversal of his decision. Fierce Biotech reported on February 19, 2026: (Source: https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/white-house-frustration-may-have-fueled-fdas-moderna-change-politico)

“Politico has reported that the White House isn’t happy with the FDA’s recent actions surrounding vaccines, fueling public scrutiny of internal decision-making at the regulator.

“The FDA’s quick change-up regarding Moderna’s seasonal flu vaccine application came on the heels of a meeting with President Donald Trump and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., in which Trump voiced frustration over how the situation has been handled, according to Politico. The publication cited ‘two people familiar with details of the meeting.’”

“A little over a week ago, Moderna reported that the FDA issued a refusal-to-file (RTF) letter in response to a request for approval of its next-gen flu vaccine candidate, mRNA-1010. In the letter, the FDA's Chief Medical Officer Vinay Prasad, M.D., said the agency wouldn’t review the submission because Moderna’s comparator didn’t reflect the best-available standard of care in the U.S. at the time of the study.

“Moderna then met with the FDA to discuss the situation and the agency quickly walked back its initial decision, accepting an amended application for review. The regulator is scheduled to make a decision by Aug. 5.”

I ask you: who is running the FDA? Those who are interested in the best outcomes from a public health perspective or Donald Trump?

Regarding sorceries and Babylon the Great, I do not think there is any doubt as to who it is that is being described in Revelation 18:23, and it is America.

Before we return to the comparison of what the prophet Isaiah wrote about Babylon and what Revelation tells us about Mystery, Babylon the Great and the similarities between the two, I want to note something that is written twice in Isaiah 47 that, though it is very subtle, it speaks volumes about the character of Babylon. I have shown Isaiah 47 verse 8 again, along with verse 10:

“Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly [securely], that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children.” (Isaiah 47:8)

“For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.” (Isaiah 47:10)

I believe Isaiah is telling us that the Babylon he wrote about and which existed in his time, thought that it was God. He wrote that the Babylon put itself on the same level as God. Let us compare this to what he wrote in the two prior chapters regarding Babylon and what God says about Himself as He spoke 1) in chapter 45 to Cyrus, 100+ years before he was even born, and 2) in chapter 46 to the house of Jacob and to the remnant of the house of Israel:

“I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: that they [Israel] may know from the rising of the sun, and from the [to its setting] west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:5-6)

“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:9-10)

I bring this up because in my last devotional I wrote about the recent tariff letters that Donald Trump sent to countries in which he was raising the tariffs on their imports. The Korea Times reported on it and showed the letter that was sent by Trump to the President of the Republic of Korea. In Donald Trump’s signature block, he signed it as: “With best wishes, I am,” then underneath that, was “Sincerely.” Why did he sign it that way? Why did he not sign it as “With best wishes,” then “I am sincerely”? I encourage you to view the document for yourself. (Source: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20250708/full-text-us-president-donald-trumps-tariff-letter-to-president-lee-jae-myung)

I believe he was very intentional in how he signed the letters, and,, at a minimum, he believes he is a god, or even worse, that he believes he is Almighty God. If my suspicions are correct, he definitely is not the first human being to believe that. This is not the first time something eerie like this has happened regarding Donald Trump. On August 21, 2019, when Trump was being asked about his trade war on China, he looked to the heavens and said, “Somebody had to do it. I am the Chosen One.” (Source: https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/president-donald-trump-proclaims-himself-the-chosen-one-news-footage/1170831764) Others have noticed that Donald Trump seems to think of himself as though he were God, and I have links to two articles below that discuss this:

“Does Trump Actually Think He’s God?” (Source: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/05/30/trump-god-messiah-assassination-attempt-00362322)

“Trump is either trolling everyone or thinks he’s like a god” (Source: https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/21/politics/erratic-trump-god-complex/)

As we continue in Isaiah chapter 47 that discusses ancient Babylon, we will see further descriptions that are very similar to what is written in the book of Revelation regarding Mystery, Babylon the Great. Again, we will also see that they are similar to the verses we read in Ezekiel regarding Tyrus. I want you to notice that in the verses below that the word “sorceries” is used again:

“Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it arises [where it arises]: and mischief [trouble] shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off [cover it]: and a desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast labored from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers [viewers of the heavens], the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators [those giving knowledge for new moons], stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast labored, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter [own side or way]; none shall save thee.” (Isaiah 47:11-15)

“And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously [luxuriously] with her, shall bewail [weep for] her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more…” (Revelation 18:9-11)

“For in one hour so great riches is come to nought [nothing]. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships [who travel by ship], and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!” (Revelation 18:17-18)

Let us read some other Scriptures that show the similarities between the falls of ancient Babylon and Babylon the Great:

“And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.” (Isaiah 21:9)

“And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” (Revelation 14:8)

“Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad [deranged].” (Jeremiah 51:7)

“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked [adorned] with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Revelation 17:4-5)

Notice in the Scriptures above from Isaiah 21:9 and Revelation 14:8, that they both say “Babylon is fallen, is fallen.” Is this representing two separate falls of these cities/empires, where the first fall led to the decline of the empire, and the second led to the destruction and end of the empire and it would never rise again? I believe the answer may very well be “yes.” Let us read about what happened to the ancient Babylonian Empire from an article dated April 7, 2025 from World History Edu. I believe these may represent the two falls of ancient Babylon and why the Scripture from Isaiah 21:9 states, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen…” (Source: https://worldhistoryedu.com/timeline-of-the-babylonian-empire/)

“The Babylonian Empire is one of the most fascinating civilizations in ancient history. Known for its contributions to law, science, literature, and architecture, Babylon left a legacy that still influences us today. Located in Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, Babylon rose to power not once but twice—first under the Old Babylonian Empire and later during the Neo-Babylonian Empire.”

“The Old Babylonian Empire came to a sudden end when the Hittites, a powerful group from Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), invaded and sacked the city of Babylon. They looted the city and removed the statue of Marduk, the main god of Babylon.”

“For several centuries, Babylon was a part of larger empires, especially the Assyrian Empire. While the city kept its cultural and religious importance, it was not politically independent. Assyrian kings often placed their own governors in Babylon, and rebellions were frequent.”

“A Babylonian general named Nabopolassar led a successful revolt against the Assyrians and established the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He formed an alliance with the Medes, another powerful group from Iran, and together they destroyed the Assyrian capital Nineveh in 612 BCE.

“This marked the beginning of a second golden age for Babylon, one that would reach its peak under Nabopolassar’s son.”

“Nebuchadnezzar II is the most famous ruler of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He expanded the empire, fought wars in the Levant (modern-day Syria, Lebanon, and Israel), and captured Jerusalem in 586 BCE. During this time, many people from the Kingdom of Judah were exiled to Babylon—a period known as the Babylonian Captivity.”

“In 539 BCE, Cyrus the Great, the ruler of the Persian Empire, conquered Babylon without a major battle. According to historical accounts, the Babylonians welcomed him as a liberator.

“Cyrus respected Babylonian customs and allowed many exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands. Although Babylon became part of the Persian Empire, it remained an important city for many years.”

If I am correct in my belief that Mystery, Babylon the Great will also experience two falls, then let us look at what I believe represents the first fall of Babylon the Great, which I believe is New York City, and as I said previously, with a twist. I believe that the first fall happened on September 11, 2001, that resulted in the decline of the American Empire. Let us read further about the impact of 9/11 on not only NYC but also America. The first is an article from September 11, 2014 from CBC News: (Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/how-9-11-hastened-the-decline-of-the-american-empire-1.2762110)

“Some historians believe the American reaction to the 2001 attacks actually accelerated the decline of the U.S. empire. Look no further than the ongoing quagmire in Iraq, the unachievable goals in Afghanistan and paralysis over Syria.”

“Military historians who've traced the patterns of empire note that when an empire is in decline, it indulges in feats of "micro-militarism" – small interventions that it cannot win, but still undertakes because imperial pride is at stake.”

Let us read from another article, this one from August 7, 2021 from Brookings: (Source: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-americas-response-to-9-11-contributed-to-our-national-decline/)

“The United States is weaker, more divided, and less respected than it was two decades ago, and we have surrendered the unchallenged preeminence we then enjoyed. Although our response to 9/11 is not solely responsible for these negative developments, it has certainly contributed to them.”

“At the end of the 20th century, the United States bestrode the world like a colossus. We had no military or economic peers, and our ideological victory over the antagonists of liberal democracy seemed total. September 11 changed all this. Our excessive focus on the Middle East diverted us from the geopolitical forces that that were reshaping the world to our disadvantage. While America looked elsewhere, Russia recovered and China rose, with consequences stretching from Crimea to the Taiwan Strait to the factories and small towns of America’s heartland. Now we must face the consequences with a weakened hand.”

Fast-forward to 2026 with Donald Trump in his second term as President, and I believe the statements above have been put into overdrive, or as Trump likes to say, “warp speed.” There are those who believe America is in decline, while others think quite the opposite. I, for one, do believe it is in decline. It is in decline in every aspect, including spiritually, morally, financially, and politically. I believe it has lost much of its credibility it may have once had prior to Donald Trump being President. Financially, we are on life support. Our increasing debt is not sustainable, and we are collapsing under it. In an article from The Hill dated January 19, 2024, before Donald Trump was re-elected, it stated it believes America’s decline is irreversible and listed the five reasons for their belief: (Source: https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/4414582-five-reasons-american-decline-appears-irreversible/)

“But five unmistakable signs of American decline have been gathering momentum for decades, through both Republican and Democratic administrations. No president or party can solve these chronically intertwined, deep-rooted, systemic economic, political, societal and cultural problems. Officials can only manage the decline and mitigate the impact.”

“1 - Uncontrollable U.S. Debt: The U.S. Debt Clock displays the inevitability of American decline — a “ticking time bomb” of data and financial evidence…”

“2 - Low student achievement: Unfortunately, the “Nation’s Report Card” does not hint at such an optimistic future. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, a congressionally mandated Education Department program that has assessed students since 1969, finds that the only 29 percent of fourth graders and 20 percent of eighth graders are even proficient in math. Only 8 percent and 7 percent, respectively, are “advanced” at those levels.”

“3 - Increasing income and wealth inequality: Sub-par educational achievement will probably only increase the gap between the rich and poor. Moreover, it will shrink the once-vibrant middle class — the pride of post-war America.”

“4 - Loss of American identity and patriotism: The once-great American “melting pot” is an outdated concept for many Americans. Traditionally, immigrants with different languages and cultures assimilated and became distinctly American. The current trend is toward a heterogeneous culture.”

“5 - Widespread belief that our political system is broken: Americans’ disdain for the political system has been captured in numerous polls, showing voters are dissatisfied with a potential Biden-Trump rematch — “a uniquely horrible choice,” as the headline quote from one voter put it.”

I encourage you to read an article dated January 18, 2026 from Times Now titled “7 Stages of Imperial Decline: Why The US Economy Might Collapse Sooner Than The World Expects.” It discusses the seven stages empires go through before they collapse completely. It provides a status from the perspective of the decline of the USA for these seven stages: 1- Military Overextension; 2-Currency Debasement; 3-Debt Spiral; 4-Loss of Productive Capacity; 5-Social Decay; 6-Loss of Reserve Currency Status; 7-Total Collapse. (Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/economy/7-stages-of-imperial-decline-why-the-us-economy-might-collapse-sooner-than-the-world-expects-article-153466384)

Time will tell whether my suspicions about the two falls of Babylon the Great are right. Now, let us continue.

There is another intriguing similarity between the fall of ancient Babylon that Jeremiah wrote about and the coming fall of Mystery, Babylon the Great, that I believe it is speaking of New York City:

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken [laid bare], and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in [nations because of] the fire, and they shall be weary.” (Jeremiah 51:58)

I want to note that the word “walls” above, in the Hebrew the word is singular, “wall.” (See: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2346.htm) I discussed this earlier when comparing Tyrus to New York City. Is it merely coincidence that New York City has two streets that are of critical importance not only to the city but also to America, and the names of those streets are Wall Street and Broadway? Is it just coincidence that these streets are named in that manner? Is it just coincidence this is in complete opposition to what Jesus tells us, that broad is the way that leads to destruction? No, I believe the founders of this country knew exactly what they were doing, and instead of serving Almighty God, they served Satan:

“Enter ye in at the strait [narrow] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait [How narrow] is the gate, and narrow [difficult or confined] is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

Further, the corner/intersection of Wall Street and Broadway is where two key events in America’s history happened: (Source: https://downtownny.com/business/planning-initiatives/wall-broad/)

“George Washington took the first oath of office as president of the United States. It’s also the spot that gave rise to the American financial system.”

In addition, New York City was the location of America’s first capital before it was ultimately moved to Washington, D.C. The first capitol building was named Federal Hall and was located at this same intersection: (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Hall)

“Federal Hall was the first capitol building of the United States established under the Constitution. Serving as the meeting place of the First United States Congress and the site of George Washington's first presidential inauguration, the building was located on Wall Street facing the northern end of Broad Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, from 1703 to 1812.”

Though God Himself had allowed His people in Judah and Jerusalem to be conquered and taken in captivity to Babylon for their idolatry against God, Babylon itself would later be subject to God’s wrath because it had gone too far in its treatment of Israel. In addition, Babylon caused her sin to extend to all the nations, which became deranged. The words of Jeremiah are very similar to the words of the apostle John as he described an angel declaring the yet future fall of Babylon the Great. Like ancient Babylon in Jeremiah’s time, Babylon the Great will corrupt the nations of the world, as John wrote that Babylon the Great has a golden cup “full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.” As happened to ancient Babylon, Babylon the Great will receive the full cup of God’s wrath, and it will be poured out full strength upon them.

PART 5: WHO IS MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT?

I have read the book of Revelation many times, and one of the recent times I was reading it, after I had been studying the Old Testament on a deep level like I have never studied it before, something stood out to me and struck me that quite frankly, shocked me. It was when I was reading about Mystery, Babylon the Great and who or what it is. Before discussing what it was that hit me so hard, I want to say that years ago, when I went to church regularly, was reading books by many professing Christian authors, then in 2017 I began listening to various people on YouTube, and around 2021, I began reading Bible commentaries, I had heard and read about the various possibilities as to whom or what Mystery, Babylon the Great represented. The main possibilities I heard were that Mystery, Babylon the Great represents the Catholic Church or it represents a Mystery Religion that has been here since the beginning, in the Garden of Eden. I used to believe in the Catholic Church theory, and then when I heard about the Mystery Religion theory, I started to believe it. However, I have always wondered why Revelation refers to Mystery, Babylon as a “city” and a “great city,” and not just once but several times.

I believe that when God is talking about a literal city, He uses language so that we can know the difference. He doesn’t say something such as “like a city” or “as it were a city” or “as a city,” and there are places in the Bible where God does use language like that, which is simile. Below is an example of when He uses that type of language:

“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” (Proverbs 25:28)

Let us review some other instances in God’s word where He refers to a “great city” and is speaking about literal, physical cities:

Gibeon:

“Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem [before King David took the city from its inhabitants] had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.” (Joshua 10:1-2)

Ninevah:

“Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry [cry out] against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2)

“And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching [message] that I bid [tell] thee.” (Jonah 3:1-2)

“And should not I spare [pity] Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore [120] thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle [livestock]?” (Jonah 4:11)

Jerusalem:

“For thus saith the LORD unto the king’s house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited. And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire. And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbor, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city? Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.” (Jeremiah 22:6-9)

From the examples above, I think it is clear that when God uses the words “great city,” He is speaking of a literal city.

Now, let us dig into what is written about this “great city,” Mystery, Babylon the Great in the book of Revelation. I am going to start with Revelation chapter 11, as I believe that gives us a clue as to who it IS NOT. We read in Revelation 11:1 that there will be a temple, which I believe is the Third Temple that will be built sometime in the near future, not long after the antichrist confirms a 7-year covenant with the many, which I believe includes Israel.

Before I explain who I believe this “great city” is not, I want to sidetrack a bit and discuss the coming Jewish Third Temple. Just on March 8, 2026, the building of this Third Temple was mentioned in a stunning article from Israel365News that discusses Donald Trump’s war with Israel against Iran: (Source: https://israel365news.com/416625/the-messiah-is-coming-this-year-and-the-war-with-iran-is-the-proof/)

“The war against Iran that President Trump is prosecuting alongside Israel did not begin in a Pentagon situation room. According to Rabbi Mendel Kessin, one of the most original and incisive Torah thinkers alive today, what the world is witnessing right now was written thousands of years ago as literal prophecy. In a lecture posted to YouTube this past Friday, Rabbi Kessin laid out a breathtaking framework connecting the current American-Israeli campaign against Iran to the final redemption of the Jewish people, the fall of Haman, the role of Donald Trump as a messianic figure, and the imminent building of the Third Temple — this year.”

The article referenced above goes on to state that Donald Trump is a reincarnation of Esau, Jacob’s elder brother, whose purpose is to fight alongside Israel and bring down dangerous regimes, including Venezuela and Iran. Rabbi Kessin then makes some additional stunning statements about the year 2026:

“He then cited the Yalkut Shimoni, a vast medieval compendium of midrashim, which contains a passage that Rabbi Kessin has referenced for years. Written thousands of years ago, it states that in the year the Messiah comes, Persia will declare war against the entire world. Edom — identified with the West, specifically America — will fight back and defeat Persia. And then a divine voice, a bat kol, will ring out from heaven: ‘Do not worry. The time of your redemption has arrived.’”

Rabbi Kessin then made the following statement about the Third Temple:

“‘So in 5786 — which is this year — that is actually when the Third Beit HaMikdash will be built,’ Rabbi Kessin said. ‘Don’t be surprised if you wake up one day and all of a sudden the newspapers are reporting… we can’t believe it. There’s actually a Temple sitting on top of the Har HaBayit, the Temple Mount.’”

He then continued to say that the divine presence of God will descend from heaven to earth but before that can happen, this must occur first:

“Before that can happen, Rabbi Kessin adds, there is one more obstacle: what he calls the erev rav (the mixed multitude), which he identifies as the secular Israeli government, particularly its Supreme Court, which he charges with actively blocking Torah education from 1.5 million Israeli high school students. “God must remove them in order to bring the Messiah,” he said, “which I believe is going to happen imminently.”

To say I am speechless after reading the statements above from Rabbi Kessin is a massive understatement. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I understand that Rabbi Kessin and many Jews are not looking for the return of Jesus Christ because they never believed that He is their Messiah, sent by God to save them. Instead, Israel as a nation rejected Jesus Christ. Compare what Rabbi Kessin said above to what was reported just days after America and Israel attacked Iran. Multiple reports by various sources, including the referenced article from Newsweek below, described complaints from within the US military about what was being said to them by their commanders: (Source: https://www.newsweek.com/us-commander-said-trump-anointed-by-jesus-to-attack-iran-report-11615046)

"‘This morning our commander opened up the combat readiness status briefing by urging us to not be 'afraid' as to what is happening with our combat operations in Iran right now,’ one complaint reads. ‘He urged us to tell our troops that this was 'all part of God’s divine plan' and he specifically referenced numerous citations out of the Book of Revelation referring to Armageddon and the imminent return of Jesus Christ. He said that 'President Trump has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth.'‘"

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that Jesus anoints a man to light a fire and begin Armageddon. It does say, however in Daniel chapter 9, which is the key to understanding the book of Revelation, that the coming antichrist will confirm a covenant with “many for one week,” (Daniel 9:27) which is seven years, and is widely believed to be the event that begins the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble, also known as the tribulation period, and whose 21 judgments are described in the book of Revelation.

I suspect, although I could be wrong, that the events of the ongoing war between Israel, America, and Iran will continue to escalate, as they have already, and very well may be the catalyst for Saudi Arabia signing onto the Abraham Accords. I believe it is likely that other Middle East nations that have already had Iranian missiles hit their cities where American bases are located, will also sign the Abraham Accords and it will be the covenant with many prophesied of by Daniel that will last for a period of seven years. I believe it will be negotiated by none other than Donald Trump and his administration. Shortly thereafter, I believe we will see construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem.

The Scriptures below indicate that the Gentiles, meaning non-Jews, will be in control of the Temple and will tread it or trample it for 42 months:

“And there was given me a reed [measuring rod] like unto a rod [staff]: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without [outside] the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” (Revelation 11:1-2)

The Bible tells us this will happen after the beast/antichrist commits the abomination of desolation, meaning he desecrates the Temple, mentioned by Jesus Himself (Matthew 24:15), which is the prophecy made by Daniel in Daniel 9:27:

“And he [antichrist/beast] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst [middle] of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation [offering] to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate [Or desolator].” (Daniel 9:27)

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains…” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 24:15-16)

Revelation chapter 11 also describes two witnesses of God who will prophesy 1,260 days or 3-1/2 years. The wicked world will hate what these two witnesses have to say about God and will seek to kill them, but it will be the beast/antichrist that kills them:

“And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore [sixty] days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks [lampstands] standing before the God of the earth.” (Revelation 11:3-4)

The verses in Revelation 11:4-6 tell us that these two witnesses have the power to withhold rain, to turn water to blood, and to strike the earth with plagues, which sound very similar to the powers that God gave Moses when he went to Pharaoh of Egypt, when Pharaoh would not release God’s people. If anyone attempts to kill these two witnesses of God, the people seeking to kill them will be killed by the fire that comes out of their mouth. Then we are told:

“And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” (Revelation 11:7-8)

Jesus was crucified at a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of a Skull. It is widely believed that it is located just outside of the city walls of Jerusalem. Thus, this means the two witnesses will be killed somewhere just outside Jerusalem. See also Hebrews 13:12. Thus, the reference to the “great city” in the Scriptures above from Revelation 11:7-8 are referring to a place just outside Jerusalem or somewhere very near it. John the apostle goes on to write:

“And they of the people [peoples] and kindreds [tribes] and tongues [languages] and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer [allow] their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.” (Revelation 11:9-13)

Thus, we can see that the people of the earth will hate these two witnesses who will die at the hand of the beast, who is the antichrist/beast who will come out of the bottomless pit (see Revelation 17:8). Instead of listening to the truth the two witnesses will tell them, they will hate and reject it. Aren’t we seeing this in our world now, with the majority of people refusing Jesus’ free gift of salvation and mocking and scoffing at those who tell them about Him?

When the two witnesses are killed by the antichrist, the world will celebrate and exchange gifts, thinking that their time of torment will be over. The two witnesses’ bodies will lie in Jerusalem for 3-1/2 days because the people won’t let them be buried. However, at the end of the 3-1/2 days, they will literally be breathed back to life by God Himself and will ascend to heaven, as the wicked and unbelieving world looks on. Notice that in the first sentence in the Scriptures above, everyone on earth will see their dead bodies lying on the ground. This was only possible after broadcast satellites were created, giving us a clue as to the general timing of this event. The same people who rejoiced at their death will be shocked and filled with fear when they see the resurrection of God’s two witnesses and their ascension to heaven in a cloud. Following their ascension to heaven, a great earthquake in Jerusalem will occur, killing 7,000 men and the remnant/rest of the people living there will be afraid, and, notice what else it says: they “gave glory to the God of heaven.” (Revelation 11:13) I do not know if this means that these people, presumably Jews in Israel, will turn to Jesus and be saved, but it is a possibility.

I discussed Revelation chapter 11 because it discusses a great city, which, based on the Scriptures, is Jerusalem. For the reasons given, I do not believe that the “great city” referenced elsewhere in Revelation that is described as the Mystery, Babylon the Great, is referring to Jerusalem. Further, as we will read about more later, the Bible tells us that Jesus will return to Jerusalem, as written below. Thus, Jerusalem must exist as a city. Therefore, the “great city” that is burned with fire and won’t be found anymore, as written in Revelation 18:21, cannot be Jerusalem. Let us read about Jesus’ return to Jerusalem:

“And his [Jesus’] feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst [split in two] thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” (Zechariah 14:4)

Now, before discussing another great city mentioned in the book of Revelation, I want to discuss chapter 12 and read what it says of a certain woman. I must admit, this chapter has been very difficult for me to understand, and there is definitely a possibility that I still do not understand it. However, let us proceed.

Revelation 12 opens up by stating that “a great wonder” appeared in heaven. Unlike the false signs and wonders that will be shown by false Christs and false prophets in order to deceive, which Jesus warned us about in Matthew 24:24 that will occur in the last 3-1/2 years of the time of Jacob’s trouble, which is called the great tribulation, this will be an authentic wonder, or sign, of God.

Speaking of false signs and wonders, I suspect that we are on the verge of something very big happening in the world. I believe it is an unveiling of the long-prepared for lie that aliens are real, and possibly are living here on earth. Hollywood, and I believe the US military, has been prepping for this for a long time, and its purpose is to deceive people into believing a lie and causing people not to believe in Jesus the Christ. I believe the recent order on February 20, 2026 by Donald Trump to US agencies, including the Pentagon, to release documents on this subject is coordinated and timed with the upcoming release of Steven Spielberg’s new movie called “Disclosure Day,” to hit theaters on June 12, 2026, in order to bring in the lie. Further, I don’t believe it’s just coincidence that its release date is June 12, which is comprised of the numbers 6-6-6. There are no aliens, but there are a demons, and I believe they do live among us. They are of Satan, and I believe the Bible tells us they are the one-third of the angels that sided with Satan against God and were cast out of heaven. They want to destroy as many people as possible. We will see what happens this summer.

Now, let us read about this great wonder written about in Revelation 12:

“And there appeared a great wonder [sign] in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown [garland] of twelve stars: and she being with child cried, travailing in birth [being in labour], and pained to be delivered [give birth]. And there appeared another wonder [sign] in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns [diadems] upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered [give birth], for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man [male] child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore [sixty] days.” (Revelation 12:1-6)

There are many people who believe this sign happened on September 23, 2017, calling it the “Revelation 12 Sign.” I do not know if that is true or not. There are many who believe, myself included, that the woman in the first great wonder/sign described in the Scriptures above is Israel. The first sentence is very similar to one of the dreams that Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, had and which Joseph told to his brothers and father. Joseph was his father’s favorite son, and his 11 brothers hated him for it:

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat [tunic] of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance [bowed down] to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more: and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance [bowed down] to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” (Genesis 37:3-10)

I believe the Revelation 12 sign is a physical and supernatural sign in the heavens of the dream that Joseph had, where the woman is Israel, and she is comprised of the twelve tribes, which were the 12 sons Jacob/Israel, as represented by her crown of 12 stars. Joseph’s prophetic dream was fulfilled, even though he was mocked by his brothers and even his father when Joseph told them about it. Joseph would later be taken to Egypt because of the sins and jealousy of his brothers. Many years later, after Joseph had arisen to power in Egypt, only second to Pharaoh, he would save his family from famine, and they did indeed bow down to him. All of Joseph’s family eventually moved to Egypt, where Joseph lived. His father, Jacob would go on to bless his twelve sons, who would become the twelve tribes of Israel, as written about in Genesis 49:1-28. The twelve tribes were as follows, and are listed in their birth order, from the oldest to the youngest: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, from which the Lion of the tribe of Judah - Jesus the Christ - would descend, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin. Prior to Joseph being taken to Egypt, God had renamed his father, Jacob, to “Israel.” (Genesis 32:28, 35:9-12)

Returning to Revelation chapter 12, we are told in verse 2 that the woman, meaning Israel, was with child and was ready to give birth. Then we read about a great red dragon who had seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. Verse 12:9 tells us that the dragon is Satan, who is also called the Devil. Then we read in verse 12:9 that the dragon “was cast out into [to] the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” I believe these are the “third part of the stars of heaven” that Satan cast down to the earth with his tail, as written in the wonder/sign in heaven in Revelation 12:4. Verse 12:4 says the dragon was ready to devour, meaning to kill, the woman’s child when it was born. I believe this was fulfilled when King Herod ordered the killing of all male children two years of age and under, which caused Joseph and Mary to flee to Egypt with Jesus to prevent Him from being killed. Revelation 12:5 tells us the woman gave birth to a male child who was to rule all nations. In the Greek, it says who “is about” to rule, where “is about” means: “to be about to, to intend, to be destined.” (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/3195.htm) Next, it says “her child was caught up to God, and to his throne.” In the Greek, “child” is defined as “child, offspring.” (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/5043.htm) The words “caught up” are from the Greek word “harpazó,” which means “To seize, snatch, take away by force.” (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/726.htm) 40 days after Jesus was resurrected to life, He was taken up to God, as written in Acts 1:2, 9, 11. Next we read in Revelation 12:6 that the woman fled to the wilderness, where she is cared for and fed by God for 1,260 days.

Now, let me say that I do not know this for sure, but I believe that this “great wonder in heaven” as written in Revelation 12:1-6 is given to us as a sign and itself is not literal but is showing us what will happen. I also believe that there is something happens that makes it shift from a sign to being literally fulfilled, and that event is what follows next:

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found [a place found for them] any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into [to] the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Revelation 12:7-9)

I believe this war in heaven was prophesied by the Daniel the prophet:

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for [stands watch over] the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt [abhorrence].” (Daniel 12:1-2)

This time of trouble prophesied by Daniel refers to Israel’s 70th week, the last period of seven years before the return of Christ. Daniel wrote about this in Daniel 9:24-27. Jeremiah also wrote of this coming time period:

“Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” (Jeremiah 30:7)

The 70th week begins when the antichrist confirms the covenant with many for a period of seven years. I do not know if this 7-year period is stated as a condition of the covenant or it is a verbal agreement, but either way, it is intended to last for seven years. At the midpoint of it, the 3-1/2 year point, the antichrist commits the abomination of desolation, meaning he desecrates the Temple, which will be the Third Temple and which I believe will be built sometime in the near future. This will begin what Jesus referred to as the “great tribulation”:

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child [pregnant] , and to them that give suck [who are nursing babies] in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s [chosen ones’] sake those days shall be shortened.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 24:15-22)

Returning to Revelation 12, again, I believe it is the war in heaven that results in Satan and his angels losing the war and being cast out of heaven to the earth, that starts the second half of the tribulation period, the great tribulation that Jesus spoke of. After this war in heaven, let us read what happens next:

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” (Revelation 12:10-12)

Heaven is rejoicing because those who were martyred because of their faith in God will no longer be accused by Satan in heaven. As we continue in Revelation 12, this is when I believe the wonder in heaven that at first was a sign to us, becomes reality:

“And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man [male] child. And to the woman were given two wings of a [“the” in the Greek; a definite article] great eagle, that she might [“could” in the Greek] fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast [spewed] out of his mouth water as a flood [a river of water] after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth [enraged] with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed [rest of her offspring], which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:13-17)

An eagle is mentioned above. I do not know if this is the same eagle that is mentioned in the Scriptures below, but perhaps it is a possibility. Also, I want to mention that the King James Version of the Bible doesn’t use the word “eagle” but uses “angel.” However, in the Greek, it is “eagle”: (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/105.htm)

“And I beheld, and heard an angel [“eagle” in the Greek] flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices [remaining blasts] of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet [about] to sound!” (Revelation 8:13)

I have struggled much to understand the meaning of this and if it represents something else other than what it says, and after much consideration, I am believing the literal word of God. We know that Almighty God created the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is within them, and it certainly is not beyond His power and authority to make happen what we read above in Revelation 12:13-17 regarding the woman. This flight seems to be the same flight that Jesus said will happen after the abomination of desolation. I have heard that some people believe that “the two wings of a great eagle” refers to the USA. However, I disagree with that because we know that the entire world will turn against Israel, and that includes America. No, it will be God Himself who will protect what I believe is the remnant of Israel that will be saved during the great tribulation.

There is speculation as to where this place in the wilderness is located, including Petra in Jordan. I do not know if that is correct or not. Petra is very near, about seven miles, from Bozrah. Bozrah is mentioned in Isaiah chapter 63 that speaks of Jesus treading the winepress alone, which is also written about in Revelation, and I believe is regarding the time of Jacob’s trouble. Whatever the location of the wilderness that is referenced in Revelation 12:14, Satan will try and kill the woman, Israel, but the earth itself will protect her.

In Revelation 12:17, we are told that Satan will be filled with rage because he will not be able to make war with Israel and he will then make war with the rest of her offspring. There is also something that conditions or qualifies who this offspring might be, and it is the ones who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. I believe this includes everyone who was not saved prior to the start of the tribulation period but who turned to Jesus Christ during it, meaning they believed in Him to save them and that He is Jesus the Christ. They will keep His commandments and will not worship anything or anyone else, and that includes the antichrist. I do believe that those who are saved by Jesus Christ prior to the start of the tribulation period will be caught up to Him/raptured at some point either before or during the tribulation period.

Before continuing in Revelation, I want to discuss an Old Testament passage from Isaiah 66 that I believe parallels what is written in Revelation 12:

“Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” (Isaiah 66:5)

In the Scriptures, God is speaking to Israel, and He is speaking to those that love Him and who are hated because of their love for Him. I believe this is speaking of the Jews who will have turned to Jesus Christ and who love Him. However, God doesn’t say they are hated by the Gentiles; no, they are hated by their brethren, meaning fellow Jews. They may turn to Christ during the tribulation. I believe these are Jews who love God, who love Jesus, and who will be the ones who will comprise the one-third remnant of Jews that are brought through the fire and are saved by God in the great tribulation. I believe it is these Jews who will fly on the wings of an eagle to the wilderness and will be protected by God. It is these Jews to whom Jesus will appear at His second coming to their joy, but to the unbelieving Christ-rejecting Jews, He will appear to their shame. Let us continue reading:

“A voice of noise [sound] from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to [fully repays] his enemies. Before she travailed, she brought forth [gave birth]; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth [give birth] in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth [time of delivery], and not cause to bring forth [delivery]? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God? Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her…” (Isaiah 66:6-10)

As is written in Revelation 12, before Israel, or Zion, as she is often called by God, will travail, she will give birth to a male child, meaning Jesus. It is only after that happens that Israel will travail, and that is the time of Jacob’s trouble. Thus, that is an indicator of the timing of Jacob’s trouble. It could not happen before Jesus Christ was born, as the Scriptures above indicated. Yes, Israel would go through difficult times, but it would not be the time of Jacob’s trouble. At the end of the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble, and at the second coming of Christ, it is at that time when Jesus will gather the people of the nation of Israel back into their land, and that is when a nation will be born in a single day. There are many people in the Bible prophecy community who try to make this about May 14, 1948, when the nation of Israel was reborn, but I do not believe that is the fulfillment of the Scriptures above. There are plenty of Scriptures in the Bible, including the ones above, that state that Israel must go through its time of travail, the time of Jacob’s trouble, before Israel will be born at once. As the Scriptures above, this will be a time of rejoicing for Jerusalem, which means the city must exist. To reiterate, I do not believe the “great city” in Revelation that is used to describe Mystery, Babylon is Jerusalem. I will discuss this again when we read from Revelation 18.

Let us also read from Zechariah 8 and 14 that further provide proof that Jerusalem will exist after the time of Jacob’s trouble and when Jesus returns at His second coming:

“Thus saith the LORD; I am returned [will return] unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet [again] old men and old women dwell [sit] in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age [because of advanced age]. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvelous [extraordinary] in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous [extraordinary] in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country , and from the west country [land of the rising sun and the land of the setting sun]; and I will bring them [bring them back], and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.” (Zechariah 8:3-8)

“And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. All the land shall be turned as [turned into] a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it [Jerusalem] shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses. And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.” (Zechariah 14:9-11)

Now, let us continue in the book of Revelation. This chapter introduces the beast of the sea, who is the final antichrist. It also tells us in Revelation 13:1 that the beast of the sea will have “seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.” There has been much speculation as to who the antichrist is and who are the seven heads. I will give you my thoughts on this when we get to Revelation chapters 17 and 18. Let us read verses 1-4. Notice how the description of the beast is near verbatim of the description of the dragon, who is Satan/the Devil, that is written in Revelation 12:3:

“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat [throne], and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded [as if it had been wounded] to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power [authority] unto the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:1-4)

“And there appeared another wonder [sign] in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.” (Revelation 12:3)

There is also another description of the beast of the sea in Revelation 17:8-18, which I will discuss later in this devotional. We read above that it is the dragon that gives the beast his power and authority. Further, I find it very interesting that it tells us that one of the beast’s seven heads was wounded, as if it were wounded to death. Many people read this as the beast was killed and resurrected to life. I will discuss this further when we review Revelation 17.

Continuing in Revelation 13, in verse 5 it states:

“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” (Revelation 13:5)

The version of the Bible I use is the King James Version, which I like. However, sometimes the translation is not the best, which I believe is the case in the Scriptures above. The Scriptures above seem to indicate that this represents the last half of the tribulation period, and I agree with that. We must remember that the tribulation period begins when the antichrist confirms the covenant with many, which I believe will include Israel, for a period of seven years. Halfway into it, or after 42 months/1,260 days have transpired, he will commit the abomination of desolation. When we read the words “to continue” in the Scripture above in the Greek, the word is “poieó” and it means: “To make, to do, to act, to cause, to work.” (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/4160.htm)

Then we read in Revelation 13:7-18 that antichrist will go to war with the saints. I believe these are the people who will turn to Jesus Christ sometime during the tribulation period and be saved from their sins by Him. I believe this is referring to the same group of people that we read previously in Revelation 12:17 that the dragon went to make war with after Israel fled to the wilderness. Remember, the antichrist gets his power/authority from the dragon.

As I mentioned previously, I do believe in a rapture, which is when believers in Christ will be caught/taken up to Him in the clouds (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), but I am not 100% sure when it will happen. We may have to go through some of the tribulation period. Some people believe that we will go through some of it but we will not be subject to God’s wrath, only Satan’s wrath. I honestly don’t know who is right or wrong on this issue, but I know that God knows, and that is what matters and I must continue to trust in Him.

We read in Revelation 13 that Satan will have a right-hand man who is called the beast of the earth, who will be the false prophet. The false prophet will be the one who will force every single person on earth to the mark/name/number of the beast in their right hand or their forehead and to worship the image of the beast in order to buy or sell or be killed.

Now, I want to return to our discussion of Babylon the Great and who or what it is. There is a brief mention of her in Revelation 14:

“And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” (Revelation 14:8)

As we begin to read about Mystery, Babylon the Great in Revelation chapters 17-18, consider what I wrote about the similarities between the city of Tyrus, as written in the book of Ezekiel, and New York City. Now, as we begin reading Revelation chapter 17, let us see that they are almost a mirror of the verses we read earlier in Ezekiel that described Tyrus:

“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials [bowls], and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore [harlot] that sitteth upon many waters: with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit [Or Spirit] into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.” (Revelation 17:1-3)

We see that this great whore is a woman who is riding a scarlet colored beast, which is the beast of the sea written about in Revelation 13:1. This is the antichrist. When I read what John the apostle wrote about above, as he was carried into the wilderness and saw a woman, I thought it might be the same woman we read about in Revelation chapter 12. I have had a very difficult time in trying to figure out if this is the same woman or it is two different women, and I believe it is two different women. I will explain why as we go. Now, let us read more about this woman, this whore:

“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked [adorned] with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered [marvelled] with great admiration [amazement]. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition [destruction]: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder [marvel], whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” (Revelation 17:4-9)

We have this description of this elaborately and lavishly dressed woman who acted like a harlot, full of fornication. Notice also that she is called, “Mystery, Babylon the Great.” I have thought about this and why she isn’t named something like “Babylon the Great”? Why does it include the word “Mystery”? I think this is a clue that this is not the same ancient Babylon that conquered Judah. When we look at the word “mystery” in Strong’s Greek, it is “mustérion,” and it means “a secret or ‘mystery’ {through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites}.” Thus, it will not be obvious as to who this is just by the name of this harlot. I like how HELPS Word-studies defines it: (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/3466.htm)

“In the Bible, a ‘mystery’ (3466 /mystḗrion) is not something unknowable. Rather, it is what can only be known through revelation, i.e. because God reveals it.”

To me, that means, we will not understand who this woman represents unless we are reading God’s word and He reveals it to us; it is hidden to everyone else.

I also want us to consider why the word “Great” is used in the name of the harlot. Why isn’t it just “Mystery, Babylon?” Is it any coincidence that Donald Trump’s slogan in is Make America Great Again? Does not this bring to mind “Babylon the Great”? The Greek word for “great” is “megas” which sounds an awful lot like MAGA. I also want to point out that this word “MAGA” is also used to represent the highest level of membership in the Church of Satan. Per their website, the highest level, the fifth level, is “Maga/Magus (Fifth Degree)” Only those who have the fourth or fifth levels of membership can become “High Priest”/“High Priestess.” (Source: https://churchofsatan.com/hierarchy/)

The word “Magus” dates back to ancient empires including Babylon and Medo-Persian, who used the term for “wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augurs, soothsayers, sorcerers.” (Source: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon; https://biblehub.com/greek/3097.htm ) It was the wise men, the magi, from the east that had seen the star of Jesus and came to Bethlehem, “saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2) This was a case where the magi used their abilities for good. It is believed they had heard about this coming king from Daniel the prophet, who was taken into captivity into Babylon and lived there many years.

However, there are other cases in the Bible, such as in the book of Acts, where a magos/magician used sorcery to deceive and to declare false prophecies. In Acts 13, Barnabas and Saul, whom God changed his name to “Paul,” had received instructions from God to leave the church at Antioch and go to where God wanted them to go:

“So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucid; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister [as their assistant]. And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: which was with the deputy [proconsul] of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent [an intelligent] man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired [sought] to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) [Elymas is the translation of Bar-jesus] withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on [looked intently at] him. And said, O full of all subtilty [deceit] and all mischief [fraud], thou child [son] of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert [making crooked] the right [straight] ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season [time]. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine [teaching] of the Lord.” (Acts 13:4-12)

Is that too also just coincidence, when we have so many people being deceived by Donald Trump, including many people who say they are Christians? Does the Bible tells us to hate our enemies, or does it teach us to love them? Does it tell us we don’t need to be saved from our sins, or does it tell us that we are all sinners in need of the Savior, Jesus Christ to save us from our sins?

Returning to Revelation 17:4-9, I want to point out that it says of this woman, “And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT…” Is it just coincidence that the trademark of Donald Trump’s MAGA movement is his signature red baseball cap, with its letters “MAGA” written across the hat where it sits on a person’s forehead? These Scriptures also tell us that this woman is drunken with the blood of the saints and martyrs for Jesus. This seems to indicate that the woman is going to kill people who believe in Jesus Christ, and I believe that definitely will happen. As we are told in Revelation 13, anyone who does not take the mark/number/name of the beast and does not worship the image of the beast will be killed (Revelation 13:15).

In Revelation 17:7, it states, “I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.” The word “carrieth” in the Greek is “bastazó,” which means “To bear, carry, endure, support.” (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/941.htm) Thus, this woman is being supported by the beast, the antichrist.

In a January 8, 2026 article from Israel365news, New York Rabbi Mendel Kessin was interviewed regarding his thoughts on Donald Trump. The rabbi compared Donald Trump to Esau, Jacob’s twin brother, even saying he is a reincarnation of Esau, and it is Donald Trump’s job to cooperate with and assist Israel. This seems to align with Revelation 17:7 that states the beast carries the woman. Rabbi Kessin believes this is an end of days prophecy when Edom, a nation that was comprised of the descendants of Esau, returns to assist Israel. Rabbi Kessin believes Trump is from Edom. Rabbi Kessin lives in New York, and per his bio, “He has a PhD in Psychology from Fordham University in NY and runs a private practice in Brooklyn and Lakewood.” (Sources: https://torahanytime.com/speakers/331), https://israel365news.com/415238/rav-kessin-trump-embodies-esavs-return-as-redemption-nears/)

“Rav Kessin explained that Trump is the embodiment and reincarnation of Biblical Esav, the twin brother of Yaakov (Jacob), and, as such, will play a major role in aiding Yaakov’s descendants, the nation of Israel, in bringing the Messiah. It is for this role that Trump was raised to the level of an emperor, having far more impact than the average president or head of state. It is also due to this end-of-days role that the forces of evil have all aligned against Trump in a final desperate opposition to the Biblical messiah.”

To me, the rabbi’s words written above are chilling. For those of us who are saved by putting our faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone to save us, we know that Jesus IS the Messiah and has already come the first time, offering salvation from sins. Sadly, the majority of Jews rejected Him. Instead of looking for His second coming, they are looking for a false messiah to come, and that is the Biblical antichrist, who will deceive Israel and turn against them. Let us read a little bit more of what this rabbi said during the interview:

“‘This is why Trump talks about restoring law, confronting corruption, breaking global systems,’ Rav Kessin said. ‘That is the work of preparation.’

“The danger, he warned, lies in misunderstanding the mission. Trump’s desire for legacy, recognition, and a Nobel Peace Prize creates vulnerability. ‘Every Jewish king had a prophet,’ Rav Kessin said. “Trump does not. That is his weakness.”

Again, the rabbi’s words to me are chilling. I believe he is a modern-day false prophet, like many that have arisen in Israel. In addition, as we read previously, the Bible does tell us that there will arise another false prophet, the final false prophet. Revelation 13:11-18 tells us that the false prophet is described as the second beast, the beast of the earth, who will work side-by-side with the antichrist/beast of the sea, and will require every single person alive to take the mark/name/number of the antichrist/beast and worship him:

“And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power [authority] of the first beast before him [in his presence], and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” (Revelation 13:11-12)

While Revelation 13 does not specifically call this beast of the earth the “false prophet,” there are Scriptures that refer to him by that name:

“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon [Satan], and out of the mouth of the beast [antichrist], and out of the mouth of the false prophet.” (Revelation 16:13)

“And the beast was taken [captured], and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (Revelation 19:20)

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10)

Returning to Revelation chapter 17, verse 9 tells us what the seven heads of the beast represent. Let us read verse 9 again:

“And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” (Revelation 17:9)

I want to discuss briefly what this may mean. The word “mountains” in the Greek is “oros” and can mean a mountain or hill. (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/3735.htm) One possibility I have heard for what the “seven mountains” represent is the seven continents of the earth, which definitely would be reasonable since this beast/antichrist will have worldwide authority. Other people who adhere to the idea that Mystery, Babylon represents the Catholic Church believe this is referring to Rome because it sits on seven hills. (Source: https://www.britannica.com/place/Seven-Hills-of-Rome) It is interesting to me that Jerusalem also sits on seven mountains: 1) Mount Scopus; 2) Mount Olivet; 3) Mount of Corruption; 4) Mount Ophel; 5) Original Mount Zion; 6) New Mount Zion; and 7) The Hill of the Antonia Fortress. (Source: https://www.secret-israel.com/featured/jerusalem-from-above-a-guide-to-the-citys-seven-mountains/) Per Wikipedia, there are many other cities in the world that claim to be built on seven hills. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_claimed_to_be_built_on_seven_hills) One of those cities is Yonkers, New York, which per Wikipedia, “is classified as an inner suburb of New York City.” Its seven hills are: Park, Nodine, Ridge, Cross, Locust, Glen, and Church Hills. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yonkers,_New_York)

Revelation 17:9 says the woman “sitteth” on these mountains, where “sitteth” in Greek is “kathémai: and means “To sit, to be seated, to dwell.” (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/2521.htm) Thus, it may indicate the physical place or location of this woman from which she reigns. Let us continue in Revelation 17:

“And there are seven kings: five are [have] fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space [time]. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition [destruction].” (Revelation 17:10)

I believe the beast of the sea is represented by seven kings because Satan has always had to have an antichrist who persecutes Israel. However, the antichrist in Revelation, who is of the seven and is himself the eighth, is the one who will be the final antichrist. Let us read what the number 8 in the Bible represents:(Source: https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/8.html)

“The number 8 represents a new beginning, meaning a new order or creation, and man's true 'born again’ event when he is resurrected from the dead into eternal life.”

Satan mimics what God does, and I believe this is true regarding this eighth king, who will be the final antichrist, who will bring in this “new world order” that will be in complete opposition against Almighty God, the people of Israel, and all those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ alone to save them.

Notice the words in bold above, “meaning a new order.” How many times have we heard in recent years the phrase, “a new world order”? These words have been spoken by many world leaders, including in America, with both those on the left and the right side of politics. This is why I believe global leaders have been pushing “a new world order.” In a January 15, 2026 interview, Donald Trump’s economic adviser Kevin Hassett said the following during a Fox news interview when he was asked about the speech Trump was going to give at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where Trump was to be featured as the keynote speaker: (Source: https://news.meaww.com/trump-economic-adviser-says-president-is-building-a-new-world-order)

“Charles Payne asked Kevin Hassett on Thursday, January 15, what viewers should expect from Donald Trump’s Davos speech this year. Hassett said the speech would include ‘some look at the New World Order that President Trump is creating.’”

The world leaders and the elites have been wanting to overturn Almighty God’s order with their own Satanic “new world order” for quite a while. I would say the person that has been the one pushing this new world order the most is none other than Donald Trump. Here are just a few recent headlines regarding Trump creating a new world order:

“As Trump dismantles the existing world order, his version is still taking shape.” (January 20, 2026; Source: https://www.npr.org/2026/01/20/nx-s1-5678927/trump-world-order-foreign-policy)

“Trump's grand plan to reshape the world order leaves Europe with a difficult choice to make” (January 5, 2026; Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c041n3ng03no)

“Trump Is Demolishing the Global Order. Here’s What Might Come Next.” (January 27, 2026; https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/01/27/post-nato-middle-powers-expert-roundup-00748549?nid=0000018f-3124-de07-a98f-3be4d1400000&nname=politico-toplines&nrid=4e6b830a-7260-41eb-bcc4-43193f042aac)

“Trump’s building a new world order, and there’s a method to his ‘madness’” (February 5, 2026; https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2026/2/5/trumps-building-a-new-world-order-and-theres-a-method-to-his-madness)

Returning to Revelation 17 and the seven kings, one possibility I have heard regarding the identity of the seven kings of the beast of the sea in Revelation 13 and 17 is that it is referring to the world powers that opposed Israel. Six of those powers are, in chronological order: 1) Egypt, 2) Assyria, 3) Babylon, 4) Medo-Persia, 5) Greece, and 6) Rome. Rome was the world power that was in existence and was ruling at the time the apostle John wrote the book of Revelation. Thus, the first five countries listed above had already fallen, and Rome was ruling at that time. So, who is the seventh world power that had not come yet at the time John wrote the book of Revelation? One person I listen to on YouTube (Bible Prophecy with Brother Paul) believes it is Germany, specifically Nazi Germany. Parts of Germany, which was called “Germania,” were included in the Western Leg of the Roman Empire. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germania) This seems to support the prophecy written in Daniel 9:26-27:

“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off [suffer the death penalty], but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he [the prince, the final antichrist] shall confirm the covenant [or a treaty] with many for one week: and in the midst [middle] of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation [offering] to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate [Or desolator].” (Daniel 9:26-27)

The fulfillment of the Messiah being cut off happened after Jesus was crucified and gave up His life. Then in 70 AD, the people that came and destroyed Jerusalem and the second Jewish Temple were the Romans. Thus, it is widely believed that the prince that will come and confirm the covenant with many, which is the final antichrist, will be from the Roman Empire. Because Germania was part of the Roman Empire, the Western leg of it, the idea that the seventh king represents Germany is certainly one to consider. I do not believe it is by chance that Donald Trump’s ancestry is from Germany. (Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_family, https://www.history.com/articles/donald-trump-father-mother-ancestry )

I want to discuss this idea further and to consider the influence that Germany has had on America. German scientists who fled Germany during World War II and came to America played a pivotal role in the Manhattan Project. That project led to the creation of the atomic bond, which the US dropped on two Japanese cities and led to the end of the war in the Pacific. An October 20, 2025 article from The WAR Room wrote: (Source: https://www.inthewarroom.com/the-manhattan-project-and-the-german-connection/)

• “German scientists, including many who fled Nazi Germany, played a significant role in the development of the atomic bomb.

• “The knowledge and expertise of German scientists greatly influenced the Manhattan Project and accelerated its progress.

• “German immigrant scientists made invaluable contributions to the Manhattan Project, helping to advance the development of nuclear weapons.”

Many people are of the opinion that the USA became a superpower after World War II, and I believe that to be true. One such article describes the gradual path America took as it increased its power worldwide. However, it culminated as a superpower after WWI: (Source: https://www.sciencenorway.no/economy-foreign-policy-politics/how-did-the-usa-actually-become-so-powerful/2482052)

“But it was only after World War II that the USA truly became a superpower.”

“The country was now able to rebuild its economy and military without the massive destruction that had devastated Europe.”

“Eventually, the USA also developed nuclear weapons and became the world's most powerful military force alongside the Soviet Union. But after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the USA became the world's only superpower.”

I also believe that the main reason for this is because of what the USA did after WWI ended: instead of ensuring that the German scientists, engineers, and technicians who, either were Nazis themselves or cooperated with them, were locked up forever, America brought them over to the USA so that it could advance its own intelligence, military, and technological prowess. This was done in a top secret program called “Operation Paperclip”: (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Germans_relocated_to_the_US_via_Operation_Paperclip)

“Operation Paperclip was a secret United States intelligence program in which more than 1,600 German scientists, engineers, and technicians were taken from the former Nazi Germany to the U.S. for government employment after the end of World War II in Europe, between 1945 and 1959. Conducted by the Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency (JIOA), it was largely carried out by special agents of the U.S. Army's Counterintelligence Corps (CIC). Many of these Germans were former Nazi members and some worked with the leaders of the Nazi Party.[1][2]”

The article goes on to list the different industries in which they worked to advance the USA, including Aeronautics and Rocketry; Architecture; Electronics, including guidance systems, radar, and satellites; material science; medicine, including chemical and biological weapons; physics; and chemistry and chemical engineering. Of the men the USA brought over after WWII, the Smithsonian Magazine writes: (Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-us-government-brought-nazi-scientists-america-after-world-war-ii-180961110/)

“While many of the men who were brought to the U.S. under the program were undoubtedly instrumental in scientific advancements like the Apollo program, they were also supportive and responsible for some of the horrors experienced by victims of the Holocaust. Operation Paperclip has certainly left a questionable legacy.”

As we continue in Revelation chapter 17, let us notice in verse 10 that it says this seventh king will continue for a short space or time. I am curious as to why it says continue for a short time. One thought I have is that when we consider the length of time in history since the first world power, Egypt, there was a lot of time left in history. However, if the idea that the seventh king is Germania/Germany is correct, the amount of time left on earth before the return of Jesus Christ is not that long.

Nazi Germany under the reign of Adolf Hitler was in power only from 1933 until it fell with Hitler’s suicide on April 30, 1945 and Germany’s unconditional surrender to the allies on May 8, 1945 . If the tribulation period starts in 2026 or even next year, the time period from 1933 to the start of the tribulation period is just but a brief blip on the radar in the time of human history. Further, the tribulation period is a very short period, only seven years, and whomever is ruling the world during that time won’t do so for long before human history changes forever.

We are told in Revelation 17:11 that the beast is the eight king but is also of the seven. I understand this to mean that he is of the seventh king. ‘Hepta,” the Greek word for “seven” can mean “seven” or it can mean “seventh.” (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/2033.htm) I believe that in this context, it means that the beast is from the seventh king. Thus, if the seventh king is from Germany/Germania, then the beast is also from that heritage. Thus, as I said previously, to propose that the eighth king written in Revelation 17:10-11 is a continuation of the seventh king, Germania, to me is a logical one.

The end of verse 11 tells us that the beast, meaning the antichrist, will go into perdition. Another word for perdition is “destruction.” Another verse in the New Testament, written by the apostle Paul, mentions the word “perdition” in the context of the antichrist:

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple, of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

What does this mean? Well, let us read Revelation 19:20, for it tells us what will become of not only the beast/antichrist but also his false prophet when Jesus Christ returns at His second coming:

“And the beast was taken [captured], and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles [worked signs] before him [in his presence], with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (Revelation 19:20)

Let us continue reading in Revelation chapter 17:

“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power [authority] as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength [authority] unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree [be of one mind], and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:12-18)

I do not know who these ten kings are, but some believe that they very well could be related to Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” and, perhaps, the ten countries that will pay the $1 billion stipulated by the charter to obtain permanent membership. Or, perhaps, it will be the people who will comprise the Executive Board on the Board of Peace, who will be selected by Donald Trump, who made himself the Chairman, per Article 4.1 of the Charter of the Board of Peace:

“The Executive Board shall be selected by the Chairman and consist of leaders of global stature.”

Whomever these ten kings are, we are told Revelation 17:13 that they will give their power and authority to the beast. I will discuss this more later in this devotional. We do know and must remember that Scripture also tells us that they will war against Jesus Christ, but that He will overcome them.

Revelation 17:15 tells us that this whore of Babylon will sit or reign over “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” Thus, this whore of Babylon will reign over the world. Let us remember that it is the antichrist that carries, or supports, her. We are told in verse 16 that the ten horns, which we were told previously in verse 12 are ten kings, will hate the whore and make her desolate and burn her with fire. Verse 17 tells us it is God who has put this in their heart to accomplish His will. It is God who causes the ten kings, whomever they are, to cede their power and authority to the antichrist. We must remember that when God does this, it is because He already knows their heart and that they won’t change and turn to Him to be saved from their sins. He has done this with other people, including Pharaoh of Egypt, when he refused to release the captives of Israel. Let us read again what Revelation 17:18 says: “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”

Now, before we move onto chapter 18, I want to focus on who I believe this scarlet woman, the whore of Babylon, is and the reasons why I have come to that conclusion. I have already indicated that I believe it is America and specifically New York City, but with a twist, if you will. I want us to first re-read several verses from Revelation 17 and read the verses we haven’t read yet from Revelation 18 that describe Babylon the Great:

“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked [adorned] with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Revelation 17:4-5)

“The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!” (Revelation 18:15-16)

I believe the woman, Mystery, Babylon the Great, is an amalgamation of New York City and Israel, specifically the influence the Jews have had on it. I say this because of the description above of how the woman is clothed. While these on the surface seem to describe a woman who has clothed herself in luxurious and expensive items and jewels, I believe there is more to it than that. A while back after I had previously read from the book of Exodus, and then I read in Revelation about Mystery, Babylon and how she will be clothed, it occurred to me that Revelation sounded like an almost exact description of how the Jewish high priest was to be clothed. Let us read from Exodus chapter 28 when God tells Moses the garments Israel must make for Aaron, Moses’ brother and Aaron’s sons, so that they could minister to God “in the priest’s office”:

“And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. And thou shalt make holy [sacred] garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod [ornamented vest], and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre [turban], and a girdle [sash]: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning [artistic] work. It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together. And the curious girdle [intricately woven band] of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.” (Exodus 28:1-8)

God then told Moses to take two onyx stones and engrave on one stone the names of six tribes of Israel and on the other stone, the other six names, in their birth order. The stones were to be put on the shoulders of the ephod as a memorial of the children of Israel. God also commands Moses to make settings of gold and two chains of pure gold that are attached to the settings. Then God instructs Moses about the making of breastplate:

“And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof. And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a Sardis, a topaz, and a carbuncle [emerald]: this shall be the first row. And the second row shall be an emerald [turquoise], a sapphire, and a diamond [sapphire]. And the third row a ligure [jacinth or amber], an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row a beryl [yellow jasper], and an onyx [onyx or carnelian], and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings [settings].” (Exodus 28:15-20)

Thus, in addition to the gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen, now we have precious stones that adorn the priestly garments. God then told Moses how the ephod should be made. Notice the word “habergeon,” which in the Hebrew is “tachra,” which means “coat of mail.” Notice it also says that this opening must not be torn. Thus, this priestly garment is a protection of God, like chain mail or body armor on a soldier, and that the hole or opening of the ephod must not be torn. Perhaps this means that the high priest must be fully bound to God in order to receive His protection:

“And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue. And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent. And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.” (Exodus 28:31-34)

After I did more searching in the Bible, I realized that the usage of phrases similar to the one above describing gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen occurred many times throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, including Exodus 26:1, and 26:31, 36. Those Scriptures describe how the people of Israel were to make the tabernacle, the vail/veil, and a hanging for the door of the tabernacle. I believe there is significance of the use of these combination of words in the Bible and that they are used only when God is discussing Israel; there is no Gentile nation in the Bible where God uses the combination of these words. That also includes the combination of the words “purple and scarlet,” which only are used when describing Israel in the Old Testament. Again, those words are not describing any other nation in the Bible. Without a doubt, I believe this cannot be mere coincidence.

Let us consider the breastplate we read about above in Exodus 28:15-20. Did you notice that it says it is a “breastplate of judgment”? Recall how in Revelation we are told Mystery, Babylon “…for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” She believes because of her power and her wealth, judgment will not come to her, but she is wrong. She wants all the luxuries she is used to having and she wants to continue in her filthiness and not be holy and repent to God. She has chosen wealth over faith, and I believe that represents the two-thirds of Israel that will be destroyed by God during the time of Jacob’s trouble. I also believe this represents the majority of buildings that call themselves “churches” in America.

Now, I want to read earlier from the book of Exodus from chapter 25:

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering. And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, and rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers skins, and shittim wood, oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.” (Exodus 25:1-7)

Not only were these offerings to be used for the ephod and the breastplate but also for the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant. Notice that God said He wants these offerings to be given willingly from the heart. Contrast this to Revelation, where the colors purple and scarlet and fine linen are purchased and are used to adorn a sinful harlot whose heart is corrupt and is against God and against those who love Him.

In this repeated usage of “blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen,” in the Old Testament Scriptures that were used only in the context of Israel, one thing I did not notice at first but did later is that in the book of Revelation’s usage of these words, the color blue is missing. There is a special meaning of the color blue, and it is used to represent the divine and holiness in the Bible. Biblehub.com provides a good description of what colors in the Bible represent. This is what it says for the color blue: (Source: https://biblehub.com/topical/c/colors.htm)

“Blue: Blue is a color that represents the divine, heavenly, and the law. In Exodus 24:10, the pavement under God's feet is described as being like sapphire stone, a deep blue, signifying His heavenly throne. The Israelites were instructed to include a blue cord in the tassels of their garments (Numbers 15:38-39) to remind them of God's commandments.”

Bible Analysis also has an informative article about the special meaning of the color blue to God. I encourage you to read this article. Per the article, one of the meanings of the color blue relates to marriage: (Source: https://www.bibleanalysis.org/what-is-the-biblical-meaning-of-the-color-blue-2/)

“Additionally, blue embodies fidelity, love, and truth. The color is significant in the context of relationships, particularly in marriage, where it represents loyalty and steadfastness. This is seen in various interpretations of the biblical connection to love, where blue serves as a reminder of the faithful heart and the unchanging promises made between individuals and God.”

I believe this explains perfectly why the color blue is missing from the description of how the whore of Babylon is adorned, and that is because she has an unfaithful heart to God, who is Israel’s true husband, and has instead, as God has said in His own words, “gone a whoring from under their God.” (Hosea 4:12)

Let us read the two Scriptures previously referenced above from Biblehub.org. The first is from Exodus 24:10, when God told Moses to come up to the mountain and to bring his brother Aaron and his two sons, and 70 elders of Israel. I believe it is the first mention of the color blue, in this case sapphire, in the Bible:

“Then went up Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: and they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.” (Exodus 24:9-10)

Now let us read from the book of Numbers. God said these words to Moses after He brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and while they were still wandering in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land. They saw a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day, which was against God’s commandments. God commanded the people to stone the man to death because he had not obeyed God’s commandments. The people did as they were told. This shows the severity of what happens when we do not obey God. Consequently, God told them this:

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek [follow] not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring [into harlotry]: that ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.” (Numbers 15:37-41)

Thus, this blue ribbon was to remind them that He is the Lord their God and not anyone else and that they are to obey Him. It was to remind them that they are not to follow their own heart and their own eyes, because when they do that, it causes them to go into harlotry.

Below is a link to an article that discusses the importance and the meaning of the color blue in Jewish history and its recent quest to recreate the hue of blue called “tekhelet” that was used long ago by the Jews. Per the article, “The source of the color tekhelet was a mystery for nearly 1,500 years until later identified by archaeological evidence from around the eastern Mediterranean coast.” It further states, “Its sacred meaning took root in Jewish history when the Israelites were commanded to cover the Ark of the Covenant and Tabernacle utensils with tekhelet dyed cloths…” (Source: https://jewishwebsite.com/featured/out-of-the-blue-regal-biblical-color-tekhelet-returns-to-modern-israel/29917/)

Let us read a few other Scriptures from the book of Numbers that reference the color blue:

“And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of the testimony with it: and shall put thereon the covering of badgers’ skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof. And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread [shewbread] shall be thereon…” (Numbers 4:5-7)

“And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it…” (Numbers 4:9)

“And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put to the staves thereof: and they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put them on a bar…” (Numbers 4:11-12)

It is obvious that the color of blue is significant to God. I believe this color is left out of the description of the whore of Babylon because there is nothing holy about her in the eyes of God. While she may be adorned with garments and precious stones representing wealth, she does not want to be holy and faithful to her husband, Almighty God, but wants to follow her own lustful and sinful heart.

I will discuss further in a little while why I believe the whore of Babylon is an amalgamation of New York City and the Jewish influence. For now, I want to discuss the meaning of the colors of scarlet and purple, per the previously referenced link from Biblehub.com:

“Purple: Purple is a color of royalty, wealth, and power. In Judges 8:26, the Midianite kings' garments are described as purple, indicating their royal status. In the New Testament, Jesus is mockingly dressed in a purple robe by the Roman soldiers (Mark 15:17), highlighting His kingship even in the midst of suffering.

“Scarlet: Scarlet is often associated with sin and judgment, as well as wealth and luxury. In Isaiah 1:18, scarlet represents sin, contrasting with the purity of white. In Revelation 17:4, the woman clothed in purple and scarlet represents opulence and corruption.”

We must remember that the 7-year tribulation period is called “the time of Jacob’s trouble,” meaning Israel’s trouble. If Israel were being faithful and obedient to God, there would be no need for this time of Jacob’s trouble. However, that is not the case. In Deuteronomy 28:1-14, God told them of the many blessings He would give to them if they obey Him. In Deuteronomy 28:15-68, He told them of the many curses, with some being severe, if they disobey Him. In the Bible, God gives us many examples of Israel’s disobedience to Him and when God punished them. Biblehub.com has a good summary of this topic titled “The Punishment of Israel.” (https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_punishment_of_israel.htm) Let us read one verse from Deuteronomy chapter 28:

“And thou shalt not go [turn] aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after others gods to serve them.” (Deuteronomy 28:14)

Time and time again, including to this day, Israel has not obeyed the words of God to them, and, most importantly, as a nation, it is still in rejection God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. One recent example of this is just one day after Israel and the USA coordinated together to attack the nation of Iran on February 28, 2026, The Jerusalem Posted an article titled, “President Trump - Savior of Israel,” with a sub-heading of “May G-d bless you and your descendants.” The brief article states: (Source: https://www.jpost.com/international/article-888379)'

“The decisive actions of President Trump, together with Israel, will bring peace, stability, and prosperity for the people of the Middle East and freedom for the people of Iran.”

Once again, Israel is looking at Donald Trump as its Savior, as its Messiah. Once again, instead of turning to the one true God, Jesus the Christ, to save them, they are looking to a a false god to save them. There is no doubt in my mind as to the reasons why Israel will soon go through its time of trouble.

When we read the book of Revelation, while the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments will affect every single person in the world, I believe we must remember that God is sending the judgments because it will be the time of Jacob’s trouble. It is the last seven years of human history as we know it, when humans, and specifically Gentiles, rule the world, before Jesus Christ returns at His second coming and takes His rightful and righteous reign as King of kings and Lord of lords, from Jerusalem. Having said that, let us dig a little further in Revelation.

Earlier we read in Revelation 17:7 that the beast/antichrist is carrying the woman, who is Mystery, Babylon the Great. I truly believe that this is referring to Donald Trump as the beast/antichrist who is carrying the woman, where the woman is the amalgamation of New York City and the unrepentant Jews who are practically worshipping Donald Trump, and yet reject their true Messiah, Jesus the Christ. I believe this definitely includes Jews in New York City but also unrepentant Jews in Israel. The whore of Babylon represents an imposter of Israel, that has all of the wealth but none of the faith in the one true God, Jesus Christ, and I believe that is why the color blue is not listed in her clothing, for there is nothing divine, nothing holy, in their worship. I believe this includes the apostate American “churches,” that profess to love God while they worship the beast. The Israel aspect of the whore of Babylon pretends that she is of God, with her rabbis and sages, some of whom are nearly worshipping Donald Trump, but she is not, for she is worshiping false gods and doing the exact opposite of what God commanded her to do: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3)

I do not say these words lightly, and I have prayed many times to God, asking Him if I am understanding His word correctly, and if I am being led by the Holy Spirit and not by my own thoughts. I believe the answer to me is an affirmative “Yes.” I have not always thought this way, and once believed that modern day Israel could do no wrong, for that is what the pastors of the churches I used to go to preached. Then, I started reading and studying God’s words for myself under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and God opened my eyes to the truth, and it is not what is being preached in the majority of American churches. I cannot speak for churches outside of the USA.

While these words have often been difficult for me to understand and to write about, we must remember that there is precedent in the Bible where God has referred to Israel as a whore/harlot, as we read previously in a couple of Scriptures. I believe this substantiates why the woman in Revelation is called “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Let us read some of the times that Israel, and Judah for that matter, when they were divided into two kingdoms, have been called by God as a whore/harlot. In fact, the entire book of Hosea is written about Israel playing the harlot, cheating on her husband, who is God. God called the prophet Hosea to marry a harlot and have children with her, for it is a picture, a portrayal, of how Israel has played the role of a harlot to her husband, the Lord their God. Let us read some of the verses from that book:

“The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms [harlotry] and children of whoredoms [harlotry]: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.” (Hosea 1:1-2)

“I know Ephraim , and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled. They will not frame their doings to turn [Their deeds will not allow them to turn] unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD. And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall [stumble] in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall [stumble] with them.” (Hosea 5:3-5)

“Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with [charge against] the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By sharing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out [break all restraints], and blood toucheth blood [bloodshed follows bloodshed].” (Hosea 4:1-2)

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart [desires] on their iniquity. And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward [repay] them their doings [deeds]. For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to [ceased obeying] the LORD. Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart. My people ask counsel at their stocks [from their wooden idols], and their staff [diviner’s rod] declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.” (Hosea 4:6-12)

I believe the Scriptures above are describing modern-day Israel, and it is for these reasons that God is going to punish them in their 7-year time of trouble. Though God’s words are very harsh regarding the harlot, He does promise hope for those who return to Him, and I believe the timing of that is at the end of the time of Jacob’s trouble and at Jesus’ second coming:

“For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image [sacred pillar], and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.” (Hosea 3:5)

“For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear [tear them] and go away; I will take [take them] away, and none shall rescue him. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge [confess] their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early [diligently].” (Hosea 5:14-15)

“And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest [thicket], and the beasts of the field shall eat them. And I will visit upon her [punish her for] the days of Baalim [the Baals; false gods], wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD. Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her [comfort, lit. to her heart]. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi [My Husband]; and shalt call me no more Baali [My Master]. For I will take away the names of Baalim [the Baals] out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. and in that day will I make covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of the heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment [justice], and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.” (Hosea 2:12-20)

In the Scriptures below, which also provide a much-needed picture of hope to those in Israel who truly do love God, I concur with others I have heard on YouTube that the “two days” very well could represent the 2,000-year time period after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to heaven, which I believe was approximately in 33 AD, where 1,000 years represents a day in the timespan of God (2 Peter 3:8). I believe the time of Jacob’s trouble may very well start this year in 2026, lasting seven years, followed by the return of Jesus Christ in 2033. After judging the wicked, He will reign for 1,000 years, which I believe is the third day mentioned in the Scriptures below. That is when He will raise up Israel:

“Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten [stricken], and he will bind [bandage] us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared [established] as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” (Hosea 6:1-3)

This makes sense to me, for it fits the pattern of prophetic events, when Christ Himself was resurrected after the third day:

“From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” (Matthew 16:21)

“And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 17:23)

“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 20:18-19)

“And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.” (Jesus Christ; Luke 18:33)

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

Though God gave words of encouragement to His people Israel in the book of Hosea, we know that, as they did in the days of Hosea and all the prophets, they are still sinning and are still playing the harlot. Instead of worshipping His Son, Jesus the Christ, who became God as a man and came to the earth the first time offering salvation of sins to Israel, He was rejected and hated by Israel then and to this day, as a nation. Instead of looking to Him to save them, they are looking to false gods, and I believe particularly, Donald Trump, to save them. The article from The Jerusalem Post is a perfect example.

As we live in these perilous times, we must remember WHY God is going to put Israel through its time of trouble. We must also remember that God’s word tells us that two-thirds of the Jews will be killed in the time of Jacob’s trouble, and I believe that includes both Jews living in Israel and in America. There are many pastors in America who want us to practically worship Israel, and to believe that Israel can do no wrong. Clearly, that is not correct, and many in Israel are just as corrupt as the unbelievers in America and all around the world.

Let us consider the Jewish population in New York City. In 2025, the New York City metropolitan area by far had the largest US population of Jews, at 2,181,400, representing nearly 10% of the total population of New York City. The Los Angeles metropolitan area had the second largest, at 743,000 Jews. (Source: https://www.theglobalstatistics.com/largest-jewish-communities-in-the-us/) Though sources differ as to which country has the largest Jewish population in the world, according to the Jewish Virtual Library, in 2024 Israel had the highest population at 7,153,100 Jews, with the United States having 6,300,000. (Source: https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-holocaust-wing/rescuers/other-26/jewish-population-of-the-world) Another Source, The World Data, shows Israel as having between 7.2-7.7 million Jews, or 45.5% of the world’s 15.8 million Jewish population, with the USA having between 6.2-7.5 million Jews. (Source: https://theworlddata.com/world-jewish-population/) Whichever source is used, it is clear that there is a large portion of the Jewish population living in the USA, with the largest population living in New York City.

There are quite a few people I have been listening to online who also believe that America and specifically New York City is the whore of Babylon, Babylon the Great described in Revelation. While I do agree with that, I think there is more to it, and that is the Jewish aspect. Again, I emphasize that I am not against Israel and the Jews, for it is through them that my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ came and saved my soul. However, just as I am against my own country for its sinful and Satanic policies and practices, so too, do I feel the same about Israel. Both of these countries have lost their way, and as I am learning more and more, I believe America was never on the right path, contrary to what we were taught in public schools about the reasons for its founding.

It is has been difficult for me to come to this conclusion regarding Israel and America, but I have to keep reminding myself of God’s purpose, His reason for causing Jacob, meaning Israel, to go through its time of trouble. If Israel had returned to God and was not in disobedience to Him, if it had not rejected Jesus Christ, there would be no time of Jacob’s trouble, but it will come. However, in the end, God, as He always has, will preserve a remnant of Israel. It will be this final remnant that will turn to Jesus Christ, their Messiah, at His second coming.

I believe the Scriptures below are prophesying about the death of Jesus, who was killed by His own people, His friends, followed by the scattering of Israel, and the time when God will put them through their time of trouble:

“And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow [companion], saith the LORD of hosts: smite [strike] the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try [test] them as gold is tried [tested]: they shall call on my name, and I will hear [answer] them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” (Zechariah 13:6-9)

The Hebrew Scriptures, versus the King James Version translation, for “and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones” reads as follows: (Source: https://biblehub.com/text/zechariah/13-7.htm and click the link for 7725, 3027, 5921, and 6819)

7725: And I will turn: return, turn back, restore repent

3027: My hand: hand, hands, through

5921: against: on, upon, over, against, concerning, because of, by, beside

6819: The little ones: distress, trouble, affliction

Continuing with my reasons why I believe the whore of Babylon cannot only be New York City but also the Jewish influence over it, let us return to the book of Revelation, in chapter 17 verse 6. It talks about this woman being drunk with the blood of saints and martyrs. Let us read that again:

“And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration [amazement].” (Revelation 17:6)

I have read this Scripture many times before, and I thought that it made sense because the false prophet will cause believers in Jesus Christ who refuse to take the mark/name/number of the beast and refuse to worship him to be killed during the tribulation period, as written about in Revelation 13. However, this Scripture does not say that it is the false prophet that was drunken with the blood of the saints and the martyrs, nor does it say it is the antichrist, but it is the woman. If the woman were just New York City, then would it be true? I think it is both Israel and New York City. Let us read something else from Revelation:

“And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.” (Revelation 18:24)

When I consider this Scripture above, I cannot reconcile how the woman can only be New York City, for it has not killed the prophets. I believe that the Scripture is referring to the prophets in the Bible, that prophesied of things to come as written in God’s word, in both the Old and New Testaments. I believe this reference to the woman killing the prophets is speaking of Israel. Let us read some Scriptures that speak about Israel killing the prophets of God:

“And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous [zealous] for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (1 Kings 19:13-14)

“Then he [the king of Israel] said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.” (2 Kings 6:31)

“Now after the death of Jehoida [the priest] came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance [bowed down] to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves [wooden images] and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass. Yet ye sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear. And the Spirit of God came upon [clothed] Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you. And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 24:17-21)

“Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes [early], and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwellingplace: but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.” (2 Chronicles 36:14-16)

“Nevertheless they [Israel] were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against [warned or admonished] them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.” (Nehemiah 9:26)

“But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble [calamity]: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah. Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD. In vain have I smitten [chastened] your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.” (Jeremiah 2:28-30)

“Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pusher, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey [as a prize], and shall live. Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it. Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth [is discouraging] the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare [good] of this people, but the hurt [harm].” Jeremiah 38:1-4)

Jesus Himself talked about this several times when He spoke to the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees and pronounced eight woes upon them:

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish [adorn] the sepulchres [monuments] of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto [against] yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure [measure of guilt] of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation [brood or offspring] of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city. That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often I would have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 23:29-39)

The apostle Luke also documented what Jesus said to the scribes are Pharisees:

“Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow [approve] the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. Woe unto you, lawyers! [experts in the law] for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” (Luke 11:47-52)

Did you notice what Jesus said: “That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth” and how it seems to tie directly to Revelation 18:24? Let us read that again:

“And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.” (Revelation 18:24)

As Stephen was being stoned to death by the Jews for his belief in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, Stephen said to his accusers:

“Ye stiffnecked [stubborn] and uncircumcised [impenitent] in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: who have received the law by the disposition [direction] of angels, and have not kept it.” (Acts 7:51-53)

The apostle Paul also wrote about Israel killing the prophets when he spoke to the believers in Jesus Christ in the church of the Thessalonians:

“For ye, brethren, became followers [imitators] of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary [opposed] to all men: forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up [fill up the measure of their] sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.” (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16)

In the book of Revelation, the last seven judgments that God will send upon the earth during the time of Jacob’s trouble are the bowl judgments. One of those, the third bowl judgment, also references this shedding of the blood of the prophets and saints:

“And the third angel poured out his vial [bowl] upon the rivers and fountains [springs] of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink for they are worthy [it is their just due].” (Revelation 16:4-6)

Based on the large amount of Biblical evidence, I believe it is clear that the woman in Revelation 17-18 that is “drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Revelation 17:6) and in whom “was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth” (Revelation 18:24) is not a reference to New York City but to the nation of Israel. it is the influence of Israel on America, and specifically, New York City, the financial epicenter of the United States of America, “which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:18)

There is other evidence, I believe, in the Scriptures written about Mystery, Babylon the Great in Revelation 18:22-23 that also describe the Israel-aspect of the woman which correspond to the Old Testament Scriptures. When this specific wording is used, it is only used when God is addressing Israel. This cannot be coincidence, and I believe it provides further proof that Mystery, Babylon the Great is not simply New York City. Read what Revelation states below and compare it to the Old Testament Scriptures regarding Israel:

“And the voice [sound] of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers [flutists], and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; and the light of a candle [lamp] shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee.” (Revelation 18:22-23)

“Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.” (Jeremiah 7:34)

“For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth [rejoicing], and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.” (Jeremiah 16:9)

“Moreover I will take from them [cause to perish] the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle [lamp].” (Jeremiah 25:10)

This seems to be describing the events that take place at a wedding, where musical instruments are playing songs and music, and people are happy and filled with gladness and joy (mirth). It is almost as though God is saying to an unrepentant Israel, who was to be the bride of Christ but who rejected her bridegroom, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, will take away their bridegrooms and their brides. We can compare this to those who have accepted Jesus as their bridegroom, as their Savior, and who will be invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb that is written about in Revelation 19.

I have presented to you above the reasons why I believe Mystery, Babylon the Great, is not just New York City alone but also all of unrepentant Israel, including the Jews who reside in New York City and all of America, and those in Israel.

Now, I also want to discuss how I believe this amalgamation relates to Daniel’s telling and interpretation of, as he was given understanding by God, the dream that Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar had dreamt of a great image. Through the power of Almighty God, Daniel was not only able to give the king the interpretation of his dream but also what the king had dreamt, something that none of the king’s wise men and magicians were able to do. Daniel told the king about the great image he had dreamt about that had a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and sides of bronze, legs of iron, and feet/toes that were mixed, where part of them were miry/baked clay and part of them were iron. Daniel told the king that he was the head of gold on the image. Daniel also prophesied that after his kingdom would end, another kingdom would arise that would be inferior to his, which would be the second kingdom of silver, followed by the third kingdom of bronze that would “rule over all the earth.” Daniel then described a fourth kingdom made of iron:

“…Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass [bronze], which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth [shatters] all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise [crush].” (Daniel 2:38-39)

Daniel next described a fifth kingdom that was represented by the feet and toes of the image:

“And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay [pottery clay], and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry [ceramic] clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken [brittle or fragile]. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry [ceramic] clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave [adhere] to one another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.” (Daniel 2:40-43)

History would later confirm what Daniel dreamt and reveal whom the four kingdoms were: 1) Babylon, 2) Medo-Persia, 3) Greece, and 4) Rome. This is also confirmed in Daniel 8:19-23 through a second vision Daniel had and its interpretation by the angel Gabriel. I believe that the fifth kingdom that comprises the feet and toes of the statue in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is the amalgamation of the USA and unrepentant Israel, where Israel is the miry clay and the USA is the iron. I believe this aligns to the seven kings mentioned in Revelation 17:10, where five had already fallen at the time John wrote Revelation, which were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. Rome was the king in power at the time John wrote Revelation, and that was the sixth kingdom. The seventh king/kingdom is the one that had not come yet and when it does, it will continue for a short time. I believe this is kingdom of the miry clay and iron, which is New York City, representing America, and unrepentant Israel.

So why would I believe that Israel represents the “miry clay” aspect of this last kingdom? In the Bible, there are several times when God has told Israel that He is the potter and that they are the clay:

“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work [shall thy work say], He hath no hands?” (Isaiah 45:9)

“The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels [Potter’s wheel]. And the vessel that he made [was making] of clay was marred [ruined] in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O Israel. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil [relent concerning the disaster] that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent [relent] of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.” (Jeremiah 18:1-10)

In the Scriptures below, Isaiah the prophet is acknowledging this truth:

“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

Now, let us return to our examination of Revelation 17 and read again the Scriptures in verses 12-18:

“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power [authority] as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns with thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree [be of one mind], and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:12-18)

Whomever these ten kings are, they will submit to the beast/antichrist and will have authority for a very short time, for one hour. Strong’s Concordance tells us that one “hour” means “day, hour, instant, season.” (Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/5610.htm) There are three other references to “one hour” in Revelation, and I believe it is directly tied to the brief power these ten kings will receive with the antichrist:

“And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously [luxuriously] with her, shall bewail [weep for] her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.” (Revelation 18:10)

“For in one hour so great riches is come to nought [nothing]. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off. And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!” (Revelation 18:17-18)

“And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness [wealth]! for in one hour is she made desolate [a wasteland].” (Revelation 18:19)

As I mentioned above, I believe this destruction of Babylon is caused by the ten kings who “receive power [authority] as kings one hour with the beast." I believe this to be true because of what we previously read in Revelation 17:15-18), which I want us to read again. Remember that in Revelation 17:12 that the ten horns are the ten kings:

“And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:15-18)

In Revelation 17:15 we read, “And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” This description of where the whore sits, which I believe means where she is physically located, seems to describe New York City, as the entrance of the “melting pot” of America. This definitely is not Israel or Jerusalem because its population is not this diverse. In addition, the headquarters of the United Nations (UN) sits in New York City. There are nearly 200 hundred nations that are members of the United Nations, and each day, depending on the weather, a flag from every member nation is raised at the UN Headquarters in New York City. Per the UN website: (Source: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/news/2024/12/101156/flagging-united-nations)

“Each UN Member State is assigned its own place in the alphabetical lineup from north to south, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.”

Thus, we can clearly see that at the UN Headquarters in NYC, “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” are represented, just as Revelation 17:15 states. This may be a stretch, but I do not think it coincidence that “666” is represented here, as I have shown below. (Sources: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/news/2024/12/101156/flagging-united-nations; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headquarters_of_the_United_Nations)

“What distance is covered by flagpoles representing the UN’s 195 Member States and observers? Exactly six New York City blocks.” (Source: )

“The UN's six official languages are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.”

“Each of the 192 delegations has six seats in the hall with three at a desk and three alternate seats behind them.”

There is no other city in the world in which we are living that reigns over the kings or nations of the entire earth than New York City, the financial hub of the world. That is why BRICS came about because it was tired of New York City and America dominating the world financial system. It wanted to de-throne the US dollar as the global reserve currency. I find it very interesting that there are now ten nations that comprise BRICS: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRICS) What if it is these ten nations that represent the ten horns/kings of the beast? I think it very well may be a possibility, especially given what the Scripture says:

“And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.” (Revelation 17:16)

Some the ten nations listed above, particularly China, Iran, and Russia are considered enemies of the USA. This is a radical idea I am going to propose, but the Scriptures seem to back it up when it stated in Revelation 17:12-13 regarding the ten kings, “…which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” Notice that it does not say these ten kings have received no nation, but it says “no kingdom.” I believe this is stated that way intentionally, for they are not satisfied with just being rulers of their respective nations but want to be rulers of a kingdom, and I believe a global kingdom, just as the USA is one today.

In addition, these ten kings seem to be under some Satanic spell and cannot think for themselves and will do what the beast/antichrist wants them to do. I believe that the beast/antichrist is going to cause New York City to be destroyed with fire, and that it may well be with nuclear weapons from one or more of these BRICS countries. You may ask, but why would the beast/antichrist want to destroy New York City? I believe the reason, as I stated previously, is that he has to completely tear down the existing world order and bring in a new one. If you destroy New York City, you basically are destroying the heartbeat of America, from which all finances flow. One could argue that New York City it is not only the heartbeat of America but of the entire world. You could also argue against this theory because at least some of these countries, such as China and India, do a lot of trading with America, and that they would not want to destroy NYC and the resulting destruction of America. I thought of this too, but we must remember that the rulers of a country do not always do what the people want and what is best for the people. I believe it is possible that these ten kings would destroy NYC because of their allegiance to the antichrist, even as their own merchants bemoan her destruction because no one will buy their goods anymore. I believe once New York City is destroyed by fire, a complete global reset will happen, and it will be a Satanic new world order. Remember how America was affected after 9/11. I believe the events of that day were just a minor glimpse, a foreshadowing, of what is to come to New York City that will not only destroy it but will result in the total collapse of the United States. While America will still exist as a country, it will not have the power it once had, and it will never rise again.

The antichrist may tell the BRICS countries that if they do this, they will be ruling the world with him, and that together, they will bring in the new world order, but that will be a lie. There will not be any new global reserve that is linked to the BRICS nations and which replaces the US dollar. No, the new financial system will be one that is implemented by the false prophet. It will be one that is digital and requires every single person on earth to take the mark/name/number of the beast/antichrist and to worship his image, including these ten kings. Every single financial transaction will be tracked by this system. That is why there is such a push towards artificial intelligence and the rapid proliferation of data centers all around the world, and the USA leads the charge. Per a Visual Capitalist article, in November 2025, the USA had 4,165 data centers, compared to all of Europe having 3,476. Compare that to China’s total at 381. Why does America need so many data centers? (Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/visualizing-all-of-the-worlds-data-centers-in-2025/)

Further, this number will just increase worldwide. From a January 6, 2026 article from JLL, the increase of AI necessitates an increase in data centers: (Source: https://www.jll.com/en-us/newsroom/global-data-center-sector-to-nearly-double-to-200gw-amid-ai-infrastructure-boom)

“The global data center sector is poised for continued unprecedented expansion, with capacity expected to nearly double from 103 GW to 200 GW by 2030, according to JLL’s newly released 2026 Global Data Center Outlook. Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the data center landscape, and JLL anticipates AI workloads will represent half of all data center capacity by 2030. Despite rapid growth, the fundamentals for the sector remain healthy and property metrics do not point to a bubble.”

“AI workloads could represent 50% of all data center capacity by 2030, compared to approximately 25% in 2025. JLL anticipates a critical inflection point in 2027 when AI inference workloads will overtake training as the dominant requirement.”

I believe we are seeing just the tip of the iceberg, as AI replaces more and more jobs performed by humans. Soon, there will be just a small fraction of jobs performed by humans, and everyone else will be forced into some sort of universal basic income (UBI) that a person will only be able to receive if they do as the false prophet demands.

Whomever the ten kings end up being, whether they are the leaders of the ten BRICS countries, or the paid and permanent members of the Board of Peace, or they are the members of the Board of Peace’s Executive Board, or some other group I have not mentioned, we are told in Revelation that they will hate the whore of Babylon and burn her with fire. God tells us several times in Revelation that Babylon the Great will be destroyed by fire. Let us read the Scriptures again:

“And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.” (Revelation 17:16)

“Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” (Revelation 18:8)

“And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously [luxuriously] with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning.” (Revelation 18:9)

“And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!” (Revelation 18:18)

“And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.” (Revelation 19:1-3)

As I mentioned earlier at the end of Part 2, I believe there is a prophecy of this in Ezekiel chapter 28 that speaks not of Tyrus but of Mystery, Babylon the Great. While many of the preceding verses in Ezekiel 28 seem to describe Satan, I believe these verses are specifically referring to Babylon the Great, as it is being led by Satan. I also believe that it speaks of the corrupted American “church” system that is currently walking hand-in-hand with the antichrist. Let us read it again:

“Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick [trading]: therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror [horror], and never shalt thou be any more.” (Ezekiel 28:18-19)

If the ten kings are in fact the leaders of the ten BRICS nations, I do not believe it is by chance that at least three of the ten members of the BRICS nations have nuclear weapons: Russia, China, and India. In addition, Iran has been for some time and is currently seeking to create nuclear weapons. Israel, and America and Israel have recently sought again to destroy Iran’s ability to finish its development of nuclear weapons. I think it is definitely a possibility that one or more of these nuclear-armed BRICS nations is what destroys Babylon the Great by fire, by a barrage of nuclear weapons. If that were to happen, it would most certainly destroy New York City and cause famine in that area. It would not be able to grow crops and no food would be able to come into it either for any possible survivors due to nuclear contamination in the area.

If the Old Testament Scriptures are a mirror of what is to come in the future, and I do believe that very well may be the case with the falls of ancient Babylon and Tyrus, then was the destruction of Babylon by the Medo-Persian Empire a sign of the destruction to come upon America by the nuclear-armed countries of BRICS, including Iran, formerly known by its ancient name of “Persia”? I believe this is a strong possibility because I know that America will turn against Israel because the Bible tells us that fact. Just as ancient Babylon went too far in its treatment of its captives from Judah, and God sent the Medo-Persian Empire to punish Babylon and destroy it, I believe so too, will God do to New York City. I also believe it is Donald Trump who is the antichrist and is the one that will confirm a covenant with Israel that is supposed to last for seven years, but he will break it halfway into it, when he will commit the abomination of desolation. I believe it is sometime after those events are fulfilled that New York City will be attacked. Let us read some of the verses that described the attack by Medo-Persia on Babylon:

“For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken [captured]: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man [an expert warrior]; none shall return in vain.” (Jeremiah 50:9)

“Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished [horrified], and hiss at all her plagues. Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD. Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.” (Jeremiah 50:13-15)

Again, if the Bible is a mirror and the prophesy of what was fulfilled in the Old Testament is also a prophesy of what will happen in the future, as written in the New Testament, could the first Scripture above be describing Russia, as the country that comes from the north, along with its allies? Could this prophesy be a clue as to who will burn Babylon the Great with fire, where the “arrows” described above are nuclear weapons and/or ballistic missiles and/or nuclear-armed drones? I believe the answer is yes. In the first Scripture above, the great nations that came from the north were of the Medo-Persian Empire, and they invaded and conquered Babylon. If we apply that same prophesy to the prophesy of Mystery, Babylon the Great being burned with fire by the Medes and the Persians, there is a possible connection between the Russians and the Medes. Below are two mentions of this:

Source: https://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/10-2.htm:

“The sons of Japheth.—Of these, seven main divisions are enumerated, some of which are subsequently sub-divided; they are—

1. Gomer, whose name reappears in the Cimmerians. Their original settlement was between Magog and Madai, that is, between the Scythians and the Medes. After remaining some time on the Caspian and Black Seas, on which latter they have left their name in the Crimea, a powerful branch of them struck across the centre of Russia, and, skirting the Baltic, became the Cimbri of Denmark (whence the name of the Chersonesus Cimbrica, given to Jutland), the Cymry of Wales, &c. Generally they are the race to which the " name is given of Celts.

2. Magog. The Scythians, who once possessed the country north and south of the Caucasus. The Russians are their modern representatives, being descended from the Sarmatians, a Scythic race, with a small admixture of Median blood.

Source: https://www.21stcenturywatch.com/2023/07/14/the-modern-identity-of-the-peoples-of-western-russia-part-two/:

“Broadly speaking, the Medi dwelt in western Russia near or in eastern Rumania. Lempriere’s A Classical Dictionary also makes reference to them, but as the “Medobythini, a people of Thrace” (p. 365). It should also be noted that a river in the Baltic region was known as the Persante (Henrik Birnbaum, “Indo-Europeans between the Baltic and the Black Sea”, The Journal of Indo-European Studies, Vol. 12, Nos. 3 & 4, p. 238) which may be a direct derivation of Persian.”

“As they migrated into Russia out of the Middle East, their language gradually changed. D’iakonov notes: “The fate of the Iranian dialects is … very vague … in the first millenium B.C.E. the language of the Ukrainian Scythians was still understandable for the ancient Medians” (Igor D’iakonov, “On the Original Home of the Speakers of Indo-European”, Journal of Indo-European Studies, Vol. 13, Nos. 1 & 2, p. 148) [emphasis mine].”

If the Russians today are in fact modern descendants of the Medes, then it is not ridiculous to think that its current alliance with Iran, as well as China, could be three of the ten kings that hate the whore of Babylon and who will burn her with fire. Let us read more recent news about this pact of Russia, Iran, and China from a January 29, 2026 article by the Middle East Monitor: (Source: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20260129-iran-china-and-russia-sign-trilateral-strategic-pact/)

“In a dramatic geopolitical development this afternoon, Iran, China and Russia formally signed a comprehensive strategic pact, marking one of the most consequential shifts in 21st-century international relations. While the full text of the agreement is being released in stages by the three governments, state media in Tehran, Beijing and Moscow have acknowledged the ceremony and described it as a cornerstone for a new multipolar order.”

“What makes today’s signing significantly different, and newsworthy, is that it explicitly combines the three powers in a coordinated framework, aligning them on issues ranging from nuclear sovereignty and economic cooperation to military coordination and diplomatic strategy.”

“This agreement does not – at least from the initial public texts – constitute a formal mutual defence treaty akin to NATO’s Article 5, obligating one to defend the others militarily. Past pacts between Iran and Russia always carefully stopped short of a binding defence guarantee.  Instead, the pact appears to link three major powers in a broader geopolitical coalition defined by shared opposition to Western military dominance and economic coercion.”

Let us read more about the prophesy of the Medo-Persian Empire that did in fact destroy ancient Babylon, of which I believe this is a dual-fulfillment prophesy, with the second being fulfilled when Mystery, Babylon the Great, will also be burned with fire:

“Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them [Leb-kamai, a code word for Chaldea, Babylonia] that rise up against me, a destroying wind; and will send unto Babylon fanners [winnowers], that shall fan [winnow] her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about [all around]. Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine [armour]: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host [army].” (Jeremiah 51:1-3)

“Make bright [Sharpen or purify] the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device [plan] is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of [for] his temple. Set up the standard [banner] upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon. O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness. (Jeremiah 51:11-13)

The recent events with Israel and America attacking Iran and killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has lit a fire storm in the Middle East. Will this be the catalyst that further unites the BRICS nations against not only the USA but also Israel? In my opinion, the answer is yes and moves us closer to what the Bible says, “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.” (Revelation 17:16)

If my understanding of the Scriptures is correct, it will not only be New York City that will be affected, but all of the USA, just as God, through Jeremiah, told Babylon would happen to them:

“And I will render [repay] unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 51:24)

If we remember the devastation that occurred in the USA after 9/11, that it was not the destruction of an entire city, I can only shudder to think what would happen if New York City were to be obliterated from the face of the earth, as I believe God’s word tells us will happen. One can only imagine seeing every single building, every tower, in New York City falling, collapsing to the ground; a 9/11 multiplied by 10,000. Imagine seeing the god of many, Wall Street, leveled, as if God were saying to America, “See what happens when you worship mammon (money)? I will throw and burn it all down.”

I believe that New York City, as the foundation of America, the place where its federal government began and the location of America’s first capital, and currently stands as America’s financial headquarters, is the foundation that will fall, as prophesied in Jeremiah 50:15. I encourage you to read this article that summarized the importance of New York City on not just America, but the world. Let us read some of what this article states: (Source: https://www.bpm.com/insights/new-york-city-economy-outlook/)

“New York City stands as the quintessential American metropolis—a global powerhouse where finance meets innovation, where 8.5 million residents from every corner of the world converge, and where centuries-old institutions coexist with cutting-edge startups. As the nation’s most populous city and the anchor of a metropolitan area exceeding 19 million people, New York’s influence extends far beyond its five boroughs to shape economic trends, cultural movements, and business practices worldwide.”

“New York City’s economy ranks among the largest globally, with a gross city product surpassing $1.28 trillion in 2023. The metropolitan area’s economic output exceeds $2.6 trillion, comparable to entire nations and representing a significant portion of the United States’ GDP. This economic might stems from remarkable industrial diversity that has strengthened following the COVID-19 pandemic.”

I think it is clear that if Mystery, Babylon the Great, is in fact an amalgamation, or “a marriage,” as I heard Dr. Cliff Kelly on YouTube recently call it, of New York City and the Jewish influence on it, the judgment of the whore of Babylon will not only send shockwaves throughout America but it will also be felt around the world. It very well may result in the end of America.

The antichrist/beast, the false prophet, and the ten kings will believe that they can win the war against Jesus Christ. However, we are told in Revelation 17:14, which we read previously, that “…the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” (Revelation 17:14) We read more about this in Revelation chapter 19:11-21 that describes the return of Jesus when He destroys with the sharp sword of His mouth all who are gathered together against Him. We read most of this previously but let us read it again, lest we forget that the wicked, including the antichrist/beast and the false prophet, will undergo the wrath of God, and it won’t end well for them. Instead of being invited to sit with Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, at the wedding feast, where He is the bridegroom and we who are saved by His blood are the bride, the wicked themselves will be the feast for all the birds of the air, as they eat the flesh of their dead bodies, cleaning up the filth of the land:

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture [robe] dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite [strike] the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls [birds] that fly in the midst of heaven, come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond [slave], both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken [captured], and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles [worked signs] before him [in his presence], with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant [rest] were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.” (Revelation 19:11-21)

PART 6: CLOSING THOUGHTS

I want to return to the Scriptures we read previously about the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride and how their voices would not be heard anymore in Babylon the Great, for that great city will be destroyed and will never be found again. There is a single time in the Old Testament in which the prophet Jeremiah prophesied of the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride in a positive context as it relates to Israel, and that is in Jeremiah 33:11. Instead of prophesying of pain and sorrow, Jeremiah prophesies of a joyous time, the time when God Himself will return the captives of Judah and Israel to the land, the land that He Himself gave them:

“The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land [the captives of the land to return], as at the first, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 33:11)

Then, in Jeremiah 33:15-16 we are told:

“In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment [justice] and righteousness in the land [earth]. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.” (Jeremiah 33:15-16)

I believe this is speaking not of the times when Jeremiah lived, but of a time far into the future, and it is when Jesus returns at His second coming and saves the faithful remnant of Israel. It is then, and only then, will Israel and Jerusalem dwell safely, for Jesus Himself will reign upon the earth for 1,000 years. It is at that time when Jerusalem will be called “The LORD our righteousness.”

Jeremiah also prophesied those same words at the end of the Scripture above when he pronounced woe upon the shepherds of Israel because they had destroyed and scattered the sheep of His pasture, meaning the people of Israel. We read part of this previously, but I want us to read it again:

“Woe be unto the pastors [shepherds] that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors [shepherds] that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited [attended to] them: behold, I will visit upon you [attend to you for] the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking saith the LORD. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper [act wisely], and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jeremiah 23:1-6)

All of the events described in the Scriptures above have not happened. Some of them have, particularly the shepherds of Israel who have not taken care of the sheep, and consequently the sheep have been scattered. God is going to attend to Israel for the evil it has done, and that is going to happen during the time of Jacob’s trouble. At the end of it, Jesus will ascend from heaven at His second coming and will put an end to all the wicked, both Jews and Gentiles, the antichrist/beast and the false prophet and Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss for 1,000 years. Jesus will gather the surviving remnant of His flock and bring them back into the land of Israel, where they will be fed by shepherds He will choose to feed them. It is at that time that they will dwell safely and will not fear, for Jesus will reign as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS from Jerusalem. He will execute judgment and justice in the earth, and no more will there be crooked politicians and judges who are paid off with bribes. Jesus Christ will finally be the God of Israel, the One they rejected as their Messiah, the Chosen of God, so long ago. It is at that time that Jerusalem, the city of God, will be called by the same name as its Messiah, “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” This has never happened. It did not happen during the days of Jeremiah, it did not happen on May 14, 1948 when Israel was reborn as a nation, but it will happen, because God’s word tells us it will happen, and God’s word is always right.

There is also a single time in the New Testament Scriptures that speaks of the voice of the bridegroom and it specifically links the bridegroom to Jesus Christ. It is from Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, who prepared the way of the Lord. I have included two Scriptures below from Matthew to provide context as to who John the Baptist was and what he said about Jesus:

“In those days came John the Baptist [baptizer], preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he [John the Baptist] that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias [Isaiah], saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Matthew 3:1-3)

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he [Jesus Christ] shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan [winnowing fan] is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor [threshingfloor], and gather his wheat into the garner [barn], but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12)

“Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [Allow] it to be so now: for thus it becometh us [is fitting for us] to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered [allowed] him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17)

“Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:25-30)

I want us to read of the coming time when those of us who are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ will be celebrating and called to His marriage supper, where He will be our bridegroom and we will be His bride. It will be a time of gladness and a time of joy, and we will praise and honor our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

“And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts [living creatures; see Revelation 4:6-8] fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great, And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice [sound] of many waters, and as the voice [sound] of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour [glory] to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean, and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness [righteous acts] of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” (Revelation 19:4-9)

Let us also read what God says of His people, Israel, the one-third remnant who once acted as a harlot but who will be saved by God during the time of Jacob’s trouble and will turn to Him:

“And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest [thicket], and the beasts of the field shall eat them. And I will visit upon her [punish her for] the days of Baalim [the Baals; false gods], wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD. Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her [comfort, lit. to her heart]. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi [My Husband]; and shalt call me no more Baali [My Master]. For I will take away the names of Baalim [the Baals] out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. and in that day will I make covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of the heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment [justice], and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear [answer], saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear [answer] the corn [with grain], and the wine [new wine], and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel [God Will Sow]. And I will sow her unto me [for myself] in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.” (Hosea 2:12-23)

January 4, 2026: A Deep-Dive into Ezekiel and Revelation: Gog and Magog

“After many days thou [Gog of Magog] shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.” (Ezekiel 38:8)

Gog and Magog in the Book of Ezekiel

The Scriptures above were given by God to a prophet named Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a priest who was given visions from God to speak not to just Israel or Judah, when they were a divided nation and Israel had been taken into captivity by Assyria and Judah by Babylon; no, he was to speak the words to the whole house of Israel. Before God gave Ezekiel the words to speak to them, God showed Ezekiel His glory, and I believe God did that so that Ezekiel would know beyond the shadow of a doubt that what he was going to see and hear was absolutely from God.

There is much talk and speculation in the Bible prophecy community in our world today regarding the battle of Gog and Magog that is written about both in the book of Ezekiel in chapters 38 and 39 and in chapter 20 of the book of Revelation. Many people in the prophecy community believe that we are on the verge of the start of this battle that is described in Ezekiel chapters 38-39. I admit that I used to believe this myself, after primarily listening to what others had to say about it, instead of reading the Scriptures for myself. When I believed this, however, there was one thing that always stood out to me and that was God’s repetitive phrase in Ezekiel 38 of Israel dwelling safely, and as I found out while writing this devotional, in other chapters of Ezekiel.

Once I began not only reading the Bible for myself, but also studying it at a much deeper level, and reading the other chapters in Ezekiel that lead up to chapters 38 and 39, I no longer believe that we are on the verge of seeing this battle begin. No, instead, I believe that it will occur after the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble and the second coming of Jesus Christ, and sometime during the early years of Jesus’ 1,000-year reign on earth. I believe that God, in His perfect word, has given us subtle hints to this that many overlook, or, perhaps, do not want to see because it doesn’t fit their agenda. I believe this is true of some people who call themselves pastors.

In this devotional message, I want to dig deep into God’s word and examine thoroughly what it says about the events leading up to Gog and Magog and what the landscape of the world will look like, especially in Israel, at the time it will happen. So, let’s get started.

First, I want to note that there are many similarities between what God showed the prophet Ezekiel and what God showed the apostle John in the book of Revelation. I believe the book of Ezekiel is an Old Testament preview of what is written about in the book of Revelation. While some of the Scriptures in Ezekiel have been fulfilled, I believe that some are yet to be fulfilled, and some are dual-fulfillment prophecies. Many Scriptures from Revelation are also included in the book of Ezekiel. Let us read first some of what God showed to Ezekiel so that Ezekiel would know that he was hearing from God Himself.

God showed Ezekiel a great cloud of fire, and in the midst of it was a color of amber, with four living creatures that came out of it. The four living creatures are very similar to what John the apostle saw when he was taken up to heaven through an open door and saw four beasts, which he wrote of in the book of Revelation. In both Ezekiel and Revelation, the four living creatures/beasts each have four faces. Ezekiel 1:10 and Revelation 4:7 describe the four faces as the face of a man, a lion, an ox/calf, and an eagle. Ezekiel 1:6 says each living creature had four wings, but Revelation 4:8 says they had six wings. Ezekiel chapter 10 seems to describe these same living creatures but refers to them as “cherubims.” Ezekiel 10:14 says that each cherubim had four faces of a cherub, a man, a lion, and an eagle. Thus in Ezekiel 10, there was not a cherub that had the face of an ox/calf, as was described in Ezekiel 1:10 and Revelation 4:7. Ezekiel describes how the living creatures moved by something described as a wheel within a wheel that seemed to be attached to the living creatures in some manner. John did not write about this in the book of Revelation. I do not know the reason for the differences. However, we do know that both Ezekiel and John saw them around the throne of God.

Let us read further of what is written about these living creatures/cherubim and where both Ezekiel and John saw them. Ezekiel wrote what he saw and heard in the firmament that was over their heads, which is similar to what John saw when he was taken up to heaven. Let us read both accounts:

“Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.” (Ezekiel 1:1)

“And the likeness of the firmament [expanse] upon [above] the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible [an awesome] crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.” (Ezekiel 1:22)

“And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts [living creatures] full of eyes before [in front] and behind.” (Revelation 4:6)

“And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings. And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.” (Ezekiel 1:25-28)

“And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks [lampstands]; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps [chest] with a golden girdle [band]. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned [were refined] in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:12-18)

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit [or Spirit]: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine [sardius] stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight [appearance] like unto an emerald.” (Revelation 4:1-3)

“And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” (Revelation 4:5)

Another similarity between Ezekiel and Revelation is the eating of a little book:

“But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me [stretched out to me]; and, lo, a roll [scroll] of a book was therein; and he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou fondest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat [feed thy belly], and fill thy bowels [stomach] with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.” (Ezekiel 2:8-3:4)

“So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat [or anger] of my spirit: but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.” (Ezekiel 3:14)

“And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: and he had in his a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth [land].” (Revelation 10:1-2)

“And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophecy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” (Ezekiel 10:8-11)

I believe that there are many similarities between the books of Ezekiel and Revelation because God wants us to know that just as what Ezekiel prophesied long before it happened came true, so will the prophecies of John the apostle come true.

Returning to Ezekiel, God then gave some specific instructions to him that, to us, may seem very odd. However, we have to remember that God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) God told Ezekiel to take a tile, which the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible indicates is a clay tablet, and lay it before him. Ezekiel was to make a model of the city, including Jerusalem, and cause it to come under siege, including having battering rams come against it. He was to take an iron plate and set it before him and the city. God said the city would be besieged, and “This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.” (Ezekiel 4:3)

God then said this to Ezekiel:

“Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay thy iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year [a day for each year].” (Ezekiel 4:4-6)

The sum of 390 days plus 40 is 430 days. Notice that God told Ezekiel that the number of days he was to lie on his left and right side represented the number of days of Israel and Judah’s iniquity, respectively: “For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity,“ and “I have appointed thee each day for a year.” Thus, the 430 days represent 430 years. Where else in the Bible does it refer to 430 years? It is in the book of Exodus. I do not think this is any coincidence that God had Moses bring the people out of Egypt by God’s mighty hand after they had lived there for 430 years in bondage:

“Now the sojourning [time of stay] of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:40-41)

God then told Ezekiel to take certain types of food with him, such as wheat and barley, and that he was to use dung from man, meaning human feces, to make a fire and use the food and make make cakes that he may eat. Ezekiel, being a priest and having found this very disturbing, cried out to the Lord, and God told Ezekiel that he could use cow dung instead for the fire. God also gave Ezekiel instructions on how much food he was to eat each day. God told him how much water he was to drink each day, which was a sixth part of a hin, which is a little less than a quart. I believe God was intentional when He told Ezekiel to drink a sixth part, for six represents the number of man. Let us read something else that is very interesting to me, which I did not catch at first but only after re-reading it:

“Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches [spelt], and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof. And thy meat [food] which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.” (Ezekiel 4:9-10)

Did you notice that God did not tell Ezekiel to eat during the 40 days he was to lie on his right side? It seems God wanted Ezekiel to fast for 40 days while he was bearing the iniquity of Judah, which is of importance for a number of reasons. The number 40 is very significant in the Bible. Let us read some examples of its usage in the Bible:

• Genesis 7:4, the Great Flood: God sent rain on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights.

• Genesis 50:3, Embalming of Jacob, the Patriarch of Israel: Joseph commanded the Egyptian physicians to embalm his father, Jacob, who was the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, a process which took 40 days.

• Exodus 24:18, Moses goes up to Mount Sinai: God called Moses up to Mount Sinai to give him the law and tables/tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:12). Moses was on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights. After God told Moses to go down the mountain and back to his people, Moses saw the people worshipping a golden calf that Moses’ brother Aaron had made at the urging of the people. In horror upon seeing this, Moses through down the tablets, breaking them.

• Exodus 34:1, God calls Moses up to Mount Sinai again: God told Moses to cut out two more tables of stone so that He could write upon them the same Ten Commandments that were on the first two tables of stone. Moses again went up on Mount Sinai and was there 40 days and 40 nights, and fasted during that same time. (Exodus 34:28)

• Numbers 13:25, Twelve Spies search the land of Canaan: God told Moses to send one man from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to spy out the land of Canaan. They returned after 40 days, with only two spies having a good report, and they were Caleb, of the tribe of Judah, and Hoshea, whom Moses gave the name of Joshua, of the tribe of Ephraim.

• Numbers 14:33, God told Israel they would wander for 40 years: God told Israel that because of their doubt in Him to bring them into Canaan they spied out the land, only their children under 20 years old would be allowed to enter. Caleb and Joshua, who had had a good report of the land, would also enter the land. God told those 20 years and older that they would wander in the wilderness for 40 years, one year for each day the twelve spies spied out the land.

• Jonah 3:4, Jonah proclaimed coming judgment upon Nineveh: Because its wickedness had reached God, God told Jonah to go and tell Nineveh that in 40 days, He would overthrow the city. The men of the city and its king believed God and turned from their wickedness.

• Matthew 4:2, Jesus tempted by the devil: Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where He fasted 40 days and 40 nights. The devil came and tempted Him three times, and each time, Jesus quoted Scripture to him. Notice the second time Satan tempted Jesus, the devil/Satan quoted Scripture, which is from Psalm 91:11-12. May this be a warning to us that even Satan, and those who follow him, quote Scripture, in order to deceive. Also notice the third time Satan tempted Jesus, that Jesus did not dispute the fact that Satan is the ruler of the kingdoms of this current world. This is why Jesus later said to Pontius Pilate after the chief priests had delivered Jesus to him to be crucified, when Pilate asked Jesus what had He done to cause His own nation and chief priests to want Him to be crucified: “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” (John 18:36) Let us read about the three times Satan tried to tempt Jesus:

• “And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

• “Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt [test] the Lord thy God.” (Matthew 4:7)

• “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give to thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence [Away with you], Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matthew 4:10)

• Acts 1:3, Jesus showed Himself alive to His apostles for 40 days after His resurrection: Luke the apostle wrote that after Jesus was resurrected and before He ascended to heaven, “To whom also he shewed [presented] himself alive after his passion [suffering] by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God; and, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 1:3-5)

It is also interesting to note that during the 390 days that Ezekiel was to lie on his left side, he was to eat a measurement of 20 shekels of food per day. 20 shekels is the same measurement, which was a measurement of silver, that Joseph’s brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites because they were jealous of Joseph. (Genesis 37:28)

Now, let us read some key verses from the book of Ezekiel regarding God’s reasons for judging Israel:

“And he [God] said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. For they are impudent children and stiff hearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forebear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.” (Ezekiel 2:1-7)

“Then he said unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood [bloodshed], and city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not. And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way [repay their deeds] upon their head.” (Ezekiel 9:9-10)

“How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord GOD, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman; in that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire; but as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband! They give gifts to all whores: but thou gives thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom.” (Ezekiel 16:30-33)

“As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done. Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.” (Ezekiel 16:48-52)

In Ezekiel chapter 8, God showed him the abominations that were being committed by Israel and Judah in God’s own house, the Temple in Jerusalem, by the elders of the house of Israel. In Ezekiel 8:14, God showed Ezekiel the Jewish women even crying for a Sumerian false god of fertility called Tammuz, as well as men worshipping the sun. These are people who should have known better. They should have known that they are only to worship God, but they did not listen to God’s commandments to them, with the first being “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3) God told Ezekiel that He will judge His people for the abominations they have committed against Him in His own house, the Temple of God:

“And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall. Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about. And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients [elders] of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up. Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery [room of his idols]? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth. He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’s house which was toward the north; and, behold there sat women weeping for Tammuz.” (Ezekiel 8:7-14)

“Then he said unto me Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.” (Ezekiel 8:15-16)

“Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light [trivial] thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.” (Ezekiel 8:17-18)

Ezekiel chapter 9 tells us that God sent six men with slaughter weapons to execute God’s wrath on those who committed abominations against Him. One of the six men was clothed in linen and had a writer’s ink horn by his side. This man with the inkhorn was told by God to go into Jerusalem and set a mark on the foreheads of the men who sighed and cried for the abominations being committed against God. I believe this is God marking or sealing His people to save them from His wrath. This seems to be saying either the same thing or something very similar to what is written in the book of Revelation. Let us compare the Scriptures from Ezekiel and Revelation:

“He cried also in mine ears [hearing] with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying [deadly] weapon in his hand. And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher [upper] gate, which lieth [faces] toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand [with his battle axe]; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house [The Temple]. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side; and the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set [put] a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for [over] all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” (Ezekiel 9:1-4)

“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children [sons] of Israel.” (Revelation 7:1-4)

“And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.” (Revelation 9:1-4)

In the Scriptures from Revelation 7, it goes on to list the twelve tribes of Israel from which 12,000 men from each tribe will be sealed. These are the twelve tribes, whose names are written in the Greek text: Juda, Reuben, Gad, Aser, Nephthalim, Manasses, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zabulon, Joseph, and Benjamin.

Then in Ezekiel 9, God told Ezekiel what would happen to the rest of the people. Notice God told Ezekiel that God’s judgment would begin at His sanctuary, meaning His temple, with the elders, those men who should have known God and His commandments. Notice also that God said not to harm any man who had His mark:

“And to the others he said in mine hearing [my ears], Go ye after him through the city, and smite [kill]: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: slay utterly [to destruction] old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men [elders] which were before the house [temple]. And he said unto them, Defile the house [temple], and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.” (Ezekiel 9:5-7)

Notice that in Ezekiel 9:1-4, God instructs the man clothed with linen to seal with His mark the men who sigh and cry because of all the sinful abominations that were being committed in the city. This is a perfect example of how God protects those who have faith in Him and have not gone by the way of the sinful, even when they are living in the midst of them. This reminds me of when God saved Lot and his family before He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. The apostle Peter wrote of this in his second epistle. May we, who are believers in Jesus Christ, remember this as we sigh and cry over the abominations being committed against God in our wicked and evil world in which we live:

“And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow [to destruction], making them an ensample unto those that after [afterward] should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed [oppressed] with the filthy conversation [conduct] of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed [tormented] his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished…” (2 Peter 2:6-9)

Ezekiel is so torn up about what God is telling him about Israel’s judgment and what Ezekiel saw in his vision, that he cried out to God:

“And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left [left alone], that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue [remnant] of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood [bloodshed], and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth [land], and the LORD seeth not. And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way [repay their deeds] upon their head. And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou has commanded me.” (Ezekiel 9:8-11)

I honestly do not know if Ezekiel is describing something that has already happened, but I do believe it is describing something that is yet to happen, and that is during the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble, which has not happened yet. There are some people who believe this happened the first time when the Babylonians destroyed the first Temple and Jerusalem, and that very well may be true. However, I believe the greater fulfillment is yet to come.

Let us read what God had previously told Ezekiel as written in Ezekiel chapter 6. God told Ezekiel to speak to the mountains of Israel and tell them that God would bring a sword upon them and destroy their high places where the children of Israel worshipped their false gods. I believe that God, through Ezekiel is literally speaking to the literal mountains in Israel, and it is not a case where the mountains are some representation of the rulers of Israel. Let us read some of what God told Ezekiel to say to the mountains of Israel in chapter 6:

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers [ravines], and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places [sacred places for pagan worship]. And your altars shall be desolate, and your images [incense altars] shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars. In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste [in ruins], and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease [ended], and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished. And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 6:1-7)

Though God said He will make the mountains of Israel desolate and fill them with the dead bodies of the children of Israel who will choose to worship false gods instead of the one true God, He also said that He would leave a remnant of Israel that will be scattered among the nations:

“Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with [crushed by] their whorish [adulterous] heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring [played the harlot] after their idols: and they shall loathe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil [bring this calamity] unto them.” (Ezekiel 6:8-10)

In Ezekiel chapter 11, God continues to show Ezekiel the sins and abominations that Israel is committing against Him. God shows Ezekiel twenty five men at the Temple. Among the men are two men, one named Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and one named Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, who are princes of the people and who “devise mischief [iniquity], and give wicked counsel in this city.” (Ezekiel 11:2) God told Ezekiel to tell these men about the wickedness that God saw them do in the city and how God would execute judgments. However, God would bring them out of Jerusalem and deliver them to strangers and judge them in the border of Israel (Ezekiel 11:5-11). Once again, Ezekiel cried out to God, and once again, God promised hope for Ezekiel and for the children of Israel. However, for those whose heart it turned against God and whose heart desires detestable things and abominations against God, He will bring judgment upon their heads:

“And it came to pass, when I [Ezekiel] prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel? Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren [relatives], the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the LORD: unto us is this land given in possession. Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen [Gentiles], and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary [holy place] in the countries where they shall come. Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you [them]; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh; that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way [repay their deeds] upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 11:13-21)

Thus, in the Scriptures we read from above, God will preserve a remnant of Israel that will be saved from destruction. I do not believe what is written above has already happened but is yet future. I believe it will only happen when Jesus Christ returns at the end of the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble and replaces the stony heart of the surviving remnant of Israel with a new heart of flesh, and gives them a new Spirit within them. It is only at that time that Israel will no longer turn their hearts against God to worship false gods.

God also told Ezekiel in chapter 16 that He had not forgotten Israel and His covenant with them:

“Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thine younger: for I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: that thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 16:60-63)

Returning to what we read in Ezekiel chapter 6, I think it is important to note that it seems to connect to Ezekiel chapter 36 in that God is speaking to the mountains of Israel, where the first is a promise of desolation but the second is a promise of restoration. In Ezekiel 36:21-24, God tells the mountains of Israel that He will bring Israel back into their own land, not for Israel’s sake, but for His holy name’s sake:

“But I had pity [concern] for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen [nations], whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen [nations], whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified [hallowed] in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.” (Ezekiel 36:21-24)

God also told Ezekiel something similar in Ezekiel chapter 20, when God gave Ezekiel words to speak to certain elders of Israel:

“And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand [took an oath] to give it to your fathers. And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe [despise] yourselves in your sight for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought [dealt] with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 20:42-44)

Before I move on to Ezekiel chapters 33-39, I want to strongly encourage you to read the entire book of Ezekiel for yourself, for it provides all of the context needed to understand what it written in Ezekiel chapters 33-39. Before taking a deep dive into those chapters, I want to say that I believe Ezekiel chapter 36 also speaks of the time when all the nations will be gathered in Israel against Jesus Christ at His second coming. Many times I have struggled to understand all of this because it goes against what I have heard repeatedly from modern prophecy teachers and pastors. I believe that the Holy Spirit has impressed upon me that I must slow down and not be in a hurry to write these devotional messages. He has impressed upon me to study His word, and let Him guide me into all truth and not rely on mere man for understanding. I have prayed to God to provide me with understanding through the power of the Holy Spirit and to write these devotionals not on my own, human and imperfect understanding of God’s word, but through the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe God has caused me to put away all that I have been taught by pastors and read in commentaries who speak about an imminent battle of Gog and Magog, and strictly focus on what the Bible says and how the Holy Spirit has explained it to me. Because I am human, I may not have everything correct, and if something happens that makes it clear that I was wrong, I will update the devotional and/or write another and state that. It is not my intention at all to mislead anyone.

The Scriptures in the book of Ezekiel are of critical importance in our world today. For many years I have believed that this battle is imminent because of the words of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telling the world of how close Iran is to building a nuclear bomb and listening to pastors telling me that Russia will align with Iran and others to invade Israel. Most recently, America bombed three Iranian nuclear sites on June 22, 2025 during Operation Midnight Hammer, and the speculation about the timing of Gog and Magog continues.

While the Scriptures do tell us that Iran, which is named in the Bible by its former name of Persia, will play a role in the battle of Gog and Magog, I do not believe this battle is imminent but is at least seven years away, with the second coming of Jesus Christ. However, because I do believe we are very close to the signing of the 7-year covenant with the many by the coming Antichrist, which begins the time of Jacob’s trouble, I want to discuss this 7-year time period in this devotional so that anyone reading this can decide for themselves if what we are being told is true or a cunningly devised lie to mislead people.

First, let us read how the prophet Jeremiah describes this coming time of Jacob’s trouble, which is from where it gets its name. While much of Jeremiah’s prophesies were fulfilled long ago, there are prophecies yet to be fulfilled, including regarding the time of Jacob’s trouble. Let us also read what Jesus Himself said about it. First, God gives good news to Israel and Judah that they won’t be exiled from their land forever but He will bring them back into the land He gave to their fathers. Then God tells them of their coming time of trouble. He also gives us a clue as to the timing of this coming time of trouble:

“The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my [back from captivity my] people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and Judah. For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child [male can give birth]? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail [childbirth], and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: but they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure [justice], and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.” (Jeremiah 30:1-11)

“The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.” (Jeremiah 30:24)

Let us read some other Scriptures that speak of this coming time of trouble:

“The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid. The sorrows of a travailing woman [woman in childbirth] shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth [birth] of children.” (Hosea 13:12-13)

“And at that time [the time of the end, per Daniel 11:40] shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth [stands watch over] for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book, And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt [abhorrence].” (Daniel 12: 1-2)

Let us read some other verses that speak of this time of trouble, including those spoken by Jesus Christ Himself, when He spoke of the great tribulation, which is the last 3-1/2 years of the time of Jacob’s trouble, and which will happen after the antichrist commits the abomination of desolation in the Third Temple (Matthew 24:15):

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 24:21-22)

“And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try [test] them as gold is tried [tested]: they shall call on my name, and I will hear [answer] them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” (Zechariah 13:8-9)

Now, let’s dig into Ezekiel chapters 33-39.

• Ezekiel chapter 33: God is warning the people of Israel through the watchmen He has chosen, who is the prophet Ezekiel. God tells Ezekiel the words to speak to the “children of thy people,”meaning all of Israel, including Judah. God tells them that He will bring a sword upon the land and that He has set Ezekiel the prophet as a watchmen for them:

“Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts [territory], and set him for their watchman: if when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul [save his life]. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.” (Ezekiel 33:1-7)

God tells them that if the watchman warns them of a sword that comes upon the land and blows a trumpet to warn the people but the people do not listen to the watchman, then their blood is on their own hands and not on the watchman’s and they will die in their own iniquity/sin. However, if the watchman does not warn the people, then they will still die in their iniquity but God will require their blood at the watchman’s hand. There are watchmen in our world today who are warning the unsaved of the things that are to come, as prophesied about in the Bible, and how they must turn to Jesus Christ to be saved from their sins. Yet, the majority of the people who hear these warnings are ignoring the warnings, and their blood will be upon their own head.

God then said to Ezekiel:

“Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11)

God then tells Ezekiel that the house of Israel cannot possess the land when they are committing sinful acts against God, including going after false gods, committing abominations, and shedding blood. In Ezekiel 33:28-29, Ezekiel is to tell the people that the land and mountains of Israel shall be left desolate so that they will know that God is the LORD. This ties directly back to Ezekiel chapter 6 when God said desolation will come to the mountains of Israel. God also tells Ezekiel that though the people of Israel will hear the words that Ezekiel will tell them, they will not heed them, for their heart goes after their covetousness and not Him (Ezekiel 33:30-31). God ends chapter 33 with this promise:

“And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.” (Ezekiel 33:33)

• Ezekiel chapter 34: God is speaking to the shepherds of Israel: God has absolutely nothing good to say about the shepherds, the religious leaders, of Israel and pronounces woe upon them. God tells them it is because of them that the people have gone astray because the shepherds fed themselves and not the people, and the people became a prey. God tells them that they have not strengthened the weak, healed that which was sick, bound what was broken, brought back that which was lost, or sought after the lost, “but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.” (Ezekiel 34:4) God tells them that His sheep are scattered because they had no shepherd and they did not go searching for them. Can you see the contrast between these shepherds of Israel and the true Shepherd, Jesus Christ?

“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (Jesus Christ; John 10:14-15)

“And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb [mute], maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them: insomuch that the multitude wondered [marvelled], when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.” (Matthew 15:29-31)

When John the baptizer was imprisoned by King Herod, John began to wonder if Jesus truly was the Messiah of whom the Scriptures foretold, and he sent to of his disciples to Jesus, “saying, Art thou he that should come [the coming one] or look we for another?” (Luke 7:19) Let us read after they asked Jesus that question:

“And in that same hour he [Jesus] cured many of their infirmities and plagues [afflictions], and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” (Luke 7:21-23)

The shepherds to whom Ezekiel was speaking to were not taking care of the sheep, the children of Israel, and they were not willing to die for them. No, only Jesus, the true and good Shepherd, would do this for them, for us. Consequently, God says He will require His flock at the shepherds’ hand and will stop them from feeding the flock and themselves, “for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat [food] for them.” (Ezekiel 34:10). God then says that He will be the shepherd that seeks out His sheep:

“As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.” (Ezekiel 34:12-13)

Notice above that God said He will deliver His people “where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” I believe this is referring to the 7-year time of of Jacob’s trouble, when Israel will be further scattered among the nations. This scattering is already happening. On November 23, 2025, The Times of Israel reported on a new study that “found that 27 percent of Israelis are considering moving out of the country, even though the majority of them believe mass emigration would be dangerous for the future of the state.” The study included both Arab Israelis and Jewish Israelis, of which 30% and 26%, respectively, said they were considering leaving the country, even though “they had no specific pull abroad - it was just a matter of getting out of the country.” (See: https://www.timesofisrael.com/some-1-in-4-israelis-considering-leaving-the-country-poll-finds/)

I believe the time of Jacob’s trouble/tribulation period is included in what is known as the Day of the Lord. The Scriptures above also refer to the Day of the Lord as “the cloudy and dark day.” It is at the end of it that Jesus will deliver them and bring them back into the land of Israel. God then says that He will set up one shepherd over them to feed them, and He will make a covenant of peace with them. I believe that the shepherd mentioned in the Scriptures above from Ezekiel 34:12-13 and in the Scriptures below is referring to Jesus the Christ. We read more about this shepherd in Ezekiel 34:23, where God tells us that He will set up one shepherd. In Ezekiel 34:28, God tells that His people “shall no more be a prey to the heathen” and that “they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.” Thus, because of the words of God, I do not believe this is a representation of modern day Israel but it is a picture of the second coming of Christ. It is at that time when Jesus Himself will save the remnant of Israel, who will be scattered among the nations, and He will gather them back into the land He gave them. It is at that time that the land of Israel will thrive and be restored. It is only at that time that Israel will dwell safely in their land.

As we read in the Scriptures below, it mentions “my servant David.” I believe that God will resurrect King David, and he will be a prince among the people in Jerusalem. As we read in the Scriptures below from Ezekiel 34, God tells us three times that Israel will be dwelling safely when God brings them back into their land. When God repeats something, it is because He wants us to pay particular attention to what He is saying. The dwelling safely of Israel seems to be tied directly to the time when God will make a covenant of peace with them:

“Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle [sheep and sheep]. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil [wild] beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.” (Ezekiel 34:22-25)

“And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them [enslaved them].” (Ezekiel 34:26-27)

“And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen [for the nations], neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will raise up for them a plant [garden] of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen [Gentiles] any more.” (Ezekiel 34:28-29)

• Ezekiel chapter 35: God pronounces judgment upon Mount Seir. The land of this area was given to Jacob’s brother, Esau and his descendants, who were the Edomites and were later called the Idumeans. There has been a longstanding hatred of the Edomites against Jacob’s descendants, as God states in this chapter:

“Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end: therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith [since] thou hast not hated blood [or bloodshed], even blood shall pursue thee.” (Ezekiel 35:5-6)

“Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas [although] the LORD was there: therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of [showed in] thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have judged thee. And thou shalt know that I am the LORD, and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume.” (Ezekiel 35:10-12)

“As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Idumea [Edom], even all of it: and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 35:15)

• Ezekiel chapter 36: God speaks to the mountains of Israel and proclaims that He will restore them. I am going to spend quite a bit of time discussing this chapter, as I believe it holds the key to understand the timing of when the battle of Gog and Magog discussed in chapters 38 and 39 will occur. In this chapter, God is primarily speaking to the mountains of Israel, but in verse 36:4, He is also addressing the hills, rivers or ravines, valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities in Israel. I believe that God is literally speaking to the land, and not a figurative representation of the rulers of Israel or the people of Israel. I believe in this chapter, God has given us a clue as to the timing of when the land of Israel will be restored, and it has to do with the words “residue of the heathen.” Let us read in God’s word where He states this phrase three times:

“Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of [slandered by] the people: therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers [ravines], and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about; therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea [Edom], which have appointed [given] my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart [wholehearted joy], with despiteful [spiteful] minds, to cast it out for a prey.” (Ezekiel 36:3-5)

The “heathen” discussed in the Scriptures above refers to the Gentile/non-Jewish nations. The Strong’s Concordance defines the word ‘residue” as: (See: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7611.htm)

“From sha'ar; a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion -- that had escaped, be left, posterity, remain(-der), remnant, residue, rest.”

We must ask ourselves: from what has this residue or remnant escaped? Why did God refer to the nations as “the residue” and not just the heathen nations? I believe this is extremely important to understand the timing of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38-39. I believe there is another clue that God has given us. In verse 3, God tells us that “they,” meaning the heathen nations, have made the mountains of Israel desolate, and in verse 5 that they have given His land into their possession. Let us pause here for a moment. The people of Idumea were descendants of the Edomites. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob. It was Jacob who was chosen by God and whose name was changed by God to “Israel.” It was the descendants of Israel who would receive the land from God and not Esau, even though Esau was Jacob’s older brother, the one to whom the birthright is given. However, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a pot of red stew. I bring all of this up because it is very interesting to me that God mentions that it will be Idumea, along with the residue of the heathen, that takes God’s land for themselves.

Fast-forward to August 5, 2019, and who is mentioned by Israel as the “Head of Edom”? It is US President Donald J. Trump, and his name is mentioned in the context of Israel being able to build its Third Temple. (See: https://israel365news.com/332454/trump-initiate-building-third-temple-head-edom/) Add to that, another article from israel365news.com that speaks about Trump often being ridiculed for his “redness.” The article states that Rabbi Berger believes it is because Donald Trump is from Edom. The rabbi goes on further to say the Third Temple won’t be built by Jews but non-Jews. (See: https://israel365news.com/397766/midrash-hints-that-trump-will-return-glory-to-western-world-by-building-third-temple/) I simply cannot believe that it is just coincidence that God tells us in Ezekiel 36:5 that the residue of the heathen and all Idumea will give themselves His land with heartfelt joy, and as I write this, which has taken many days, Donald Trump is continuing his quest to create “peace” in the Middle East that includes “a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” in point #19 of Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which I will discuss further in this devotional. (See: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5527504-read-gaza-strip-ceasefire-trump-israel/)

I absolutely do not believe it is merely coincidence that the presentation of this plan by Mike Waltz at the United Nations on November 17, 2025 was urged to be viewed not as a compromise but as “a covenant.”

I believe that the wording God used in Ezekiel 36:5 regarding the appointing of His land is referring to the confirmation of the“covenant with many for one week” that Daniel wrote about in Daniel 9:27. This covenant will be confirmed by the coming final antichrist with Israel and likely other nations. This covenant may be a land for “peace” covenant that is made with Israel and the nations surrounding her, perhaps in exchange for Israel being allowed to build their Third Temple.

We know that a third Jewish Temple must exist during the time of Jacob’s trouble because in Matthew 24:15, Jesus Himself referred to what Daniel the prophet said about it:

“And he [Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation [offering] to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27)

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand…” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 24:15)

The apostle Paul also wrote about this:

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin [Antichrist] be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

I believe the “residue of the heathen” mentioned three times in Ezekiel 36 refers to the nations that are left at the end of the time of Jacob’s trouble, when Jesus Himself will gather them together in the mountains of Israel, at Mount Megiddo, which also may be called the valley of Jehoshaphat, or the valley of Jezreel, where Jesus will bring judgment upon the nations and destroy them with the sword of His mouth. The book of Joel tells us:

“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity [captives] of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead [enter into judgment] with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted [divided up] my land.” (Joel 3:1-2)

In Ezekiel 36:6, God tells the mountains of Israel, and again, God is literally speaking about the land itself in Israel - His land - that He will restore it after the residue of the nations have borne their own shame:

“Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen [nations] that are about you, they shall bear their [their own] shame. But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand [about to] come. For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown: and I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes [ruins] shall be builded: and I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates [make you inhabited as in the former times], and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 36:6-11)

There are many who believe that this regathering of the nation of Israel in the Scriptures above refers to the modern day nation of Israel that was created in 1948 after World War II. I used to believe that perspective as well. However, as I will discuss further, I do not believe that any longer, and it is because of what we previously read several times regarding God setting up one Shepherd over them, who will be Jesus Christ. In addition, we read several times where God tells us that Israel will be dwelling safely in their own land. As I previously mentioned, I believe this dwelling safely of the children of Israel in the land of Israel is directly tied to the covenant of peace that Jesus will make with them. Without His covenant of peace, there is no peace for Israel, no matter what Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, the United Nations, or any earthly man or organization believes.

Let us read some other Scriptures that God gave to Ezekiel to proclaim to the mountains and the land of Israel:

“Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men [their children]. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they say unto you, Thou land [You are a land which] devourest up men, and hast bereaved thy nations; therefore thou shalt devour men no more, neither bereave thy nations any more, saith the Lord GOD. Neither will I cause men to hear in thee the shame of the heathen [the taunts of the nations] any more, neither shalt thou bear the reproach of the people any more, neither shalt thou cause thy nations to fall [stumble] any more, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 36:12-15)

There is no doubt in my mind that the Scriptures above are not speaking of modern day Israel, for modern day Israel is bereaved of its children with all of the wars that are being fought in and around it. Consider just the war that began on October 7, 2023 and all the bloodshed that has happened since then. Let’s continue reading:

“Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me a the uncleanness of a removed woman [woman in her customary impurity]. Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted [defiled] it: and I scattered them among the heathen [nations], and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.” (Ezekiel 36:16-20)

The Scriptures above tell us that when Israel dwelt in its land, they defiled it because of the blood they had shed upon it. Clearly, this tells us that Israel, like all the other nations, is not innocent and is sinful against God. God tells us that because of their sins against Him, He will take them out of their land and scatter them throughout the nations of the world. He also says He will pour out His fury upon Israel, and I believe this is speaking about the coming time of Jacob’s trouble. While many people would like to believe that during this time of trouble God will forget Israel, that is not true. God knows exactly who of the children of Israel are faithful to Him, and it is those whom He will preserve through their time of testing. Now, let us read God’s reasons for what He will do. I had previously included these Scriptures, but I think it is important that we read them again:

“But I had pity [concern] for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.” (Ezekiel 36:21-24)

God clearly is not happy with Israel because, as He said in His own words, they have profaned His name among the Gentile/non-Jewish/heathen nations to whom they have been scattered. Thus, in order sanctify His holy name, and to make the nations know that He is the LORD, he is going to do something. That something is when He will take Israel out of those nations and bring them back into their own land. Again, I emphasize, that I do not believe this gathering of Israel by God back into their own land has not happened, and it did not happen in May 1948, and will only happen when Jesus Christ, their Messiah, will return at His second coming. Now, let us read what God tells Israel next:

“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (Ezekiel 36:25-28)

Clearly, this has not happened after Israel was created in 1948, nor any time since then, and things are only heating up in Israel. Israel has not seen peace nor dwelled safely since it became a nation again in 1948. Though there are a small number of Jews who have turned to Jesus Christ as their Savior and Redeemer, as a nation, modern Israel is still in rejection of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as their Messiah. Modern Israel is not looking to Him but to mere man to save them, and I would say in particular to Donald Trump, with some even calling him their “Messiah.”

Yes, God did allow the modern day nation of Israel to be created, with many Jews having moved there from other nations afterwards. Just as God has always promised He would, He did save a remnant of Jews in WWII, even though Hitler and his allies tried to eliminate them from the earth. I believe this rebirth of Israel must have happened in order for the prophetic events in the Bible that have not yet been fulfilled and which lead up to the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble and afterwards, to be fulfilled. This includes the confirming of the covenant with many, that I believe includes Israel, that is written about by Daniel the prophet in Daniel 9:27. The rebirth of Israel is 1948 must have happened in order for Israel to build a Third Temple in which the antichrist will commit the abomination of desolation that was prophesied by Daniel and specifically mentioned by Jesus Himself.

Now, let us continue reading from Ezekiel 36:

“I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn [grain], and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doing that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.” (Ezekiel 36:29-32)

Let’s pause here for a moment. Modern Israel is just like every other country, and I would say even like the evil and corrupt USA, that has filled the world with its vile and disgusting abominations of sexual fornication, abortion, idolatry, rampant drug use in both legal and illegal drugs, and corrupt national and state governments.

“Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities, I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced [fortified], and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel [also let the house of Israel inquire of me], to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock. As the holy flock [a flock for holy sacrifices], as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts [appointed feasts]; so shall the waste [ruined] cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 36:33-38)

Notice the words above that I emphasized with bold font. Why does it say, “Then the heathen that are left round about you”? Why does it not just say “Then the heathen round about you”? Notice the difference? I believe it is a hint to us that something has happened, or will happen since I believe this is yet future, to the heathen nations around Israel. This is very similar to what I pointed out earlier when God stated three times in Ezekiel 36:3-4 “the residue of the heathen.” Let us look at the Strong’s Concordance for definitions of “are left”:

Strong’s: (See: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7604.htm)

leave, be left, let, remain, remnant, reserve, the rest

A primitive root; properly, to swell up, i.e. Be (causatively, make) redundant -- leave, (be) left, let, remain, remnant, reserve, the rest.

Again, I believe God is being very intentional in the words He used, and it is that we will take note that He is referring to something that must have happened to the heathen/Gentile nations that results in only a remnant are left, and I believe that it is the time of Jacob’s trouble.

Thus, after having read and studied the Scriptures for myself vs. just listening to various opinions on it, I believe the timing of Gog and Magog must be after God puts Israel through the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble, when at the end of it, Jesus will gather them back in the land of Israel and restores them and the land. Jesus will begin His 1,000-year reign on earth, and after some time, and I do not know how many years, Israel will finally be dwelling safely, and at that time, the battle of Gog and Magog will happen.

As I mentioned from the start, I wanted to discuss Gog and Magog because there are many people who believe that the timing of the Gog and Magog war is drawing very near, and may be even imminent. I used to believe that and have written about it previously. However, I have learned, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, not to follow what mere man says, and that includes pastors, but to follow what the Holy Spirit teaches me when I study God’s word for myself. For many years, Israel’s Prime Minister has been telling us that Iran is on the verge, within weeks, of creating a nuclear bomb, and I believed it. While I do not think Iran’s intentions towards Israel are good, I also do not trust the Israeli administration. I believe that it and the US administration have corrupted the Scriptures to promote an agenda that is not Biblical and which empowers themselves. I must admit that it has been difficult for me to go against what I have been taught by pastors for years. However, I have had many instances where pastors and teachers I have listened to previously have been corrupted and whose teachings were against what the word of God says. In the past year or so, I have begun praying every single day for God to let me not be deceived and to be able to discern the truth through the power of the Holy Spirit. We will see what happens in the future, but I sincerely believe that the alliance between Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump is not a good one. Now, let’s move on to Ezekiel chapter 37.

• Ezekiel chapter 37: God speaks to both the dead of Israel and those alive who will have been scattered among the nations. I am going to spend a lot of time in this chapter, as I believe it is critical to understand who these dry bones represent and how and when they will be brought back to life. In this chapter, God, through Ezekiel, is speaking to the dry bones that are skeletons of people:

“The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:1-4)

I do not know which valley this is referring to as it does not tell us in the Scriptures. It may be the same valley as written about in Hosea 1:4-5, 11, which is the Jezreel valley, or the same place written about in the book of Revelation, which is Mount Megiddo, which overlooks the Jezreel valley, but I do not know that for certain.

The description in Ezekiel of God bringing alive of the dry bones also seems to have some parallels to what is written in the book of Isaiah chapter 26. Prior to these verses, God is telling Judah that there is hope for them and to trust in Him. He tells them of their coming time of trouble, as a woman in labor ready to give birth, and what they will say to Him:

“Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs [sharp pains]; so have been in thy sight, O LORD. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth [given birth to] wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.” (Isaiah 26:17-18)

Israel will be going through their time of trouble and will feel as a woman in childbirth but which hasn’t given birth to a child. As a woman who has gone through childbirth, when a woman is in active labor, she wants to give birth, she wants the pain to end. That is what Israel will say to God, as written above. Israel will look upon the earth and see the people, the inhabitants, still surviving. They will feel like they have no hope. Then God tells them this:

“Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of the herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” (Isaiah 26:19-21)

Just as many years later after the prophet Isaiah wrote, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the dead body of Jesus would arise from His dead body, after He was crucified, gave up His life, and placed in a tomb for three days, so shall the bones of Israel arise when the earth casts them out. The words of Isaiah sound very similar to what is written in Ezekiel 37. Isaiah goes on to describe what seems to be a protection of the resurrected people of Judah while God sends His judgment upon the wicked inhabitants of the earth.

I want to discuss what Ezekiel saw in Ezekiel 37 regarding the dry bones. After seeing the dry bones, he describes them as skeletons that had no flesh on them. God then told him that He would put sinews, or tendons, and flesh upon them, and Ezekiel saw them being formed before his very eyes. However, Ezekiel saw that they had no breath or spirit in them. Let us read from Ezekiel 37:

“Then said he [God] unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath [spirit], and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath [spirit] came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.”  (Ezekiel 37:9-14)

I want to pause here and consider what is said above, which is from verse 9. It says, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” In verse 11 it says, “Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel…”  I believe that God is making it clear that these are people who have died because God mentions bringing them up out of their graves four times. Again, when God repeats something, He wants us to pay particular attention to it. Let’s read again what God repeated four times:

“Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD” (Ezekiel 37:12-14)

I honestly do not know what all of this means, but clearly it seems to be a resurrection of the people of Israel who died specifically in a valley and who were slain, who did not die of natural causes. I do not know if this is correct, but perhaps it is those in Israel who will turn to Jesus Christ during their time of trouble and will be slain for their faith in Him by the antichrist and his false prophet. If it is, then I believe that it is separate from the remnant of Israel who will be saved alive, for we know that God has always preserved a remnant of His people, and will do so during the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble.

I also want to compare what is written in Ezekiel 37:9 regarding God commanding the four winds to breathe upon those who were slain, to what is written in Mark 13:27. In Mark, Jesus is telling His disciples about the signs of the end times and of His second coming:

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.”  (Mark 13:2-27)

I do not know if what is written in Ezekiel 37:9-10 is referring to the same event written in Mark 13:27, but it seems there are parallels between the two.

Returning to Ezekiel 37, we also read that after God brings these dead bones back to life by having the four winds breathe into them, we are told that after God tells Ezekiel that these bones are the “whole house of Israel,” the bones tell God, “Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.” (Ezekiel 37:11) I believe that the King James Version of the Bible’s translation of the latter part of the Scripture is not a good one. If we read the Hebrew, it says “ourselves we are cut off.” (See: https://biblehub.com/text/ezekiel/37-11.htm), and the NASB Lexicon says “we are completely cut off.” (See: https://biblehub.com/lexicon/ezekiel/37-11.htm) This may be alluding to the covenant that Israel will make with the final antichrist (Daniel 9:27) that will end up dividing the land that is God’s land, which He Himself gave to Israel. Further, the book of Joel says:

“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead [enter into judgment] with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted [divided up] my land.” (Joel 3:2)

The dry bones which now have breath in them tell God that they have no hope. Next is the part, which we previously read above in Ezekiel 37:12-14, where God specifically tells these bones of Israel that He will open their graves and bring them out of their graves. We have to remember that God is first showing Ezekiel what He will do, and then God tells Ezekiel what he is to say to these bones. Remember, though this is yet future for us, it has already happened in the eyes of God. Thus, it is written in the past tense. I suspect that the bones feel they have no hope because the one in whom they will put their trust to save them and to make peace with them, who is the coming final antichrist, and with whom they will confirm a covenant, will fail them and turn upon them when he will desecrate the coming Third Temple. Again, we must remember that God’s word said these dry bones are those who were slain.

Starting In verse 14, God gives these bones new hope, and what I believe is a true hope. We previously read verse 14, but let’s read it again:

“And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.”  (Ezekiel 37:14)

God then tells Ezekiel to take two sticks, one for Judah and the children of Israel, and another stick for Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel, and join them together as one stick. God then tells Ezekiel what he is to say when the children of his people shall ask him to explain what is meant by the sticks:

“And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen [nations] whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: and I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.” (Ezekiel 37:19-22)

Many have said that this has already happened with the rebirth of Israel as a nation in May of 1948. However, I do not believe that it is the fulfillment of this prophecy. In fact, as of 2024, only 41.7% (7,153,000) of the world’s population of Jews live in Israel. America has the second-highest world population of Jews at 36.8% (6,300,000), primarily in New York (1,759,570 as of 2017) and California (1,230,540 as of 2017). The remaining 21.5% live in other countries, with the next largest percentage being only 2.6% (438,500) in France. (See: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-population-of-the-world) However, a different source, worldpopulationreview.com, shows that in 2025, the number of Jews living in America (7,460,600) now exceeds those living in Israel (7,427,000). (See: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/number-of-jews-in-the-world) Regardless of which report is correct, it is clear that there is a large number of Jews living outside the modern nation of Israel.

As we previously read in chapter 36 when God told Ezekiel to speak to the house of Israel, God gave similar words to Ezekiel in chapter 37 to speak to them:

“Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.” (Ezekiel 37:23-25)

Clearly, this has not yet been fulfilled. Israel is still living in sin, just as all nations are living in sin. I do not know if, when God referred to David his servant being king over them is referring to Jesus, or if it is both Jesus as the Shepherd and King of kings, with a resurrected David being their prince. However, I do know that Jesus will rule and reign from Jerusalem, and that He is the true Shepherd of Israel. I also know that all will be resurrected to life, and that includes David, the man whom God said was after His own heart, and that he likely will play a key role in Israel. Notice again that God says that Israel will dwell in the land that He gave to Jacob, His servant, and that they will live there forever. Let us continue reading from Ezekiel 37, that describes the covenant of peace that He will make with Israel, which is similar to what we previously read in Ezekiel 34:25:

“Moreover I will make [establish] a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place [establish] them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” (Ezekiel 37:26-28)

It is God Himself who will make an everlasting covenant of peace with them. No human man can bring everlasting peace to this world, including Donald Trump, who recently said he would bring “eternal peace in the Middle East.” (See: https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/us/2025/09/29/trump-netanyahu-middle-east-peace-plan/

I want us to read from Ezekiel chapter 13 that discusses what God tells Ezekiel to say to the prophets of Israel that relates to Israel entering into the land that God gave them:

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts [inspiration], Hear ye the word of the LORD; thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing [no vision]! O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps [breaches], neither made up the hedge [built up a wall] for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD. They have seen vanity and lying [futility and false] divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. Have ye not seen a vain [futile] vision, and have ye not spoken a lying [false] divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen [envisioned] lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD. And mine hand shall be upon [against] the prophets that see vanity [futility], and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing [record] of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 13:1-9)

Let us pause here for a moment and consider some of the things we just read from the Scriptures above. First, I want us to notice what I have put in bold text. While this prophecy has already been fulfilled when King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Judah and Jerusalem and the First Temple, I believe, based on the leading of the Holy Spirit, that it will also have a dual fulfillment, with the second fulfillment happening during the Gog and Mag war described in Ezekiel 38-39. Second, God is speaking harsh words to those in Israel who call themselves prophets but were not called by God to prophesy. We know when it is God calls prophets to prophesy because the prophecies are written in His word and not in any extra-Biblical text. God even told these prophets that they will not be written in the record of the house of Israel and will not be allowed to enter into the land of Israel. Let us continue reading what else God says to these foolish prophets:

“Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace, and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed [plastered] it with untempered morter [mud-plaster or whitewash].” (Ezekiel 13:10)

Notice how God calls out these foolish prophets who have deceived His people, telling them peace when there is no peace. Notice also that God specifically speaks of “a wall.” Notice that God doesn’t speak of the walls of Jerusalem or the walls of the First or Second Temple, where “wall” is plural; no, God is speaking of a singular wall. I do not believe that is coincidence, for in Jerusalem today, we have a singular wall in Jerusalem. This wall is known in Jerusalem as the Western Wall, and it is located on a place called The Temple Mount. Chabad.org says the wall itself actually was not part of the Second Temple but part of the Temple Mount retaining wall that was built by Herod the Great during an expansion of the Temple Mount and renovation of the Second Temple.  It further states, “Thus the Western Wall constitutes the closest possible point to the "Gateway to Heaven." The Second Temple was destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans, but as the referenced article below states, the Roman General named Titus who destroyed the Temple, left the wall standing “as a tribute to his power, a testament to the grandeur of the structures that he destroyed.” (See: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/588219/jewish/Western-Wall-Kotel.htm)

Many Jews go to the Western Wall to pray. Dignitaries have also visited the wall, including not only Jews but also Gentiles including US Presidents. Donald Trump was the first sitting US President to visit it, and that happened on May 22, 2017. (See: https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-makes-history-as-first-us-president-to-visit-western-wall/) Jews also write their prayers on paper and put them in the cracks and crevices of the wall. Because there are so many prayer notes of paper, twice a year they have to be cleaned out from the wall. (See: https://www.timesofisrael.com/purging-prayers-from-the-wall/) It is also a place where the Jews in Israel mourn, particularly on the 9th of Av, also referred to as Tisha B’Av. That is the day that many horrible things have happened to the Jewish people, including the destruction of both Temples. For more information, see: https://thekotel.org/en/wailing-wall-western-wall/ and https://thekotel.org/en/143442/.

There is something very interesting in what God said next, and that is that the wall will be destroyed. Notice also that it says it will be God Himself, not King Nebuchadnezzar, nor anyone else who will bring the wall down. Let us read what the Scriptures say:

“Say unto them which daub [plaster] it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it [tear it down]. Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing [mortar or plaster] wherewith ye have daubed [plastered] it? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it. So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it; To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 13:11-16)

The bringing down of the wall by God Himself seems to occur during the coming Day of the Lord, and God seems to relate it directly to Israel’s prophets who proclaim false prophecies and who claim peace where there is no peace. These false prophets have left Israel vulnerable, without protection, both spiritually and physically. Spiritually, the people are listening to false prophets speaking lies, and physically, they are trusting in a wall that was built on a foundation that isn’t strong and the wall was made with untempered mortar, making it susceptible to falling down or being brought down by an enemy. In the eyes of God, I believe, the strong foundation and wall that will not be brought down is Jesus the Christ. Let’s read about this again:

“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.” (Ezekiel 13:3-5)

Relating this to the world in which we live today, the religious and political rulers of Israel are not putting their faith and trust in Jesus to save them. To this day, they still reject Him as their Messiah, as their Savior. Thus, they have left Israel vulnerable to attack. I believe that in the words of Ezekiel chapter 13 that describe God bringing down a wall, it may well be that God is saying that these same people who go to the Western Wall and pray, including women as written about in Ezekiel 13:17-21, who bow their heads before the heavy stones on the wall and cry out loud, will see the wall torn by God and it will crumble down. God also says in verse 14 that not only the walls above ground will fall but also the foundation, “so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 13:14)

I believe there is another possibility of the wall that God spoke of in Ezekiel 13, and it is completely different one: Wall Street in New York City. I believe both the government and religious leaders in modern day Israel have increasingly put their faith and trust in the USA and its power and wealth in order to protect Israel from its neighbors that seek to destroy it. I believe that this has especially increased since Donald Trump became president, both in his first term and now in his second term. As I have said previously, many in Israel, including Jews in the US, are putting him on an almost Messiah-type pedestal. If there is one person in New York City that epitomizes wealth and power, it is Donald J. Trump. On November 21, 2025, The Hill posted an article titled “In the name of all things…Trump,” in which it stated, “Trump’s story is still evolving and could continue to evolve for decades, driven by his family’s relentless pursuit of wealth, fame and power.” (See: https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/5615947-trump-airports-buildings-renaming/)

Wall Street is the financial hub of the USA, located in New York City. On November 12, 2025, Donald Trump held a White House dinner for Wall Street CEOs, including BlackRock CEO Larry Fink; Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon; Nasdaq chief Adena Friedman, all of whom are Jewish. (See: https://www.ft.com/content/97bf8c04-3d6c-477c-9f5f-e92786070a33 An article from January 20, 2025 from jfeed.com titled, “Donald Trump’s inner circle: Meet the Jewish Power Players” writes about the Jewish people Trump has surrounded himself with and who are of influence to him, including those in Wall Street. (See: https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/sqe7fx)

Let us read about how Wall Street got its name, and the surprising fact that it had nothing to do with the current financial epicenter of America that it is today: (See: https://wallstreettimes.com/why-is-wall-street-called-wall-street-the-real-history/)

“In the heart of Lower Manhattan lies a short, narrow street that has come to symbolize the very essence of global finance, capitalism, and wealth: Wall Street. Its name is synonymous with the world’s most powerful banks, investment firms, and the New York Stock Exchange, yet its origins are far humbler—and more literal—than its modern reputation suggests. The story of why Wall Street is called Wall Street is a fascinating tale of early colonial defense, Dutch settlement, and the gradual evolution of a physical boundary into a financial mecca.

“This historical journey takes us back more than 350 years, to a time when New York City was a small Dutch settlement known as New Amsterdam. The street’s name is not a metaphor for a financial barrier or an economic fortress, but a direct reference to a tangible, defensive structure that once stood on its very location.

“The true history of Wall Street’s name begins in the 17th century when the area was a nascent colony under Dutch rule. In the 1650s, the Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam found themselves in a precarious position. The First Anglo-Dutch War was underway, and they feared an overland invasion from the nearby British colonies in New England. To protect their growing settlement, the colony’s director-general, Peter Stuyvesant, ordered the construction of a defensive wall.”

Thus, the Wall Street that we know today that lies in Manhattan began not as a place where it was all about finances and stock markets and the epicenter of the American economy. No, it began as a literal defensive wall of protection.

Below are several links to articles and a book that discuss just how much influence the Jewish people have had over Wall Street:

“Jewish influence on Wall Street is both profound and enduring. Jewish financiers and bankers have been instrumental in the development of the modern financial system. Figures like Goldman Sachs, founded by Marcus Goldman, and Lehman Brothers, established by Henry, Emanuel, and Mayer Lehman, are just two examples of Jewish-founded institutions that became cornerstones of American finance.

“The Jewish presence on Wall Street has extended beyond just founding companies. Many Jewish executives have led major financial institutions, shaping the direction of global markets.” (See: https://www.entrepreneursherald.com/blog/from-wall-street-to-silicon-valley-the-impact-of-jewish-entrepreneurs-on)

“Against the backdrop of the towering skyscrapers of Wall Street, stories of determination, innovation, and influence unravel. A narrative thread weaves through them – the impact of Jewish business leaders on America’s financial sector. From immigrant beginnings to seats in the boardrooms of the world’s largest financial institutions, the Jewish community’s contributions have helped shape the industry’s trajectory.” (See: https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2023/07/05/shalom-wall-street-the-influence-of-jewish-business-leaders-in-americas-financial-sector/)

“The Money Kings: The Epic Story of the Jewish Immigrants Who Transformed Wall Street and Shaped Modern America,” written by Daniel Schulman. Here is a link to an article from that book: https://static.moaf.org/docs/The%20Money%20Kings.pdf.

Thus, the actual physical location of Wall Street in Manhattan began as a defensive wall in the 17th century. Could this be the “wall” that God had the prophet Ezekiel write about (Ezekiel 13:11-16) and which God said He Himself will tear it down? Is there, perhaps, a connection between Wall Street and the Western Wall? Is it just by coincidence that the wall on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is named the “Western Wall” and the “Wall Street” in which many have put their faith and trust in is located in the West, and not only the West but in the most powerful nation among the western nations? Is it possible that it is the wall that God is speaking about in Ezekiel 13 and that the plastering of the wall with untempered mortar is referring to the constant propping up of Wall Street and the stock market, in order to prevent its collapse?

Is it any coincidence that Wall Street has a massive 7,100 pound bronze sculpture of a bull, named Charging Bull? To anyone who knows their Bible, it brings to remembrance when, not long after Moses led Israel out of their bondage in Egypt by the power of God, known as the Exodus, while God was giving His Ten Commandments to Moses, the Israelites grew tired of waiting for Moses to come down from Mount Sinai and had his brother, Aaron, create a golden calf, which they worshipped and danced around.

I do not think these are just by-chance coincidences. I also know that the Jewish people have put a lot of faith and trust in Wall Street for their protection and defense of Israel. As the Bible tells us, they have committed spiritual harlotry against God, time and time again. I believe they, as well as many Americans, have built a false sense of security in Wall Street, and I believe it will lead not only to their own peril, but to all who put their faith and trust in money and power instead of in Jesus Christ.

Please do not misunderstand me, I do not hate the Jewish people. I love them, and am so very thankful to God that He chose them to bring His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to offer salvation to all who will believe in Him. I pray everyday for the people of Israel to turn to their Savior, for it is only in Him that salvation - and eternal peace - can be found. However, I am no longer willing to be blind and deaf as to what the Bible tells us about His people, and what is coming. There is a reason why God will put them through their 7-year time of trouble, and it is not because they are perfect and can do no wrong, which sadly, many American pastors seem to believe.

When Jesus came to earth the first time, Israel as a nation rejected its Messiah, Jesus the Christ, and instead put its faith and trust in foolish prophets and religious leaders. Israel has built and maintained a wall, whether it be the Western Wall in Jerusalem or Wall Street in New York City, that separates it from Jesus Christ. Their wall will not stand; it is a wall which will be brought down by God Himself. I believe this wall represents a stumbling block between them and God, and that stumbling block is Jesus. God gives us Scriptures directly linked to what is written about how Jesus is a sanctuary and a tried and precious corner stone, a sure foundation to those who put their faith and trust in Him alone to save them. However, to those who reject Him, He is a stone of stumbling, a stumbling block, including both houses of Israel and to the majority of the Gentiles alike:

“The stone which the builders refused [rejected] is become the head stone of the corner [chief corner stone]. This is the LORD’s doing [from the LORD]; it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:22-23)

“Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense [stumbling over] to both the houses of Israel, for a gin [trap] and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken [captured].” (Isaiah 8:13-15)

“And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set [destined] for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:34-35)

“Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner [chief corner stone]: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief  priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived [knew] that he spake of them.” (Matthew 21:42-45)

“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24)

“Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect [chosen], precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded [put to shame]. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed [rejected], the same is made the head of the corner [chief cornerstone], and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” (1 Peter 2:6-8)

In the Scriptures above from 1 Peter 2:6-8, Peter quoted what is written in Isaiah 28:16, which I have included below. Notice that the Scriptures from Isaiah 28 are directly linked to Israel making what God calls “a covenant with death.” I believe this is the covenant that Israel will confirm with the final antichrist that will last for a period of seven years (Daniel 9:27). I believe that it will be an expansion of the existing Abraham Accords, which will include Saudi Arabia. I believe as part of this expansion, Israel will agree to divide God’s land in Israel by establishing a Palestinian state. I suspect that it may include an agreement for Israel to build its Third Temple that well may be the reason why Israel will agree to confirm the covenant. I also believe that this confirming of the covenant is the one which God Himself will annul, as written about in Isaiah 28:14-18:

“Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem, Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment [justice] also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden [trampled] down by it.” (Isaiah 28:14-18)

Notice in the Scriptures above that they compare those who put their faith and trust in Jesus, who is the precious corner stone, and they will not need to make haste, to hurry for fear of God’s judgment. But those who have rejected Jesus and instead put their faith and trust in lies, they will see God’s judgment. They will have no hiding place when they see the wind, great hailstones, and flooding waters sweeping away their refuge of lies. Is it possible that the Western Wall will be destroyed by God with wind, flooding rain, and great hailstones after Israel confirms its covenant of death with the final antichrist?

The words of Ezekiel 13:11-16 also remind me of the words Jesus spoke to His disciples and which are written in the book of Luke:

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.” (Jesus Christ; Luke 6:46-49)

The leaders in Israel today, both religious and government, are like those who built their house without a foundation, and that foundation is Jesus Chris. They are being deceived by a man who tells them what they want to hear but will soon turn against them. There is no earthly man who can bring peace to Israel. The only One who bring true and eternal peace is Israel's Shepherd, Jesus the Christ.

Let us read again the end of Ezekiel 37:

“Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place [establish] them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle [dwelling place] also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” (Ezekiel 37:26-28)

Notice that God tells us that His tabernacle shall be with them, in the midst of them, and will dwell with them forevermore. We read something similar to this in Hebrews chapter 9. This chapter explains why it was necessary for Jesus to come to the earth, and that is because the Law could not save anyone because no one is capable of keeping it; only Jesus can save us, and He is our perfect tabernacle:

“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building [creation]; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place [Most Holy Place], having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrews 9:11-12)

The book of Revelation speaks of this tabernacle of God, Jesus, dwelling with men after God creates a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem:

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” (Revelation 21:1-3)

“And  I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” (Revelation 21:22)

It is at this time when Jesus will dwell among His people, and that includes all Gentiles who were saved by His precious and sinless blood, forevermore. This is when God’s sanctuary will be in the midst of them for eternity.

Before moving onto Ezekiel chapter 38, I want to discuss very prophetic events that have been in the news lately, and that is regarding President Trump’s 20-point peace plan between Israel and Gaza. Trump released his plan on September 29, 2025, and points 19 and 20 read as follows: (See: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5527504-read-gaza-strip-ceasefire-trump-israel/)

Point 19: “While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.”

Point 20: “The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.”

Then on Monday, November 17, 2025, the plan, which is officially titled “President Trump’s 20-point Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict,” was put forth by the United States by Ambassador Mike Waltz, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, in New York, as a draft resolution for vote. In his address to the UN, Mike Waltz stated: (See: https://usun.usmission.gov/explanation-of-position-before-the-vote-on-a-u-s-drafted-un-security-council-resolution-on-the-situation-in-the-middle-east/)

“And crucially, per the carefully negotiated language in the 20 Point Plan, this resolution charts a possible pathway for Palestinian self-determination, after the Palestinian Authority has completed the necessary reforms, where rocks will give way to olive branches and there is a chance to agree on a political horizon. It dismantles Hamas’ grip, it ensures Gaza rises free from terror’s shadow, prosperous and secure.”

“…The clock is ticking, like a time bomb. So, let us vote for this resolution not as a compromise, but as a covenant. For the children of Gaza. And for peace that endures. And for a Middle East reborn.”

I find it interesting that in his final words in his address to the UN, Mike Waltz specifically said that the UN should vote for the resolution “for the children of Gaza” but did not also say for the children of Israel.

The text of UN Resolution 2803 reads as follows regarding the two-state solution: (See: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/full-text-us-resolution-gaza-approved-un-security-council)

“2. Welcomes the establishment of the Board of Peace (BoP) as a transitional administration with international legal personality that will set the framework, and coordinate funding, for the redevelopment of Gaza pursuant to the Comprehensive Plan, and in a manner consistent with relevant international legal principles, until such time as the Palestinian Authority (PA) has satisfactorily completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French Proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. After the PA reform program is faithfully carried out and Gaza redevelopment has advanced, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous coexistence.”

The UN resolution was passed, with 13 countries, including the USA, UK, and France voting for it, none against it, and Russia and China abstaining. President Trump congratulated the world for the UN’s vote on his Truth Social account, and said the vote “will go down as one of the biggest approvals in the History of the United Nations, will lead to further Peace all over the World, and is a moment of true Historic proportion!” (See: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5610135-trump-praises-un-gaza-rebuild/)

While Benjamin Netanyahu continues to oppose a two-state solution, time will tell if he continues with that stance. In the meantime as of November 15, 2025, he has received pressure from his far-right ministers to reject any proposal that would lead to Palestinian statehood. (See: https://www.timesofisrael.com/pms-far-right-allies-up-in-arms-over-us-plans-offer-of-path-to-palestinian-statehood/)

In a recent article from israel365news.com on October 31, 2025, though the author praised Donald Trump for many things, he also expressed caution for the recent world events regarding Gaza and Israel: (See: https://israel365news.com/413667/behind-the-scenes-with-president-donald-j-trump/)

“Israel is ‘not allowed’ to annex Judea and Samaria. Trump has said publicly that he will not permit it. This is a favor that Trump did on behalf of the Saudis and various other Gulf neighbors to get them on board with his peace plan.

“Trump, in principle, is not against Israel giving more land for peace (remember his original ‘Deal of the Century’), which is another reason why he stopped Israel’s annexation plans at the point above.

“The endgame of the current peace deal is to facilitate a Palestinian State in Gaza, the first step in effectively actualizing the Two-State solution. This is the only reason that all the Arab and Muslim states have pledged over 65 billion dollars to the restoration cause, and why Netanyahu wasn’t originally invited to the 2025 Egyptian Peace Summit in Sinai. He is no longer needed (as such). 

“Similarly, and for all intents and purposes, the upshot of Trump’s plan is that Gaza will eventually not belong to Israel anymore, even though technically Israel still retains sovereignty.”

The author ended the article with this statement: “Regarding President Donald J. Trump, an insider would say to move forward, but with an abundance of caution. Be cautiously optimistic…”

Donald Trump is now openly advocating for the two-state solution, which is the dividing of God’s land, the land that He gave to Israel. The land does not belong to Donald Trump, nor any politician for that matter, to give away; no, the land belongs to God, and He gave it to His people, Israel. Further, God did not give it to Israel so that Benjamin Netanyahu nor any Israeli politician to be used as a bargaining chip in order to obtain “peace.” This has been done in the past by Israeli politicians, to their own detriment.

US Senator Lindsay Graham also seeks to divide God’s land, and stated such on November 2, 2025 in his address to attendees of the Republican Jewish Coalition Summit: (See: https://themedialine.org/headlines/there-is-no-other-alternative-gop-senator-lindsey-graham-urges-israel-to-accept-2-state-solution/)

“Being pro-Israel means telling hard truths,” Graham said. “The only path that keeps Israel Jewish and democratic is a two-state framework, when the conditions are real.”

“There is no other alternative,” he said. “A one-state solution would either end Israel as a Jewish state or leave millions without rights, which the world will not accept. To be pro-Israel, you need to be honest with Israel.”

On November 18, 2025, Donald Trump met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, during which Trump agreed to sell F-35s, a US fighter jet, to Saudi Arabia. The USA also sells F-35s to Israel, and this agreement has drawn ire from some in Israel, including the Israel Defense Forces, which said “it would lose air superiority in the region.” (See: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/417952) It has also raised concern by some in the US military, fearing that the jets’ technology could fall into the hands of China. (See: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5612954-trump-f35-saudi-arabia-deal/)

President Trump has long desired for Saudi Arabia to join his Abraham Accords. However, Prince Salman reiterated his country’s stance on this issue that it will not happen until there is a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians: (See: https://apnews.com/article/trump-saudi-arabia-crown-prince-mohammad-takeaways-38951aebe5ed6b3bb83530a94382ed82)

“We want to be part of the Abraham Accords, but we want also to be sure that we secure a clear path of two-state solution,” he said. “We’re going to work on that to be sure that we come prepared for the situation as soon as possible to have that.”

As I mentioned previously, I do believe we are drawing very near to the time when the covenant that Daniel the prophet wrote about in Daniel 9:27, which will not be a new covenant but a confirmation of a covenant, meaning that an existing covenant must be in place that will be confirmed or made greater. This very well could be the strengthening of the Abraham Accords. At some point, an agreement will be strengthened, and either as part of it or prior to it, an agreement will be made that divides God’s land. I say this because the Bible tells us that God’s land will be parted or divided up, and that is in the book of Joel.

The book of Joel tells us why God is going to enter into judgment with Israel’s enemies in the valley of Jehoshaphat: they will have scattered His people Israel among the nations and parted His land. I believe the gathering of nations in Joel 3 may refer to the same gathering of nations that will war against Jesus Christ at His second coming in a place called Armageddon (Revelation 16:16, 19:19). I believe this may also be the same place called the valley of Jezreel, written about in the book of Hosea (Hosea 1:5, 11).

I don’t think it is just coincidence that in Joel 3:4 it mentions both the land that is in the modern day Israel that currently is called “Palestine,” and also two cities called Tyre and Zidon, with the latter also called Sidon or Saida. The Hebrew Scriptures refer not to Palestine but to “Philistia.” (See: https://biblehub.com/text/joel/3-4.htm ) Philistia was the land of Israel’s enemies, the Philistines, and prior to that, the Canaanites. The land of the Canaanites was part of the Abrahamic covenant that God made unilaterally with Abram/Abraham. In this covenant that God Himself made, and Abram played no part in it as he was sleeping when God made the covenant. (Genesis 15:18-21) God had allowed the people in those lands to change their sinful ways for 400 years, but they did not. Thus, God allowed Israel to take the land from them:

“In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed [descendants] have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites, and Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.” (Genesis 15:18-21)

Philistia was comprised of five cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gad. Those cities, particularly Gaza, have made many headlines since October 7, 2023. I do not think it is any coincidence that Philistia/Palestine, Tyre, and Zidon/Sidon/Saida are mentioned in Joel 3:4 AND are currently making news headlines in 2025. We are seeing previews of things that will come in the last days before Jesus returns to earth to judge all the nations. First, let us read the Scriptures from Joel chapter 3:

“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity [captives] of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead [enter into judgment] with them there for my people and my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted [divided up] my land. And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink. Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine [Hebrew is “Philistia”]? will ye render me a recompense [Or retaliate against me]? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence [retaliation] upon your own head…” (Joel 3:1-4)

Let us read the recent headlines regarding Sidon. (See November 19, 2025 article, https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-strikes-hamas-facility-near-lebanons-sidon-local-officials-say-13-killed/)

“The Israel Defense Forces carried out an airstrike Tuesday in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the Lebanese coastal city of Sidon. The strike killed 13 people, according to Lebanese authorities.

“The IDF confirmed the strike, saying it targeted terror operatives at a Hamas training facility.”

Here are recent headlines regarding Tyre: (See November 6, 2025 article, https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-872952)

“The IDF confirmed carrying out an airstrike targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in the Lebanese city of Tyre on Thursday.

“According to the IDF, the site belonged to Hezbollah’s Construction Unit. It was used to manufacture equipment used by the terror group to rebuild its infrastructure that had been previously targeted and dismantled during the war.”

Before we move onto Ezekiel chapter 38, I want to summarize what I believe will happen before Ezekiel 38-39 happens, which is written about in the prior chapters. God promises Israel’s shepherds that He will bring judgment upon them, and that He will send His Shepherd, who is Jesus, to deliver His flock from their mouths. God told the children of Israel that if the watchman warns them of a sword coming upon the land and they ignore his warning, then their blood would be upon their own heads. The prophet Ezekiel was the watchman, and they did not heed his words. God also told the children of Israel that if they continue in their abominations and sins against Him, their land would be made desolate and their pomp/pride of their strength would cease. I believe this judgment that God spoke to them will happen during their 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble.

God also promises judgment to the residue/remnant of the heathen (non-Jewish) nations that will surround Israel at the end of the 7-year time of trouble. The residue of the heathen will have given God’s land “into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.” The confirming of the covenant with many, which the Bible tells us will be for a period of 7-years, known as Israel’s 70th week (Daniel 9), is what begins the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble. I believe we are on the verge of the confirming of the covenant that will appoint or divide God’s land. Two-thirds of Israel will die during that time period, but God will save a one-third remnant. As written about in the book of Revelation, I believe it tells us that billions of people will die worldwide, as the final antichrist rules for a period of seven years. At the end of the seven years, the residue of the heathen will surround Israel, thinking they have defeated her.  It is then when God will make the heathen “bear their shame,” and it is when Jesus returns at His second coming and judges them, in the valley of Megiddo, or the valley of Jehoshaphat/Jezreel, or both.

Afterwards, Jesus will bring all of the surviving remnant of Israel back into their land, and the mountains of Israel will flourish. Jesus will begin His 1,000-year reign on earth, and He will cleanse the people of Israel from all their sins and give them a new heart and a new spirit. They will dwell in the land that God gave to their fathers. Jesus will make an everlasting covenant of peace with them. It will only be after this happens that Israel will be dwelling safely.

Three times in Ezekiel 34 God tells us that Israel will dwell safely. It also tells us the conditions that must exist in order for Israel to dwell safely:

1. Jesus will return and will be their Shepherd and God and will make a covenant of peace with them. (Ezekiel 34:25)

2. The trees and the land of Israel will yield her increase and Israel has been delivered out of the hand of those who enslaved them. (Ezekiel 34:27)

3. Israel shall not be a prey again to the heathen nations nor the beasts of the land. (Ezekiel 34:28)

It is only after these things happen that Israel will live in peace. Jesus will live in the midst of them. I believe, as I said previously, that this will happen after the tribulation period and sometime after Jesus’ second coming. I do not know how long it will be before the events in Ezekiel 38-39 will occur, but the key seems to be that Israel will be dwelling safely in their land and will not be prey to any nations. It is in Ezekiel 38-39 that we will read of an invasion that will be led by a person named Gog, of Magog, and his coalition of troops from specific nations.

I believe that Ezekiel chapter 36 tells us that there are two main outcomes of this coming invasion. These are also repeated in Ezekiel chapter 39:

• The remaining people of the heathen nations, those people left after the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble and after Jesus returns to judge all who come against Him, must know why God sent Israel into captivity, why He scattered His people. The heathen nations shall also know that Jesus is the LORD when He will execute judgment upon Gog and those allied with him, and Jesus will be sanctified/hallowed in Israel before the very eyes of the heathen nations. (Ezekiel 36:23, 39:27) I think the Hebrew Scriptures help us to understand this better than how it reads in the KJV:

“And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst, and the nations shall know that I [am] Yahweh, says the Lord GOD, when I show My holiness in you before their eyes.” (Ezekiel 36:23)

• Israel must remember its own evil ways and shall loathe themselves for their sins and abominations. Israel will know that He is the LORD their God. They will know that it is He who caused them to go into captivity among the heathen nations, but who also gathered them into their own land, leaving none of them scattered among the nations. It is only when Israel will see with their own eyes that God is sanctified in them - in Israel - with many nations seeing it that they, Israel, will know that He, Jesus, is the Lord their God. (Ezekiel 36:31-32, 39:22, 28)

• Ezekiel chapter 38: In this chapter and in chapter 39, God is addressing someone named “Gog” from the land of Magog, who is “the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.” (Ezekiel 38:2, 39:1) Many people believe this is speaking of Russia, but I do not know that for sure. God tells Gog of Magog that He will turn him around, put hooks in his jaws, and bring him and his army into the land of Israel. God specifically names the countries of Persia, which is modern day Iran, Ethiopia (Cush), Libya (Put), and Gomer and Togarmah, which many believe is Turkey, with all of their troops, and “many people with thee.” (Ezekiel 38:5-6). God also tells Gog that this will happen at a specific time and under a specific condition. I will discuss this further, but let’s read what God’s word says:

“After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against [on] the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste [long been desolate]: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.” (Ezekiel 38:8)

There are many people, including pastors and Biblical scholars, who believe that this attack will occur very close to the start of the time of Jacob’s trouble or sometime during it. There are also those who believe it will happen at the end of it. However, I believe it will happen sometime after the end of it, after Jesus’ second coming, and during the early part of His 1,000-year reign on earth. I say this because of the emphasis of God’s word in Ezekiel 38 that says three times that during that time, Israel will dwell safely.

In addition, in Ezekiel 34:23 and 37:24, it speaks of God setting up one shepherd over them, who will feed his flock, including his servant David. I believe this speaks to the time after Jesus’ second coming and begins His 1,000-year reign on earth. Jesus will make a covenant of peace with Israel (Ezekiel 34:23-28), and it will be at that time that Israel will dwell safely:

“And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.” (Ezekiel 34:28)

“And David my servant shall be my king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes and do them.” (Ezekiel 37:24-25)

I honestly do not know if this means it is Jesus and a resurrected David as king, or exclusively Jesus as the Shepherd, who is also called King of kings and Lord of lords. However, we can say that modern Israel is not walking in God’s judgments and observing His statutes (Ezekiel 37:24). Modern Israel is still defiling itself with idols and things detestable to God, and most importantly, Israel as a nation has rejected God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as its Savior and King. (Ezekiel 37:23) In Ezekiel 36:24-25, it says:

“For I will take you from among the heathen [nations], and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (Ezekiel 36:24-28)

Again, this absolutely has not happened in Israel and will not happen until Jesus returns, and the remnant of Israel that survives their time of trouble will mourn for Him and turn to Him and be saved. Jesus will bring them to their land that He gave them long ago. While some of the modern-day Jews in Israel may be part of this remnant, the Bible tells us that two-thirds of Israel will die during the time of Jacob’s trouble. At the end of the seven years, for the one-third remnant who survives, God’s spirit, the Holy Spirit, will be put within them. It is this saved remnant who will walk in His statutes during Jesus’ millennial reign on earth.

There are some who believe that this time of Israel dwelling safely in their land refers to the first 3-1/2 year time period that begins with the antichrist confirming the covenant with many. I have tried in my mind to try to make the Gog and Magog war written about in Ezekiel 38-39 fit prior to or during the time of Jacob’s trouble, but to me, it simply doesn’t fit because Israel will not be dwelling safely and without walls. I believe it is clear that Israel’s dwelling safely in their land will only happen when Jesus returns and brings all of Israel back into their land, cleanses them and gives them a new heart, and makes a covenant of peace with them. Any proclaimed “peace” prior to that is a false peace, and I believe that includes the first 3-1/2 years of covenant that will be confirmed by the coming final antichrist. When the antichrist commits the abomination of desolation 3-1/2 years into the covenant, Israel will flee for their lives and the world will be in complete chaos.

When God repeats words or phrases in His word, it is because He wants us to take special note of it. I believe that is why He repeats the phrase of Israel dwelling safely in their own land. Nations have always come against Israel, and that continues to this day, and it will only get worse until Jesus returns. Let us read some of those Scriptures that state this:

“Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle [sheep and sheep]. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil [wild] beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower  to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them [enslaved them]. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.” (Ezekiel 34:22-28)

“After many days thou [Gog] shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against [on] the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.” (Ezekiel 38:8)

“Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time [on that day] shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely [securely], without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, to take a spoil [plunder], and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle [livestock] and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.” (Ezekiel 38:10-12)

“Therefore son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?” (Ezekiel 38:14)

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper [act wisely], and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

Did you read how many times God told us that Israel will be dwelling safely in their land? This certainly cannot be in the times in which we live, nor, I believe, in the first 3-1/2 years of the time of Jacob’s trouble. How could it be called the time of Jacob’s trouble if the first 3-1/2 years are peaceful? How could God call the covenant Israel will confirm with the antichrist and others “a covenant with death” if the first 3-1/2 years are peaceful? When God says that Israel will be dwelling safely in the land that He gave them, He means it.

As we read Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, we must remember that God, through the prophet Ezekiel, is not speaking to Israel but to someone named Gog: “And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal…” Let us read the Scripture above from Ezekiel 38:8 again.:

“After many days thou [Gog] shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against [on] the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.” (Ezekiel 38:8)

There are several things written in Ezekiel 38:8 that I want to discuss. The first is the word “visited” in the first sentence. In the Hebrew, the word is “paqad.” It is defined as shown below. I think in this context, it means to muster. (See: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/6485.htm)

Paqad: To visit, attend to, muster, appoint, punish, care for

The second thing I want to mention about Ezekiel 38:8 is the phrase “in the latter years,” which is only used one time in the Bible. I think that this is extremely significant, considering that the Bible has many usages of “latter days,” “last days,” and “end times.” I think the phrase “in the latter years” may be a clue to us to denote a specific and unique time in which the events of Ezekiel 38-39 will happen. Let us look at the definition of “latter years” from the Strong’s Concordance:

Latter: “last, latter end time, hinder, uttermost, length, posterity, remnant, residue, reward (See: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/319.htm)

Years: “whole age, long, old, yearly” (See: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/8141.htm)

Could it mean this occurs at the end of the age when time exists, at the end of the whole age, and before we go into eternity, when time no longer exists? I believe the answer may be yes, and I believe it is sometime in the last 1,000 years of human history on earth, when Jesus will reign and before He destroys the heavens and earth and creates a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem.

Let us consider something else about Ezekiel 38:8. In Ezekiel 38:8, the phrase “thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword.” I have struggled with the meaning of “brought back from the sword.” The Strong’s Hebrew definition of “brought back” means to “Return, turn back, restore, repent. (See: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7725.htm). The book of Ezekiel has a chapter that specifically speaks of a sword - God’s sword - being brought upon the land of Israel because of its sin, and that is chapter 21. In that chapter, the word “sword” is used 16 times. Let us read the opening words of this chapter from God to the prophet Ezekiel:

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel, and say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.” (Ezekiel 21:1-3)

There is something very interesting in the words of this chapter, and I believe it speaks of Jesus. The verses are Ezekiel 21:10 and 27. Let us read from them and the prior verses so we have the context in which they are written, beginning with Ezekiel 21:4-10:

“Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north: that all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more. Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins [A breaking heart]; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes. And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings [Because of the news]; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD. Again, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished [polished]: it is sharpened to make a sore [dreadful] slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter [flash]: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod [despises even the sceptre] of my son, as every tree [all wood].” (Ezekiel 21:4-10)

In the last part of the Scriptures above which I have put in bold font, I believe this passage of Scriptures is a dual fulfillment, with the first already having been fulfilled. I believe for the first fulfillment, the Scriptures are saying that the coming sword, which will be held in the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, will destroy Judah and Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar would despise the rod of God’s Son, Jesus, who comes from the tribe of Judah, the nation that Nebuchadnezzar would invade and bring a sword upon. Remember, God told us way back in the book of Genesis that the scepter shall not depart from Judah. The book of Revelation confirms whom the One would be that would retain the scepter, meaning the Kingship. Notice also that in Genesis 49:9-10 that it says “unto him shall the gathering of the people be,” which in Hebrew means the obedience of the people:

“Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped [crouches] down, he couched [lies down] as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering [obedience] of the people be.”  (Genesis 49:9-10)

“And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” (Revelation 5:5)

I believe the second fulfillment of the Scriptures in Ezekiel 21:4-10 are speaking of the second coming of Jesus Christ and which is written about in Revelation 19. I believe there is another reference to Jesus in the Scriptures that follow:

“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem [turban], and take off the crown: this shall not be the same [nothing shall remain]: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn [make it overthrown], overturn [overthrown], overturn, it: and it shall be no more [longer], until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.” (Ezekiel 21:26-28)

I do not believe the meaning here is limited only to the time in which this was written, in the days when Babylon would come and destroy the First Temple and Jerusalem, but that it has a broader, future meaning. I say that because of what is written in bold text above. I believe the fact that God said He will “overturn” three times is significant. I do not know with certainty what God is saying that He will overturn, which also means to overthrow or to ruin, but it could possibly mean the time when the Jews are in Jerusalem and ruling it, and I believe it may relate to the Temples. We know that the First and Second Temples were built and destroyed, with the first being destroyed by Babylon in approximately 586 or 586 BC, and the second by the Romans in 70 AD. The Bible alludes to a Third Temple being built, because in Scripture, including Daniel and the gospels, it says that the one who will confirm a covenant with “the many,” which I believe includes Israel, and who will cause the sacrifice and offerings to cease and will commit the abomination of desolation that Jesus Himself spoke about (Matthew 24:15). This abomination of desolation will be committed by the final antichrist who will deceive and turn upon Israel. I believe it very well may end in the destruction of the Third Temple, which will be built sometime I believe in the very near future. I believe this is logical because we know that starting in Ezekiel chapter 40, it speaks of another Temple, which I believe will be the Fourth Temple, being built and which will exist during Jesus’ 1,000-year reign on earth. Jesus’ millennial kingdom reign will be followed by the creation of a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-2), when there will be no temple, for Almighty God and Jesus will be the temple (Revelation 21:22)

Another possibility of what the reference to God overturning three times may be the three main Jewish diasporas. The first occurred during the time when Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom was called Israel or Ephraim, had ten tribes, and the Southern Kingdom, called Judah, had the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The Northern Kingdom/Israel was conquered by Assyria in approximately 740 BC, and its people were taken into exile. In the Scriptures, God had warned the Israelites to change their ways and return to Him, but they ignored His warnings. The second occurred when King Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, conquered Judah and took their people captive to Babylon. God had also warned His people, but they too ignored His warnings. The third overturning came when Jerusalem was already under the rule of the Romans, and in 70 AD, Jerusalem and the Third Temple were destroyed, and more Jews left and were sold into slavery.

Regardless of what the repetition of “overturn” is referring to in Ezekiel 21:27, God tells us that it will be overturned and it “shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.” I believe the words shown in bold font are clearly talking about the second coming of Jesus Christ, when He will save Israel and will rule and reign in Israel, Jerusalem, for 1,000 years.

Let us read some Scriptures that prophesy of the eternal reign of Jesus, with the first two being from the prophets Isaiah and Daniel, and the third Scripture is when the angel Gabriel speaks to Jesus’ mother Mary:

“For unto us a child is born, and unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces [crush] and consume [put an end to] all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Daniel 2:44)

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest [Most High]: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Luke 1:30-33)

Thus, one possibility for the statement in Ezekiel 38:8 that says, “…thou [Gog] shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel” may be referring to the sword of the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and the Romans that resulted in the people of Israel and Judah to be exiled from the land that God gave them. Another, or an additional, possibility may be that it is referring to Jesus’ mouth being a sword. At His second coming, He will come on a white horse with the armies in heaven, wearing a robe dipped in blood (Revelation 19:11-14). The antichrist, false prophet, and all the people who are with them will be gathered together in a place called Armageddon, which in Hebrew is Mount Megiddo (Revelation 16:16), and they will be there to war against Jesus and His army. Jesus will slay with His mouth all of those who allied themselves with the antichrist and false prophet:

“And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon [Mount Megiddo].” (Revelation 16:16)

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture [robe] dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite [strike] the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture [robe] and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls [birds] that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond [slave], both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.” (Revelation 19:11-19)

Jesus will then cast the antichrist and false prophet, who will both be alive, “into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (Revelation 19:21) For those people who were gathered with the antichrist and the false prophet to wage war against Jesus:

“And the remnant [rest] were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.” (Revelation 19:21)

Thus are the two possibilities I believe may explain what is meant by the phrase, “…brought back from the sword…” in Ezekiel 38:8. I do not know if I am correct or not this, but I think it is in the realm of the possible.

Now, let us return to the issue of Israel dwelling safely in their own land, the land that God gave them long ago. The book of Jeremiah also speaks of Jesus reigning upon the earth and Israel dwelling safely during this time. In chapter 23 of Jeremiah, it first discusses the corrupted pastors, which in the Hebrew is “ra`ah,” which means to shepherd. God called them out and pronounced judgment upon them. Let us read about what God says about them, and the timing of this judgment, which I do not believe has been fulfilled yet. Though Jeremiah’s words were written to the shepherds of Israel, who were the Jewish leaders in Judah at the time he wrote this, I most certainly believe his words were also written to the Jewish leaders who will be living in the years and days before Jesus returns to earth not as a Lamb but as the Lion of the tribe of Judah in order to execute judgment on a wicked and vile world, including the wicked and vile religious and governmental leaders in modern day Israel:

“Woe be unto the pastors [shepherds] that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors [shepherds] that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited [attended to] them: behold, I will visit upon you [attend to you for] the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper [act wisely], and shall execute judgment and justice [justice and righteousness] in the earth [land]. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.” (Jeremiah 23:1-8)

Notice in the Scriptures above that it specifically links the ability for Israel to dwell safely in their own land to “In his days,” meaning the days when Jesus returns to earth, saves Israel, and takes His rightful and righteous reign on earth. It is referring to the time when King Jesus, “shall reign and prosper on the earth, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” That did not happen at His first coming, it has not happened yet, but it WILL happen at His second coming.

I also want to discuss an older article from Israel365news.com that demonstrates just how much Israel supports Donald Trump, which I believe will lead to their own peril. The article connects Donald Trump to King David. (See: https://israel365news.com/323848/the-trump-king-david-connection-and-how-it-connects-with-abrahams-covenant/) The article is dated May 23, 2018 and is titled “The Trump-King David Connection and How it Connects with Abraham’s Covenant.” It discusses a Republican campaign event for Donald Trump when he ran for president the first time. The event occurred in Jerusalem in September 2016 and was “situated directly over the actual burial place of King David. Kever David, considered a holy site, is the entrance to a large complex of caves in which several kings and prophets were buried.” The article states:

“Rabbi Berger emphasized that the connection with King David not only helped Trump win the election but it also established the path that lies ahead for the US president.

“‘Donald Trump in Gematria (Hebrew numerology) equals 424, which is the same as Moshiach ben David (Messiah from the house of David),’ Rabbi Berger pointed out. ‘This certainly does not mean he will be the Messiah, but it indicates that he will play a role in preparing the way for the arrival of the Messiah. He clearly has this inclination. Why else would he have a campaign event overlooking the Temple Mount? No other presidential candidate has done this.’”

The article also discussed what is believed to be an end-of-days prophecy, linked to Genesis 15:11 when God made/cut a unilateral (meaning God Himself made it) covenant with Abram/Abraham. The prophesy is of an eagle that plays a role in the end of days, and how the eagle is prominent in the US presidential seal. Citing Rabbi Berger, the article further states:

“The eagle represents the House of David. The eagle was not permitted near the covenant with Abraham at the time, but in the end of days, the Messiah from the House of David will stand up before all the other nations and bring them to David’s city in order to complete the covenant with Abraham.”

I do not think it is by coincidence that Donald Trump has now been twice elected as US President, a nation which has the eagle as its national bird and prominently displayed on the Seal of the President. I do not think it is coincidence that during Donald Trump’s first administration, he established the Abraham Accords between Israel and several nations, and now, during his second administration, he seeks to increase the nations that have committed to these accords, strengthening or making them greater, if you will, including Saudi Arabia. However, Saudi Arabia has maintained its stance that it will not sign on to these accords until Israel agrees to a two-state solution with the Palestinians. While Benjamin Netanyahu continues to remain firm in his opposition to this, I do believe Israel will agree to it in the near future, though as of January 1, 2026, it has not. We must remember that when Israel says it is looking for the arrival of its Messiah, it is not looking for the second coming of Jesus Christ. No, it is looking for the one they call their Messiah, whom I believe is the antichrist.

I also want to mention something that I found very peculiar about Donald Trump, and it has to do with how he signed his tariff letters to the countries for whom he increased tariffs with the USA. Korea Times published the letter sent by Trump to the President of the Republic of Korea. What is odd about it is how Trump signed the letter: (See: (See: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20250708/full-text-us-president-donald-trumps-tariff-letter-to-president-lee-jae-myung)

“With best wishes, I am,

Sincerely,

[Signature]”

For anyone who knows their Bible, we know the significance of the words “I am.” I believe Donald Trump knew exactly what he was doing when he signed these letters in the way that he did, and that is to put himself on the same level as God.

Let us read just two instances where God refers to Himself as “I AM”:

“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” (Exodus 3:14)

“Jesus said unto them [the Jews], Verily, verily, I say unto, Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58)

Now, let us continue reading from Jeremiah 23:

“Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness. For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing [a curse] the land mourneth; the pleasant palaces of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is [course of life is] evil, and their force [might] is not right. For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil [disaster] upon them, even the year of their visitation [punishment], saith the LORD. And I have seen folly [unsavouriness] in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from [turn back from] his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall [bitter or poisonous water]: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not [Do not listen] unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain [worthless]: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still [continually] unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination [stubbornness] of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous [violent] whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD shall not return [turn back], until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider [understand] it perfectly.” (Jeremiah 23:9-20)

Let’s pause for a moment and consider God’s words that He gave to Jeremiah to speak. God is sending a warning to His people that He will not tolerate wickedness from those who are supposed to be the shepherds of Israel, the religious leaders, or from the regular people of Israel. Its wicked prophets of Jerusalem declare that they will have peace and that no evil shall come upon them, but God pronounces woe unto them, just as Jesus did when He spoke to the wicked scribes and Pharisees when they rejected Him at His first coming. Israel did not escape judgment then, and it certainly will not escape God’s coming judgment, in what I believe is the not-so-near future, when the time of Jacob’s trouble comes. Is there any difference in the false prophets of old in Jeremiah’s days and the false prophets now in Israel who declare peace when there is no peace? I believe the answer is a resounding “No!"

In the final sentence above from Jeremiah 23:9-20, Jeremiah tells the people that God’s anger will not turn back until He has executed it. Even though Jeremiah was speaking to the wicked shepherds of Israel at that time, I believe there is a clue in verse 20 that indicates he is also speaking about how Israel’s shepherds will be in the days before the time of Jacob’s trouble. There were wicked shepherds in Israel at that time, and there are wicked shepherds in modern day Israel, with their teachings from the Babylonian Talmud and their continued rejection of Jesus the Christ. Jeremiah, a true prophet and one called by God before God formed him in his mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5), tells them that in the latter days, they will consider or understand what he is saying perfectly.

Like Israel and Judah were in the days of Jeremiah, so too is modern day Israel in defiance of Almighty God, not only for their wickedness, but also because of their continued rejection of Jesus the Christ. Let us read further the words that God gave to Jeremiah to proclaim to His people, warning them of what happens when they listen to professing prophets whom God has not called to prophesy in His name:

“I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness [recklessness]; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD. And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden [oracle or prophecy] of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD. And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the LORD, I will even punish [attend to] that man and his house. Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the LORD answered? and, What hath the LORD spoken? And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more: for every man’s word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God. Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the LORD answered thee? and, What hath the LORD spoken? But since ye say, The burden of the LORD; therefore thus saith the LORD; Because ye say this word, The burden of the LORD, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the LORD; therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence: and I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.” (Jeremiah 23:21-40)

Before moving onto Ezekiel 39, I want us to read another Scripture in the book of Jeremiah where it directly links Israel dwelling safely to the second coming of Jesus Christ, when He will execute justice and take His reign upon earth. Though this was partially fulfilled when God, as He promised He would do, brought back the captives of Judah after they spent 70 years in captivity in Babylon, there is a fulfillment yet to come, at the second coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus IS the Branch of righteousness:

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment [justice] and righteousness in the land [earth]. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.” (Jeremiah 33:14-16)

In Israel today, we hear many times how if they do this, then they will have peace and safety, peace and security. However, God’s word is clear: peace and safety will only come to Israel when it finally turns to its Messiah, its Savior, Jesus Christ, which will happen at His second coming. Only then, will Israel dwell safely in their land, the land that God gave to them. Again, I think that is why God repeated this so many times in His word, so that we would know the timeframe, and that the timeframe is NOT now.

Continuing in Ezekiel 38, God gives us the reason why Gog and his troops will invade through the mountains of Israel. We previously read part of this but let us read it again:

“And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, to take a spoil [plunder], and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle [livestock] and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Sheba, and Dean, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey [thine army to take booty]? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?” (Ezekiel 38:11-13)

Thus, we just read that this Gog of Magog and all who are with him will invade Israel because they want to take what Israel will acquire, including gold, silver, and livestock.

Now, let us read about God’s reason for making this happen. Remember, that in verse 4 of chapter 38, God tells us that He will turn Gog around and put hooks in Gog’s jaws, and bring him forth to the mountains of Israel. I believe God does this because He knows Gog’s heart and that Gog will not change his stance on Israel and wants to invade Israel. Thus, God brings Gog to do what he wants to do. This reminds me of something similar in the book of Exodus with Pharaoh in Egypt, when he would not let God’s people go, for his heart was hardened against them.

Let us continue in Ezekiel 38:

“Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: and thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen [nations] may know me, when I shall be sanctified [hallowed] in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.” (Ezekiel 38:14-16)

God is doing this so that the heathen, meaning non-Jewish, nations who will see what will happen to Gog and his troops, will KNOW Him. God will show Himself holy before the heathen nations’ eyes. Consider that for a moment. The vast majority of the nations in our world today not only do not know Him but reject Him altogether. Remember, I believe, based on my understanding of God’s word that the timing of the Gog and Magog events will happen 1) after the tribulation period, when many people will have died during the time of Jacob’s trouble, 2) after Jesus returns and judges the residue of the heathen at Armageddon, 3) after Jesus takes His rightful reign on earth, saves the remnant of Israel and brings ALL of them back into His land, the land He gave them long ago, 4) after the mountains of Israel flourish and will no longer be made desolate, and 5) after Israel will dwell safely in their land. Sometime after that, the events of Gog and Magog will happen because God wants the Gentiles nations to know Him and WHY He scattered Israel out of their land and among the heathen (nations) AND that He cleansed Israel from its sins and brought them back into His land. He wants the Gentile nations to know that His land is NOT their land and that He has not forgotten His people.

In Ezekiel 38:17, God asks Gog if he (Gog) is the one whom God has spoken of through His prophets long ago and how God would bring him him against Israel. Ezekiel 38:15 speaks of Gog coming from “thy place out of the north [far north] parts…” In Ezekiel 38:18-22, God tells Gog that He will bring His fury and the fire of His wrath upon Gog and his troops when they come upon the land of Israel. God says there will be a great shaking, a great earthquake, that will cause the mountains and every wall to fall down. God then tells Gog that all of his men will fight against one another with their swords. God will send pestilence, overflowing rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone upon them. God tells us a second time the reason for this:

“Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 38:23)

• Ezekiel chapter 39: This chapter begins with God telling Gog again that He will turn him around and bring him from the far north and into the mountains of Israel. It seems that God may be telling us that Gog had been in one place and God will bring him into the mountains of Israel. God tells him that He will knock the weapons out of his hands, the bow in his left hand, and cause the arrows in his right hand to fall, and that Gog and all the people with him will be slain on the mountains of Israel. God will also let their bodies be eaten by every sort of bird of prey and the beasts of the field, which sounds very similar to what is written in book of Revelation 19:17 at Jesus’ second coming, when the nations are gathered against Him to make war with Him.

God also tells Gog that He will send a fire on Magog and on those who live securely in the coastlands, perhaps in the homelands of the allies of Gog. God then says this to Gog:

“So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute [profane] my holy name any more: and the heathen [nations] shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. Behold, it is come [coming], and it is done [shall be done], saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.” (Ezekiel 39:7-8)

Now we read what happens after God slays Gog and all who are with him. This is where we read what I believes provides proof that this is not the same Gog and Magog written about in the book of Revelation. I will explain later why I believe that. God tells Ezekiel that the people who live in the cities of Israel shall gather all of the weapons that were used by Gog and his men and burn them with fire for seven years. (Ezekiel 39:9) The people are not to take any wood from the fields or cut down any trees from the forests to burn wood but are to burn only the weapons. They are also to plunder, take the wealth, of the nations who robbed them.

God then says He will give a burial place for Gog and his men, and it shall be called The valley of Hamon-gog, which means The Multitude of Gog. The people of Israel are to choose men that will search out the land for the bodies of Gog and his men and bury them  in the valley of Hamon-gog, and shall do so for seven months. This is the reason God tells them to do this:

“And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land. Yea, all of the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 39:12-13)

“And also the name of the city shall be called Hamonah [The Multitude]. Thus shall they cleanse the land.” (Ezekiel 39:16)

God then repeats what He said earlier, and it is very similar to what is written in Revelation 19, when He tells us will happen at Jesus’ second coming. With the sword of His mouth, Jesus will destroy all the wicked who are gathered against Him to make war. In both Ezekiel 39 and Revelation 19, there is a great sacrifice of Gog and his men of war and also their horses that will be devoured by all the birds and animals of the field. There is something very interesting that I did not catch until I had read it many times, and that is in verse 18:

“Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.”(Ezekiel 39:18)

All of the animals named above are animals used by the Jews, per God’s instructions to them in the book of Leviticus, to sacrifice to Him for atonement of sins. (See: https://biblehub.com/topical/naves/a/animals--offered_in_sacrifice.htm) I do not know if in this context that God is saying that Gog and all of his men who will die will be like the sacrificial animals that are used to atone for sins, or if these sacrificial animals will also die. Whichever it is, and it could be both, God tells the birds and the beasts of the field to eat this sacrificial meal that He has sacrificed for them.

Ezekiel 39:19 tells us the birds and animals to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Gog and his men who will be slain on the mountains of Israel. Remember that God said something similar in Ezekiel 39:4. I do not know if this eating of the dead men and animals’ flesh will occur before or after the people of Israel go and search for bodies and bury them in the valley of Hamon-gog. I do not know if what we read in Ezekiel 39:4 represents the same event that is written in Ezekiel 39:17-20. However, I do know without a doubt that it will happen in order to cleanse the land.

Next, we read God’s purpose in this war of Gog of Magog:

“And I will set my glory among the heathen [nations]; and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against [were unfaithful to] me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies; so fell they all by the sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity [bring back the captives] of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; after that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people [peoples], and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 39:21-29)

I have struggled a lot to understand these verses, and whether they mean that after Jesus returns at His second coming, and while Israel was dwelling safely in their land, that Israel sinned and were exiled again. However, I do not believe that is the case. After reading this many times, and I believe given understanding through the Holy Spirit, I believe this is an explanation and a recall by God to Gog as to why He caused this to happen to His people. I believe it is to cause the heathen, meaning the Gentile nations, to know why God scattered His people, Israel, among the nations and that He did not forget them and brought them back into their own land and forgave them.

This may be an example for those Gentiles who survived the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble, and also their children, and their children’s children, who will live during the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ, that demonstrates that rebellion, including against Israel, whom Jesus will have saved and put His Spirit within them, will not be tolerated by Him any longer, as it was prior to His second coming. God may be showing the Gentile nations what happens if they were to try and revolt against them or Him. God told us something similar previously in Ezekiel 36:

“Then the heathen [nations] that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build [rebuilt] the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.” (Ezekiel 36:36)

The events written about in Ezekiel 38-39 also show Israel that God will never again let the heathen nations successfully attack them and uproot them from the land that He gave them. It will be then that Israel will KNOW that He is the Lord their God and won’t ever want to slip back into rebellion against Him. They will finally have a heart of flesh instead of a stony heart; they will have a heart for their Savior Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!!!

• Ezekiel chapters 40-48: Next, the prophet Ezekiel is given a vision and describes in detail the final Temple on earth. Some Bible scholars believe that the description of this Temple is unlike the first two Temples that were built. I believe the cleansing of the land that is written about in Ezekiel 39 is to prepare the land for the construction of this final Temple, and to make it holy, for the glory of the Lord will come into it. Let us read some of what Ezekiel saw:

“In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass [bronze], with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent [in order that] I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.” (Ezekiel 40:2-4)

“Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.” (Ezekiel 43:1-2)

Let us pause here for a moment and consider what Ezekiel saw and heard. I believe Ezekiel is speaking about Jesus. In the book of Revelation, which is the revelation of Jesus Christ as given to the apostle John, it opens with John being in the Spirit (Revelation 1:10) and seeing and hearing Jesus Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last (Revelation 1:10-11). The way John described what he saw when he saw Jesus is similar to how Ezekiel described what he saw:

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last…” (Revelation 1:10-11)

“And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven candlesticks [lampstands]; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps [chest] with a golden girdle [band]. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned [were refined] in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:12-18)

I believe that Ezekiel and John saw the same man, who is Jesus Christ. I believe the prophet Daniel also saw Jesus in his visions:

“Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps [torches] of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass [burnished bronze], and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.” (Daniel 10:5-6)

Let us continue reading from Ezekiel 43. In Ezekiel 43:3 tells us that what he saw is of the same vision he had and which he wrote about in chapter 1. He goes on to tell us what he saw regarding the Temple. Notice that similar to what the apostle John wrote in Revelation 4:1-2, Ezekiel is taken up in the Spirit:

“And the glory of the LORD came into the house [the temple] by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward [which faces] the east. So the spirit took [lifted] me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house [the temple]; and the [a] man stood by me. And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom [harlotry, unfaithful conduct], nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places. In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post [door post] by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger. Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.” (Ezekiel 43:4-9)

The remaining chapters of Ezekiel describe the details of the Temple, the keepers of it, the sacrifices and offerings that will be made in it to honor and worship God, and the division of God’s land to the twelve tribes of Israel. The Temple will be located in the middle of the land of Judah. (Ezekiel 48:8)

I believe that the last chapter of Zechariah confirms to us that there will be a final Temple, and that people will come to it to worship and honor God:

“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite [strike] the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe [cook] therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 14:16-21)

This seems to speak of the final Temple described in the Ezekiel 40-48 that will exist after the land is cleansed after the events of Gog of Magog occur, during Jesus’ 1,000-year reign on earth. I do not believe this Temple would exist at the end of Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom because the Bible tells us that at the end His earthly reign, Jesus will create a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem, and there will no longer be  a temple:

“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” (Revelation 21:22)

I also want to say that Zechariah 14 seems to be describing similar events as described in the book of Ezekiel, where Jesus returns and is made (“king over all the earth…) (Zechariah 14:9). It also says that the men of Israel will dwell in the land of Israel and that Jerusalem will be safely inhabited (Zechariah 14:11). Further, it describes a plague from God that will smite/strike all the people that have fought against Jerusalem by causing the attackers to turn on and kill each other. This is similar to what is written in Ezekiel 38:21. I do not know if what is written in Zechariah 14:12-13 it is in fact the same event as described in Ezekiel 38-39 but it has similarities to it:

“And I will call for a sword against him [Gog] throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against him [bring judgment to him] with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands [troops], and upon many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.” (Ezekiel 38:21-22

“And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away [decay] while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes [sockets], and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult [panic] from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold [seize] every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.” (Zechariah 14:12-13)

Gog and Magog in the Book of Revelation

Before ending this devotional, I want to briefly speak about the second time we read about Gog and Magog that is written about in the Bible, and it is in the book of Revelation. Before we read what it says, I want to emphasize that it clearly tells us that these events will happen after the 1,000-year reign of Christ on the earth. We must remember that Revelation 20:1-3 tells us that prior to Christ’s reign on earth, an angel will bind Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit during that entire 1,000-year reign of Christ. I think one reason for God doing this instead of just destroying Satan altogether is to demonstrate that even without Satan in the world in a time that Jesus is reigning, people who had not previously turned to Jesus Christ to save them before the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble began, but who survived it, will still sin. They may or may not turn to Jesus Christ during His 1,000-year reign. They likely will have children who may sin. All of these people will be living in their fleshly, non-glorified bodies. They will have no excuse for their sin, such as “the Devil made me do it” because the Devil/Satan and his influence won’t be present on earth during that time. No, it will show us that sin is within us, passed down to us by Adam and Eve, present within our DNA, and the only cure for it is to put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. These may be the people who will participate in a final rebellion against God with Satan, as described below, when he is let out of the bottomless pit:

“And when the thousand years are expired [completed], Satan shall be loosed [released] out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed [surrounded] the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” (Revelation 20:7-21:3)

Previously, I thought that the reference to Gog and Magog from Revelation above may be the same as Gog of Magog written about in Ezekiel. However, what would be the purpose of cleansing the land, as described in Ezekiel 39, when God clearly tells us that He is going to destroy the earth and heavens after the millennial kingdom? Further, as we read previously, Revelation 21:22 tells us that there will be no temple on the new earth because “… the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” I think the purpose of cleansing the land discussed in Ezekiel 39 is to prepare it for the final Temple on earth that will exist during Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom. Not only will Jews worship God in the Temple but also the saved Gentiles.

Another reason for my believing that the Gog and Magog of Revelation is different from that in Ezekiel is that in Revelation, it is not limited to specifically named countries as it is in Ezekiel but speaks to nations “which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog.” This is the last chance Satan will ever have to deceive people and cause them to spend their eternity with him in the lake of fire. Satan will deceive people from all over the world the earth because their hearts are turned against God, even though He will have reigned on earth for 1,000 years. Again, we must remember that during the Millennial Kingdom, there will exist people who survived the tribulation period and will not be in their glorified bodies but will be in their fleshly bodies, just as you and I who are alive on earth now are in our fleshly bodies. They will bear children, and their children will bear children, and they will not be saved unless they put their faith in Jesus to save them. Sadly, even though Jesus will once again be on the earth, but this time reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords, many will still reject Him, as they did at His first coming. It is these people who will be willfully deceived by Satan. Revelation 20:8 tells us there will be many of them: “the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.” They will gather with Satan in Jerusalem, “the beloved city,” where they will all be devoured by a fire from heaven sent by God.

In closing, I want to say that I have done my best, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, to understand God’s word regarding Gog and Magog. However, I may not have everything correct. Time will tell.

Below is a summary of what I believe is the possible order of events that are soon to come upon the entire earth:

• Antichrist confirms a 7-year covenant with many, which may include language that provides for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine that will divide God’s land. I believe there will also be a provision that allows Israel to build its Third Temple, neither of which will be sanctioned/authorized by God. The language to establish a two-state solution and building of a Third Temple may also be something that is agreed upon prior to the confirming of the 7-year covenant, but if that happens, I believe the covenant will include language making these requirements for the covenant to go into effect. The confirming of this covenant begins the time of Jacob’s trouble.

• 3-1/2 years into Israel’s covenant with death, Antichrist commits the abomination of desolation in the Temple. Israel will finally see that they have been deceived by him, and they will flee into the mountains.

• At the end of the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble, Satan, the false prophet, and those who are allied with him will gather at Mount Megiddo (Armageddon), which I believe may also be the valley of Jehoshaphat that is written in Joel chapter 3. I believe Jerusalem will also be surrounded.

• Jesus will return at His second coming with His armies in heaven, which I believe includes believers in Him who have died and will have their glorified bodies. Jesus will destroy with the sword of His mouth all who are gathered against Him, and cast the antichrist and false prophet alive into the lake of fire.

• An angel will bind and cast Satan into the bottomless pit for 1,000 years.

• Jesus begins His 1,000-year reign on earth. He will gather all of Israel in their land and sprinkle clean water on them. He will give them a new heart and a new Spirit. It is at this time that Israel will dwell safely in their land. Jesus will save them from all their uncleanness and cause the land of Israel to flourish.

• The first resurrection happens, which Revelation 20:4 tells us is a resurrection of believers who died during the time of Jacob’s trouble and who refused to worship the antichrist/beast and did not take his mark/name/number. The Bible tells us that they will reign with Jesus for the 1,000-year time period. I believe this will also include the believers He will bring with Him.

• Some time probably early in the Millennial Kingdom, God turns Gog around and brings him and his troops into the mountains of Israel, where Gog will see Israel dwelling safely and decide to attack them for their wealth. Gog and his allies will be destroyed by God. All of the remaining heathen (Gentile) nations will see this and know why God allowed this to happen to Israel. Israel will see what God did to Gog and his allies, and Israel will remember their evil ways and will finally KNOW that He is the Lord their God from that day forward. God will be hallowed in Israel, and He will never hide His face from them anymore.

• Israel will burn the weapons of Gog and his allies for 7 years and bury their bodies for 7 months in order to cleanse the land and prepare it for the construction of the new and final Temple. The Temple will be built, and people will go and worship God in it, including all nations that came against Israel.

• At the end of the Millennial Kingdom, Satan will be let out of the bottomless pit. People who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior will choose to follow Satan. They will gather with Satan in Jerusalem, seeking to destroy it and the people. God will send fire down upon all the people joined with Satan, and the fire will devour them. God will cast Satan into the eternal lake of fire, and he will be tormented day and night and will never deceive anyone again. Satan will never be let out again.

• The second resurrection occurs, which I believe is everyone who died in their sins and who were not saved by their faith in God, including those who died in their sins prior to Jesus’ first coming. They will be judged by their works. Because their works cannot save them but only faith in God, their names will not be found in the book of life and they will all be cast into the lake of fire.

• God will create a new heaven and a new earth, and will destroy the current heavens and earth by fire. God will also create a new Jerusalem. God will dwell with all his people, all who put our faith and trust in Him, and He will be our God. There will be no temple, for Almighty God and Jesus are the temple.

Finally, I leave you with the words of the apostle John, and in agreement, I say, Maranatha! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!!!

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst [thirsts] come. And whosoever will [desires], let him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:17)