It is the “times of the signs,” as my great friend Chuck Missler used to say.
Chuck has been in Heaven for a few years now, so he has missed seeing, from this earthly vantage point, the signs proliferating at an amazing pace. Perhaps he is, as he often proposed when teaching about our future life in that eternal, glorious place, “watching from the balconies of Heaven.”
Whether Chuck is seeing all that is now taking place here on earth or is too busy in other ways in that magnificent place God prepared for him, the signs Chuck often assessed while going about the world in his powerful ministry are exploding all around us—those left here to “watch,” as Jesus instructed (Mark 13:37 and Luke 21:28).
We endeavor in this column, as do other “watchers” in their various forums, to observe the signals of the approaching Tribulation—Daniel’s seventieth week.
The greatest general sign in these times so near that seven-year era, the second half of which Jesus called the worst time of human history (Matthew 24:21), is that Israel is back in the land. Other general signs, as I view them, are:
- The entire world is beginning to turn against Israel, God’s chosen nation and people (Zechariah 12:1–3).
- There is a cry for peace, with a two-state solution involving Israel and its enemies to divide God’s land (Joel 3:2).
- There is a drive-by anti-God force—the Ephesians 6:12 cabal, to tear down the US and all sovereignty of nations.
- Wickedness is growing to the Sodom and Gomorrah level, with insanity gripping the world in the way described by the Apostle Paul’s Romans 1:28 “reprobate mind” diagnosis.
- Apostasy is on the rise (2 Thessalonians 2:3), with the pope of the Catholic Church saying every religion has a way to salvation.
- Technology, through AI and other phenomenal so-called advances, is gushing this generation toward a time of Antichrist’s worldwide control (Revelation 13:16-18).
While there isn’t enough space in this commentary to deal with all these matters, we’ve done so over the preceding months and years. So, I would like to consider here only two specific, most-pointed prophetic elements that are, at this precise moment, on the verge of fulfillment. Certainly the stage is being set for these occurrences to suddenly burst upon this “time of the signs.”
First, I want to consider the Isaiah 17:1 passage involving the destruction of Damascus.
Dynamics affecting this volatile region of Syria have seemingly ignited into an unstoppable circumstance. The removal of dictator Bashar Al-Assad of Syria opened the way for a new anti-Israel regime, composed of several terrorist group leaderships, to take control. The situation now appears to be near exploding into an action by Israel that could cause all of the Middle East to erupt into conflagration.
Here is that prophecy:
“The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap” (Isaiah 17:1).
Here is an article that explains this developing danger of war in the Middle East:
The Sunni radicals that have taken over Syria are demanding that all Israeli forces must leave Syrian territory. On the other side, the IDF is hammering military targets in southern Syria with a blistering wave of airstrikes, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that any military forces aligned with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham will not be allowed south of Damascus. Do you understand what this means? It means that Damascus is now right on the front lines of a conflict between Israel and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham that is rapidly heating up. If all-out war erupts, Damascus is likely to be absolutely devastated.
Of course, many prominent buildings in Damascus have already been turned into piles of rubble, but now it appears that things could be about to go to the next level.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has confirmed that IDF airstrikes are being conducted in southern Syria, and he is warning that any attempt by forces aligned with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham to enter the security zone in southern Syria “will be met with fire”…
Israel confirmed it is conducting strikes in southern Syria, as the new Syrian government calls for the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian territory.
“We will not allow southern Syria to become southern Lebanon,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said regarding the strikes. “Any attempt by the Syrian regime forces and the country’s terrorist organizations to establish themselves in the security zone in southern Syria will be met with fire.”
Katz said the Israeli Air Force is “now attacking strongly in southern Syria as part of the new policy we have defined of pacifying southern Syria.” (“Is The Stage Being Set for Damascus to Be Utterly Destroyed and Turned into a Heap of Ruins?” Michael, Rapture Ready News, February 27, 2025)
The other most pressing matter that’s key in these “times of the signs,” I believe, is things coming to a potentially violent head regarding Iran’s nuclear development program. Middle East Bible prophecy expert Bill Salus writes about this Jeremiah 49:34 prophecy concerning a coming disaster to Elam, the very area in which Iran’s nuclear laboratories are thought to be within the Bushehr mountain range.
Bill enumerates, by dissecting through paraphrased biblical terms, the destruction scheduled to take place.
The Seven I Wills and Details of the Lord in Jeremiah 49:34–39.
- The Lord will break the bow of Elam / at the foremost of Elam’s might.
- The Lord will gather the four winds from the four quarters of heaven / and scatter the Elamites worldwide.
- The Lord will cause Iran to be dismayed / before the eyes of its enemies.
- The Lord will create a disaster inside Iran / because Iran has fiercely angered Him.
- The Lord will send the sword after the Iranians / until they are defeated.
- The Lord will destroy the Iranian leadership / and establish His throne in Elam.
- The Lord will restore the land of Elam / and return the exiles to Elam.
(Taken from a document for media use to promote Bill Salus’ NOW Prophecies book and DVD)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long stated, in every relevant forum, that Iran will never be allowed to produce nuclear weapons. Now his declaration is backed by the US president, whereas the previous American administration did everything within its power to resist Netanyahu’s efforts to thwart the Iranian ayatollah’s determination to produce nuclear military capability.
Current developments bring Jeremiah 49:34 into view as we consider the following report:
Iran has placed its missile defense systems on high alert, anticipating potential Israeli and US airstrikes on nuclear sites, The Telegraph reported. The report follows a Bloomberg report citing the International Atomic Energy Agency, which found that Iran’s uranium stockpile has surged in recent months.
The Telegraph cited two high-level government sources that say Tehran has been expanding missile defense coverage around nuclear and missile sites for fear of potential joint military strikes by stealth fighter jets by Israel and the US.
“They [Iranian authorities] are just waiting for the attack and are anticipating it every night, and everything has been on high alert—even in sites that no one knows about,” one source told The Telegraph.
“Work to fortify nuclear sites has been ongoing for years, but it has intensified over the past year, particularly since Israel launched the first attack,” he added.
“Recent developments, including Donald Trump’s comments and reports about potential plans from his administration to strike Iran, have further intensified activities.” (“Iranian Nuke Sites on ‘High Alert’ for Stealth Jet Attacks; Enriched Uranium Stockpiles Near Level for Bomb,” Zero Hedge, Tyler Durden, February 26, 2025)
The times of the signs cannot be missed by those who “watch.” Jesus instructed us to “watch,” as referenced above, in order to assure us that “our redemption is drawing near” when we see “all these things begin to come to pass.”
Here, again, is God’s call to all people who don’t know Jesus Christ for salvation. These lost souls are facing living under Antichrist and the horrors of the Tribulation unless they accept this call to redemption from the eternal consequences of unrepented sin.
“That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10 9-10).
Terry James Prophecy Line 
The prophecies about Elam are interesting in that once again God demonstrates consistency in removing people he intends to save out from under judgement before that judgement comes.
I wonder if these people exiled from Elam might be the church currently forming in Iran? Speculation but interesting thing to think about.
Israel has generally warned the population in advance of an intended strike, even though these people are enemies. I don’t know of any other military which has done this. Perhaps that will be the case with Iran. Israel may forewarn the people in the Elam area so they can get out in time.This would certainly fulfill the prophecy of those people being scattered.
We also are told that they will return. To do this implies that the hits will be surgical, allowing non-military assets to be left intact. Otherwise it would take years to make the place habitable again, as is the case with Gaza.
I personally don’t think we have enough years left for that.
You’re absolutely right Ed, Israel has in the past, warned the civilian population of its enemies to get out before the IDF started to use its planes, bombs etc. I wonder if it will use bunker-busting bombs provided by the US to weed out Iran’s nuclear repositories? Ever since Iran recognized the need to hide and protect these sites, it seems to me only intended targets for the production of highly enriched uranium and /or nuclear missile launch sites will be destroyed because of Israel’s civilian-compassionate campaigns.
We are told in the Bible, Persia is absolutely with these others–Russia, Turkey, Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya and many others–in this yet future Ezekiel 38 war. If Iran(Persia) is made power-less(no nukes), there’s all the more reason for the ayatollah to make war with Israel in vengeful retribution. But the Bible clearly states this invading army is after Israel’s booty, or spoils. And I agree with you it would take many years to rebuild should Israel launch an all-out blitz decimating much of what was once the areas where the Elamites lived.
I agree with you, D.
It also stands to reason that a substantially weakened Iran would be even more inclined to ally itself with Russia and the other Ezekiel 38 participants because it would be no longer able to get revenge on Israel by itself.
I don’t know when this war will start. It may happen soon after the Rapture when America would no longer be a threat since a substantial amount of its population would have disappeared. I just can’t picture it happening when the U.S. is as powerful as it presently is under and under an administration such as President Trump’s.
Of course, we can’t rule out the unexpected, such as a natural disaster, happening to somehow diminish America’s power before then.
What we do know is that Ezekiel 38-39 will indeed happen even if we don’t know when.
Ephesians 12:6 ??? My bible stops at Ephesians 6 for that book.
Good catch! Thanks!
The greatest general sign in these times so near that seven-year era, the second half of which Jesus called the worst time of human history (Matthew 24:21), is that Israel is back in the land. Other general signs, as I view them, are:
Note in bullet point #3 in paragraph 4 above: I believe that “Ephesians 12:6” should have read Zechariah 12:6
Zechariah 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
Thanks for your comment, Curt. But, he did in fact mean Ephesians 6:12. The Scripture has been corrected. Take care, Dana.