The recent peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the United States, has triggered theories about Donald Trump’s role in the prophetic scenario that are circulating among Christians around the world.

Some even asked whether the American president could be the Antichrist who will bring a “false peace.” For Pastor Joel Engel, discernment and biblical grounding are essential before reaching hasty conclusions.

Speaking to the Brazilian Christian website Guiame, he explained the biblical teachings on the Antichrist, the covenant in Daniel 9:27, and the spiritual context of world leaders like Trump. Engel clarifies one of the most important points: the Bible speaks of the Antichrist in three different dimensions.

There is the ‘spirit of the antichrist,’ which is already at work in the world, spreading deception and opposition to Christ; the ‘system of the antichrist,’ a global political and religious power structure that paves the way; and finally, the ‘man of sin,’ a real person who will exalt himself as god and desecrate the Temple.

According to the pastor, this figure will only be fully revealed “when the restraint of the Holy Spirit, through the Church, is removed.”

“Trump’s peace deals are not the covenant of Daniel”

Asked whether the peace agreements signed under the Trump administration are related to the covenant mentioned in Daniel 9:27, Engel is categorical: not yet.

The text in Daniel speaks of a seven-year covenant that will be broken halfway through and will be connected to the desecration of the Temple and the Great Tribulation,” he told Guiame. “Recent peace initiatives are important, but they do not carry the prophetic weight of that end-time covenant. They are merely human and temporary truces.”

He added that the biblical covenant will be global in scale, uniting politics, religion, and the economy under a single leadership—a consolidation of power the world has not yet witnessed.

“Trump Is Not the Antichrist”

In an era of conspiracy theories and misinformation on social media, Joel Engel makes a point of stating clearly: Trump is not the Antichrist.

The pastor presents four objective reasons for that:

1. The Christian test: “The spirit of the antichrist is the one that denies Jesus came in the flesh. Trump, on the contrary, confesses Jesus and defends the Christian faith.”
2. The Jewish perspective: “Israel would never accept as Messiah someone who is not Jewish and who confesses Jesus. The impostor will be received in Israel as if he were the promised Messiah.”
3. The nature of the covenant: “The covenant in Daniel 9:27 is global and lasts seven years. None of that has happened yet.”
4. Eschatological coherence: “The Antichrist will declare himself to be god and will persecute the Church. Trump has never done that; on the contrary, he has protected religious freedom.”

“For the Jews, Trump Is Not Like the Messiah”

Engel explains that many Jews see Trump in a way similar to Cyrus, the Persian king mentioned in Isaiah 45, who was used by God to free the Jews and allow the rebuilding of the Temple.

He explained that while many see Trump as an ally—an instrument God may use on behalf of Israel—he is not the Messiah. “The messianic requirements are clear: he must be a Jew, from the line of David, obedient to the Torah, able to rebuild the Temple, and bring universal peace. Trump does not meet these criteria,” Engel stated.

The pastor also believes the comparison between Trump and Cyrus is symbolic, not literal:

“Just as Cyrus was called by God ‘my anointed one’ for freeing the Jews and supporting the rebuilding of the Temple, Trump may also have been used by God in favor of Israel. But that does not make him divine or messianic. He is merely a temporal instrument within God’s sovereign plan.”

When questioned on why Israel would not accept Trump as the Messiah, Engel pointed to a list of disqualifying criteria.

“He is not Jewish, not a descendant of David, and not a teacher of the Torah,” Engel stated. “Moreover, he confesses Jesus—something theologically unacceptable within rabbinic tradition. He has not rebuilt the Temple or brought world peace. The false messiah who will come will be someone initially welcomed by Israel, as Jesus said in John 5:43.”

He reinforces:

“The Messiah awaited by Christians is Jesus Christ (Yeshua). He has already revealed Himself in His first coming as the Suffering Servant and will return as King and Judge. He fulfilled the prophecies of suffering and will yet fulfill those of kingship and judgment at His return,” the pastor affirms.

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The stage for the antichrist Is almost set

According to Engel, the current global situation exhibits clear signs that the system of the Antichrist is taking shape. “We are living through a deep moral crisis, spiritual confusion, information control, and geopolitical tensions. All this prepares the ground for the rise of a world leader who will promise comprehensive solutions,” he analyzed.

Despite this sobering analysis, he emphasizes that the Church’s focus should be rooted not in fear, but in hope. “The biblical call is to watchfulness, holiness, and hope in Christ’s return. The Church is not governed by fear of the antichrist but by hope in the living Christ,” Engel stated.

To provide a practical tool for discernment, he pointed to the apostle John’s teachings. “In 1 John 4:1–3, we are told to test the spirits. Whoever confesses that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is from God; whoever denies it manifests the spirit of the antichrist,” Engel recalled. “This is the test that rules out hasty interpretations and prevents falling into conspiracy theories.”

Delving deeper into prophetic scripture, the pastor explained the significance of Daniel 9:24–27. “The last ‘week’ of Daniel represents a seven-year period. There will be a covenant with many, but it will be broken halfway through, ending sacrifices and bringing about the abomination of desolation,” he said. “This event connects to Matthew 24 and 2 Thessalonians 2, showing that there will be a leader who will concentrate political and religious power and desecrate the Temple.”

For Engel, recent diplomatic agreements, though significant, “do not bear the canonical marks of that final covenant.”

What will the end times be like?

Engel summarized what he termed the “prophetic timeline” — a sequence of key eschatological events described in the Bible.

Apostasy: A period of spiritual decline will commence, marked by many abandoning the faith as the world moves toward a global system opposed to Christ, embracing values increasingly distant from biblical principles.

Revelation of the Antichrist: Next will arise the figure Scripture calls “the man of sin,” a world leader who will establish a seven-year covenant with Israel—a pact that initiates a decisive period in history.

Great Tribulation: At the midpoint of this covenant, the leader will break it, desecrate the Temple, and unleash a period of intense persecution and suffering known as the Great Tribulation.

Return of Jesus: Finally, the Bible announces a glorious conclusion: the return of Christ—known as the Parousia in Greek—where Jesus will defeat this impostor, establish His Kingdom, and judge all humanity.

In his conclusion, Engel focused on the core message for believers. “The prophetic clock points to the return of the King. Until then, we are called to watch, pray for Jerusalem, and serve others faithfully,” he stated. “Our focus should not be fear of the antichrist, but living hope in the return of Jesus.”

He ended with an advice: “The Church must not fear the antichrist but live in hope until the manifestation of Christ.”