What are we to do if war signals the end times?
Years ago, in my youth, for a moment, world events and a spiritual awakening led me to believe that the biblically referenced “end times” were near. Years later, it seems we’re there again, with events in Israel supposedly lining up with some Bible prophecies. While some view this apocalyptically as the time to buy guns, build survival plans and move into the desert, many believers feel they need to align themselves with Bible prophecies and wholly support Israel, as some interpretations of the Bible suggest they should. For me? As usual, I find myself conflicted.
Back in 1979, it started with the Iran Hostage Crisis, when Iranians deposed the Shah, stormed the U.S. Embassy and held our citizens hostage for 444 days. As this new Islamic State of Iran declared itself an enemy of Israel, this event, along with the return of Jerusalem to Israeli control in 1973, were seen as signs of the end times. In Christian parlance, it foreshadowed the second coming of Christ. Churches throughout America held sermons, seminars and presentations showing how world events were lining up with Bible prophecy.
From what I could understand back then and still today, supporting Israel is in alignment with God’s will according to many a Bible scholar and preacher. Once that becomes a part of the belief system preached and prayed about, then many Christians feel their faith requires support to Israel. Which is where my conflict begins. For one, it seems professing to “know” the events outlined in Bible prophecy (and even God’s will) seems a bit arrogant. Furthermore, the narrative these scholars present sometimes conflicts with what we see with our own eyes. Equally significant, it often seems what we want to believe conflicts with the doubts we feel inside ourselves.
Regarding the Hamas/Israeli conflict, it’s not any version of antisemitism causing my internal conflict. The horrors Hamas inflicted on innocent people in Israel on Oct. 7 are atrocities plain and simple. Israel absolutely has a right to defend itself and needs to deal with an Iran-aligned Hamas determined to cause war.
But a vengeful Israeli response that causes the death and suffering of thousands more innocent people in Gaza fuels future generations of hate and fuels a component of my internal conflict. To me, a Palestinian life has the same value as an Israeli. I’m aware Hamas uses civilians as human shields and their deaths as propaganda but killing these noncombatants should be just as abhorrent to us as the Oct. 7 atrocities. Killing civilians plays right into Hamas’ strategy as it generates enmity towards Israel.
How does this current conflict play into Bible prophecy? In most interpretations of Bible prophecy I’ve seen, Israel returning to its ancestral home marks the beginning of the end. Sure enough, the Jews returning to Palestine has been a contentious political issue and “end times” topic for Bible scholars ever since. Could this struggle with Hamas be part of the end as foretold thousands of years ago?
Who knows? Scholars and false prophets have been certain before and wrong before so many times. Even Jesus warns against such certainty: “No one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen.” (Mark 13:32)
The experts on Bible prophecy have studied far more than I and can tell some fascinating stories about Gog, Magog, antichrists and how modern countries and current events match up with Biblical references. These have been well researched and may be somewhat accurate, but their research can only go so far. In the end, “no one knows the day or the hour.”
Regardless, what would our position be if this war marked the beginning of the end? As the “chosen people” per many a Christian narrative, Christians tend to think God’s plan supports the Israelites in this calamitous period. Accordingly, traditional Christians seem to align more favorably to Israel, no matter what Israel does. Sometimes, traditional Christians seem to accept suffering or injustice to Palestinians because they unequivocally support Israel. This favoritism is in direct contradiction to Christians’ own scriptural doctrine. “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin.” (James 2:8-9)
Hence, the internal conflict. In my soul, even if this were God’s plan, I can’t accept the disregard for Palestinian lives or Palestinians’ second-class citizenship status. I’m not sure how I should approach these supposed end times, but I know right from wrong. Furthermore, why should we be surprised when hate happens where hate is sown? This absolutely conflicts with the “love your enemies” Christian narrative. All sides need to stop the cycle of hate!
So what are we supposed to do differently if these are the end times? That’s for you to decide. For me, if I’m not already doing it, why start now? You can only run so far and so long from the apocalypse but the best thing is to not run at all. Just be ready and I don’t mean more guns or moving to Idaho.