Israel is once again in the world news headlines as they are being attacked by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. Israelis were concluding the Jewish festival of Sukkot on Saturday, October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched thousands of rockets at Israel within a short period, overwhelming the sophisticated Iron Dome anti-missile system.

As a result, more than a thousand Israelis have tragically lost their lives, and the toll continues to rise as we speak. This attack is considered one of the deadliest in recent history for the tiny nation of Israel.

In response to the aggression, Israel’s Prime Minister, Netanyahu, formally declared war against Hamas and warned of a “long and difficult war.”

As we observe this horrific conflict unfolding in the Middle East, it prompts us to turn to the Bible and seek insights about our modern age. Where will these events lead us? What does Bible prophecy have to say about the fate of Israel, Hamas, Gaza, and its neighboring countries? Does the Bible provide us with answers?

Join me now as we delve deep into the Bible to discover the surprising prophecies it holds about the conflict we are witnessing in Israel and Gaza.

Gaza in Bible Prophecy

Today, we are going to take a look at the Bible and obtain spiritual and powerful insights you’ll never find in mainstream news today.

As you are watching this video, Israel is currently at war with Hamas, which has vowed to destroy and obliterate Israel for a long time now. Hamas fired rockets from the Gaza Strip, which is a territory located in the southern part of Israel.

The Bible mentions Gaza almost 20 times. The first mention of Gaza is in Deuteronomy 2:20-23. Later, we read in Joshua 10:41 that Joshua’s conquest conquered Gaza. Judah’s territory included Gaza as we read in Judges 1:18-19. When Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD or Yahweh, the Midianites destroyed Gaza as we read in Judges 6:1-4. 

Gaza holds significant historical and prophetic importance in the Bible. It was a place visited by Samson, where he found a woman he liked, and possibly where he lost his eyes and was imprisoned. Both Solomon’s reign (1 Kings 4:22-24) and Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kings 18:1,7-8) included Gaza. In the New Testament, Acts 8:26 mentions Gaza as the place where Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch.

The prophesied destruction of Gaza

Jeremiah 25:17-29 contains a prophecy about a calamity that will destroy Gaza, and in Amos 1:6-8, there is a warning from the LORD about punishment coming to Gaza for its transgressions. The prophecy speaks of a fire consuming Gaza’s palaces and the eventual destruction of the Philistines.

Amos 1:6-8 tells us:

Thus says the LORD:

“For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they took captive the whole captivity To deliver them up to Edom. ⁷ But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, Which shall devour its palaces. ⁸ I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, And the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon; I will turn My hand against Ekron, And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,” Says the Lord GOD.

The end-time prophecy for Gaza appears grim in the Bible. While some of these prophecies might have been fulfilled in the past, there is a duality in their fulfillment, suggesting that similar events could occur in the near future.

The future defeat of Israel

Nevertheless, the central focus of Bible prophecy goes back to Israel. Despite Israel’s reliance on the Iron Dome anti-missile system in the past, current events indicate that this defense mechanism will eventually fail, leading to Israel’s increasing vulnerability and potential destruction.

Indeed, Isaiah 22:8-9 portrays a warning about God removing His protection from Israel because of their iniquities and rebellion against Him.

We read:

⁸ He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; ⁹ You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool.

The nation we know as Israel right now is primarily composed of the tribe of Judah. The city of David is Jerusalem. As we can see, God will slowly remove His protection on Israel and Bible prophecy will continue to march and be fulfilled.

Jesus Christ, properly known as Yahshua the Messiah, has long ago foretold the destruction of Jerusalem. We read Luke 21:20-24:

²⁰ “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. ²¹ Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. ²² For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. ²³ But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. ²⁴ And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

So, yes, Jerusalem would once again fall into the hands of the Gentiles. Truly, we are living in a time where there’s an increasing magnitude of conflict in the Middle East.

The Only Solution to the War in the Middle East

Nevertheless, the solution to this world’s ailing strife and conflict will not come from man, but rather the solution would literally be out of this world.

Yahshua gave us a blessed hope. We read in Luke 21:28:

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.

Yes, it would be a scary time to live in, but we must not lose hope. As we observe world events, we should understand that the coming of our Savior is drawing near. We should not succumb to despair, but rather, we must lift up our heads and know that Christ is coming soon!

Pray for God’s Peace and His Kingdom

As we wait for His return, let us not forget the instruction in Psalm 122:6: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”

Yes, let’s pray for those affected by this senseless war. Let’s pray for the innocent people impacted by conflict. And most importantly, let’s all pray, “Thy Kingdom come.”

With that, I hope that this presentation has helped you learn more about Bible prophecy and gain better clarity on what is happening and will be happening in the Middle East. If you wish to learn more, please read my blog entitled, “5 Scary Pitfalls You Should Avoid When Studying End-Time Prophecy.” It should help you better understand Bible prophecies and develop the proper attitude as we move closer to the coming of our Messiah.

I hope that helps. Again, I’m Joshua Infantado of Becoming Christians, praying that Yahweh, our Abba Father, will bless us all with His divine love, grace, and protection. See you all next time!

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