Shalom from the lush, green Jezreel Valley in Israel! What a joy it is to be back home, especially after so successful a time away. The days that I spent in Asia were truly God-ordained. It’s a wonderful feeling when the plane’s wheels touch down on the runway and, despite being worn out from the effort, I know that the Bible was clearly taught, people’s hearts were moved, and the Lord was glorified.
I’ve already filled you in on the time that Pastor Barry Stagner and I spent the Philippines. From that home-away-from-home we proceeded to Hong Kong. This past Saturday, we were joined by locals, as well as folks from Singapore, the UK, and the Philippines for a Discovering Daniel conference at Happy News Church. It was a powerful time as we took the day to walk through the entire prophetic book, seeing how it meshed with our times while being encouraged as we looked to God’s future plans. On Sunday, I wrapped up the tour in the afternoon by teaching once again at Happy News Church. A record number of attendees came, and we were blessed to see quite a few people making important, life-saving decisions at the end. Once again, my thanks go out to Pastor David, his wife, Ellen, and the amazing church team!
MidEast & Beyond
Last week, when Pastor Barry and I shot a MidEast & Beyond Update, we were only rooms apart in the same hotel. When we did our Update yesterday, we were back to being halfway across the world from each other. But, thanks to the miracles of modern technology, we came together to present some very compelling information centered not just on the news but on how so much of it relates to biblical prophecy. Some of what we covered is in this newsletter. To get the full scope, however, check out the Mideast & Beyond Update “Ezekiel Prophecy in Motion: Iran, Turkey, and the Future of Israel.” Also, be sure to subscribe to my Telegram channel for news throughout the day and my Instagram channel for quick hits of ministry and information.
Ran Gvili Finally Comes Home
After 843 heart-breaking days, the October 7 hostage crisis is over. Ran Gvili has been laid to rest in Israel. The IDF received information that led them to a cemetery. One by one, they exhumed and examined hundreds of bodies searching for the remains of our nation’s beloved son. Then, the call rang out. Ran had been found. Battle-hardened soldiers broke into tears, while others danced and sang in a bittersweet chorus. After he was brought home, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “If we had not believed, we would not have found. But we believed and found.”
All of us in Israel were united in the joy of Ran coming home. However, we are still a divided nation when it comes to how to deal with the phenomenon of hostage-taking. Our adversaries know it’s our soft belly, because we are committed to doing everything possible to ensure that we leave no person behind. Time and again terrorists have used this crime in an attempt to bring us to our knees, and we have always capitulated through making concessions and releasing great numbers of prisoners. These released prisoners immediately begin plotting against us once again, only this time with the badge of honor of being ex-prisoners. There are those who say we must continue our policy of dealing with terrorists for the return of hostages, because the gain of bringing our people home is worth any pain it may cost. Others say that dealing with terrorists must end, because they rightly understand that it only encourages further hostage taking. The former position speaks to the heart, while the latter speaks to the mind. Which position is ultimately best? I’m afraid I don’t have a good answer.
Now that Ran is home, Netanyahu is determined to ensure Hamas lives up to the truce agreement. The terrorists in Gaza must disarm and the whole region must be demilitarized. Anyone who understands anything about Hamas knows that they will never follow through with this commitment. They should, though, because now the only thing standing in the way of the prime minister utterly destroying what is left of the terrorist group is global public opinion. And we all know just how much Netanyahu cares about that.
The US, Israel, and Iran
There is still a huge volume of bodies coming to Tehran. The estimates of protesters slaughtered by the Iranian government range from 30,000 to 80,000. Many were shot in the streets, others were killed in hospitals, and still more were unofficially executed in jails and prisons. By far this is the largest slaughter of a civilian population by its government in this century. But the leftist marchers around the world seem to either be silent or just too busy protesting against Israel and ICE to worry about tens of thousands of dead Iranians who were risking their lives for their rights. Islam is off-limits when it comes to criticism. Muslims can be victims, but you better not call them perpetrators.
President Donald Trump has said that help is on the way for the protesters. This has led to both bluster and action from the United States, Israel, and Iran. US Senator Lindsey Graham assured the Iranian citizens, “Trump is a man of his word. He has your back.” Iran responded, “If our country is cornered, it will respond in a way it never has before.” Knowing that the ayatollah’s threats were directed at Israel as well as America, Prime Minister Netanyahu promised, “Any attempt by Iran to harm us will be met with a decisive response. It will be a big mistake, a very big mistake, one mistake too many.” Other nations have joined the verbal fray. Some, like Germany, warning Iran, while others, like Turkey, warning the US.
As the words fly from one continent to the other, so do American arms. There has been a massive buildup of US power in the Middle East. Headed by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, the sea and air power in the region is enough to level Iran many times over. Reports are that Trump will institute a naval blockade of the Islamic regime by Friday. In response, Iran has deployed their air-defense systems in three key areas. They have readied their thousands-strong arsenal of short-range Fateh-110 missiles and mid-range Qadr missiles. In addition, they have readied swarms of suicide drones along with coastal and cruise missiles. These assets can be used with deadly consequences against the many US bases in the surrounding nations and waters.
President Trump has said that he is ready to make a deal with Iran, the implication being that this will take place only if ayatollahs play by his rules. These rules are simple: first, abandon the military nuclear program; two, reduce dramatically the ballistic missile production capabilities; and three, completely halt the terror financing of proxy militias. This is likely a deal that the ayatollahs cannot and will not accept. In fact, late breaking reports state that the regime has already rejected any stipulation that demands they stop their military nuclear program. What will Trump’s next move be? Your guess is as good as mine.
Reports are that the Iranian regime is at its most vulnerable since the overthrow of the shah in 1979. For those followers of biblical prophecy who worry about what a regime change might mean for God’s plan, particularly with regards to the coming Ezekiel 38 war, let me set your minds at ease. Ultimately, it means absolutely nothing. Ezekiel 38:5 makes it clear that Iran (Persia) will be part of the axis of nations that sweeps down to attack Israel with an overwhelming force. Who is leading Iran and what their ideology might be has no effect on the truth of this prophecy. When the moment comes in God’s timeline for the Ezekiel War to take place, the leader in Tehran, be he an ayatollah, a shah, a president, or any other title, will ensure that his military is aligned with Russia, Turkey, and all the others against the nation of Israel. By the way, if you want to read about what this coming war might look like, you can pre-order my upcoming novel, The Next War, which is coming out in May.
Turkey Eyes a Jerusalem Conquest
Speaking of the Ezekiel War coalition, the pieces just seem to keep falling into place. At one time, the Ottoman Empire led the caliphate, of which Jerusalem was a part. But then the Ottoman Empire ended in the 20th century, and with it any hold Turkey had on the holy city. Ever since that time, Turkey has had a bit of an inferiority complex, both within geopolitics and within Islam. Thus, their sobriquet as “the Sick Man of Europe”.
When Turkey ruled the Ottoman Empire, they were the leaders of Sunni Islam. They want that status back. Unfortunately, they have two strikes against them. First, they are having a difficult enough time just keeping their country afloat. Second, they aren’t Arab. Islam began as an Arab religion, and Arab Muslims are considered to be primo in the religious pecking order. For Turkey to take the lead in Islam again, there needs to be some kind of Arab connection. This is what makes it especially interesting that Bilal Erdoğan, son and possible successor of the president, assured viewers in an interview this past week that his mother is Arab and that his maternal grandparents regularly spoke Arabic to one another. In another story regarding Turks getting their Muslim cred back, a far-right Turkish politician encouraged President Erdoğan to seriously consider taking military action against Israel with the goal of ultimately taking back Jerusalem. Once again, it all fits back into the Ezekiel 38-39 prophecy.
Israel Defies the Odds with an Economic Surge
Since we can’t seem to break free of the Ezekiel War prophecy this week, let’s throw one more log onto the flames of fulfilled promises. When Russia and company decide to come down to attack, Ezekiel says that Israel will be a land of peace and prosperity. In fact, it will be so wealthy that Russia’s whole purpose is to take booty from the nation. It should not be surprising, then, that Israel’s economy is booming. The rise in the stock market has surpassed even that of the United States, and the shekel has strengthened against the dollar. Our Leviathan gas fields off the Mediterranean coast have more energy in them than we know what to do with, and our technology sector is the envy of the world. This soaring economy, along with the shocking rise in global antisemitism, has led to a surge of Jews making Aliyah back to Israel. The 20th century fulfilled Ezekiel 36-37. The 21st century is already fulfilling Ezekiel 38-39.
The Ministry
The current generation of young adults are being bombarded by deception through universities, television, and social media. At Behold Israel, God has called us to meet those lies head-on. This has led us to launch GenZion! By connecting Scripture, Israel, and current events, GenZion equips Gen Z with biblical truth in a noisy, divided world. Our desire is to help young adults think critically, stand firm in their faith, and engage culture with clarity and courage. From college campuses and young-adult gatherings to immersive Israel tours, digital content, and online conversations, GenZion meets Gen Z where they are: on their socials, in their classrooms, and in their questions. Learn more and get involved at https://beholdisrael.org/about/young-adult-strategic-vision/.
If your dream is to see the beautiful land of Israel, let me just say that I don’t blame you! It’s a wonderful nation filled with incredible history. To find out when our Bible Experience Tours are in 2026, go to our Tours & Cruises page on our website. As you can probably discern from the name of that webpage, that’s also where you can find information on our Alaska Prophecy Conference Cruise in July and our Exploring Ezekiel Norwegian Fjords Cruise in September-to-October. We’d love to have you along!
At Behold Israel, one of our goals is to link believers to one another through prayer and Scripture. Every week, we offer two opportunities for you to be a part of this. First, every Monday we have a Weekly Prayer Meeting on Zoom that lasts from 7:00-8:00 AM PST. It’s always a special time to pray for the world, for the ministry, and for one another. Then, every Thursday, you can join us for our live Public Reading of Scripture from 6:00-7:00 PM PST. The title says it all; it’s a time when we celebrate the Bible by reading it out loud. You are invited to both, and we would love to see you there!
As I sit in my office and think back over the Asia Tour, I can’t help but find myself thanking God for all of you. Your prayers are what kept us energized and focused, and your gifts were what got us to the Philippines and Hong Kong. The hearts that were encouraged and the lives that were changed were a direct result of your faithfulness. Thank you, my dear global family, for never failing to keep Behold Israel and our work in your hearts. May God bless you deeply.
Awaiting His Return,
Amir Tsarfati
Amir Tsarfati, a Jewish Christian, is the founder and president of Behold Israel, a news site founded to correct the scarcity in trustworthy reportage on issues and events impacting Israel, and to resolve the uncertainty about who or what to believe.
The views expressed in opinion articles are solely those of the author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by CURE News and Clergy Blog.
Photo credit: Soman, CC BY-SA 2.5, Link
