The Gathering Storm: Biblical Prophecy and the Final War
הרב שי טחןכא אדר, תשפו10/03/2026The prophecy of the final world war between Gog and Magog in the book of Book of Ezekiel (38) is fascinating.
תגיות:שאגת אריהמלחמהנבואה
The extraordinary events we have witnessed over the past week and a half seem almost like science fiction. The elimination of forty senior leaders in less than a minute along with the ability to fly over the Iranian airspace without interference, sounds more like the plot of a novel than reality.
Yet we continue going about our daily routines without fully recognizing the magnitude of what is happening. We wake up in the morning and hear that yet another senior enemy leader has been eliminated, and that existential threats that have loomed over us for decades are being removed one after another with astonishing speed. Because these events are happening so rapidly, there is a risk that we become accustomed to them and fail to appreciate the immense miracles unfolding before our eyes.
In the times of the Sages, miracles of a similar scale—such as those commemorated on Purim and Chanukah—were established as holidays for all generations. Through this, they taught us the proper outlook: when one witnesses extraordinary salvation and clear manifestations of Divine providence, one must pause, recognize the miracle, and express gratitude, rather than allow such moments to pass by as if they were ordinary events.
In Brit Bein HaBetarim (Bereishit 15:7–21) Hashem reveals to Avraham Avinu a prophetic vision outlining the future of the Jewish people. This foundational moment sets the stage for Jewish destiny, including both exile and redemption.
Within this covenant, Hashem makes a dramatic appearance—“a smoking furnace and a flaming torch that passed between the pieces.” This symbolizes a binding agreement and Divine presence accompanying Avraham’s descendants throughout the ages. Upon witnessing current world events—especially the war with Iran—it’s astonishing to realize how all of this was already outlined in the Torah, as explained by Yonatan ben Uziel.
Targum Yonatan ben Uziel, the earliest and most expansive Aramaic commentary on the Torah, brings a profound interpretation to this passage. He views the vision as not just referring to the Egyptian exile but as an allusion to the four exiles—each represented by a different kingdom that would dominate Israel in the future. This mirrors the interpretation later expanded in Sefer Daniel.
The pasuk states: "As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell upon Avraham, and behold—a dread, great darkness fell upon him" (Bereishit 15:12). Chazal note that four distinct expressions are used in this pasuk: deep sleep (תרדמה), dread (אימה), great darkness (חשכה גדולה), and falling (נופלת). What do these four elements hint to?
Targum Yonatan connects the four empires to the pieces of the covenant to show that Jewish suffering is never random, but part of the Divine plan—foretold from the very beginning of our national destiny.
• Deep sleep (תרדמה) – symbolizes the Babylonian exile, when the people were spiritually asleep and disconnected after the destruction of the First Beit HaMikdash.
• Dread (אימה) – represents the Persian-Mede Empire, in which the Jews faced existential fear, as in the story of Haman and the threat of national annihilation.
• Great darkness (חשכה גדולה) – refers to the Greek exile, which brought a darkness of the soul—spiritual war against Torah, mitzvot, and Jewish identity.
• Falling (נופלת) – points to the Persian (Iran) exile, marked by destruction, dispersion, and the ongoing challenges of galut.
Here, the Targum offers a profound insight: he explains that in the end of days, this empire will fall and will never rise again—and from its downfall, Israel will rise, and Mashiach will come. Throughout history, this seemed impossible to anticipate. But what we’ve witnessed over the past week is a precise unfolding of this prophecy: Persia—modern-day Iran—is collapsing, while Israel is rising in the most miraculous ways. (Note that in some versions, the Targum reads Edom instead of Persia.)
In the prophecy of Daniel, Yishmael does not appear as the fourth exile; instead, it is Edom. This stands in clear contrast to what is presented here.
It seems that Daniel’s vision subtly includes Yishmael in a different manner. In the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar, the feet were composed of both iron and clay—iron representing Edom (Rome/Christianity), and clay symbolizing Yishmael (Islam). This mixture implies that in the final chapter of world history, these two powers—Edom and Yishmael—will stand together as the last great forces before the ultimate redemption.
The vision describing the feet made of two elements—clay and iron—appears to represent precisely what we are witnessing today. The Europeans, identified with Rome, are now deeply mixed with Yishmael. Yet, like iron and clay, they do not truly merge into a single entity.
Walking through the streets of Europe, one can easily observe this phenomenon: large Yishmaelite populations living among European societies. However, rather than fully assimilating into one unified culture, each group largely maintains its own identity and way of life, standing alongside one another but not truly blending together.
The prophecy of the final world war between Gog and Magog in the book of Book of Ezekiel (38) is fascinating. The Malbim explains that Gog and Magog represent Yishmael and the Christian world, who will ultimately confront one another in the final war.
The psukim describing Gog also list Persia among the nations aligned with him. Gog may be connected to Amalek, noting the similarity between the name Gog and Agag, the king of Amalek, and that Haman is called “the Agagite,” a descendant of Amalek according to the Targum on the Book of Esther.
According to this understanding, the psukim state the final conflict will revolve around Jerusalem. Indeed, the war initiated by Yishmael in recent years was named “The Flood of Al-Aqsa,” declaring its goal to “liberate” what they describe as occupied Jerusalem from the Jews.
The Gemara in Yoma (10a) records a debate as to which of the two—Edom or Yishmael (often referred to there as Persia, which is the modern-day Iran)—will dominate at the very end. The Gemara debates whether Edom or Persia will rule over the world for nine months. Tosafot (Avodah Zarah 2b) explain that Persia will maintain its power until shortly before the end of days, at which point Edom will wage war against them and defeat them.
This uncertainty is reflected in the unstable composition of the statue’s feet: two conflicting elements that cannot truly merge.
But the prophecy doesn’t end with them. A stone—unshaped by human hands—strikes the statue and shatters it. This stone represents the eternal kingdom of Hashem, led by an "ancient of days" who reigns forever. It is a vision of Mashiach and the ultimate redemption, when all false powers collapse and Divine truth fills the world.
We are standing at the threshold of that moment. Based on the words of Chazal and the unfolding of world events, it seems that the final stage of history is already in motion. The end of exile is near—and with it, the dawn of eternal clarity.
Yet we continue going about our daily routines without fully recognizing the magnitude of what is happening. We wake up in the morning and hear that yet another senior enemy leader has been eliminated, and that existential threats that have
In the times of the Sages, miracles of a similar scale—such as those commemorated on Purim and Chanukah—were established as holidays for all generations. Through this, they taught us the proper outlook: when one witnesses extraordinary salvation and clear manifestations of Divine providence, one must pause, recognize the miracle, and express gratitude, rather than allow such moments to pass by as if they were ordinary events.
In Brit Bein HaBetarim (Bereishit 15:7–21) Hashem reveals to Avraham Avinu a prophetic vision outlining the future of the Jewish people. This foundational moment sets the stage for Jewish destiny, including both exile and redemption.
Within this covenant, Hashem makes a dramatic appearance—“a smoking furnace and a flaming torch that passed between the pieces.” This symbolizes a binding agreement and Divine presence accompanying Avraham’s descendants throughout the ages. Upon witnessing current world events—especially the war with Iran—it’s astonishing to realize how all of this was already outlined in the Torah, as explained by Yonatan ben Uziel.
Targum Yonatan ben Uziel, the earliest and most expansive Aramaic commentary on the Torah, brings a profound interpretation to this passage. He views the vision as not just referring to the Egyptian exile but as an allusion to the four exiles—each represented by a different kingdom that would dominate Israel in the future. This mirrors the interpretation later expanded in Sefer Daniel.
The pasuk states: "As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell upon Avraham, and behold—a dread, great darkness fell upon him" (Bereishit 15:12). Chazal note that four distinct expressions are used in this pasuk: deep sleep (תרדמה), dread (אימה), great darkness (חשכה גדולה), and falling (נופלת). What do these four elements hint to?
Targum Yonatan connects the four empires to the pieces of the covenant to show that Jewish suffering is never random, but part of the Divine plan—foretold from the very beginning of our national destiny.
• Deep sleep (תרדמה) – symbolizes the Babylonian exile, when the people were spiritually asleep and disconnected after the destruction of the First Beit HaMikdash.
• Dread (אימה) – represents the Persian-Mede Empire, in which the Jews faced existential fear, as in the story of Haman and the threat of national annihilation.
• Great darkness (חשכה גדולה) – refers to the Greek exile, which brought a darkness of the soul—spiritual war against Torah, mitzvot, and Jewish identity.
• Falling (נופלת) – points to the Persian (Iran) exile, marked by destruction, dispersion, and the ongoing challenges of galut.
Here, the Targum offers a profound insight: he explains that in the end of days, this empire will fall and will never rise again—and from its downfall, Israel will rise, and Mashiach will come. Throughout history, this seemed impossible to anticipate. But what we’ve witnessed over the past week is a precise unfolding of this prophecy: Persia—modern-day Iran—is collapsing, while Israel is rising in the most miraculous ways. (Note that in some versions, the Targum reads Edom instead of Persia.)
In the prophecy of Daniel, Yishmael does not appear as the fourth exile; instead, it is Edom. This stands in clear contrast to what is presented here.
It seems that Daniel’s vision subtly includes Yishmael in a different manner. In the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar, the feet were composed of both iron and clay—iron representing Edom (Rome/Christianity), and clay symbolizing Yishmael (Islam). This mixture implies that in the final chapter of world history, these two powers—Edom and Yishmael—will stand together as the last great forces before the ultimate redemption.
The vision describing the feet made of two elements—clay and iron—appears to represent precisely what we are witnessing today. The Europeans, identified with Rome, are now deeply mixed with Yishmael. Yet, like iron and clay, they do not truly merge into a single entity.
Walking through the streets of Europe, one can easily observe this phenomenon: large Yishmaelite populations living among European societies. However, rather than fully assimilating into one unified culture, each group largely maintains its own identity and way of life, standing alongside one another but not truly blending together.
The prophecy of the final world war between Gog and Magog in the book of Book of Ezekiel (38) is fascinating. The Malbim explains that Gog and Magog represent Yishmael and the Christian world, who will ultimately confront one another in the final war.
The psukim describing Gog also list Persia among the nations aligned with him. Gog may be connected to Amalek, noting the similarity between the name Gog and Agag, the king of Amalek, and that Haman is called “the Agagite,” a descendant of Amalek according to the Targum on the Book of Esther.
According to this understanding, the psukim state the final conflict will revolve around Jerusalem. Indeed, the war initiated by Yishmael in recent years was named “The Flood of Al-Aqsa,” declaring its goal to “liberate” what they describe as occupied Jerusalem from the Jews.
The Gemara in Yoma (10a) records a debate as to which of the two—Edom or Yishmael (often referred to there as Persia, which is the modern-day Iran)—will dominate at the very end. The Gemara debates whether Edom or Persia will rule over the world for nine months. Tosafot (Avodah Zarah 2b) explain that Persia will maintain its power until shortly before the end of days, at which point Edom will wage war against them and defeat them.
This uncertainty is reflected in the unstable composition of the statue’s feet: two conflicting elements that cannot truly merge.
But the prophecy doesn’t end with them. A stone—unshaped by human hands—strikes the statue and shatters it. This stone represents the eternal kingdom of Hashem, led by an "ancient of days" who reigns forever. It is a vision of Mashiach and the ultimate redemption, when all false powers collapse and Divine truth fills the world.
We are standing at the threshold of that moment. Based on the words of Chazal and the unfolding of world events, it seems that the final stage of history is already in motion. The end of exile is near—and with it, the dawn of eternal clarity.
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