John Hagee - Jerusalem And WWIII
I was in Israel visiting the heads of state and experiencing one of the most gratifying weeks of my life. The most thrilling moment was standing on the tarmac of the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv at 1 o'clock in the morning, waiting for that first planeload of Ukrainian Jews to reach the land of Israel. During World War II, there was no Israel for the Jewish people to go to, and they were slaughtered by Hitler. Today, there is a strong and powerful Israel that receives all of the children who want to come home. When that jet landed, the mothers with infants in one arm and leading a second child, walking down the plank with all of their earthly possessions in a backpack, into a world of uncertainty. The faces of the mothers told the story of unspeakable heartache that she was experiencing, not knowing if she would ever see her husband again, or their children would ever see their father, because their fathers were at home fighting for liberty.
Ladies and gentlemen of America, the liberty that we have is precious. Let's not throw it away. Our television cameras captured that moment. I'm delighted to announce that as of today, your gifts have helped to liberate more than 1,300 Ukrainian Jews from the terror of war. Thank God for each and every one of you. For these refugees, World War III has begun. The question now is, will the winds of this war engulf the Middle East and America in the future? Read the text and let's begin together, Psalms 122:6. Read with me. "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 'may they prosper who love you'". Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces. "For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, 'peace be within you'".
Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for the goodness of God. Thank you for the nation of Israel. Thank you for Jerusalem, the city of God. Thank you for America that is still the land of the free and the home of the brave. Bless this nation with a revival of righteousness that will bring us to the perfect will of God. And all of God's children said, praise the Lord.
You may be seated. History does repeat itself. The past predicts the future. It has been said, "Those who do not remember the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them in the future". Let's connect the dots concerning World War II and the present. Hitler invaded Poland in September 1, 1939. World War II began that day. America did not enter the war until Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, killing 3,000 of our sailors. Five days later, December 12th, Hitler declared war on America. Get this picture. For two years and three months, World War II was rolling full blast, and America was not involved. And then in five days, we were fighting two nations for our survival, and we were totally unprepared for that war!
When my uncles went to boot camp, they went to boot camp with a broomstick for a rifle, because we were so poorly prepared, we didn't have rifles for people going to boot camp. We must not ever be that unprepared ever again! Russia, a nation with nuclear weapons, is now led by a dictator. He has invaded the Ukraine with the intention of rebuilding the USSR. Hear me: World War III has begun. The fact: we have an exact parallel in their leadership and in our leadership today. In World War II, England had a weak leader named Neville Chamberlain, whose policy was appeasement toward Hitler, who was a living devil. Hitler invited Chamberlain for a little peace chat. Chamberlain went back to England, waving a piece of paper, saying, "We have peace in our times". What a joke. Hitler used that to build his military and then invade France that he destroyed in six weeks.
Today, America has a weak and indecisive leader in president Biden. And Vladimir Putin sees him as weak and pathetic. When Putin sees president Biden, he sees Neville Chamberlain. America deserves a better leader than Joe Biden. World War II had the evil axis of Germany, Italy, and Japan. Today, we have the evil axis of Russia, China, and Iran. Russia wants to rebuild the USSR, as I've said. China wants to conquer Taiwan, because Taiwan has 65% control of all of the chips that manufacture automobiles. So if China has charge of Taiwan, they'll control the automobile business worldwide. Iran wants a nuclear weapon to destroy Israel. And don't you ever forget it: they will use that weapon to attack America. Iran is led by radical Islamics, who believe that they get to heaven by killing Christians like you and me, and Jewish people who live in Israel. Listen, Washington! Iran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear bomb, not ever!
Prime minister Netanyahu said the other day that Iran would take the world hostage if America approves a nuclear deal. And that's exactly what's happening now. According to Ezekiel 38 and 39, Israel will soon be the epicenter of this war. The problem is that Israel has a defender prepared to annihilate every army that attacks the Jewish people. And that defender is God Almighty. The Bible says, "He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps". That word "Keepeth" is a military term, meaning that God will go to war on Israel's behalf. Genesis 12, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you".
Obadiah 1:15 says, "For the day of the Lord," meaning the judgment, "Is upon all heathen," that means gentile people. "As you have done it to Israel, it shall be done to you". That's God's word. What you do to Israel, I'm going to do to you. Your reward will be returned to you on your own head. That's Obadiah 1:15. Zechariah 2:8, "He that touches you", the Jewish people, "Touches the apple of God's eye". "Apple" means pupil of God's eye. Stick your finger in the pupil of someone's eye and you get their attention. You want to get God's attention, start attacking the Jewish people, and God will attack you. The day America stops defending Israel will be the day God stops defending the United States of America.
Where is this global conflict headed? According to the prophet Ezekiel, it's headed toward Israel. What nations are going to come against Israel? Why are they coming? And what's going to be the end result? Let's quickly go through that. The prophet Ezekiel describes in detail the coming Russian invasion of Israel as the Gog/Magog war of Ezekiel 38 and 39. Ezekiel 38:1 through 3 says these things: that Gog, Gog is the leader of the invasion, so he's a man. So just for fun, let's say that this is Vladimir Putin. Magog, according to historian Josephus, represents modern-day Israel. Ezekiel 38:2 mentions Meshech and Tubal, which are identified by Schofield as Moscow and Tobolsk, the cities in Russia.
Ezekiel 38:3 mentions the word Rosh, which definitely is Russia. Russia is leading a group of nations in an invasion of Israel in the future. The nations coming with Iran against Israel, as recorded in Ezekiel 38: Turkey, Syria, Libya, and Germany. Those are all there. But look who's missing in that list. Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Why? A total mystery about why they're not there, until the Abraham Accords. The sons of Abraham are now united, after thousands of years, with Israel, and they are bound together for the purpose of peace.
Why is Russia interested in Israel? And this is not my opinion. This is from a source of authority that knows. Israel has warm-water ports for the Russian navy. Because Russia's navy is frozen in place for four months out of every year, Russia can't be a global military power with its navy shut down. Ships and ice do not mix. I refer you to the Titanic. Secondly, Russia is interested in Israel because of their oil. Recently, the Wall Street journal said Israel has discovered enough oil to run every car, truck, plane, and ship in Israel for the next 100 years. That's a lot of oil. Russia desperately needs that oil to achieve Putin's maniacal military dreams.
The war in the Ukraine has made it clear that Russia needs oil. So who is helping them? President Joe Biden, of course. Joe Biden wants Iran for a partner for peace. Think about that. I'm reminded of the statement of Churchill, "You can't negotiate with a lion when your head is in its mouth". Think about it. Israel is the apple of God's eye. Israel is called "God's first-born son". God promises, "I will curse those who curse you," and that includes America. The president of the United States is helping Russia by buying their oil while shutting down America's oil industry. Mr. President, get on the right side of history. Get on America's side. Turn America's gas and oil companies loose!
How is God going to protect Israel from this massive Russian invasion? I love this story. Ezekiel 38:19 and 20, God says, "The first thing I'm going to do when those massive armies start invading Israel is treat them to a great earthquake. I'm going to open the ground and swallow a great large part of them, and bury them alive". The next thing that immediately happens in the next verse is friendly fire. "Every man's sword will be turned against the other". The third is hailstones that he's going to use to destroy that army. God is warming up his pitching arm when these armies begin to come against Israel. The result, in Ezekiel 39:2, "I'm going to leave but a sixth part of you," meaning God is going to destroy 84% of that invading army. Hello, Mr. Putin. Israel is going to be Russia's graveyard.
Why does God allow this invasion? So that all of Israel and the Jewish people around the world will know that he and he alone is God Almighty. That's why. The greatest prophetic question is, "When does this Gog/Magog war happen"? Most theologians say that it happens three and a half years after the church is gone and the antichrist comes to power. That means the church has been raptured for three and a half years. Point: every one of the nations of Ezekiel 38 is in place. The rapture of the church is not just eminent. You'll look at this and say, "It's virtually overdue".
I want to tell you, if there was ever a time for you to investigate your life, to pray up, pack up, and look up, we're going in the twinkling of an eye. And soon, the king of glory is coming in the clouds of heaven! Get ready! Consider God's love for Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the epicenter of the universe. Jerusalem is the shoreline of eternity. What does that mean? It means that everything that's going to happen in the future from now on is going to begin and end in Jerusalem. The prophet Isaiah says, "For Zion's sake, we should not be silent. And for Jerusalem's sake, we will not be quiet".
If there is a message that Satan hates, it's the message of Jerusalem. The most terrifying message that Satan will ever hear is this, "Jesus Christ has returned to Jerusalem". Why? Because the first thing Jesus is going to do when he comes back to establish his eternal kingdom, will be to throw Satan, the antichrist, and the false prophet into the fires of hell. Hallelujah! Come on!
Why is there such a battle for the City of Jerusalem? Because God the Father has promised his Son, Jesus Christ, that that would be the capital city of his kingdom. Satan also has a son. The Bible calls him, "The son of perdition," which is the antichrist. And Satan wants his son to rule earth from Jerusalem. There is a vicious, supernatural war that's raging right now over who owns Jerusalem. In 1978, I was there praying. There was an awesome anointing. When the Holy Spirit directed me, "I want you to do all you can to bring Christians and Jews together in a dimension of love," that prayer led to the first Night to Honor Israel in San Antonio in 1981. It was a concept that had never been endorsed by the church in America. But the idea swept the country, that it's time for Christians and Jews to come together, because we are all the spiritual children of Abraham.
The Night to Honor Israel gave birth to Christians United for Israel. And today, there are 11.5 million people who have joined Christians United for Israel, standing with Israel and the Jewish people to combat antisemitism in its every form. And may God give us victory, because antisemitism is in our schools, it's in our churches, and it's in our government! It has to go! Israel is not a political issue. It's a Bible issue. It begins in Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth". And if you don't believe that verse, throw your Bible in the fire, because you're not going to believe anything that follows it. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth". As Creator, God owned the earth. The Bible says, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof". Therefore, God, as Creator and owner, entered into a blood covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their descendants, that they own the land forever.
The Jewish people do not occupy the land of Israel: they own the land of Israel, end of story! God Almighty is Israel's defender. When the last battle has been fought, when the last shot has been fired, the flag of Israel is going to be flying over the walls of Jerusalem, the city of God, under the control of the King of kings and the Lord of lords, for 1,000 years of absolute peace. All of the redeemed of God are going to be there. It's called "The Millennial Reign". The lion is going to lay down with the lamb. Men will beat their swords into plowshares and study war no more. It will be perfect peace that covers the earth. There are no more corrupt government leaders. There are no more cities ruled by criminals. There's no more fake news. There is only good news. And the good news is that Jesus Christ has returned to earth! And he sits on the throne of his father, David! Hallelujah to the Lamb of God!
You've never heard this. I've never even thought of this, until the other day when I was studying my Bible, and John the Revelator's describing the new Jerusalem, the holy city of God, that was coming down out of heaven. There are twelve massive gates, each one made from a single pearl. Now, some of you have a single pearl around your neck, and it cost you a fortune. There are going to be huge gates that are one pearl. And do you know, on those gates will be chiseled the names of the 12 sons of Jacob on those gates? Jacob's 12 sons were sinful men. I mean Major League sinners. They lied to their father. They conspired to sell their brother into slavery: and then soaked, with animal's blood, a garment: took it to their daddy, and said, "Your boy is dead". The Bible says, "All liars shall have their part in the lake of fire".
Then when their sister went into town on a later occasion, and she was attacked, those 12 boys went into that town and circumcised every man in that town. Ouch. The next day when they were too sore to fight, those boys went into town and killed every man in that town. That's in the Bible. Some of you are looking at me like, "Where in the..." it's in the Bible. The one you're holding right now, it's in there. What I'm telling you in street language is that from these 12 boys, the mafia could learn. But their names are on that gate.
And I thought, dear Lord. And this is the word that came back. "The mercy of God is beyond your knowledge. If Satan has come to you and accused you of a horrible sin, don't you ever entertain it one-split second, because once you have been forgiven, your name is going to be written in the lamb's book of life". You are going to be redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. You're going to dance on the hills of Israel! Give the Lord praise in the house of God! Bless his holy name! Bless his holy name! Bless his holy name! Thank you, God! Bless his holy name! Amen.
How many of you here, and how many of you watching by television say, "Pastor, I have sinned deeply. There's a chapter in my life that torments me. And today I want to ask for God's mercy and God's total forgiveness"? If that describes you, slip your hand up right where you are. God bless you. I want you to pray this prayer with me. You're watching by home, you can pray this prayer also:
Heavenly Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I come before your holy throne. I ask you to forgive me of all of my sins: that your mercy and your amazing grace may wipe my slate clean: that my life and my future life will be spent in heaven when the trump of God sounds. Today I receive you as Lord and Savior of my life.
Jesus saves! Hallelujah! Give the Lord a shout of praise in the house of God! Yes!