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Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Experts' chilling clues the Book of Revelation predicted today's bloody Middle East conflict
A wild conspiracy theory is taking social media by storm amid the escalating conflict between Israel and other nations in the Middle East. It says that the colors of the Palestinian flag represent the four horsemen from the Bible, suggesting armageddon is near. The Book of Revelation describes the four horsemen as signs of end-times events, representing conquest shown in white, war in red, famine as black and death is described as pale, often depicted as green. Some social media users have drawn parallels between these colors and the Palestinian flag, which has been prominently displayed at global protests amid the escalating conflict that began with Hamas 's October 7, 2023. The theory also references the Book of Ezekiel, which prophesies an invasion of Israel by nations including Persia (modern-day Iran), Cush (Sudan), Put (Libya), and others, which some conspiracy theorists claim foreshadowed current tensions between Israel and Iran. However, many Christian scholars reject this interpretation, emphasizing that the horsemen's colors are symbolic, not literal, and unrelated to any national flag. 'The Book of Revelation uses vivid imagery to convey spiritual truths, not geopolitical predictions tied to specific modern symbols,' said Dr Sarah Thompson, a biblical studies professor at Jerusalem University. Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, a controversial figure known for linking biblical prophecy to current events, has fueled the theory, stating in a recent video: 'The Bible places Israel at the center of end-times events. 'The colors of the horsemen appear where there's rage against Israel, pointing toward Armageddon.' Pastor Steve Cioccolanti has also claimed that the ongoing conflict between Israel and other Middle Eastern nations signals unfolding end-times prophecies. In a sermon that has gone viral on social media, Cioccolant argued that the colors of the Palestinian flag align with the four horsemen described in the Book of Revelation, symbolizing conquest, war, famine, and death. 'God isn't randomly choosing colors,' Cioccolanti said. 'There's a purpose and message behind the colors we see.' He extended this theory to the flags of other nations, including Jordan, Sudan, the UAE, Libya, Kuwait, Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, suggesting their shared color schemes tie them to biblical events. The resurfaced sermon comes amid heightened regional tensions, particularly following Israel's June 12 airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and military bases, which prompted Iran to launch retaliatory missile strikes. At least 224 people have been killed since Israel began bombing Iran on Friday. Several of the nations Cioccolanti referenced, including Syria and Iraq, have publicly condemned Israel's actions. Dr Thompson cautioned against such interpretations, saying: 'These theories risk oversimplifying complex geopolitical conflicts through a speculative lens.' While the origins of the conspiracy tying the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to the conflict in the Middle East are unknown, the view has circulated for years amid Israel's tensions with its neighbors. Cioccolanti, Cahn and numerous online commentators have kept the theory alive by continuously pointing to the colors of the horses in Revelation and matching them to flags of Middle Eastern countries. This view traces back to a form of biblical interpretation called dispensationalism, which interprets Revelation as a literal roadmap for future events. It gained momentum in the 1970s and 1980s, a period when wars in the Middle East were frequently in the headlines, and it has resurged in popularity in the age of social media and YouTube preaching. The author of Revelation is traditionally identified as John, believed by many to be the Apostle John, who also wrote the Gospel of John. Christian tradition says John wrote Revelation while in exile on Patmos, a small island in the Aegean Sea that is part of Greece's Dodecanese group of islands. Patmos is a significant pilgrimage site for Christians today. According to biblical scholars, John received a series of vivid visions and messages from God through an angel, which he was instructed to record and share with the seven churches in Asia Minor. The book describes a dramatic sequence of events leading up to the 'end times,' including natural disasters, plagues, persecution, chaos and the opening of seven seals that unveil a dramatic future. Revelation 5 opens with John seeing God holding a scroll sealed with seven seals, a document believed to contain judgments and plans for what's to come. The only one worthy to break the seals is the Lamb, a symbol for Jesus Christ, who was slain but has triumphed. 'I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, 'Come!' John wrote in Revelation 6:1. The subsequent passages describe the Four Horsemen riding forward, while the following seals unveil further upheaval, including the persecution of martyrs, a great earthquake and the darkening of the sun. When the seventh seal is opened, silence falls in Heaven for about half an hour, marking a dramatic transition to the next series of judgments. Some interpreters and conspiracy theorists say these biblical descriptions are more than just ancient symbolism, but view the events described in Revelation as a road map for understanding current upheaval in the Middle East. Cioccolanti also mentioned Ezekiel 38–39 during the sermon, which describes a prophecy about a future invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations, led by a ruler called 'Gog' of 'Magog.' The nations mentioned in scripture include Persia (modern-day Iran), Cush (Sudan), Put (Libya), Gomer and Beth-togarmah, which is now Turkey. The chapters say that Gog will form an alliance with this group of nations and attack Israel, believing it to be vulnerable and unprotected.
Irish Times
06-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Ask the experts: why are suicide rates declining in Ireland?
The provisional number of deaths by suicide in 2023 was the lowest recorded in more than 20 years, Cabinet was told on Tuesday. According to Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler , the provisional figure for 2023 was 302 deaths. It's worth taking a look at what that means. Firstly, how accurate are these figures? They are provisional. There is a significant time lag in reporting on deaths by suicide, and this number is likely to be revised upwards as coroner investigations conclude. Given this is the lowest provisional figure recorded in more than two decades, however, it does suggest a trend of decline. READ MORE Some experts believe official figures underestimate the true extent of suicide. How does this compare with other countries? Between 2000 and 2021, the last year for which there are finalised figures, Ireland saw a 28 per cent reduction in the suicide rate, falling from 12.9 per 100,000 to 9.2 per 100,000. That meant Ireland recorded the 11th lowest suicide rate in the EU, according to Eurostat data. That's good, right? It is progress. And it's not the only positive sign. Self-harm, the biggest risk factor for suicide, decreased between 2010 and 2023 by 12 per cent. However, Dr Sarah Thompson, chartered member of the Psychological Society of Ireland , said suicide figures don't capture suicidal ideation. 'I work in the private sector and it really doesn't feel like the rate is reducing because there is lots of suicidal distress where a person may never complete [suicide]. But they're contemplating it and thinking about it and having suicidal thoughts and feelings,' she said. 'That's obviously really distressing, that means there's a lot going on for that person. We want to treat that, not just figure out who is going to complete or not. We want to treat all suicidality.' What is driving the reduction in suicide rates? Given suicide is a very complex topic, it can be difficult to know precisely a person's reasoning. Philip Watt, interim chief executive of Mental Health Reform, said a lot of work has been done to reduce suicide rates. 'To be fair to successive governments, there has been investment in the strategies on suicide and on non-fatal self-harm as well,' he said. He also credited the work of non-governmental organisations, saying 'they work closely with local communities and pick up on issues'. Prof Jim Lucey, inspector of mental health services at the Mental Health Commission , said the reduction could be attributed to a number of factors, including responsible reporting of suicide that doesn't glamorise it, as well as increased 'openness to discuss mental health issues' in an inclusive and compassionate way. Does the economy also have an impact? Financial stress is widely acknowledged as a key risk factor for suicide. Deaths by suicide in Ireland peaked in 2012 during the recession, and the rate has been decreasing since then. Prof Lucey mentioned Ireland's high employment level, which was 74.3 per cent for those aged 15-64 in the fourth quarter of 2024. 'It would seem to be credible ... that unemployment is really bad for the mental health of society,' he said. 'In 20 years, we've increased the number of opportunities for exercise, the number of opportunities for various forms of recreation. That's also very good, though the impact of that is yet to be measured.' What's next? Ms Butler will this year finalise a new strategy, which received more than 1,800 public submissions and aims to improve rates further, on suicide. Dr Thompson said it is important to not view suicide as 'something that just happens'. 'We treat the depression and hope the suicidality will resolve. We ask how suicidal you are, but we're not actually intervening on your suicide. We need to intervene specifically with treatment in and of itself. Tracking it and treating it,' she said. Prof Lucey said the 'next step' in further reducing suicides is earlier intervention, assessment and care of people displaying symptoms of mental distress. The Samaritans can be contacted on freephone: 116 123 or email: jo@
