Prophecy Letters
"Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." Matt. 13:16-17
The Prophecy Letter is a circular letter that we send out relating to the development of latter-day prophecy.
August 2023
The Bible and Israel’s Peace Attempts
TGP Prophecy Letter – August 31, 2023
We continually hear of Israel attempting “historic” peace deals with her enemy nations. For obvious reasons, we can see why Israel would seek such peace. Yet the Scriptures of Truth have foretold that certain nations would be enemy nations in the latter-days, and nothing Israel can do will ever change this. There are two very recent, clear examples of this very thing I wish to briefly discuss. They relate to Saudi Arabia and Libya.
Attempted Peace with the Saudis
We have discussed this in previous Prophecy Letters, but more news has surfaced on this topic that’s worth mentioning. But to understand Saudi Arabia’s role in the latter day conflicts, we must consider a little info to help us identify how modern-day Saudia Arabia is mentioned in Scripture.
We mentioned in our last Prophecy Letter that the Ishmaelites settled in the area that is now Saudi Arabia. More Scriptural evidence of this has been discovered that bears upon our subject.
Genesis 37 records Joseph being sold by his brethren into the hands of the Ishmaelites, but if you pay careful attention, you’ll notice that the passage frequently refers to them by another name as well:
Genesis 37:25-28, 36 – And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. (26) And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? (27) Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. (28) Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt… (36) And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
The terms “Ishmaelites” and “Midianites” are used interchangeably. This is unmistakable when one compares two verses in particular. Verse 36 of the above passage says that the Midianites sold Joseph into Egypt, but Genesis 39:1 says, “And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar… bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.” The Midianites were therefore Ishmaelites.
This practice of referring to these people by both of these names is also seen in Judges 8:22-26. In this passage, Gideon tells the men of Israel to give him the spoil that they’d recently taken from Midian, specifically their golden earrings. Verse 24 explains that “they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites”.
Why is this information important? Because we know the location of Midian, and if we can know that with certainty, then we can know the location of at least part of the Ishmaelites.
We can see that the land of Midian/Ishmael corresponds directly to the western border of today’s Saudi Arabia. Therefore, “the Ishmaelites” is a prophetical name of modern Saudi Arabia.
Why is this relevant? Because there have been multiple attempts to broker peace and normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but the Scriptures show them to be enemies during the war of Psalm 83. “The Ishmaelites” are one of the ten Arab nations which come against Israel (Psalm 83:6). Given this information from Scripture, I must conclude that there will be no peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia - or at least no lasting peace. If any deal is made, it may likely fall into the same category as many other previous Arab-Israeli agreements like the Oslo Accords which failed miserably.
We wrote more extensively on this in the last Prophecy Letter so I won’t delve into much more detail, but here are a few news items that suggest that such a deal will not likely happen:
Israel opposes Saudi uranium enrichment - Prime Minister's Office – The Jerusalem Post
Bin Salman reportedly open to Chinese nuclear reactor bid if talks with US fail – Israel Hayom
There will be no Israel-US defense pact – Israel Today
The article from Israel Today says, “The Saudis have made it clear that a normalization deal won’t happen so long as the current (Israeli) government is in power.”
Yet in spite of these things, there are still reports of the possibility of a deal:
We wait to see the final result, but if our understanding of the Word is correct, then we already know the end. The way the Spirit describes the judgment executed on the Arab nations of Psalm 83 is definitive:
Psalms 83:9-18 – Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: (10) Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth. (11) Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: (12) Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. (13) O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. (14) As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; (15) So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. (16) Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD. (17) Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: (18) That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
The Spirit does not simply say that they would be destroyed, but instead describes their demise by referring to examples from the time of the Judges when Israel’s enemies were destroyed in the Old Testament.
The Midianites were utterly defeated by Gideon and his small band of 300 men. Their rulers, Oreb and Zeeb, were both captured and slain (Judges 7:19-25). Sisera was killed when a woman drove a tent peg through his temples, and his ruler Jabin was thus subdued and destroyed (Judges 4:15-22). Zeeba and Zalmunna were both killed by Gideon (Judges 8:12-21). Thus, the Psalm 83 nations will be destroyed, and given that all of the cited examples took place in the time of the Judges, we must too consider that the 10 Arab nations will also be destroyed in an age when “there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25, 17:6). What a perfect descriptor of our day!
Failed Peace with Libya
We will mention this last, similar topic briefly. The following news was announced in relation to Libya at the beginning of this week:
In first-ever meeting, Israeli and Libyan FMs talk normalization – World Israel News
This raises the question, Will Libya normalize relations with Israel? Again, we turn to the Word. Ezekiel 38 details the future Gogian attack on Israel, and among his confederacy is listed Libya:
Ezekiel 38:4-6 – And I will turn thee (Gog) back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: (5) Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: (6) Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.
Libya will therefore one day join in to attack Israel, not support or befriend them. Given this, we wondered how long this normalization process would go on knowing that it would eventually be doomed. It was just a matter of how long that would take.
But we didn’t have to wonder for long. The very next day, the following headlines appeared:
Libyan foreign minister fired after meeting with Israel, fleeing country – The Jerusalem Post
Libyan FM flees for her life after meeting with Israeli counterpart – World Israel News
The nation and government of Libya obviously did not agree with their foreign minister’s openness to Israel, and she is now fleeing for her life somewhere abroad. With what is written in the Scriptures concerning Libya in the latter times, this is precisely the attitude we would expect from them.
All of these things simply confirm what most – if not all – of us surely know: we are living in the last days, and the return of Jesus Christ could literally occur at any moment! Let us each take whatever steps are necessary to lay these facts to heart and prepare ourselves for that wondrous, yet intimidating, day. To physically stand before the Lord Jesus Christ is something that we all try to picture, yet we can be reasonably certain that the enormity of the actual moment will overwhelm us. What will matter in that day is not what we do for a living, how much money we make, how many possessions we have, or anything of the sort. What will matter is how we have conducted ourselves as those who the Lord “hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).
In the One Hope of Israel,
Tanner Hawkins
The Psalm 83 Confederacy, the Saudis, and the US-Iran Deal
TGP Prophecy Letter – August 19, 2023
The Psalm 83 Confederacy
On nearly every plane, the nations of Psalm 83 are inching together. The prophesied Arab alliance matures more and more with every passing week. Sometimes we learn of this in a bold headline, while other times the moves are more subtle and must be watched for, but it is in constant progress.
Just one example of this is seen in the various terror factions in the Gaza Strip. Even though they are all Muslims, these groups are typically rife with controversy and rivalry. But now, they are meeting to set aside their differences to unite against Israel (The Jerusalem Post).
But interestingly, while the Psalm depicts nations surrounding Israel, the greatest present danger for Israel is with their neighbors to the north: Lebanon and Syria. Note that Hezbollah’s goal is precisely that which prophecy said they would assume (Psalm 83:4):
War of words intensifies as Hezbollah chief Nasrallah threatens to wipe out Israel – All Israel News
Netanyahu cancels vacation, summons IDF chief for ‘urgent’ meeting – World Israel News
The question is, If prophecy shows Israel’s final Arab war to be on all fronts and not just the north, why is the greatest danger only in the north? We wonder, Could trouble erupt on Israel’s northern border first, after which the other nations join in? It seems to me that the Scriptures indicate this very thing.
Isaiah 17:1-8 prophesies the complete destruction of Damascus and the weakening of Israel. “The glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean” (verse 4). Israel will not be destroyed, but it will forever be changed for the better as a result of this, for “At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel” (verse 7).
To me, this can mean nothing short of the return of Jesus Christ. Zechariah 12 depicts the moment when the Jews will finally realize their dependence on the Lord and see their redeemer: “Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the LORD of hosts, their God’” (verse 5, RSV). And also, “and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced” (verse 10). These seem to correlate directly to “a man looking to his Maker” and Israel’s “eyes having respect to the Holy One of Israel”. If that is the case, then Isaiah 17 and Zechariah 12 must refer to the same time period.
Here may be the key. The war described in Zechariah is not just between Israel and their northern neighbors, but against “all the people round about” (Zechariah 12:2). But Isaiah 17 only mentions trouble in the north, just like we see today. It therefore appears that the war will begin in the north and somehow expand to Israel’s other fronts to include ALL the nations round about. Isaiah 17 would then record the beginning of the war and Zechariah 12 and Psalm 83 would show the events immediately following.
In preparation for this, Israel’s neighbors to the south and to the east have recently taken a strong stance against Israel:
Egypt, Jordan voice ‘full support’ for Palestinians, slam Israel – The Jerusalem Post
Jordan comprises ancient Edom, Ammon, and Moab, and as these nations are listed in Psalm 83:6-7, they must be involved in this final Arab-Israeli War.
But Egypt is interesting. I am not fully persuaded that Egypt will be involved in this conflict in to the degree that the other nations will be. The primary reason for this hesitation is the simple fact that there is no mention of them in the Psalm. Some believe the mention of “the Hagarenes” (Psalm 83:6) is a reference to Egypt, but this is concluded on the reasoning that Hagar was an Egyptian, and therefore Egypt much be the meaning. This seems a feeble line of reasoning, particularly when one asks: If Egypt is intended, why would it not just say Egypt? Egypt existed at this time and the name was widely known. My current conclusion is that it is not a reference to Egypt, for I have found evidence of a people called the Hagarenes/Hagrites in the regions just north of modern Jordan in Syria. I believe this – Syria – is the intended recipient.
What does this mean for Egypt in the future war? We cannot say for sure, but we do know a few things about them in the Kingdom Age. Zechariah 14 describes the cursings on nations that will not come up to worship the Lord, and verse 18 says, “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 the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of the tabernacles.” Egypt therefore still exists in some form at that time. Furthermore, Isaiah 19:16-25 describes great blessings on Egypt, showing them speaking the land of Canaan and serving the Lord!
It must be pointed out that verse 22 of Isaiah 19 does mention that “the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it”, so there must be a kind of corrective retribution placed on them which is then healed, but the extent of this smiting I do not know.
Whatever it is, the last few verses of the chapter speak to the great favor shown to the Egyptians and Assyrians alike in this time:
Isaiah 19:23-25 – In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. (24) In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: (25) Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.
What a wonderful future we are told about, and about this only can we be certain. Further study is required on the subject of Egypt and the future conflicts of the latter days.
Israel-Saudi Normalization
Many reports have arisen claiming that full normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia is just over the horizon. But the subject of the “Palestinians” will likely make or break the deal.
Israel rules out Jerusalem base for Saudi envoy to Palestinians – Israel Hayom
Will there be peace between these two nations? In light of Scripture, I can only reason no. I’ve found that the only latter-day entity that can definitively correspond to Saudi Arabia is the Ishmaelites, and they are named as one of the ten Arab nations which come against Jerusalem (Psalm 83:6).
Some believe that Sheba and Dedan of Ezekiel 38 are a reference to the Saudis, but many maps I have found show these two regions as being on the southern-most perimeter of the Arabian peninsula instead of the main bulk like Saudi Arabia. Further study is required to determine more exact locations of Sheba and Dedan, but whereas some maps show Sheba and Dedan as encompassing parts of Saudi Arabia, all maps of the Ishmaelites at the time of Asaph correlate directly to the Saudis. In other words, the identity of Sheba and Dedan can be reasonably applied to nations other than Saudi Arabia, but that of the Ishmaelites cannot.
What does this mean for the current peace talks? To the best of my knowledge, I must conclude that they will fail – or if they do succeed to any degree, it will not last. In my opinion, the obstacles to peace that have just surfaced regarding the Palestinians will likely be the wrench that sticks the gears. It seems that the Saudis will require Israel to make major concessions to the Palestinians, perhaps even requiring official statehood for a nation of Palestine, and such would be out of the question for Netanyahu. Even if he personally acquiesced (which would be a drastic change of his position), his party would likely object so heavily as to oust him from power. If Saudi Arabia is serious about their ambitions for the Palestinians, then it’s unlikely that any peace will be achieved.
Instead, new headlines are showing the Saudis as inching closer to Iran: Israel’s arch enemy and the main backer of the Psalm 83 nations. Here are two recent news items on this:
Israel wary over UNIFIL mandate; Iran-Saudi relations bolster; U.S. deters IRGC – TV7 Israel News
It appears to me that the Saudis are going to side with whoever offers them the sweetest deal and the greatest security. That means it’s either Israel and the US or Iran and her allies, and because the Word of Truth shows the Ishmaelites to join as one of the Psalm 83 nations, I must presently conclude that if anything, they will side with Iran. Time will tell.
There’s one last subject I feel obligated to comment on today:
The US-Iran Deal
In short, the United States is willing to do almost anything the slow down Iran’s nuclear program, but Israel opposes any such efforts as they know Iran will still continue with their program either way. Here are some headlines that sum up the latest developments:
US would welcome any Iranian steps to slow nuclear program – AOL
Biden Administration Abandoning Israel For Ruling Mullahs Of Iran? – Prophecy News Watch
Netanyahu invited to meet Biden at White House to avoid downgrading relations – World Israel News
Iran close to testing nuclear weapons for first time – The Jerusalem Post
U.S. & Iran STRIKE DEAL That Hands Iran Regime BILLONS; Nuclear Agreement Next? – Watchman Newscast
While we could take the time to examine the many parts of this in great detail, I think the main take away is that these two “allies” have starkly opposing views on this important subject. It is one of the many things that showcases the weakening bond of what used to be one of the strongest alliances, and while Israel and the US try to see eye to eye, Iran gets closer and closer to the bomb.
Again, with the Bible in hand, we expect Israel to grow increasingly isolated as we near the return of our Lord. For Israel to call upon their Messiah for salvation as discussed in the first section of this article, they must be without other help. To me, that means that the US must be either unable or unwilling to assist Israel in their time of need.
It is difficult to imagine today’s Israel recognizing the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe Israel must be humbled by the apparent prospect of utter destruction before they cry unto the Lord. Not that they will be destroyed or go into captivity, but that will come close enough to defeat as to humble their disposition. Prophecy appears to teach this very thing, and we now see the nations lining up to fulfill their prophesied roles.
What a time for us believers to live, and what a mountain of evidence there is for our faith in these final, dark times! For the remainder of whatever time may lay ahead, may we all heed the exhortation of John:
1 John 2:28 – And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
In the One Hope of Israel,
Tanner Hawkins
Israel & the Saudis - Ukraine War Update
TGP Prophecy Letter – August 2, 2023
Much has happened in the past few weeks, but here are some highlights that we need to keep an eye on moving forward. I think the most intriguing issue today is the
Turmoil in Israel
To little surprise, Netanyahu’s pursuit of reforming Israel’s judicial system has evoked world criticism of the nation. This is yet another of countless examples which show Israel to receive special treatment (in a bad way) from the other nations of the world. Many nations are criticizing Netanyahu’s decisions, but he has responded by simply retorting that he doesn’t “interfere in other democracies”, so why are they interfering in Israel’s? (All Israel News). “We’ll make our own decisions,” he said (United with Israel).
But in my view, the most alarming outcome of the reform so far is how it has divided Israel itself. While many support it, those who oppose it are taking a bold, vehement stance against it. Since the bill passed, hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets in protest (The Times of Israel). In an act of defiance, many Israeli reservists have announced that they will no longer respond to the call to arms should Israel need them:
IDF: Refusals to serve will erode military's readiness – Israel National News
Turmoil over Netanyahu's judicial overhaul reaches into Israel's cherished military – NBC News
Another 10,000 IDF reservists announce they won't serve anymore – The Jerusalem Post
Since Israel has always survived by their reservist military, this is a significant issue. When the next war inevitably breaks out, what will Israel’s position be? How many soldiers will they have?
Israel’s enemies see this weakness and are glad to exploit it:
Israel's enemies see opportunity in its crisis – Yahoo! News
The Arabs are further unifying against Israel, and the recent reports about Israel are undoubtedly being painted by Arab leaders as the moment they have been waiting for. A divided Israel is a weak Israel, and if the Arabs believe it is enough to give the Arabs the upper hand, we should expect to see an increase of Arab violence. Because of what is written in the Word, we can say with absolute certainty that they will unify and come against Israel with the goal of completely destroying the nation of Israel, “that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance” (Psalm 83:4). Hezbollah’s leader Nasrallah has just reiterated this as their primary objective:
Nasrallah: Middle East will not rest until 'cancerous' Israel is removed – The Jerusalem Post
This erasing of Israel is also one of the core principles that are taught in many Palestinian schools so the younger generations can continue the fighting. This was just published today:
PA Summer Camps Teach a World Where Israel No Longer Exists – United with Israel
How incredibly sad it is to see, yet since the Bible specifically tells us that this would be the situation when Israel is saved, we rejoice to see such signs! If we didn’t we would be forced to assume that Christ’s return was still a distant thing. To our great joy, the signs all say otherwise!
Israel, the Saudis, and the US
Many are aware that Israel has been trying to establish warm relations with Saudi Arabia in recent months. It’s been a roller-coaster ride as talks cease and then pick back up. With US influence in the Middle East dwindling, the Biden Administration is eager to try and broker a deal between the two nations – an act which would reinforce America’s image in the region. But the details of Washington’s plan have recently been released, and the deal is almost certain to fail:
Israeli foreign minister: Saudi deal ‘closer than ever’ – Israel365 News
Unity gov't for Saudi peace deal, Biden admin tells Israel - report – World Israel News
The above article explains,
“The Biden administration is reportedly pressuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to freeze the judicial overhaul and include left-wing and centrists parties in a broad unity government in exchange for a U.S.-brokered peace deal with Saudi Arabia.
“Such an agreement would also require sweeping concessions to the Palestinians, as the Gulf kingdom has repeatedly vocalized that it would not entertain the prospect of normalization with Israel unless the Palestinians are provided with land for their own state, including eastern Jerusalem as its capital.”
This is a deliberate attempt to control Israel. The Biden Administration is far-left wing, so they naturally detest Netanyahu’s right-wing, religious government. These requirements for a deal with the Saudis would essentially put an end to Netanyahu’s government and give the liberals in Israel more power, even though the government that currently exists was democratically elected. This is nonsense, and I believe Netanyahu probably laughed when he learned of these terms. I can’t see how Bibi would even entertain this thought, but we will see.
Biden is a proponent of a two-state solution, and this recent news is a clear sign of his favor toward them. If things went as Biden desired, it would likely lead to the splitting of the land and the creation of a nation of Palestine – something that has never existed before. History shows that when one tries to divide or give away the land of Israel, things go badly for them.
This was the case with former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He dismantled Israeli settlements in Gaza and gave the land to the Palestinians, afterwards suffering a stroke and falling into a coma. Eight years later, he died having never come out of the coma.
It’s also true of Yitzak Rabin, another former Prime Minister of Israel. He was preparing to make major concessions to the Arabs for “peace” when he was assassinated.
Recently, similar trouble was seen in Washington after Biden announced this new plan for Israel and Saudi Arabia:
Storm devastates Washington as Biden admin. plans for Israel to concede land – Israel365 News
Perhaps a small show of Divine displeasure?
Ukraine War Update
Here are just a couple headlines as to the current situation with Ukraine and Russia:
Putin's aide warns Russia could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine as 'he sees no way out' – Mirror
Ukraine War: Zelensky Predicts Fighting in Russia 'Inevitable' – National Review
Graham warns Russian nuclear attack on Ukraine would be an attack on NATO – The Hill
It’s easy to forget that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was supposed to result in the capture of Kiev in two or three days. We are now nearing the 1 ½ year mark, so it is no surprise to see Putin making moves toward nuclear weapons. They appear to be his last resort if the war cannot be won any other way, and the longer the war drags on, the more likely he appears willing to go nuclear. The result of such an action would unquestionably be a third World War.
Either way, the war is far from over and should still receive our attention. It could well throw the entire world into another, and hopefully final, world-wide conflict that would likely be ended by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. As of now, we continue to watch to ensure that we are not caught off guard when he finally arrives to gather us to himself! Once that happens, nothing else matters from our point of view. If found unworthy before him, the final death awaits us. But if found faithful and worthy of his grace, the endless ages to come with a body and mind free of sin in every regard! What a wonderful, wonderful prospect for us who now groan against this flesh!
In the One Hope of Israel,
Tanner Hawkins