Israel v. Iran – possibility of breakthrough?

Someone has observed that when a nation is attacked then internal divisions disappear and its people act in unity against the aggressor. (If you know the reference source for this remark, please refresh my memory.)  By this principle unscrupulous leaders, eg. of  totalitarian regimes, have been known to provoke conflict with another nation in order to distract their public from severe internal issues that bring a great risk of internal unrest and rebellion.  Perhaps that’s now the case with Iran?

Last weekend brought Israel close to the brink of war as over 55 missiles and mortars were fired into Israel from Gaza and an Iranian unmanned surveillance helicopter flew over highly sensitive installations. The Israelis conducted cyber-warfare against it and it was shot down. Debka reported the barrage was the outcome of a new Hamas-Iran accord (see Is the Mid-East coming to the boil?) and in several reports that Israel has been highly embarrassed by the deliberate act of Iranian belligerence.  On top of that, Hezbollah was so confident of success that it published plans to attack Israel from the Golan and Lebanon. Then came speculation of an American and Israeli ‘surprise’ this month!

Amidst all this will be lots of disinformation, but Iranian leaders have promised to be taking action soon. But could all the above-related events be a distraction to provoke Israel into attacking Iran as a knee-jerk reaction and thereby uniting the Iranian public?

There have been reports of public protests and demonstrations in Tehran because of the severe economic downturn the country is suffering. It is on the verge of collapse, and nothing could definitely divert the people’s attention like a ‘jolly’, ‘holy’ war!  The people have experienced tough suppression a couple of years ago and if they riot this time would be determined not to lose again – maybe the mad–mullahs will be over-thrown?

Mike Evans has reported this week that these developments are being given serious consideration.  Dare we hope for a non-violent solution to this situation – one in which the hand of the Lord is seen?  Here’s food for thought from Mike’s valued insights (also see my postscript comment):

The Power of Prayer is Working
Dear Richard,
During my recent trip to Israel, I met with over 41 leaders in the nation. Afterwards, I flew to New York to defend Israel at the UN and confronted the Iranian leaders that were raging against the State of Israel.
Israel’s leaders were fully prepared to courageously attack Iran’s nuclear reactors. Some of the top leaders in the Jewish state told me that the attack was already scheduled between September 15th and October 15th . In the midst of this, the amazing has occurred: Iranian people are rising up, and the economy of Iran is on the verge of collapse due to international sanctions. Because of these events, Israel will not attack before the end of the year.
From my perspective, this has been a direct result of the power of prayer. An attack before the US elections would have resulted in Israel being blamed, and would have placed the nation squarely in the crosshairs of every legislator in the party that loses the election. It would also have created a global economic crisis because of oil flowing through the Persian Gulf. Liability would have fallen on Israel.
The key to understanding Israel’s actions can be found in II Samuel 11:1: “In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel.”
If Iran experiences a “Persian Spring” much like the Arab Spring, and Admadinejad’s regime is overthrown, Israel will not attack. When Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke courageously at the UN concerning the “red line,” his team was negotiating with Great Britain, France, Germany, and the US, asking for new sanctions against Iran. The top European leaders agreed and will make proposals in the areas of finance, trade, energy, and transportation in Brussels on October 15th. I’ve been told by the highest level of officials in the Israeli government that Iran’s loss of income is between $40 and $50 billion.
The last time this occurred, the Shah of Iran was overthrown. That was confirmed when I interviewed all the top leaders of the country, including Empress Farah Pahlavi and Ambassador to the US, Ardeshir Zahedi. The Iranian rial has lost 80 percent of its value in twelve months. The bazaars in the nation are going on strike, and the people are demonstrating. I can tell you firsthand that not all the top Iranian leaders were given visas to enter the US in September. I am referring particularly to the mullahs who run the country. In addition, Iranian spies who have been meeting in the hotels for the past four years were not in attendance this year. I believe many have been arrested.
Perhaps one of the most telling examples are the Iranian women. In past years, they have gone to the top stores in New York City to shop. That did not happen this year. Instead, the men would return from pharmacies and hardware stores with purchases including boxes of over-the-counter drugs.

Is the Middle-East coming to the boil?

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”.

Next Post

PLEASE SEE PREVIOUS POST’S FINAL PARAGRAPHS RE: ‘precautions against being caught napping during holy days (now) good intel’ alerted and activated the military’. LITTLE DID I KNOW about those revelations published on THE VERY SAME DAY (Thursday) in The Times of Israel.

[After circulating an email version of that post to friends, a couple of them immediately queried the Mike Evans’ report with me because they’d heard such reports are unfounded rumours! Upon re-checking my remarks, however, my confidance in Mike’s information was reassured because other sources could corroborate him.]

joelcrosenberg's avatarJoel C. Rosenberg's Blog

>> Implosion Radio Special to air on 1,500 stations nationwide — details here.

————

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 preemptive strike to neutralize the enemy’s military capabilities. Instead, the Jewish State was blindsided by a surprise attack in 1973 on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year in Judaism. Now, newly released documents reveal the depth of the massive intelligence failure that almost led to the destruction of the Jewish State. Make no mistake: current Israeli leaders are weighing decisions about a possible war with Iran in light of the tragic mistakes made in ’73, especially in view of the Iranian leaders vowing to annihilate Israel to bring back the so-called Islamic messiah known as the “Twelfth Imam.”

“The Israeli Mossad…

View original post 464 more words

Historically significant week for the Middle East

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

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…?

Update 3 of 3 – the Middle-East

Since the brief reference in the latter half of my earlier post on the BBC a great deal has been rolling on regarding Israel and Iran. So I will summarise below all I know, which means this will be a full posting. But first, this morning’s ‘hot off the press’ news:

Two Hamas spies arrested among PA chairman’s personal guards – Debka exclusive reports American, Israeli and Palestinian security services were deeply shocked with the realisation that they had been passing Mahmoud Abbas’s closest secrets to their Hamas controllers for many years. The fact that they had been planted under cover within the Palestinian leader’s 170-strong personal guard has compromised the security standing of his entire national security force of 6 battalions (4000 members).

That security force, Debka comments, “…may be riddled with Hamas undercover agents and an unknown number of sleeper cells awaiting orders to spring into action (also that) high-ranking officials consider all of Abbas’ most confidential political, intelligence and financial moves and private communications with Arab, Israeli and Western personal-ities must be accounted an open book to Hamas.” (The radical Hamas rules the Gaza Strip as a bitter rival of Abbas’ Fatah-led administration in Ramallah). The selection and screening of the whole Palestinian security force was the responsibility of American and British agencies!

In my opinion this will throw yet another spanner into the ‘peace process’ but is not at all surprising in view of two reasons:

  • my guess as to “a major shaking of the Palestinian leadership” at the start of the Arab Spring. Perhaps Hamas spies were responsible for the ‘talks leaks’?
  • the long-running political incompetence of Western leadership’s failure to grasp and understand Islamist terrorism.

Now, back to my post about ‘Bibi’s Secret War Plan’, or ‘Shock and Awe’ Israeli-style.  William Koenig also reported upon:

He also cited various voices in opposition to Israel acting against Iran, viz:

My Footnote referred to Iranian declarations of Nazi policy. Google reported 18 Aug:

Ahmadinejad’s diatribe against Israel in his Quds (Jerusalem) Day address was the latest in a long line to have drawn criticism from Western governments. “The Zionist regime and the Zionists are a cancerous tumour,” he said.

“The nations of the region will soon finish off the usurper Zionists in the Palestinian land…. A new Middle East will definitely be formed. With the grace of God and help of the nations, in the new Middle East there will be no trace of the Americans and Zionists,” he said. His declarations were followed within a couple of days by supreme leader Khameini’s unequivocal support.

Debka reported on 16 Aug that the White House had urgently contacted PM Netanyahu to arrange a meeting with President Obama at September’s UN General Assembly. See this exclusive report on strength of activity for and against proposed Israeli action, as well as calls for expulsion of Iran from UN and IMF.

18 Aug – US National Security Council, UN Secretary General and the EU’s foreign affairs High Representative Ashton all strongly condemned Iranian vitriol and hatred. Reuters reports ‘Catherine Ashton’s language was unusually forthright for the West’s chief negotiator over Iran’s nuclear program’. The agency quotes the statement issued by her spokesman that Ashton:

Strongly condemns the outrageous and hateful remarks threatening Israel’s existence by the Supreme Leader and the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.  Israel’s right to exist must not be called into question(my emphasis)

18 Aug – “White House this week scrambles to reconnect with Jerusalem after Obama administration was persuaded that Israel is serious about conducting a Fall military operation against Iran’s nuclear program before the Nov 6 US presidential election”, ie. notwithstanding heavy opposition at home and in States. Proposed UN meeting now overtaken by events and Israel presents 4-point plan for delaying attack, all of which require formal action by Obama (see Exclusive Report). Debka’s sources report that Obama has not objected or rejected this plan. [Note: this is a major breakthrough for PM Netanyahu in view of the continual personal opposition he has been confronted with from Obama.]

19 Aug – Silverstein writes Israel Official refuses to deny authenticity of …document.

20 Aug  – US General Dempsey tells reporters, while on a flight to Afghanistan, that he understands Israel’s urgency in calling for action against Iran’s nuclear program. “They are living with an existential concern that we are not living with,” he said according to AFP.  Israel and the US see the Iranian threat differently, admitting that Washington and Jerusalem are on “different clocks” regarding Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. [Note: Israel has always been far ahead of USA, which lacked on-the-ground intelligence.] In fact, USA had recognised Israel’s claim that Iran could produce its first nuclear device by October – this year!! (see Exclusive Report.)

LATEST 21 Aug – Western intelligence sources recognise that the likely way to avoid destruction of Israel (whether they attack Iran now, later or not) would be “to disable Iran’s nuclear program by going after its leaders”!!  Perhaps it’s a better option than full-scale war, and much less costly.  Iran’s goal is to eliminate Israel no matter what, so attack is the best form of defence – unless the Lord sovereignly steps in.

To understand the perilous nature of events we need to have a full appreciation of what is actually happening. You may, therefore wish to consider the latest news, in the form of a Debka special video presentation with textual copy – from those who can often have access to news prior to its breaking into mainstream media (if the BBC can handle it).

Further connected developments are reported in this Postscript.

Briefing on intifada intercession

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

Dear Friends,
For those with whom my email about this weekend’s proposed 3rd Intifada struck a chord, here’s the promised background.  To my mind there are several reasons which, in sum, strongly indicate the issue’s import. 

We’d watched Messianic Rabbi ‘C’ give the Easter Sunday message at Church of His Presence in Mobile.  Amongst much he gave an insight into the wider fulfilment of Jeremiah 31.31-37 ‘new covenant’ by indicating it may include all Abraham’s seed, as hinted at in Genesis chapters 16 & 22

Whilst in Gilgal, Israel, a herd of sheep descended a hill towards him and he heard the Lord say, “I am calling My sheep from the nations” and that ‘C’ would be ‘presented’ with what he was to do.  Upon returning to the States he got an email about multitudes on social networks responding to calls for a 3rd Intifada on Israel’s 63rd birthday!  The Lord instructed, “I want you to battle in love – in the opposite spirit – not hate”.  So a media friend helped to launch the video you may have seen (via the link below).

In view of what the Lord has been pointing me towards, I was especially surprised by Rabbi’s message because
:

1. He COVERED my prayers about the ‘fall of Islam’ requiring sovereign interventions of the Lord.  When asking the Lord why he’s to that video, he claims the Lord said, “Israel and the Middle-East need to see the miracle-working of God like never before”  (Like in 1967 when they were protected from invasion?) “A bigger one now and they shall get it – it is coming (and) the Church needs to see their prayers being answered, to see this as a testimony.”

2. He CONFIRMED the meditations I’d been led into on retreat on Good Friday at Acorn, here in Bordon. There, I found myself focussing upon the POST-resurrection Emmaus road conversation, particularly “It is the third day since…” (Luke 24.21) and realised the present times are the 3rd day (ie. 3rd millennium, where 1000 years = 1 day; per 2 Peter 3.8).  This rabbi said, “…it’s very important that you know spiritually what time it is. This is so critical – because God is moving quickly – we’re moving into the ‘third day’…”

3. He CONTINUED with that Lucan narrative into the appearances of Jesus, thereby giving a strong scriptural validation of the effects of the Bay of the Holy Spirit Revival.

In another email I’d like to share more details of another aspect of this ‘Resurrection Sunday’ message upon revival in the UK – it will probably surprise you, as it did us!

So I hope you can understand the urgency of this messianic rabbi’s call to pray for the people of the whole region tomorrow through to Saturday. 
Perhaps you may be able to join in as and when you can? 

If required, I have a transcript of the pertinent part of the message.

Trusting the Lord will move into the whole situation…
(See Update on Intercession Request.)

Richard

—–Original Message—–
From: Richard Barker
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:25 PM
To: Undisclosed Recipients
Subject: INTERCESSION REQUEST
Dear Friends,
Please would you consider the following 2 minute video request for prayers for a potentially dangerous Middle Eastern situation?  If it finds a witness in your spirit, hit ‘Like’ and circulate/tell your friends.
Otherwise, watch Youtube here – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrlJSxCYqXA
For regular readers I’ll shortly follow up with the background to this and how it connects into my February email about a 1992 vision of the change in Islam, as well as prayer-reconciliation for revival here – what ‘epic’ times we’re in!
Bless you
Richard

Update on overnight blitz on Israel

COPY of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’).:
Further to last weekend’s news below, rather than have the Israel Defence Force massively attack Gaza once again, a very muddle-minded ‘ceasefire’ has been decided upon.
The opening paras of a detailed Debka report state,
“…Hamas and the Jihad Islami agreed to desist from attacking Ashdod, Beersheba, Ofakim and Netivot, Palmachim and Kiryat Gat, the towns at the outer edge of their range, but permitted to keep up their regular mortar and missile fusillade against the communities abutting on the Gaza Strip.
The IDF agreed to suspend its counter-actions by land, air and sea. Although 17 Hamas commanders had been killed in those 48 hours, Israeli strikes had left intact the Islamists’ capabilities for expanding their attacks as far as Israel’s heartland around Tel Aviv any time they saw fit – as they have done so many times in the past.
The communities not covered by the deal would have to keep on dodging between bomb shelters instead of living normal lives….” [see http://www.debka.com/article/20834/ ]
This comes after non-stop Palestinian missile and mortar attacks from Gaza throughout March, the butchery of 3 young children and parents, a bomb in Jerusalem, and Russia-sourced missile attack upon a school bus, together with various defensive actions by Israel.
 
The IDF actions were particularly aimed at preventing terrorist assaults over Passover (19 April) and there’s wisdom in not making a full military assault in view of the preparations for this holy period.  Even so, from the broader perspective of Israel’s international relations it will be interesting to note if anything significant happens on that date…
 
Let’s continue to ‘keep watch’
 
 
Richard
Sent: Saturday, April 09, 2011 8:06 AM
Subject: MASSIVE BLITZ OVERNIGHT ON SOUTHERN ISRAEL
I believe friends concerned for Israel should know right away about this savage air attack at midnight, our time:
by internet news:
early morning analysis from ‘where the media stops’:
Please be free to circulate accordingly
Richard

The Gravity of Current Events

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

Dear Friends,

Further to my very brief references recently to the dangers behind the unrest in the Middle-East, (ie. effect upon our world economy and secret alliance between Sunni-Shia extremists) I would draw your attention to the opening paragraphs of the following alert.  It is worth taking seriously because Iraq’s biggest oil refinery was blown up just this morning!  [Details: http://www.debka.com/article/20710/]

Last week, Iran’s leader announced that the region’s revolutions are the work of the coming, hidden 12th Mahdi.

“The final move has begun. We are in the middle of a world revolution managed by this dear (12th Imam). A great awakening is unfolding. One can witness the hand of Imam in managing it,” said Ahmadinejad. [Full report at http://www.france24.com/en/20110211-us-israel-will-soon-exit-middle-east-ahmadinejad ]

The removal of America and Zionism from the Middle East will then lead to the global caliphate!  BUT we know the Lord High God’s plans regarding the true messiah, our Lord Jesus.  

As Bill Koenig at the White House reports last night,

With events transpiring at a breathtaking pace in Israel, the Middle East, the United States and the rest of the world, it is becoming extremely challenging keeping up with the weekly news activity.” 

 Also, the potential for President Obama’s impeachment has increased, says a former Speaker of their House of Representatives, because of his sudden announcement  not to uphold the federal Defense of Marriage Act, contrary to his constitutional duty!

Richard

Sent: Friday, February 25, 2011 10:41 PM
To: Richard Barker
I just hung up from a conference call with a leading Israeli expert on radical Islam, and I must share what he told me
Dear Richard & Janina,
I just hung up the phone from a one-hour conference call with a leading Israeli expert on radical Islam. This brilliant man has spent years studying the plans of Muslim terrorists, and he advises governments around the world on dealing with this crucial threat. This was my third conference call this week with the world’s leading experts on the Middle East and Islamic terrorism. I must share what I have learned with you.
Radical Islamists have decided that democracy is the key to achieving their dream of world domination. They are using the Internet and social networks to overthrow the governments of the Middle East. There are many people who genuinely want freedom and democracy, but they are being used by evil men to gain power to use against Israel and America. The liberal left US media is blindly assisting these efforts aimed at our destruction.
Their goal is to create a catastrophic global economic meltdown. They believe that the Gulf States, including Saudi Arabia, can be overthrown through “democratic” revolution (like the one that brought Khomeini to power in Iran in 1979) and that they can destroy the oil production and delivery system that powers the entire world economic system. Everything—food, clothing, medicine, military power and transportation—depends on oil. Cutting off the oil supply will be like a heart attack for the world.
Hundreds of millions of poor people in Third World countries could starve to death as a result, but the Islamists regard that as an acceptable sacrifice to conquer the West. The world economy will collapse if this plan comes to fruition. No one will be able to stand against the rise of Islam.
The nations of the world are ignoring this reality, instead continuing to pursue their policy of appeasement by working to create a Palestinian state at great cost to Israel. The plan is for the UN to unilaterally and officially proclaim a Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital. This action will be taken not far from where Islamic terrorists flew fuel-laden airplanes into the World Trade Center Towers and killed 2,752 innocent men, women, and children and almost exactly ten years after that dreadful attack.
We have launched the “Save Jerusalem” Campaign—a national media initiative to sound the alarm to alert Bible-believing Christians to the danger posed by this plan…and to urge them to join us in speaking out against it. But I urgently need your help. It will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce and begin airing this national prophetic television special.
But I have some great news! A lover of Israel has stepped forward and promised to match every donation we receive for this effort. Your gift today will be doubled! Praise the Lord!
CLICK HERE TO HELP US SAVE JERUSALEM
Nations have already begun to jump on the bandwagon: Argentina, Bolivia, Guyana, and Uruguay have announced that they would join with Brazil and many other nations in recognizing Palestine as an independent nation.
This is a battle between politics and prophecy. I can say with every assurance if this is passed, every nation that curses Jerusalem will be cursed by God Almighty. The prophet Zechariah described a curse that will come upon the nations who touch Jerusalem. God says He will seek to destroy the nations that come against the “apple of His eye”—Jerusalem.

Dr. Mike Evans with Israel’s Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, in December, 2010.

While I was in Israel seven weeks ago, I met with virtually every Israeli leader including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, two deputy prime ministers, the Speaker of the Knesset, and more than twenty of its ministers. I had dinner with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, met with my old friend Yona Yahav, the mayor of Haifa, eleven generals, and over half of Israel’s college presidents. The one thing I heard over and over was their concern over the demonic plan I am about to share with you.

Dr. Mike Evans and Benjamin Netanyahu in 1983. No Christian ministry has defended Israel longer than ours. From the day I shared a prophecy with Prime Minister Menachem Begin that Benjamin Netanyahu would be prime minister of Israel twice and asked Mr. Begin to give him a position in the government until now, we have stood strong in defense of Israel.
CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT ISRAEL DURING THIS GROWING CRISIS

“For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns. I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent …” (Isaiah 62: 1, 6)
A baby will be born in September—just seven months from now. That’s two months less than it takes a woman to carry a child to full term. That baby will be Islamic state number 45 with East Jerusalem as its capital. The UN will officially proclaim its birth, and the world will joyously celebrate with billions of dollars and deafening applause.
In 2001 just before George Bush took office, Bill Clinton attempted to divide Jerusalem. I said then that God’s hand of protection would be lifted from our nation. I said Osama bin Laden would attack the World Trade Center Towers in New York City, and in fact, wrote a book—The Jerusalem Scroll in 1999—depicting an attempted attack. I saw it in the spiritual realm. Politicians scoffed at me when I told them—like the people of Noah’s day scoffed at him.
Today, I am alerting you that this plan is in place. As a member of the Quartet—along with the UN, the EU, and Russia—U.S. President Barack Obama is the only leader with a chance to stop this disaster from taking place. There is still time to save Jerusalem, but only if we act quickly.
CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION TO SAVE JERUSALEM TODAY
I have written a major book on this crisis—Cursed. I want to send a copy today to everyone who gives a gift of $30 or more to support the Save Jerusalem Campaign.
My plan is to produce a major network documentary on this crisis for U.S. television and to air it on thousands of stations across the U.S.—on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and others. We must awaken millions of God-fearing Christians and Jews to pray and sign the prayer petition to President Obama now. We dare not wait!
I have produced more than a dozen of these specials in the past thirty years. I can tell you: It will work! One of the first was “Let My People Go” to help secure the release of millions of Russian Jews in the USSR. This was before anyone else was talking about it.

Mike and Carolyn Evans with Dean Jones and Tom Poston.

Millions of Americans saw it. It won major awards. More importantly, I presented a million names to President Ronald Reagan and asked him to petition the Soviet premier to let the Jews out of prison. He did, and they were released. I also asked a Dutch government official to open up the Dutch Embassy in the Soviet Union to assist the Jews wanting to leave. He did, and they were allowed to leave the country. To God be the glory!
It will cost millions in air-time to wake-up America; but if we do not do it, it will cost America hundreds of billions … if God’s hand of protection is lifted from our beloved nation. I believe if enough can be raised to launch the project, book sales will underwrite the air-time costs.
Please pray about being a part of this project today to save Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
CLICK HERE TO HELP US SAVE JERUSALEM
In conjunction with this media special, we are also launching a massive petition drive to urge President Obama to reject this evil plan and prevent God’s curse from falling on our nation by standing in support of Israel. There are millions of Christians in America. If we will collectively raise our voices and speak out, we will be heard, and Jerusalem will be saved!
CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION TO SAVE JERUSALEM
We can’t launch a major media initiative like this without your help. The costs are large, and the time is short. I’m asking you today to send a special, prophetic and sacrificial gift to help the Jerusalem Prayer Team stand for Israel against the powerful forces arrayed against her.

When you send a gift of $30 or more, we’ll send you a copy of my newest book, Cursed. It’s an eye-opening look at the history of the Holy City and the ancient evil driving today’s world leaders to strike against the Jewish people. This book will tell you what the liberal media won’t—the truth about Israel and the Middle East.
When you send a gift of $100 or more, we’ll send you the book and a new pewter collector’s plate made especially for members of the Jerusalem Prayer Team.

This beautiful piece can be hung on the wall of your home or office or displayed on the included stand. It’s a great reminder of your commitment to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and a great way to share that commitment with others.
CLICK HERE TO STAND FOR THE HOLY CITY AND SUPPORT THE JERUSALEM PRAYER TEAM
I urge you to forward this email to everyone on your list and ask them to join with us. This is urgent. We must act now. Thank you for standing for Jerusalem and Israel at this crucial prophetic moment. God bless you!
Your ambassador to Israel,
Dr. Michael Evans

The Jerusalem Prayer Team is a non-profit, non-denominational, 501c3 organization dedicated to developing a prayer movement of people around the world. It receives no support from the Nation of Israel. Donations are tax deductible. The mission of the Jerusalem Prayer Team: To guard, defend and protect the Jewish people and Eretz Yisrael until Israel is secure, and until the Redeemer comes to Zion. Dr. Tim LaHaye, Mr. Pat Boone, Mr. Bill McCartney, Rev. Tommy Tenney, Dr. A.R. Bernard, and Dr. Jay Sekulow are just a few of the more than 300 Christian Leaders who are part of the Jerusalem Prayer Team.
In the event that all the required funds are received for a specific project, the Board of Directors reserves the right to use any additional funds received for other projects or outreaches of The Jerusalem Prayer Team.
Visit Jerusalem World News: http://myjwn.com
Do not reply to this email. Please address email inquiries to memi@jpteam.org. To discontinue your membership automatically, please scroll down to the very bottom of this email and click on the discontinue link. You joined this list as Richard & Janina Barker at the following e-mail address: richardbarker@talktalk.net . You must use the correct e-mail address to discontinue your membership.

Discontinue your subscription.

Could This Weekend Change The World?

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

Stark events this weekend in the Middle East are very likely to mark a turning point in world history. Consider this from John McTernan:

“The Prophet Daniel said that, just before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus, the wise would understand what was happening. Notice he also said the wicked would get worse right up until the end. There is no end to the wickedness of man. Homosexual marriage has to be near the top of list of wickedness. The world economy is melting down while war in the Middle East is very close. Those that are anchored in the Bible and believe the prophetic word, understand what is happening. Events seem to be accelerating towards the Day of LORD. Our hope is in the Blessed Hope, the Lord Jesus coming for His church.”
(15 Aug’10 – John McTernan’s Insights)

Also, this from Ryan Mauro

“The Israelis must also consider whether the (Iranian) regime actually wants them to strike their (nuclear) facilities. The regime may believe…such a strike would commence the final days when the Hidden Imam will arise during a final great war to bring victory for Islam. According to one cleric, Ayatollah Khamenei is telling his inner circle that he has met with the Hidden Imam and was promised that he’d appear before his time as Supreme Leader ends.” (17th Aug’10 – Israel’s Crunch Time)

[See links 1, 2 3 below]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said,

“You don’t want a messianic apocalyptic cult controlling atomic bombs”, he said. “When the wide-eyed believer gets hold of the reins of power and the weapons of mass death, then the world should start worrying, and that’s what is happening in Iran”. (Sept’10 The Atlantic – The Point of No Return, Jeffrey Goldberg) [See links 4,5 below]

Russian President Putin has caught the West off-balance by announcing that Iran’s first nuclear reactor at Bushehr will be loaded with fuel rods this Saturday, way ahead of the proposed schedule that’s part of UN discussions. [Debka report.]

Once that happens the balance of power in the region tilts completely as all Sunni Muslim States in Persian Gulf will have to turn away from a weak USA and kowtow to an extremist Shiite regime – ONE THAT HAS THREATENED TO ANNHILATE ISRAEL and will have the ability to carry out its intentions and achieve Hitler’s goal far more efficiently and effectively. Both Iran’s President and supreme spiritual leader anticipate an apocalyptic war heralding the appearance of their crescent-moon god’s Mahdi (accompanied by Jesus!) and bringing peace to a world that’s come into the ‘house of submission’.

The good thing about this is that all the rational Sunni Arab leaders are wanting America and/or Israel to take out the facilities (as they did with Iraq’s and Syria’s reactors). But Israel would have to go it alone as Obama wouldn’t commit to action. Debka’s sources report an Iranian phantom fighter and unidentified drones crashing nearby and into the reactor buildings.

Scripture instructs us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem – and that democracy’s leaders need the wisdom of the Lord. Yet perhaps He may take alternative means of action to thwart the maniacs…?

Regarding all this, may I bounce the following off you?

I recall a speaker saying satan is attempting to bring forward End-Time events in order to nullify God’s schedule and thereby wrong-foot God. His logic, perhaps, is to avoid his demise in the Lake of Fire? The revelation Jesus received from God and which He gave to John states that will happen after He returns and defeats satan. Prophecy points to this being centred on Jerusalem and the Jews will at last recognise Jesus as their true messiah.

The obvious way out of this scenario is to ensure there are no Jews whatso-ever left alive for Jesus to come back for and, if Jerusalem is still standing, then it’s population should be followers of a false god. Indeed, Hasan Nasrallah, head of Hezbollah (Party of God!), wants all Jews to come to Israel because that makes it so much easier to despatch them in one fell swoop!! [Hezbollah in Lebanon serves as Iran’s proxy terrorists and is a large part of the Lebanese army.]

NOT IF, BUT WHEN, Iran goes nuclear then the world faces a completely different ballgame. AND with America’s leader…having outraged most Americans over a mosque planned close by the war-cemetry of Ground Zero, then Israel is on its own.

It’s so good to be on the winning side! May the Lord of the Harvest help us quickly bring in ‘the full number of gentiles’.

Richard

PS. If you’d like to get your ‘mind’s teeth’ into some really excellent commentary, see the attached transcript and these links, especially the Goldberg anaylsis:

1. http://frontpagemag.com/2010/08/17/decision-time-for-israel-on-bombing-iran/print/

2. http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/07/12/uh-oh-khamenei-telling-advisors-he-met-hidden-imam-will-appear-before-he-dies/print

3. http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/28451.htm

4. http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/09/the-point-of-no-return/8186/2

5. http://www.newsmax.com/GeorgeWill/Will–Iran–nuclear–Netanyahu–Israel–war–strike/2010/08/16/id/367558

Israel’s PM points to New Testament – Obama does U-turn!

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

Subject: Israel’s PM Points To New Testament — US President Does U-Turn on Israel

Dear Friends – I trust you will be able to read this update’s insightful links as and when time permits:

The above-headed events happened a week ago today, ie. on Wednesday 12th and the morrow, 13th May. Are they connected, can we detect the hand of God?

What happened? Separate newsagency headlines hint at a possible connection –

> NETANYAHU TURNS TO BIBLE IN TUSSLE OVER JERUSALEM (Reuters 12.5.10)

> OBAMA TURNS A NEW LEAF ON ISRAEL (DebkaFile 16.5.10)

Israel’s Prime Minister:

Reuters reported a special session of the Knesset wherein PM Netanyahu responded to a heckler by drawing attention to the New Testament’s many references to the Jewish city of Jerusalem –  is intriguing reading.

[NB. One main area of Palestinian Authority (PA) incitement against Israel is the vehement Palestinian denial of any historic Jewish connection to Jerusalem or the Temple Mount!  Such nonsense is apparent from the remarks of PA’s chief negotiator to
Netanyahu’s reply, and who’d committed been ‘unbridled and offensive assaults’ upon rudely abusive to him during the reconvened talks. Debka Special report indicates the
the sterling character of PM Netanyahu.]

Netanyahu offered a comparison between the three Middle-Eastern religions’ scriptures. Reuters writes it was a lesson in comparative religion, but just maybe it could be regarded as implicit official recognition by Israel of the New Testament’s historical accuracy?

Perhaps the Lord may be moving the Jewish nation closer to the prophesied recognition of their true Messiah? Maybe quite soon, “they will look on Me whom they have pierced..”?? (Zechariah 12:10 – and maybe chapter 2’s awesome Word will soon be applied? It’s well-worth reading.

WOW-WOW pls excuse excitement but was about to hit ‘send’ but added this Zech2 bit’ – THEN in comes email advising of rhema word recvd upon awakening this morning> ‘The Best Is Yet To Come’ – why? “because SOON AND VERY SOON THE KING OF KINGS WILL COME…” SO, it IS time for the Bride to be sure she’s getting ready!

United States’ President:

DEBKAfile’s published an ‘exclusive’ headed ‘Obama Turns a New Leaf on Israel’, saying this dashes Palestinian hopes for the imposition of his own solution upon Israel –
see here. He sent his top advisors with a sort of apology to leading American rabbis. Chief-of-Staff Rahm Emmanuel admitted they’d ‘screwed up’ support for Israel and promised they’d work to undo the damage. But shouldn’t Barack Obama himself apologise to the Israeli leaders he insulted?

NB.> This news is so astonishing it must have surprised even Debka analysts because it is diametrically different to their previous strong censure of Netanyahu made only days earlier, as issued in above-mentioned special report!!

Perhaps the Lord is opening Obama up to adopt a fresh perspective? Perhaps even a revelation of His Holy Word? Maybe the sight of what’s massively brewing in M.East has at last shocked some sense into him before it all blows sky high! Even the PA’s Abbas had gone to China on 1st May seeking its help to stop Iran striking Israel through terrorist proxies in Syria-Lebanon because many Palestinians would be killed in the anticipated missile barrage. Reports today indicate Russia is secretly training Iranian Republican Guards to use interceptor missiles as part of major arms deal with Iran, notwithstanding their PM’s promise to President Obama not to sell them!

I recall that PA leader Mahmoud Abbas was the first head of state Barack Obama contacted after his inauguration. Subsequently, commentators began to notice Obama’s extreme anti-Israel bias and support of the PA as though its agent rather than neutral honest broker; eg. his unprecedented bargaining on behalf of PA and insisting Israel bend, concede and obey – velvet glove on one hand – iron fist in the other. (Correct me if I’m mistaken but the PA has never reciprocated, nay cannot guarantee any such on their part.)

Recently, many concluded Obama’s true intent was regime change in Israel. Now, cynics say his Democrats have woken up to the loss of the ‘G-d Vote’ (believing Jewish and Christian voters) and all its treasure chest of dollars! [See here.]

(PS: it transpires Saudi King Abdullah has exerted pressure upon Obama soon after inauguration and extracted his promise to pressurise Israel into returning to pre-’67 status-quo, among other points!!  No wonder America is suffering the application of Biblical ‘terms & conditions’!)

A rapprochement had indeed become evident in early May when a senior advisor to Obama offered detailed clarifications to policy at the Anti-Defamation (ie. of Jewish people) League’s annual conference. At www.watch.org White House accredited journalist Bill Koenig opens his covering weekly Koenig’s Eye View:

“Ironically, no one has done more to accelerate the final-day events than secular Jews in their positions in Washington think-tanks such as the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Brookings Institute and their influence on the State Department, the National Security Council and the White House.”

Bill then goes in-depth not only on details given to the ADL but also on those experts’ 2008 policy blueprint, itemising the failure of 5/6 of their key actions! His summary points out,
“In Genesis 12:3 (NKJV), the Lord says of Israel, “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curses thee.” It was not until the United States started agreeing with the Islamic world and aggressively insisting that the nation of Israel must bow to Islamic demands that terrorism began to take root against America.”

NB.> From his place at the ‘coalface’, our Christian analyst is of the firm opinion:

Never before have we had so many biblically significant events evolving at such a rapid pace (my emphasis)…it requires a major effort and assistance in an attempt to stay up with them (my emphasis). Only a small percentage of people in the church and a very small percentage of people in the public know of the seriousness of the times…”
(That’s you and me he’s referring to!)

Modern Jerusalem:

Although familiar with the Bible you may like some background to events. These recent items give a brief, solid overview:
(Incidentally, in 1922 Winston Churchill proposed using river Jordan as the Jewish homeland’s boundary but was ignored.)

> by a Christian confidante of several Israeli leaders
http://myjwn.com/jwn-exclusives/who-owns-jerusalem

> a British Biblical author’s open letter to Israel’s PM
http://www.thefreepressonline.co.uk/news/1/1912.htm

> from an influential American business professor and political commentator
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/mzuckerman/articles/2010/04/23/mort-zuckerman-on-israel-obama-playing-the-mideast-game-wrong.html

Hope this information may encourage and refresh you in the Word.

Richard

Obama’s Cairo speech

COPY of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’) – The main points covered therein are.:

> Jesus said, “Take heed that you be not deceived … (Luke 21:7-8).

> President Obama’s Cairo speech to Muslim world included delegates from the banned Muslim Brotherhood who were invited at Obama’s specific request. This Islamist group is banned by the Egyptian government because of its teachings and violence against all authorities that do not fully implement Islam’s sharia law.

> My reservations about the accuracy of his claims as a Christian and historian. In fact, Obama negated known actual facts to present a fully Arabic and Palestinian narrative.

The link to Rick Joyner’s paper is defunct but is open here: Discerning the Times pt34

Update 1: Elliott Abrams, Fellow of the Council of Foreign Relations, on 25 Sept 2012 briefly remarks on this in Pressure Points – Obama, Judaism and the Holocaust:

As Ronald Reagan once said, there he goes again. Islam has a prophet; Christianity has a savior, but Judaism has…. the Holocaust. The problem Jews and especially Israelis face, with apologies for having to spell it out, is not so much Holocaust denial as it the slander of the Jewish religion as a whole and the desire to eliminate the Jewish state.

Mr. Obama and his speechwriters should get over their equation of Judaism and Israel with the Holocaust. It is dispiriting to see the 2009 error repeated again three years later.

Update 2: Raymond Stock provides an excellent overview of the situation in the Foreign Policy Research Institute E-Note, On Mistaking Mohamed Mursi for His Mask (Feb ’13).  For introductory post, see Lunch with Raymond Stock.

Dear Readers,

Doctor Luke quotes Jesus on the signs of the times; ‘…And He said, “Take heed that you be not deceived…”(NKJV).

What are your thoughts and reactions to President Obama’s exceptional speech to Muslims last Thursday in Cairo?

To check it for yourself click  http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Cairo-University-6-04-09/

The widely welcomed speech brought a good response in Lebanon’s election with the defeat of Hizbollah-controlled coalition – but watch out Beirut! And SURPRISE, SURPRISE, in false-anticipation of a Hizbollah victory, Iranian/Syrian-proxy Palestinian terrorists responded in combined Hamas/Fatah/Al-Quada assaults upon Israel’s border, all of which failed.

According to an exclusive report based upon military and security sources, those attacks were only one outcome of Egypt’s intelligence minister meeting with Hamas’ politburo chief, who rejected Obama’s call and refused to call off terror campaign against fellow Palestinians. Also, soon after that meeting came the first ever missile strike from Gaza upon Egyptian security forces.

Book of Daniel

Far more importantly, it will be well-worth watching how Obama’s plans will connect into the EU’s European Neighbourhood Policy – which, some surmise, is part of the ’70th week’ of Daniel (chpt 9:20-27) that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24:15. Should you need any proof, read this letter of intent:http://www.fulfilledprophecy.com/workspace/solana_remarks_obama_speech_cairo.pdf

A FlawedSpeech?

May I submit to you that were Obama’s proposals for the seven issues he addressed put on a 3-legged stool, they’d probably collapse.

Why? Like legs upon which his argument was based, three connected claims in his opening remarks are flawed. Hence, the speech has some deceptive inaccuracies and dangerous nuances – even a clear implication of the New World Order’s agenda of multi-faith projects through the Alliance of Civilisations (and the Blair Foundation? – remember his strong connection to the Clinton’s and Hilary’s rebutted/denied previous Bush Admin’s agreement with Israel!).

First, it was sensible to slant a speech towards the mindsets of the Mulsim audience – like St Paul did with the Athenians. But after quoting ‘Be conscious of God and speak always the truth’ from the Koran, Obama said “I will try…to speak the truth…” and closely followed with “I’m a Christian”. IF he really were a believer, wouldn’t he have referred to what Jesus taught about how the truth makes one free?

IF Obama really were aChristian, he would not have firmly declared, as US President in his inaugural address and consequent trip to Europe, that America is no longer and never has been a Christian nation!! The national intercessor and teacher Dutch Sheets said that’s like the stronghold of Goliath mocking God’s people – so maybe there’s a warning here? We believers know God is not mocked!

IF he really were aChristian would he have spoken, as do Muslims, of Jesus as being equivalent to Mohammed??

IF he really were aChristian, then why are many Church leaders gravely concerned?

Rick Joyner writes,“…This new unity in the church is being driven because of foreboding created by the demeanor and laws being passed by the Obama Administration, which seem to be specifically designed to open doors for persecuting the church.”

To read his report Discerning The Times, Part 34  clickhttp://www.morningstarministries.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=1000051215

“As a student of history…”.If Obama really were a well-informed Christian and student of history then he would have told the truth about the founding of Israel, not only in 1948 but also despite fierce Arab riots and attacks against Jewish settlers since 1916, and about the reasons and origins of Arab and Jewish refugees within the Palestine region.

IF he really were a Christian and familiar with history, he would NOT have claimed the foundation of America and its universities were not influenced by God’s word and Christian principles. Whilst on-air, the renowned intercessor Dutch Sheets took great exception to Obama’s gross mistake and quoted from historical records to disprove the President’s claims that America is not and never has been a Christian nation.

Hence, Obama started out from a fundamentally flawed position and those errors affected the whole speech – like a little leaven. What do you think?

If you’d like further details on these important matters please do ask me to clarify or explain. Or, you could read these excellent articles from the Washington-based Centre for Security Policy:

May you be blessed mightily
Richard
For more on this read Middle-East Update – July 2009.

Today’s importance in history

COPY of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’). The main points covered therein are.:

> warnings from Zecharia 12 and Ezekiel 38 and about ‘the Ezekiel Alliance’ [Gog-Magog].

> Arabs and Europeans against Israel; US presidents support terrorism within Israel

> Obama seeks cash from Arabs and courts Iranian terrorist masterminds!

> possible fulfillment of 1Tim4:3 prophecy in the UK: a Hebrews 12:23-27shaking’!

Dear Friends,

Buried beneath the daily dross of parliamentary piracy and ‘privilege-to-pilfer’ are momentous events concerning the Holy Land. I’ve kept close tabs with those who monitor Middle-Eastern machinations and watched a maelstrom gather momentum over the months.

Altho’ our gaze as believers is toward heavenly Jerusalem, it’s right not to overlook our God of Israel’s heart for actual Jerusalem and His covenant people. His intention and warning to the nations given through Zechariah (ch 12) still apply – and Ezekiel 38 opposition is moving into alliances. Hence, the world’s continual concern with Jerusalem and Israel.

Today, that storm comes to a climax as Prime Minister Netanyahu meets President Obama to discuss the latter’s 2-state solution for the Middle-East.

You may know that this involved attempts to turn the Arab world and Europe against Israel, and to appease Iran – even to ‘blackmailing’ Israel over its nuclear defence! (It’s reported Obama wanted to be able to use Iran’s territory for supplying US troops in Afghanistan and Pakistan.)

Also, there’s been dismay in Cairo and Riyadh over his courting the terrorist mentors in Teheran. No wonder Egypt and S.Arabia – both kept militarily informed by Israel – and five Gulf emirates turned a deaf ear to Pres. Obama’s secret (and 3rd) delegation seeking hundreds of billions dollars investment in US and global economic stimulus plans! It’s reported, however, that over the weekend a political furore gripped Washington and frayed Obama’s key policies.

The Bush and Obama administrations’ misguided intentions are to establish a terrorist-run nation within the ancient home-land of Judea/Israel. The consequences for USA in betraying its ally Israel could be severe, as when Bush wanted to trade land for peace (as collated by the accredited White House correspondent Wm Koenig). The Lord gave detailed warnings of judgement in Nov ’99 which included not only last year’s collapse of stocks but also the betrayal of Israel by Western allies!

Last week’s papal visit to the Holy Land may result in UN military units (ie. ‘armies of the nations’) in and around Jerusalem. Koenig has also noted that papal pronouncements contrary to God’s purposes for His Land have soon been followed by revelations of sexual scandal within the Roman hierarchy – so wait and watch.

United Kingdom

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter days…terrible times will come…” wrote Paul to disciple Timothy. The second letter gave many explicit details, all of which are now common-place – ie. the prophecy is fulfilled in its entirety today!

Could Paul’s reference to the prevention of marriage (at 1Tim4:3) be construed as also meaning any kind of alteration to this God-ordained covenant?

Hence, how entirely appropriate that those who’ve deliberately spurned His requirements and commands in making our laws are themselves now being turned upside down. And, as indicated in Hebrews 12:23-27 could we not expect lots more shaking? Could that visionary map I saw being ripped apart be the political map of England? I wonder…

Let’s remember Psalm 122 instruction, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may they prosper who love you…”, that we may earnestly seek its welfare.