On September 15th, 2020, Israel signed peace agreements (dubbed as the Abraham Accord) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain. The event took place at the White House with President Trump presiding over the occasion.
These agreements have now finalized the relationship between the three countries as the world at large applauds the new developments in a bid for peace in the Middle East. It was exactly a month before this signing (August 14th) that I originally wrote an article pertaining to the news of Israel and the UAE normalizing ties.
In the article, I discussed what I believed to be the “pros” and “cons” of the deal, if we can call it the Daniel 9:27 covenant that will be confirmed by the antichrist, and what it meant in terms of set up for Ezekiel 38-39 concerning the nations that will go against an Israel dwelling safely for plunder.
All of my views expressed in that article will be reflected in this one as well as the nature of things aren’t too different. However, I will reiterate the same points later on here but in a summarized fashion.
My focus here won’t be to talk about whether this is a good or bad deal for Israel as I touched on that in the aforementioned article, but to rather focus on the stage setting that’s occurring right before our eyes. Whether you believe this is a good or bad deal for Israel, one thing we can’t deny is that this is setting the stage.
Below you can find the full texts of the signed documents:
- Full text of the Abraham Accords signed by Israel, the UAE and Bahrain
- Full text of the ‘Declaration of Peace’ signed by Israel and Bahrain
- Full text of the ‘Treaty of Peace’ signed by Israel and the United Arab Emirates
‘The Dawn of a New Middle East’: Israel Signs Historic ‘Abraham Accord’ With UAE, Bahrain at White House
From CBN News: The world witnessed a historic step towards peace in the Middle East after two Arab countries signed peace agreements with Israel after meeting with President Trump in Washington. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain just signed the deals on the White House south lawn this afternoon.
President Trump presided over the signing ceremony on the White House’s South Lawn, declaring the step signals “the dawn of a new Middle East”, saying the deals will “change the course of history.”
“They are choosing a future in which Arabs and Israelis, Muslims, Jews, and Christians can live together, pray together, and dream together side by side in harmony, community and peace,” Trump said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed the two historic diplomatic deals with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
The deal Israel signed with the UAE is officially a peace treaty, Netanyahu said Monday. It was previously unclear if the deal would be normalization or peace since Israel and the UAE have never been at war.
The deal Israel signed with Bahrain is a declaration of intent to make peace with Bahrain. This is because there was not enough time to draw up a full agreement since Friday when ties between Bahrain and Israel were announced, The Jerusalem Post reports.
The peace treaty with the UAE will have to be brought before a vote in Israel’s cabinet and then the Knesset after Netanyahu signs it. The treaty will only be finalized after it is approved by the cabinet. Meanwhile, Israel’s declaration with Bahrain is just a joint statement that does not need Knesset approval.
Trump also signed the Israel-UAE and Israel-Bahrain deals, as a “witness” or “observer.” In addition to the individual bilateral agreements Israel will sign with the UAE and Bahrain, all three countries are signing a trilateral document. The specific details of the deals have yet to be revealed.
“We have worked on this for very many years,” said Netanyahu. “This is a great turning point in the history of Israel and in the history of the Middle East. It will have a great and positive effect on every citizen of Israel. I also promise you, according to what I see here, that additional countries are on the way.”
Evangelical leader Johnnie Moore, who was at the White House for the event, tweeted it is a new era of peace and prosperity for the Middle East and called the Israeli and Arab leaders courageous for striking the deal. Read More
Prophetic Implications
As I noted in my article concerning the normalization between Israel and the UAE, I explained why that deal wasn’t the Daniel 9:27 covenant. Likewise, neither are the formalized peace agreements between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain.
Why is this the case? Scripture is clear that this covenant confirmed by the antichrist doesn’t occur until he is revealed, but the revealing of the antichrist itself doesn’t occur until the “restrainer” is taken out of the way first (II Thessalonians 2:6-8). I go into depth on this in my first article on the tribulation here.
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate. (Daniel 9:27)
Many – including myself – believe this restrainer to be holy spirit indwelt Christians that now, through the power of God, are restraining greater evil from coming upon the earth. However, once born again Christians are removed (by the rapture), the Holy spirit “steps aside” and allows the antichrist to come to power. Until this sequence of events occurs (restrainer removed and antichrist revealed) there will be no Daniel 9:27 covenant, and therefore no tribulation.
Although it’s clear that these peace agreements are not the Daniel 9:27 covenant, I firmly believe agreements like this may likely be setting the stage for this covenant to be made. With this verse in mind, it’s especially interesting to see how many Arab nations are showing interest and ready to jump on the bandwagon. Below are a few articles highlighting this sentiment.
- US envoy to UN claims new Israel-Arab peace deal possible ‘in next day or two’
- Trump says Kuwait may soon normalize ties with Israel
- Trump says Saudi Arabia among 7-9 countries expected to make peace with Israel
- Kushner: 100% possible, and logical, for all 22 Arab states to recognize Israel
Along with Daniel 9:27, we’re also seeing the increased set up for the Ezekiel 38-39 war. Specifically, what we’re seeing is an increased call for peace in the Middle East as well as Israel reaping benefits from these agreements. What’s worth noting in Ezekiel 38 is that we’re informed of Israel’s state of being when Russia, Iran, Turkey and other nations come against it.
Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them. After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.’ ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’— to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’ (Ezekiel 38:7-13)
Ezekiel 38:8 and Ezekiel 38:11 shows us that Israel will be dwelling “safely” when this invasion occurs against it and that the people there are “peaceful”. “Peaceful” and “safely” are the first things that should stick out to us. The next important piece to this is why exactly are the nations coming against Israel? “To take plunder and to take booty” (Ezekiel 38:12). Although it doesn’t tell us in this passage, we see that Israel must also be a prosperous nation.
For other nations to want to come against it for material gain of some kind, it presupposes an Israel that has something valuable to take in the first place. Interestingly, these peace agreements are being hailed as bringing about a more prosperous and safe Middle East, and of course Israel would be a part of this prosperity and safety.
Lastly, we see a few nations protesting this invasion. Included is Sheba and Dedan, or modern day Saudi Arabia whose currently on friendly terms with Israel and is also expected to sign an agreement with Israel in the near future.
For nations to protest against an invasion of Israel, they would have to be on good terms which is what we’re seeing amongst Saudi Arabia and Israel and other Arab nations. Ultimately, as we see the set up for the future fulfillment of bible prophecies being set up right before our eyes concerning events that occur in close proximity to the tribulation, it should tell us that our redemption draws ever so near.
Sources
- US envoy to UN claims new Israel-Arab peace deal possible ‘in next day or two’ (September 23rd, 2020) – The Times of Israel
- Trump says Kuwait may soon normalize ties with Israel (September 18th, 2020) – The Times of Israel
- Full text of the Abraham Accords signed by Israel, the UAE and Bahrain (September 16th, 2020) – The Times of Israel
- Full text of the ‘Declaration of Peace’ signed by Israel and Bahrain (September 16th, 2020) – The Times of Israel
- Full text of the ‘Treaty of Peace’ signed by Israel and the United Arab Emirates (September 16th, 2020) – The Times of Israel
- Trump says Saudi Arabia among 7-9 countries expected to make peace with Israel (September 16th, 2020) – The Times of Israel
- ‘The Dawn of a New Middle East’: Israel Signs Historic ‘Abraham Accord’ With UAE, Bahrain at White House (September 15th, 2020) – CBN News
- Kushner: 100% possible, and logical, for all 22 Arab states to recognize Israel (September 1st, 2020) – The Times of Israel
Support the Ministry