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Bombshell Start to 2026 – Maduro, WWIII, Iran, Britain, & More

“Even if there seems like nothing ‘big’ is happening, God’s plan is always moving forward. The angels are always working in the background, and you never know when a big development will take place.”


This was the substance that I addressed in a recent class on prophecy less than a month ago since many things seemed to trudge along slowly – yet here we are a few weeks later and


  • America has captured Venezuelan dictator Maduro – a man who was an important strategic chess piece for Russia and China.

  • Russia warns America of WWIII and Donald Trump preps his “doomsday plane”.

  • The Iranian government is on the verge of overthrow with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei making plans to escape to Russia.

  • Britain floors its pro-Palestinian agenda and opens a Palestinian embassy in London.

 

What a start to the new year, and these are not even all of the developments! What we will do here is explain some of these events and what we expect from prophecy.

 

Maduro’s Capture – Western vs Eastern Powers

The first thing to mention is America’s capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro on January 3, for this has had an enormous domino effect on what has transpired world-wide since then. We might wonder, “What on earth does Venezuela have to do with prophecy?” Nothing directly, but it’s importance to nations that are mentioned in prophecy is tremendous. If you want to understand the global relevance of Maduro’s capture and read only one article, make it this one:

 

 

The article explains that it relates to oil and world power. Venezuela has the largest oil reserves on the planet (supposedly even greater than Saudi Arabia’s), and whoever controls oil controls the nations. Russia and China have spent decades and invested billions of dollars into courting Maduro to bring him into their sphere of influence, and it was working. But warming up Maduro also meant having a strategic military position right in America’s backyard. Because Venezuela is so much closer to the US than Russia and China are, these nations have stockpiled enormous amounts of weapons and defense systems so they can strike America. This also created strong economic ties between Venezuela and Russia and China in the sense of loans and energy suppliers. Now that Maduro has been captured, Russia and China have suffered a severe blow to the gut strategically, militarily, and economically. A critical piece of their plan to overthrow America has now been captured by America.

 

Knowing this, it’s easy to see why Russia and China are so upset. Both nations have harshly condemned US actions and demand Maduro be released immediately (Moscow Times). Trump, on the other hand, asserts that America will run Venezuela until a safe transition can be made (Israel National News). The Venezuelan government has been corrupt for decades – which is why we see Venezuelans dancing in the streets right now – and America wants to ensure that a legitimate, pro-America ruler can run the country.

 

But that’s not all. Adding fuel to the flame, America just seized an oil tanker in the Atlantic that was bearing a Russian flag (Metro News). This Russian tanker was targeted because it was apparently connected to Venezuela and the terrorist group Hamas.

 

All of these developments have taken WIII rhetoric to new heights:

 

 

 

How does this relate to prophecy? It’s relevant in many respects. In view, it’s greatest relevance relates to

 

1.     The political shifting of nations and the formation of latter-day alliances that prophecy foretells.

2.     The isolation of Israel on the world stage.

3.     The distress in the earth that Jesus is described as returning.

 

I find prophecy to teach that Israel must stand alone, and given America’s strong support for Israel under Trump, the fall of western civilization and the rule of the eastern powers like Russia and China would perfectly create the conditions we find in prophecy. If the US were to somehow be ousted from the helm and replaced by Russia and China, Israel will have lost their most important ally and be more susceptible to attack than they perhaps ever have. Such an occurrence would also explain the situation we find in Ezekiel 38 - Russia boldly comes against Israel, and the Tarshish nations merely voice opposition (Ezekeil 38:13). This is what makes the most sense to me.

 

When most Christadelphians see these events, they quickly point to Daniel 11, and I therefore feel it essential to mention,


Does This Relate to Daniel 11?

I wish to express that I believe these events do not have anything to do with the King of the North and the King of the South of Daniel 11. This opens a can of worms that's best discussed in depth (which I will do when time allows), but I believe it’s important to mention at least one of reasons for stating this.

 

The historical interpretation of Daniel 11:40-45 is that Russia is the King of the North and Britain and her allies would be the King of the South. One of the primary reasons for this is that Bro. Thomas expected Britain to be in the land of Israel when this prophecy took place. If one reads Elpis Israel, this is readily apparent. In Bro. Thomas’s day, Britain still had their enormous empire, and he anticipated a world-wide war between Britain and Russia that led to all of the other latter-day events. But Britain’s empire is gone, and it has been for decades. Hong Kong was their last “strong hold”, and that was lost in 1997. That year is considered the year the British Empire died. With Britain's world position being drastically different today than in Bro. Thomas's day, some concepts simply no longer work.

 

So who would be the King of the North and King of the South today? Throughout Daniel 11, the titles “King of the North” and “King of the South” are used to refer to nations which fought over the barren land of Israel and occupied the lands directly north and directly south of (even including) it. It's critical to note that the Kings of the North and South in Daniel 11 did not simply “have influence” in those lands, they possessed that land as part of their empire. Britain did possess many of those same lands for a time, but they were kicked out in the 1940s. Today, those lands are ruled by independent nations like Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, and others. To conclude that America or any Western power is the King of the South or that Russia is presently the King of the North does not fit the mold that Daniel 11 shows us. If anyone today is a King of the South, it would have to be Egypt or Saudi Arabia. If anyone is a King of the North, it would have to be Syria. But I believe these are invalid conclusions as well.


I firmly believe Daniel 11:40-45 has a historical fulfillment. Daniel 11 details the history of God’s land under oppressive, Gentile rule starting with the Daniel’s day. It details most of the significant times when the land of Israel changed hands. Verses 40-45 describe how the land of Israel came to be both acquired by and freed from its last Gentile oppressor – the Ottoman Turk.

 

In brief: verses 40-43 describe with detail how the Ottomans acquired the land, overflowing and sweeping it from the Egyptian Mamluks during the Ottoman-Mamluk War of 1517. This was the when the Euphratean power mentioned in Revelation 16 overflowed its banks (note how Daniel describes the King of the North's movements like that of a river enlarging its banks - they "shall overflow and pass over" - vs. 40).


Verses 44-45 describe how the Ottoman’s lost the land in WWI to the British in 1917. This resulted in the complete cessation of the Ottoman Empire, and in its place sprang up numerous independent Islamic nations like Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, etc. This result was foretold in Revelation 16:12 – “the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates (the Ottoman Empire); and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east (the independent Islamic nations) might be prepared.” In 1517, the Ottoman's grew their empire to include the land of Israel, symbolically "overflowing" their banks. 400 years later in 1917, the empire shrank to exclude the land of Israel, symbolically "drying up" and receding its banks. This was important to prophecy because the Ottoman's demise was integral to the rise of the latter-day Islamic nations of Psalm 83. The Ottomans had to go so these could spring up.

 

This subject deserves far more attention than we gave it here, and while I’ve given classes on it, I hope this year to share a more comprehensive presentation on it. Given the nature of what is happening in the world now, I feel obligated to at least mention it as we all look to discern what events will unfold.

 

For a more in depth examination of what Bro. Thomas believed and why this particular aspect of his latter-day prophecy views need to be reconsidered, you can watch this presentation we gave a few years ago below. It deals with it in depth and should help make sense of the matter:

 

 

Quick Summary of Other World Events

There are yet other incredible developments we’re witnessing. In brief,


Iran is on the Verge of Revolution

Iranians have been unhappy with their dictatorial regime for years, and seeing liberated  Venezuelans dance and sing in the street seems to have enlivened Iranians. It seems that Khamenei’s government is on the verge of collapse, and many hope that Iran’s exiled crown prince will be installed as the new leader soon. These headlines tell the tale and show just how serious this is for Iran:

 

 

 

 

A new Iranian government would ideally (in the eyes of the nations) have a peaceful relationship Israel like the old regime did, and this could explain why Iran is not mentioned in Psalm 83. However, we know for a fact that Iran will eventually come against Israel, for God tells us this in Ezekiel 38:5.


Israel to Have “Peace and Safety”?

1 Thessalonians 5:3 – For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

 

This verse has been interpreted many ways, but one thought is that this refers to the situation with Israel right before Christ returns. There is the appearance of peace and safety from their historic enemies, but then sudden destruction and warfare ensues. This is evidently not true peace and safety, but at most, the appearance of it. Note that it says, “They shall say, Peace and safety.” Either they think it has been achieved or are calling for it be achieved, but it does not truly exist. This is not the safety Israel will enjoy under Christ (Jeremiah 23:5-6).

 

The thought is – will Israel somehow come into “peace agreements” with the Islamic world and then suddenly be attacked by the Psalm 83 Islamic nations? If this is so, recent peace initiatives between Israel and these nations have a real relevance to prophecy:

 

 

 

Again, we emphasize that no true peace will ever result from man-made attempts. Israel will only know peace when the Prince of Peace rules in her midst.

 

The last thing we’ll mention is

The Role of Britain – Current Situation vs. Old Thoughts

This is intimately connected to the Daniel 11 discussion we just had. Many brethren of long ago believed that a friendly British-Israeli relationship was central to latter-day prophecy, Britain even being viewed as a protector of Israel. I believe Scripture indicates otherwise, and current events at present validate this. The relationship has gone far the other way. Instead of befriending Israel, Britian is championing the “Palestinian” cause. Consider:

 

 

 

 

Britain’s recognition of a Palestinian state is a move to clearly show their position on the subject. Antisemitism is becoming more prevalent in Britain’s top media outlets like the BBC, and this is helping push Britain further from Israel.

 

Where Does this Leave Us?

There’s much more to say, but let it simply be felt that this could be a big, big year. We need to pay attention to what is happening, but we need to ensure that we view these things in the right way. Instead of being frightened by all of this talk of warfare, let us be exhorted. Our inheritance is not in this dispensation, and we therefore eagerly anticipate the time when the governments of men are replaced by that of our Lord and Master. Peter says it the best:

 

2 Peter 3:11-13 – Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,  (12)  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  (13)  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

 

In the Hope of Israel,

Tanner Hawkins

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