Many leaders in the Mid-East peace talks are saying peace is a real possibility. In fact, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has said it could occur in less than a year, before President Bush leaves office. Read about it here.

There has certainly been a renewed flurry of diplomatic activity. And Bush is continuing to push along the Quartet's efforts. He and Jordan's King Abdullah met yesterday at the White House for "private talks." Read about it here.

Yet, when I talk to Christian friends about the possibility of peace in the Middle East, they often express skepticism that this could ever happen. But they of all people should know that, one day, it will happen. According to the Bible, there will be a temporary time of peace for the region, made possible by a "covenant with many" brokered and strengthened by the Antichrist.

Since it's very possible that the covenant with many has already been made and strengthened, then it's also very possible that a peace deal will soon be made. And when it is, I fear many Christians will miss its prophetic significance--just as they've missed the significance of all the events leading up to this peace deal.

Why have they missed it? I believe a number of teachings in the church have led to their blindness, including not only the pre-tribulation rapture teaching (which may dad so often expressed concern about), but also replacement theology, "kingdom now" teaching and--for those who don't embrace those teachings--the belief that it's unbiblical and fruitless to focus on end-time prophecy.

I plan to write more about these teachings, showing why they're wrong and how they've blinded so many Christians.