Whenever violence breaks out in the Middle East, people instinctively turn back to Scripture. Nations named by the prophets are reemerging, alliances are shifting and hostility toward Israel is intensifying. For many, the patterns are too precise to ignore.
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Alex McFarland has spent 15 years answering theological questions on his national radio program, and he said one theme now dominates everything else. “Over the last several years, just more and more and more people have been asking questions that do relate to the end times,” he said. Even skeptics are beginning to reconsider the Bible. “They start to look at the Bible and they start to see patterns,” he added. “They start to see countries being talked about today that are talked about in Scripture.”
At the center of those patterns sits what McFarland calls the clearest prophetic marker of our generation.
The “Super Sign”
“The super sign that we are near the last days,” McFarland said, “is… the rebirth of the nation of Israel.”
On May 14, 1948, Israel became a nation again after centuries in exile. For McFarland, that moment shifted prophecy from distant theory to unfolding reality. “They see Israel coming back onto the map in 1948, and they start to say, ‘Wow, it seems like there’s some evidence here that prophecy is real.’”
He described a German man in Romania who followed his livestream while wrestling with spiritual questions. The unrest in the Middle East pushed him to reconsider Islam and explore Scripture instead. “He felt like all of the unrest in the Middle East, that the world is getting to some… point. Everything seems to be coalescing, and indeed it is.” McFarland later led him to Christ—proof, he said, that prophecy often opens the door to faith.
Reading the Signs
While Scripture forbids setting dates, McFarland believes Christians are meant to pay attention. “No man knows the day or the hour,” he said, “however, I do think we can discern the signs of the times.”
He pointed to key developments the Bible warns about:
- Middle Eastern nations aligning against Israel.
- Russia and China positioning for global dominance.
- Rising ideological clashes between atheistic communism and Islam.
- Rapid tech shifts, including AI, global connectivity and the move toward a cashless economy.
Together, he said, these trends mirror the world described in prophecy.
A Call to Wake Up
The takeaway is simple: be spiritually prepared. “We can’t set the date,” he said, “but we are to have our spiritual house in order.” That means walking with Christ and helping others find Him.
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In a world growing more unpredictable by the day, Israel’s rebirth stands as a prophetic beacon. If the “super sign” is flashing, this is the moment to open your Bible, study what God says about the last days, and anchor your hope in the One who promised to return.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
This is a really compelling exploration of biblical prophecy and our current world events. I found the idea of the “super sign” — the rebirth of Israel in 1948 — particularly striking. McFarland’s point that this could be the clearest prophetic marker of our generation raises important questions about how we interpret the signs of the times. At the same time, I appreciate the call to spiritual readiness: not just watching for signs, but living with our spiritual “houses in order.” This feels like a very balanced reminder to remain hopeful, vigilant, and anchored in faith.