A ceasefire without first removing the head of the beast will only allow us to know that the end of the Age is still near even as Scripture suggests.  In fact, if regime change were actually to have occurred; then I might need to change my position on the nearness of end time events.  Understand I am not a prophet. I am not a time setter, but just a student of prophecy.  Iran is the area of Persia spoken of by the prophets.  Iran will still play a large part in a coming major war against Israel during or near the end of days. It will occur much differently than this war.  It will definitely involve other nations: eg. Turkey and Syria.  Some say Russia and Libya as well.  And God’s army not Israel’s Air Force will turn the tide in that coming war. 

God is the bearer of this news not me, and it is not good news for Israel. 

Zechariah 13:8  “And it will come about in all the land,” Declares the LORD, “That two parts in it will be cut off [and] perish; But the third will be left in it.  9  “And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ And they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.'” (NASB2020)

What is described here is just a portion of the great tribulation to come. I will speak more of tribulation’s coming a bit later. But, If you go on reading here in chapter 14, then you can see that this will occur near the end of days.  I believe that this is the same war as depicted in Ezekiel 39 between Gog, Magog and God.  In this war God does something that has never been done before:

Ezekiel 39:7  “And I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not allow My holy name to be profaned anymore. But the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. (NASB2020)

This war will be a defining moment for this world of nations who will no longer question or profane this our God.  And yes, I said nations, because you see although an Antichrist will come and he will rule a vast portion of this earth and he will even enthrone himself in the Temple of God in Jerusalem; yet he will never corner all of the earth.  He will never bring in, in its totality the one new world order the Satan seeks. He in fact will encamp his forces near Jerusalem when he takes his abode there, and the remaining forces with Gog will cause him to shutter. 

Daniel 11:43  “But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians [will follow] at his heels.  44  “But rumors from the East and from the North will terrify him, and he will go out with great wrath to eliminate and annihilate many. (NASB2020)

Yes, he will have enemies, but his greatest enemy is Your God’s Son, our savior. For as the earths armies are gathering against the land of Israel and this occupying Antichrist even as he thinks that he is in total control Armageddon is brewing.  And it is at this time when men usher in the final World War of this present age that the sun, moon and Stars will cease their shining. 

Jesus Himself informs us of this actually two times in Scripture:

Mark 13:24  “But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT,  25  AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.  26  “And then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory. (NASB2020)

Jesus again actually shows John these days in His Revelation to John:

Revelation 6:12  And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;  13  and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.  14  The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.  15  Then the kings of the earth and the eminent people, and the commanders and the wealthy and the strong, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;  16  and they *said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the sight of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; (NASB2020)

You see Jesus also told us that there are days after the Tribulation when all these things are happening and He shows us through John that the people and even the commanders of these gathered armies will be so frightened by the earths quaking; by the sky’s signs and by the earths shuttering that they will flee into the mountains surrounding Jerusalem searching for caves in which to hide. For in the darkened sky above are the signs of the coming of the Son of God.  For amidst the darkness the stars are all falling from the sky, and beside the throne of God the Lamb can be seen as he stands and the angels gather His own together as an army on white horses for His return. 

Mark 13:27  “And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of heaven. (NASB2020)

Know this my brethren, you will be among that gathering.  Whether you remain until that day or you have gone on before you will be resurrected and gathered from earth for the coming battle:

Revelation 19:12  His eyes [are] a flame of fire, and on His head [are] many crowns; and He has a name written [on Him] which no one knows except Himself.  13  [He is] clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  14  And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white [and] clean, were following Him on white horses.  15  From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. (NASB2020)

Revelation 1:7 BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. (NASB2020)

In this day when He shall come even those in hell in the belly of the earth will see him. These the kindred of the earth, to include those who had Him pierced; even they will see Him. And they will mourn because they do not know Him. Oh, they know who He is; they just did not seek for Him ever.

This day seems so far and yet so near.  The evil that is behind so much of what is transpiring on the earth is beckoning His coming.  The spiritual gathering of His people unto Him is beckoning His coming.  The  prayers for the peace of Jerusalem and its great need is beckoning His coming.  The fulfilling of the prophetic word is shouting His Coming. 

The threat of persecution and Tribulation is signing His coming. 

Tribulation my fellow believer will do its work; for there is coming a separation: the faithful from the unfaithful; the just from the unjust;  the lawless from the righteous. 

Revelation 12:7  And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war,  8  and they did not prevail, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. (NASB2020)

We have I believe already seen the evil effects of demonic forces being thrown down to this earth. There will be more coming from this heavenly battle. But as these men of the earth are doing their evil deeds among God’s people, it is stated of His people:

Revelation 12:11  “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life [even] when faced with death. (NASB2020)

Part of being a believer in our day has to do with counting the cost as Jesus stated it.  We are told that those who endure unto the end shall be saved.  Endure brethren, endure in your faith. Men are dying even now for their faith every day across this world.  This will not stop until He comes. 

Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (KJV)