Why the Hatred for America and Israel?

[Darris McNeely] God reveals in His Word that He guides the nations and sets the course of world affairs, all within the framework of His purpose to bring together all things in heaven and in earth, in Christ.

The recent American bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities is perhaps the most significant military action mounted since the D-Day invasion of France in June 1944. American power was shown when bombers flew from America to Iran, dropped bunker-buster bombs on key targets, and returned with no loss of personnel or planes.

No other current world power can mount such an attack. And where the World War II action began the effective end of a murderous Nazi regime that threatened the world, America's bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities set back a clear and present danger to the security of the state of Israel and the United States of America and the Western world.

Since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the Islamic regime in Iran has consistently shouted, death to America, calling it the Great Satan. Leader after leader has clearly stated the aim to push the Jewish state of Israel into the Mediterranean Sea, ending its existence. Iran, in its proxies, both in the Middle East and in other nations, have shouted the most public, virulent statements of anti-Semitism since the Nazi Holocaust. And the aim of such attack was theologically based in a belief that World War created by the Islamic State would trigger the appearance of the mysterious hidden imam of Muslim tradition, resulting in a world Islamic order. Because of that, no treaty, no agreement on nuclear development is going to stop the Shiite clerics from their mission.

Clear-eyed observers understand the great threat Iran poses to world peace and order.

Now, Iran has recently been linked with Russia and China as a set of powers seeking to replace the current position that America holds as the preeminent world power.

Some observers have referred to the last few years of world conflict as World War III. It's certainly been a period of tension and war with large consequences. America's position has been tested. And for the moment, its power holds.

Are we viewing a resurgence of the Pax Americana in the world scene?

We have more information on this that you can find at ucg.org/bt496, where we have a study aid, the United States and Britain in Bible prophecy that unfolds this topic in greater detail.

Let's look at the threat from Russia. Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing battle has been testing Europe and America's commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's pact called NATO. President Donald Trump has been very critical of Europe's spending levels on his own defense, where they have relied more on America's power to keep the peace since the end of World War II. President Trump has pushed Europe to increase spending on their own military, something that they are beginning to do. But at current rates, they're years away from standing on their own. And Russia's threat has been a wake-up call.

America is not going to abandon Europe in this present battle. There's far too much at stake. When we study history, it shows us that Russia's efforts to become the preeminent world power, both in the past and in the present, they've always failed. They will again.

Russia is not destined within God's purpose to be the main world power, but the push to rearm Europe can have unintended consequences. History and Bible prophecy show Europe will rise to become a world power, fulfilling key events before the return of Jesus Christ.

The Bible and its prophecies foretells a world power rising from the nations, causing the world to marvel and to worship its power. The book of Revelation tells us that all the world marveled and followed the beast. They worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast saying, who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?

Europe is not yet there to fulfill this biblical scene, but history has a way of speeding up when God's timing is involved.

Let's also consider one other nation, China. It's the other part of this current equation.

China has been cautiously eyeing the outcome of the Middle East in these European conflicts. You have to ask the question, are China's interests not fully aligned with their so-called partners of Iran or Russia? Could they be waiting for their own moment to strike and test America's will and commitment?

China has the world's largest military and its threat to take Taiwan and assert control of the Pacific region as well known. China is America's biggest rival in virtually every category of power on the world scene today. But China has its own internal challenges, even as it asserts itself militarily. There are some that feel that the Communist hold on people is always tenuous, tied to economic performance. The tense battle of tariffs with Washington could trigger domestic problems that divert its attention from world conquest.

China, despite its size and its very long history, has never been a world power. Its language, religions, culture have never built a world following that have influenced whole periods of history. It has what they call the Great Wall, built to keep out its enemies. But could it be a symbol of a closeted culture unable to transcend its own borders?

The Bible tells us China will be among the peoples that are foretold to come against the unwalled cities of Israel. But for now, it looms as a giant power, uncertain how to act with its own chosen allies.

So what is the reality of this moment? It's this. The world is being reshaped through large and dramatic actions by the United States and the state of Israel. The Middle East has been reset for a generation. Now world leaders are recalibrating their approach to America. The world has been made safer by this recent action. And yes, these two nations are now dominant, but danger still remains, especially on the domestic front for both of them. But no one can do what Israel and America have done in recent weeks to attack and to reshape an entire region.

So how should we understand this moment?

Let's consider what the Bible tells us about prophecy and the course of great powers.

The answer is vital for your understanding of the events that are shaping our world.

These events that I've been talking about today, they really transcend politics and personalities.

They're connected to biblical markers given by God to guide us to faith in Him as the sovereign God of nations who guides history to His purpose. We have been watching the themes of the prophet Daniel take shape in a modern setting. In the prophecies of the book of Daniel, God shows the captivity of the people of Israel, the last group of people in the land, the Jews, taken into a Babylonian captivity.

And that was the result of their great national sins on their part. Judah was the last tribe of Israel in the Promised Land. They were now slaves in Babylon. And through those scriptures, God shows the age-long violence to the covenant and to the people that He had called. The descendants of Abraham are targeted for attack by Satan and the world powers that He uses to counter the purpose of God.

In Daniel 11, there's a very long, very detailed prophecy, not only about events in the ancient world, but really the struggle that was there between powers called the King of the North and the King of the South. But behind it all is a great spiritual hatred toward the people of God. The people God chose to bear the promise based on a covenant that He made with Abraham. These powers sought to do evil to destroy the Jewish state in the land. It's all there in Daniel 11.

One of the kings called Antiochus Epiphanes rose in fury, it says, and defiled the temple. He placed a sacrifice that was called an abomination of desolation. History tells us that was a swine, an unclean sacrificial animal, offered on the holy altar in Jerusalem. Antiochus raged against the holy covenant, we're told.

Now the key takeaway from this bit of history and prophecy is the enduring hostility to the people holding the covenant of God. Satan knows where and how God works among the nations then and now. He hates that work. When today we see a world power like Iran rise and for more than four decades scream, death to America, death to the Jews, we should ask just exactly what that means.

Why do we see such hatred and animosity against these peoples?

Well, the answer is both America and the state of Israel are visible evidence of the promise of God and His faithfulness through the ages. These nations in the modern world are signs of God's enduring faithfulness. There are signs telling us God will give to all nations the ultimate promise of spiritual salvation through Jesus Christ. That truth is and always has been hated among the nations. It's hated today and we see it being acted out in world events.

God chose a man named Abraham to become the father of many nations by which the eternal purpose of God would be carried among the nations throughout time.

Israel, a name of a man, a nation, and ultimately the truth that man would prevail with God and live with Him forever in a city with gates named after the tribes of Israel is the story of the Bible. Israel is a name that tells the story of God and His purpose for all the nations.

We see in the calls of death to America and death to the Jews the ancient hatred for God and for His rule over the lives, hearts, and minds of men.

We're seeing a spiritual battle the ages before our eyes.

For a moment at this time, the powers of Israel have asserted their will against this.

Is it by God's design? Is it and could it be a part of His providential design for the nations?

We should not dismiss this lightly. We should not relegate it to the realm of politics and dismiss it as having no part in the gospel of God.

Our study aid the United States and Britain in Bible prophecy prepared very carefully will give you more details of this amazing key of understanding the promises that God made to Abraham and his descendants and how and why the nations are aligned the way they are today. You can begin reading this by visiting ucg.org/bt496 and there read this study aid the United States and Britain in Bible prophecy.

It will unlock an understanding not only of history and prophecy but of the important relationship that God has for His people and especially for those who turn to Him in repentance and seek to understand and obey Him.