124    The Bible and the Future of the World 

future.  They will claim that prophecies of sufferings were conditional and 

have been changed because of repentance. But these prophesies of peace will 

be false prophecies, which are not from God (Ezekiel 12:26    13:23). Very 

quickly, war will break out. First, the small war among the Arab nations. 

Next, the great war of World War III. And God will cast down these false 

prophets from the lofty heights to which they have exalted themselves 

(Jeremiah 14:13 18). And it will be clearly seen that the prophecies of a time 

of war and punishments from God are true. Peace, true peace, is for a future 

time. 

War during the Forty Years (Overview) 

    The Forty Years will occur from  A.D. 2000 to 2039/2040. A  brief  war 

among  the  Arab nations will  occur in  A.D. 2009.  This war will unite the 

Arab nations under the leadership of extremists, under the leadership of the 

leader of Iran and the leader of Iraq.  After that small war, a great war 

occurs, World War III.  (It  begins  in  A.D. 2010, but will not be generally 

acknowledged to be a world war until 2011.)  It will be a long and bloody 

war; millions will die. When the war is over (in the latter part of the 2010's), 

the Arab nations will occupy and subjugate a vast area (including Europe, 

parts of Eastern Europe and northern Africa, and the Middle East) for many 

years.  Near the end of the Forty Years, in the  mid  2030's, there will be 

another war, World War IV, which will be shorter and more intense than 

the war by which Europe was conquered; that war ends about the year A.D. 

2037 and is followed by a series of severe punishments from God (the first 

six trumpets of the seventh seal from the book of Revelation). 

The Small War That Prepares for World War III 

    In the year  A.D. 2009, extremist Arab leaders will fight against more 

moderate leaders, and the extremist leaders will win. Iran and Iraq will join 

together and will consolidate their power among the Arab nations. Those 

countries which cannot be overcome by internal coups and revolts, will be 

attacked in open warfare. There will be upheavals and changes in leadership 

within Arab countries. Extremist leaders will take control of various Arab 

countries, in place of more moderate leaders. 

    The book of Daniel describes a vision of a ram with two horns (Dan 8:3 

4, 20). This symbolizes the Arab nations acting together as one force. The 

two  horns represent the two leaders of Media and Persia (now called Iraq 

and Iran). One of the two leaders will be more powerful than the other. The 

leader who rises to power later than the other will have the greater power 

(Dan 8:3).