[Darris McNeely] U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent visit to the Middle East and to Europe is something that all students of Bible prophecy should be interested in. A sitting U.S. President has spoken to a gathering of more than 50 Arab leaders in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia during this trip, which in itself was rather remarkable. And then from there, he made a historic flight to Jerusalem and then on to Rome and then up to Brussels and other European areas to meet with European leaders. It’s a very interesting trip that has been taking place, historic in many ways – the flight even from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Jerusalem by all accounts was the first time such a flight had actually been made directly between those two cities.

But a look at the facts of what is happening and examination of certain key biblical prophecies will help us to understand something that I think is very important. Let’s go back to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the president spoke to more than 50 Arab leaders that were gathered there. He gave a very strong speech that he warned against Islamic terrorism, he encouraged all of them to band together to drive out the evil from their places, their holy places. He talked about it and highlighted the evil of terrorism in the name of religion that is taking place in those regions, especially with ISIS and Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. He was actually rather strong in his language – some felt he may not have gone as far as he needed to, but considering the setting and what was at stake, it was very clear and very direct in many ways. But his words focused appropriately on religion as the cause of the conflict that threatens to break into a larger war, dragging other powers and world nations, into the conflagration there in the Middle East.

From there, he went to Jerusalem, and the president prayed at the Western Wall. He made a visit to Yad Vashem, to Bethlehem. He met with Israeli leaders and also Palestinian leaders. He gave a very impassioned speech that reaffirmed the historic ties between the United States and Israel. One must remember that in 1948, America, under President Truman at that time, was the first world power to recognize the State of Israel as a sovereign entity. President Trump in his speech there also reaffirmed that commitment of America to Israel and that partnership. The State of Israel is a very important nation in the Middle East. It’s important for many reasons – probably the most important is its presence there reaffirms God’s promises to Abraham and also its importance in certain key Bible prophecies that both Jesus Christ spoke to, as well as the prophet Daniel. So the State of Israel is not going away. And it will be there as prophecy shows, right up until the very crisis that closes out the age.

From Jerusalem, President Trump traveled to Rome, and there he met with Pope Francis. Reposts of that meeting – that was very short, seemed to indicate that global warming and immigration was on the docket. But still, the Pope is a recognized world leader, and it was another step along the stepping stone of religion from Islam in Arabia, to the Jewish state in Israel, and now to the head of the Roman Catholic Church there in Rome. And again, highlighting the world conflicts, in one sense, have been historically and are today, religious-based. And so, to visit with the Pope was a very important one, as well.

But then from there he went into Europe and interestingly and unfortunately, during this trip, another terrorist attack took place in Manchester, England, where more than 2 dozen people were both killed and injured after a rock concert, when an Islamic terrorist blew himself up, killing a lot of young people after a concert. That timing was not coincidental, during this trip of the president to these regions. There’s fear that more could follow in their entire area and England is on high alert.

But the president’s trip highlights the historic and the prophetic events that are foretold in Scripture. I want to turn to just one in Daniel chapter 11. Beginning in verse 40, a critical part of Bible prophecy that begins here in verse 40. It talks about the drawing into the Middle East of 2 world powers that are identified as the king of the North and the king of the South. It says, “At the time of the end the king of the North will attack him” – “The king of the South will attack him,” meaning the king of the North, “and the king of the North will come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, many ships, and enter into the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through.” This area of the king of the South is the area of the Middle East, where President Trump was. The king of the North is coming out of the area of Europe and the powers that are based there. It says in verse 41 that “he shall enter the Glorious Land and many countries will be overthrown” (Daniel 11:40-41). It mentions even current countries such as Jordan and Egypt and in this area as well, in Libya, and that this power will come into the Middle East through Egypt and into the area occupied today by the State of Israel, right up to the very gates of Jerusalem. And so what is being shown here is a significant event. Daniel saw into today’s world in this prophecy. He was told through God’s messenger at that point, that armies will sweep into the Middle East, into Israel, all the way to Jerusalem, and it will be a time of great geo-political and religious upheaval.

President Trump’s whirlwind visit to that region, that in his recent visit highlights the critical nature of that area, not only to historical events, but to Bible prophecy. In my next Daily, I’m going to talk about another event that took place with an announcement made in Saudi Arabia of a massive arms deal and the prophetic implications that that might mean.

That’s BT Daily. Join us next time.