Jerusalem is once again the epicenter of global tension. Diplomats scramble. Terror groups dig in—world leaders posture. Protests erupt on American campuses and in European capitals. What appears to be another chapter in a decades-long conflict, Pastor James Kaddis says, is something far more significant.
In a recent video, Kaddis warned that the instability gripping Israel is not random and it is not merely political. It is prophetic.
“I wish I could tell you that I am surprised,” Kaddis said. “But we have the Scriptures and the Bible teaches us what is coming and what to be expecting.”
At the center of his warning is Zechariah 12, a passage he believes is moving from ancient ink to modern headlines.
A Cup of Trembling
Reading from Zechariah 12:2, Kaddis quoted, “I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about.”
He argued that the imagery fits the present moment with striking clarity.
“What we’re seeing right now is not just conflict, but it’s literally instability. It’s fear. It’s agitation. And it is spreading outward from Israel to the entire region,” he said.
For Kaddis, this is not about a single flare-up between Israel and Hamas. It is about a regional and increasingly global ripple effect. Nations that once kept their distance are now entangled. Media networks amplify every development. International coalitions float plans for intervention.
“Exactly what the prophet describes being inspired by God himself are things that are beginning to happen,” he said.
He cautioned viewers not to mistake temporary lulls for lasting peace.
“What looks like calm is not peace. It’s the quiet before a massive storm,” Kaddis said. “We are about to watch it break loose.”
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A Burdensome Stone
Kaddis then turned to Zechariah 12:3: “In that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people.”
The language, he said, is deliberate. Jerusalem does not force itself upon the world. The world chooses to lift it.
“God does not say that Jerusalem becomes burdensome because Israel is aggressive,” Kaddis said. “The Bible actually says that this will happen because they choose to burden themselves with it.”
He described global efforts to manage, divide or reshape Jerusalem as attempts to move a stone that cannot be carried.
“Every nation, every organization and leader that tries to move it or manage it or even try to reshape it are going to find themselves in a position where they’re going to be strained,” he said. “They’re going to be exposed, and eventually they’re going to end up being destroyed.”
For Kaddis, the growing involvement of the United States, Qatar and international diplomatic forces illustrates that burden in motion.
All Nations Gathered
Zechariah’s prophecy goes further, declaring that “all the people of the earth” will be gathered against Jerusalem. Kaddis believes the groundwork for that gathering is visible.
The conflict, he said, is no longer regional. It is ideological, global and accelerating.
“The conflict is not going to stabilize nations. It’s going to destroy those nations,” he said. “It’s going to fracture those nations.”
He pointed to verse 9 as the ultimate conclusion of the chapter: “I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.”
“It’s a bad idea,” Kaddis said. “God is going to come and he’s going to deal with the situation himself.”
Not Politics, but Prophecy
Kaddis emphasized that Zechariah is not offering commentary but divine decree.
“Zechariah opens by reminding us that prophecy here isn’t coming from him. It’s actually coming from the Lord,” he said. “It’s a divine declaration.”
To him, the rising hostility toward Israel, the deepening international entanglement and the unrelenting pressure on Jerusalem are not coincidences. They are markers.
“None of this should surprise us,” he said. “We’re watching it manifest. It’s happening and it’s serious.”
Kaddis closed with urgency, not fear.
“If you don’t know the Lord, put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ,” he said. “God has given you a call to speak the truth and make sure people know the truth because things are changing, and they’re changing rapidly.”
Jerusalem is not merely a geopolitical flashpoint. It is the stone Zechariah described, and the nations are already straining under its weight. What many call breaking news, he believes, is the early rumble of a storm Scripture said would come.
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. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
