Chapter 4: The Bright Future of the Middle East
If we did not have the Bible, the picture of the Middle East’s future would be grim. But God has revealed a much brighter future for the Middle East.
Jesus Christ is coming to save—and rule—the world
God knows that in the end time, humans will develop and use weapons of mass destruction to such an extent that they will come close to erasing all life on earth. Jesus said, “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved” (Matthew 24:22). But Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and He will return just in time to save life on earth.
The name Jesus refers to His role as Savior and Christ means “anointed” (Messiah in Hebrew). He is anointed to rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Ironically, all three major religions that claim a stake in Jerusalem have varying beliefs regarding the Messiah.
In a 2010 survey, about half of mainstream American Christians said they believed Jesus Christ would return in the next 40 years.
Judaism views Jesus as a man who falsely claimed to be the Messiah. Adherents of this religion are still awaiting the Messiah’s coming.
Islam believes Jesus was a human prophet who was not crucified or resurrected, and therefore was not humanity’s savior. Muslims believe He will return in order to point all humans to Muhammad and Islam.
Humanity is in for a big shock. Revelation 12:9 says Satan the devil has deceived the whole world. That encompasses all ethnic groups and religions. Hence when Christ returns, the armies of the nations will fight against Him! But Christ will vanquish all His remaining enemies at His return.
And Satan, the instigator of all war, evil and misery, will be removed from the world, unable to deceive and oppress humans during Christ’s reign on earth.
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while” (Revelation 20:1-3).
Notice the reference to 1,000 years. This is the initial period Christ will reign on earth, with Satan gone from the scene. Because 1,000 years is a millennium, we refer to this special future period as “the Millennium.”
After the Millennium, Satan will be “released for a little while.” Revelation 20:7-10 foretells that he will resume his destructive efforts as soon as he is released. After the “little while” of freedom, he and the demons will be banished for the rest of eternity.
Blessings of Abraham shared with all
Before proceeding with the wonderful future the Bible predicts for the Middle East and the entire world, we need to return to a key promise God made to Abraham.
When God told Abraham to leave his country and go to a land He would show him, one of the promises God offered to Abraham was: “And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).
There are multiple ways this far-reaching promise was to be fulfilled. First, it was through Abraham’s descendants that Jesus was born. Through His life and sacrifice for our sins, He became the Savior of all mankind.
Another way all mankind is going to be blessed through Abraham is that Jesus will intervene to prevent the destruction of the human race. He will return to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, provide true and complete education on how God wants to be worshipped and make eternal life available to everyone who chooses to live God’s way.
Let’s now examine these amazing blessings in greater detail.
Jerusalem will become the capital of the world
Christ chose Jerusalem long ago as His city of future residence. He appeared to Abraham as “Melchizedek king of Salem,” the “priest of God Most High” (Genesis 14:18). Salem developed into the city later called Jerusalem.
Hebrews 7:1-3 makes clear that Melchizedek was the One who later came as Jesus Christ: “Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually” (verse 3).
After Israel settled in the Promised Land, God chose Jerusalem to be its capital, where the throne of David was established (1 Kings 11:13, 36). Jerusalem is where Christ chose to fulfill His great sacrifice, and where He rose from the dead three days later (Matthew 16:21). Jerusalem is where His Church began (Luke 24:47).
Jesus Christ will return to receive David’s throne (Luke 1:32) and rule as King from Jerusalem. God says, “I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy,” and “the LORD will again comfort Zion, and will again choose Jerusalem” (Zechariah 1:16-17).
In fact, when Christ returns to earth, He will descend to the same place from which He left the earth in A.D. 31—Jerusalem, or more precisely, the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9-12).
The Middle East will be united and at peace
During the Millennium all the descendants of Abraham—Arabs and Israelites—along with all other nations, will have the opportunity to learn God’s truth and receive His gift of salvation and eternal life.
The modern-day descendants of Egypt, Assyria and Israel will be joined, not only in religion and cooperation, but even in an open road system between them.
“In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, ‘Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance’” (Isaiah 19:23-25).
This prophecy represents the unity and peace that will exist between the three civilizations that have historically been at odds with each other—the Arab world, Israel and Europe.
Another wonderful picture of that future day is found in Isaiah 2:3: “Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
This is talking about a reeducation program that will be implemented. Other nations—presumably starting with those nearest in the Middle East—will acknowledge Christ as the world’s King and will see that the tribes of Israel are being greatly blessed. They, too, will want God’s favor and blessings, and will desire to learn His laws.
One subject that will not be taught is war. “He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4).
Aggressive violence and destruction are of Satan’s attitude and way of life, and they will be prohibited in God’s realm. “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).
God will enter a covenant with the Middle East
After Christ returns, He will again enter into an agreement (covenant) with Israel. It will be based upon the original covenant—including the same commandments, statutes and other terms God requires—but upgraded or made “new” by a new promise on God’s part.
What makes this covenant so much better is the conferring of God’s own Spirit, which imparts the heart and mind of God and a down payment of immortal, spirit life into humans. Notice the descriptions in Jeremiah 31:31-33 and Ezekiel 11:19-20; 36:24-28.
Ezekiel 39:29 is another millennial prophecy: “And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel.”
Other nations will then have the same opportunity to enter God’s covenant and receive His Spirit. Notice Joel 2:28: “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.”
The Middle East will become like the Garden of Eden
The earth will be in desperate shambles when Christ returns (Revelation chapters 8–9 and 15–16). But He will immediately begin restoration on a global scale.
Notice this prophecy: “For the LORD will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden” (Isaiah 51:3).
Starting from the Middle East and then spreading beyond, landscapes will become like the paradise of the original Garden of Eden (Ezekiel 36:35). Lebanon will be transformed into a fruitful field (Isaiah 29:17).
Millennial prophecies describe today’s wilderness areas becoming fruitful fields with pools of water and rivers appearing in desolate heights (Isaiah 32:15; 33:21; 35:6-7; 41:18). Crops will be so abundant that harvesting will be nearly continual (Isaiah 30:23; Amos 9:13; Joel 2:23-24; Zechariah 8:12).
All of this will come from God, as people turn to Him and remain obedient to His laws. This was God’s original promise to Israel, and He will uphold it not only for Israel in the Millennium, but for all nations (Leviticus 26:3-6; Deuteronomy 28:1, 4-12).
For further study on the changes that will occur in the Middle East and throughout the world during the Millennium, read our free booklet The World to Come: What It Will Be Like.
What the story of the Middle East means for us
As we conclude our exploration of the Middle East in Bible prophecy, it becomes evident that the story transcends the historical narrative of Abraham and his descendants. This part of the world serves as the stage from which God initiates His work with humanity at large.
The Middle East, with its intricate history, is not merely a geographical setting but a chosen ground where God is unfolding His divine plan for all peoples. The Bible reveals God as the loving Father of every nationality and ethnic group. He desires for all people to become part of His eternal family.
This divine narrative intersects with the turbulent present and offers a glimpse into the future when Jesus Christ returns to the Middle East, bringing peace and reconciliation to those who submit to His rule and live by His laws.
As we stand at the crossroads of unprecedented conflict in the Middle East, aligning our lives with God’s commands becomes paramount. The call is not to succumb to the prevailing mindset of enmity but, as followers of God, to heed Christ’s admonition against being weighed down by worldly pursuits.
Our Savior’s plea to us is to watch, pray and be counted worthy to escape the impending trials that will come upon the earth (Luke 21:34, 36).
As we contemplate these profound truths, let’s reflect on the broader implications of the story of the Middle East, recognizing God’s desire for each of us. By aligning our lives with His commands, we can have the opportunity to assist Christ in bringing peace to the Middle East and fulfilling the greater purpose God has for each of us.
For further insights, resources and support, we invite you to explore our LifeHopeandTruth.com website. Let us know how we can assist you on this transformative journey.
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