Inside View Mar/Apr 2022
People often ask me if the Abraham Accords are related to end-times prophecy. The Accords have been called peace agreements, which begs the question, “Is this the beginning of the covenant mentioned in Daniel 9:27 between Israel and the prince of the people who ‘shall destroy the city and the sanctuary’?” (v. 26).
The announcement of the Abraham Accords came as a surprise in August 2020, when Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) agreed to normalize relations between the two countries. What followed was a formal agreement they both signed in September 2020.
The announcement sent shock waves throughout the Middle East and the world. Suddenly, an Arab nation that had opposed the modern State of Israel’s existence from its inception in 1948 was willing to recognize that Israel is here to stay and it would be beneficial to work with the Jewish state, rather than oppose it.
The Trump administration persuaded both countries not to wait for the Palestinian-Arab issue to be settled before embarking on this new path. The Accords were named for the biblical patriarch Abraham, who is viewed as the father of the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
In the following months, other Muslim-Arab nations made similar agreements with Israel, namely, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco, and Oman. Certainly, the growing threat of a nuclear Iran bent on ruling a united Middle East gave them the incentive.
The Accords with the UAE are officially titled the Abraham Accords Peace Agreement: Treaty of Peace, Diplomatic Relations and Full Normalization Between the United Arab Emirates and the State of Israel. However, it is best to understand them not as a peace treaty but as forward-looking agreements of normalization and cooperation. Both countries agreed to formally recognize each other, thereby opening the door to cooperation regarding the economy, environment, and national security.
Such agreements naturally grab the attention of many students of God’s Word. However, these Accords do not constitute the covenant God revealed to the prophet Daniel. None of these nations destroyed the Temple in AD 70, and none are pledging to protect Israel from its enemies. Daniel foresaw a Gentile leader who would be related to the Romans who destroyed the Temple and who would promise Israel peace and security.
There are, however, lessons to be learned from the Accords as they relate to things to come. First and foremost is the speed at which unforeseen changes can erupt on the geopolitical scene. Based on what we know today, we sometimes wonder how God will bring about certain end-times events. And then an event like the Abraham Accords reminds us God can do in a moment what we perceive to be years away.
The Abraham Accords also show us Israel’s desire to live harmoniously with its neighbors. The Israelis are not alone in wanting security; all of us want it. But when one lives in a dangerous neighborhood like the Middle East and has a history of being hated by the nations, peace and security become priorities. Israelis are tired of constantly sending their sons and daughters to war in order to defend their country. They pay a high price in terms of young lives. When I visit Israel, I often hear them say, “All we want is to live in peace with our neighbors!”
The Abraham Accords show us the strong Israeli desire to preserve life and security through dialogue and agreement. It is this drive that one day will lead Israel into a covenant of false peace and security with the prince of Daniel 9:27.
