Israel, Gaza, and Iran: Are We Witnessing Biblical Prophecy Unfold in 2025?

As we write this on June 16, 2025, the Middle East stands at a critical juncture unlike anything we've witnessed in modern history. What began as Hamas's devastating attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has now escalated into a regional conflict that has many asking: Are we witnessing the fulfillment of ancient biblical prophecies before our very eyes?

The numbers alone tell a sobering story. The Gaza war, now in its twentieth month, has claimed over 61,000 Palestinian lives and fundamentally altered the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. But it's the recent dramatic escalation between Israel and Iran that has captured global attention and prompted serious discussions about end-times prophecy.

The Current Crisis: A Powder Keg Explodes

The Gaza War: Twenty Months of Devastation

On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led militant groups launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 815 civilians, and taking 251 hostages with the stated goal of forcing Israel to release Palestinian prisoners. What followed was an Israeli military response that has fundamentally reshaped Gaza and the broader region.

Israeli forces have launched numerous campaigns during the invasion, including the Rafah offensive, battles around Khan Yunis, and the siege of North Gaza. Over 55,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, over half of them women and children, with more than 128,000 wounded. Israel's operations have caused unprecedented destruction in Gaza, making large parts of it uninhabitable and leveling entire cities.

The Iran-Israel Confrontation: June 2025

But it was the events of early June 2025 that truly shocked the world. On June 13, 2025, Israel launched "Operation Rising Lion," the largest attack on Iran since the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. Under this operation, the IDF and Mossad damaged key nuclear sites and military installations and killed several of Iran's top military leaders.

The attack killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Hossein Salami, Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri, nuclear scientists Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, and Iranian civilians. The strikes destroyed the Natanz nuclear facility and damaged Isfahan's uranium conversion facility.

Iran's response was swift and devastating. On the evening of June 13, Iran launched "hundreds of ballistic missiles" toward Israel in what it called "Operation Severe Punishment." Sirens rang out across Israel, and explosions could be seen in Tel Aviv. The tit-for-tat strikes have continued, creating the most dangerous moment in Middle Eastern history.

Biblical Prophecy and the Modern Middle East

The Restoration of Israel: A Prophetic Milestone

The re-establishment of Israel in 1948 was a pivotal event in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. The prophet Ezekiel, writing over 2,500 years ago, spoke of a future restoration of Israel: "Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land'" (Ezekiel 37:21).

In 70 AD, Israel was scattered among the nations. The Jews had no homeland for 2,000 years, until 1948, when they became a nation in one day. The prophet Isaiah said: "Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once?" (Isaiah 66:8).

This restoration wasn't just a political event—it was the setting of the prophetic stage. For the first time in nearly two millennia, the biblical prophecies concerning Israel could potentially find their literal fulfillment.

Wars and Rumors of Wars

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus spoke of wars being a sign of the end of the age: "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet". Looking at the Middle East today, these words seem remarkably prescient.

The prophet Zechariah, writing thousands of years ago, addressed what we now call the ongoing "Middle East crisis": "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it" (Zechariah 12:2-3).

The Gog and Magog Prophecy: Ezekiel 38-39

The Coalition Described

The most discussed prophetic passage regarding end-times warfare involving Israel is found in Ezekiel 38-39. These chapters provide a detailed prophecy about a future invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations led by a figure called Gog from the land of Magog.

The coalition includes: Magog (traditionally associated with the Scythians from north of the Black Sea), Persia (modern-day Iran), Cush (usually identified as ancient Ethiopia or Sudan), Put (often associated with Libya or North Africa), Gomer (possibly referring to the Cimmerians from the northern Black Sea region), and Beth Togarmah (potentially referring to Armenia or a region in modern-day Turkey).

Modern Identifications

Much of the scholarly discussion centers on the identity of "Gog," "Magog," "Meshek," and "Tubal." According to many interpretations, "Rosh" is a reference to Russia, "Meshek" is either Moscow or the people north of the Black Sea (the area of southern Russia and Ukraine), and "Tubal" is identified as a city in Siberia or an area in central Turkey.

Many Bible students and prophecy teachers believe Magog represents modern-day Russia. If you get out a map of the Middle East and look to the north of Israel, you will find Russia. The Bible predicted hundreds of years ago that this large force from the north of Israel would attack her after she was regathered, and one of the allies that would attack Israel would be Persia—the ancient name for modern Iran.

Current Geopolitical Alignments

What makes this prophecy particularly compelling in 2025 is the current geopolitical alignment. On September 30, 2015, Russia launched a military intervention in Syria after a request by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government, allowing Russia to play an important role in the Near East. And the war in Ukraine, which began with Russia's invasion in February 2022, has drawn Russia and Iran closer in several strategic and economic areas.

Turkish President Erdoğan has called for Russia, Iran, Turkey, and Syria to form an alliance. Notably, some Bible researchers have identified an alliance of Russia, Iran, and Turkey as being the fulfillment of biblical prophecy, especially the War of Gog and Magog from Ezekiel 38.

Iran has for a long time stated that their objective is to destroy Israel. They have also signaled that they are developing a nuclear weapon. In the past they have threatened to, in their own words, wipe Israel off the face of the Earth.

Conditions Not Yet Met

Israel's Security Status

However, there are conditions for the war of Ezekiel 38 and 39 that have not yet been met. Three times in Ezekiel 38—in verses 8, 11, and 14—it states that the war described will not occur until the people of Israel are living "securely" in "unwalled villages".

Israel is not living in security today. It is bombarded daily by missiles from Gaza, and it is constantly under the threat of missile attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon. There is also the ever-present threat of terrorist attacks, a threat that has forced Israel to construct a 400-mile-long wall down the center of the country.

Missing Border Nations

The second reason some doubt that the war of Ezekiel 38 and 39 will be the next end-time war is because the nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38:5-6 as the allies of Russia do not include a single Arab state with a border adjacent to Israel. The nations identified are Persia (Iran), Cush (Sudan), Put (Libya), and two regions within modern-day Turkey. There is no mention of the nations that share a common border with Israel—namely, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Gaza.

The World Turning Against Israel

Shifting Global Opinion

Bible prophecy says the world will turn against Israel in the 'last days'—and this appears to be happening now. After six months of war in Gaza, Israel has been losing the global public relations battle. As we observe the situation in June 2025, this trend has only accelerated.

President Biden openly blasted Israel's prime minister with obscenities, calling Benjamin Netanyahu—the only truly democratically elected U.S. ally in the Middle East—derogatory names. Meanwhile, other countries—including Canada and Turkey—have begun to impose military and trade embargoes on Israel.

The UN Special Committee found Israel's warfare methods in Gaza consistent with characteristics of genocide, stating: "Since the beginning of the war, Israeli officials have publicly supported policies that strip Palestinians of the very necessities required to sustain life—food, water, and fuel".

International Isolation

This growing international isolation of Israel fits a prophetic pattern described throughout Scripture. The nations of the world increasingly view Israel as the primary obstacle to Middle Eastern peace, despite the complex realities of the situation.

Multiple End-Times Wars

Not Just One Battle

Most people are surprised to learn that Bible prophecy reveals nine wars in the end times, and Armageddon relates to only one of these. This suggests that the current conflicts may be part of a larger prophetic sequence rather than the final battle itself.

According to prophecy, at least two major conflicts occur in the foreseeable future, and both are defeated by the God of Israel. The first invasion of Israel appears to come from an alliance of Islamic nations in the Middle East (specifically Iran and Turkey), all probably led by Russia. This is the so-called Gog-Magog war detailed in Ezekiel's prophecy. The last invasion (amassed in a place called Armageddon) appears to involve 'all nations' of the world working under a Satanically inspired world government.

Timing Considerations

There are different theories about when Ezekiel's battle of Gog and Magog will occur: before the tribulation begins, pointing to the fact that after the battle, the people of Israel will be burning the enemy's weapons for seven years and spend over seven months burying the dead (Ezekiel 39:9–10, 12–16).

Different Interpretations

Literal vs. Symbolic

There are Bible teachers who believe that Ezekiel 38-39 should be interpreted symbolically rather than literally. In other words, whatever the chapters meant in Ezekiel's day, more than 2,500 years ago, has no bearing on the current situation in the Middle East.

Those who read every prophecy in the Bible as if it applied to today fail to recognize the ancient, contextual meaning of many biblical prophecies. They also wrongly assume that we are the last generation, something that cannot be known with certainty at this point in time.

Historical Precedents

Observers in AD 70 as the Romans entered Jerusalem, defiled the sanctuary and destroyed the city and temple might well have asked "Are the prophecies being fulfilled?" Participants in the Crusades may also have felt that they were in the very last days. We might also think of World War 1 and the end of the Ottoman Empire, the Six-Day War in 1967, the Yom Kippur War 50 years ago, or even the two Iraq Wars of recent times.

So, it is possible to read the events of pretty much any stage of history onto Scripture. There has always been pestilence, plague and war and much of that seems to have centered on the cradle of civilization.

Current Events and Prophetic Significance

The Awakening of Interest

Events in the Middle East seem to be getting more and more apocalyptic, and people want to know: Is the book of Revelation unfolding before our eyes? So many are speculating about whether or not we're seeing biblical prophecy in action. But what you might not have heard is that many of the people asking questions are non-believers.

On the most popular podcast in the world, the host recently read an entire chapter of Revelation on his show. Joe Rogan may have mocked the Scriptures in the past but not anymore. He is genuinely asking whether we're seeing these events coming to pass right now.

Signs of the Times

The convergence of several factors makes the current situation prophetically significant:

1. Israel's Restoration: For the first time in 2,000 years, Israel exists as a nation
2. Geopolitical Alignment: The nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39 (Russia, Iran, Turkey) are forming unprecedented alliances
3. Global Hostility: Increasing international opposition to Israel
4. Regional Instability: Multiple conflicts creating conditions for larger warfare
5. Nuclear Capabilities: Iran's advancing nuclear program adds urgency to the situation

What Should Christians Do?

Watch and Pray

What should Christians be doing in light of all this? Two things. Jesus said, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:28). That's what we need to be doing, looking for the soon return of Jesus Christ.

But we also need to pray. The Bible tells us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). We want to pray that they arrive at some kind of peace. We want to pray that this horrific terrorism stops and that they're able to get their hostages back. And we want to pray that God places His hand of protection on the nation of Israel during this unprecedented war.

Discernment and Preparation

Jesus tells us to watch, to pray, and to be ready. We are warned in the parable of the five foolish virgins who fell asleep not to fall into complacency (Matthew 25:1-13). God esteems those who yearn for His appearing, not those who mock and scoff, saying it will never come.

A common misconception is that all biblical prophetic language is to be taken at absolute face value, that is, a "hyper-literalism." Such an approach is wrong because it fails to take into account the various literary genres in which the prophecies are found.

The Bigger Picture: God's Sovereignty

Divine Purposes

The Gog and Magog prophecy offers several spiritual and moral lessons: Divine Sovereignty—the prophecy emphasizes God's ultimate control over historical events. Regardless of how current events unfold, believers can trust that God remains sovereign over nations and rulers.

God promises to destroy Gog's army: "I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him" (Ezekiel 38:22). This supernatural judgment will have the effect of preserving Israel and turning many hearts to God.

Ultimate Victory

The restoration of Israel will take place when the Kingdom of God is established from Jerusalem. The vast majority of the book of Isaiah, for example, deals with themes of the redemption of Israel, the Day of the Lord, and the glorious return of our Messiah.

Looking forward to Christ's return, believers can anticipate:

• Jesus ruling and reigning from Jerusalem with unopposed authority
• World peace with weapons converted to agricultural tools
• Middle Eastern nations joining together in worship of Israel's God
• Fundamental changes in nature, with limited illness, death, and evil

Conclusion: A Time for Watchfulness

As we observe the dramatic events unfolding in the Middle East in June 2025, we find ourselves in a unique position in history. The nation of Israel exists for the first time in 2,000 years. The nations mentioned in Ezekiel's prophecy are aligned in unprecedented ways. Global hostility toward Israel is increasing. Nuclear weapons have entered the equation.

Are we witnessing the setup for the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39? The evidence is compelling, though we must remember that many generations have thought they were the last. We need to be careful of reading events now into Scripture. However, we also shouldn't be surprised if we find that things seem to fit.

Whether the current Israel-Gaza war and the Iran-Israel confrontation are direct precursors to the prophetic fulfillment of the Gog-Magog war, or simply another chapter in the long history of Middle Eastern conflict, one thing remains certain: God's word endures forever, His promises are sure, and His timing is perfect.

As we see biblical prophecy coming to pass and the circumstances lining up to match God's word, may He find us eagerly looking up, ready and waiting for Him. The events of 2025 remind us that we live in prophetic times, when the words of ancient prophets seem to leap from the pages of Scripture into our daily headlines.

For believers, this is not a time for fear but for hope. Not a time for speculation but for proclamation of the Gospel. Not a time for withdrawal but for watchfulness. The God who has orchestrated history from the beginning knows the end from the beginning, and His purposes will not be thwarted.

As we continue to monitor developments in the Middle East, may we do so with hearts prepared, minds discerning, and spirits ready for whatever the Lord may bring. Whether He returns today or delays His coming, our response remains the same: "Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).

The situation in the Middle East continues to develop rapidly. This analysis reflects the state of affairs as of June 16, 2025, and serves as a framework for understanding current events through the lens of biblical prophecy rather than as definitive prophetic interpretation.