January 19, 2024 | Messianic World Update | Middle East Tensions and Predictions & more
Middle East Tensions and Predictions
Greetings to all, I'm Monte Judah with Lion and Lamb Ministries. Today’s date is January 19th, of the year 2024, and we’re going to discuss the escalating conflicts in the Middle East and their potential implications for global politics and prophecy.
In recent developments, the U.S. has been engaging the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The rebels, who have been launching anti-ship missiles into the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, have been supplied with missile parts and ammunition by Iran. The U.S. interdicted a ship headed to Yemen a few nights ago. The night-time mission ended with the seizure of a small sailing boat that was transporting “advanced lethal aid” to the Yemeni rebel group as part of its “campaign of attacks against international merchant shipping,” the Pentagon said in a statement. Tragically, we lost two brave U.S. Navy SEALs to the sea, a stark reminder of the reactive nature of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to push for a two-state solution as a panacea for Middle Eastern conflicts. This idealistic, and perhaps unrealistic, vision involves all Arab nations recognizing the state of Israel, the establishment of a Palestinian state, and the latter’s subsequent acceptance into the UN. However, the majority of the nations involved, Israel included, seem far from ready for peace at the moment.
In Israel, the situation remains tense. Prime Minister Netanyahu has made it clear that his nation's priority is achieving total victory against Hamas, despite contrasting views from the U.S. Israel maintains a firm position, undeterred by the U.S.'s misunderstanding of the situation in the Middle East.
The war in Gaza continues, with over 9,000 Hamas operatives neutralized and more than 23,000 Palestinian casualties. We've also seen the success of counter-actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon, resulting in the demise of over 170 Hezbollah terrorists. However, the cost has been high, with the loss of hundreds of Israeli soldiers and reservists and many more wounded since October 7th.
Yet, the IDF continues to do its best to protect civilians in the Palestinian areas. They’ve made countless calls, dropped leaflets, and sent text messages warning Palestinians of impending Israeli actions. Despite Israel’s best efforts, the world seems to focus only on the Gaza war, ignoring the atrocities committed against the Jewish people.
The northern border with Lebanon and Hezbollah is another area of concern. The IDF is on full alert, with reports suggesting a war in the north is inevitable. This situation aligns with the prophecy of Ezekiel 38–39, which speaks of a Northern Army attacking Israel—a prophecy we're watching closely.
Globally, the situation is no less tense. Iran and Pakistan have begun to attack each other, China is threatening Taiwan, and strategic analysts say we are closer to World War III than we have ever been before, including the Cold War period with the former Soviet Union. We are living in an increasingly volatile world, with a lot of nations, a lot of weapons, and different agendas going on.
I urge everyone to pray for Israel, for the return of the hostages, and for the safety of the IDF soldiers. Pray for the situation of Israel as it deals with all its enemies on all the different fronts. I'll be taking a sabbatical next week, so there will be no World Update on Friday, January 26th. Please pay attention to the news and keep watching.
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Until next time, Shabbat Shalom to all of you.