Ask for the Nations – Psalm 2 v 8

COPY of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’):

This is a more personal letter to you as I believe it’s time to tell about a revelation that amazed me, for it came only a couple or so years after my re-birth. (And only now am I glimpsing how it may connect with an open vision of fire shooting up E Africa to Egypt.) So I’d be interested if this may strike a chord, or you get a word from the Lord – or even a check in your spirit. Kindly bear with me as this needs be a bit lengthy.

As what I saw is directly relevant to the past month’s (Jan 2011) momentously historic events (which could affect our Western nations’ economies) I’ve been hesitant to relate this without the Lord’s go-ahead. Thus, early yesterday I sought the verses about His word not returning to Him void (Isa 55.11) but my eyes fell first on Isaiah 44.24-26, as though confirming the validity of the revelation and giving clearance to write:

“I am the LORD who has made all things, Who alone stretched out the heavens, Who spread out the earth by Myself, Who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, Who overturns the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense, Who carries out the words of His servants and fulfils the predictions of His messengers….”  (NIV)

First, some background. At the time I received this staggering ‘download’ my Baptist pastor and elders were unable to help, possibly because it came in a dream, and I was a ‘young’ Christian…It was, however, an excellent church for solid Biblical tuition and discipleship – thank you Lord.

W Mediterranean

Nonetheless, what I received proved helpful to a young missionary in France as well as to an evangelist off to Egypt. I’d put the full account in a letter, which he put on top of clothes in his suitcase. Thus, when Egyptian customs questioned him and checked inside his case he was reminded and encouraged in his mission. Here’s what I’d written:

The BBC late evening news on 6th January 1992 announced that leaders in the Muslim community wanted to establish a Muslim parliament in Britain…:

In a dream that night I saw Western Europe, mainly France and the Mediterranean, as if from the space shuttle and heard the popular worship chorus ‘All Hail The Lamb’ being sung, as if in the atmosphere!  This praise was repeated many times most melodiously, as though by angelic choir ,and seemed to spiral upwards. Then I heard a very loud, authoritative voice declare, “As Communism fell, so too will Islam fall”.

I understood this as the Almighty’s declaration that Islam’s demise would come when Muslims themselves want to be free and rise up en-masse. Clearly, by referring to the events that had rippled across the Eastern Bloc to end the Soviet empire, we could expect a similar, unanticipated wave to sweep across Africa, the Middle East and Asia to the Pacific. It, too, would be like dominoes falling. In fact, some commentators are likening what’s happening now to that effect – Telegraph and Foreign Policy reports.

As a prophetical impression the dream awaited proper weighing and confirmation by my leaders. Only a few years ago I read an article by the prophet Marc Dupont in which he referred to a very similar word at about the same period. EVEN SO, if you’re with me thus far, please do weigh and check all this. [Months after this email I discovered that Lance Lambert had later that year brought the same message about God shaking the nations.]

Later yesterday I got an email from leading analyst on Middle-East affairs, Daniel Pipes, supporting that concept of change, viz:

“Something remarkable, unpredictable and unprecedented took place in recent weeks on Egyptian streets. A leaderless mass movement galvanized large numbers of ordinary citizens, as in Tunisia days earlier. It did not rage against foreigners, scapegoat minority Egyptians, nor endorse a radical ideology; instead, it demanded accountability, liberty, and prosperity. Reports reaching me from Cairo suggest a historic turn toward patriotism, inclusion, secularism, and personal responsibility.” – Washington Post

Let’s remember the Lord’s ultimate redemptive plan for Egypt, as stated in Isaiah 19 especially verses 19-25.

19 In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the LORD at its border…24 In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance”.

Pertinent to these verses is this closing statement of an email just in: “..the Egyptian identity needs to be resurrected, thereby allowing all of the nation’s sons and daughters to work together for a better future—without the dead weight of foreign encumberments, namely Arabism or, worse, Islamism.” [Assoc. Dir ME Forum: Egypt’s Identity Crisis.]

Did you read in my email 10 Feb of Dutch Sheets’ word given 13 Jan about the Lord supernaturally visiting the Middle-East? Well, on Monday I bought his classic book Intercessory Prayer but didn’t dig in until last night. On fanning through I was drawn to a prophetic word about nations falling rapidly before Him (see large red asterisk in attached). I think the Lord is trying to get our serious attention, don’t you?

THEREFORE, I believe it’s a pivotal prayer-time to ask the Lord for those nations that are closed to Him to become fully open to the Gospel. The harvest fields are ripening.

For example, many Iranians realise that 30 years’ Islamic rule has utterly failed. They’re desperate for the real truth of God. Previously it took one missionary a life time to bring 10 to Christ. Yet last year just one phone call served to bring 30 to salvation! Multitudes are responding to dramatic personal visitations and miracles direct from the Lord, as well as through satellite/phone evangelism. (Dr Hormoz Shariat, Iran Alive Ministries.)

“…By Myself I have sworn, My mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before Me every knee will bow; by Me every tongue will swear (allegiance). They will say of Me, ‘In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength’.” All who have raged against Him will come to Him and be put to shame. But in the LORD the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exult.

[Isa 45.23-24 NIV’s ‘raged’ seems more appropriate than ‘incensed’ in NKJV & Amp]

I close as All Hail The Lamb starts playing on pc – WOW, what a coincidence, or rather God-incidence!!

“He’s the Lamb upon the throne…He IS the Lord”

UPDATES:

Deep US-Saudi rift emerges

Part 1 of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’).:

Today’s news: ‘Deep US-Saudi Rift’

Dear Friends – did you spot the prophetic parenthesis in my previous ‘news flash’? 

Actually, I’d added the short comment shown below only as an aside to a notification about the Guardian’s ‘Talks Leaks’.  Little did I know the next day everything would start unravelling in Egypt!  Apparently, it was a few days after Mubarak had refused to protect Christians from persecution!  Mind you, the Muslim Brotherhood (the originators of Hamas & Al Quaida) had already stated it would emulate the uprising in Tunisia if its demands were not met.

You may have followed developments in the main media news but missed the concerns over America’s subversive efforts in Egypt and over Obama’s demand that an ally caves in to an uprising despite his hush over Iran’s suppression of democratic dissent.  (In my opinion that’s no surprise in view of the ways he stabbed the only democratic ally in the Mid-East in the back; eg. the offensive way he treated Israel’s PM Netanyahu.)   But more emphatic was the deep consternation of professional commentators over the Obama administration’s seesaw ambivalence.

So, this morning the rebuking of Obama was announced in the Times’ exclusive, front-page headline – ‘Saudis told Obama not to humiliate Mubarak’.  The article suggests the exchange between leaders was more than a slap on the wrist from King Abdullah.  Details revealed by Debka indicate it was more a big cuff behind the ear (http://www.debka.com/article/20650/).

Even so, if Mubarak does step down let’s hope his vice-president Omar Suleiman holds the reins for he’s played an extremely important intelligence and diplomatic role with Israel.  The dangers are in a secret alliance between the Sunni and Shiite extremists manipulating Egypt into a war against Israel. (25 yrs ago, at the height of the Iraq-Iran war, I saw a TV report on their elite forces uniting to rehearse an attack upon Jerusalem!)

[Update: see Robert Spencer; Egyptian Copts overwhelmed by “anxiety and fear”, see Muslim Brotherhood government as “worst in memory” – 14 Oct 2012] 

However as regards these events…(click here to read Part 2 The Lord’s Perspective:, after email below).

Praise our Almighty God and Father of Lord Jesus

Richard

From:
Richard Barker

Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 1:31 PM
To: Undisclosed Recipients
Subject: TODAY’S NEWS – ‘Talks Leaks’ a.k.a. ‘Palestinian Papers’
….

As January has seen riots in Tunisia, severe internal tensions in Lebanon, calls for the overthrow of Jordan’s government (Egypt next?), then let’s not be surprised if these leaks lead to a major shaking of Palestinian leadership, if not their complete overturn, in February!

Perhaps, therefore, we may soon see whether or not Christian commentators upon the prophesied Psalm 83 Middle-Eastern war and fulfilment of Obadiah 15 are proved correct??

Let’s keep our gaze upon our awesome Lord Jesus

Richard

‘Talks leaks’ a.k.a. ‘The Palestinian Papers’

COPY of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’).:

Dear Friends – it seems the media are going to make a mountain out of a molehill over this weekend’s leaks of masses of Palestinian papers about fine details of the Middle-East peace talks.

Should you wish to get to the nub of the matter this link points out four flaws within these ‘leaks’ : http://www.debka.com/#20582 [NB this link has since been overwritten.]

Debka sources reveal the leaks are from a disgruntled person sacked from the Palestinian Authority’s negotiating support team…‘the expose was clearly motivated by the urge to settle internal scores within the Arab camp and among Palestinian factions’   [A refreshingly brief item compared to the verbiage of Guardian, Al-Jezeera & BBC’s pontificating pundits.]

As January has seen riots in Tunisia, severe internal tensions in Lebanon, calls for the overthrow of Jordan’s government (Egypt next?), then let’s not be surprised if these leaks lead to a major shaking of Palestinian leadership, if not their complete overturn, in February!

Perhaps, therefore, we may soon see whether or not Christian commentators upon the prophesied Psalm 83 Middle-Eastern war and fulfilment of Obadiah 15 are proved correct??

Let’s keep our gaze upon our awesome Lord Jesus.