Bible In The News

This week saw the cementing of alliances between Russia and Iran being counterbalanced with an embryonic formation of Gulf State Military Alliance between Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE. 

The signs of the times are all around us. Nations are forming alliances and behaving as we would expect from Bible Prophecies about the “latter days”. This is Matt Davies joining you for another Bible in the News.

The day is soon coming when, the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever (Rev. 11:15). That is the day when the Lord Jesus Christ will return (Acts 1:11) and the throne of David will be restored (Luke 1:31-33; Acts 3:21). Israel will be the first dominion of the empire of Israel and the greatest nation to ever have existed (Micah 4:8; Deut. 28:13).

Biden's policies are set to diminish America's role in the Middle East as the Bible has predicted. He has surrounded himself with some anti-Israel advisers, and both Israel and the Arab states are looking to build ties to counter the effect.

The Apostle Paul hazarded his life preaching the gospel throughout the Roman Empire. The gospel preachers of the time became known as "These that have turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). The Apostle was beaten, scourged, ship wrecked, imprisoned and eventually put to death by the government of his time, for speaking the gospel. The "beloved Barnabas and Paul”, are truly, "Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 15:25,26). We have been very fortunate to have had the freedom to worship and preach the gospel as we have had in the western world. We pray for God’s mercy where we have not used that freedom to the uttermost.

Brexit is Complete, a tremendous confirmation of prophetic understanding.  Rioting in the US highlights a tremendously divided nation.  We look for steps that indicate it is drawing closer to English speaking nations and Gulf allies.

How is it that the great city of Revelation chapter 18 accumulates the vast wealth described in this prophecy? She is said to be “that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones, and pearls (verse 16) for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.”

A worrying wave of political reform, cloaked in the robes of ‘social justice’ is gathering pace. Those that hold to the teachings of the Bible are under threat. 

This week in the news we have seen a further two countries, Morocco and Bhutan, both normalise relations with Israel showing the momentum we’ve seen over the last few months, of Israel’s existence being accepted throughout the world, is continuing to build.

Deep in Iranian bunkers and top secret facilities was a man by the name of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.  This man was not only the brains in his area of expertise but was also driven with a deep passion to complete his assignment.  Fakhrizadeh’s assignment was to develop a nuclear bomb.  In fact he has been called the father of Iran’s bomb just as Physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer was the father of America’s nuclear bomb in WWII.

Today, November 21 is the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s final arrival at Provincetown Harbor. The Pilgrims settled on American soil on November 21, 1620, four hundred years ago today. With them was the Geneva Bible. The message of that book has shaped American history and continues to do so today. Welcome to the Bible in the News, at www.bibleinthenews.com, this is David Billington with you. American Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo just wrapped up a visit to Israel. The Washington Post said of the visit, “Pompeo’s Christian Zionism takes center stage”. Pompeo visited an Israeli settlement in the region of the tribe of Benjamin, said to be a first for an American Secretary of State. The winery he visited named a wine after him. There he announced that the US would label goods made in settlements as “made in Israel.” Pompeo visited the strategic Golan Heights where America recognized Israeli sovereignty last year. He said, “This is a part of Israel and central pa

As the world awaits the final election results, we reflect on what the Bible has to say about how God rules in the kingdoms of men through the Lord Jesus Christ. We look at examples from the Bible, from past and recent history to see how God has usd men to bring about his will. 

As America goes to the polls this week we bring to mind the words of Daniel the prophet who said:“Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.”

Ezekiel 38 verse 8 addresses Gog, the invader which comes down into Israel from the utter most parts of the north (38:15). We can have absolute confidence Gog is Russia. Gog is from the land of Magog which we can trace as territory now occupied by Russia.  God, speaking through the prophet Ezekiel, says to Gog (Russia) “in the latter years thou shalt come into the land which have been brought back by the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against [or upon] the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them”.

In the midst of a global pandemic, a tumultuous U.S. election season, talk of peace and safety in the Middle East...conflict has flared again in a lesser-known dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia, but of what significance is that to the Bible believer?Video Version:

After watching the incredible peace agreements between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain we were reminded that the God of Israel is at work bringing about his purpose and plan.  Many Bible students have waited for this time of peace and prosperity for Israel that exists prior to the Northern invader descending on the holy land as outlined in Ezekiel 38.  These events will be responded to from the God of Israel as he intervenes to save his people with the revealing of his son, the Jewish Messiah, to the world on the Mount of Olives as shown in Zachariah 14.

For over a century our community has been watching and waiting for a situation of peace and prosperity to come to the regathered Jewish people living upon the mountains of Israel. This expectation has been drawn from a number of Bible prophecies, one of the more frequently referred to is the prophecy of Ezekiel 38. Ezekiel 38 comes near the end of a series of chapters that are prophecies of restoration of the Jewish people. This section leads into the final section of Ezekiel describing the glorious future temple, which is to be a house of prayer for all nations. A transformed land is described with water issuing forth from the temple sanctuary and healing the waters of the salt sea. These prophecies clearly were intended to describe the final return of the Jewish people to the land, when the Messiah would come and deliver the nation.

In last week’s episode of Bible in the News, Jonathan Bowen spoke at length of the fulfilment of Bible prophecy shown in the Gulf Nations signing peace deals with Israel.

As Bahrain joins the UAE in making peace with Israel, we are reminded of the hostile situation Jews faced in Arab lands from the 1880's through the present day. As attention turns to the Arab world, an exhibition at the Bible Lands Museum highlights the miraculous hand of God in bringing Jews from Yemen 70 years ago, and this puts into context the enormity of what is happening today. 

A few weeks ago, on Bible in the News, we spoke about the historic agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and what it could mean for peace in Israel – a prophetic requirement before the battle of Armageddon. This week we have seen further moves made among the nations, with Kosovo, another majority Muslim country, normalising its relations with Israel, and opening an embassy, not in Tel Aviv, but in Jerusalem – making Kosovo the first majority Muslim country to do so. In a joint agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, Serbia will also relocate her embassy to Jerusalem. These two countries join around six or seven other countries who are at this moment at varying stages of moving their embassies to Jerusalem. Only two days ago Malawi announced that for the first time they would send a diplomatic mission to Israel, and they are now due to become the first African country to open an embassy in Jerusalem. The list of embassies in Jerusalem is steadily growing, only three years ago it was em