Israel

Thursday Watchdog: Be Like Jehoshaphat

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Today’s headlines are full of escalating conflict. U.S. strikes on Iranian military targets, Iranian retaliation, threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, and fears of a wider regional war have the world wondering what happens next. (Reuters)

The Bible tells a battle story in 2 Chronicles 20 when King Jehoshaphat faced an overwhelming coalition of enemy armies. On paper, Judah had no chance, but instead of panicking or pretending the danger wasn’t real, the king prayed: “Neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.” (2 Chronicles 20:12, KJV)

God didn’t promise there would never be wars and battles. He reminded His people that He was still in charge. The biggest army wasn’t the one with the most soldiers—it was the one standing with God.

Our generation has unlimited access to war footage, hot takes, and doom-scrolling, but before you check the next breaking-news alert, spend five quiet minutes reading 2 Chronicles 20.

Ask God for wisdom and peace in your own life and heart. You can’t control what happens in Iran—but you can decide who you’re trusting when the world starts shaking. “Our eyes are upon thee”.

Thursday Watchdog: More Middle East Messiness

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U.S. Launches New Strikes on Iranian Military Targets After Hormuz Shipping Attacks

Following Iranian-linked attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the United States carried out a broad wave of strikes against Iranian military infrastructure, while both sides accused each other of violating previous agreements. Oil prices jumped and fears of a wider regional war intensified.
AP

Always keep in mind that Jeshua, our Messiah, warned us that “wars and rumours of wars” would characterize this age until He returns. By the way, we’ve been living in the last days since His resurrection and ascension.

Israel Continues Operations in Southern Lebanon Despite Diplomatic Pressure

Hezbollah attacks against Northern Israel and Israeli military operations against Hezbollah-linked targets have continued in southern Lebanon even amid renewed diplomatic efforts, keeping tensions high along Israel’s northern border.
The Guardian

Every new ceasefire seems destined to fail sooner rather than later and humanity keeps proving the Bible right about the brokenness of the human heart. Come, Lord Jesus.

Iran Holds Funeral for Former Supreme Leader While New Leadership Signals Defiance

Millions participated in funeral events for Iran’s former Supreme Leader, while Iran’s new leadership used the occasion to emphasize resistance against the United States and Israel and project strength despite recent military losses.
Reuters

Regimes rise, rulers fall, and history keeps moving—but God’s kingdom isn’t waiting for the next election or revolution. Let’s not overly concerns ourselves with who occupies the palace in Tehran or the White House; rather, lets make certain our hearts are turning toward the King of Kings and His return to establish righteousness—forever.

Saturday Watchdog Alert: Supporting Israel Doesn’t Need to Be Complicated

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A wild idea: what if supporting Israel didn’t require a seminary degree, a prophecy chart, or a 12‑week Bible study on the End Times?

What if it’s as simple as this: they’re a free, modern democracy in a rough neighborhood, and friends stick with friends when things get loud. You don’t need a burning bush to get behind that.

The Bible actually backs up the idea of standing with friends and allies, especially when the world around them is chaos. You don’t have to be religious to get that. You just have to have common sense.

Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

Sticking by long-time friends who need us isn’t “Zionist” or “anti-Islam”; it’s the right thing to do. And Israel isn’t just a long-time friend of the USA—Israel is a geopolitical and strategic partner in a violent, dark, and unpredictable world.

Tuesday Watchdog Alert: Wars And Rumors Of Wars

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Over the weekend, Israel and Iran exchanged direct military strikes once again, raising fears that the region could slide into a broader war. Reports indicate Iranian missile attacks were followed by Israeli strikes on military targets inside Iran before both sides signaled a temporary pause. The ceasefire remains fragile, and tensions continue across Lebanon and the wider Middle East.

For Christians, moments like this create a temptation: either panic or obsession.

Some people treat every missile launch like it came with a free copy of Revelation attached. Others ignore the situation completely. The Bible calls us to neither extreme.

Jesus warned that there would be “wars and rumours of wars,” but He also said, “See that ye be not troubled” (Matthew 24:6). Notice that. He didn’t say the conflicts wouldn’t happen. He said His followers should not be ruled by fear.

Whether today’s headlines are directly connected to end-times prophecy or simply another chapter in humanity’s long history of conflict, they remind us of one thing: this world is not our ultimate hope. Christ is.

Spend five minutes today praying for peace in the Middle East, protection for civilians, and courage for Christians living in the region. Then turn off the doom-scrolling and spend ten minutes in God’s Word. One of those feeds your anxiety. The other feeds your soul.

Thursday Watchdog Alert: Middle East Political Messiahs?

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Iran says its attack on Kuwait was self-defense. Negotiations with the United States have now been suspended. Independent

Israeli strikes in Lebanon continue. Politicians blame politicians. Generals blame generals. Everybody promises a solution. Military.com

And yet the Middle East remains what it has been for thousands of years: a place searching for peace and rarely finding it.

Every generation believes the right leader, the right government, the right treaty, or the right movement will finally fix the world. We keep looking for a political messiah.

The Bible says that longing is real—but we’ve been looking in the wrong place.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given… and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” — Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

Notice that Jesus is called the Prince of Peace, not the Negotiator of Peace. Real peace won’t be accomplished at a conference table. Real peace will only be realized when Jesus Christ returns in power and glory to establish God’s kingdom on earth.

That’s why every human peace plan eventually cracks. You can sign agreements on paper, but you can’t legislate away sin.

The headlines remind us that humanity’s deepest problem has never changed. Neither has God’s solution.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Thursday Watchdog Alert: Prophecy Junkies

Rick Tryon1 Comment

Iran. Israel. Hezbollah. Gaza. Houthi missiles. “Wars and rumors of wars.” Sound familiar?

This week alone, headlines focused on escalating Iran-Israel tensions, renewed Hezbollah activity, and political leaders openly using end-times language while discussing war in the Middle East. – The Guardian

And yes — many Christians immediately start flipping to Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation.

But the Bible never told believers to panic. It told us to pay attention.

Jesus said:

“See that ye be not troubled.” — Matthew 24:6

That’s the part many prophecy junkies conveniently skip while trying to turn every missile launch into a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Could current events connect to biblical prophecy? Maybe. The Middle East has always mattered in the biblical storyline, and nations like Persia (modern Iran) do appear in prophetic passages Christians have debated for centuries.

But prophecy isn’t meant to turn Christians into bunker-dwelling doom addicts. It’s supposed to wake us up spiritually.

The real issue is this: while nations rage, millions of ordinary people — including Christians trapped in conflict zones — are suffering, afraid, and searching for hope.

So instead of obsessing over timelines and hashtags, let’s try this:

Pray for persecuted believers. Open our Bibles instead of rage-scrolling. And shine light into a world addicted to darkness and chaos.

Because whether Christ returns tomorrow or 100 years from now, our mission today remains exactly the same.

Thursday Watchdog Alert: Headlines, Missiles, and the Search for Meaning

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The Middle East is once again lighting up the world’s headlines. Iran is threatening “new fronts” of war, Israel remains on high alert, and global leaders are openly talking about prophecy, Armageddon, and end-times language. (The Guardian)

Meanwhile, Christians across the region are stuck in the middle — caught between radical Islam, political chaos, and global powers playing geopolitical chess with real human lives. Churches in conflict zones continue to face fear, instability, and persecution while much of the world scrolls past it between cat videos and coffee reels.

So… is this biblical prophecy?

Maybe parts of it point in that direction. Jesus did say:

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars… see that ye be not troubled.” — Matthew 24:6

But here’s the mistake many people make: they become obsessed with decoding headlines while ignoring the condition of their own life, their own household, their own community.

Bible prophecy was never meant to make Christians panic. It was meant to wake people up.

The world keeps promising peace through politics, power, and hashtags. The believer’s hope and purpose are something different: truth, real meaning, and a coming Kingdom in a restored creation that does not collapse every election cycle.

Biblical Archaeology: Mass Children’s Grave Discovered

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Mass Children’s Grave Discovered at Tel Azekah
April 13, 2026

Archaeologists uncovered a burial site containing the remains of numerous children at Tel Azekah, a strategic site mentioned in 1 Samuel 17 (the David and Goliath narrative).

From Associates for Biblical Research
“Archaeologists from Tel Azekah recently published an article in Palestine Exploration Quarterly in which they report the discovery of a mass grave of children that dates to the Persian era. The skeletal remains of between 68 and 89 children were discovered in a cistern that was dated to the fifth century BC based on the pottery and other small finds recovered nearby.”

Azekah was a fortified city in the Kingdom of Judah, and findings here help reconstruct life in the era of Saul and David.

The discovery may shed light on ancient warfare, disease, or ritual practices in Judah’s Shephelah region.

Watchdog Alert: Holy Land Archaeology

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Photo via Виктор Соломоник at pexels.com

Some recent archaeological discoveries in the Holy Land.

Byzantine‑Era Church Damaged by Hezbollah Rocket (Nahariya, Northern Israel)

Date: April 12, 2026 A Hezbollah rocket strike hit a protective structure covering a Byzantine‑era church in Nahariya. The church—originally destroyed by the Persians in 614 CE and restored by the Israel Antiquities Authority—suffered new damage. This incident brought renewed attention to the site’s mosaics and its long restoration history.
Jerusalem Post

Mass Infant Burial Discovered in Ancient Cistern at Tel Azekah

Date: April 1, 2026 Archaeologists uncovered a mass grave of 89 infants inside a cistern at Tel Azekah. The find includes pottery jars, beads, copper jewelry, and stone tools, offering a rare and sobering window into life—and death—in biblical‑era Judah.
Israel365 News

Sunken Ship Yields Iron Blooms Revealing Ancient Israel’s Metallurgy

Date: March 30, 2026 A shipwreck off Israel’s coast produced iron blooms—raw iron masses—providing new insight into ancient Israel’s maritime trade and metal‑production economy. The discovery helps reconstruct how iron technology spread and was transported in the region.
Israel365 News

Lions Don’t Have Masters

Rick TryonLeave a comment
Photo via cottonbro studio at pexels.com

So far this year, I’ve read two books on Israel’s history and military—The Lion’s Gate by Steven Pressfield and Six Days of War by Michael Oren. Anyone who thinks Israel and the IDF need the USA to do their work for them should read up on the modern history of Israel and the region.

Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, the Six-Day War in 1967, and their numerous subsequent fights for survival have proven time and time again that Israel can take care of itself quite ably in a very, very rough neighborhood.

Israel has been surrounded by hostile enemies who hate them with a perfect hatred and who have ceaselessly sought to annihilate them since their modern rebirth in 1948. They have prevailed against astonishingly superior forces every time.

And they have beaten impossible odds even without American help—just read the history.

Israel is definitely not America’s puppet, and America is definitely not Israel’s puppet. Israel is our friend and ally, as it should be, since they are the only Western‑style democracy and modern free society in the region.

Israel is not our master, and we are not Israel’s master, because lions don’t have masters—lions can handle the wolves and jackals together, or on their own if need be.