Topical thoughts - September 2025

What do conflicts in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and Lebanon all have in common? They're all part of a broader pattern in world events which I believe will ultimately lead to the times of the end outlined in the 5 part series I previously posted on 

A world of relative peace: An anomaly

The world of today is still conditioned to think that the post WWII era is normality for mankind. Sadly, it's the exception rather than the rule and it took the horrors of two global conflicts to get there. Even then, the past 80 years have still seen very scary events and it appears that they are coming now with a frequency and ferocity not seen for quite a while.   

Mankind's natural state is not one of peace and harmony but of fear and unrest.   

But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. Isaiah 57 v 20.   

We are seeing this state on earth again today. Anti-semitism has once again reared its ugly head as the Jews become the world's scapegoat, blamed for all manner of things. The American empire of the 20th century is no longer the world's undisputed superpower, its reputation damaged by self-inflicted wounds and its strength decayed. Yet it still retains enough power to try and direct world events and throw its weight around, especially in support of Israel.   In current terms, the US is already in a proxy war with China, Iran and Russia through its backing of Israel and Ukraine. Russia and Iran have been given bloody noses on the battlefields of Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon through US funding among other things but they are not defeated. Russia will be back and in time, it is a certainty that it will become the power of the King of the North as foretold in Daniel 11 who attacks and overruns Israel. 

How this exactly will play out we are not told but we are certain that it will.   

My readers, given this, you need to view the war in Ukraine not as a separate, isolated event, but in the broader context of Russian struggle to regain its power and prestige on the world stage. It is unwise to make detailed predictions because we are not given all the information in Biblical prophecy to do so. 

However, 2025 / 2026 could well see a reinvigorated Russia sweep through Ukraine and continue on a path that will lead inexorably to the times of the end. We are told by Christ to be alert and watch for the signs of his return. Well, Ukraine is one piece of evidence to me that he is closer than we might realise.   Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine came as a shock to me as I'm sure it did to many others. 

Yet, the war has now been going almost three years and the world has sunk back into its familiar patterns. It's not quite background noise but it's not the front page news it once was. Similarly, Hamas's barbarity on 7th October 2023 is no longer front and centre for most people, the conflict in the middle east having raged on at various levels for many many years before now. Human beings have a unique capacity to blind themselves to longer term trends and to miss a broader thread in favour of their mass delusions. 

It's important to understand that this capacity is not limited to those who have not heard of Chris, as Peter outlines in 2 Peter 3 v 3-9   

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  

God's purpose is working its way out in the earth. It may be slow and to those who do not know or care to know, imperceptible in its progress but God is not in a hurry. Things will work themselves out at the appointed time and in the appointed way. It is mankind that is in a hurry and willfully blind to its obligations to God.

Israel & the return of Jesus

Israel returned to the land and established its state in 1948. It recaptured Jerusalem in 1967. Its return was foretold by Jesus in the parable of the fig tree shooting forth once again as outlined in Luke 21 v 29-33  

And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.  

What do we make of this parable and how should we interpret it? The rise of Israel and a broader sense of nationalism has dominated the 20th century. Jesus here locks us into a very specific period because the generation that saw the return of Israel is also foretold not to pass away until all be fulfilled. So, how long is a generation? From when does that period start? 1948 with the establishing of the State of Israel? Or 1967 with the capture of Jerusalem? We do not know and this is by design. We are supposed to watch for the signs of Christ's return and if we knew the day and hour, how would we stay prepared and vigilant?   

We've swum through some quite deep waters here over the course of this post. If it seems vague to you, my readers, there is good reason for that. We are seeing a jigsaw puzzle that's not yet fully formed. We do not know how all the pieces fit together but over time, we will see more and more. Only looking back will we see the full picture with all its detail so for now, we have to review the scriptures diligently and interpret prophecy very carefully, only saying what we know for certain and avoiding speculation as much as possible.  

This know, however, that the world of tomorrow will broadly be worse than the world of today. We are on a slow slide into oblivion and catastrophe from which only Christ's righteous rule can save us. There is still time to correct course and affirm our faith in God's promises. We should all take what time we have left to do our best.