We live in the last time. This is undeniable, if one accepts God’s Word. It is indisputable to anyone who holds the Bible as truth. Proof is found right here: “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1 John 2:18).

So, this is the end of days, for sure. At least, that’s how I read the Apostle John’s words. It was already the end of days at the time he wrote his epistles and the Revelation. I’m aware some don’t believe that the same John wrote both. I profoundly disagree. And there are those who believe the reference here is to the “spirit of Antichrist,” not to “Antichrist,” as the beast of Revelation Chapter 13. I profoundly disagree with that assessment, too. John, here, is writing about BOTH the spirit of Antichrist and a specific man who will come on the scene at some point. He will both come posing as (the counterfeit of) Jesus Christ, and as against all that is Christian. He will be the worst man who has ever walked the surface of this fallen planet. We will begin to postulate how this beast might come to power while we continue with our hypothetical, though well-studied and scripturally-based consideration of things that will quite possibly happen from this point in time forward.

Following the rapture of all born-again believers, the leadership of Israel will look around to find its world support gone with the disappearance of millions of people. All who truly believe Israel has a God-given right to the land, based upon Scriptures in Genesis, will be missing. America will be in total turmoil, and desperately searching for ways to regain its national equilibrium. This can only be accomplished by reestablishing government that will provide structure for restoring order. The European Union, somewhat shaken, nonetheless will remain solid. All civilized parts of the western world will rush to the EU for help in trying to regain and/or preserve things lost in the greatest catastrophe in recorded human history.

The Islamics of the Middle East, who have for centuries held the people under their despotic thumbs, will not be cowered by the disappearances—even of all of their young children. Rather, they will be emboldened to look toward Israel and see an Allah-sent opportunity to once-and-for-all scour the Jew from the face of what they consider to be their land. This rumor of war will not escape Israel’s leadership.

While the Arab-Islamic forces gather in council of war, the military leadership of Israel will be given the top spot in doing whatever is necessary to insure the nation’s continued existence. The liberals and woolly-minded who harbor delusional thoughts that peace is primary will be pushed to the margins. Israel must survive.

Gamel Abdul Nasser will be remembered in the councils of both Israel and her enemies who spawned that Egyptian warlord. Nasser gathered the combined forces of Arab nations and attacked Israel in 1956. He was in the process of again doing so in 1967, when the Israeli Defense Force pre-empted the Egyptian dictator’s plans and thoroughly defeated that collective foe. The people who declare they will never again sit still while forces gather to destroy the nation will now be in charge in Israel. Dramatic action is called for; it will be taken.

Leadership of the major Mid-East terrorist organizations will gather at the one place they are all headquartered—the oldest inhabited city on earth, Damascus, Syria. Their drum beat of blood-vowed hatred will make the inevitable obvious to the Israeli hawks –most all within Israeli leadership. They will decide to cut off the heads of the hydra-headed serpent in one mighty blow. That blow will be delivered by the nuclear sword: “The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap” (Isa. 17:1).

One Israeli jet with a 15-kiloton bomb will cut off the heads, bringing much of Islam into confusion and immense rage. Then, there will be jihad of the most nightmarish sort. But, preparation for such jihad will take time. Much of the diabolical terrorists most proficient at planning such a holy war will have gone to their 72 virgins.

Now, America will agree to agree with EU brainstorming. Something, all agree in the western power sphere, must be done—immediately. World War III—that some have said has already begun with the War on Terrorism—will be about to get underway in full-blown fury. Israel will then sense the collective wrath not just of its Islamic neighbors, but of the entire world, including its former staunchest ally—the United States of America.

Israel, through its preemptive destruction of Damascus with a nuclear weapon, will have enraged everyone, who now looks at the tiny Jewish state as the number-one trouble maker on the planet: “The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zech. 12:1-3).

Israel will be friendless. Most all Jews will know they are doomed. There will be no choice but to invoke the Samson Option. They will bring all who come against them down with their own deadly fall.

But there will be one man within the hierarchy of the EU who wants to try a diplomatic tact others haven’t considered.

Again, we are at the end of space limitations. We will hear this fellow out next time.