Good morning, everyone

When I’m asked at what point during the week I start thinking about the message for the next mailing, I usually say “About five minutes after I hit the ‘send’ button.”  But it’s a good thing that I didn’t put too much early effort into this week’s promptings, because the attack on Iran last weekend has replaced whatever message I was thinking of.  

Several years ago I was asked if the Russian attack on Ukraine might be a sign of the End Times.  I replied it might be a precursor, but it did not include the countries prophesied in Revelation.  Allow me to review:  

“It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet.  Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.  And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.  The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million.  I heard their number”   [Revelation 9:14-16] 

I had also written that the Euphrates River flows through only four countries, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and of course Iran, so this is the area that God’s four angels are involved with.  So when the country of Iran hits the news, it gets my attention. 

Please keep in mind that End Times prophecy is not an exact science.  For example, I’ve seen at least 6 charts of the chronology of the events to take place during the End Times that were put together by the ‘professionals’, and guess what–they are all different.     

And as long as we are considering the Euphrates in prophecy, please take note of the following:  

“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.” (Revelation 16:12)

I know of only two countries in the East capable of fielding a 200-million-man army, India and China.  In the 1970’s, Mao Tse Tung bragged that he could form an army exactly that size.  In the 70’s.  50 years ago.  Presumably he picked that number without the benefit of studying Revelation prophecy.  

Will Christians still be on earth when the above events take place?  Or will the Rapture have happened?  After 50+ years of studying prophecy, I can definitively state–who knows?  Please reference the aforementioned 6 charts.  But there is one thing I do know–God’s got this.  

My point is not to cause alarm at the happenings in Iran.  My point, for myself and anyone who will listen, is to heed the command of Jesus:  

     “Therefore keep watch,…”    [Matthew 24:42a] 

Blessings, 

Keith