Tag Archives: Syria

Israelis mark Day of Atonement, reflect on 40 years since surprise attack nearly lost the country.

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Courtesy of James Mark Long, www.propheticartists.comAN IMPORTANT, BRIEF RESUME OF HISTORICAL FACTS, which followed the 1967 onslaught from Israel’s neighbours. In the current crisis we see Syria, Russia, Iran and Egypt still featuring 40 years later in the Middle-East as America, Nato and Britain are sidelined. But it’s not so much that none of the latter feature in scripture and where God’s attention is focussed upon, as their leaders chose to ignore, even mock, His will over marriage. Therefore, it’s no wonder that Putin, Prince of Gog, mocked and has brow-beaten a Western president and a prime minister to take the lead over this matter and across the Middle-East!!

joelcrosenberg's avatarJoel C. Rosenberg's Blog

(Dallas, Texas) — Today is Yom Kippur, or the “Day of Atonement.” It is a Biblical holiday, the day when God called the children of Israel to repent of their national and individual sins and sacrifice animals to receive atonement, or forgiveness, of their sins. It is the highest holiday in Judaism.

Yom Kippur also marks the day when the modern state of Israel was nearly “wiped off the map” by her enemies. Forty years ago today, the Russian-trained and equipped air forces and armies of Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on the Jewish State, a move that nearly succeeded in destroying Israel.

Today, therefore, many Israelis are fasting and praying and reflecting on their lives and going to synagogue — some because of tradition, and some to follow Old Testament customs (albeit complicated by the lack of a Temple in Jerusalem).

Many Israelis are also taking time to reflect…

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A Biblical relevance to Cameron’s ‘judgement call’?

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Truly, I much prefer covering prophetical rather than political/military matters. But some things based upon the Word of God need saying when the occasion arises. So I’ll be brief:

This time last week I read reports of mobilisation around the eastern Med and the Gulf in preparing for a US missile strike upon Syria by the weekend. In view of the ‘ready-to-go’ status, I wasn’t surprised my son’s flight in that region set for Friday was brought forward to early Thursday. PM Cameron had urgently recalled Parliament from its Summer recess and later that day sought all MP’s backing for military support of the US and associates’ attack. The PM has been concerned over the very dreadful plight of civilians in Syria and long canvassed Obama for action of one sort or another.

(The US has trained Syrian rebels in Jordan, who’ve already been in action. Assad had warned this would trigger retribution, including use of chemical weapons – see DebkaFile’s analysis with their original report of mid-August).

D CameronThursday evening’s news referred to PM Cameron stressing that military action is a “Judgement call” – see Channel4 News and Friday’s The Independent. As we know, the PM lost the House’s vote. Much has been written about this and so I’ll be succinct. It’s noteworthy that after having heard Cameron tell him UK is unable to help the US, Obama suddenly changed his mind about the strike – not even telling his military chiefs or allies! (DebkaFile refers.)

What struck me is, not so much the complete about-turn by both leaders, as a likely connection with both having forsaken the ways of the Lord and failing to stand on his Word – God is not mocked!

Let’s recall from a previous post on the US Administration’s problems how the Amplified Bible spells out chapter 6 of Paul’s letter to the Galatians:

Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. [BibleGateway] 

We cannot pretend to know how the Lord is working in all this, but it’s instructive to note the PM’s “judgement call” may have a deeper connotation than is ordinarily assumed!

Cameron railroaded through Parliament a completely unnecessary Statute to redefine marriage. His American mentor has led nationally and internationally in this and now faces troubles across several fronts, including the Muslim Brotherhood (see this by Joel Rosenberg).

Thus, they’re reaping as they’ve sown within their very own political system. AND it has come through attempting to deal with an evil regime in cahoots with another – but how can our leaders expect to be righteous in this issue when they’re not in others?

So, this round has been won by the ‘Ezekiel 38 Alliance’, or ‘axis’ as David Blair terms it in his commentary West’s failure to act.  Analysing America’s three main interests in the Syrian issues, Caroline Glick hits the nail on the head in Obama’s bread and circuses.   International Business Editor for the Telegraph, Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, also makes several good points in A Fairly Honourable Defeat. This comes with insights from his father’s involvement in Syria in 1942.

Yesterday’s development is the proposed transfer of Assad’s chemical weapons into deep shelters in Iran, thereby averting any US attack (report here) and possibly using  the move as a bargaining chip. [Debka reported  ahead of the invasion of Iraq that Saddam Hussein’s WMD stock was moved into Syria. Many years later I noted the ‘Vicar of Baghdad’, Canon Andrew White, corroborate this claim on TV.]  A fortnight ago Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned,

“Syria has become Iran’s testing ground….Iran is watching and it wants to see what would be the reaction on the use of chemical weapons.”

Today brings news of joint US-Israel tests at sea of interceptive missile systems for protection of Israel and Jordan in the event of the conflict expanding into the region.

So tensions continue to simmer near boiling point….

Events indicate the Bible’s relevance for today

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Recent tragic news from Syria and developments in the Middle East can, in fact, give Christians a deeper understanding of the holy scriptures.

I’ll share my opinion on how this may be so but, first, we’re instructed to pray for those in power, including their need for wisdom in handling crises. Jesus’ brother James wrote to those following ‘The Way’,

If anyone lacks wisdom we should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault…(James 1:5)

He cautions that in so doing we need to believe and not doubt because such a person will not receive anything from God.  Political leaders would, therefore, show wisdom if they are able to believe and fully appreciate God’s Word, not only in living morally but also in dealing with international events such as those foreseen over 2,500 years ago  about a specific Middle Eastern coalition. We note that, in the end, God’s stated goal for three major people groups is as follows;

24 In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, 25 whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.” (Isaiah 19 NKJV, Biblegateway)

There’s a long way to go before that outcome is achieved, incredible as it seems at present.  But current events do show the Holy Bible is not obsolete, or irrelevant for modern times. But this isn’t new!  Many Old Testament verses were fulfilled in 20th Century with the amazing ‘overnight’ creation of a nation-state and the consequential return of dispersed tribes belonging to the ancient Hebraic people. Nearly 2,000 years ago, after having destroyed their capital Jerusalem and sacred Temple because of an armed revolt against Rome’s authority, Emperor Hadrian kicked them out of their homeland after another revolt (for details see Timeline).

Hundreds of years beforehand, however, prophets heard and recorded what the Living God declared about events in the far, far distant future. The fulfillment of His promises through the establishment of modern Israel is something deserving fuller examination. So, too, is Psalm 83’s warning to those people surrounding Israel who plot to ‘wipe it off the map’. (The ancient tribal names may no longer apply but their rage continues within their descendants, as broadcast ceaselessly abroad.)

However, my focus is upon the Biblical references to other peoples on the fringes of the then-known world, as centred around the ‘cradle of civilisation’. They were in lands now known as Persia, Syria, western Egypt or Libya, Turkey as well as southern Russia and central Asia.

Whatever any migratory, trading or hostile connections may have been between those folk, it is a most remarkable fact that the Lord foresaw an alliance forming between them that would become enemies of the Hebraic people living in territory established by King David. Ezekiel, a major OT prophet, received detailed oracles about this coalition led by ‘Gog’. The only other mention of this entity is in the apocalyptic vision Apostle John had of the revelation that God gave Jesus Christ, as recorded towards the end of the Book of Revelation (Rev 20:7-10).

This prophesied coalition known as ‘The Ezekiel Alliance’ and its attack upon Israel is recorded at chapters 38 and 39 of the Book of Ezekiel.  A concise historical analysis from Koinonia House may be read at The Treacherous Trio of Ezekiel 38 – Part 1 and at Part 2, then Part 3.  My previous coverage of this build-up may be found here and here.

The fact that Russia is now getting deeply involved and taking the lead in a strategic coalition that was identified millennia ago as a major player in the Middle-East, and furthermore which aligns itself against Israel, simply cannot be ignored. All political leaders would, therefore, be well advised to tread very carefully in dealing with this alliance.

For what it’s worth I’d like to add my ‘tuppence worth’ but it must of necessity be all too brief. Readers who like digging deeper than mainline media’s cursory overviews (eg. by visiting links suggested in an early blog Not on the 10 o’clock News), may be aware of the following.:

Israel

I’d ask that fellow believers consider their attitude toward modern Israel because some ministries are mistaken in this regard. For instance, a guest post on Cranmer’s blog has reported one ministry as strongly denouncing Israel at festivals over the Summer. I’m aware this may be a touchy topic, but Fran Waddam’s historical comments are helpful for those unfamiliar with the real, rather than revisionist, 20th Century history of Israel. It’s now followed by a CMEW item on Kairos Chaos in the Church, which I recommend. (NB: ignore any flash pop-up ads on Cranmer’s site.)

Syria & Iran

The outrageous chemical attack upon children could, in my opinion, be one way Iran’s leaders are testing President Obama’s resolve and poor credibility. (Iran’s active control of Syria was reported here.)  There are increasing concerns over the reliability of claims that it was done by Assad’s forces, and which doesn’t exactly stack up with signals intel and is voiced by, among others, Jerome Corsi and Walid Shoebat (here).

Iran would seize upon any attack by America as a pretext to attack Israel in a greater measure than done in recent minor occasions (Farsnews). They see such a war as facilitating the appearance of the Shiites’ Mahdi (as here). Thus, it isn’t far-fetched to suppose Iran may attempt the final, threatened blow to eradicate Israel.

Saudi Arabia

Obama’s credibility is non-existent as a result of his polices and actions on Egypt and in Libya, not to mention ‘Benghazi-gate’. Following his 2009 Cairo speech, a deep rift opened between him and the Saudis over his deep humiliation of president Mubarak. Fully aware of the dangers Obama was blind to, they endorsed the Egyptian army’s removal of Morsi and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood. Also, as members of The Arab League who have denounced Syria, the Saudis met with Russian leaders to sway their support of Syria’s Assad by tempting them with favourable oil/gas deals, as herein.

Egypt

The above quotation from prophet Isaiah is an oracle from the Lord about Egypt. Those closing verses allude to His end-time redemptive plan for three peoples, but its second verse is once again apposite: not as for the Ethiopian takeover 2,800 years ago but for these times too:

“I will set Egyptians against Egyptians;
Everyone will fight against his brother,
And everyone against his neighbour,
City against city, kingdom against kingdom…”

Islam & TerrorismHow to be succinct with what’s on my mind about Egypt? In Cameron: A war against Al-Qaeda… I  referred to Mark Gabriel’s experiences with the Muslim Brotherhood as an Egyptian professor of Islamic history. His exposure of Islam and Terrorism gave me grave reservations over Obama’s insistence upon the outlawed MB’s attendance at his 2009 Cairo speech. My initial points are as herein.

President Obama probably gambled upon the MB having become a peaceful democratic political party but his Muslim roots should have taught him to know better – much better. William Koenig in his Eye View from The White House, puts it this way:

The Egyptian apparent decapitation of the Muslim Brotherhood’s leadership could have enormous impact on the future of many countries and derail White House/ State Department Muslim Brotherhood plan in the Middle East.

McCarthy’s ‘Reds under the beds’ witch hunts of communists was a false alarm by comparison with the MB infiltration of US politics and government. Where the totalitarian system of communism failed, another succeeded beyond its wildest dreams – and even Barack Hussein Obama isn’t entirely to blame! The infiltration started 60 years ago in response to the CIA seeking help against communists. George Bush and many in USA and Western democracies were bamboozled into mistaking Islamist intentions.

The MB’s objectives are known to many well-informed analysts and journalists but largely ignored by politicians and public. I cannot, therefore, recommend highly enough  that every reader take time to visit the following links, of which extracts are shown.

For further political developments see

Recommended Reading:

  1. Resetting US Foreign Policy by ‘ne plus ultra’ Caroline Glick; cogent as ever > ‘Obama’s decision to outsource the US’s Syria policy owed to his twin goals of demonstrating that the US would no longer try to dictate international outcomes, and of allying the US with Islamic fundamentalists…from his earliest days in office Obama insisted that, since radical Islam is the most popular movement in the Islamic world, radical Islam is good’.
  2. The Muslim Brotherhood: Origins, Efficacy and Reach by Raymond Ibrahim; a masterly paper from the well-connected author of The Al-Qaeda Reader covering the MB historically and throughout the Middle-East.
  3. History of the Muslim Brotherhood Penetration of US Government by Clare Lopez, formerly CIA operations officer and senior fellow at the Centre for Security Policy presents an exceptionally well-researched and informative paper > It is important to recognize the sophistication of the Brotherhood’s international strategy and how the takedown of U.S. national security defenses from within was critical to the current Middle East-North Africa (MENA) campaign to re-establish the Caliphate and enforce Islamic Law (shariah)….The careful insinuation of Muslim Brothers into positions from which they can exercise influence on U.S. policy began long before the attacks of 9/11, although their success has accelerated dramatically under the administration of President Barack Obama. The massive Muslim Brotherhood organizational network in the U.S., so patiently built up over the decades since that first Oval Office meeting in 1953, eventually gave it a prominence and (false) reputation of credibility that was unmatched by any other Islamic groups, moderate or otherwise. Using a combination of taqiyya (deceit, dissimulation) and intimidation, the Muslim Brotherhood succeeded not only in making itself the “go-to” authority on all things related to Islam, but in suppressing those who would speak truth about Islam—again, often by persuading the U.S.’s own senior officials to do the job for them: “by their hands”.
  4. The US State Department’s Islamist Plan by Dr Mordechai Kebar, Israeli scholar of Arabic and Islam covers MB’s plans for Sinai and Egypt and reveals the grave concerns of Jordan’s king > King Abdullah openly calls them “wolves in sheep’s clothing” and “the Freemasons cult” (there is no worse expression in Arabic that the king could have used towards his citizens, MK.) because they do not want to reform the regime of the Hashemite monarchy; rather, they want to replace it and  turn it into a puppet after taking over the parliament and changing the  state into a “constitutional monarchy” with an Islamic constitution  written by the Brotherhood, of course. The king describes his battle with the Brotherhood with the expression “the most important battle confronting us in the entire region”, even more than Iran. He also does not hide his contempt for the American diplomats and officials who promote the Muslim Brotherhood out of naivety, as if the regime of the  Brotherhood is a type of Islamic democracy.
  5. Muslim Brotherhood: We’ve Got ‘Goods on Obama’ by Dr Jerome Corsi > In an interview with the News Agency Anatolia in Turkey, Saad Al-Shater, the son of imprisoned Muslim Brotherhood leader Khairat Al-Shater, said his father “had in his hand” evidence that will put Obama in prison. In a thinly veiled threat, Saad Al-Shater said a US delegation was sent to Cairo by Obama to press for the release of the imprisoned Muslim Brotherhood leaders, including his father to prevent the release of explosive information. Arabic-speaking former PLO member Walid  Shoebat has translated the report by the Turkish News Agency Anatolia as follows…
  6. BREAKING NEWS – Corsi, “Egyptian government…intends to implicate Obama directly in series of financial transactions with the MB in Egypt” (video interview).

Is the use of chemical weapons in Syria of more importance than the eradication of Christianity?

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Gillan Scott provides an excellent in-depth follow up to my brief note on Barnabas Fund’s call to prayer for the persecuted church. At least our people are not joking in poor taste on this issue as did the Obama Administration over the persecution in Egypt! (See Christian Post and Raymond Ibrahim) Please note readers’ comments too..

Does the Bible Predict God’s End-Times Destruction of Syria? My interview with The Blaze.

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Courtesy Watcharakun at Freedigitalphotos.comAn interesting, albeit brief, reference in this media interview to Joel Rosenberg’s prophetical novels and includes opinions of a Bible teacher who thinks its prophecies have already happened!

joelcrosenberg's avatarJoel C. Rosenberg's Blog

blaze-logo(Jerusalem, Israel) — In light of the horrific carnage in Syria and warnings the country could completely implode, TheBlaze has published an interview with me about the prophecies of Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49 and the general topic of Bible prophecy and events in the Middle East. Here are excerpts from the story by reporter Billy Hallowell:

As the situation in Syria intensifies and the United Nations reports that 93,000 civilians have been killed since 2011, the United States is taking increased action. With the deadly drama continuing to progress, it’s likely that some — especially considering Syria’s Biblical and geographical significance — will see End Times prophecy unfolding.

A silly suggestion to non-believers and others who disagree with conservative views on the Bible and an undeniable reality to others, the debate over signs and symbols associated with Jesus’ return presents ever-fascinating discussions. But while author Joel C. Rosenberg embraces…

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Iranian forces are “running” Syria says former Syrian Prime Minister.

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This latest update on Syria may be part of the scenario to one of the many prophecies by Ezekiel, as in chapter 38 against ‘Gog and Magog’ and which this blog refers to as ‘the Ezekiel Alliance’. For earlier reports click on tags shown below…

joelcrosenberg's avatarJoel C. Rosenberg's Blog

With the implosion of the Assad regime in full swing, the countdown to the fall of Damascus is on, and Iran is moving quickly to fill the vacuum. Now Riad Hijab — the former Prime Minister of Syria who defected from his senior position in Damascus last August — says that Iran’s military and intelligence forces are “actively running” the nation of Syria.

“Syria is occupied by the Iranian regime,” Hijab told an Arabic media outlet. “Who runs the country isn’t Bashar Assad but Kassem Suleimani, the head of Iran’s al-Quds Brigades [within the Revolutionary Guards].”

Evidence is mounting that Iran and Hezbollah, its Radical Shia terrorist organization, are moving military forces into the country so that if and when the Assad regime finally falls, Iran can fully and quickly seize and consolidate full control. Back in August, when I reported on this blog that Hijab had defected, I also quoted a press repors

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Obama prophecy – another development

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Last November I posted an urgent prophetic word and associated prayer for President Obama from Wendy Alec, which she’d published on 12th November. This included the following promises.:

“For there shall begin a healing of rifts, says the Lord;

“A healing of rifts between the Republicans and the Democrats,

“A healing of rifts that shall extend even from the Congress to Israel,

“For there shall even be a healing of rifts between President Barack Obama and President Benjamin Netanyahu….”

UN Sep12 NET-OBAMA1_13jpgWithin a week both leaders were locked in discussions for negotiating a fully working truce with Hamas to stop their continual rocket attacks from Gaza. This announcement was so astounding that newsagency Debka broke it in the following terms.:

So what happened to turn the notoriously prickly relations between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu into harmonious cooperation – defying dire predictions by Israeli politicians and media that the second Obama term heralded still more jarring discord? (see my report here)

Those who, like me, have closely followed the nasty turns around the hairpin bends up and down their rocky relationship would also have been surprised.  So whyever couldn’t this about-turn have happened as the result of world-wide prayers of intercession?

In December the US continued with secret, back-channel negotiations with Iran, during which Secretary of State Hilary Clinton was injured in rather mysterious circumstances. These led to much speculation, as may be read here.

Debkafile claims that last year, “Alone of any other publication, (we) disclosed that Obama and Netanyahu had reached an understanding to embark on regional initiatives in a spirit of partnership straight after the Israeli election”.  Thus more recently, Debka reported the US had given Israel clearance for dealing with Syria’s weapon transfer to Hezbollah, as covered by Joel Rosenberg here together with my additional data.

This week, mainstream media announced a trip for President Obama to Israel with the aim of resuscitating and fast-tracking the moribund Middle-east peace talks.  But, as ever, the agency with its ears to the ground reported otherwise.:

President Barack Obama is not coming to Israel to advance new proposals or break the peace talks deadlock with the Palestinians, the White House said Wednesday night, Feb 6. US ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, said earlier he was coming in the spring for consultation major issues: preventing a nuclear Iran and the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria – not to make demands. Working relations between Obama and Netanyahu were “excellent,” he said.

…The visit had been discussed when Obama phoned Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Jan 28 to congratulate him on his success in Israel’s recent election. The communique went on to say that the US president was coming to discuss issues of common interest such as furthering the peace process but added, the start of Obama’s second term offers an opportunity to reaffirm  Israel’s close relationship with the US and to discuss major issues like Syria and Iran.”

It’s been well-known to all but the US that Iran would always be unwilling to play ball on nuclear negotiations. So what’s today’s excuse? According to Debka’s Special Report.:

Khamenei did not say so specifically, but his rejection of dialogue with Washington was undoubtedly influenced by President Barack Obama’s forthcoming visit to Israel. By the metaphor of “holding a gun against Iran”, the Iranian leader was not just reacting to the new sanctions; he was also hitting back at the White House announcement’s stress that the president’s talks with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would focus on Iran and Syria – as debkafile reported Wednesday. The expectation is that Obama and Netanyahu will confer on the military option both governments have reserved for dealing with Iran’s nuclear program.

Khamenei’s rejection of face-to-face talks does not cancel the international negotiations scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan. It does, however, render them more pointless than ever.

At long last it appears that POTUS Obama has started to see things as they really are!

So very interesting and encouraging that these developments are in line with Wendy’s request, the full text of which may be read here > Obama Prophecy and Prayer.

Also, please see PostSript on Clinton and on Netanyahu.

UPDATES:

Aug 2014 – Israeli retaliation against Hamas perpetual bombardment brings change in this rapprochement.

Oct 2014 – Netanyahu meets Obama at The White House after UN General Assembly (also see PM Netanyahu at UN and Joel Rosenberg Tale of 2 Speeches at UN).

March 2105 – Obama prophecy fulfilled? Netanyahu speech to Congress.

 

Israeli warplanes reportedly strike targets on Syria-Lebanon border; Israel on high alert over Syrian WMD

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On watch... Joel reports developments after a week of escalating tensions on the Israeli-Syrian border, especially the weekend’s explosion in an Iranian-Hezbollah convoy in the Golan Heights. Debka reported this put Israeli, Jordanian and US special forces in the kingdom on high alert. Breaking news Wednesday afternoon:  the airforce attack prevented handover of sophisticated missiles to Hezbollah. Syria’s Assad has since responded in a detailed statement – visit Debka homepage for latest ‘pre-media’ news.  On Monday President Obama was reluctant to prevent Syrian (and ex-Iraqi) chemical weapons falling into the hands of terrorists – hardly surprising in view of the withdrawal of the US naval fleet. So he left matters entirely in the hands of Middle-East regional powers. The next day all Israel’s armed forces went into a higher state of readiness for conflict as a top Air Force commander described Syria as ‘falling apart’. In addition, Egypt’s Defense Minister said about Egypt, “The political strife is pushing the state to the brink of collapse”.  On top of all that, Joel covers reports on a mysterious explosion in Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear facility. Perhaps a number of things are moving into place as regards the Psalm 83 confederacy and the Ezekiel alliance (as here)?

joelcrosenberg's avatarJoel C. Rosenberg's Blog

israel-lineoffighterjets“Israeli warplanes attacked a target on the Lebanese-Syrian border overnight Tuesday, foreign media reported on Wednesday,” according to a report in the Times of Israel. “While some reports said the purported strike was carried out on the Syrian side of the border, according to one source the target was a weapons convoy that had crossed from Syria into Lebanon. The reports come amid rising concern in Israel and the West regarding the sizable chemical weapons stockpile in the hands of an increasingly embattled Syrian regime. Lebanese officials said a dozen Israeli warplanes violated Lebanese airspace on Tuesday and overnight into Wednesday, flying close to the ground in several sorties over southern Lebanon. The Israeli military and the Prime Minister’s Office had no comment. A Lebanese army statement said the last of the sorties was at 2 a.m. Wednesday. It said four warplanes, which flew in over the southernmost coastal…

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Syria gets closer to fulfilment of Biblical prophecies

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ANOTHER GAME-CHANGER?  Weekend catchup: Iran – game over covered the news of Iran’s advancement towards nuclear weapons and warning of a world war arising from missiles based on the Syrian-Turkish border that would affect Europe. Although I wrote about the withdrawal of two American fleets from Syrian waters I didn’t mention the Russian warships docking in Syria’s port of Tartus and the fleet heading for the Gulf. Interested readers have no doubt delved into DEBKAfile’s homepage for themselves.

Today we learn from DEBKA video report that those vessels delivered not only marines but also a ‘fearsome weapon…and a game changer in the Syrian conflict’  It is a deadly agenda for Assad of chemical weapons first, Iskander 9K720 next. To quote the video’s transcript.:

While NATO unpacked the Patriots in Turkey, a dozen mobile batteries, each carrying a pair of Iskander missiles, were fixed into position opposite Turkey, and another dozen, opposite Jordan and Israel.  At all their stations, the Russian missiles pointed at US military targets.

So while the West was gripped with alarm over Assad’s poison sarin gas shells and bombs and gearing up for missile attacks on Turkey, the Russians were injecting into the Syrian war field the most sophisticated weapon of death thus far. The West and Israel have no answer for the Iskander’s hypersonic speed (and range and nuclear capable warhead) which destroys targets with pinpoint accuracy.

The Prophetic Perspective – the ‘Ezekiel 38 Alliance’

During Advent we recall the account of learned men, or magi, watching for ancient signs that would announce an exceptionally important birth, as recorded in chapter 2 of the Gospel according to Matthew – read here.  Dr Chuck Missler’s Who were the Magi? is of interest in stating that these men were of the ancient school of the prophet Daniel based in Persia.

Nowadays, many believers are well-informed about not only Daniel’s prophecies but also those of the many other Old and New Testament prophets. Yet the public remains uninformed and does not appreciate why today’s events are of great significance. If you wish to find out why this is important please read Chuck’s brief explanation on this blog.

As reported previously, the prophet Ezekiel foresaw an alliance of nations consisting of Iran, Syria, Egypt, Libya, Turkey and led by Russia which would be hostile to the Jews when they have been regathered to their ancient homeland (modern Israel).  Ezekiel knew them by contemporary ethnic names of Gog, Magog, Rosh, Meshech, Cush, Put, Tubal, Gomer and Togarmah. Persia was just coming to prominence in the prophet’s day. For the NKJV translation of the revelation from the Lord click Ezekiel 38.

In recent years this ‘Ezekiel’ alliance has been taking shape in one way or another. We may, however, object and say that although Iran supports Syria’s Assad, Russia has kept at arm’s length, and Turkey and Syria are almost at war.  Yet the above news shows that Russia is getting more deeply involved. What a surprise!

So is Turkey outside any such foreseen alliance? No. The Daily Star Lebanon reported on Monday that Turkey’s prime minister has discussed with the Russian president a plan for an orderly transition to peace in Syria! Thus the prophesied ‘Gog and Magog’ alliance will be rapidly developing and gaining strength during 2013.

So keep watching – and looking up!

Further reading:

Is the Middle-East coming to the boil?

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Copy of email circulated yesterday and today about Israel, Iran and Jordan:

YESTERDAY (Monday)

Friends, to keep you in the frame, this update focuses [first] upon Israel and Iran.:

I was amazed this morning to learn that my merely passing thoughts at the foot of this thread, just after my quoting Mike Evans, could have been accurate! [See blog version of Thursday’s email for that reference.]  Btw, he’s said to be the only Christian to have confronted Iranian pres. Amadmanjihad last year in New York, where the Lord helped him get through high-security guards. He intends to do so again this week whilst the Iranian’s attending the UN General Assembly. [US House of Representatives passed motion requesting UN not allow him to speak on holy day of Yom Kippur!]

Breaking news today from New York quotes the Iranian president’s lying threat,

 “Iran has been around for the last seven, 10 thousand years. (Israelis) have been occupying those territories for the last 60 to 70 years, with the support and force of the Westerners. They have no roots there in history.

“We don’t even count them as any part of any equation for Iran…During a historical phase, (the Israelis) represent minimal disturbances that come into the picture and are then eliminated.”  (Reuters’ 1st report; my emphases)

The weekend before last I’d been mulling over media quietness during Rosh Hashanah holy days as perhaps the ‘still before the storm’, and praying there would be no surprise attacks upon Israel.

Thus, my remarks at the close of previous email were merely meant as an observation about Israel ’obviously taking precautions against being caught napping’. Yet little did I know it was the very same afternoon when newly released papers revealed a massive intelligence failure at the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War of 1973, as Joel Rosenberg reports:

Thirty-nine years ago this month, Israel was surrounded by enemies threatening to annihilate her. But Israeli leaders did not take the threats seriously enough, and did not order a pre-emptive strike to neutralize the enemy’s military capabilities. [Read The Times of Israel article on this severe lesson.]

Last weekend’s news:

Yesterday [Sunday], Reuters reported a Brigadier-General in the Republican Guards as stating on Iranian TV that:

Iran could launch a pre-emptive strike on Israel if it was sure the Jewish state was preparing to attack it…we can not imagine the Zionist regime starting a war without America’s support. Therefore, in case of a war, we will get into a war with both of them and we will certainly get into a conflict with American bases.

Also, the station paraphrased him as saying:

“Iran will not start any war but it could launch a pre-emptive attack if it was sure that the enemies are putting the final touches to attack it.”

Furthermore, Rosenberg advises that, for the first time, Iran’s highest-ranking military official (minister of defence) has tied the forthcoming confrontation into ‘the era of The Coming’ of the Hidden 12th Imam, or Mahdi. Thus, Iran’s leaders are expecting a highly significant war to facilitate that event and thereby introduce a global Islamic caliphate.  (See Joel’s post here and my previous overview.)

BUT JUST AS OMINOUSLY, the general alluded to various means of response which would implicitly include last week’s ‘binding commitment’ by Hamas leaders in Gaza to join Iran, Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon in military action against Israel.

Debka’s exclusive military sources (here) disclose the agreement’s detailed and precise directives would make Palestinian Hamas defer to Tehran and not to Cairo’s Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is an offshoot, and instructs them to stop obstructing Iran’s proxy in the Gaza strip.

Thus, we can see Iran’s influence is extending westward like a demonic talon through Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza around Israel, whose only trouble-free border is with Jordan. This development will doubtless affect the Egypt-Israel relationship and their counter-terror operations in Sinai, the border of which was breached during Friday’s shootout. Egypt’s new rulers are unable to control or contain Islamist terrorism in Sinai. Therefore, Israel’s latest massive exercise should be regarded in this light, and which left two battalions on the Syrian border!

America’s lack of influence/interest continues to be demonstrated by president Obama’s latest, and as some infer, unhelpful remarks towards Israel, as Debka reports here.

Thank the Lord what’s going in the world doesn’t hinder us from keeping our eyes on Him, and looking to His return – maranatha!

TODAY (Tuesday)


Further to yesterday’s update, this morning’s on-line headline corrects my reference to Israel’s only ‘trouble-free border’, viz :

Jordan on the brink: Muslim brothers mobilize for King Abdullah’s overthrow

Another ‘exclusive’ from Debka reports:

For Israel, an upheaval in Jordan bodes the tightening of the Islamist noose around its borders – Egypt and Libya to the south and Syria to the north, with unpredictable consequences with regard to Jordan’s Pales-tinian population.

Saudi Arabia, already threatened by Iranian aggression, fears the oil kingdom may be next in line if its northern neighbor is crushed under the marching feet of the “Arab Spring.”

The Debka report goes on to analyse the monarch’s plight and his three options, refers to the knock-on effect upon Saudi Arabia and succinctly surmises Obama’s quandary – will he stab yet another staunch ally in the back for the sake of the lynchpin to his outreach to the Muslim world, their Cairo-based brotherhood?

You may recall my reference in Jan 2011 (‘Talks leaks’ aka ‘Palestinian papers’) to:

calls for the overthrow of Jordan’s government (Egypt next?) …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??’

Psalm 83 (click to read psalm)

In Bible Prophecy Blog of April 1st 2012, Bill Salus refers to the increasing interest in Psalm 83, which he describes as “a prophecy in progress”. His article notes and lists the six primary requirements stated in the psalm that need to be in place before all the nations surrounding Israel ‘wipe out its people…that the name of Israel be remembered no more’ (vv2-4). Six months ago he observed that ‘all six of these prerequisites are in place’ and foresaw with precise perspicuity that:

Apart from fragile peace treaties between Israel and Egypt, and Israel and Jordan, the Psalm prophecy essentially appears to be on the verge of fulfilment.

Many pundits believe that the new majority Islamic fundamentalist parliament of Egypt will soon abrogate the 33 year old peace agreement with Israel. Should Egypt break peace with Israel, there are few that believe Jordan will covet the lone-wolf position of being the only remaining Arab state that possesses a peace accord with Israel. The legitimate concern is reflected in the adage; “As goes Egypt, so goes the rest of the Middle East.”

What Bill describes has indeed started to happen, as is clearly evident from Egypt’s new, Muslim Brotherhood president Morsi’s attitude towards the peace treaty. With today’s exclusive news, we can now expect radical changes in Jordan this year…

To gain a good insight into the Biblical significance of what’s happening read Bill’s lucid, 4-page exposition Psalm 83 – A Prophecy in Progress. (His blog: prophecydepot.com)

The Lord bless you and keep you.

See also:

> John McTernan’s Daily Digest commentary of Sept 25th and his several news links.

> Nick Gray in The Commentator on the effect of Morsi’s attitude on the peace treaty. (He writes for Christian Middle-East Watch, a voice coming from the Church in Britain, aiming to bring balance and truth to debates and issues concerning the Middle-East.)

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

Historically significant week for the Middle East

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This brief update is offered in case you may be unaware of developments in the Middle-East. Those who relish detail will enjoy getting their teeth into Bill Koenig’s chronology of events from a perspective of US-Israel relations, Eye-to-Eye: Week of 9-11-12. It has  a brief overview. (Also see recent post about his Alert anticipating trouble according to cyclic theory.)  Here’s my update:

An unprecedented ‘armada’ of American, British and French naval power is focusing once again upon protecting the Strait of Hormuz (see Telegraph) – this separates the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman, as in map below.

Barnabas Fund reports growing concern for Christians in countries rocked by violent protests against an offensive movie trailer on Mohammed. According to a number of experts, however, it’s a pretext for Islamist action on several fronts – eg. Raymond Ibrahim and Caroline Glick, here and here respectively.  [NB: see update below on investigation into possible terrorist involvement in production of this video in order to commit an outrage.]

Solid grounds for this conclusion as regards the attack in Libya are given in a press release by the London counter-extremism think-tank Quillam Foundation. (Quillam’s founder, ex-hardline Islamist Maajid Nawaz, gives a most informative interview in The Counter Islamist. Their website explains how they are working to change attitudes.)

Also, Mudar Zahran, a Palestinian writer and Jordanian academic resident as political refugee in the UK, reports upon the ‘textbook Islamist’ who ignited the rage by running an Egyptian tv show about the movie. (Thank you Tembisa at World Chaos.) Also, The Telegraph reports that this presenter’s,

inflammatory chat show on satellite television has long prided itself on baiting liberals, Christians and Jews, but last week saw Sheikh Khalid Abdullah stage the broadcasting controversy of a lifetime.

In view of all the hysteria, however, there’s been a news blackout in mainstream media about two places – Sinai and Israel.

Debka reported on Friday and Sunday fierce Al-Qaeda led military attacks in Sinai, one of which was against the 1000+ Multinational Force’s camp established to monitor the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty. There, a Colombian battalion protected Americans. Then on Monday I received an email from Mike Evans stating,

“I have received an email from a friend and supporter of the Jerusalem Prayer Team who lives in Jerusalem with an urgent message about massive troop movements underway in Israel. The scale of the mobiliz-ation is like nothing this family has seen in more than twenty years in the Jewish state.”

There have been a number of such reports, which may be disinformation, or as some well-meaning folk think – a hoax!  It may be that Israel was taking precautions against being caught napping during the Rosh-Hashanah holy days. However, news of a ‘snap military exercise’ in the Golan Heights did at last surface yesterday morning in a Debka ‘exclusive’ and later in The Telegraph.

Today, we learn about enemy troops moving into the territory across Israel’s northern border, ie. Iran is pouring troops into Syria to bolster Assad and thereby threaten Israel (as here). Link both ‘blackout’ news items with the supposed ‘hoax’ and we can tell that good intel’ had alerted and activated the Israeli military – there’s no smoke without fire!

Events are proceeding at breakneck speed!

ALSO SEE copy email update about these closing remarks!!

Update 27/9: Former member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Walid Shoebat, claims on his blog that the offensive video trailer was, in all likelihood, produced as a terrorist scam. This renowned peace activist arrives at that conclusion after examining contradictions and falsehoods within the media accounts, plus his own previous investigations into the characters and his connections in and direct knowledge of the Middle-East. There are far too many facts that can’t be married up!

Keep looking to the Lord…

Post-script to Update 3 – Iranian threats widen in scope

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Further to the ‘latest’ news at the foot of yesterday’s post,  the Telegraph’s executive foreign editor and Middle-East expert Con Coughlin reports today that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, has ordered the country’s Revolutionary Guards to intensify its campaign of terror attacks against the West and its allies.

Let’s not kid ourselves that Khamenei is just a ‘mad-mullah’ – he did give the ‘rationale’ behind this decision. Here it is: this is simply in retaliation for supporting the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria! See, there is a ‘reason’!  Coughlin reports that;

…he gave the order to the elite Quds Force unit following a recent emergency meeting of Iran’s National Security Council in Tehran held to discuss a specially-commissioned report into the implications for Iran of the Assad regime’s overthrow.  Damascus is Iran’s most important regional ally, and the survival of the Assad regime is regarded as vital to sustaining the Iranian-backed Hizbollah militia which controls southern Lebanon.

Apparently,

…he concluded that Iran’s national interests were being threatened by a combination of the U.N. sanctions imposed over Iran’s nuclear programme and the West’s continuing   support for Syrian opposition groups attempting to overthrow the Syrian government.

Intelligence officials say the report concludes that Iran “cannot be passive” to the new threats posed to its national security, and warns that Western support for Syrian opposition groups was placing Iran’s “resistance alliance” in jeopardy, and could seriously disrupt Iran’s access to Hizbollah in Lebanon.

……..

The extent of Iran’s support for the Assad regime was exposed earlier this month when 48 Iranians were captured and taken hostage by Syrian opposition fighters…(it’s said they) include senior Revolutionary Guard  officers (who) claimed they were conducting “reconnaissance missions”,  and their capture by Syrian opposition fighters was deeply embarrassing for Tehran,

For more details read Iran’s supreme leader orders fresh attacks on West.

Well at least this latest lunacy is not because of what Israel may or may not be up to. If the Iranians simply cannot remain passive in the face of provocation, why should one expect the Israelis to stay passive, especially when faced with explicit declarations of extirpation?

And I could add many more comments. Couldn’t you…?