On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury, a massive coordinated military strike that destroyed Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure and resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. The day of the attack was the 10th day of the 12th month, according to our calendar, and the 11th day of Adar, according to the Jewish calendar. There are three aspects about this timing, that are quite significant. Firstly, the attack took place only two days before the feast of Purim on the 13th day of Adar. Secondly, the attack took place only three days before the people of America witnessed a total lunar eclipse in the early morning hours of Tuesday 3 March. And thirdly, the attack took place on the morning of a Shabbat. A number of questions come to my mind: Firstly, is it a coincidence that this attack happened in the timeslot of a feast that originated around the Biblical figure of Haman, who was a Persian – in modern-day terms: an Iranian? Secondly, do we need to look for prophetic significance within this attack, especially since it happened so close to a relatively rare phenomenon like a total lunar eclipse, seen most clearly from the United States, but (ironically) not from Iran? In the 21st century there will only be 85 total lunar eclipses, globally. And thirdly, how does one explain the fact that this attack took place on a Shabbat, when several leaders of Israel in the past have criticised their enemies for attacking them on a feast day or a Shabbat, both of which symbolised rest and dedication. When Israel was attacked on Yom Kippur in 1973, the Prime Minister, Golda Meir, branded the attack as treachery, completely disregarding the silence of Yom Kippur, and revealing the disrespectful character of the enemy. When Israel was attacked by Chamas on the Shabbat of 7 October 2023, Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu, repeatedly emphasized that the attack was a “Double Desecration” because the enemy chose to attack Israel on a Shabbat.
There were a few very striking headline descriptions of these attacks in the news media, many of which emphasizing that it was a “needless war”. But not the media in Israel. The Times of Israel reported: “Purim 2026: Same Story, Different Century as Israel Strikes Modern-Day Haman.” One has to admit: It seems very much like the same story. Haman wanted to annihilate the entire Jewish nation. Iran stated repeatedly that it wanted to completely destroy the state of Israel. Haman was impaled, the country of Iran was brutally decapitated, with its political head, together with 40 other high-ranking officials being killed in the attacks. And indeed it is a different century – one year short of 2500 years later! The Jerusalem Post wrote: “Venahafoch Hu: The Reversal of Fate as Iran’s ‘Bow’ is Broken on Day of Deliverance”. The expression “Venahafoch Hu” is used in Esther 9:1, and it literally means “And it was turned about” or “The opposite happened”. Haman built a gallows to hang Mordecai; but instead Haman himself was hung on those very gallows. The decree to kill the Jews became the day the Jews defeated their enemies. And the reference in this heading to Iran’s “bow” that is “broken” is a play on the words of Jeremiah 49:35, “Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.” The place Elam corresponds to the modern-day Iranian province of Khuzestan, which is very strategically situated, directly to the North of the Persian Gulf, on the border between Iran and Iraq, relatively close to Israel because it is on the Western side of Iran and also being one of the provinces that were targeted and bombed.
Many news reports of these attacks included some kind of Biblical or prophetic parallel, over and above the Elam (Jeremiah 49) connection. Some have said that this is the Gog and Magog conflict, spoken of in Ezekiel 38. Some say the “Kings of the East” prophecy in Revelation 16 points towards a China-led coalition, which includes Iran. Some interpreters say we need to look at the two-horn goat (believed to be Iran and its allies) of Daniel 8, and its conflict with the one-horn goat from the West (US and Israel). The “cup of trembling” of Zechariah 12 and the “desert by the sea” of Isaiah 21, are also among the prophecies that are applied to what is happening in the Middle-East right now. Most people do not even read Scriptures on a daily basis, but boy oh boy, how quick they are to find a “suitable” Biblical prophecy, when the nation of Israel is involved! The interpretation of Scriptural prophecies can so easily become a wave of sensationalism, ridden by those who enjoy saying something new, but often have little personal knowledge of the One behind those prophecies. Personally, I am not prepared to link the events of the past week directly to any Biblical event or prophecy. Like others, I can see some lines of resemblance. But what people sometimes too easily describe as “prophetic fulfilment”, is often nothing more than a recurring historical pattern. Is Yahweh’s hand in all of this? Certainly, it is! But instead of hunting frantically after hints of fulfilled prophecies, within a loaded political context, let us rather keep our eyes open for the hundreds and hundreds of simple and straight-forward prophetic utterances that were included in the Biblical Scriptures. Given to us, not so that we may PREDICT the end times, but so that we may MAKE it to the end times. And by using the phrase “prophetic utterances”, I am referring to the literal meaning of “PROphetic” – utterances in Scripture where someone not only spoke on behalf of (“pro”) Yahweh, but also for the sake of (“pro”) the people. This is the true meaning of “prophetic”.
Let us take the “Venahafoch Hu” principle. We may call it the “Yahweh-based Reversal” principle. This principle may clearly be seen in each one of the three readings that are part of this week’s Reading Program. In Exodus 32-34 the Golden Calf (after the pattern of Egypt) was thought to be Israel’s new “mighty one” to lead them. Instead, a complete reversal took place. The golden calf was ground into powder and the people had to drink it. Clearly the people realized: You cannot worship something that you have swallowed and subsequently eliminated. And so the spell of Egyptian idolatry was broken by showing that the gold is just something that glitters, but inherently it is powerless and temporary. An entire nation was now purified, and more prepared to step into a covenant with the only true Mighty One, Yahweh.
In Ezekiel 36 the very real possibility of another kind of reversal was prophesied about. Hearts of stone can actually become hearts of flesh. This is the ultimate Venahafoch Hu. That which was cold, dead, and unresponsive (a heart of stone) is changed into something living and breathing and responding. Those who turned their backs and walked away from Yahweh – His ways, His words and His followers – have experienced a U-turn type of reversal in their lives. Before, they felt they had noting left inside of them. But He put His spirit within them and caused them to walk in His ways and sense his goodness. What a reversal! What an unexpected blessing! What a change of meaning and purpose in life!
Before we come to the third reading in John 11, let us briefly look at a few more reversal episodes in Scripture. (1) Yoseph, in Genesis 50:20: “You (as my brothers) intended to harm me, but Elohim intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Venahafoch Hu!! (2) David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17: David did not even bring a sword to the fight. After striking Goliath with a stone, David used Goliath’s own sword to cut off the giant’s head. Venahafoch Hu!! (3) Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2: “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength”. It almost sounds like the “sheet music” for the story of Purim, with Haman in the centre. Venahafoch Hu!!
This brings us to John 11: The tomb seemed to be the “end” of the story of Lazarus. The stone was sealed. But then the tomb became a stage for the greatest demonstration of life. The “stench of death” became the “fragrance of a miracle.” Lazarus was risen from death! The table was prepared for the resurrection of Y’shua the Messiah! The biggest reversal known to mankind – the hopelessness of a life simply resulting in death, being overturned into a highlight that is almost beyond comprehension. The guarantee of life after death! The understanding that because Y’shua was risen from the dead, we shall also be risen from the dead. If it weren’t for this Yahweh-based reversal, no other type of reversal would really matter. Or to look at it through the eyes of the apostle: If Messiah had not been raised (if his tomb had not been found empty), then our belief and all our works have no purpose and shall sadly and truly be found empty! Thank you, Yah, for your Son and your Venahafoch Hu!!
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