 This is the CBS News Special Report. I'm Weija Jang in Washington, a major new escalation in the Middle East. Tonight, Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel. It involves dozens of drones launched from Iranian territory. At first, this is in retaliation for Israel's bombing of Iran's consulate in Syria. Anytime something happens with Israel, people tend to want to wonder, especially those with a biblical point of view, want to know, is this any way related to some sort of biblical prophecy? Is this something relating to the end time? Well, the simple and easy answer is yes, to some degree, but to what extent? We don't really know. Is it to say that here comes the end of times? No, it's not to say that. Is this something that's specifically taking place that the Bible is saying? No, not necessarily. Now, I didn't preclude that, but I don't think that what's happening lately with Iran striking at Israel, I think they sent what, some three to 400 missiles in various ways, crews, ballistic missiles, drones and so forth. I think about six or seven actually made it there, which is pretty good in terms of Israel's defense. But the bigger point, the bigger question is, does this relate to anything happening in the Bible? What is Israel's response going to be? How is that going to draw the world in? What's the world's response going to be? There are other players, obviously, other than just Iran. Remember, there's Syria, who also has the backing of Russia. What about China? What about other countries? What about America? Well, we're not totally sure. At the end, as things move closer and closer, things will become clearer and clearer, different pieces will move together. But I want to look at what the Bible says about this and how we can see that, one, these are things that have been spoken of in the Bible. Two, it gives us comfort to know because they're spoken of in the Bible, it lets us know who's ultimately in control and we should put our faith and comfort in that. But it also is going to tell us to do something else. All of this could have been prevented had Israel been obedient. However, easier said than done because we're not that obedient, truth be told. But look what he says in Joshua 23, 13. This is as they're going in to take the land. God, it was God, it was specific. God was clear. God was careful in telling them do these things. One of the things was to drive out the people who God wanted it gone or unless they became followers of God. But unless it happened, they are to be driven out. And so does he say, no, no with certainty. This is Joshua 23, 13, that the Lord your God will not continue to drive out these nations from out from before you, but they will be a snare and a trap to you and a whip on your sides and a thorn in your eyes until you perish from off this good land. Wish the Lord your God has given. So he's telling them, if you're not going to remove them, if you're not going to drive them out, then no, this is what's going to happen. Well, as we go to Judges chapter one and chapter two, specifically judges one, round verse 20 on, you'll see that as they take their possession land, each different tribe, they are not removing the people there. The folks that are there, the tribes of nations that are already there, they leave them there. As a matter of fact, they end up kind of mingling with them and taking part in their customs and so forth. And they ended up becoming what he says to Joshua, a thorn or prick in the side or in their eyes and so forth. So we go to Judges chapter two. So look at verse 20. He says, after they didn't do so, after each tribe, after tribe, after tribe failed to do what they were supposed to do, God says, so the anger of the Lord burned against Israel. It's important. And he said, because this nation that is Israel has transgressed my covenant, which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to my voice, I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk in as their fathers did or not. So the Lord allowed those nations to remain not driving them out quickly and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua. So what does God say? I'm not going to take them out. So when you wonder why you have groups like Hezbollah and Hamas stealing Israel, why are you going to have people that are non, that are not of Israel, that are not Jewish, that are there? It's because God says, I will no longer drive them out. They will be there and they will be a thorn. They will be something to come against you and antagonist against you as long as you're in this land until one God does something or he drives you off. So we understand why they're there. We might kind of relate this as something political, but it's not necessarily political. This is biblical. This is heaven ordained because you disobeyed God. God is now going to punish you, but he says ultimately to test you. Now it's going to be so that God will bring them ultimately to their knees, which means bringing them that is Israel to him. As he said, you made me jealous with a God that is not a God. So I'll make you jealous with the people that's not a people that is Gentiles. And so one, the gospel is going to be offensive to them. Ultimately, he's going to use that and those very same people to bring Israel to him. But in the meantime, he's going to punish them to test them. Now, speaking specifically about what happened as far as Iran attacking, remember Iran was formerly Persia and Persia has a very important role in the Bible. Remember it was Persia that they came out of captivity from in the end after their 70, 70 year captivity. It was them leaving from Persia and then thoughts thing about this. When Daniel is having this prayer before he's praying about what's going to happen before the 70, I'm sorry, at the end of the 70 years, there's a prayer that comes up and then notice, remember Daniel's request or Daniel's response was hindered for 21 days by who? Go to Daniel 10. Notice what he says, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for 21 days. It's the angel Michael saying this and so now he's saying that this is something that every nation or maybe the prince of Persia has an angel with him or a demon with him. I'm not necessarily saying that. I don't want to really go into that. But the point is that some sort of governance, some sort of dominion, some sort of demonic force was also in leagues with who? The prince of or the prince of the kingdom of Persia. And if we go to Ezekiel 38, Ezekiel speaks about a war coming against Israel where these nations are going to attack Israel. And he named some names that kingdoms from the north and so forth. And this may be Russia, as some folks say, and it's so kind of makes sense because Syria is there and who has the backing and the presence of Russia there, but also notice who's mentioned there in Ezekiel 38. And if you notice in verse five, he happens to mention Persia as one of those nations that God is going to use, going to cause to attack Israel. And so it won't just be the people that are in the land that are going to attack Israel and be a thorn in their side, but also outside nations. Now think about this. All of this is relating to what Jesus says as well. Again, this is kind of keeping in tune with what God has said that he's going to do with Israel all along. He's going to punish them. He's going to afflict them ultimately to bring them as a nation to him. In the meantime, a lot of Israelites, a lot of Jews will be lost. They have been given a hardened heart. They turned their back on the Messiah, which he said it's going to happen. He's hardened them as well. But then notice what Jesus says. And this is how we can kind of measure the time. He said, don't be deceived. I don't want you to be, I want you to know what's happening here. As he says, you will be hearing of wars and rumors of war. This is Matthew 24. Here in verse six, see that you are not frightened. So we see these things. Don't be frightened for those things must take place, but that is not yet the answer. They're going to be these things that are going to lead up to this. Verse seven, for nation will rise against nation. I think we're seeing that now. We're going to see that even more so. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. And in various places, there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains. Look what he says, then they will deliver you to tribulation. And he's not speaking individually. He's speaking about them as a nation and will kill you and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Now he's not speaking about anyone individually. There's no one individually that's going to be hated by all nations, but this nation Israel will be hated by all nations. He says at that time, many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many because lawlessness is increased. Most people's level go cold, but the one who endures to the end. And look what he says here. Verse 14 is very important. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will come. So when we see these things happening in Israel, different nations having these skirmishes attacking Israel, Israel responding and so forth, even however America choose to be involved in so forth, understand all of these things have been spoken of in the Bible. So when it happens, I don't want you as Jesus says, I don't want you to not be aware of these things so that you're not surprised, but know these things are happening. And when you see them wrapping up, notice that they are the beginning. But at the end, he says that this gospel must be preached, will be preached to all nations. So at some point in time, we're going to see this happening. Is the gospel being preached? Yes, it is. How much longer will it take for it to be preached to all nations? Have no idea. He's not giving us a stopwatch or a timestamp to say it's going to happen at this point in time. We just simply need to be diligent about preaching the gospel, about serving him. And the best part about it is this, if he said this is going to happen and it's happening like he said, that gives us comfort to know that he is the one that's ultimately in control. He is the one that we can now rest in. So we don't have to be worried. We don't have to be bothered. We don't have to be concerned because we know that God is ultimately in control. Amen.