Israel’s National Security Minister Declares: “We Are the Masters of the Temple Mount”

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir made a striking declaration while visiting the Temple Mount during Sukkot this week, proclaiming that Israel is now “the masters of the house on the Temple Mount.”

He also prayed at the site for what he called “sovereignty here in the most important place for the Jewish people.”

The September 29 development is especially noteworthy because Jewish prayer and sovereignty on the Temple Mount remain among the most sensitive issues in the Middle East.

Israel Today has documented a series of developments throughout 2026 indicating greater Jewish religious activity at the site, including permission for Jewish prayer sheets and growing challenges to longstanding restrictions on Jewish worship.

For students of Bible prophecy, the Temple Mount is much more than a political flashpoint.

Scripture indicates that a Jewish Temple will once again be functioning in Jerusalem during the final years before the Second Coming.

Daniel 9:27 foretells the stopping of the sacrifice and oblation halfway through the final seven years.

Jesus specifically pointed back to Daniel’s prophecy of the Abomination of Desolation in Matthew 24:15, while Paul described the man of sin sitting “in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” in 2 Thessalonians 2:4.

Revelation provides another remarkable detail:

“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.”
Revelation 11:1 KJV

None of this means Ben-Gvir’s recent declaration fulfills these prophecies, nor does the Bible tell us that today’s political developments will directly produce the Third Temple.

But something must eventually change on the Temple Mount for the biblical scenario to become reality.

That is why statements about Jewish prayer, Israeli sovereignty and control of the Temple Mount deserve our attention. A place that Bible prophecy places near the center of the final seven years continues moving to the center of Israel’s national and religious conversation.

Original Article: HERE

About the Author

Bryan Smith serves as Content & Teaching Pastor at Endtime Ministries and has been part of the Endtime family for more than 25 years. He has been engaged in pastoral ministry for two decades, served as Academic Dean, Registrar, and Professor for Valor University, and is a frequent teacher of the Understanding the End Time class. Bryan holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Theology, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Leadership, has completed advanced studies in the history of prophecy through HarvardX’s certificate program with Harvard University, and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Biblical Studies. In addition to hosting The Bible Prophecy Show podcast, Bryan is a regular contributor to Endtime magazine and writes on the intersection of Bible prophecy, theology, and global current events.

When Enemies Unite: What Bible Prophecy Says About Russia and Germany

By Bryan Smith

Germany and Russia appear deeply divided today. But history proves bitter enemies can become temporary partners, and Daniel and Revelation point toward an end-time alignment that may require another dramatic geopolitical realignment.

When the Unthinkable Happened

In the summer of 1939, few relationships appeared less likely to produce cooperation than Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

Adolf Hitler’s Germany and Joseph Stalin’s Soviet Union represented rival ideological systems. Their governments had spent years denouncing one another. Nazism was fiercely anti-communist, while Soviet communism regarded fascism as an enemy. Yet history was about to demonstrate an important lesson: nations that appear irreconcilably opposed can change course remarkably quickly when circumstances change.

On August 23, 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union stunned the world by signing the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Publicly, the agreement committed the two governments to ten years of non-aggression. Secretly, however, the agreement divided portions of Eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence, including plans for the partition of Poland.

Nine days later, Germany invaded Poland from the west.

On September 17, Soviet forces invaded Poland from the east.

By the end of September, Poland had been divided between the two powers.

The partnership would not last. Hitler invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, unleashing one of history’s bloodiest military confrontations. But for nearly two years, two governments that had appeared to be bitter ideological enemies found enough common interest to cooperate.

That history raises an intriguing question for students of Bible prophecy.

Could another seemingly impossible realignment involving Russia and Germany occur in the future?

From the prophetic perspective presented in Daniel and Revelation, there is reason to watch.

Russia and Germany Today

At present, the idea of Russia and Germany becoming components of the same geopolitical system may seem difficult to imagine.

Germany increasingly views Russia as a security threat. In September 2026, Germany’s National Security Council said the country remained a target of Russian hybrid attacks and announced additional measures against espionage and sabotage and for the protection of critical infrastructure. Germany nevertheless maintains some communication with Moscow and says it would prefer constructive relations if sufficient cooperation were possible.

The broader European security posture is similarly confrontational. NATO’s July 2026 Ankara Summit Declaration described Russia as posing a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security and stability. Germany is strengthening its military capabilities, stationing forces in Eastern Europe and supporting Ukraine.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently joined European leaders discussing the Russian threat, while Finland’s prime minister described Russia as a continuing threat to Europe and Merz urged European governments to take that danger seriously.

Look only at today’s headlines, and Russia and Germany seem to be moving farther apart.

Look at Bible prophecy through the interpretation presented here, however, and the picture becomes much more interesting.

Daniel’s Bear and Leopard

Daniel 7 describes four extraordinary beasts rising from the sea.

Daniel wrote:

Daniel 7:5 KJV
“And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.”

Then comes another:

Daniel 7:6 KJV
“After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.”

The prophetic interpretation presented in these pages understands these beasts as representing major nations that exist in the end time. The bear represents Russia, while the leopard represents Germany. The lion represents Great Britain, with the eagle’s wings representing the United States.

This interpretation should not be confused with Daniel 2. Daniel 2 presents the succession of great world empires culminating in the final Holy Roman Empire represented by the feet of iron and clay. Daniel 7 presents major end-time powers that exist on the earth as the prophetic drama approaches its conclusion.

That distinction becomes especially significant when we arrive at Revelation 13.

When the Beasts Come Together

John sees another beast:

Revelation 13:1–2 KJV
“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.”

Notice the composition.

The beast has the body of the leopard (Germany).

It has the feet of the bear (Russia).

It has the mouth of the lion (Great Britain). 

The separate national symbols Daniel witnessed appear incorporated into the single governmental beast John sees in Revelation 13.

From this prophetic perspective, that is enormously significant.

If the leopard represents Germany and the bear represents Russia, then Revelation 13 portrays characteristics of both incorporated into the final world-government system ruled by the Antichrist.

The body being like a leopard is especially noteworthy. Germany has historically been the economic and political center of continental Europe, the geographic region from which we expect the revived Holy Roman Empire to emerge. Revelation 17 adds another piece of the picture by describing ten kings who surrender their authority to the Beast:

Revelation 17:12–13 KJV
“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.”

Consequently, Daniel and Revelation point toward something that present geopolitics does not yet resemble: Russia becoming connected to a European-centered governmental system rather than remaining permanently opposed to it.

History Says Political Realignments Can Happen Fast

That is where 1939 becomes instructive.

The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact did not mean Hitler and Stalin suddenly trusted each other. It did not erase the profound differences between their regimes. It meant circumstances temporarily produced interests powerful enough to overcome their hostility.

We should not suggest that another Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact is prophesied. Scripture says no such thing.

Nor should we expect history to repeat itself in precisely the same manner.

The historical lesson is simpler.

Today’s enemy can become tomorrow’s partner.

Political alliances are not permanent. Wars end. Governments change. Leaders die. Economic crises reorder priorities. Common enemies emerge. New security arrangements are created. Nations sometimes cooperate not because they suddenly share values, but because changing circumstances make cooperation advantageous.

The Europe-Russia relationship we see in September 2026 therefore does not tell us what that relationship must look like in the not-so-distant future.

Neither did the Europe of early 1939 reveal what would happen that August.

What About Vladimir Putin?

That brings us to one of the most interesting questions surrounding Russia’s prophetic future.

President Vladimir Putin’s Russia presently appears to be moving in almost the opposite direction from the European integration suggested by this interpretation of Revelation 13. Russia is confronting Europe, while European governments are strengthening defenses against Russia.

Something therefore would have to change if this prophetic interpretation is correct.

But Scripture does not tell us how that change occurs. The current angst between Europe and Russia could be what leads Europe to completely rebuild its military strength and position itself for global domination, as prophesied (Dan. 2).

Remember, “dominion” was given to the Leopard (Daniel 7:6).

The region and people that is now Germany has wonderfully fit that picture of dominion in the past, with the power to instigate and help launch the last 3 major wars on earth: the War of 1870, World War I, and World War II.

Change is coming to the world. Europe and Russia will unite, along with Great Britain and others.

How will it happen?

It could result from a future war (e.g., the Sixth Trumpet War | Rev. 9:13-21).

It could follow a peace agreement (e.g., a 7-year peace agreement bundled into the Israeli-Palestinian agreement, perhaps after the Sixth Trumpet War).

Economic necessity could reshape relationships. A major international crisis could produce an entirely new security architecture. Leadership changes could alter national priorities. There are numerous possibilities, but assigning one of them to prophecy would go beyond what Scripture actually says.

We should be especially careful regarding Putin himself.

It would be speculation to say that Putin must leave office, die, be overthrown or change his policies for prophecy to proceed. Bible prophecy does not name Vladimir Putin, nor does it provide a timetable for his political future.

What we can say is that political leaders are temporary, while the prophetic picture extends beyond any one administration.

If the present Russian government continues opposing European integration, then at some point the geopolitical circumstances represented by Revelation 13 would require a significant change from today’s relationship.

How that happens remains unknown.

The Prophetic Convergence

This is precisely why prophecy students should resist interpreting Scripture exclusively through today’s headlines.

Imagine standing in Europe in July 1939 and insisting that Germany and the Soviet Union could never cooperate because everything visible at that moment suggested hostility.

Within weeks, that assumption would have collapsed.

Bible prophecy asks us to take the longer view.

Daniel 7 presents the bear and the leopard as major end-time national powers, not as nations that have long since come and gone.

How do we know that?

Revelation 13 uses the same animal symbols as Daniel 7, only they have unified to form the Global Government of the Antichrist, thus they must be nations that will exist on earth during the reign of the Antichrist, just prior to the return of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 13 presents a single, seven-headed, ten-horned Beast with the body the leopard, the feet of the bear, and the mouth of the lion. Revelation 17 describes ten kings (i.e., ten horns) eventually giving their power and strength to the Beast.

We are not watching that completed system today.

Russia and Germany are not presently unified under the government described in Revelation 13.

But today’s geopolitical hostility should not cause us to dismiss what Scripture portrays.

History has already demonstrated that supposedly impossible alliances can materialize with astonishing speed.

In 1939, Germany and Russia appeared to be ideological enemies. Then circumstances changed.

Today they again stand on opposing sides of a profound European security divide.

Bible prophecy indicates that the geopolitical landscape will not remain exactly as it is.

What Bible Prophecy Students Should Watch

Watch Russia’s relationship with Europe. Watch Germany’s growing role in European political, economic and military integration. Watch developments surrounding the nations that could ultimately comprise the ten-king alliance of Revelation 17. Watch for crises capable of reorganizing alliances that presently appear permanent.

Most importantly, watch Scripture rather than attempting to make Scripture follow the news.

The Bible gives us the destination. It does not reveal every diplomatic meeting, election, war, treaty or leadership transition that will take the nations from where they are today to the world described in Revelation 13.

In 1939, the world discovered how quickly enemies could become partners.

Perhaps the greater lesson for students of prophecy is this: never assume that today’s alliances and hostilities determine tomorrow’s prophetic landscape.

Daniel saw the bear.

Daniel saw the leopard.

John later saw characteristics of both incorporated into one final Beast, proving those beasts (i.e., nations) will all exist in a modern end-time context.

We do not yet know what events will bring that alignment about.

But if our understanding of these prophetic symbols is correct, the relationship between Russia and Europe will not always look the way it does today.

Since the mouth of the lion is also portrayed in Revelation 13 as being unified with the Antichrist, it appear Great Britain will also join forces with the bear and leopard. How all of this happens, it anyone’s guess. But it will happen.

For More Information (on the Beasts of Daniel 7) = click HERE.

Sources

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, “German-Soviet Pact”
Documents the August 23, 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, secret protocol, partition of Poland and subsequent German-Soviet actions. Holocaust Encyclopedia

Federal Government of Germany, National Security Council, September 14, 2026
Germany’s current assessment of Russian hybrid threats and defensive measures. Bundesregierung

NATO, Ankara Summit Declaration, July 8, 2026
Current NATO assessment of Russia and European security. NATO

From World War II with Tom Hanks: The Beginning, May 26, 2026
The historical presentation that prompted this article’s examination of the German-Soviet relationship.

About the Author

Bryan Smith serves as Content & Teaching Pastor at Endtime Ministries and has been part of the Endtime family for more than 25 years. He has been engaged in pastoral ministry for two decades, served as Academic Dean, Registrar, and Professor for Valor University, and is a frequent teacher of the Understanding the End Time class. Bryan holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Theology, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Leadership, has completed advanced studies in the history of prophecy through HarvardX’s certificate program with Harvard University, and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Biblical Studies. In addition to hosting The Bible Prophecy Show podcast, Bryan is a regular contributor to Endtime magazine and writes on the intersection of Bible prophecy, theology, and global current events.

Reverse ATMs: Your Cash Is No Longer Accepted

By Bryan Smith

As more businesses refuse physical currency, reverse ATMs are emerging as a bridge between cash and an increasingly digital economy.

The technology is convenient, but it also illustrates how rapidly buying and selling are becoming dependent upon electronic systems.

Walk into a growing number of stadiums, entertainment venues, restaurants and other businesses with a wallet full of cash, and you may discover something surprising: your money is no longer accepted.

Instead, you may be directed to a machine that looks like an ATM.

But this machine does exactly the opposite.

Rather than inserting a card and receiving cash, customers insert cash and receive a prepaid payment card. These devices are known as reverse ATMs, or cash-to-card kiosks.

Video

This NewsNation report visually demonstrates reverse ATMs and specifically examines their growth as businesses move toward cashless payments. (Click play BELOW)

The concept has existed for several years, but it is becoming increasingly relevant as businesses continue moving toward cashless operations. Yahoo Finance reported in June 2026 that reverse ATMs are becoming more common as businesses increasingly accept only card payments. Yahoo Finance

The machines solve a practical problem. But they also reveal something larger about the transformation taking place in the way people buy and sell.

What Is a Reverse ATM?

A reverse ATM accepts paper currency and converts its value into a prepaid card.

If someone enters a cashless stadium carrying $100, for example, he may insert that money into a reverse ATM. The machine then issues a prepaid card containing the corresponding value. The customer can use the card at concessions, merchandise counters or, depending on the card, other businesses that accept the payment network.

The technology is already operating in major American venues.

Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, operates as a cashless facility. Fans who arrive without credit or bank cards can use cash-to-card conversion stations that issue prepaid cards. Those cards can be used both at Lambeau Field and at other businesses that accept Mastercard. Packers

MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Jets and Giants, similarly operates cash-free concession and retail locations. Reverse ATMs throughout the stadium allow guests to exchange cash for prepaid Visa cards. New York Jets

The trend reaches beyond professional sports.

Reverse ATM companies market the machines to restaurants, hotels, retailers, hospitals, colleges, airports, transit systems, amusement parks and entertainment venues. REDYREF Kiosks

One particularly striking example is coming to health care. Main Line Health in Pennsylvania says that beginning October 5, 2026, its system will transition to a cashless and checkless payment model across its point-of-service locations. Cash-to-card kiosks will be available at several hospital campuses for people who arrive carrying physical money. Main Line Health

The message is increasingly simple: your cash may still have value, but you may first have to convert it into digital purchasing power before someone will accept it.

Why Businesses Are Going Cashless

There are legitimate reasons businesses prefer electronic payments.

Handling physical money costs money. Employees must count it, secure it, reconcile registers and transport deposits. Cash can be stolen, lost or counterfeited. Electronic transactions can move customers through crowded venues more quickly.

Reverse ATM providers market their systems on precisely these advantages, citing reduced cash-handling costs, faster transactions, improved accounting and lower risks of theft and fraud. BluePoint ATM

The movement also accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic as businesses sought to reduce physical contact.

But there is another side to the transition.

Not everyone has a bank account or credit card. Some people prefer cash because of privacy, budgeting or personal choice. Others depend upon it.

AARP warns that cashless businesses can disproportionately affect lower-income and unbanked consumers. It supports preserving payment choice and argues that businesses refusing cash should provide cash-paying customers another way to purchase goods without additional cost. AARP Policy Book

That tension explains the reverse ATM.

It allows the merchant to remain cashless while technically accommodating the person who arrives with cash.

The customer still has purchasing power.

But the transaction has been moved into the electronic system.

Why This Matters

The larger story is not the machine.

It is the direction of commerce.

Cash possesses a characteristic that digital money does not: it can generally be exchanged directly between two people without an electronic intermediary approving the transaction.

Hand someone a $20 bill, and no computer network has to authorize the exchange.

Digital commerce works differently.

A card payment, mobile wallet or digital transfer depends upon technological infrastructure. The transaction must be recognized and processed by a system.

This does not make electronic payments inherently sinister. Most Americans use them every day because they are extraordinarily convenient.

But it does represent a fundamental change.

As societies become more cashless, participation in commerce becomes increasingly dependent upon access to electronic systems.

That is where this development becomes particularly interesting to students of Bible prophecy.

Prophetic Perspective

Nearly two thousand years ago, Revelation described an economic system that would eventually possess unprecedented control over commerce.

Revelation 13:16-18 says:

Revelation 13:16–18 KJV

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six (i.e., 666).

Reverse ATMs are not the Mark of the Beast.

Neither are debit cards, digital wallets, cryptocurrencies or central bank digital currencies (at this point), although they may play future role in that coming system.

The Mark described in Revelation is connected to the Antichrist and ultimately to worship and allegiance (to the Antichrist and His Global Government).

Revelation 14:9-11 makes the spiritual consequences of receiving it unmistakable.

Revelation 14:9–11 KJV

9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Revelation 13 does reveal something extraordinary about the future.

A system will exist that can determine whether an individual is permitted to buy or sell.

For most of human history, enforcing such comprehensive economic control would have been extraordinarily difficult. A person prohibited from one marketplace could simply take coins or currency somewhere else.

A predominantly digital economy changes that equation.

When identity, payment authorization and commerce become interconnected, access can theoretically be granted or denied.

That does not mean today’s payment networks were created to fulfill Revelation 13. It means the technological obstacle to the prophecy is disappearing.

Reverse ATMs provide a fascinating illustration.

They do not simply make digital payment available to people without cards. They allow an establishment to eliminate cash from the point of sale while still capturing the purchasing power of customers who arrive carrying physical currency.

The cash enters a machine.

The customer receives electronic purchasing power.

The merchant remains cashless.

That is a remarkable transition.

What Bible Prophecy Students Should Watch

The most significant development to watch is not whether reverse ATMs become popular.

Watch the convergence of systems.

Digital identity is advancing. Biometric authentication is expanding. Mobile wallets are becoming commonplace. Governments are experimenting with digital currencies. Businesses are increasingly comfortable eliminating cash. Financial transactions are becoming more interconnected with digital identity and online services.

Any one of those developments by itself is not the (666) Mark of the Beast.

The prophetic significance emerges when identity, authorization and the ability to participate in commerce can operate through the same interconnected infrastructure.

Revelation does NOT tell us whether the final system will use a digital currency, a card, biometrics or technology that has not yet been invented.

It tells us the RESULT.

There will come a time when those who refuse the Beast’s system (666) will not be permitted to buy or sell.

Eventually, many of those who continue to rebel against the Antichrist, his Global Government, and his False Prophet, will be killed (by beheading).

That is the standard Scripture gives us. And that is why issues like these deserve careful consideration.

Those who take the Mark are destined for Hell eternally.

Those who refuse the Mark and give their life for the sake of Jesus Christ, shall be resurrected and live forever.

Final Thought

A reverse ATM may seem like little more than a convenient machine sitting in the concourse of a stadium.

But its existence tells us something about the world around us. Society is becoming increasingly comfortable with the idea that physical money does not have to be accepted directly. Instead, cash can be converted into participation in a digital financial system.

We should not call that the Mark of the Beast.

We should recognize that the world is developing capabilities that make the economic control described in Revelation 13 increasingly possible.

The Christian response is not fear.

It is discernment.

Jesus told His followers to watch. As technology changes the mechanics of buying and selling, believers should understand those changes without exaggerating them, recognize where Scripture draws the prophetic lines, and remain anchored in the Word of God.

The remarkable thing about Revelation 13 is no longer that its economic system seems impossible.

It is how technologically possible it has become.

Sources

Yahoo Finance: What is a reverse ATM?

AARP: Cashless Businesses

Main Line Health: Cashless Payment Model

Green Bay Packers: Cashless Payment at Lambeau Field

About the Author

Bryan Smith serves as Content & Teaching Pastor at Endtime Ministries and has been part of the Endtime family for more than 25 years. He has been engaged in pastoral ministry for two decades, served as Academic Dean, Registrar, and Professor for Valor University, and is a frequent teacher of the Understanding the End Time class. Bryan holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Theology, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Leadership, has completed advanced studies in the history of prophecy through HarvardX’s certificate program with Harvard University, and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Biblical Studies. In addition to hosting The Bible Prophecy Show podcast, Bryan is a regular contributor to Endtime magazine and writes on the intersection of Bible prophecy, theology, and global current events.

Europe’s Military Systems Become More Integrated

Europe took another step toward greater military integration this week.

The European Defence [sic] Agency (EDA) announced that its Maritime Surveillance network, known as MARSUR, successfully exchanged information in real time with European national command systems and NATO during military exercises off Portugal.

The system combines information from European navies, radar, satellites and other sources to provide commanders with a shared picture of maritime activity.

The test involved many of the 23 European nations participating in the MARSUR initiative.

According to the European Defence Agency, the exercise marked the first time this level of multi-domain integration had been demonstrated live rather than merely on paper.

Plans are underway to develop MARSUR into a classified EU Secret-level network by 2028.

Europe’s growing military cooperation is particularly interesting from the perspective of Bible prophecy.

Daniel 2 describes the One World Governments (i.e., Global Empires) culminating in a final European-centered system represented by the feet of iron and clay (i.e., The Holy Roman Empire – Revived).

Revelation 17:12-13 later describes ten kings who receive power and ultimately give their strength and authority to the Beast.

We should not claim that MARSUR fulfills either prophecy, nor should today’s European institutions simply be equated with the final prophetic government.

But the trajectory is worth watching.

European nations that historically guarded their military sovereignty are increasingly developing shared command capabilities, interoperable weapons, common defense projects and systems capable of exchanging battlefield information in real time.

The final ten-king alliance of Revelation has not yet been identified.

What we can observe is Europe continuing to build the military architecture that allows nations to operate together more closely.

What to watch: Greater European military independence, integrated command structures, common weapons procurement and, especially, the emergence of smaller groups of European nations (to the tune of “10”) exercising disproportionate political or military leadership.

Source: HERE

About the Author

Bryan Smith serves as Content & Teaching Pastor at Endtime Ministries and has been part of the Endtime family for more than 25 years. He has been engaged in pastoral ministry for two decades, served as Academic Dean, Registrar, and Professor for Valor University, and is a frequent teacher of the Understanding the End Time class. Bryan holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Theology, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Leadership, has completed advanced studies in the history of prophecy through HarvardX’s certificate program with Harvard University, and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Biblical Studies. In addition to hosting The Bible Prophecy Show podcast, Bryan is a regular contributor to Endtime magazine and writes on the intersection of Bible prophecy, theology, and global current events.

Pope Leo Calls Religions to Build Bridges Across Borders

Pope Leo XIV called representatives of different religions to pursue deeper dialogue and cooperation during an interreligious gathering in Metz, France, on Monday.

Speaking on the final day of his visit to France, the pope praised the legacy of Robert Schuman, one of the founders of European integration, and encouraged religious believers to transform divisions into “bridges of hope.”

He said people of faith share a responsibility to demonstrate that it is possible to meet one another, build friendships and pursue peace “beyond all borders.”

Pope Leo also emphasized that interreligious dialogue should not eliminate religious identity. He described dialogue as an opening toward others rather than the abandonment of one’s own beliefs.

Revelation 13 and 17 describe a future religious system intertwined with political power.

Revelation 13 specifically presents the False Prophet exercising enormous religious influence and directing humanity toward worship of the Antichrist.

For Christians, cooperation and peaceful coexistence should never require surrendering the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
John 14:6 KJV

Today’s interfaith movement is not necessarily the fulfillment of Revelation 13, but the increasing institutionalization of global religious cooperation is something prophecy students should continue watching.

What to watch: Whether interfaith cooperation remains centered on peaceful coexistence and religious liberty or increasingly develops permanent institutions capable of speaking or acting collectively for the world’s religions.

Source: Vatican News

About the Author

Bryan Smith serves as Content & Teaching Pastor at Endtime Ministries and has been part of the Endtime family for more than 25 years. He has been engaged in pastoral ministry for two decades, served as Academic Dean, Registrar, and Professor for Valor University, and is a frequent teacher of the Understanding the End Time class. Bryan holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Theology, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Leadership, has completed advanced studies in the history of prophecy through HarvardX’s certificate program with Harvard University, and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Biblical Studies. In addition to hosting The Bible Prophecy Show podcast, Bryan is a regular contributor to Endtime magazine and writes on the intersection of Bible prophecy, theology, and global current events.

Europe’s Digital ID Wallet Raises Surveillance Concerns

Europe is moving toward a future in which a person’s identity, credentials and access to services could increasingly converge inside a single digital wallet.

Under EU rules, every member country is expected to offer citizens a European Digital Identity Wallet by the end of 2026.

The smartphone-based system is designed to hold verified credentials such as government identification, driver’s licenses and diplomas and work across all 27 EU member states.

Supporters emphasize convenience, security and privacy protections (as usual).

But digital-rights advocates are raising concerns about privacy, tracking, cybersecurity and what happens when previously separate areas of life become connected through a common identity system.

Euronews reports that critics are particularly concerned about a future in which the same digital wallet could potentially interact with government services, transportation, healthcare, banking and online platforms.

Revelation 13:16-17 describes a future system in which the Mark of the Beast (666) becomes necessary to buy or sell and is inseparably connected to allegiance to the Beast.

According to Scripture, this “mark” will be instituted in the right hand or forehead, and all who receive it and worship the Beast will lost for eternity.

The Mark in the Right Hand or Forehead

Revelation 13:16–18 KJV

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Those Who Receive the Mark Face Eternal Judgment

Revelation 14:9–11 KJV

9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

A digital identity wallet does not yet meet all of those biblical requirements, at this time, but could easily do so in the not-to-distant future.

What developments like this demonstrate, is that the technological infrastructure necessary to connect identity and access to services is becoming increasingly sophisticated.

What to watch: Greater integration among digital identity, banking, payment systems, biometric verification and access to essential services, especially if voluntary systems eventually become mandatory.

Whatever you do, never take the (666) Mark of the Beast.

Reject anything from being in your right hand or forehead and worship the Lord Jesus Christ only.

Jesus Is Lord

Philippians 2:10–11 KJV

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Acts 2:36 KJV

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

1 Timothy 3:16 KJV

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Titus 2:13 KJV

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

God Alone Is to Be Worshipped

Matthew 4:10 KJV

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Exodus 20:3 KJV

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Isaiah 42:8 KJV

I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Jesus Receives Worship

Matthew 14:33 KJV

Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Matthew 28:9 KJV

And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Matthew 28:17 KJV

And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

Luke 24:52 KJV

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

John 9:38 KJV

And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

Jesus Is Worshipped by the Angels

Hebrews 1:6 KJV

And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

Scripture elsewhere shows that angels refuse worship of themselves. 

Revelation 22:8–9 KJV

8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

That creates a very strong biblical comparison:

Angels: “See thou do it not… worship God.”
Jesus: repeatedly receives worship.
Jesus: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only.”
Thomas to Jesus: “My Lord and my God.”

Every Knee Bows to the LORD, and Every Knee Bows to Jesus

There is another particularly significant connection.

Isaiah 45:22–23 KJV

22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

Then Paul applies this language to Jesus:

Philippians 2:10–11 KJV

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Satan has always wanted the worship that is rightfully due to God alone.

The Mark of the Beast (666) is his master plan which will seek to demand forced worship, redirecting worship that alone belongs to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Source: Euronews

About the Author

Bryan Smith serves as Content & Teaching Pastor at Endtime Ministries and has been part of the Endtime family for more than 25 years. He has been engaged in pastoral ministry for two decades, served as Academic Dean, Registrar, and Professor for Valor University, and is a frequent teacher of the Understanding the End Time class. Bryan holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Theology, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Leadership, has completed advanced studies in the history of prophecy through HarvardX’s certificate program with Harvard University, and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Biblical Studies. In addition to hosting The Bible Prophecy Show podcast, Bryan is a regular contributor to Endtime magazine and writes on the intersection of Bible prophecy, theology, and global current events.

Nearly 100 Nations Rally Behind Two-State Peace Push

The international campaign for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement gained new momentum at the United Nations this week.

Representatives from nearly 100 countries and organizations participated in a ministerial meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Organizers said the goal is no longer simply international agreement about two states, but turning that consensus into political reality.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also reiterated support for two independent states, Israel and Palestine, living beside one another in peace and security, with Jerusalem serving as the capital of both.

For students of Bible prophecy, the continuing international focus on Middle East peace carries particular significance.

Daniel 9:27 foretells the confirmation of a covenant “with many” for one prophetic week, understood as seven years. Halfway through that period, sacrifice and oblation are stopped, setting the stage for the Abomination of Desolation Jesus warned about in Matthew 24:15.

There is no biblical basis for declaring the present two-state initiative to be that covenant, yet. In fact, numerous political and territorial obstacles remain.

But nearly 100 nations and organizations gathering around the question of Israeli-Palestinian peace illustrates something remarkable: the issue at the center of Daniel’s prophecy remains one of the world’s most internationalized diplomatic problems.

What to watch: Any agreement involving Israel that includes multiple nations, addresses Jerusalem or the Temple Mount, establishes significant security guarantees, or creates an identifiable time framework attached to seven years.

Sources:

United Nations

Saudi Gazette

About the Author

Bryan Smith serves as Content & Teaching Pastor at Endtime Ministries and has been part of the Endtime family for more than 25 years. He has been engaged in pastoral ministry for two decades, served as Academic Dean, Registrar, and Professor for Valor University, and is a frequent teacher of the Understanding the End Time class. Bryan holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Theology, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Leadership, has completed advanced studies in the history of prophecy through HarvardX’s certificate program with Harvard University, and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Biblical Studies. In addition to hosting The Bible Prophecy Show podcast, Bryan is a regular contributor to Endtime magazine and writes on the intersection of Bible prophecy, theology, and global current events.