2010 Prophetic News

2010 Prophetic news
Prophecy scholar Mark Hitchcock writes:
''The Bible predicts that in the end times, the reunited Roman Empire
will be ruled by a "Group of Ten" leaders, or a governing oligarchy,
much like the present European Council or European Commission.
Interestingly, the European Commission has just been trimmed from
27 to 17 seats. This could easily be further whittled to 10 seats, and
the stage would be set for the Group of Ten predicted in Daniel 2 and
7, and Revelation 17. Also, the new full-time EU presidency, with its
term of up to five years, could easily set the stage for the rise on one
man to take over the EU and use this platform to forge key alliances
and dominate the world—just as the Bible predicts.'' [1]
When we pay close attention to the body of the beast in Revelation 13,
we find that it does not represent the Roman Empire alone. The
Roman Empire can be represented by one of the seven heads of the
beast as explained in our article titled The Kingdom of the Antichrist:
An Alternate View, but the body of the beast shows us that this beast
is a combination of the first three beasts of Daniel which became the
fourth beast of Daniel 7 and the composite beast of Revelation 13. If
we take the text literally, we find that the beast represents an alliance
between the Grecian, Persian and Babylonian empires. In today' s
terms, this would be a political alliance between Syria, Iran and Iraq.
The Grecian Empire was divided into four major regional powers which
are represented by the four wings of the leopard and the four horns
that came out of the goat in Daniel 8. Later in history these four
regional powers were reduced to 2 regional powers giving rise to the
Seleucid dynasty in Syria and the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. In
Daniel 11 we read about the fights between the king of the North
(Syria) and the king of the South (Egypt) as the Seleucid kings fought
the Ptolemaic kings. Daniel 11 goes on to predict the rise of
Antiouchus Epiphanes who came out of the Seleucid dynasty in Syria
to come against the Jews and try to destroy the Jewish religion. Daniel
11: 40-45 talks about the end of the age and mentions the king of the
North (Syria) and the king of the South (Egypt) participating in battles
just prior to the days of the Tribulation as seen in Daniel 12.
Based on this development of Daniel 11 which mentions Syria which

came out of the Grecian empire as one of the main players in the end
times, we conclude that the leopard in Revelation 13:2 represents
Syria. The region of Turkey also was part of the Seleucid dynasty and
must be part of the beast. The beast in Revelation 13 will include
Egypt since Egypt came out of the Ptolemaic dynasty of the Grecian
Empire and is one of the kings to be conquered by the Antichrist
according to Daniel 11:42. The Persian empire as represented by the
bear in Revelation 13:2 can be clearly seen today as Iran which just
73 years ago was still called Persia. The lion in Revelation 13:2 which
represented the Babylonian empire in Daniel 7 was reduced to what
we geographically know today as Iraq. It is interesting to note that
Babylon (Iraq) becomes the political and economic center of the Middle
East and the capital of the Antichrist' s kingdom according to
Revelation 18. He is called the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14:4 and the
Assyrian in Isaiah 14:25 and Micah 5:5-6. These passages refer to him
as being a political figure to rise in the region of ancient Assyria and
Babylon. This points to the fact that the Antichrist will come from the
Middle East, not from the European Union as many expect.
Mark Hitchcock writes:
“The World Is Mine, and I Am God”: One leader seizes power by

uniting the military and economic powers of the West - declaring
himself world ruler.
A new world dictator will first reveal himself in the role of a
peacemaker in the Middle East. This event will take place during the
first stage of the revived Roman Empire, the fourth world empire
described by Daniel. Symbolically the new world leader is depicted as
“another small horn” who will emerge from the ten-leader oligarchy
controlling the political and military power of the West (Daniel 7:8).
Bible expositors have concluded that this emerging ruler will first of all
subdue three of the original ten leaders and then take control of the
entire coalition. The leaders will yield control of the new European
Union to this new strong man of the hour. [2] (Emphasis mine)
We clearly see that Mark Hitchcock who is considered one of the

leading prophecy scholars in America believes the Antichrist will come
from the West from within the European Union.
Pastor Joseph Chambers of Paw Creek Ministries wrote a book in 1996
titled A Palace for the Antichrist. In this book Pastor Chambers writes
about the rise of Babylon in Iraq as the Antichrist' s political capital.
In chapter 8 of his book titled The Assyrian and the Middle East, Pastor
Chambers writes:
The Seat of the Antichrist

''The Middle East is the center of the whole earth, Babylon is the seat
of Satan; Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the Judeo-Christian
revelation and soon to be the seat of Christ' s kingdom. Iraq is rightly
called the Cradle of Civilization because the Garden of Eden was in its
southern tip where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers meet just before
entering the Persian Gulf. To look for Satan' s final activities in any
other area than the Middle East is to look in vain and in error.''
Pastor Chambers goes on to explain why the Antichrist is an Assyrian.

On the last page of the chapter Pastor Chambers writes:
The Middle East Possesses All Elements of Antichrist

Preparation
''There is no other geographical area on planet Earth where the

Antichrist could appear but the Middle East. Those who continue to
look only toward the European Common Market as the primary
movement toward the Antichrist will soon be disappointed.'' [3]
I totally agree with Pastor Chambers that the Antichrist has to come
from the Middle East, not from the West (Europe) like Mark Hitchcock
and many others believe.
As we have seen, Syria, Iran and Iraq will be the main base of the
Antichrist 's empire. In is interesting to note that in Daniel 7 we read
that three of the ten horns which represent kings of nations will be
conquered by the Antichrist during his ascension to power. Daniel
writes:
'' I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns
plucked up by the roots . . . And of the ten horns that were in his
head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell;
even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great
things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.'' (Daniel 7:8,20)
The Antichrist who is the little horn appears on the Middle East political
scene and conquers three of the first horns (kings). Could it be that
these three kings are the kings of Syria, Iran and Iraq since these are
the three kingdoms that form the body of the beast in Revelation
13:2 ? I believe this a very possible scenario because current
developments in the Middle East point to Syria, Iran and Iraq as the
major players in the future of the Middle East. Syria and Iran are
becoming political and military allies. Iraq is not far away form
becoming a stable nation in the region and Iran is proposing to help
Iraq have more influence in the region after the U.S. withdraws its
troops from that nation.
Turkey is slowly getting involved in Middle East affairs and is on its
way to give up democracy and become an extreme Islamic nation.
So far we have covered Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq as the kingdoms
that form the body of the beast in Revelation 13:2. We are now going
to expand on the fact that the Antichrist will come from the Middle
East and find out where in the Middle East he will come from based on
the biblical text. In Revelation 13 John described another physical
characteristic of the beast which Daniel was not able to describe. John
writes:
'' 1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out
of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten
crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.'' (Revelation
13:1)
The beast has seven heads. In Revelation 17 we are told what the
seven heads represent:
'' 9And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are
seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other
is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short
space. '' (Revelation 17:9-10)
The seven heads of the beast represent seven mountains and seven
kings or kingdoms. In Jeremiah we read:
''And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea
all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.
Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD,
which destroyest all the earth:''(Jeremiah 51:24-25)
In this passage the Babylonian Empire is compared to a mountain.The

seven mountain kingdoms that John sees as the heads of the beast
are:
1 Egypt
2 Assyria
3 Babylon
4 Medo-Persia
5 Greece
These are the five that had fallen when the angel was explaining the
meaning of the seven heads to John.
6 Rome
This is the one that was (is) when John was receiving the vision.
7 Ottoman
This is the one that had to continue for a short time.The Roman
empire split in two section known as East and West. the Western
Roman Empire lasted until 476 A.D. The Eastern Roman Empire lasted
until about 1453 A.D, when it finally fell to the Islamic Caliphate of the
Ottoman Turks. The seventh kingdom that would continue for a short
space would be the Ottoman empire. The Ottoman Empire bowed out
of the First World War with the signing of the Armistice of Mudros on
October 30th, 1918. This was followed 13 days later with the
occupation of Istanbul. Under the terms of the Treaty of Sèvres, the
Ottoman Empire lost its Middle Eastern territories which became
mandates of Britain and France.
With the exception of the western portion of the Grecian and Roman
Empires, the Middle East was the main geographical region that was
under the dominion of the other five kingdoms mentioned above.
Based on this fact we conclude that the Antichrist will come from the
Middle East, not from Western Europe as many teach. In Revelation 13
we also read:
''And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his
deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the
beast.'' (Revelation 13:3).
One of the heads of the beast which represents a kingdom of the past
appears to suffer a fatal wound to the point of death but this fatal
wound gets healed close to the Tribulation period causing the whole
world to wonder after the beast. The only of the seven kingdoms
mentioned above that was wounded to death was Assyria. The other
six kingdoms still exist today in the form of nations as follows:
Egyptian empire as Egypt

Babylonian empire as Iraq
Medo-Persian empire as Iran and Kurdistan
Grecian empire as Macedonia, Syria and other Middle Eastern

sectors of the Seleucid dynasty
Roman empire as Europe for the most part
Ottoman Empire as Turkey
The fact that the deadly wounded gets healed suggests that Assyria
will come back in the future as a kingdom to bring forth the Antichrist.
This is interesting because in Revelation 17 we read:
'' And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of
the seven, and goeth into perdition. ''(Revelation 17:11)
The beast was one of the seven kingdoms, was not during the time
John was writing and becomes the eighth kingdom to go into perdition
during the Tribulation. As Assyria is healed from the deadly wound, it
will have a double existence causing it to be one of the seven and be
the eighth. We have to take notice of the fact that the word 'beast'
primarily refers to a kingdom , not to a person. This fact can be seen
in Daniel 7 as the four beasts that rise out of the sea represent four
kingdoms or empires, not four persons. But can a beastly empire rise
from the dead:
This is what Revelations says concerning a beast (kingdom) rising from
the dead:
''And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that
ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and
shall overcome them, and kill them.'' (Revelation 11:7)
''The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of
the bottomless pit, and go into perdition:'' (Revelation 17:8)
The two verses above say that the beast will ascend out of the
bottomless pit. The Greek word translated bottomless pit is the word
abussos and it refers to a very deep gulf or chasm in the lowest parts
of the earth used as the common receptacle of the dead and especially
as the abode of demons according to the Strong' s definition. In Luke 8
we read:
''And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion:
because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him
that he would not command them to go out into the deep.'' (Luke
8:30-31)
In this passage Jesus is casting demons out of a man. The devils ask
Jesus not to send them to go into the deep. The Greek word translated
deep in this passage is the same Greek word translated bottomless pit
in Revelation. Does not the passages in Revelation seem to be
referring to a demon ascending from the bottomless pit and not to the
kingdom of Assyria since the abussos is the abode of demons ? It is
very common in Scripture to find a demon as the force behind a
kingdom. In Daniel we read that both the kingdoms of Grecia and
Persia had a demonic entity behind them:
''12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that
thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before
thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
13But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and

twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help
me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. . .
20Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now
will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone
forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.
21But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and
there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your
prince.'' (Daniel 10:12-13,20-21)
In this passage we read of a heavenly being who came to tell Daniel

that his prayers would be answered. Then the heavenly being goes on
to explain that it took him 21 days to get to Daniel because a demonic
entity called ''the prince of the kingdom of Persia'' had withstood him
to the point of having Michael the Archangel to come and help him
face the demonic prince of Persia. By the end of the verse 21 the
heavenly being tells Daniel he still has to fight the coming demonic
prince of Grecia. This passage shows us that the kingdoms of men
have demonic forces operating behind the scenes and the passages in
Revelation might indeed be referring to the demonic power that was
behind the Assyrian empire as ascending from the bottomless pit to
once again be the power behind the resurrected Assyrian kingdom.
As Assyria ceased to exist as a kingdom around 2600 years ago, its
demonic prince was confined to the bottomless pit, but as Assyria rises
from the dead , the demonic entity that was the driving force behind
Assyria in ancient times will ascend from the bottomless pit to be the
driving force behind Assyria again in the end times. We read that the
bottomless pit will be open in Revelation 9 releasing many demonic
creatures upon the earth. The demonic entity that was the force
behind ancient Assyria might be released at that time to give
supernatural support to the a new nation called Assyria. This does not
mean that the Antichrist himself will be the fallen angel that ascends
out of the bottomless pit as some have been teaching. The Antichrist
will be a man, for he is called the man of sin (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
Just as the kings of Persia and Grecia were men who had the support
of demonic creatures, the Antichrist will also be a man who will have
the support of the demonic entity who was and will be the driving force
behind Assyria.
We who study prophecy know that with the exception of the eternal
state mentioned in Revelation 21-22, there is nothing new in the book
of Revelation that was not mentioned in the Old Testament prophets.
If the book of Revelation points to an Assyrian kingdom in the end
times as the Middle Eastern nation where the Antichrist will come
from, the Old Testament prophets must have had something to say
about the Assyrian connection in the end times.Indeed the prophets
Isaiah and Micah had a lot of information to give about the Antichrist
as the Assyrian and we are going to take a closer look at those
passages.
Before we examine the biblical text concerning the Antichrist as

coming from Assyria, let me first point out that many good prophecy
scholars believe that the term ''Assyrian '' might not be referring to a
literal Assyrian nation to become an independent state in the future,
but to the general area dominated by the Assyrian empire. The
modern nations that occupy the geographical area of the ancient
Assyrian empire include:
Turkey
Lebanon
Syria
Jordan
Iraq
Western Iran
View map of the Assyrian Empire below
According to this view, the Antichrist could be from any of these

nations mentioned above. Those who believe the Antichrist will come
from Turkey point to Ezekiel 38 which mentions Gog of the land of
Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. They connect Gog with
the Antichrist and say that the word Gog comes from the word Gyges
in Lydia and refers to Western Asia Minor, Turkey. The most popular
view about Ezekiel 38 is the one that Gog is a title like Pharaoh,
Caesar, or Czar and that Gog is the leader of the land of Magog which
was called Scythia by the Greeks according to Josephus. Scythia was a
nation located north of the Black and Caspian Seas and is
geographically known today as Southern Russia.
Those who believe the Antichrist will come from Lebanon point to
Ezekiel 28 where we read about God' s judgement upon the prince of
Tyrus (Tyre) for making himself like God. The historical figure referred
to in Ezekiel 28 is Ethbaal who was the prince of Tyrus during the time
of Ezekiel and some believe he was a type of the Antichrist because he
too will proclaim to be god (2 Thessalonians 2:4)
Some believe the Antichrist will come from Jordan because the area of
modern Jordan was under Assyrian dominion although there is no
Scriptural references that point to a Jordanian Antichrist. In fact we
see the opposite in Daniel 11: 40-45 where we read that Edom, Moab
and the children of Ammon which were located in the region of modern
day Jordan escape out of the Antichrist' s hand during his military
conquest of the Middle East.
Those who believe that the Antichrist will come from Syria say he is
the king of the north of Daniel 11:40. The king of the north motif in
Daniel 11 is always a reference to Syria. The most popular view is that
the king of the north is not the Antichrist, but the king of Syria who
fights the Antichrist along with Egypt, the king of the south during his
military conquest of the Middle East. I prefer the latter view because
as we have seen above, Syria might be one of the three kings to be
conquered by him during his rise to power and then becomes part of
the physical description of the beast in Revelation 13:2 as symbolized
by the leopard.
Those like me who believe he will come from Iraq point to Isaiah 14:4
where the Antichrist is called ''the king of Babylon'' and Isaiah 10:12
where he is called ''the king of Assyria'' As far as Iran is concerned, we
find no Scriptural reference pointing to an Iranian Antichrist. I
personally believe that when the Bible calls the Antichrist ''the
Assyrian'' ,it is referring to him as being from a literal reborn Assyrian
nation in the future and we will explain why.
In Micah we read:
''2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the

thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that
is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from
everlasting.
3Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which
travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall
return unto the children of Israel.
4And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the
majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for
now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
5And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into
our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise
against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
6And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land
of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the
Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within
our borders'' (Micah 5:2-6)
In verse two we read about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. In verse 5

we read that this man Jesus who was born in Bethlehem will be the
peace of the Jews when the Assyrian invades Israel. In the end of
verse 5 and the beginning of verse six we read that Israel will raise
seven shepherds and eight principal men, probably a reference to
Israeli political and military leaders who will waste the land of Assyria
with the sword (military power), and the land of Nimrod. See
Zechariah 12:6 Then in the end of verse 6 we read that he (the man
born in Bethlehem) will deliver Israel from the Assyrian when he
comes within Israeli borders.
Notice that Jesus will deliver Israel form the Assyrian who comes from
the land of Nimrod . The land of Nimrod was established in the land of
Shinar. In Genesis we read:
'' 8And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
9He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even
as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
10And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad,
and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
11Out of that land went forth Asshur (Assyria), and builded Nineveh,
and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,
12And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.''
(Genesis 10:8-12)
Notice that the beginning of Nimrod' s kingdom was Babel and Erech,
and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.Then out of that land
went forth Asshur (Hebrew for Assyria), and builded Nineveh, and the
city Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah. All
these cities were established in the land of Shinar also known as the
country of Babylonia which is the general area of modern day Iraq.
Nineveh which later became the capital of Assyria still exists today and
is located near the city of Mosul in northern Iraq. Micah went out of his
way to let us know that the Antichrist will be ethnically an Assyrian
who wil rise within the region of ancient Assyria and Babylon also
called the land of Shinar known today as Iraq. In is interesting to note
that 8 % of the population of Northern Iraq is Assyrian and they are
working very hard toward an Assyrian independent state in Iraq.
Click the links below to read related news articles

Netherlands Requests Assyrian Autonomous State in Iraq
Assyrians Protest Against Vatican's Interference with Assyrian
Rights
Assyrians Need Own Area in Iraq, Swedish Mayor Tells US
Congress
Assyrian independence
If Assyria becomes an independent nation in the future, it could very

well fit the description of the little horn of Daniel 7:20-24.It is
interesting to note that God himself mentions Assyria as an existing
nation during the Millennium:
''In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the
Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the
Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.In that day shall Israel be the
third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the
land:Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my
people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine
inheritance.''(Isaiah 19:23-25)
For Assyria to enter the Millennium as a nation,it first must be reborn

before the Millennium begins.
It starts to make perfect sense to me when Isaiah calls the Antichrist
the '' king of Babylon '' in Isaiah 14:4 and the ''Assyrian '' in Isaiah
14:25. He will be an Assyrian who rises from a newly reborn state
called Assyria in Iraq and eventually becomes the king of Babylon as
he conquers Iraq as one of the three kings that fall before him which
then becomes one of the nations that are described in the physical
description of the beast in Revelation 13:2. Iraq is Babylon which is
symbolized by the lion in the description of the beast. But what about
the title '' prince of Tyrus'' ? Does not that make him a Lebanese ? If
Ezekiel was indeed referring to the Antichrist as the prince of Tyrus,
the only plausible explanation I can give is this:
The Antichrist will become both the king of Babylon and the king of
Tyrus as he conquers Iraq and Lebanon and makes the commercial
capital of these nations part of his kingdom, but that does not exclude
him from being ethnically an Assyrian who rises from a newly reborn
Assyrian nation in the Middle East which most likely will take place
within the region of Iraq.
Isaiah also referred to him as the Assyrian. In Isaiah 30 we read

something very interesting:
''And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall
shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of [his] anger,
and [with] the flame of a devouring fire, [with] scattering, and
tempest, and hailstones.For through the voice of the LORD shall the
Assyrian be beaten down, [which] smote with a rod.''(Isaiah 30:30-31)
This verse says that the Assyrian will be destroyed by the voice of the
Lord.Could it be that this is what Paul had in mind when he wrote?:
''Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come],
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdition;Who opposeth and exalteth himself
above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God
sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God . . .And
then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with
the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming:''(2 Thessalonians 2:3-4,8)
Here Paul says that the Antichrist will be destroyed by the spirit of the
mouth of the Lord just as Isaiah wrote that by the voice of the Lord
will the Assyrian be destroyed. Although Paul and Isaiah use different
terms, the idea is the same.
In Daniel we read:
'' And of the ten horns that [were] in his head, and [of] the other
which came up, and before whom three fell; even [of] that horn that
had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look [was]
more stout than his fellows.'' (Daniel 7:20)
And in Isaiah we read:

'' Wherefore it shall come to pass, [that] when the Lord hath
performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will
punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory
of his high looks.For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done
[it], and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the
bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put
down the inhabitants like a valiant [man]: (Isaiah 10:12-13)
This king of Assyria speaks great things, has great high looks (eyes)
and is as stout (feels great about himself) as the figure mentioned in
Daniel. Those who think that Isaiah 10 was referring back to the king
of Assyria of Isaiah' s time, I suggest reading Isaiah 10 and 11 without
looking at chapter division. One will notice that both chapters are
connected ending with the Millennial kingdom of Christ and the
salvation of Israel by the Lord 's hand.
Some may object the view that the Antichrist will be of Assyrian origin
because of a verse found in Daniel 9:
''and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and
the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto
the end of the war desolations are determined.'' (Daniel 9:26 b)
The people of the prince that shall come who destroyed the city
(Jerusalem) and the sanctuary (The Second Temple) were the
Romans. Based on this verse, many conclude that the prince
(Antichrist) will be of Roman origin. Some even believe he will be an
Italian , but the general view is that he will come from the West.The
problem is that Rome in ancient times was an empire, not just a city.
In fact some of the Roman legions were located in the areas known
today as Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, therefore, it is plausible to
conclude that the Roman soldiers who were involved in the destruction
of the Second Temple were of Arab and Assyrian descent. Read our
related article here
Conclusion
Many good prophecy teachers throughout the centuries taught that the
beast of Revelation 13 refers to a restored Roman empire in the last
days and that the European Union would be the prophesied kingdom of
the Antichrist. Many good prophecy teachers still teach that today and
I confess that I also believed the same thing for some time. But as we
take a closer look at the physical description of the beast of Revelation
13, we find that the animals described therein point to ancient Middle
Eastern kingdoms that would be revived in the form of nations to
become the political base of the Antichrist. These animals described in
Revelation cannot be pointing to an European Antichrist if we are going
to take the biblical text literally as we compare Daniel' s vsion of the
beasts with John' s vision of the final beast.
God bless you!
Rodrigo Silva
07/05/08
Notes
[1] http://www.prophecyhotline.com/?p=135#more-135
[2] http://www.prophecyhotline.com/?cat=15
[3] Joseph Chambers, A Palace for the Antichrist, News Leaf Press,
1996, pages 136 and 142
Israel Reportedly Training Kurdish Forces

According to recent media reports, Israeli military and intelligence agents are
currently operating in Iraqi Kurdistan. Their primary role, according to reports, is
to train elite Kurdish commandos in guerrilla warfare and anti-terror tactics. The
Kurds - whose country is currently occupied by Iraq, Turkey, Iran and Syria - are
reportedly again, after many years, accepting Israeli assistance in their struggle
for independence.
Like Jews, Kurds are a non-Arab indigenous Middle Eastern people seeking
independence in their ancestral homeland. Active Israeli support towards a free
Kurdistan is seen as a natural and pragmatic policy by many in the region. “By
aligning with the Kurds, Israel gains eyes and ears in Iran, Iraq and Syria,” a
former Israeli intelligence officer told the New Yorker.
Read more >> http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/135877
Our Prophetic Perspective
Last year I wrote an article about the Antichrist's nationality being Kurdish.
This is based on many prophetic passages which point to the Antichrist
rising out of the ancient Assyrian territory which is within the area of
modern day Kurdistan whose citizens comprise of a percentage of Medes
and a percentage of ethnic Assyrians who became subject to Islamization
some centuries ago. The Antichrist is said to enter into some kind of
friendly covenant with Israel while he fights the nations that surrounds his
country as if he and Israel are military partners against a number of
surrounding enemies. We are told that he evens conquers three of the ten
nations surrounding his country before he breaks his covenant with Israel.
It is very interesting to see how the Israeli government is finding the Kurds
in Iraq to be ''friends'' against Islamic enemies and how Israel even
supports an independent Kurdish state. Could this be pointing to the
beginning of the end as Israel finds Kurdistan to be a friend against Syria,
Iran, Iraq and other Islamic nations just to find out later that this alliance
will result in a covenant of death?
Read our article entitled Could the Antichrist be from Kurdistan? for more
information on this subject.
Iran's leader predicts Israel's destruction

Iran's supreme leader predicted the destruction of Israel in comments posted on
his Web site on Wednesday, in some of his strongest remarks in years about the
Jewish state.
In the past, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called Israel a "cancerous tumor" that
must be wiped from the map, but the new comments mark the first time in years
he has openly speculated about Israel's demise.
"Definitely, the day will come when nations of the region will witness the
destruction of the Zionist regime," Khamenei was quoted as saying. "How soon
or late (Israel's demise) will happen depends on how Islamic countries and
Muslim nations approach the issue."
Read more >> http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=167024
The words of Iran's leader sound almost identical what the Bible says
concerning Israel and the surrounding nations coming against Israel in the
end times. Zechariah 12:1-3 says that Jerusalem would become a burden
some stone to the nations (peoples) ''round about'' and Joel 3:11 says that
God will judge all the heathen (nations) ''round about.'' In other words, the
Bible says it is the nations of the region (Middle East) that will come
against Israel.
God even names the nations involved in Joel, Psalm 83, Isaiah 13-21,
Jeremiah 46-51, etc. All nations mentioned are Middle Eastern nations and
the one thing that unites all those nations to seek Israel's destruction is the
religion of Islam. While the prophecy world insists upon a European
confederacy of nations to seek Israel's destruction under the Antichrist, the
Bible leaves no doubt as to what nations will be involved in the last attempt
to destroy the Jewish people. Khameni although not a true prophet and an
enemy of God himself got it right. The days will come when ''nations of the
region'' will come against Israel and that confirms what Bible prophecy has
to say about the Middle East's geopolitical scenario for the end times. For
more information, read our article entitled ''The Middle East and the Beast
of Revelation.''
Assad Draws Peace Map - Syria On Northwest Shores Of Kinneret

Seeking to secure a peace deal with Israel, Syrian President Bashar Assad has
reportedly drafted a document defining the boundaries of the Golan Heights
which puts Syria on the northeastern Kinneret shore. According to the Reuters
report Damascus was waiting for an Israeli reply through Turkish mediators.
Sources quoted in the report said that an agreement by Israel on six points could
helpseal a deal by the end of next year.
Read more >> http://www.infolive.tv/en/infolive.tv-35140-israelnews-assad-

draws-peace-map-syria-northwest-shores-kinneret
According to the Bible, a peace deal between Israel and the Antichrist will
be confirmed which will trigger the final years of the Middle East conflict
before Jesus returns to reign. In many articles posted on the Beast From
The East web site, different authors have argued that the Antichrist will
come out of Syria and will be the last king of the North (Seleucid division of
the Grecian Empire headquartered in ancient Syria) according to Daniel
11:21-45. I have suggested that the Antichrist could be either from a new
independent Assyria or an independent Kurdistan within Northern Iraq but
what the contributors to the Beast From The East web site have to say
about Syria being the nation of the Antichrist is worth reading.
The current negotiations between Syria and Israel for a peace deal could be
the starting point of the covenant that will later be confirmed between the
Israel and the possibly ''Syrian'' Antichrist for a few more years.
Read articles related to the Syrian Antichrist below:
The Syrian Antichrist by Scot Dryer

The Antichrist by Richard Perry
What is the Nationality of the Antichrist? by Tom McElmurry
Daniel's Scope of Prophecy Does Not Include Rome! by Dave Watchman
HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO THE END? by Michal & Roland Back
TURKEY: Re-Writing The Middle East?

ISTANBUL (IDN) - In a record time, Turkish diplomacy has managed to put
together several pieces in its Middle East puzzle -- in fact it has struck strategic
deals with three key regional players: Iran, Iraq, and Syria. A new ’quartet’ has
been formed. The question is what kind of music can it play?
Last summer, Ankara accepted a challenging plan, promoted by Damascus, to
form a new Middle East bloc between Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria itself.
Read more>> http://www.indepthnews.net/news/news.php?key1=2009-11-

09%2018:43:11&key2=1
Our prophetic Perspective

I may sound too repetitive in this section of our web site but I cannot help
it. I feel the need to emphasize what has been going on in the Middle East
so more people can open their eyes to reality and once and for all give up
on what they have been spoonfed by mainstream prophecy ''experts''. More
than a year ago I wrote the following words in one of my articles:
''The Antichrist who is the little horn appears on the Middle East political
scene and conquers three of the first horns (kings). Could it be that these
three kings are the kings of Syria, Iran and Iraq since these are the three
kingdoms that form the body of the beast in Revelation 13:2 ? I believe this
a very possible scenario because current developments in the Middle East
point to Syria, Iran and Iraq as the major players in the future of the Middle
East. Syria and Iran are becoming political and military allies. Iraq is not far
away form becoming a stable nation in the region and Iran is proposing to
help Iraq have more influence in the region after the U.S. withdraws its
troops from that nation. Turkey is slowly getting involved in Middle East
affairs and is on its way to give up democracy and become an extreme
Islamic nation.So far we have covered Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq as the
kingdoms that form the body of the beast in Revelation 13:2. We are now
going to expand on the fact that the Antichrist will come from the Middle
East and find out where in the Middle East he will come from based on the
biblical text'' Read full article here
Does this sound like the latest developments in the Middle East according
to the news article above? Please, read it carefully, compare it to the article
I wrote in July of 2008 and ask yourself if the current popular European
Beast theory is what the Bible really foretold for the last days. If you are
humble enough to accept the truth over the traditions of men, God will
open your understanding to the Scriptures as they relate to the days in
which we are living as far as the alignment of nations that will form the
beast kingdom is concerned.
Deal with Syria brings European Union spirit to Middle East

Turkey and Syria's decision to remove visa requirements for the nationals of the
two countries and establish a high-level strategic council is bringing the spirit of
the European Union, based on integrated economic relations and political
cooperation, to the Middle East, pundits say. Experts add that cooperation
between Ankara and Damascus will gradually spread throughout the Middle
East and that extra-regional powers that really want peace and stability in the
region should support this process.
Turkey and Syria announced on Wednesday evening that they would create a
high-level strategic council, modeled on a similar mechanism launched earlier by
Turkey and Iraq, and would remove visa requirements between the two
countries, during a one-day visit by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to İstanbul.
Read more >> http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-187457-102-news-

analysisdeal-with-syria-brings-european-union-spirit-to-middle-east.html
The deal between Turkey and Syria which will bring the ''European Union
Spirit'' to the Middle East is the preparation for the fulfillment of Bible
prophecy. In our article entitled The Middle East and the Beast of
Revelation we mention that Syria and Turkey along with Iraq and Iran would
start forming a political and economic partnership that will eventually lead
to the establishment of an alliance of ten Middle Eastern Islamic nations
that will be the ten horns or kings of the beast system that will be led by the
Antichrist.
Many who teach prophecy keep insisting that the beast is an alliance of
European nations. The Bible points over and over again to Middle Eastern
nations that are specifically mentioned by name in the prophets Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel and symbolically referred as horns in Daniel 7 and
Revelation 13 & 17.
Sanhedrin Rabbis meet with Adnan Oktar

Just recently the Israeli Sanhedrin met with Muslim intellectual and Mahdist
Adnan Oktar in order to discuss the future of the Middle East and how a Turkish
led Islamic Union will bring peace and harmony to the region. The rebuilding of
the Jewish Temple is among many of the subjects addressed by the Sanhedrin
and the Muslims intellectual who is looking for the soon coming of the Islamic
Mahdi to bring an era of peace to the nations of the Middle East and the world.
Read entire article

>>http://www.thesanhedrin.org/en/index.php/Hachrazah_5769_Tamuz_9#Statem
ent_of_Jerusalem_Court

Myself and a few other prophecy students have asserted that the Antichrist
who will confirm some kind of an already existing covenant with the Jews
in Israel will be a Middle Eastern figure who will very likely be a Muslim who
will come in the name of peace. Some of the popular prophecy experts
have recently given an interview to a very prominent prophecy teacher that
the idea that the Antichrist will be a Muslim is just an ''impossibility.'' The
video can be viewed here.
The recent dialogue between the Israeli Sanhedrin and the Muslim
intellectual and Mahdist Adnan Oktar which seeks to bring peace and
reconciliation between Jews and Muslims at least gives the impression that
the idea of a Muslim Antichrist from the Middle East as opposed to a
secular European Antichrist is not an impossibility as some of the so called
prophecy experts claim. It is possible that the awaited Islamic Mahdi that is
being promoted by Adnan Oktar and the Antichrist will be one and the
same. The Turkish led Islamic Union promoted by Adnan Oktar which
seeks to establish peace in the Middle East which will include Israel might
very well be the covenant that the Antichrist confirms at a later date for
seven more years. Not that this will be the covenant itself but that it will be
the initiative that will be used as a platform by the Antichrist who comes
later on the scene to confirm a covenant with the Jews which may give the
Jews permission to share the Temple Mount with Muslims.
Many are looking for a peace agreement between the Antichrist and the
Israeli government but that may not be the case since Israel is run by a
secular government. The covenant the Antichrist confirms might be with
the orthodox Jews who wish to rebuild the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem
and exclude to some extent the secular government in Israel. These
orthodox Jews could be the ''many'' referred to in Daniel 9:27 since the
context of the passage makes reference to the sacrificial system of the
Mosaic law that orthodox Jews wish to observe and which requires a
Jewish Temple.
Click here for a recent video released by the Temple Institute concerning
the rebuilding of the Temple
It is also possible that the Jews might be granted permission to rebuild the
Temple even before the Antichrist appears to confirm the already existing
covenant and such project could be part of the Turkish led Islamic Union
plan of peace. Most Christians may be caught by surprise with such
development since most of them are looking for a European Antichrist
ruling over a European confederacy of nations while the Bible seems to
clearly point to a Middle Eastern Antichrist ruling over a Middle Eastern
confederacy of nations.
Haredi protesters: Shabbat desecraters must die!

Masses of haredim demonstrated and hurled rocks at police in Jerusalem on
Saturday in an ongoing protest against the opening of a parking lot on Shabbat to
accommodate weekend visitors to the Old City.
The protesters chanted that anyone who desecrates Shabbat "must die." To
police seeking to rein them in, they warned, "You will burn in the fire of hell!"
The level of violence at the afternoon protest was lower than it was the previous
weekend, police said. Setting the stage for further violent clashes, however,
activists from the Eda Haredit were planning a major midweek demonstration in
Jerusalem against the desecration of Shabbat.
Read more >> http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?

cid=1246443715331&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
In referring to the persecution being of Jews in Jerusalem during the time

of the Great Tribulation just after the Antichrist places the abomination of
desolation in the then rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, Jesus said the
following:
''But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: For
then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world
to this time, no, nor ever shall be.'' (Matthew 24:20-21)
Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem have been fighting against the Israeli

government in order to enforce Sabbath keeping in the Holy City. As these
orthodox Jews gain stronger influence within the Israeli government,
Sabbath keeping rules against opening parking lots, train, taxi, bus and all
kinds of transportation services will begin to be enforced causing the
population of the Holy City to be without any means of transportation
within the city and perhaps throughout the entire nation of Israel on
Saturdays. As the persecution of the tribulation comes, many living in the
holy city will not be able to escape persecution by means of transportation
should they try to flee on any given Saturday during the days of the
Tribulation. What Jesus predicted two thousand years ago concerning the
Sabbath in Jerusalem is becoming news headlines in our day. This shows
us how literal the Bible is when it comes to prophecy despite the attempt of
many to try and spiritualize it.
Can Third Temple be built without destroying Dome of the Rock?

A new Jewish interfaith initiative launched last week argues building the Third
Jewish Temple in Jerusalem would not necessitate the destruction of the Dome
of the Rock. "God's Holy Mountain Vision" project hopes to defuse religious strife
by showing that Jews' end-of-days vision could harmoniously accommodate
Islam's present architectural hegemony on the Temple Mount. "This vision of
religious shrines in peaceful proximity can transform the Temple Mount from a
place of contention to its original sacred role as a place of worship shared by
Jews, Muslims and Christians," said Yoav Frankel, director of the initiative.


While many prophecy teachers insist that the Dome of the Rock must be
destroyed in order for a Jewish Temple to be rebuilt, the Bible seems to
suggest a different scenario. In revelation 11 we read:
''And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying,
Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship
therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it
not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under
foot forty [and] two months.'' (Revelation 11:2)
This passage says that the outer court of the Temple is given to the
Gentiles who will tread the holy city of forty two months. The Arabs must
be the Gentiles referred to in this passage and the Dome of the Rock must
be standing on what the passage refers as the ''court which is without the
temple.'' I could be wrong in my assertion but this passage in Revelation
appears to be telling us that the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt next to a
pagan shrine standing on the Temple Mount and indeed there is one. One
thing that really caught my attention in this headline was the following:
''Sheikh Abdulla Nimar Darwish, founder of the Islamic Movement in Israel, said it
was pointless to talk about what would happen when the mahdi, the Muslim
equivalent of the messiah, would reveal himself. "The mahdi will decide
whether or not to rebuild the Temple. If he decides that it should be rebuilt, I
will go out to the Temple Mount and help carry the rocks." Darwish warned
against any attempt to rebuild the Temple before the coming of the mahdi.''
Myself and others have suggested that the Islamic Mahdi and the biblical
Antichrist will be one and the same. Some prophecy teachers reject this
idea since they expect the Antichrist to be a secular European leader. In my
article Debunking the European Antichrist I offer valid points to show that
the Antichrist will not be European but a Middle Eastern figure. Shiite
Muslims who are the minority put a lot more emphasis on the Mahdi than
Sunni Muslims. What is interesting is that Sunni Muslims reject the Shiite
view of the Mahdi because Shiite Muslims expect the Mahdi to be some
kind of holy being who will have the same attributes of Allah. In other
words, he will claim and will be received by Shiites as some type of god-
man just as Jesus claimed to be God and Man. 2 Thessalonians 2 says the
Antichrist will claim to be God. The Antichrist might take advantege of the
Shiite beliefs concerning the Mahdi, convince the Arabs that he is the
Mahdi, convince the Arabs to allow the Jews to rebuilt the Temple next to
the Dome of the Rock and later on desecrate the Jewish Temple and claim
to be God. Oh my, I think we are beginning to witness the last of the last
days!
Muslim nations link better ties with Israel to peace

Muslim countries meeting in the Syrian capital criticized Israel on Monday but
said they were open to better ties with the Jewish state if it took steps towards a
"just and comprehensive" Middle East peace deal.
"We must not reward Israel for its crimes," said a statement issued at the end of
the three-day meeting of foreign ministers of the 57-nation Organization of the
Islamic Conference (OIC).
"It should be affirmed that any progress on ties must be linked to how much the
Israeli position represents a commitment to a just and comprehensive peace that
guarantees the restoration of rights and occupied land," the statement said.
Read more >> http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3721440,00.html
The fact that the Muslim world is promoting better ties with Israel for a
peace agreement is a step toward the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. The
Bible says that the Antichrist who will come from the Middle East will
confirm a covenant with the Jews for a period of 7 Hebrews years
according to Daniel 9:27. Since he comes to confirm an already existing
covenant, a covenant must be already in place before he arrives on the
scene. Daniel 2, 7 and Revelation 17 speak about a ten-nation confederacy
of Middle Eastern nations that will give their power to the beast who
confirms an already existing covenant. These ten nations might enter into a
covenant with Israel so both the Jewish state and the Islamic world can co-
exist together. The Antichrist comes at a later date to confirm and
strengthen the covenant for seven more year. Watch for an Islamic Union
which will enter into a covenant with Israel in the near future which may
give the Jews permission to have access to the temple mount. Do not jump
to hasty conclusions by saying that the mediator of such a covenant
between Israel and the Islamic world in the Antichrist for he will come at a
later date to confirm an already existing covenant.
President In a meeting between the senior delegations of Iran and Syria:

We should look for new world order
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in addition to resistance and
steadfastness, Iran and Syria should look for creation of a new world order,
otherwise, new cruel regimes would be created. They considered expansion of
ties and cooperation among countries of the region necessary and said that
quadlateral cooperation between Iran, Syria, Iraq and Turkey would be
beneficial and strategic for nations of the region. Ahmadinejad and al-Assad said
relations between Iran and Syria were strategic in different fields and called for
expansion of mutual ties.
Read more >> http://www.president.ir/en/?ArtID=16361
Almost a year ago I wrote the following in my article entitled ''The Middle
East and the Beast of Revelation:''
''So far we have covered Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq as the kingdoms that form
the body of the beast in Revelation 13:2. We are now going to expand on the fact
that the Antichrist will come from the Middle East and find out where in the
Middle East he will come from based on the biblical text.''
Read entire article here
The above headline caught my attention because it mentions Iran, Syria,

Iraq and Turkey as forming a quadlateral cooperation that would be
beneficial and strategic for nations of the region. These are the very four
nations that I mentioned would start forming the political kingdom of the
beast in the near future. My message has not been very popular and has
been heavily criticized by supporters of the European beast theory.
Recently France and Germany announced that they oppose Turkey joining
the European Union and Turkey has announced it might break with NATO
to side with Iran. This is causing Turkey to shift to the East and make
alliances with Syria, Iran and Iraq. These nations will eventually create an
''Islamic Union'' which will include other nations of the region. This union
will ultimately constitute of ten nations that will be the ten kings of Daniel 7
and Revelation 17. The Beast from the East is beginning to grow before the
eyes of the world and many are still blind to this fact because the traditions
of men keep pointing to the Europe instead of the Middle East.
Turkey To Break With NATO On Iran

A report issued by the Washington Institute says Turkey has moved steadily
away from its NATO allies and toward Iran, Russia and Syria.
The report, titled “The AKP’s Foreign Policy: The Misnomer of Neo-Ottomanism”
and authored by senior researcher Soner Cagaptay, says Turkey’s new foreign
policy — led by the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP according to
its Turkish initials — has come at the expense of Ankara’s relations with Israel,
the European Union and the United States. “It [AKP] is pro-Hamas, pro-Syria,
pro-Hezbollah, pro-Qatar, pro-Saudi,” the report said. “The AKP views the world
as composed of religious blocs, and this disposition colors its views of the Middle
East and the world.”
Read more
>>http://thebulletin.us/articles/2009/05/07/news/world/doc4a0283268e20861
9237525.txt
The fact that Turkey is moving away from its NATO western allies toward
the Islamic world fits exactly with the prophetic scenario for the last days.
Ezekiel 38 mentions Turkey (Togarmah, Gomer, Meshech and Tubal) as one
of the primary allies against Israel alomg with Iran (Persia), Libya and
Ethiopia (Sudan). Now the Israel of Ezekiel 38 may not be the modern
Jewish state of Israel which is the ancient kingdom of Judah which has
returned to the land of Israel and renamed their country Israel instead of
Judah which was their ancient name. The House of Israel which was the
Northern Kingdom is what Ezekiel refers to in chapters 38 & 39, not the
Jews of the Southern Kingdom of Judah who are the modern Jewish
Israelis. Judah of the Jews we prophesied to return to the land in order to
fulfill the seventieth week of Daniel in a covenant with the Antichrist.
I recommend reading my friend Jeff Booth's article entitled The Gog Magog
War: A Supposition for more information on this complex subject. The
House of Israel or the Northern Kingdom also know as the lost ten tribes
lives in a place other than the land of Israel today. It may be that the Gog
and Magog War which will include Turkey as one of the main allies will not
be against the modern Jewish state of Israel which is composed of Jews
from the House of Judah, but against the lost Israelites of the Northern
Kingdom who currently live in a geographic area other than the land of
Israel.
Syria and Iran united against Israel'

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday his country and Syria are
united behind Palestinian "resistance" to Israel, taking a tough tone as he met
with his top Arab ally, Syria's president. Ahmadinejad was expected to meet with
the chiefs of Hamas and other Palestinian groups during his visit to Damascus,
said Khaled Abdul-Majid of the Popular Struggle Front said. Iran is a strong
supporter of militant Islamic groups in the region, including Hamas and
Lebanon's Hizbullah.
"Syria and Iran have been from the very beginning united and in agreement to
stand on the side of the Palestinian resistance," Ahmadinejad said. "They will
continue to do so. We see that the resistance will continue until all occupied
territories are liberated."

Our Prophetic Perspective.
The Alliance between Syria and Iran is one of the major signs that we are
living in the last days. Revelation 13 tells us that the beast looks like a
leopard, has the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. The leopard refers to
the Grecian Empire in Daniel 7 which later was divided into four separate
kingdoms. According to Daniel 11, two of those divisions, namely Syria and
Egypt will be preset until the time of the end. The Bear represented the
Persian Empire. Persia changed its name to Iran in 1935. The Lion
represents Babylon which will be the political capital of the beast
according to Revelation 18. Babylon was the capital of the ancient country
of Babylonia, modern day Iraq which will soon join Syria and Iran to form
the composite beast of Revelation 13. The Antichrist is said to come during
or right after the formation of such alliance, conquer it and rule over it as
he also pretends to grantee Israel's military security from these nations. As
he conquers the Middle Eastern alliance which will be composed of Syria,
Iraq, Iran and seven more nations, the Antichrist will then turn against
Israel by breaking his covenant with the Jews and use this entire Middle
Eastern alliance to destroy the Jewish state which is referred to by Joel 3
and Zechariah 12 as the ''nations round about'' Jerusalem.
'No one will dare attack Iranian nation'

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told his nation on Saturday that "no
country in the region threatens Iran," just hours after The London Times
published a report claiming that Israel was preparing to attack targets in Iran
within hours of receiving a green light from the government in Jerusalem.
Speaking during a ceremony in Iran's Army Day, Ahmadinejad said Iran was one
of the strongest countries in the region and that "the gall to threaten the Iranian
nation was quashed forever." "The Iranian nation is ready to become more
involved in maintaining order and security based on justice in many regions of
the world," Ahmadinejad said.

The Bible says that Iran will be one of the major players in the last days
against Israel. In Revelations 13 we read that the beast kingdom of the
Antichrist will have the feet of a bear. The bear represents Persia in Daniel
7 which is one of the nations of the composite beast of Revelation 13. The
arrogance of the Iranian president in proclaiming that Iran is becoming a
power in the Middle East shows that the composite beast of Revelation
which is the political kingdom of the Antichrist is being formed before our
eyes. For more information on this subject, read our article entitled The
Middle East and the Beast of Revelation.
Clinton: There will be a Palestinian state, Jerusalem will be its capital

Just hours after blaming Hamas and other terror groups for the lack of peace in
the region, visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signaled that while it may
recognize the source of the obstruction, that won't stop the Obama
Administration from pushing for the rapid creation of a Palestinian Arab state.
Clinton told reporters in Jerusalem that she and President Barack Obama plan to
be "vigorously engaged" in bringing about the birth of "Palestine," adding that
"there is no time to waste."
Read more >> http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?

tabid=178&nid=18355
In the book of the prophet Joel we read the following:
''For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity
of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down
into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and
[for] my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and
parted my land.'' (Joel 3:1-2)
This prophecy seems to suggest the creation of a state in the land that God
calls his land. God will judge the nations for parting (dividing) his land. The
situation in Israel today clearly shows how this Biblical prediction is
becoming reality before the eyes of the world. The nations want to push for
a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital and these are the very
things mentioned in this passage of the prophet Joel. The nations God
judges are mentioned in the rest of the chapter as Edom, Egypt and the
coasts of Palestine. It is possible that eventually the US will withdraw from
the region and leave the matter in the hands of Islamic nations. The
exciting thing about all of this is that God comes to earth at the time his
land is being divided by other nations. This shows that we are very close to
the return of Jesus Christ to earth. I hope you have Jesus as your Lord and
Savior. If not, please click here
'Kayhan': 'Turkey's Place is Alongside Iran'; The Turkish Muslim

Brotherhood Model Is Influenced By, and Supportive of, The Iranian Islamic
Model
At a January 2009 meeting with Turkish Ambassador to Iran Salim Kara 'Othman
Oglu, Parviz Davoudi, deputy to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said:
"In the new circumstances [that have emerged], the expansion of relations
between Iran and Turkey is a necessity... As the two great powers [in the region],
the two countries have a broad common denominator, and by deepening the
cooperation between them, they could play a decisive role in [shaping] the
regional and international balances [of power]... The support of the Turkish
government and people for the oppressed people of Gaza showed that [Turkey]
was taking an independent stance."
Kayhan: Turkey's Inclination Towards Political Islam - A Strategic Goal For
Us
A February 3, 2009 Kayhan editorial titled "The Muslim Brotherhood in Turkey"
dealt extensively with the growing influence of the Islamic movement (i.e. the
Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) throughout the Middle East, presenting it as a Sunni
Islamic model that supports the model of Iran's Shi'ite Islamic Revolution. The
editorial stressed that Islamic Turkey, as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood,
must stand alongside Iran as part of an emerging Islamic Middle East bloc
confronting the West:
Collapse of the American Empire: swift, silent,

certain
Commentary: Historians warning of a sudden 'thief at night,' an
'accelerating car crash'
By Paul B. Farrell, MarketWatch
ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. (MarketWatch) -- "One of the disturbing

facts of history is that so many civilizations collapse," warns
anthropologist Jared Diamond in "Collapse: How Societies Choose to
Fail or Succeed." Many "civilizations share a sharp curve of decline.
Indeed, a society's demise may begin only a decade or two after it
reaches its peak population, wealth and power."
Now, Harvard's Niall Ferguson, one of the world's leading financial

historians, echoes Diamond's warning: "Imperial collapse may come much
more suddenly than many historians imagine. A combination of fiscal
deficits and military overstretch suggests that the United States may be the
next empire on the precipice." Yes, America is on the edge.
Monopoly Dot-Com Edition: Like playing net stocks
MarketWatch's Rex Crum and Shawn Langlois play the dot-com edition of Monopoly and, like
the day-traders of the dot-com boom, end up bankrupt.
Dismiss his warning at your peril. Everything you learned, everything you
believe and everything driving our political leaders is based on a misleading,
outdated theory of history. The American Empire is at the edge of a
dangerous precipice, at risk of a sudden, rapid collapse.
Ferguson is brilliant, prolific and contrarian. His works include the recent
"Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World;" "The Cash Nexus:
Money and Power in the Modern World;" "Colossus: The Rise and Fall of
The American Empire;" and "The War of the World," a survey of the
"savagery of the 20th century" where he highlights a profound "paradox that,
though the 20th century was 'so bloody,' it was also 'a time of unparalleled
progress.'"
Why? Throughout history imperial leaders inevitably emerge and drive their
nations into wars for greater glory and "economic progress," while
inevitably leading their nation into collapse. And that happens suddenly and
swiftly, within "a decade or two."
You'll find Ferguson's latest work, "Collapse and Complexity: Empires on

the Edge of Chaos," in Foreign Affairs, the journal of the Council of Foreign
Relations, a nonpartisan think tank. His message negates all the happy talk
you're hearing in today's news -- about economic recovery and new bull
markets, about "hope," about a return to "American greatness" -- from
Washington politicians and Wall Street bankers.
'Collapse of All Empires:' 5 stages repeating through the ages
Ferguson opens with a fascinating metaphor: "There is no better illustration

of the life cycle of a great power than 'The Course of Empire,' a series of
five paintings by Thomas Cole that hangs in the New York Historical
Society. Cole was a founder of the Hudson River School and one of the
pioneers of nineteenth-century American landscape painting; in 'The Course
of Empire,' he beautifully captured a theory of imperial rise and fall to which
most people remain in thrall to this day. Each of the five imagined scenes
depicts the mouth of a great river beneath a rocky outcrop."
If you're unable to see them at the historical society, they're all reproduced in
Foreign Affairs, underscoring Ferguson's warnings that the "American
Empire on the precipice," near collapse.
First. 'The Savage State,' before the Empire rises
"In the first, 'The Savage State,' a lush wilderness is populated by a handful
of hunter-gatherers eking out a primitive existence at the break of a stormy
dawn." Imagine our history from Columbus' discovery of America in 1492
on through four more centuries as we savagely expanded across the
continent.
Second. 'The Arcadian or Pastoral State,' as the American Empire

flourishes
"The second picture, 'The Arcadian or Pastoral State,' is of an agrarian idyll:

the inhabitants have cleared the trees, planted fields, and built an elegant
Greek temple." The temple may seem out of place. However, Cole's
paintings were done in 1833-1836, not long after Thomas Jefferson built the
University of Virginia using classical Greek and Roman revival architecture.
As Ferguson continues the tour you sense you're actually inside the New
York Historical Society, visually reminded of how history's great cycles do
indeed repeat over and over. You are also reminded of one of history's great
tragic ironies -- that all nations fail to learn the lessons of history, that all
nations and their leaders fall prey to their own narcissistic hubris and that all
eventually collapse from within.
Third. Consummation of the American Empire
"The third and largest of the paintings is 'The Consummation of Empire.'

Now, the landscape is covered by a magnificent marble entrepôt, and the
contented farmer-philosophers of the previous tableau have been replaced by
a throng of opulently clad merchants, proconsuls and citizen-consumers. It is
midday in the life cycle."
'The Consummation of Empire' focuses us on Ferguson's core message: At

the very peak of their power, affluence and glory, leaders arise, run amok
with imperial visions and sabotage themselves, their people and their nation.
They have it all.
But more-is-not enough as greed, arrogance and a thirst for power consume
them. Back in the early days of the Iraq war, Kevin Phillips, political
historian and former Nixon strategist, also captured this inevitable tendency
in Wealth and Democracy:
"Most great nations, at the peak of their economic power, become arrogant
and wage great world wars at great cost, wasting vast resources, taking on
huge debt, and ultimately burning themselves out." We sense the
"consummation" of the American Empire occurred with the leadership
handoff from Bill Clinton to George W. Bush.
Unfortunately that peak is behind us: Clinton, Bush, Henry Paulson, Ben
Bernanke, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney and all future
American leaders are merely playing their parts in the greatest of all
historical dramas, repeating but never fully grasping the lessons of history in
their insatiable drive for "economic progress," to recapture former glory ...
while unwittingly pushing our empire to the edge, into collapse.
Four. Destruction of the Empire
Then comes 'The Destruction of Empire,' the fourth stage in Ferguson's

grand drama about the life-cycle of all empires. In "Destruction" "the city is
ablaze, its citizens fleeing an invading horde that rapes and pillages beneath
a brooding evening sky." Elsewhere in "The War of the World," Ferguson
described the 20th century as "the bloodiest in history, one hundred years of
butchery." Today's high-tech relentless news cycle, suggests that our 21st
century world is a far bloodier return to savagery.
At this point, investors are asking themselves: How can I prepare for the
destruction and collapse of the American Empire? There is no solution in the
Cole-Ferguson scenario, only an acceptance of fate, of destiny, of history's
inevitable cycles.
But there is one in "Wealth, War and Wisdom" by hedge fund manager
Barton Biggs, Morgan Stanley's former chief global strategist who warns us
of the "possibility of a breakdown of the civilized infrastructure," advising
us to buy a farm in the mountains.
"Your safe haven must be self-sufficient and capable of growing some kind
of food ... well-stocked with seed, fertilizer, canned food, wine, medicine,
clothes, etc. Think Swiss Family Robinson." And when they come looting,
fire "a few rounds over the approaching brigands' heads."
Five. Desolation ... after the Empire disappears
"Finally, the moon rises over the fifth painting, 'Desolation,'" says Ferguson.
There is not a living soul to be seen, only a few decaying columns and
colonnades overgrown by briars and ivy." No attacking "brigands?" No
loveable waste-collecting robots from Wall-E?
The good news is the Earth will naturally regenerate itself without savage
humans, as we saw in Alan Weisman's brilliant "The World Without Us:"
Steel buildings decay. Microbes eat indestructible plastics. Eons pass. And
Earth reemerges in all its glory, a Garden of Eden.
Epilogue: 'All Empires ... are condemned to decline and fall'
In a Los Angeles Times column, Ferguson asks: "America, a Fragile

Empire: Here today, gone tomorrow, could the United States fall that fast?"
And his answer is clear and emphatic: "For centuries, historians, political
theorists, anthropologists and the public have tended to think about the
political process in seasonal, cyclical terms ... we discern a rhythm to
history. Great powers, like great men, are born, rise, reign and then gradually
wane. No matter whether civilizations decline culturally, economically or
ecologically, their downfalls are protracted."
We are deceiving ourselves, convinced "the challenges that face the United
States are often represented as slow-burning ... threats seem very remote."
"But what if history is not cyclical and slow-moving but arrhythmic?" asks
Ferguson. What if history is "at times almost stationary but also capable of
accelerating suddenly, like a sports car? What if collapse does not arrive
over a number of centuries but comes suddenly, like a thief in the night?"
What if the collapse of the American Empire is dead ahead, in the next
decade? What if, as with the 2000 dot-com crash, we're in denial, refusing to
prepare?
Ferguson's final message about America's destiny comes from Foreign

Affairs: "Conceived in the mid-1830s, Cole's great five-part painting has a
clear message: all empires, no matter how magnificent, are condemned to
decline and fall." Throughout history, empires function "in apparent
equilibrium for some unknowable period. And then, quite abruptly ...
collapse," a blunt reminder of the sudden, swift, silent, certain timetable in
Diamond's "Collapse" where a "society's demise may begin only a decade or
two after it reaches its peak population, wealth and power."
You are forewarned: If the peak of America's glory was the leadership
handoff from Clinton to Bush, then we have already triggered the
countdown to collapse, the decade from 2010 until 2020 ... tick ... tick ... tick
... The Middle East's hair trigger
Shlomo ben-ami
TEL AVIV - Across the Middle East, a fatalistic conventional wisdom is taking
hold: war is unavoidable. Some see war as a way of resolving an increasingly
deadlocked situation, shaking up a dysfunctional regional order whose main actors
are not only at loggerheads, but are also incapable of resolving the legitimacy
deficits of their respective regimes.
A volley of incendiary remarks between Israel and both Syria and Hezbollah has fuelled
anxieties about the possibility of war on Israel's northern border. The level of sensitivity
is such that the latest tension was initiated by the Syrians, who misinterpreted as a threat
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak's call to start peace negotiations precisely in order to
prevent "an all-out regional war."
Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, for the first time explicitly warned the Israelis that
a new round of conflict would no longer be confined to an Israeli-Lebanese showdown,
but would involve the entire regional "axis of confrontation" - Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, and
Hamas. This would also be the case if Israel unleashed its Air Force against Iran's
nuclear installations. Moreover, Nasrallah made it clear that Israel's "Dahyia Doctrine" of
total devastation of Lebanon in case of war would be answered in kind.
The prospect of a Middle East conflagration has prompted an airlift of senior American
officials to Israel to warn of the devastating consequences that an Israeli attack on Iran
might have. Indeed, the Obama administration's main challenge these days is not
peacemaking, but regional conflict management and preemption. CIA Director Leon
Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen have already come
and gone, with Vice President Joe Biden and a high-level delegation of the State
Department and the National Security Council due in Jerusalem in early March. But
preventing war will not be easy, because Barack Obama's mystique has worn off in the
Arab world. The expectation that he would allow the Arabs, particularly the Syrians and
the Palestinians, to recover their land without resorting to arms has been proved, by his
own admission, to be unrealistic. Nor has he been able to rein in Iran's relentless drive for
regional hegemony, or convince it to abandon its quest for nuclear arms.
Israel will most likely listen to America's advice and consider a preemptive attack on Iran
only after all diplomatic means have been exhausted, and after whatever sanctions are
agreed upon fail to cut short Iran's march toward possessing the bomb. No matter how
unjustified Israel's traditional military behaviour seems in the eyes of its enemies and
critics, it has always aspired to base its military actions on grounds that can be justified.
This would seem to be particularly true when it comes to an attack on Iran's nuclear
installations. Israel would not like to be seen as the spoiler of a diplomatic solution to a
dispute that in any case cannot be resolved by military means alone. Wars in the Middle
East, it should be recalled, have started even when the parties did not really want them.
The 1967 war is one example. Today's anxieties, too, are fed by perceptions and fears, by
real and imagined concerns.
The Iranian challenge to Israel's strategic hegemony is presented as a Holocaust-style

existential threat, and Israel's other enemies - Hezbollah, which believes that it can bring
about "the end of the Zionist entity," and Syria, which publicly boasts of its ballistic
missiles' capacity to destroy Israel's main urban centres - are similarly viewed as
irrational actors. A covert war between Israel and Iran has been going on for some time
now. The assassinations - allegedly by Israel - of Imad Mughniyah, Hezbollah's military
chief and Iran's closest ally in the organisation, two years ago, and more recently of
Mahmoud al-Mahbouh, Hamas's liaison officer with the Al-Quds force of Iran's
Revolutionary Guards, suggest that an unplanned chain of events could trigger a real war.
The Lebanese front may ignite if Hezbollah seeks to avenge Mughniyah's death, or
simply as a result of a knee-jerk reaction to a provocation, as in 2006. If Iran and Syria
then decide to back Hezbollah, a direct Israeli-Iranian showdown could follow.What
Israel planned as a preemptive attack on Iran might then be presented as an act of self-
defense .
General James Jones, President Obama's national security adviser, recently put forward a
different, albeit equally ominous, prediction. Iran's response to the mounting international
pressure might be, he said, to launch an attack on Israel through its proxies, Hezbollah
and Hamas. Such attacks might trigger a wider regional conflagration. War threats in the
Middle East should never be dismissed as hollow. Prophecies of war, moreover, have too
frequently proven themselves to be self-fulfilling.
But America's extraordinary efforts to rein in Israel might not be enough to avert a
calamity. The days of Pax Americana in the region are over, which means that avoiding a
regional explosion will require mobilising the major international actors that favour
diplomatic solutions for the Arab-Israeli conflict and for Iran's quest to become a
legitimate partner in a new regional system.
* Shlomo Ben-Ami, a former Israeli foreign minister who now serves as Vice President
of the Toledo International Centre for Peace, is the author of Scars of War, Wounds of
Peace: The Israeli-Arab Tragedy.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2010.
It All Began With Abraham (Israel: The Super Sign of the End-Times, Part 4)
By Dr. Todd Baker
The regathering and restoration of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland of
Israel is one of the most prominent and recurring prophecies in Holy Scripture. As
previously mentioned in past articles in this series, the Bible mentions two periods in
which the Jewish people would be scattered from the land of Israel due to their
disobedience to God. The first dispersion initially began with the Northern Kingdom of
Israel being taken into exile and captivity by the Assyrian invaders around 721 B.C. and
was completed when the Southern Kingdom was conquered and deported to Babylon by
King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. The Jews from the Northern Kingdom and Southern
Kingdom were allowed to return to the land seventy years under the joint and capable
leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. The Jews remained in the land for over
four hundred years under Gentile supervision and control. The second dispersion of the
Jews from the land, that was predicted by Jesus thirty years before it happened, occurred
by the Romans in 70 A.D.
It is important to determine and distinguish which of the two dispersions is meant
when looking at the prophecies that deal with the scattering and regathering of the Jewish
people because the prophecies about the second dispersion and regathering are frequently
made as an antecedent and conspicuous sign indicating the soon return of the Messiah to
save the Jewish people (e.g., Deuteronomy. 30:1-3; Isaiah 11, 49, 51, 59-66; Jeremiah 3,
16, 23, 30-33, Ezekiel 11, 20, 34, 36-39; Hosea 2, 6, 11, 14, Joel 3; Amos 9; Obadiah 1
and so forth). Whenever these restoration/regathering prophecies to the land are found in
Scripture they are prefaced or include the word “again” to thus denote a second time and
must refer to the regathering after the second dispersion from Israel in A.D. 70. With both
dispersions, the Jewish people never forgot their God-given homeland of Israel or its
capital Jerusalem. The Psalms and the Prophets are filled with the Jewish longing and
ardent desire to return to the land and worship the Lord in Jerusalem by those Jews who
were scattered and removed from the land God gave to them forever (Genesis 17:7-8).
This longing of several millennia is what the Jewish people simply call Zionism. Zionism
has its roots squarely in the Jewish Bible and has been the unifying force for uniting Jews
together as a people and a nation to return to the land of Israel and permanently remain
there never to be removed or dispersed again. Zionism derives from the word Zion—
another name for Jerusalem and by extension the land of Israel that has Biblical, national,
religious political, and Messianic overtones and implications. Wendell Stearns in his
excellent Biblical survey of Zionism provides a good comprehensive overview on the
central place Zionism holds in the life of the Jewish people when he writes:
Zionism, formerly a desire realized in a movement first to establish, now to support the
State of Israel, is a national, religious, and spiritual concept that goes back for millennia.
It is debated as a concrete, geo-political concept and was struggled over, up to and since
the physical restoration of the State. It has become the unifying concept of world Jewry,
as much in the woes as in the wonders of Israel’s regained nationhood…For many,
Zionism has become so completely identified as a national and political movement that
secular Zionists resent the claims Judaism and Christianity have made upon it…
Nevertheless to identify Zion and Zionism only as a recent phenomenon or to reckon it
solely as a Jewish expression of mankind’s aspiration for ethnic and governmental
sovereignty is a mistake. We err if we overlook the historical and spiritual foundations
and core that make it such a pivotal force in today’s world” (Biblical Zionism, pp. xi-xii).
In the latter part of the nineteenth century Zionism enjoyed a strong reemergence and
took on a more secular and geo-political outlook for the return of the Jewish people back
to the land of Israel with the chief pioneer of modern Zionism, Theodore Herzl. Yet
despite the lack of biblical of emphasis that is at the core of modern secular Zionism, God
moved on Herzl to become one of the major influences to see the Jewish people return to
the land. In several articles to come in this series, we will examine and explore how
Zionism was the impetus God used for the rebirth of the nation of Israel in 1948 and was
thus the greatest single fulfillment of Bible prophecy in the last two thousand years since
the time of Christ. Zionism no doubt enjoyed a popular resurgence in the latter half of the
nineteenth century due directly to the increasing hatred and hostility explicitly shown
toward the Jews throughout Europe. That hatred and hostility has always been an
inherent part of European culture dating back to the days of the Roman Empire. The
greatest concentration of anti-Semitic hostilities against the Chosen People was in
Eastern Europe and Russia. In fact, hatred for the Jews was so bad in Russia that the Czar
in 1903 commissioned his secret police to forge a document entitled, The Protocols of
the (Learned) Elders of Zion.
This forgery allegedly was supposed to be the blueprint and planned conspiracy for
Jewish world domination drawn up by a group of influential Jews as codified in the
twenty-four protocols. The Czar was to use this fabrication to justify a bloody pogrom
carried out throughout Russia and the Ukraine from 1903 to 1906.
Such a tidal wave of anti-Semitism that had and would engulf Europe in the 19th and the
20th centuries created a strong and unquenchable desire among many European Jews to
return to their ancient homeland of Israel. This prompted an early leader and pioneer of
Zionism, Russian Doctor, Leon Pinsker, to write a seminal work of Modern-day Zionism
entitled Auto-Emancipation in 1882. In it, Pinsker basically proposed that the only
solution to protect the Jewish people from ongoing anti-Semitism was for them to have a
national homeland of their own. Initially, he thought this Jewish State could be
established anywhere in the world, but eventually came to the firm conviction that such a
homeland could only be planted where ancient Israel had originally been located.
A decade after this, Zionism’s political ideas and concepts for a Jewish homeland was
formally defined by its leading proponent, Theodor Herzl, in his foundational work, The
Jewish State. This book formed the constitutional basis for the First Zionist Congress
convened on August 27, 1897, at Basle Switzerland; 204 delegates from 17 countries
attended the Congress. Herzl worked tirelessly to gain support and backing for a Jewish
State constantly traveling throughout Europe meeting with the monarchs, statesmen, and
politicians to obtain legal acceptance for a Jewish homeland. At the Fifth Zionist
Congress held in August 1903 (Herzl’s last before his death in 1904), Herzl tentatively
accepted the British proposal to establish a Jewish State in the country of Uganda located
in East Africa. After much debate and deliberation among the delegates of the Fifth
Congress, the Uganda proposal was rejected. The delegates came to the firm and
uncompromising conclusion that a Jewish State could only be established in the land of
their ancestors—the land of Israel. This unshakable resolve would only grow, intensify,
and be carried to eventual fruition some forty-five years later with the birth of the modern
nation of Israel.
Theodor Herzl’s vision was really the greater vision of God to restore His people,
Israel, to the land He gave to Abraham, their founding father, and his Jewish descendants
after him for an eternal possession in fulfillment of those End-time prophecies that the
Jews would be regathered back to Israel as a sign and pre-condition for the return of the
Messiah—Jesus of Nazareth. Satan knows of these prophecies and, within a generation of
these pioneers of Zionism, was allowed by the providence of God to try to subvert and
prevent the Jewish people from returning to their ancient God-given homeland. But the
die had already been cast. In the modern day movement of Zionism, God was beginning
to focus His attention again on the “everlasting nation” so that many of the promises of
their latter day restoration to the land in preparation for the Messiah’s return would be
realized as supernaturally foretold in the Word of God. The prophecy of Isaiah 41:8-10
stands fulfilled in this distinct regard: “But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I
have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend. You whom I have taken from the
ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you: ‘You are My
servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away. Fear not, for I am with you. Be
not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will
uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”
By Dr. Todd Baker
The scattering of the Jewish people from the land of Israel throughout the nations of the
world was a result of their disobedience to God’s law and their rejection of the Messiah.
The first dispersion as mentioned in a prior article was the Assyrian and Babylonian
captivity (721 and 586 B.C., respectively). The reason for this as unanimously witnessed
by both the pre-exilic and exilic prophets was Israel’s gross idolatry and apostasy from
the Lord (Jeremiah 7, 9; Isaiah 1-6; Ezekiel 8-11, et al.). The second dispersion occurred
for Israel rejection and mistreatment of the Messiah who came to redeem them and offer
the Messianic kingdom (Luke 19:41-44). But in the beginning of their national history
God foretold all these things would happen as a warning to the nation through Moses
right before the people of Israel were to enter the Promised Land. In Leviticus 26 and
Deuteronomy 28-32 Israel’s covenantal obligations as the Chosen Nation of God are
spelled out by the Lord. The blessings that would accrue to their obedience are given and
conversely the curses that would fall on them if they chose to walk contrary to the Lord
and not obey him were clearly spelled out to the nation. A cursory reading of these
pivotal chapters at once reveals a precise and accurate prophetic portrait of the history of
the Jewish people that has been fulfilled to the letter for the last 3,500 years! “I will
scatter you among the nations and draw out a sword after you” (Leviticus 26:33-39;
Deuteronomy 28:64-67). This scattering of Israel to all the Gentile nations of the world
would serve as a sign for all to see God’s reproach and displeasure for their disobedience
to Him. “And they shall be upon you for a sign and a wonder, and on your descendants
forever” (Deut. 28:46).
Lest the reader think this too harsh the Kiddush (the standard daily prayer book used
by religious Jews in synagogues all over the world) offers the following penitential
prayer: “Cause us to return with perfect repentance to Thy presence. Pardon and forgive
all our iniquities. Blot out and remove our transgressions and sins from Thy sight. Nullify
the evil of the sentence decreed against us.” Now in our day with the recent partial
restoration and regathering of the Jewish people back to Israel God is in the process of
answering this very prayer. Throughout the long Diaspora God promised that He would
preserve the Jewish people as a distinct people among the Gentile nations so that by and
large they would not be assimilated or be expunged by them. “For I am with you says
the Lord, to save you. Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered
you, yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, and
will not let you go altogether unpunished. Yet I will leave a remnant, so that you may
have some who escape the sword among the nations, when you are scattered through
the countries” (Jeremiah 30:11; Ezekiel 6:8). The Assyrians, Babylonians, and the
Romans all invaded Israel and conquered the Jews and subsequently led them captive
away from the land to be scattered throughout the nations. After the dispersion of 70 A.D.
the Jewish people were to live without a homeland for almost 2,000 years. All throughout
that time they only survived in small numbers in isolated scattered communities. Their
numbers greatly dwindled when they were hunted down and killed by the scores during
the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Russian Pogroms, and the greatest of all numbers killed
in the horrific Holocaust. This is precisely why most Jewish people do not accept Jesus as
the Messiah because those very people who claimed to follow Him instigated and carried
out these violent campaigns and atrocities against the Chosen People. Sadly the tragic
prophecy of Jesus in John 16:2 has been fulfilled in one way through the form of
‘Christian’ anti-Semitism when He foretold to His Jewish disciples: “The time is coming
that whoever kills you will think he offers God’s service.” The enemies of the Jews
slanderously did so in the name of Jesus Christ—a sin the Christian Church has all been
too guilty of throughout the centuries. On this point Messianic Jewish author Barry Rubin
explains what the Gentile name “Jesus Christ” means to the average Jew. “To a Jewish
person, Christ conducted the Crusades, invoked the Inquisition, and prompted
persecution of Jews over the last twenty centuries. To a Jewish person, Christ is the first
part of the term used by those who accuse Jews of deicide: “Christ-killers” (“You Bring
the Bagels, I’ll Bring the Gospel,” p. 94). This brings us to our next point that we will
take up in the next issue: Universal Anti-Semitism as one of the signs of the End-Times
and for the return of Jesus the Messiah.
Thus far, we have looked at prophecies dealing with Israel's history up to the nation's
worldwide dispersion in unbelief. The whole history of the Jewish people was foretold
beforehand to them through Moses, the prophets, and the Messiah Jesus of Nazareth.
While in that dispersed state, the Jewish people would be without land, kingly ruler, free
from the idolatry of the past, and wandering from place to place throughout the nations of
the world. This last condition aforementioned was popularized in Europe by the
pejorative term "the wandering Jew" in the thirteenth century. The ugly and brutal fact of
Anti-Semitism is a darker side of Jewish history, and along with the doctrine of hell is
one of the most somber and grave subjects of Bible prophecy. Nevertheless, the God of
Israel did indeed predict from the outset of their national history that the Jewish people
would be hated, harmed, and persecuted by the Gentile nations of the world during the
long period of the Diaspora. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 outlines this terrible time. A simple
comparison between this passage of Scripture and the history of the Jewish people for the
last two thousand years will unquestionably verify these prophecies have been fulfilled as
exactly foretold and that the Bible is indeed inspired by the Omniscient God who foretells
history before it comes to pass. What we have described and predicted in the above
passage in Deuteronomy and other related passages found throughout Scripture is the
prediction of the rise of anti-Semitism. The term anti-Semitism was coined by Wilhelm
Marr in 1878 who himself was a virulent anti-Semite. Anti-Semitism simply defined is
the racial and religious hatred of the Jewish people. The ugly phenomenon of Anti-
Semitism began the moment God chose Abraham to father a new people through which
the redeemer of the world would come and was the response of Satan himself to destroy
the means by which in the "seed of the woman" he would meet his final end and defeat
(Genesis 3:15).
The devil's simple strategy was thus: "Destroy the Jewish people and there will be no
Savior to defeat me." After the first advent, his strategy is still in place as he has sought
throughout the centuries following Christ to do the same so that this same Messiah will
not come back to a restored Israel and fulfill those promises made to Israel that still await
fulfillment at the Second Advent. Furthermore, God made a promise and oath in Jeremiah
31:35-37 that the Jewish people would continue as a nation in perpetuity - that is, forever.
Satan's strategy for creating the inimical reality of anti-Semitism is nothing less than the
complete annihilation and obliteration of the Jewish people so that this divine eternal
promise of their permanent existence as the distinct chosen nation are nullified and God's
integrity and Word are proven unreliable, false, and wrong. Indeed, when Yahweh chose
Israel as the human channel for the Savior to come into the world and redeem humanity
from sin and death, Satan targeted and chose them also for destruction knowing that they
would be God's instrumental means by which he was to suffer ultimate defeat.
Revelation 12 uses symbolic images of a woman clothed with the son (Israel) and the
fiery red dragon (Satan) to prophetically narrate the conflict between Satan has with
Israel and how it will come to a head in the future seven-year tribulation period. Scripture
explains that the ultimate cause and origin for anti-Semitism is supernatural and found in
the perfidious design and person of Satan. Men like Haman, Hitler, and Pharaoh are
human pawns to carry out "the final solution" against the Jewish people. But in the end,
all people who attempt to harm and destroy the Chosen People, God will curse and
overthrow with damnation in the end according to the solemn and eternal oath He swore
to Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, in Genesis 12:3; "I will curse those who
curse you."
In spite of all the terrible atrocities the Jewish people have suffered for the last 2,000
years, the God of Israel has kept them distinct and preserved as a separate people (for a
chronological listing of Anti-Semitism attitudes and practices from 70 A.D. to 1970, see
the book The Causes and Effects of Anti-Semitism by Paul E. Grosser and Edwin G.
Halperin). One with a discerning mind can even see the subtle side of anti-Semitism by
the condescending and accusatory manner in which Modern Israel is constantly spoken of
by the news media (which in itself is a considerable subject to document and rightly
comment upon; but presently, our study will stay within the perimeters of the Scripture
and those Bible prophecies dealing with the Jewish people).
God foretold that during the long period of dispersion, the Jewish people would have no
rest from the Gentile nations. They would be maligned, persecuted, and killed in large
numbers wherever they sojourned due to the pervasive and perennial presence of anti-
Semitism (see the prophecy of Leviticus 26:36-39). But in spite of this, the Lord has
triumphantly preserved them and brought them back to their ancient homeland against all
adverse odds. History has indisputably confirmed the aforementioned prophecy given
some 3,400 years ago true and fulfilled in the history of the Jewish people, so much so
that the summative observation from Paul Grosser and Edwin Halperin definitely applies
here and underscores what God foretold would be their condition in the Diaspora:
"No people in history has been hated, maligned and persecuted so continuously and
systematically as the Jews. In light of the history of anti-Semitism, the continued survival
of the Jews and Judaism is a major historical triumph.... The continuity and persistence of
anti-Semitism over the past nineteen centuries indicated that it is an integral part of
Western culture. It has existed in slave, feudal, capitalist and socialist economic systems.
It has existed in monarchies, aristocracies, theocracies, democracies, dictatorships, police
states, and authoritarian and totalitarian regimes. It has existed in religious, secular, and
atheistic societies. It has existed in rural and urban populations, in small towns and
suburbs. It has existed even in places where there were no Jews. No matter what the Jews
did, there has been no sure escape (The Causes and Effects of Anti-Semitism, pp. 339,
353)."
The Lord Jesus predicted that one of the signs indicating the end of this inter-advent
age (i.e., the present time between the first and Second Advent of Jesus Christ) would be
the universal hatred of the Jewish people by the Gentile nations on account of Him. "You
shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake" (Matthew 24:9). World-wide anti-
Semitism is thus a sign for Israel and the world that we are living near the period of the
Messiah's return as foretold by Jesus almost 2,000 years ago in Matthew 24.
By Dr. Todd Baker
Secular historians generally write history from an anthropocentric view; that is, how it
relates and centers on Man and his development and various achievements in a closed
universe. But the Bible concentrates on the historical fulfillment of God's covenantal
relationship with the nation of Israel leading up to the first coming of the Messiah and
His second coming to Israel in a supernatural fashion whereby God freely and arbitrarily
intervenes in the affairs of man. In fact, the Bible says God determines the national
boundaries and demographic habitations of humanity with the intent that the children of
Israel could live in the land of Canaan in an area that would perfectly accommodate their
numbers and allow for this. For Deuteronomy 32:8 says: "When the Most High divided
their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the
boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel." And all
that the Bible has predicted about Israel's divine history thus far has literally come to
pass.
So then it is only reasonable and natural to conclude that the prophecies about Israel's
future will also literally be fulfilled. Bible Prophecy predicted as a super sign and
precondition for the return of Christ the regathering of the Jewish people to their ancient
homeland as the nation of Israel. That took place on May 14, 1948. The rest of this article
will explore and explain how the modern nation of Israel is fulfilling this role as the
super-sign to indicate the coming of Christ is close at hand and could very well happen in
our generation.
The Bible predicts in Deuteronomy 30:1-3 that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ will
occur sometime after the regathering and return of the Jews from world wide dispersion
into the land of Israel. God gave this prophecy through Moses and the Jews just before
God brought them into the land of Canaan. The Authorized Version of these verses is
most telling:
"And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and
the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the
nations whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the Lord thy
God, and shalt obey His voice. According to all that I commanded thee this day, thou and
thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the Lord thy God will
turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from
all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee."
Notice the chronology or sequence of prophetic events here:

(1) God will bring the Jews back to the land of Israel from the nations of the world
where they were scattered abroad by Him for their disobedience.
(2) During this regathering the Lord Himself "will return" and complete the restoration
of all Israel back into the land.
In others words, when God begins to bring the Jews back into their land He gave them,
Christ will return! The phrase "will return" is omitted from most modern translations of
the Bible since the Masoretic text (upon which the majority of modern translations of the
Old Testament are based upon) and the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Old
Testament) do not include it. But the Dead Sea Scrolls copied some 150 years before the
birth of Christ and over 1,000 years older than any previously discovered manuscript of
the Bible includes this very phrase! The passage reads as follows: "Then the Lord your
God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will return and
gather you from the peoples, [from] where the Lord your God has scattered you." (Martin
Abegg, Jr., Peter Flint, and Eugene Ulrich, The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible, p. 187). Thus,
the phrase has good precedent for being included as from the original. And the prophecy
given in Deuteronomy 30:3 foretells that when the Jews return to their ancient homeland
from the Diaspora (the scattering of the Jews to all Gentile nations of the world after the
Babylonian exile in 586 B.C. and the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.), the
Lord Jesus Christ will return. If we just had this prophecy alone in Scripture concerning
the return of the Jews to Israel and the return of the Lord following it, this would be
adequate alone to believe in His word that He would regather the Jews back to Israel and
subsequently return at the second Coming. This unquestionably means in the words of
author Homer Duncan that:
"For centuries, the prophecies concerning the regathering of Israel lay dormant in the
Word of God. There was no outward indication that they would be fulfilled, but they are
now being fulfilled before our eyes, and this can mean but one thing: THE COMING OF
THE LORD DRAWS NEAR." (Homer Duncan, Israel: Past, Present, Future, p. 16)
There have been two dispersions in Israel’s history collectively referred to as the
Diaspora. The first dispersion of Jews from the land of Israel began in 721 B.C. when the
Assyrians invaded the Northern kingdom of Israel and led them away into captivity for
their gross idolatry and disobedience to the Law of Moses (Isaiah 10:5-7; 2 Kings 17:5-
23). The last stage of this dispersion occurred in 586 B.C. At that time the Babylonians
armies led by King Nebuchadnezzar laid siege against Jerusalem at conquered the
Southern Kingdom and took the Jews of Judea and Jerusalem captive into Babylon for
seventy years (Jeremiah 25:4-12; Daniel 9:1-2; 2 Chronicles 36:14-20). In 539 B.C. the
Persian king Cyrus issued a decree allowing 50,000 Jews to return to the land of Israel
under the leadership of Ezra, Zerubbabel, and Nehemiah (Ezra 1:1-6:22; Nehemiah 11:1-
13:31). Both the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions are considered a single dispersion
instead of two since half of the nation went into exile in 721 B.C. and the other half going
into exile in 586 B.C. But before God scattered them in the first dispersion He gave them
warning after warning to forsake their disobedient and wicked ways through His servants
the prophets. Israel did not heed their warnings of divine judgment and calls for
repentance. Because He knew they were reprobate and unwilling to return Him, the Lord
displaced and scattered them from the Land (Jeremiah 5-6; 8:7-17; 2 Chronicles 36:14-
17).
The second dispersion of the nation came in 70 A.D. when Titus and his Roman
legions burned and razed Jerusalem and razed the Temple literally not leaving one stone
upon another, thus fulfilling the prophecies of Micah and Jesus found in Micah 3:12 and
Matthew 24:2. In fact in the early 1990’s archaeologists doing excavations along the
southern part of the Western Wall unearthed a pile of those original Temple stones that
were dismantled stone by massive stone in 70 A.D.—an ancient testament to the veracity
of Jesus’ prophecy and the historical accuracy of the New Testament. The Bible not only
predicted the fact of Israel’s dispersion but also the condition the Jews would be in during
it. The Jews would not have a king to sit on David’s throne, nor would they have a
Temple in Jerusalem or priesthood to offer sacrifices; and finally they would no longer
worship idols. Hosea foresaw this dispersed state after 70 A.D. and predicted this to be
Israel’s scattered condition “for many days.” Hosea 3:4-5 reads: “For the children of
Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar,
without ephod or teraphim.” In this prophecy as with several others found in the Old
Testament, Israel’s state and condition is accurately described during the long world-wide
dispersion of their nation that has existed between the First and Second Advent of the
Messiah Jesus! A closer look at the text in Hosea 3 provides a very detailed corroboration
of how this prophecy is being fulfilled from the time off the first century A.D. until now.
This period of Jewish history, (which has already lasted for almost two thousand years)
has been formally called by Jewish and secular historians “the Diaspora”; and it was
foretold in the prophetic word in Hosea some 750 years before Christ!
In this dispersed state Israel would no longer have a “prince or king.” The throne of
David has been vacant of a lineal successor (a prince) and broken down since 586 B.C. to
this very day. This will remain so until the return of Jesus the Son of David who will sit
on the Davidic throne after a long period of absence (see Ezekiel 21:25-27; Luke 1:32-33;
Acts 15:14-17). With the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. and the subsequent
dissolution of the Levitical priesthood Israel was left without the appropriate animal
sacrifices or a Temple to sacrifice them in. They would no longer worship false gods in
temples built with “Sacred Pillar” commonly used to worship the false gods of Canaan
(Ex 34:13-14; Deut. 7:5). The “Ephod” was a part of the special dress the High Priest of
Israel wore and also gave divine guidance and direction (Lev. 8:7; 1 Sam. 23:9-11; 30:7-
8). Thus Israel would be scattered throughout the world without centralized spiritual
leadership and guidance the High Priest provided for the nation. In addition to that the
Jews would be free from idolatry and the worship of idols or the “Teraphim.” while in a
scattered state. The teraphim images in ancient Israel were household idols used for
objects of worship and the forbidden practice of divination (see Genesis. 31:19, 30, 32;
Judges. 18:17, 24; 1 Samuel 15:23; 2 Kings. 23:24). When one closely examines the
Prophecy of Hosea about the condition of Israel’s dispersion in their past, present and
future, one cannot help but agree with the comments of C. I. Scofield on this same
passage of prophetic Scripture:
“This prediction has been remarkably fulfilled in the condition of Israel since the time
of Christ. Scattered, without political entity under a king or a prince, and performing no
sacrifices since the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in A.D. 70, they have yet
retained their identity and avoided idolatrous worship of sacred stones or idols. Chapter
3 is one of the classic O.T. passages describing Israel’s past, present, and future.” (The
New Scofield Study Bible, p. 894).
By Dr. Todd Baker

Preachers and theologians are often fond of saying that History is “His story,” meaning
that God plans and determines the details and events that make up human history ruling
over the process from beginning to end to fulfill His great purpose for Mankind. Nothing
could be truer of Israel. The history of the Jewish people is “His story” played out within
human history, which has been revealed, foretold, and written in the Bible. Israel’s
history is supernatural from beginning to end. It began with the Patriarch Abraham some
4,000 years ago when God called this nomadic wanderer from Ur of the Chaldeans
(Modern day Iraq) to leave his homeland and go into the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1-
3). Abraham obeyed that call and became the father of the nation Israel and the Jewish
people. Though Abraham, and Sarah his wife, were well beyond the age of having
children (Genesis 18:11), God miraculously rejuvenated the ninety-year old body of
Sarah to bear them a son; Isaac through whom God would raise up the people and nation
the Messiah would come through (Genesis 21:12). With the promised child came the
Promised Land — the land that is called Israel - where Abraham and his descendants
would live. In Genesis 13:15 and 17:7-8, God promised to give the land to Abraham and
his descendants (the Jews) for an “everlasting possession” under the unconditional terms
of an “everlasting covenant”:
“For all the land which you see I have given it to you and your descendants forever.
And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you
throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your
descendants after you. And I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land
in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.”
Here we observe from Israel’s inception that the history of the Jewish people and their
divine destiny is inextricably bound up with the land God promised them. The covenant
referred to in Genesis 17:7-8 is formally called the Abrahamic Covenant. It is an eternal
covenant made between God to Abraham and his descendants forever. God essentially
established through this Covenant with Abraham a people from him (the Jewish people),
a place for them (the land of Israel), so that the purpose of blessing all the nations of the
world could occur in perpetuity, that is forever. Thus God gave the land of Israel to the
Jews forever and to no other ethnic group or nation, protestations from the Arabs,
Palestinians, and international community notwithstanding. One of the basic laws of
Bible interpretation is the law of first mention. The law of first mention states that when a
thing is mentioned for the first time in the Bible it carries the same meaning all
throughout the Scriptures. It establishes the Bible as consistent in its meaning from
beginning to end as it applies to persons, places, events, and things.
In Genesis 13:15 we have the first mention in Scripture stating that God gave the land
of Israel to Abraham and the Jewish people forever. This truth is reiterated throughout the
rest of Scripture and establishes the rightful owners of the land to be the Jews granted by
divine right. There is no deviation or alteration by God from this covenant. It stands for
all time. The ongoing struggle for Israel’s right to live in the Land of Promise has already
been settled once and for all by the eternal counsel of God as codified and enacted in the
Abrahamic Covenant. God has spoken and His Word on this matter is settled forever
(Psalm 119:89); thus all the political wrangling about who the land belongs to is quite
simply moot and in the end irrelevant and inconsequential. The current Middle East crisis
centers around who owns the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. But unbelief
coming from the world disputes and dismisses the whole issue being settled by the
inerrant Word of God. One cannot begin to understand the current Middle East crisis and
how it relates to Israel’s past, present and future without knowing and understanding the
fundamental importance of this divine covenant. Author Richard Booker wisely wrote:
“Indeed the key to understanding today’s headlines and tomorrow’s news lies in the past
within the sacred covenant God made with Abraham.” (Richard Booker, Blow the
Trumpet in Zion, p.17). In the series of articles to come, we will explore how this is true
throughout the divine panoramic plan God has for Israel in the past, present, and future as
revealed through Bible prophecy.
Part of the reason for the return of Israel's Messiah will be to enforce the everlasting
decree of God's land grant to the Jewish people and to overthrow the nations of the world
in league with the anti-Christ who will violently attempt to take the land away from them
(Zech. 12-14; Ezekiel 47:13-48:35). In fact, the boundaries God gave for the Promised
Land stretch from the river of Egypt (Wadi El-Arish) to the Euphrates River near the
Syrian/Iraqi border (Gen. 15:18-21); an area yet to be occupied by the Jewish nation that
well includes the two presently disputed areas of Gaza and the West Bank (Judea and
Samaria).
The covenant God made with Abraham not only would produce the Jewish people
from his ("seed") posterity with a land to live in, but their presence in the world also
would greatly benefit and bless Mankind. The Lord said: "And in you all the families of
the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). Indeed the Jews have brought the world
immeasurable blessings. They wrote and preserved the Scriptures (the Bible), which is
the number one best-seller in the world and were the people through whom the Messiah
came to redeem humanity from sin (Romans 3:2; 9:5). The Jews wrote the Bible and the
Messiah Jesus is a Jew.
God subsequently reaffirmed this covenant with Abraham to his son, Isaac, and Isaac's
son, Jacob (Genesis 25:5-6; 35:9-15). From these three patriarchs, God eternally
promised the land of Israel to the Jewish people. From a divine and biblical perspective
then, the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people. And so God chose this Land and
the Chosen People to play a central role in His plan of redemption for the world and
mankind that naturally involves the past, present, and the future.
The plan of redemption for Israel and the world focuses around two epochal events - the
first and second comings of the Messiah Jesus Christ. In both advents, Christ has and will
personally come again directly to Israel. The covenant God made with Abraham plays a
special significance and role in end-time Bible prophecy. The fact God guaranteed the
people of Israel a national existence and homeland forever that brought the material and
spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ to the Gentile nations basically defines and
determines the primary focus of the whole eschatological program of God. The covenant
of Abraham with the provisions of a land, nation, Messianic descendant, and blessing to
the world is the building base and foundation upon which the plan of God is built and
enlarged through the other covenants.
The creation of the Jewish people and the bestowal of a national homeland via the
Abrahamic covenant were preparatory for the first coming of the Messiah. Gentiles who
come to faith in Him are adopted into Abraham's family and receive the blessing
promised through that covenant (Galatians 3:8; 14-29). And just as the establishment of
the Jewish people as the nation of Israel was crucial to the first coming of Christ, so too
Scripture indicates that the regathering of the Jews into their ancient homeland, after
being scattered throughout the world for nearly 2,000 years, and the reestablishment of
the nation of Israel are necessary for the second coming. In fact, it would serve as a
super-sign that will set the stage for the prophesied series of events that will culminate in
the return of Christ to Israel. Without the reconstitution of the nation of Israel in our
generation, none of the events of End-time prophecy could occur or be possible.
Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy articulate and underscore this point well when they
write:
God's plan for history always moves forward in relation to what He is doing with
Israel. Thus, the fact that Israel has been and continues to be reconstituted as a nation is
prophetically significant, so significant that it makes Israel God's super-sign of the end
times. Were Israel not a nation again it would be impossible for events of the end times to
occur since so many of them take place in that tiny country or in reference to it. But it
has returned and so it is that all other aspects of Bible prophecy are also being prepared
for the grand finale of history. (Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy, Prophecy Watch, p. 61).
EU: Partly Strong, Partly Weak
By Terry James
It seems observably true--to me, at least--that this generation stands on God's prophetic
timeline very near the time Daniel the Old Testament prophet described, as recorded in
the following:
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and
subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the
kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as
thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron,
and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas
thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of
men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. (Daniel
2:40-43)
Daniel was given by God both the dream-vision that Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar
had one troubling nightand its interpretation. The dream was of a huge, metallic, man
image. The image, Daniel interpreted, was of four world powers, and a final, fifth world
power, which would come on the scene at the very end of human history just before God
judged earth's rebellious governments.Then, the prophecy indicates, a new regime--
headed by God himself--will rule and reign:
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall
never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in
pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:44)
Fifth and final world power
Daniel prophesied that the fifth world power will come out of the fourth. We know the
order of world empires from history. The first Daniel interpreted, at the time he was
giving the interpretation, was Babylon. The second would be the Medo-Persian. The third
would be the Greek Empire, and the fourth would be the Roman Empire, represented in
Nebuchadnezzar's night-vision by the legs of iron. The fifth empire--the final empire, and
the only one that is yet to come into being as fulfilled prophecy--is represented by the feet
and toes of that metallic monstrosity.
To my understanding, at least, the five world empires given to Daniel in metallic

representations--i.e., gold for the head, silver for the breast and arms, brass or bronze for
the belly and thighs, and iron for the legs, feet and toes--is indicative of money and the
power to rule over the inhabitants of planet earth. Metals have most always been at the
center of any economy throughout history. And when the metals represented the power to
mold and construct weaponry--e.g., spears, bullets, bombs, warcraft like tanks, planes,
ships, etc.--the power of the metal and the economies of the world powers become
understandable. Money is power, and power is control. These are inextricably linked.
The fifth world power will come from the Roman Empire, which disintegrated but is
reforming, we who observe prophecy from the pretrib view believe. We believe that the
European Union is almost certainly the nucleus out of which this last Gentile power is
emerging. This is the area of central Europe in particular. Rome is the very heart of that
nucleus.
Antichrist comes forth
Daniel also prophesied about the last world empire's leader who would leap to center
stage at just the right moment in Satan's plans to bring him to power:
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the
people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end
thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And
he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he
shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of
abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined
shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:26-27)
Antichrist, "the beast," as this vicious future tyrant is termed, will come to power and rule
ruthlessly. His power will emanate from economics--the ability to call all to worship him
through a mark and numbering system that will control buying and selling. (Read
Revelation 13:16-18 to understand this 666 system of absolute control.)
Economics set the end times stage
We are witnessing economic rearrangements at present like no other generation has seen.
Even the United States--as anyone with any sense of what's been going on in the news
will attest--is being forced into a mold of one-world economic order. It is all leading
toward the mark and numbering system that will give Antichrist his power. (Read
Revelation 17:12-13 to learn of the ten economic power blocs that will develop, then give
power and authority to the beast--Antichrist, the ruler of the fifth and final world empire.)
Europe in upheavel
Europe today is in dynamic upheaval, struggling to stand on the feet and toes that will
give the eventual Antichrist system its balance, its equilibrium. But just as Daniel the
prophet foretold, the feet and toes are not made of purely a metal of strength. The EU is
made partly of the governmental strength that was the ancient Roman Empire, but also is
constructed of weakness intrinsic within the governments of contemporary times. This
makes the whole structure that is the final form of all worldly economic-governmental
power subject to crashing to final collapse. This is exactly what Daniel foresaw as given
above in Daniel 2:44.
A story this past week gives, I believe, an excellent example of the struggle the reviving
Roman Empire is unwittingly engaged in to construct that final world rule Satan seeks.
STRASBOURG, France—With the European Union's single currency in the grip of the
worst crisis in its history, the bloc’s new president is expected to use the growing alarm
over debt levels to argue for a new form of "economic government" in Europe.
The leaders [meet] on Thursday at a summit meeting in Brussels, now certain to be

dominated by worries about deficit and debt levels in Greece. [EU Commission president
Herman] Van Rompuy’s proposal could take main responsibility for stewardship of
economic coordination out of the hands of the 27 nations’ finance ministers, elevating it
to the level of heads of government. The plan could also reduce the role of the European
Commission, the bloc’s executive arm.
According to a draft of one of two documents circulated before the meeting, Mr. Van
Rompuy (pronounced rom-PWEE) will argue that "recent developments in the euro area
highlight the urgent need to strengthen our economic governance...Whether it is called
coordination of policies or economic government," it adds, "only the European Council is
capable of delivering and sustaining a common European strategy for more growth and
more jobs...Recommendations for the euro area as a whole and its member states should
be strengthened, with a stronger focus on competitiveness and macroeconomic
imbalances," the draft says. "This would be in line with the importance of economic
spillover effects in the monetary union and the challenges the euro area is facing."
(Stephen Castle, "European Debt Issues Top Agenda for Meeting," NYTimes.com,
2/9/10).
Paul the apostle wrote of the economic reality that drives the world toward God's
judgment and wrath: "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into
many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the
love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Timothy 6:9-10a).
Rushing toward the end
Certainly, the truth of God's Word frames what is happening at this time in history, and
where it all is heading as the rulers of this fallen sphere grasp for the wealth of this world
and strive to cast off the bonds of governance God wisely placed upon the would-be
masters of planet earth.
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your
riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered;
and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire.
Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who
have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of
them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in
pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of
slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. (James 5:1-
6)
We are in the end of the age era of the toes of Nebuchadnezzar's night-vision.
Last Week’s Feature Article by Jack Kelley
The Ottoman Empire existed from 1299 until 1922. It was in many respects the Islamic
successor to the Eastern leg of the Roman Empire and like the Romans had its
headquarters in Constantinople (Istanbul). At the peak of its power, the Ottoman Empire
extended from the Adriatic Sea in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east and from
Austro-Hungary in the north to the southern tip of the Red Sea. It was at the center of
interactions between the Eastern and Western worlds for 6 centuries. The Ottoman
Empire was defeated in World War 1 after aligning with Germany. Its dissolution at the
end of the war led to the formation of 40 new nations in Eastern Europe, the Middle East,
and Northern Africa, many of them on land once claimed by the Romans.
Suleiman The Magnificent
The Empire’s greatest days occurred under the rule of Suleiman the Magnificent who
reigned from 1520-1566. Only 25 years old when he came to power, Suleiman began his
reign by performing many acts of kindness and mercy toward his people. He freed
hundreds of slaves, showered his officers with gifts, and built a school for slaves. To the
Ottomans he was known as The Lawgiver, having re-written the non-Shariah portions of
the law. This was the law by which the Empire was governed for all of the remaining
years of its existence. Because of the humanitarian nature of his laws he was also called
Suleiman the Just by his subjects.
Suleiman was a powerful conqueror for Islam. His armies pushed the boundaries of the
Empire nearly to Vienna and his powerful navies controlled the Mediterranean. Because
of the tribute he received Suleiman became one of the wealthiest men of all time. He
never wore the same clothes twice, he ate from solid gold plates with jewel encrusted
utensils and had a harem of over 300 women.
The Ottomans were tolerant toward the Jews and welcomed thousands of them into the
Empire after King Ferdinand expelled them from Spain in 1492. Suleiman’s father had
wrested control of what is now Israel from Egypt in 1517 and Suleiman fell in love with
Jerusalem, ordering its walls rebuilt in 1535. It was the first successful rebuilding of
Jerusalem’s walls since the Romans destroyed the city in 70 AD and Suleiman’s walls
can still be seen surrounding the Old City today.
(According to Nehemiah, the Persian King Artaxerxes Longimonus issued a decree to

restore and rebuild Jerusalem in the spring of the 20th year of his reign (Nehemiah 2:1).
On our calendar it would have been March of 445BC. On the 483rd anniversary of this
decree Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on what we know as the first Palm Sunday,
fulfilling the prophecy from Daniel 9:25 of the Lord’s 1st Coming as Israel’s Messiah.
Then in 68-70 AD the city was destroyed by the Romans. After centuries of being rebuilt
and then torn down by various conquering groups, the walls around Jerusalem were
finally rebuilt for good by Suleiman beginning in 1535 AD, and during his reign the city
enjoyed an exceptional period of peace and religious tolerance.
Based on my understanding of Matt. 24:34 and Psalm 90:10, Jesus should return in
2018, 70 years after the re-birth of Israel. If so, it will also have been 483 years from the
time Suleiman ordered Jerusalem’s walls rebuilt to the 2nd Coming. If this is merely a
coincidence, it is truly a remarkable one.)
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Turkey is the surviving remnant of the Ottoman Empire. Following their defeat in WW1
the Empire was divided up by the victorious Western powers. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
had been a high ranking Ottoman officer and led the effort to found the Republic of
Turkey. He set about to make it a secular nation in the style of western democracies.
While endorsing Islam, he limited it to the status of a religion instead of allowing it to be
the political force it had been. He saw to the suspension of the Ottoman Caliphate and
Sultanate, clearing the way for the newly formed National Parliament to assume ultimate
power. Among the many changes he enforced were the institution of a new language and
alphabet, the adoption of western style of dress and mandatory 2nd names for men, and
the granting of full political rights to women.
From that day to this, Turkey has been viewed as a western nation. With membership in
NATO and more than a dozen military and commercial treaties with Israel, Turkey has
been an important western ally in the Middle East. In fact, many students of prophecy
have seen Turkey’s alignment with the west as a major obstacle to an early fulfillment of
Ezekiel 38-39. It appears from a study of the modern equivalents to the Biblical names
mentioned there that Turkey has to be among the Islamic forces invading Israel.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Lately there’s been a major shift inTurkish politics in what could be a dramatic step
toward the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38. After stalling for years, the EU has put Turkey’s
application for membership on the back burner and as of now a majority of EU ministers
oppose Turkey’s admission to the Union.
Perhaps as a result of this Turkey has begun to look to the East, and current Prime
Minister Erdogan is fast becoming a regional Muslim leader by criticizing Israel—
particularly after the Gaza war. His clout is spreading from the streets of Gaza to Beirut,
Damascus, and Cairo—the traditional strongholds of Arab nationalism.
US President Obama understands Turkey’s strategic importance. Before his presidency

was 100 days old, He selected Turkey to host his first visit to a majority Muslim nation in
an effort to keep them in the western fold.
The Turkish military has also been a powerful force in maintaining the country’s western
leaning secular nature. In the past it has unilaterally dissolved national governments for
becoming too religious, and has outlawed several religiously oriented political parties.
But according to the Associated Press, Turkish police arrested 52 current and former
military commanders last week for their part in “allegedly planning to blow up mosques
in order to trigger a military takeover and overthrow the Islamic-oriented government” in
2003. It appears the balance of power has shifted.
PM Erdogan is by far the country’s most popular political leader enjoying wide support
among the Turkish people, due in part to his frequent criticism of Israel. Having played a
major role in healing the rift between Saudi Arabia and Syria, and forming strategic
alliances with Russia, Syria, and Iran, he’s gaining regional popularity as well. He single
handedly brought Syria out of Arab isolation, helped facilitate the long delayed formation
of the new Lebanese government, and has brokered trade agreements with Russia that
exceeded $38 billion in 2008 and have a five year target of $100 billion annually.
Recently Erdogan offered to come to Iran’s assistance should there be any attempt to
destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities.
He’s become convinced that instead of relying on outside powers to bring peace to the
Middle East the Ottoman Empire should be re-born to take the lead. He’s recently been
quoted as saying, “Turkey’s goal is to live in peace with all countries and restore the
might of the Ottoman Empire.”
The Man With No Name (Yet)
If he can make that happen it would send students of prophecy scurrying back into their
Bibles to see if the re-birth of the Ottoman Empire could become the fulfillment of the
so-called revived Roman Empire. There are already some who believe the 7th Kingdom
of Rev. 18:10 is the Ottoman Empire, and point out that Constantinople is also a city on
seven hills. If so, its loyalty to Islam would confirm the identity of the one world End
Times religion, and could also support the idea of an Islamic anti-Christ, the one some
call al-Mahdi. As details of Islamic eschatology become more widely known, prophecy
students are discovering a striking similarity between descriptions of al Mahdi and the
anti-Christ. I’ve made mention of these in previous articles, how both come on the scene
during a time of great turmoil on Earth, both come claiming a desire to restore peace,
both have a seven year reign, both head a one world religion and one world government,
both claim supernatural origins, and both reigns end in a battle between good and evil
that brings Earth’s final judgment. Could they be one and the same? The legend
surrounding al-Mahdi as being in occlusion (supernaturally hidden) since the 10th
century could make him the 8th king who belongs to the seven, just like Rev. 18:11 says.
As you can see we might have an interesting circumstantial case here for a revived
Ottoman Empire. It’s not something to build doctrine on, but it certainly bears watching.
One nice thing about our times is we won’t have long to wait before we find out how
these prophecies are fulfilled. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 02-27-10
The False Prophet: Last and Final Economic Guru
Wilfred Hahn
The Bible tells us that a time will come when commerce—the act of buying and selling—
can be controlled worldwide. This facility will actually be invoked at one point during the
Great Tribulation period, “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free
and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could
buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his
name” (Revelation 13:16-17).
This is an oft-referenced verse, infamously misquoted and misinterpreted by Christians

and unbelievers alike. It is the source of countless vain speculations about the identity of
the “mark” and the “number.” However, the most critical error concerns the identity of
who it is that actually brings in these controls. It is not the first beast with 7 heads, which
is of the lineage that gives rise to the physical Antichrist. Rather it is the second beast
(which emerges from earth and has two horns like a lamb) that brings in these
commercial controls. This latter beast is commonly linked with the False Prophet, who is
mentioned in Revelation 16:13.
I have always thought it a telling alert that it will be a religious figure that ends up being
the world’s last “economic guru.” A strange coincidence? No. Seen together,
macroeconomics and globalization today are the world’s largest religion. The beliefs
imbedded in these bosom ideologies are the prevailing hope of humanity today. As such,
it is only fitting that a deceiving religious figure would preach such a final Prosperity
Gospel to the entire world. Indeed, the value proposition of the False Prophet at that
time may sound like this: “Take the number that is religiously endorsed from this
preacher’s pulpit and you will have prosperity.” At that time there will be such a crisis,
that people will likely respond as they did to Joseph in the third year of the famine: “[…]
Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to
Pharaoh” (Genesis 47:19).
However, the intent of this article is to show just how ripe the world already has become,
having prepared the very control systems that will be given over to the False Prophet
and the evil purposes of the Antichrist.
Why Global Systems Are Needed
Money—assuredly one significant factor that makes humans different from animals—is
the designated medium of Mammon. Its strategic significance in the cosmology of
mankind is more than it just being the chief temptation that qualifies “the love of money”
as being “the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). Crucially, “money systems” also
play a strategic eschatological role as can no other form of earthly or spiritual rule. Why
is this the case? There could be a number of reasons. But, very likely the main one is
that Satan and his hierarchy of fallen angels do not have the power of omnipresence as
does God. Therefore, an inventive tactic is needed. Here, a global commercial system
offers the next most potent perch to omnipresence. There is no other medium more
conducive to world control.
Moreover, as Satan’s power has been limited during the Church Age, an indirect means
of control is required. Revelation 17:8 tells us, “The beast, which you saw, once was,
now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction.” We seen here
that “The Beast”—namely, Satan himself—has been detained in the Abyss until that
point when he will again be released. Apostle John here confirms what Jesus said, that
“[…] the prince of this world now stands condemned” (John 16:11). “[…] Having
disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing
over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15).
Though Satan’s powers may have been curtailed during the Church Age, the spirit of the
Antichrist has been busy. “For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but
the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way” (2
Thessalonians 2:7). Many antichrists have been at work, inevitably coaxing the world to
its globalized, humanist state. Its endpoint is already nearly here. The supporting
technologies ... the organizational structure is nearly complete … and the concentration
of financial command nodes far advanced. Only one thing remains: The imperative to
pull it all together … the imperative of policy. We will return to this point in our
conclusions.
Concentration of Financial Control
Below are outlined a few trends which will provide the reader with some anecdotal
evidence of how rapidly financial systems are converging and centralizing. We could cite
countless more examples; however, here we only point to four of its telltale signs.
1. Concentrated Owners. For the U.S., consider that latest available year-end 2006
data shows total institutional investors—defined as pension funds, investment
companies, insurance companies, banks and foundations—controlled assets totalling
$27.1 trillion, up from $24.4 trillion in 2005. This level represents a ten-fold increase from
$2.7 trillion in 1980. The equity market value of total institutional equity holdings
increased from $571.2 billion in 1980 (or 37.2% of total U.S. equity markets) to $12.9
trillion (or 66.3% of total U.S. equity markets) in 2006. This represents a historic all-time
high in the amount of total U.S. equities controlled by these institutional investors
(Source: Conference Board).
2. More Evidence of Concentrated Holdings. A pair of physicists at the Swiss Federal

Institute of Technology in Zurich recently published preliminary findings of their network
analysis of the world financial economy as it looked in early 2007. Stefano Battiston and
James Glattfelder extracted the information for 24,877 stocks and 106,141 shareholding
entities in 48 countries. It revealed what they called the “backbone” of each country’s
financial market. These backbones represented the owners of 80% of a country’s market
capital, yet consisted of a remarkably small number of shareholders. The most pared-
down backbones exist in Anglo-Saxon countries, including the U.S., Australia, and the
U.K. Paradoxically, these same countries are considered by economists to have the
most widely held stocks in the world, with ownership of companies tending to be spread
out among many investors. But while each American company may link to many owners,
Glattfelder and Battiston’s analysis found that the owners varied little from stock to stock,
meaning that comparatively few hands are holding the reins of the entire market.[1]
3. Financial Institutions Become More Concentrated. Perversely, financial institutions

continue to become larger, despite the clear “moral hazards” of “too big to fail.” Quoting
an article on this topic: “Survivors … emerge[d] from the turmoil with strengthened
market positions, giving them even greater control over consumer lending and more
potential to profit. J.P. Morgan Chase, an amalgam of some of Wall Street’s most storied
institutions, now holds more than $1 of every $10 on deposit in this country. So does
Bank of America, scarred by its acquisition of Merrill Lynch and partly government-
owned as a result of the crisis, as does Wells Fargo, the biggest West Coast bank.
Those three banks, plus government-rescued and -owned Citigroup, now issue one of
every two mortgages and about two of every three credit cards, federal data show.”[2]
4. Global Wealth Skew. In December 2006, a groundbreaking report entitled The World
Distribution of Household Wealth (World Institute for Development Economics Research,
UN University—UNU-Wider) was released. The results were much more pronounced
than had been previously indicated by other studies that surveyed income. Wealth and
income, though surely related, are quite different. Income is generally defined as the
annual flow of earnings and incomes, while wealth is the accumulation of income and
hoarded assets. According to its authors’ research, the top 10% of adults in the world
own 85% percent of global household wealth (2005). The average member of this
wealthy group therefore has 8.5 times the holdings of the global average. Furthermore,
the top 2% and 1% of the world’s population is estimated to own 51% and 40% of world
household wealth, respectively. This is a more extreme distribution than had been
estimated by surveying global incomes in previous studies.
Everywhere one peers, the forces of centralization can be identified, whether in North
America or globally. Today, perhaps less than 10,000 people control the world’s money
flows. Some have estimated a far smaller number … as low as 600. The signs of
centralization are everywhere. Quoting a Club of Rome member, David Korten:
While the giants are shedding people, they are not shedding control over money,
markets, or technology. The world's 200 largest industrial corporations, which employ
only one third of one percent of the world's population, control 25 percent of the world's
economic output. The top 300 transnationals, excluding financial institutions, own some
25 percent of the world's productive assets. Of the world's 100 largest economies, 51
are now corporations—not including banking and financial institutions. The combined
assets of the world's 50 largest commercial banks and diversified financial companies
amount to nearly 60 percent of The Economist's estimate of a $20 trillion global stock of
productive capital.[3]
Global Systems Affect Cares of Entire World
As the global market gyrations of the recent Global Financial Crisis (GFC) attest, never
before in history has global opinion been galvanized by financial events so quickly. This
is remarkable. Never before has the entire financial world behaved so much as one
monolithic culture, as is now evident in global capital markets. This is a direct, though
not exclusive, result of the late stage globalized commercial systems.
Robert Shiller, in a commentary in the New York Times, provides an insightful

perspective:
It is a large and diverse world, after all, so why should confidence have rebounded so
quickly in so many places? The popularity of the term ‘green shoots’ shows the kind of
social epidemic underlying our changing thinking. The phrase was propelled in Britain by
Shriti Vadera, the business minister, in January, and mutated into a more contagious
form after Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve chairman, used it on 60 Minutes on
March 15. The news media didn’t need to change the term for different cultures around
the world. With nothing more than a quick translation—brotes verdes, pousses vertes,
grüne Sprösslinge, etc.—it is now recognized as a symbol of a revival coming soon. All
of this suggests that a social epidemic is supporting renewed confidence. This
confidence can keep growing by contagion, as a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy, and we
may see the markets and the economy recover further. But in an economy that is still
unstable, the stories could also morph into different forms, the price feedback could turn
downward and the dynamic could turn ugly again—just as it has in the past.[4]
Putting it all together, we crucially now recognize that the economic, financial and
psychological conditions of global markets have come to the point where a viral media-
generated chain can impact the sentiment of the entire world rapidly. Both globally
interconnected commercial and communications systems, such as already observed
today, demonstrate the powers of control that the False Prophet will one day exercise.
Just as the Bible says, the spirit of the Antichrist has been active these past 2,000 years,
despite the fact that Satan did indeed lose some of his powers and freedoms. After
Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was given to indwell the members of the Church, Christ’s very
body on earth. Once this body has been removed from earth, and along with it also the
indwelling restrainer (the “Paraclete”); the “beast” representing mankind’s complicit
kingdoms, which has been obedient to the “spirit of the Antichrist,” will be superseded by
“The Beast”—this being Satan himself in the form of a man, the 8th king (Revelation
17:8).
The saints will not witness his arrival. As the Bible says, Only “the inhabitants of the
earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the
world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and
yet will come” (Revelation 17:8b). This is consistent with the expectation that the Church
will first be removed. The Beast will not come out of the Abyss until this “restrainer” is
first withdrawn.
In the meantime, Satan and his hierarchy of fallen angels have been busy transforming
the minds of mankind to accept humanism and globalism, and now await the opportune
use for the global web of financial and economic systems that achieves the next best
alternative to “omnipresence” and worldwide power.
Points to Ponder
The day is very near when it will be possible for a global authority to completely control
global commerce. Already, it is technically impossible to live without money or a bank
account. People that have attempted this must still rely on the charity and handouts of
those that do have monetary income and bank accounts.
While the technology and the global systems stand prepared for this eventuality, the
global “political” power structure is not yet in place. Such large organizations as the Bank
of International Settlements, the World Bank … etc. have not yet had their levers of
power given to a central authority. That development first awaits the emergence of the
final 10 kings. These final events will happen very suddenly … once their time has
arrived.
Christians today, as everyone, are already entrapped in a global financial system. While
we enjoy its conveniences, we also suffer under the many materialistic temptations that
the spirit behind these worldly systems incessantly proposes. Someday, these systems
will be turned against the Tribulation Saints.
Today, pre-Rapture saints are implored to enter a different kind of transaction. “I counsel
you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to
wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you
can see” (Revelation 3:18). Those are the words of Christ to the 7th and last church that
exists even now just prior to His return. It is not an impulse purchase, an approach so
widely promoted in our culture today. The gratification is not instant, but eternal. The
Apostles knew the cost of “gold refined by fire.”
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in

troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work,
sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy
Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of
righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report
and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown;
dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything (2
Corinthians 6:4-10).
The Counter Arguments
There is not a single academic Mayan scholar who has endorsed the idea that the
conclusion of the fifth cycle of the Mayan Long Calendar will signal the end of the
world. In fact, they have mocked the idea as nothing more than an Internet urban legend.
Dr. Sandra Noble, the director of the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican
Studies, has pointed out that there is no declaration in Mayan literature that the end of the
world will occur when the Long Calendar ends its fifth cycle. On the contrary, she says
its conclusion would most likely have marked a time of celebration for the Mayas and the
launching of another five cycles of the calendar.14
Keep in mind too that the Long Calendar has been interpreted in various ways by the
scholars. Some have deciphered its ending date to be anywhere between December 21 to
December 27 in 2012. But others have calculated the end date to be either in 1957 or
2050.15
Establishing a specific date and linking it to an end-of-the world scenario appears to be

the work of sensationalist hucksters and New Age mystics mystics who have used the
world's greatest rumor mill — the Internet — to create unjustified hysteria.
Regarding galactic alignment, again it appears that all the predictions of cataclysmic
events are based on junk science. Academic astronomers have pointed out that the
alignment will span a period of 36 years. That period began in 1998 with a convergence
that was even more precise than what it will be in 2012, yet there have been no dire
consequences.16
In contrast, the prediction of increased solar flare activity in 2012 is based upon solid
science. Every 11 years the sun goes through what is called a solar cycle. During the peak
time of this cycle, the sun's magnetic poles switch. This produces, in turn, solar flares
which are pieces of the sun which are discharged into space, carrying with them radiation
and strong electrical currents. They usually fall back on the surface of the sun. But
sometimes a very strong flare, called a Coronal Mass Ejection, will shoot into space like
a bullet. These flares can cause major power blackouts when they hit power grids.17
The prediction by the National Center for Atmospheric Research that solar flare activity
could increase 30% to 50% over previous years is a legitimate cause for concern. It could
result in large scale blackouts, and it could affect such things as satellite communication
and cell phones.18
But even the scientists who have issued the warnings have not predicted cataclysmic
results. And they have not proposed any specific date. In fact, one of the lead scientists
for the National Space Science & Technology Center (NSSTC) argues that the maximum
sun flare activity is more likely to occur in either 2010 or 2011.19
The Nostradamus "prophecies" are hardly worth mentioning. This man was a demon
possessed practitioner of witchcraft. His so-called prophecies are poetic quatrains that are
so obtuse as to be unintelligible. They have therefore never been used to prophesy any
event before it happens. Instead, the Nostradamus groupies apply a quatrain to an event
after it happens, and even these applications require a vivid imagination. In fact, the
writings of Nostradamus are often doctored to make them more applicable as
"prophecies." There is nothing in any of his published writings that has reference to the
year 2012.20
With regard to the Bible Code, I believe there is no doubt that there are mathematical
wonders coded in the Bible that point to its supernatural origin,21 but I do not believe
there are secretly coded prophecies that are hidden beneath the surface of the text. The
prophecies God has revealed in His Word are clearly stated in the surface words. Serious
Bible code researchers have distanced themselves from those like Michael Drosnin who
try to use the codes like a crystal ball to predict future events.
Drosnin's Bible Code prediction about the earth being annihilated in 2012 must be
considered in reference to the fact that when he published his book in 1997 he claimed
that the codes predicted a nuclear war in 2000 or 2006 and a comet strike on the earth in
2006.22 These events failed to take place.
That leaves us with the Web Bot Project, which is the silliest bit of evidence that could
possibly be presented. All this system does is catalogue the consensus Internet opinion on
any given topic. It amounts to prophecy by majority opinion, and that opinion is derived
from the Internet rumor mill!
Are We Near the End?
I think it is clear that all the 2012 hysteria is unfounded. But would it be accurate to say
that even if the 2012 date is wrong, we could very well be near the end of the world?
Well, that all depends on what is meant by "the end of the world." The only reliable
source of information about the future is the Bible. We know it is reliable because it
contains hundreds of very specific prophecies about persons, cities, and nations that have
already been fulfilled in history. It also contains 109 specific prophecies about the
Messiah that were fulfilled in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.23
The Bible prophesies the end of the current age, the end of the current world system, and
the end of the natural world as we know it today. But it never prophesies the end of the
world in the sense that the universe will cease to exist. In fact, it clearly states that planet
earth will exist forever. Let's consider each of these in order.
The End of the Current Age
The Bible teaches that Mankind entered a whole new age on the Day of Pentecost in
approximately 30 AD.24 On that day the Holy Spirit fell upon the Apostles and they were
empowered to preach the Gospel (Acts 2:1-4). Peter preached the first Gospel sermon,
and the Church was established when three thousand people responded and accepted
Jesus as their Messiah (Acts 2:14-41). We have been living in the Church Age ever since.
The Age of the Last Days also began on the Day of Pentecost. The prophet Joel had
prophesied that in the "last days" God would pour out His Spirit upon all mankind (Joel
2:28 and Acts 2:17). When the three thousand responded to Peter's sermon, they were
filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), and all believers have received that gift since that
time. The writer of Hebrews referred to his day and time in the First Century as "the last
days" (Hebrews 1:2). The Apostle Peter did the same thing in his writings (1 Peter 1:5 &
20). And the Apostle John called his day the "last hour" (1 John 2:18).
Before Jesus died and the Church Age began, He referred to His day as "the times of the
Gentiles" (Luke 21:24). He was referring to the period of time when the Jewish people
would live under Gentile domination without a king anointed by God. That period began
in 586 BC when Israel was conquered by Babylon, the Davidic monarchy was ended, and
the Jewish people were carried away into captivity. This period continues to this day
simultaneously with the Church Age because the Jews still suffer from Gentile
domination, and their God-anointed monarchy has not been restored.
The Church Age will conclude when the Church is taken out of this world on the day of
the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13- 18). The Second Coming of Jesus, approximately
seven years later,25 will mark the end of the Age of the Last Days. It will also mark the
end of the Times of the Gentiles.
The End of the Current World System
At the end of the Tribulation, when the Second Coming occurs, the current world system
will also come to an end. When I refer to the "world system," I am talking about the way
human society has operated since Adam and Eve were ejected from the Garden of Eden.
All the societies of the world, despite their particular forms of government and their types
of economies have revolved around the ego of Man. They have thus been characterized
by unrighteousness and injustice and war. Greed has ruled supreme. Power has always
corrupted. The dispossessed have been exploited. Winston Churchill perhaps summed it
up best when he observed, "Democracy is the worst form of government except all those
other forms that have been tried from time to time."
Since the beginning of human history, people have yearned for a world of peace,
righteousness and justice. Time and time again they have placed their hopes in politicians
who have promised them the moon, and time and time again their hopes have been
dashed. But the good news of God's Prophetic Word is that the current world system is
doomed.
Jesus is returning to institute a radically new world system. It will be a theocracy

characterized by the rule of the rod of iron (Psalm 2:7-9 and Revelation 2:27). He will
reign as King of kings and Lord of lords from Mount Zion in Jerusalem (Revelation
19:16). His Word will be the law of all nations, and it will be enforced worldwide by
those of us who will be reigning with Him in glorified bodies (Isaiah 2:2-4 and Daniel
7:13-14, 18, & 27).
There will be no political parties, pressure groups or legislatures. Greed will be replaced
with decisions based on fairness and equity (Isaiah 11:4-5). Vulgarity will give way to
holiness (Zechariah 14:20-21). Poverty will be swallowed up in abundance (Micah 4:4).
Righteousness and justice will be fulfilled (Isaiah 11:3b-5). Peace will flood the world as
the waters cover the seas (Micah 4:3).
The End of the Current Natural World
Many Christians believe that at the end of the Lord's millennial reign the cosmos will be
consumed with fire and cease to exist. A corollary of this is a belief that since the
material universe will cease to exist, the Redeemed will live eternally in a non-material,
ethereal spirit world called Heaven.
These beliefs are derived from a passage in 2 Peter 3 that says, "The day of the Lord will
come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will
be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up" (2 Peter
3:10). If that's all the Bible had to say about the matter, then we could rightfully conclude
that the material universe will one day come to an end.
But a few verses later the same passage states that according to the promise of God
(Isaiah 66:22), we can live "looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which
righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:13). Further, the same passage refers to the original earth
as having been "destroyed" by water (2 Peter 3:5-6). This does not mean that it ceased to
exist. What it means is that the original earth was radically changed by the Noahic Flood.
In like manner, the current earth will be destroyed by fire, meaning it will be radically
changed, not that it will cease to exist.
This interpretation is sustained by the fact that the Bible teaches that the current earth is
eternal: "Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever"
(Ecclesiastes 1:4; see also Psalm 78:69 and Psalm 148:6).
Chapter 21 of Revelation affirms that the Redeemed will live forever on a new earth in
the presence of God. As verse 3 puts it, "the tabernacle of God" will be "among men." In
other words, Heaven will come to earth — to the new, renovated and perfected earth that
has been cleansed of all the pollution of Satan's last revolt at the end of the Millennium.
A Series of Earths
Most people are surprised to learn that the Bible reveals that we are currently living on
earth number three and that there are two earths yet to come.
Earth 1
The first earth was the one created in the beginning (Genesis 1:1). It was perfect in every
respect (Genesis 1:31). But because of Man's sin, God placed a curse upon the earth
(Genesis 3: 17-19).
Have you ever stopped to think what a "perfect" earth must have been like? There
certainly were no meat-eating animals or poisonous animals or poisonous plants. All of
nature was at peace with itself and with Man. Adam and Eve did not have to strive
against nature in order to produce their food. And there were no natural cataclysms like
tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, and earthquakes.
The Bible indicates that the curse radically altered the nature of God's original creation.
Instead of Man exercising dominion over nature, as originally planned (Genesis 1:26,
28), nature rose up in conflict with Man, as poisonous plants, carnivorous animals and
climatic cataclysms suddenly appeared.
Earth 2
The curse radically altered the original earth, but the second earth was still quite different
from the one we live on today. There is much biblical evidence in both Genesis and Job
that the second earth had a thick vapor canopy which shielded life from the ultraviolet
radiation of the sun, contributing to the long life spans recorded in Genesis (see Genesis
2:5-6 and Job 38:8-11).
The whole earth was like a greenhouse with thick vegetation growing everywhere, even
at the poles. There was also probably only one large land mass.
Once again the sinful rebellion of Mankind motivated God to change the nature of the
earth (Genesis 6:11-13). The change agent this time was water. It appears that God
caused the vapor canopy to collapse (Genesis 7:11). He also caused "fountains of the
great deep" to break forth upon the surface of the earth (Genesis 7:11).
Earth 3
Like the curse, the flood radically altered the nature of the earth. It produced the third
earth, the earth we live on now.
The earth tilted on its axis, forming the polar caps. The unified land mass was split apart,
forming the continents as we now know them (which is why they fit together like a
jigsaw puzzle — see Genesis 10:25). And the vapor canopy was so completely depleted
that ultraviolet radiation began to reach the earth in unprecedented levels, resulting in
greatly reduced life spans, first to 120 years and then to 70 years.
The Bible reveals that the current earth will be radically changed again at the Second
Advent of Jesus. The change agents will be earthquakes on the earth and supernatural
phenomena in the heavens.
The changes produced will so totally alter the earth and its atmosphere that Isaiah refers
to "the new heavens and the new earth" which will exist during the reign of the Lord
(Isaiah 65:17).
Earth 4
The fourth earth — the millennial earth — will be very different from the present earth.
The earthquakes that will produce it will be the most severe in history.
Every valley will be lifted, every mountain will be lowered, and every island will be
moved (Revelation 6:12-14 and 16:17-21). Jerusalem will be lifted up, and Mt. Zion will
become the highest of all the mountains (Zechariah 14:10 and Micah 4:1).
The vapor canopy will likely be restored because life spans will be expanded to what they
were at the beginning of time (Isaiah 65:20, 22).
Further evidence that the vapor canopy will be restored is to be found in the fact that all
the earth will become abundant once again with lush vegetation (Isaiah 30:23-26 and
Amos 9:13-14). The Dead Sea will also become alive (Ezekiel 47:1-9).
Most important, the curse will be partially lifted, making it possible for Man to be
reconciled to nature and for nature to be reconciled to itself. The wolf will dwell with the
lamb because the wolf will no longer be carnivorous. The nursing child will play with the
cobra because the cobra will no longer be poisonous (Isaiah 11:8).
Earth 5
But Satan's last revolt at the end of the Millennium will leave the earth polluted and
devastated (Revelation 20:7-9). Thus, at the end of the Lord's reign, God will take the
Redeemed off the earth, place them in the New Jerusalem, and then cleanse the earth with
fire (2 Peter 3:10-13).
In other words, God will superheat this earth in a fiery inferno and then reshape it like a
hot ball of wax. The result will be the "new heavens and new earth" prophesied in Isaiah
66 and Revelation 21.
This will be the fifth earth, the perfected, eternal earth where the Redeemed will spend
eternity in the New Jerusalem in the presence of God (Revelation 21:1-4). The curse will
be completely lifted from this earth (Revelation 22:3).
Conclusion
There is no reason for you to fear the "end of the world" if you are a born-again child of
God. You have the promise of living eternally with God on this earth after it has been
redeemed and perfected.
But if you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have every reason to
fear the future. The signs of the times given in the Bible indicate beyond a shadow of a
doubt that Jesus is about to return to take His believers out of this world in preparation
for the pouring out of God's wrath during a period of seven years that the Bible refers to
as the Tribulation.26 It will be a time of unparalleled horror on this earth, so terrible, in
fact, that one-half of humanity will die during the first three and a half years!27
God does not wish that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). That's why He has provided us
with signs to watch for that will indicate the season of His Son's return. We are in the
midst of that season. We are living on borrowed time. Don't delay. Give your heart to
Jesus today (John 3:16 and Romans 10:9-11).
Ten: The Magic Number of Endtime Post-Globalism
Wilfred Hahn
“The problems of the world are huge and they cannot be ignored: terrorism, war, starvation,
displacement, climate change, nuclear proliferation, trade inequality and financial crisis. The old
way hasn’t always worked. Perhaps Mr. Naím has a point. Maybe the magic numbers work?” We
have here quoted an international economist who is responding to a new idea regarding global
governance.
To what magic numbers is he referring? Actually, he is wondering just what is the right number
of countries needed to solve the world’s problems. Is it the Group of 20 nations (G-20), the G-8
or some other grouping? Or, in fact, could it be a group of 10… the exact number of the last-day
10 kings that the Bible prophesies will give their authority to the Antichrist? (Revelation 17:13).
To provide more background, the above-quoted comment was in response to a provocative and
insightful article written by the influential Moisés Naím, the well-known Editor-in-Chief of
Foreign Policy magazine and former executive director of the World Bank. Interestingly, Mr.
Naím recently began advocating a new concept—global minilateralism. (We will explain this
term shortly.)
Though he may not realize it, he strikes upon a very important eschatological issue. His
recommendations fit hand in glove with Bible prophecy, but not necessarily in the way popularly
thought. He is talking of a world that is moving to a post-globalism state. How can this be? Isn’t
globalism a prophetic development? Then just what is this “minilateralism,” and why should we
care? We will investigate.
World Now Moving to Post-Globalism
Globalism is certainly a hot topic of late. Recent confirmations that the Group of 20 (G-20) is
now the prime policy body in the world is evidence to many observers that globalism is indeed
forging ahead. Whereas smaller groups such as the G-7 determined global policy direction in the
past, this power nexus has now moved to the G-20 forum, which also includes such countries as
Brazil and China. Quoting one of literally hundreds of comments from international relations
experts, “A striking outcome of the global financial crisis has been the substitution of the G-7 for
the G-20 as the key forum for international coordination.”1[1]
Widely seen, this is a clear step in the direction of globalism. Most certainly, the recent G-20
proceedings held in Pittsburgh, United States, produced many boastful statements about the new
resolve and capabilities of this august group. It seeks to solve problems it has defined from
Global Warming to global financial instabilities. Will it be successful? It is almost certain that it
will prove to be another ineffectual group, its great pronouncements nothing more than theatre
and pomp. At this point, there is virtually no consensus as to why global imbalances and the
Global Financial Crisis (GFC) occurred in the first place. With such confusion, how could they
agree on solutions?
Bible prophecy backs up this opinion. In fact, globalism is not the final, exclusive power
organization of an endtime world. We can already today see evidence that this shift could happen
very soon. To explain why, let’s first review the concept of globalism.
Globalism: Prophetic but Overdone
Referencing some common definitions: “Globalism is an ideology that emphasizes the current
trend toward international organizations and institutions.”2[2] Says the Merriam-Webster
dictionary, it is “a national policy of treating the whole world as a proper sphere for political
influence.”
Many debate and write about globalism’s implications for mankind—whether beneficial or
disastrous. Though the term “globalism” is a new one (the word only coined as recently as the
1940s), countless thousands of books and articles have been written on this topic. Indeed, the
world itself has become a political podium, the actions of most individual nations postured for a
global audience. Yes, the “global village” is getting smaller by virtue of becoming more
connected financially and economically (this being globalization). There is also convergence of
ideology and culture, though not as advanced as global trade and financial systems. And, of
course, globalism is a topic that is a favorite of many conspiracy theorists.
To be clear, the Bible clearly does prophesy that globalism will take place in the last days. God
pronounces his last-day judgments upon all the nations collectively, as they are all engaged in
rebelliousness, are pursuing similar ideologies and together rise up against Israel. For example,
“Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that is
in it, the world, and all that comes out of it! The LORD is angry with all nations; his wrath is
upon all their armies. He will totally destroy them, he will give them over to slaughter” (Isaiah
34:1-2).
From prophecy we can deduce that the world would have forums such as the United Nations and
global media networks that would be representative of world opinion and consensus. When
Balaam prophesied, “For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo,
the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations” (Numbers 23:9, KJV),
this presumed that the world—“the nations” collectively—was united in not “reckoning” Israel.
As it happens, that state of affairs exists today.
Yet, while globalism in the sense already defined does occur and persist, the world in fact does
move to a post-globalism state. Here, we can rely on Biblical proof. The “global parliament of
man,” as Alfred Tennyson called it3[3], will not rule the world in the end. Globalism is not the last
state. Then what is? Actually, there are yet two regimes that come after— minilateralism (Naím’s
word invention) and autocracy … the form of government in which the political power is held by
a single, self-appointed ruler.
Two More Regimes Follow Modern Globalism
The last state of world rule is represented by the 8th king mentioned in Revelation 17:11. He
follows 7 previous world gentile ruler kings that are shown as heads in John’s vision of the 7-
headed beast that is ridden by the prostitute in Revelation 17. This image depicts consecutive
dominating nation states and their founding kings. The 8th king is the Beast himself. But though
he belongs to the seven (verse 11), he also comes from among the last-day 10 kings. He is the
“little one, which came up among them” (Daniel 7:8).
Therefore, it is the 10-king period of rulership that is next to appear, not yet this final 8th king who
will rule the world (this being the Antichrist). The 10 kings precede the Antichrist, as Daniel
makes clear, in no uncertain terms: “The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this
kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones” (Daniel 7:24). In
conclusion, the 10 kings collectively represent the 7th head, which follows the 6th Roman head—
but preceding the Antichrist, who then becomes the 8th beastly king.
All of this makes for a fascinating study. Unfortunately, we can only touch on a few of the salient
points here. The important point to recognize is that the next stage of world rulership will be
represented by a 10-nation coalition, though it will only be in existence for a very short period
(Revelation 17:12). It has yet to appear. As close as it may be, it does not yet exist.
Why Might Globalism Be Superseded?
Obviously, a state of affairs where a coalition of 10 nations rules the world stands against the
implicit goal of globalism … the idea that all mankind and nations are unified in determining the
world’s fate. But why? Something additional to globalism takes place.
Now, let us allow Mr. Naím to speak:
When was the last time you heard that a large number of countries agreed to a major international
accord on a pressing issue? Not in more than a decade. The last successful multilateral trade
agreement dates back to 1994, when 123 countries gathered to negotiate the creation of the World
Trade Organization and agreed on a new set of rules for international trade. Since then, all other
attempts to reach a global trade deal have crashed. The same is true with multilateral efforts to
curb nuclear proliferation; the last significant international nonproliferation agreement was in
1995, when 185 countries agreed to extend an existing nonproliferation treaty. In the decade and
a half since, multilateral initiatives have not only failed, but India, Pakistan, and North Korea
have demonstrated their certain status as nuclear powers. On the environment, the Kyoto
Protocol, a global deal aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, has been ratified by 184
countries since it was adopted in 1997, but the United States, the world’s second-largest air
polluter after China, has not done so, and many of the signatories have missed their targets. The
pattern is clear: Since the early 1990s, the need for effective multicountry collaboration has
soared, but at the same time multilateral talks have inevitably failed; deadlines have been missed;
financial commitments and promises have not been honored; execution has stalled; and
international collective action has fallen far short of what was offered and, more importantly,
needed. These failures represent not only the perpetual lack of international consensus, but also a
flawed obsession with multilateralism as the panacea for all the world’s ills. It has become far too
dangerous to continue to rely on large-scale multilateral negotiations that stopped yielding results
almost two decades ago. So what is to be done? To start, let’s forget about trying to get the
planet’s nearly 200 countries to agree. We need to abandon that fool’s errand in favor of a new
idea: minilateralism. By minilateralism, I mean a smarter, more targeted approach: We should
bring to the table the smallest possible number of countries needed to have the largest possible
impact on solving a particular problem. Think of this as minilateralism’s magic number.4[4]
Cutting to the nub of Mr. Naím’s argument: Today’s multilateral “globalism” amounts to little
more than “beating the gums.” It is ineffective … there is no accountability … no power to
enforce change. He is saying that a small group of powerful nations—not the global, toothless
forum such as the United Nations with its 192 members—should therefore dictate global agendas.
But why is this important and necessary? Well, to Mr. Naím’s mind, because the world faces
huge, disastrous problems that must be fixed. These emergencies—present and potentially future
—therefore provide the imperative for a smaller group of nations, who together have dominant
power, to seize the global agenda.
This is an earth-changing perspective. Yet, it fits the current and coming times. It is very possible
that the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) stands to be a major catalyst to this new state of world
rulership.
A World Set-up For Domination
It is a fact that power in the world today is not equally distributed. Global power has many forms.
We can categorize them into two broad types—Hard Power and Soft Power. Soft Power includes
various forms of world influence. Here can be numbered memberships on world transnational
organizations such as the International Monetary Fund or NATO (and a host of many others), or
influence upon world culture. Hard Power, by comparison, is more direct and can include such
factors as military might, the size of world trade in goods and services, a country’s relative
population size and so on.
Two obstructions stand in the way of the emergence of the 7th head of world rule, this being the
10-king Global Power Coalition. The first is that one nation today is still a superpower. This is
the United States. For the most part, it can do as it wishes and need not comply with the rules set
by world multilateral organizations. Before a 10-nation coalition can rule the world, it will
require that the distribution of power in the world be relatively leveled out among the leading
nations. Whatever the allied group that will seize world power, it must collectively be able to
overcome any superpower. Otherwise, it could not exist uncontested. This development is called
“multipolarism” and is already well underway. (Please see the 2-part series entitled “Endtime
Shoe: Fitting the World for Ten Toes”—MCM, January and February 2009—for a detailed
review of this development.)
The second structure that obstructs the emergence of a 10-nation Power Coalition is as Mr. Naím
already described—the ineffectiveness of today’s globalism, which involves every country,
whether significant or a small nation-state on a pacific, tropical island.
The logical path therefore, is both multipolarism and minilateralism. The former broadens the
power and neutralizes the lone superpowers; the latter centralizes global power to a smaller
group, thereby circumventing globalism’s organizational mire. As Goldilocks observed,
something in the middle is needed … it will be a beast but not a “baby bear” nor a “papa bear,”
but a “mama bear.”
The Power of Ten
How many nations will it require to reach a position of global dominance? Not many … certainly
not 20. Why? Consider the distribution of various economic, financial and other power measures
in the world today. Of the many factors that we could outline, reflect on the following:
• The 10 largest economies in the world represent 68% of world output.
• Concerning world government debt, 10 nations account for 79%. Interestingly, the bigger
economies in the world are actually more indebted than the rest of the world. That fits with
prophecies that suggest the final ruler will be indebted (Habakkuk 2:6-8).
• The countries with the 10 largest stock markets account for 75.4% of world value in US
dollar terms (end 2008).
• The 153 members of the World Trade Organization represent about 95% of world trade. The
nations that are the top-10 global exporters of goods and services alone account for 53%.5[5]
• The 10 most populous nations in the world account for 66% of the world’s population.
No matter which measure we may use, we will find that it only requires 10 or so nations to reach
a majority or balance of dominance. We see that the nations of the world are already ideally
aligned for the emergence of the prophesied multipolar, minilateralist state shown as the 10-king
Global Power Coalition.
Along Comes the Global Financial Crisis
World policymakers and financial economists are hopeful that the new initiatives set by the
Pittsburgh round of G-20 meetings will lead to resolution of the Global Financial Crisis. I believe
that such expectations will be sorely disappointed. The G-20 has no means of enforcing the
implementation of its resolutions. The actions of individual countries will continue to be driven
by the interests of their own domestic political agenda. Self-interests will inevitably rule and in
some cases, stand directly counter to the stated goals of the G-20.
Actually, this is already the case and cannot be denied. Currently, the interests of various major
countries couldn’t be more opposite. For example, in some respects, the interests of the United
States and Europe are opposite to that of China and India. These two nations, accounting for
approximately two-fifths of the world population, see it as necessary to continue to expand trade.
China and other Asian countries deliberately keep their currencies low to ensure that their exports
are competitively priced. This in turn causes Americans to lose jobs and external deficits to
remain high. The U.S. and other advanced members of the G-20 want China to encourage its
citizens to spend more on consumption and export less. In the meantime, North American
consumers love the cheap prices of imported Chinese products that they can buy at Wal-Mart.
How to resolve this issue? There are many more intractable problems that will not be resolved by
the G-20.
As it is, China (most likely also India and Japan) and some Middle Eastern countries such as Iran
will not be part of the 10-nation coalition. This can be deduced from Bible prophecy. They are
neither nations comprised of Roman peoples or their offshoots, or already were kingdoms in
power at the time that John received the prophecies of the book of Revelation. He prophesied at
that time that “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom”
(Revelation 17:12). As China already existed then, it is not one of the countries that will be part
of the 10-king group.
Thoughts to Ponder
It is during the reign of the 6th head on the beast—the first Roman-people-lineage era—in which
we are living today. Globalism has flourished to its late-date state. Now, we are likely very near
embarking into the 7th head era, which is ruled by a 10-nation coalition.
It could very well be that the Global Financial Crisis and its future fall-out will prove to be the
catalysts that will bring the world to a state of minilateralism. In the meantime, such countries as
China and other emerging nations are fast accumulating economic power. Already, the economies
of the non-advanced members of the G-20 nations have surpassed that of the advanced members.
It is quite possible that the entire east-Asian orb of nations along with China could be in
opposition to the final 10-kings. This very development could be seen to actually hasten the 10-
king formation. In such a scenario, these 10 nations would need to ally themselves against any
opposition before it is too late.
Minilateralism is not as cute or toothless as the prefix “mini” implies. The concept of
minilateralism for the time being is meant by Mr. Naím as a collaborative, peaceful process. In
the end, however, it is more likely to result in policies of exclusion and oppression.
I am constantly running across articles by Dispensationalists in which the

argument is presented that in order to be a "consistent futurist," you cannot
contend that prophecies are being fulfilled today. Instead, it is argued that all end
time prophecy relates to Israel in the Tribulation and Millennium. Therefore, all
we are seeing today is "stage setting," but not the fulfillment of prophecy.
I strongly disagree with this viewpoint. First of all, there are four end time
prophecies concerning Israel that were fulfilled even before the 20th Century
began. They are:
1) The dispersion of the Jews worldwide — Deuteronomy 28:64.

2) The worldwide persecution of the Jews — Deuteronomy 28:65-67.
3) The desolation of the Jewish homeland — Deuteronomy 29:22-28.
4) The preservation of the Jewish people — Jeremiah 30:7 and Jeremiah 31:36-
37.
Some might respond by saying these are not end time prophecies, but they are.
The end times or the "last days" began at the Cross. The writer of the Hebrew
letter referred to his day and time (the First Century) as the "last days." The
Apostle Peter also called the time in which he was living the "last times" (1 Peter
1:5 & 20). And in the same letter he stated that "the end of all things is at hand"
(1 Peter 4:7). The "end times" began 2,000 years ago. We are currently in the
end of the end times, and we know this because God's Word gives us signs to
watch for that will mark the end of the age.
The fulfillment of the prophecies listed above makes it clear that all future
prophecies in the Scriptures regarding Israel do not relate to just the Tribulation
and the Millennium. Additionally, there are other futuristic prophecies in the
Scriptures regarding Israel that were either fulfilled in part or in whole during the
20th Century, and they are prophecies that point to the soon return of Jesus.
Current Fulfillment of Prophecies Related to Israel
Consider, to begin with, the most prolific futuristic prophecy in the Hebrew
Scriptures — namely, that in the end times the Jewish people will be regathered
in unbelief from the four corners of the earth.
This regathering began in the late 19th Century when Theodor Herzl wrote his
book, The Jewish State, in which he advocated that the time had come for the
Jews to return to their homeland. In 1900 there were only 40,000 Jews in Israel.
By the end of World War II this number had risen to 800,000. Today, it stands at
nearly 6 million. The Jews continue to come, but there is no doubt this is a
prophecy that is being fulfilled before our very eyes.
Or, consider the re-establishment of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948. This
was a clear and definite fulfillment of Bible prophecy. It is an accomplished fact,
and it is a miracle of God. It is not mere "stage-setting," it is a play that has
already been performed in full.
Another accomplished fact is the revival of the Hebrew language from the dead.
When the Jews were scattered from their homeland in the First and Second
Centuries, they stopped speaking Hebrew. The Jews in Europe mixed Hebrew
with German and created a new language called Yiddish. The Jews in the
Mediterranean Basin mixed Hebrew with Spanish and created a language called
Ladino. But the Bible prophesied that the Hebrew language would be revived in
the end times (Zephaniah 3:9), and that is exactly what happened in the late 19th
and early 20th Centuries through the efforts of one man — Eliezer Ben Yehuda.
Today, the people of Israel speak biblical Hebrew.
Equally certifiable is the reclamation of the Jewish homeland. As pointed out

earlier, the Bible prophesied that it would become a desolation after the Jewish
people were expelled from it. But the Bible also prophesied that when the Jews
returned to the land, it would once again become a land of milk and honey:
"The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of
everyone who passed by. And they will say, 'This desolate land has become like
the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and
inhabited.'" (Ezekiel 36:34-35)
When the Jews started returning to their homeland in the late 19th Century, it
was a total wasteland. Nearly all the trees had been cut down and the soil was
badly eroded. The land resembled a desert. Most of the valleys had become
malaria-infested swamp lands. The Jewish pioneers began planting trees,
reclaiming the soil, and draining the swamps. Today, Israel is the bread basket of
the Middle East.
Another prophecy that has definitely been fulfilled in our times is the resurgence
of the Israeli military. Zechariah 12:6 says that in the end times, God "will make
the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of wood and a flaming torch
among sheaves, so they will consume on the right hand and on the left all the
surrounding peoples..."
The fulfillment of this prophecy can be seen today in the incredible military power
of Israel. It is one of the world's smallest nations, yet it is ranked by all experts as
one of the four top military powers in the world.
Finally, with regard to Israel before the Tribulation begins, the Bible prophesies
that Jerusalem will be re-occupied by the Jews (Zechariah 12:2-3 & 6) and that it
will become the focal point of world politics (Zechariah 12:3). The Jews returned
to the city when it was captured in the Six Day War in 1967, and today, all the
nations of the world are coming against Israel over the issue of who will control
Jerusalem in the future.
Current Fulfillment of Non-Jewish Prophecies
But end time prophecies regarding Israel are not the only ones we see being
fulfilled in whole or in part before our very eyes. Daniel prophesied that in the end
times the old Roman Empire would be revived (Daniel 2:31-45), and we can see
that being accomplished today in the creation and expansion of the European
Union.
The Bible prophesies repeatedly that in the end times there will be a great
apostasy in the Church (1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 3:1 & 5, 2 Timothy 4:3-4). We
are up to our ears in that apostasy today as major Christian denominations
ordain homosexuals, approve same-sex marriage, deny the deity of Jesus, and
mock the inerrancy of the Scriptures.
In like manner, the Bible prophesies that "in the last days" society will
disintegrate into a cesspool of immorality and violence (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Can
there be any doubt that those days have arrived?
Daniel was told that the end time prophecies would not be completely understood
until the end time — that is, until the time comes for their fulfillment (Daniel 12:8-
9). That time must be upon us for we are living in the time when ancient
prophecies are being understood for the first time ever, due to historical
developments and technological advances.
Taking the Signs of the Times Seriously
I could go on and on, but I think I have made my point. The future has arrived!
End time prophecies are being fulfilled today. What we are witnessing is much
more than "stage-setting." God is clearly fulfilling promises He made thousands
of years ago to the Jewish people. And God is orchestrating the fulfillment of end
time prophecies that are not related to the Jewish people.
It is exciting to see these prophecies fulfilled, and I am tired of seeing people

attempt to depreciate their importance by flipping them off in a cavalier way as
nothing more than mere "stage-setting."
Jesus is coming soon. The signs of the times attest to that fact. God expects us
to take those signs seriously because He is about to pour out His wrath upon this
world in the Great Tribulation, and He does not desire that any should perish.
The fulfillment of prophecy all around us today is God's way of waking us up to
the fact that we are living on borrowed time, and we need to use the remaining
time to commit ourselves to holiness and evangelism.
Commentary by Jack Kelley
This is an update of an article I first posted 2 years ago. Two things prompted me to post
it again at this time. First, it’s a good follow up to last week’s article on the growth of
Islam. And second, last week, at the last minute, Turkey booted Israel out of a joint
training exercise also involving Italy and the US. When they withdrew in protest, Turkey
responded by scheduling a training exercise with Syria instead. The reason Turkey gave
was Israel’s inability to deliver an order of Heron surveillance drones to Turkey on the
agreed schedule, even though it was the failure of a part produced by Turkey that made
on time delivery impossible.
Turkey has been distancing itself from Israel since the Gaza offensive, and on top of the
canceled training exercise recently began airing a TV series depicting Israeli soldiers as
child killers. Inside sources indicate that Turkish PM Erdogan has become convinced
that Turkey is destined to play a more pivotal role in Middle Eastern politics by reviving
the Ottoman Empire. To that end Turkey has been more involved in MidEast diplomacy,
acting as a mediator between Syria and Israel, and has formed a pact with Syria and Iran
that features increased military and commercial involvement among the three. Some see
in this the re-birth of an end times military force known as the King of the North in
Daniel 11. Let’s take a closer look.
The Kings Of The North And The South
“At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the
North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He
will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.” (Daniel 11:40)
Three separate kings are in view in this one verse and their identities must be discovered
to fully understand what will happen in the days leading up to the end. They are the King
of the North, the King of the South, and the one who was identified in Daniel 11:36 as
the king who exalts himself. We call him the anti-Christ. All of Daniel 11:4-35 has been
taken up with a discussion of various generations of the King of the North and the King
of the South, but the King who exalts himself is neither, and subdues them both.
First, the King of the North. The vision of Daniel 11 was given in 536BC and begins
with an angel telling him what would happen to the Persian Kingdom then in power.
After 3 more Persian Kings, a fourth would arise, an especially rich and powerful King.
This Persian King, who we know as Xerxes I, took as his queen the Jewish woman
Hadassah, called Esther in the Persian language (Esther 2:16-17). He put together a
mighty army and mounted an unsuccessful attempt to conquer Greece in 480BC. About
150 years later the tables would be turned and a King from Greece would conquer the
Persian Empire. This was fulfilled by Alexander the Great.
Then Daniel was told in effect that Alexander’s Kingdom would be divided into four
pieces according to the four winds of heaven, not going to his offspring. (After
Alexander’s death his four generals divided up the Kingdom among them.) The next 30
verses are devoted to the families of two of the four, Seleucus, known in Daniel 11 as the
first King of the North and Ptolemy, the first King of the South. 135 historically
confirmed prophecies are contained in the first 35 verses of Daniel 11, most having to do
with the descendants of these two men. The other two generals, Cassander (West) and
Lysimachus (East) are not mentioned here, but in fact Cassander went back to their
homeland and ruled over Macedonia, and Lysimachus eventually lost his portion to
Seleucus.
So the first kings of the North and the South were Seleucus and Ptolemy. For territory
Seleucus eventually got control of what we now know as Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran,
Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of Turkey. Reigning for a time from Babylon in modern
Iraq, he built a new capital city 20 miles to the south east on the Tigris river and named it
Seleucia. Ptolemy took Libya, Egypt, the Sudan, Israel and Jordan, and chose Alexandria
in Egypt as his capital.
Through their descendants, these two kings fought each other for control of the known
world for the next several hundred years. Then Daniel 11:33-35 brings us to the
Macabean revolt when the last important King of the North, Antiochus IV Epiphanes,
was defeated.
History To Prophecy
Up till now this has all been a recounting of history. Beginning in verse 36 we fast
forward to the time of the end when modern versions of these two kings will go after the
anti-Christ. What would make them do that? Well, here’s where we get a little more
speculative. There’s a growing body of evidence suggesting that a struggle is underway
between Arab Moslems and non-Arab Moslems for control of the emerging Islamic
Empire. The goal of Islam is a single Islamic World Empire, or Caliphate as it’s called,
and there’s fierce competition to see who can bring it about. This competition finds Iran,
and the countries aligned with it, pitted against Egypt and its allies. The Iran group is
largely non-Arab and Shiite and the Egyptian group is largely Arab and Sunni.
It should not surprise students of prophecy to learn that Iran’s group is almost identical in
territory to the Biblical King of the North and Egypt’s group is a modern equivalent of
the King of the South, with the addition of Saudi Arabia and absent Israel. (Of all the
countries involved, Syria is the biggest anomaly here, being Arab speaking and
predominately Sunni. Maybe this is why Iran reportedly has a contingency plan to depose
Bashar Assad if it becomes necessary.)
But remember, according to Daniel 12:1 we’re talking about the beginning of the Great
Tribulation here. Both Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38-39 will occur before this competition for
Moslem supremacy comes to a head. This tells us that while Syria will cease to be a
factor after Isaiah 17 and is not even mentioned in Ezekiel 38, Iran will neither be pre-
emptively destroyed by the US and/or Israel (even if an attempt is made) nor completely
taken out of play because of Ezekiel’s battle, and will recover to contend for Moslem
supremacy.
Ezekiel’s phrase “ send down fire” (Ezekiel 39:6), which many believe to be a reference
to nuclear warfare, is directed at Magog, the distant coastlines (somewhere beyond the
Mediterranean) and the battle field in Israel. No mention is made of any destruction in
Persia (Iran). Whatever Iranian forces are involved in Israel will be decimated, but Iran
itself will survive.
Followers of middle East politics can already spot the jockeying between these two
groups for Islamic supremacy. For instance, remember how Osama bin Laden, a Sunni
from Saudi Arabia, condemned the Shiite Hezbollah for “prematurely” going to war with
Israel in the summer of 2006? Even though Israel is their common enemy, he warned the
Arab world not to support the Hezbollah action. Lately it’s been rumored that if push
comes to shove, Saudi Arabian air space will be opened to Israeli jets on their way to
bomb Iranian nuclear targets. (Although reported in the British news, Saudi Arabian
officials deny this.) And notice how Iran has displaced Saudi Arabia as the primary
sponsor for Hamas, even though Hamas is Sunni. To win this competition, you have to
control Jerusalem. All of Iran’s positioning with Hamas, Syria, and Hezbollah is directed
toward that end.
If this view is correct we should expect to see more jockeying between these two groups,
building to a point where at the outset of the Great Tribulation only a king superior in
power and authority to both can unite them. This superior King will have to be an Islamic
figure with an even greater right to head the Caliphate than either the King of the North
or the King of the South, and even then they won’t give up without a battle.
A Non-Traditional Perspective
Of course this view requires that the one world religion of the last days will be Islam, not
some version of Catholicism or New Age pantheism. And it makes it more likely that
when the anti-Christ emerges, he’ll come from the Eastern leg of the Roman Empire, not
the West. Constantinople (Istanbul) is also known as a city on seven hills, is a former
capitol of the Roman Empire, and can just as easily fulfill the prophecy of Rev. 17:9 as
Rome does.
As details of Islamic eschatology become more widely known, prophecy students are
discovering striking similarities between descriptions of al Mahdi, sometimes called the
Moslem Messiah, or 12th Imam, and a figure from Christian eschatology called the anti-
Christ. I’ve made mention of them in previous articles, how in their respective prophecies
both come on the scene during a time of great turmoil on Earth, both come claiming a
desire to restore peace, both have a seven year reign, both head a one world religion and
one world government, both claim supernatural origins, and both reigns end in a battle
between good and evil that brings Earth’s final judgment.
He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and
the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. He will extend his power over
many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and
silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians (Sudan) in submission.
(Daniel 11:41-42)
This view also provides the first plausible explanation I’ve seen for why Daniel was told
that present day Jordan will be spared in this Grand Caliph’s “holy” quest to put the
world under submission, even though Egypt, Lybia and the Sudan will be forced to bow.
Sunni Moslems believe that the Grand Caliph has to be an Arab from the Hashemite
family of which King Abdullah II of Jordan is the current patriarch. This helps explain
Abdullah’s extra-ordinary influence in middle eastern affairs and why he “unofficially”
controls the Temple Mount. The Hashemites once held sway over the entire Middle East
and served as custodians of all Moslem Holy Sites.
I’m not saying that Abdullah II is the anti-Christ. Remember, Daniel 11:41 says that
Jordan and its leaders will be delivered from the anti-Christ’s control. I believe Jordan
will be left alone out of deference to King Abdullah’s genealogy as the 43rd direct
descendant of the prophet through Mohamed’s daughter Fatima, and his closest living
relative.
No, it’s more likely that al Mahdi (also known as the anti-Christ) who will be senior even
to Abdullah II, will bring the Kings of the North and the South into submission while
sparing Jordan. Incredibly, in a way only God could manage, this makes Petra, a
mountainous area about 3 hours south of Jordan’s capitol Ahman, the perfect hiding place
for the believing Jews during the Great Tribulation.
And this view explains why, with all the quicker and easier ways of executing people
available, the one mentioned in Revelation is beheading. We’ve only recently been made
aware of Islamic terrorists’ preference for this method. For generations Biblical scholars
were ridiculed for their insistence on a literal understanding of beheading as the method
of execution in Tribulation times. That all changed when we got to Iraq.
The biggest mistake the West makes is to ignore the religious undercurrents in the
Islamic Middle East. As recent events have already shown, Moslems will always choose
to be governed by Islamic law rather than western style democracy, given the chance.
Their religion teaches them that Islamic law is more just. And the goal of Islam is a world
wide Caliphate where there are only two kinds of people, those who submit and those
who are targets for execution.
He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak
and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. (Rev. 13:15)
And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus
and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had
not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. (Rev. 20:4)
Table of contents for Islam & The End Times
1. Islam And The End Times
Perspective by Jack Kelley
All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast-all whose names have not been written
in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
(Rev. 13:8)
There’s a lot of interest in the role of Islam in the End Times. And from what I’m
reading, a lot of misunderstanding, too. Recent surveys are shedding some light.
It’s becoming clear that Moslems are increasing in number faster than any other religious
group in the world. Their current growth rate is four times faster than that of Christians.
According to a recent survey by The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, those who
practice Islam now make up nearly one-fourth of the world’s population at 1.57 billion
members, second only to Christianity. This is revolutionary in nature and even though
it’s happening right before our eyes, most Western Christians haven’t even noticed. And
not only are Moslems the fastest growing religious group in the world, they also hold that
distinction in the United States, Canada and Europe, with Europe perhaps being the
model of where Canada and then the US are headed.
Comparing the current birth rates of native Europeans with Europe’s Moslem immigrant
population leads us to one very clear and surprising conclusion: the Europe we have
known is very quickly changing into what some refer to as Eurabia, where Europe will
soon find itself under the power and control of Islam. Today there are more Moslems in
Germany than there are in Lebanon. France’s Moslem population, while fewer in number
than Germany’s, represents a greater percentage of French citizenry, and given the
current rate at which church buildings are being converted there may soon be more
mosques in England than functioning churches.
Following the rapture of the Church, Islam will be the most populous religious system on
Earth by a wide margin. Whether you believe that Islam is a religion of peace or not, it’s
pretty obvious that they’re not going to just go away after the rapture and abandon their
long held dream of becoming the world’s dominant religion just at the point of realizing
it.
What About Ezekiel 38?
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that Islam will no longer be a viable religious force
after the Battle of Ezekiel 38 either. According to The Pew Forum report, the countries
who will unite against Israel and be defeated there are a small percentage of the total
Islamic population. For example, the four largest Islamic countries by population aren’t
even involved. In fact, two thirds of all the world’s Moslems live in 10 countries and of
those only Turkey (5) and Iran (6) are named by Ezekiel. Rough estimates indicate that as
little as 15% of the Islamic world will be represented by the forces aligned against Israel,
and remember it’s only their soldiers who die in battle, not their total populations.
Compare that to what will likely happen to the 2.2 billion strong “Christian” world in the
Rapture and it’s not hard to see that Islam will still be the strongest religious force on
Earth as Daniel’s 70th Week begins. (After all, none of them will be raptured.) Islam
would be the obvious choice for a man who wants to use a religious system to gain
control of the world.
And remember, the anti-Christ won’t be confirming a covenant with Israel for the
purpose of helping them. He’ll be doing it to help himself. By means of peace he’ll
deceive many, Daniel warned (Daniel 8:25). And with the exception of the fleeing
Jewish remnant, the world will be deceived, saying “Peace and safety” just as sudden
destruction comes upon them (1 Thes. 5:9). But God will not be deceived. He’s already
on the record, calling it a covenant with death. (Isaiah 28:15) But doesn’t this covenant
serve God’s purpose, you ask? Well of course everything that happens serves God’s
purpose, but that doesn’t mean everything that happens is good for man. The Jews will
think they’re getting a guarantee of peace but God will use the covenant to usher in
Daniel’s 70th Week, a time when He’ll completely destroy the nations, and purify His
covenant people. It’ll be anything but peaceful.
Let’s also remember how crafty the enemy is. For example, MI-6, the British intelligence
service, has just confirmed that Iranian Pres. Ahmadinejad, who could be one of the
leaders of the Islamic coalition in Ezekiel 38, was born Jewish. The family converted
when he was 4 years old. Knowing that, how could we say the anti-Christ (who some
believe has to be Jewish) could not come from an Islamic country that was once part of
the Roman Empire? Please, I’m not saying Mr. Ahmadinejad is the anti-Christ. I’m only
saying that someone like him could be.
Almost 4 years ago I first reported on the similarities between Islamic prophecies of al
Mahdi and Christian prophecies of the anti-Christ. I noted how both are said to come on
the scene during a time of great turmoil on Earth, both come claiming a desire to restore
peace, both have a seven year reign, both head a one world religion and one world
government, both claim supernatural origins, and both reigns end in a battle between
good and evil that brings Earth’s final judgment. It almost sounds as if they’re the same
person.
At that time the majority of prophecy students were still convinced that the anti-Christ
had to be of Western European origin, aligned somehow with the Roman Catholic
Church. But since then I’ve become aware of more and more who are taking a second
look at this traditional view, and are considering the possibility of a coming world leader
whose roots are in Islam.
A Lesson From Daniel
When Daniel had his vision of Gentile Dominion, the period of Gentile rule over the
Earth, it came to him in the form of 4 great beasts. The first was a lion, representing
Babylon. The second was a bear, the Medo-Persians, and the third was a leopard, Greece.
Then in Daniel 7:7 he said, “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before
me was a fourth beast-terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron
teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It
was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.” This is a reference to
Rome. In animal imagery, the horn demonstrates authority, and when used symbolically
the number 10 denotes the completion of divine order. This 4th beast would have
complete authority over Earth and would never totally relinquish it until the Lord comes
to take it by force. (Daniel 2: 44)
The anti-Christ will make his first Biblical appearance in Rev. 6:2, disguised as the man
on the white horse. According to Daniel 8:25 he’ll seem to be a great peacemaker, but his
intent will be to conquer the world. His true identity won’t be revealed until Revelation
13:1-2 where it becomes clear that he’s been empowered by Satan. Verses 1- 2 describe
him thus. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads,
with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw
resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The
dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
Compare Rev. 13 to Daniel 7 and you’ll see that while the 10 horns show that he’ll have
all the authority of the fourth gentile kingdom, his identifying characteristics will be more
like the first three of Daniel’s beasts. Babylon, Persia, and Greece were all oriented
toward the East. Only Rome had a western orientation (which made it different from the
other three, as Daniel noted) Could this mean that the anti-Christ will also look first to the
East (Isalm) to consolidate his power?
Time will tell. In his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel told us how the
end times version of the 4th kingdom would be characterized by inner conflict. He said
that where it had once been as two strong legs of iron (the Eastern and Western divisions
of Biblical times) rebuilding it at the end it would be like trying to mix iron and clay.
(Daniel 2:40-43) He could have been describing some of the social unrest we’ve
witnessed in several European countries as their native populations have not always
responded well to Moslem immigration.
My purpose in writing this is not in any way to confirm or endorse the views of some
experts on Islam who’ve who’ve burst on the scene recently with all sorts of new
interpretations of Christian prophecy. It’s to remind us all to keep our eyes open. Things
are happening fast and will continue to challenge our traditional perspective. Daniel was
told that as the End of the Age approaches knowledge will increase (Daniel 12:4). That
means we’ll be given a clearer understanding of how events will unfold than those who
came before us. This will happen through careful observation, actually seeing the pieces
of the puzzle fall into place and comparing them to Scripture. But God knows the end
from the beginning, so none of this is new to Him. Where we see change, He just sees a
closer alignment of Earthly events with Heavenly truth. It’s time to keep an open Bible
handy as we watch the headlines because we now have another reason to search the
Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11). You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 10-10-
09
Israel in Prophecy
By: Jennifer Sides
Declaring their dependence on May 14, 1948; Israel is the world’s only Jewish
state with Jerusalem being the capital and largest city. They are the 100th
smallest country in the world. Speaking of Israel; Ezekiel 36:11 says, “I will
multiply upon you man and beast, and they shall increase and bear young; I will
make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your
beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.” I believe many of the links
my blog provides in the “Israel” section confirm the Lord is bestowing blessings
upon His chosen people beyond measure. I will be using a few of those links as
examples but I encourage you to be zealous and search out these truths in
scripture first hand.
Proof that man would be multiplied upon the land just as Ezekiel 36:11 described
began taking place soon after Israel declared their dependence in 1948 with the
population increasing from 800,000 to 2,000,000 by 1958. Currently as of 2009
the population of Israel is 7,411,000. In 1952 an estimated 200,000 Jews who
infiltrated back into Israel brought with them no possessions and lived in tents.
Recently there has been even more confirmation the prophecy of Ezekiel 36:11
is being fulfilled with the “American Dream” slowly slipping away from the
fingertips of North Americans as many of them have begun seeking refuge in
Israel. For the first time in history the Israeli economy is doing better than the
American economy with the Israeli economy growing an average of 5% a year for
the past five years. Israel now has the second-largest number of startup
companies in the world after the United States and the largest number of
NASDAQ-listed companies outside North America. In 2007, Israel had the 44th-
highest gross domestic product and the 22nd-highest gross domestic product per
capita (at purchasing power parity) at US$232.7 billion and US$33, 299,
respectively.
Among other list of impressive accomplishments Israel is considered one of the

most advanced countries in Southwest Asia and the Middle East in economic
and industrial development. Their chief exports are fruits, vegetables,
pharmaceuticals, military technology, and diamonds. Israel is a world leader in
water conservation, geothermal energy, cutting edge technology and much more!
Israel ranks highest among Middle Eastern countries on the UN human
development index and also freedom of the press. Tourism, especially religious
tourism, plays another important part in Israel with 2008 being a record breaking
year with over 3,000,000 tourists. That is a 30% increase from the year 2007.
Now we all know how bad the global economy is doing as a whole yet Israel
seems to be picking up steam at a steady pace. They even have a company
called “Agritech” which has taken on a major role to solve the global food crisis. I
would say that is quite a huge feet for the 100th smallest state in the world! Israel
is like David taking on Goliath in the midst of this global economic turmoil! The
list of Israel’s accomplishments goes on and on. I encourage you to read the
links provided about Israel and really try to understand what is taking place right
before the world’s very eyes. I have no doubt you will see first hand the Lord at
work during these very troublesome and uncertain times. If you think about it
Israel has only been a state for 61 years yet they are doing exceedingly well for
such a small country. “Why is that?” some might say. It is because the Lord
promised He would do it! Remember that 200,000 Israelis started out with no
earthly possessions and lived in tents?!?! That is simply a miracle! Amen!
Now I have heard it said and it makes sense to me that when Matthew 24:32
says, (“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already
become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near”) that the fig
tree represents Israel becoming a state. Chapter 24 as a whole refers to the
tribulation, coming of the Son of man and no one knowing the day or the hour. In
verse 34 it says that, “This generation will by no means pass away until all these
things take place.” I personally believe this means the generation which saw
Israel become a state will not pass away until the 7 years of Tribulation takes
place that is mentioned in the book of Revelation.
There is more scriptural confirmation that Israel will be the productive country
foretold about in Ezekiel 36:11. It can be found just two chapters over in Ezekiel
38:12, 13 with chapters 38 and 39 being the main focus as a whole. I encourage
you to read those chapters since I am not going to cover it all…just the main
points I am trying to make. There will be countries who will invade Israel in
verses 12 and 13 of Chapter 38. There mission will be to attack the Israeli people
and acquire their earthly goods. It says in verse 4 of Chapter 38 that those
countries will have a hook in their mouths and be lead out with all their armies. I
am not sure how those armies will be lead out but I do have three scenarios.
First of all, it may have to do with the global economy getting much worse for
those countries and Israel being much more productive. Remember; Israel is
already one of the most productive countries in the Middle East. This is no
different than the Palestinians coveting and trying to take land from the Israelites
that does not belong to them; which brings me to my second point. Many
countries have taken it upon themselves to tell Israel how to run their country by
giving them ultimatums on how they need to stop building settlements in their
own God given territory. Even more disheartening is an article dated June 22,
2009 on the www.america.gov website proclaiming the results of a poll taken
recently by Americans. It claims the percentage of Americans growing impatient
with the Israeli people building settlements on their own territory is on the rise.
This is just another example of how America has been shaken off the foundation
of its’ Godly heritage. A world-wide percentage of people along with so many of
the countries leaders who are already rallying against Israel to divide their land
may spark a war far greater than one that may occur with Iran.
Third, there is no doubt tensions are flaring up in Israel like never before. Recent
developments confirm Israel is working on offensive and defensive strategies to
face whatever might happen in the not so distant future. On May 31, 2009 Israel
held its biggest civil defense drill in their history. In recent weeks Benjamin
Netanyahu has been asking world leaders for permission to fly over their
countries to invade Iran over their nuclear facilities. Israel wants to take out those
areas of Iran before Iran tries to take them out. God only knows; Israel could fly
over air space that a country did or did not grant them permission to fly over and
that country along with several others may use it as an excuse to attack Israel
and attempt to take everything they own. A good example to illustrate this point
would be how it was said recently that Saudi Arabia granted Israel permission to
fly in their air space to attack Iran. On July 7, 2009 Saudi Arabia denied the
claims. So what would’ve happened if Israel had flown over Saudi Arabia before
the claims had been denied? Also, on July 18, 2009 Israeli warships rehearsed
for Iran attacks in the Red Sea.
I have every reason to believe there is the grave possibility that Israel will follow
through with their plans to disarm Iran. Those beliefs stem from previous
attempts in Israel’s past to launch similar attempts. Here are a few examples. On
June 7, 1981, Israel heavily bombed Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor in Operation
Opera, disabling it. Israeli intelligence had suspected Iraq was intending to use it
for weapons development. In 1982, Israel intervened in the Lebanese Civil War
to destroy the bases from which the Palestine Liberation Organization launched
attacks and missiles at northern Israel. On September 6, 2007, the Israeli Air
Force launched Operation Orchard in Syria, bombing what it suspected to be a
nuclear site.
There are many signs to focus on when it comes to end times events. Most
importantly remember that the main focus will revolve around Jerusalem, Israel
which is the center point of much of Bible prophecy. With those things said, I
believe there will be at least two major wars between Israel and those countries
mentioned in Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39 during our lifetime or generation. Yes,
the Bible says, “There will be wars and rumors of war” in Mark 13:7 but there are
specific wars to watch for. No doubt there will be the war of Daniel 9:25-27 which
takes place in the middle of the 7 years that will mark the beginning of the “Great
Tribulation” spoken of in Matthew chapter 24. Reference is also made to it in
Luke 21:20-24. It states, “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,
then know the desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the
mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are
in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things
which were written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to
those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the
land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and
be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by the
Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
As I mentioned in the previous paragraph; Luke 21:20 says that once Jerusalem
is surrounded by armies the desolation will be near. The desolation it is referring
to can be found in Daniel 9:27 (see also Matthew 24:15) after the middle of the 7
years of tribulation which will also be in the middle of the 7 year peace covenant
Israel makes with many. After Jerusalem is made desolate the Antichrist will be
revealed as stated in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4. He will do so by sitting as God in
the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 2nd Thessalonians states in
verse 2:2,3 that Christ will not come until the falling away comes first, and the
son of man is revealed. “Falling away” in the Greek means military rebellion.
Therefore, Christ will not return until the armies have surrounded and made
Jerusalem desolate. Without knowing what “falling away” means I believe it is
still clear those events have to take place before Jesus returns. I believe
Matthew, Mark and Luke all give the exact order of the events which will take
place.
I promise I am not trying to be confusing on this next example. I just see a couple
of different scenarios on the following two verses. The first or second war, it is
really hard to say, is the one I referred to in Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39 which
may also be tied into the final war in Revelation 20:6-10 where God and Magog
surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city Jerusalem. I have heard it
said those two wars are one in the same. Whatever the case may be that war
could happen after the 7 years of tribulation. One thing is for sure – we need to
be watching for the signs of Jesus coming. They were given to us when the
disciples ask Jesus specifically in Matthew 24:3, “What will be the sign of Your
coming and the end of the age?” Jesus answered them at that moment because
He did not want them to be blind about what the future would hold. Now I know
the things I have written about in this article did not take place during their
lifetime but each of them did have to face great personal tribulations of their own
as 11 out of 12 of them were martyred. We may not know the day or the hour in
which Jesus will return just as He does not; but in Matthew chapter 24 we are
cautioned to watch and be ready.
In closing, just remember Luke 21:35-36 says, “It will come as a snare on all
those who dwell, on the face of the earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that
you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and
to stand before the Son of Man.” Whatever you do don’t be like the scoffers who
in 2nd Peter 3:3 walked according to their own lusts saying, “Where is the promise
of His coming?” We are living in a day and age where we can’t afford to rule out
what may be the very signs we were instructed to watch for! We are also
instructed in Psalm 122:6 to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The first 3 ½ years
of the tribulation may seem like Jerusalem has peace once and for all but it will
really be like a smokescreen. Satan is running out of time and is devising a plan
in which he will use the antichrist along with many others to try and fulfill his evil
schemes. You can’t be a Christian and not be for the Jews. We as Christians
have been grafted into the vine as described in Romans Chapter 11 having
become one in Christ ultimately known as the “Bride of Christ.” So I encourage
you to pray for the peace of Jerusalem which will not be until all things are made
new in Revelation Chapter 21 when the New Jerusalem comes down from
heaven. He will then wipe away every tear, there will be no more death, no more
pain, or sorrow, nor crying! Amen!
Asia's Armageddon Arsenal

Prophecy - Signs
Monday, November 26, 2007
Jack Kinsella - Omega Letter Editor
The Western media had a brief flirtation with the disturbing news coming out of
Burma, or Myanmar, but since nobody could make up there minds whether it was
really supposed to be called 'Myanmar' or 'Burma' they quickly lost interest in the
story.
Burma officially changed its name to "Myanmar" at the UN in 1989, but neither the
US nor the UK recognized the name change. So before going forward, let's agree to
call the place "Burma" for the sake of clarity.
First off, where the heck is it? Burma is nestled in a corner of Southeast Asia
bordered by China, Laos, Thailand, Bangladesh and India.
Burma achieved independence from British colonial rule in January, 1948 marking
the end of the era in which 'the sun never set on the British flag' and the end of the
European Colonial Era.
Burma has been ruled since 1962 by a military junta that has turned the country into
an international criminal enterprise run by Senior General Than Shwe. Than Shwe is
cut from the Kim Jong il mold; a superstitious nutbar who keeps astrologers on staff
to advise him.
In Burma, everything from poetry to films is censored through state control of all
media, including the internet. The Burmese are kept as much in the dark about the
outside world as the North Koreans.
The Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has placed Burma
among the bottom 10 countries in its world press freedom ranking. It says the press
is subject to "relentless advance censorship".
Internet access is tightly controlled by the government. It is further hampered by a

poor telephone infrastructure and an unreliable supply of electricity.
Reporters Without Borders calls Burma a "black hole" whose system "increasingly
resembles an intranet as more and more foreign electronic services have been cut".
But that's how things have been in Burma for forty-five years. So how come I had to
tell you where it is? Put another way, how come I had to look it up before I could tell
you?
(Burma gets so little international attention that the best I could say until I looked it
up was that it was somewhere near India)
But all that is about to change.
According to recent intelligence information, Burma is planning to join the new 2nd-
tier nuclear club that now includes Pakistan, India, North Korea, and soon, Iran.
The military junta decided in January 2002 to build a nuclear reactor and the
government controlled news in Burma has reported that Burma's pending new
constitution will place the development of “nuclear energy” under the control of the
“Defense and security industries” along with production of “arms and ammunition
and explosives including biological and chemical weapons.”
Officials said the sites for the reactor include a region known as the Mandalay
Division of the country, which is near the new capital called Nay Pyi taw. A second
locations is the nearby Magwe Division.
Both locations have been identified as probable locations for either an existing or
planned nuclear facility. Burma is getting help with the covert nuclear project from
technicians from Russia and North Korea.
The reported North Korea connection to the nuclear project, if confirmed, would
trigger another major crisis with the North Koreans -- and with China.
Beijing is helping with a huge underground hydro-power plant in Mandalay, raising

concerns that China is proliferating nuclear technology to Burma like it did to
Pakistan in the 1980s.
Russian involvement included a joint project led by Burmese and Russian specialists
from the Atomstroy Export Group to build a 10 megawatt pool-type nuclear research
reactor in Kyaukse Mandalay Division.
According to intelligence sources, some 300 Burmese military officers have been
study nuclear science in Russia and one source stated that a North Korean ship
carrying senior Korean nuclear technology specialist, Maj. Hon Kil Dong was sent to
Rangoon in July 2006.
This information comes via the subscription intel website, Geo-Strategy Direct,
compiled by Washington Times reporter Bill Gertz, one of the most plugged-in
reporters in Washington and an extremely credible source.
"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the
water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. . .
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue
Armageddon. . . And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was
a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an
earthquake, and so great. . . And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every
stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of
the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." (Revelation 16:12,16,21)
When you consider that the Apostle John was attempting to describe something that
did not exist in a language that had no words to describe it, John did an excellent job
of describing the effects of a nuclear explosion -- right down to the hailstones.
When a nuke goes off, the water vapor that rises to the top freezes in the upper
atmosphere and comes back down in hundred pound chunks of nuclear 'hail'.
The Scriptures identify four spheres of global power in the last days by region as seen
from the perspective of Jerusalem: the kings of the south, the antichrist's
government to the west, the Gog-Magog alliance to the uttermost north of Israel, and
the kings of the east.
The Scriptures don't tell us much about the Kings of the East, other than their
location, their numbers (200 million soldiers) and that the battlefield will be marked
by voices, and thunders, and lightnings, an earthquake of indescribable proportions,
and giant hailstones.
But as we get closer to the time appointed, the picture begins to come into focus. The
People's Republic of China , the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, India, North Korea,
and now Burma.
Asia is arming itself for Armageddon.
Note this, as well. We've noted in previous briefings that every modern event related
to Bible prophecy can trace itself in someway to the birth of Israel in 1948.
The government of antichrist rests on his control of three central pillars of Western
society -- a centralized global government, a centralized global economy and a
centralized global religious system.
The revived Roman Empire was born out of the 1948 Benelux Treaty. The UN
Constitution, "the Universal Declaration of Civil and Political Rights, was signed in
1948.
The World Trade Organization was created out of the 1948 GATT Treaty, which also
spawned the IMF and World Bank. The World Council of Churches was created in
Amsterdam under UN auspices in 1948.
The invention of the transistor led to the official 'birth of the computer age' -- making
centralized control of all these things possible, -- in 1948.
Finally, the Cold War, which set the stage for the Gog-Magog Alliance, officially
began with the Berlin Airlift standoff between the US and Soviet Union in 1948.
Look up these nations in your encyclopedia: The People's Republic of China declared
its existence in 1947. Pakistan declared independence in 1947. India declared
independence in 1947. North Korea split from South Korea in 1948.
And Burma declared its independence in 1948.
"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth
leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these
things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation
shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." (Matthew 24:34-36)
Dollar Demise: Prophetic Significance of a One-World Currency

Wilfred Hahn
On August 7, 2009 a significant event occurred. Did you miss it?
On that day, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) voted to increase the supply of SDRs
by $250 billion. Shortly thereafter, on August 28, these SDRs were issued and
redistributed to the 186 member countries of the IMF. What was so noteworthy about
this? And, just what are SDRs?
Well, to begin, we should start with identifying the IMF’s role in the world. Quoting its
website: “The IMF promotes international monetary cooperation and exchange rate
stability, facilitates the balanced growth of international trade, and provides resources to
help members in balance of payments difficulties or to assist with poverty reduction.”[1]
This mission should cause us to sit up and take notice. This organization is one of the
most influential in driving global financial and economic convergence. Bible readers
know that since these are sub-trends of globalization and globalism, therefore we are
dealing with a topic of prophetic significance.
But what are SDRs? It is an accounting unit for the financial reserves of the IMF and
stands for Special Drawing Right. It serves as a type of currency for this transnational
organization and its members. Technically, the SDR is not a real currency, as it cannot be
spent in the marketplace. For example, today you cannot take an SDR coin and buy a
coffee in a café in Brussels. All the same, as this accounting unit is defined as a basket of
underlying currencies (the US dollar makes up about 44% of its value) it does carry real
financial clout.
Due to the SDR’s rather specialized and obscure role, most people would not know that it
has already functioned as a global monetary unit since its inception back in 1969. The
recent issue of SDRs is the first in almost 3 decades (1981) … representing somewhat of
an awakening. What is also significant is that this allocation has boosted the amount of
SDRs by 7.5 times. Could an ascendant SDR someday dethrone the US dollar? What role
will it play in a developing one-world currency? We want to address these urgent
questions.
Move Over Dollar
Interestingly, the IMF’s new SDR issue has not caught the full attention of those who
believe the world will soon have one-world currency. That may be due to the fact that the
total value of SDRs still only represents a fraction of total world currency reserves (less
than 1%), or that they are neither visible nor understood. Usually, every time an event
occurs that could be construed as a step toward a one-world currency, one can expect a
stream of hysterical reports and speculations. We will yet come back to address the
legitimacy of “one-world currency” fears.
For now, keeping to our line of inquiry, any discussion of significant shifts in global
reserve-currency supremacy must involve implications for the US dollar. In order for a
one-world currency to emerge, we must also presume that the US dollar is on the wane
and will be removed. Let’s then deal with this possibility first. It certainly is true that the
US dollar is suffering an “image” problem today, as some analysts have put it. After
about six decades as the world’s main reserve currency, many key nations have been
intensifying their complaints that the US dollar is no longer suitable or worthy. The BRIC
countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) have most brazenly been calling for a new
global reserve currency.
China would dearly like its currency (the yuan) to play a role as a world reserve currency.
It is the country that stands to lose the most should the US dollar falter, since it has
accumulated large official holdings of US-dollar assets. Recently, the Economist
magazine presented a picture of the dollar symbol morphing into a dragon (see inset on
this page). The implication was that the world would some day be moving to a yuan
standard. Could this happen? We will yet provide our opinion.
With respect to the dollar, even some prominent American economists are of the view
that the U.S.’s role in world capital markets is on the wane. Quoting Joseph Stiglitz, a
respected academic and former Chief Economist of the World Bank, “To be sure, our
influence will diminish, as we are less likely to be held up as a role model, but that was
happening in any case. America used to play a pivotal role in global capital, because
others believed that we had a special talent for managing risk and allocating financial
resources. No one thinks that now, and Asia—where much of the world’s saving occurs
today—is already developing its own financial centers. We are no longer the chief source
of capital. The world’s top three banks are now Chinese. America’s largest bank is down
at the No. 5 spot.”[2]
The US dollar position as the major reserve currency is clearly under attack. It is true that
US financial policies have often been criticized over the years, and sometimes without
merit. Either the dollar was considered too high in value (i.e. a situation which led to the
Plaza Accord of 1985) or too low (i.e. in recent years versus the Euro). But lately,
complaints have had more to do with the huge international indebtedness of the U.S. and
its reckless monetary policies.
Recent financial developments and geopolitical shifts likely signify a critical turning
point for the dollar. Therefore, could U.S. currency trends of late be prophetically
significant?
We provide answers to our questions first from a Biblical response, and then from a
contemporary economic perspective. Let’s therefore examine the prophetic view next.
Prophetic Views on Currencies?
It must certainly be recognized at this stage of world history that any major and sudden
development is likely to be prophetically significant … especially so were it to also to
impinge upon Israel in some way or lead to a new consolidated global power structure
centered around 10 countries. One of the most important markers of the endtimes has
already been triggered—Israel has been reborn. If the US dollar were to topple suddenly,
it most assuredly would be a development that hastens the arrival of endtime prophetic
conditions.
But would that mean that a one-world currency is in the offing? This is possible … but
not certain … or even highly likely. Many Bible prophecy scholars treat the one-world
currency notion as if it were specific literal prophecy. It is not. Rather, it is a deduction.
That is not to say that it would represent unreasonable conjecture. However, if we stick to
what the Bible actually says, the correct and supportable response must be that a one-
world currency cannot be either proven or disproved from the Bible. Scripture is silent on
this specific idea.
What is clearly prophesied are the conditions of global convergence in commerce,

politics and beliefs (i.e. religion). Midnight Call has carried numerous articles
documenting these assertions biblically, especially in relation to globalization and
globalism. (See this column in MCM May though August 2007).
That said, we still cannot prove that there will be a single, fungible world currency.
Actually, we may be wasting our time being on the lookout for a one-world currency. It is
not required to fulfill prophecy. Consider that while ecumenicism may ultimately achieve
a one-world religious convergence—one big happy family of diverse religions that
tolerate each other and ignore mutual inconsistencies—that this would not require
individual religions to lose their independent identities. Likewise so in the financial
world. One can have a one-world financial system that reflects similar protocols and
conventions, but many individual currencies.
Tiring Speculations Without Sure Conclusions
I admit that I sometimes get a little tired of all the one-world currency speculations and
sensationalizations. As someone who has worked on the frontlines of global money for
almost three decades, to me the whole question denies the reality of what already has
unfolded. A one-world capital market already exists. A one-world trading system of
goods and services—though there is room for much more convergence—can also be said
to have arrived. It is these developments that the Bible specifically prophesies … and not
a one-world currency.
We have made the point frequently in our writings that the world’s capital markets are
already on a de facto “one currency” standard. Professional money traders who work
inside this system fully appreciate this state of affairs. Money moves fluidly across
currencies around the world in the trillions. Sophisticated financial hedging instruments
exist that in essence give security and mobility to global money. We acknowledge that
there are more individual currencies in the world today than there were 20 and 50 years
ago. Yet, this trend has not stopped global monetary convergence. Far from it.
So, when I get breathless questions about the Amero (a proposed American currency
union), the khaliji (proposed, but currently sidelined currency for six Middle East
countries), the Asian single currency project that has been accelerated… etc., I can’t help
but feel that we are missing the forest for the trees. Yes, these currency unifications can
and may very well move forward. But so what? It is much too late to become a monetary
“single-currency” alarmist, and what would it accomplish in any case? Let’s wake up and
pursue questions that are more relevant and practical, as we will note in the conclusions.
Contemporary Analysis of Future Currency Shifts
What is the economic case for a one-world currency? There would be both advantages
and disadvantages. On balance, in the multi-polar world system that is developing today
—one that is no longer likely to be anchored by one superpower—it would seem
improbable that sufficient unanimity for such a development is on the near-term horizon.
Of course, were a massive world financial crisis to erupt—one much, much bigger than
the current Global Financial Crisis (GFC)—and a strong leader emerge who is influential
and flattering enough to successfully force world consensus on such a question,
conditions for the formation of a one-world currency would be more conducive.
But we need not preoccupy ourselves with this scenario. It would be a development
involving the Antichrist that occurs inside the Tribulation period, and does not concern us
today. Now, the more obvious outcome is that the world will move to a multi-currency
reserve platform. Such a regime would be more in alignment with the Bible’s indications.
After all, Scripture tells us that first a multi-polar coalition of nations will develop, shown
as 10 separate countries (the “10 kings”). (See Daniel 2, 7 and Revelation 12, 13, and 17,
which speak of 10 toes, 10 horns and 10 kings.)
A number of currencies together are therefore likely to supplant the US dollar’s lone
reserve role in the world. The euro, yen and eventually perhaps the Chinese yuan,
Russian ruble, Brazilian real and others could play a part. This is why the IMF’s SDR is
likely to become much more important in the future. It is an inclusive financial structure,
ideally suited to a multi-polar world. Though it is not a real currency itself, it yet
facilitates power sharing and the mobilization of global money.
Thoughts to Ponder
With respect to the outlook for the US dollar that is cherished by so many, here is a fact
that you may not have known: It was recognized long, long ago—in fact, right at the
inception of the world’s current monetary regime—that the US dollar was fated to lose its
central reserve role. Its eventual fall was anticipated by the very architects of the Bretton
Woods system. (An important paper written by Robert Triffin in 1960 clearly underlined
this conclusion.)
In order to provide the currency backbone to the world, the U.S. needed to run deficits
(supplying US dollars to the rest of the world.) But this can be done only so long before
mounting international debts would overwhelm the U.S. Indeed, in part, this is what has
happened.
The bottom line? After 60 years of serving as the world’s reserve currency, the globe is
swamped with US dollars. (Consider that some 70 percent of dollars in circulation are
held outside the U.S.!) Even should a major currency crisis be avoided, it only stands to
reason that the US dollar will continue to decline in influence. That could yet take a long
time; or it may not.
As Christians, however, it is crucial that we not get distracted from the reality of what is
unfolding. We should avoid fixations with misleading indicators and our hobbyhorse
prophetic theories when they cannot be proven from the Bible. We need to keep watching
… and learning. Jesus Christ implored the disciples many times to watch … at least nine
times!
The one-world financial system is already here … the endtime money snare virtually
complete. The more important questions are these: Just how can we remain separate and
holy from the rampant religion of Mammonism that is enveloping the world today? How
best can we be used in the task of snatching people from the fire?
Jude summarizes these directives, saying:
“Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others
show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” (Jude
1:22-23).
There are initiatives in which Christians can safely be activists: Snatching people from
the fire and hating the corruption of the flesh.
Maranatha! Oh, Lord, steel our resolve and equip us to do so in these “perilous” times (2
Timothy 3:1).
ENDNOTES
Bible Prophecy - Where to Begin?

By Edward Wood
It has been said that 25% of the Bible is comprised of prophecy in one manner or
another. Considering the length of the Bible, any one who wishes to begin an
exploration of this subject might wonder just where to start. I know I did. Interestingly
enough, the answer was not long in coming. Now this in no way should be construed
as some kind of inherent brilliance on my part but should instead be looked upon as a
practical example of what James said: [James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him
ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given
him.
In other words, any wisdom you might find here isn't generated from yours truly. Next,
I strongly urge you to do your own homework and arrive at your own conclusions not
only on what you read here, but on any commentary regarding Scripture. Why?
Because Paul reminds us that "we see through a glass darkly" (1 Cor. 13:11-12) - even
the greatest of Bible scholars. As a layman with no formal Bible training, I'm sure this
adds more layers of tint to my particular glass, making this advice even more relevant
in the present circumstances. This being said, let's proceed. So, then, where is a good
place to begin to study Bible Prophecy? My personal answer - the Olivet Discourse.
From this last of Jesus' public sermons, his followers, including us, are given a broad
view of the future. Some think that the events described have already happened. In
fact, there are even those who have the view that all Bible prophecy has been fulfilled,
culminating with the invasion of Jerusalem, circa 70 A.D.
Others believe that the Bible's prophetic pronouncements are allegorical. While it is
true that a great deal of symbolism occurs in such great books as Daniel and
Revelation, the Olivet Discourse is direct and clear. I believe that the Lord meant
exactly what he said. It is from that basis I will attempt to present an overview of its
contents. I do recommend you read Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 yourself before
proceeding. It will greatly help you follow along.
Intriguingly Olivet's physical location ties together accounts of Jesus' return to Earth in
the Old and New Testaments. The words he himself spoke likewise connect the
essentials of Old and New Testament prophecy as well. Let's now look at the
highlights of the Olivet Discourse and see where they lead. Since on occasion events
are repeated in more than one place throughout Jesus' address, I'll endeavor to present
them topically.
Olivet would no doubt be remembered in history alone for what Jesus said there almost
2000 years ago. but there is much more to the story than that. In fact, a little over forty
days from the time he gave his discourse it would also be the scene of his last post-
resurrection appearance to most of those very same people!
From there they would watch in awe as he rose into the clouds, with two men "in white
apparel" promising them that he would return in the same manner (Acts 1:1-12). But
this isn't all. In Zechariah, chapter 14, we read how the Lord's return to Olivet at the
end of this age will bring incredible changes to our world for all time!
The Mount of Olives stands east of Jerusalem overlooking the city from which vantage
point the temple which had been rebuilt to magnificent splendor by the volatile and
often ruthless Herod the Great in an attempt to curry favor from the populace. His
being appointed by Rome to this position and being descended from the Judean's
tradtional adversaries the Edomites engendered no shortage of resentment from his
subjects. Yet despite his character flaws, he was a master builder and the temple was
the crown jewel of his accomplishents. It had been described from those of that time as
often glowing in gleaming splendor in the Judean sunlight.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke record that the first thing that Jesus revealed was that the
temple which so impressed his audience would one day no longer exist. His listeners
must have been incredulous as they looked down upon its immensity and grandeur
from the Mount of Olives. How could such a structure be so destroyed that there would
not be "one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (Matt. 24:1-2)? It must
have been as unbelievable to them as the thought that our own World Trade Towers
would crumble to the ground as a result of a terrorist attack on 9-11 was prior to that
terrible event. But it happened all the same.
This was not the first time the temple would fall. Almost 600 years earlier
Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian forces destroyed Jerusalem and everything in it, temple
included. What Jesus described was to occur exactly as he related almost forty years
later. When Titus' Roman Legion finally broke into the city, the historian Josephus
recorded that even he couldn't stop his troops from setting this grand structure on fire.
Its huge porous limestone blocks exploded from the moisture within them as it turned
to steam. As if that wasn't enough, the soldiers pried part the wreckage to get at the
gold with which it had been adorned that had melted and flowed down into the ruins.
From this point on. Jesus spoke of events that are future even to our time, but, I
believe, are very close at hand. I think you will find many of them are now sounding
very familiar in our Twenty-first Century World. The very next thing Jesus warned of
was the coming of false prophets. One of the biggest problems of the early church was
this very problem. (See Acts 13:1-11; 2 Cor. 11:12-26; Galatians 2:1-5; 2 Peter 2:1; 1
John 4:1-6.) It still is today, and, in my opinion, is getting much worse.
I personally have watched the particular denomination of which I had belonged give its
blessing to actively homosexual clergy, deny Jesus as the only means of salvation, and
select for itself clerical and lay leaders that are telling people only what they want to
hear. It is like watching Paul's words to his young protege' Timothy come true before
one's own eyes across many of the largest denominations (1 Timothy 4:1-4).This
action will all intensify and culminate in the advent of the Antichrist (Daniel 8:23-25; 2
Thess. 2:1-12; Rev. 17:7-17, 19:11-21). The fall of the western church to false doctrine
in the past few decades is not only rendering it incapable of standing against the
growing forces of darkness but actually aiding them.
The Lord related that famines would come. The population of our planet stands near
seven billion, a large percentage of which go to bed hungry every night. Recently there
are ominous signs that it could get worse very quickly. As I write, there is a potential
for the Ug-99 wheat fungus to devastate 80% of the world's wheat if it should manage
to spread around the globe. In this case, the warning given on Olivet might very well
be pointing to the Black Horse of Revelation 6:5-6 wherein a measure (quart) of wheat
or three of barley cost a penny, or denarius, depending on which Bible translation you
are using. This doesn't mean much to our modern ears unless we understand that the
denarius was a day's wages to a common laborer (Matt. 20:1-16), and that a measure of
wheat or three of barley were considered the minimum dietary requirement for a
person of those times. In other words, there will come a time when a person's entire
income will be needed to buy enough food to survive. The passage continues with "the
oil and wine" not being harmed. I've heard various interpretations of this but the one
that seems to make sense is that these last two items were commodities of the rich. Is it
possible that this points to a time when most people will suffer while the wealthy
continue to live opulently? Does this sound awfully familiar? Notice how Jesus' words
link us to an event written by John in Revelation sixty years later about something that
hasn't even happened in our time, but one in which we are beginning to see the manner
in which it can.
Along with famines, Jesus told of the coming pestilences and earthquakes. It is hard to
imagine any other time in human history when we have seen so much of both! About
thirty years ago HIV-AIDS exploded across our world and is still running rampant,
especially in Africa. I personally can't rmember any communicable affliction ever
existing which has had such a wide range, lasted so long, or resisted a cure. In affluent
societies such as the United States, the main vectors ar drug use and fornication, the
details of the latter I'm sure you already know. I've heard many say it's a "judgment"
disease because of this. Well, knowing that God is a loving God, I'm pretty sure he
didn't create HIV. But whenever people disregard his rules of living and push him out
of their lives, how can they expect him to protect them from the consequences of their
own free will?
Regarding earthquakes, a visit to the United States Geological Survey website is most
revealing. I decided to count only the larger quakes of Richter Scale magnitude 6.0 and
above. Until the turn of this century, most years had less than six per year, with only
sporadic counts of ten or twelve. Since 2002, the numbers I got ranged from 22 for that
year up to a high of 47 in 2007! Even 2008 had 35! As I write, the count for 2009 is
already over 20. Being human, my counts might not be perfect but even so it is clear
that geologically speaking, it is no longer "business as usual" for Planet Earth.
Jesus predicted that Christians would again be persectued, that even people within
familes would betray each other. This is already well under way throughout the world
where being a follower of Christ can get one killed in some regions. In fact, he said
that people in general would would become more cruel in the End Times, that their
"love would wax cold." When one sees regularly the increase and appalling
visciousness of crimes being committed even within the United States, it makes one
wonder just what is going on. In Romans 1:19-32, Paul presents a sobering description
so accurate of the way people will become as this age winds down that it is hard to
escape the fact that we must indeed be very close to the end. Jesus said that as the time
of the end draws near, the Gospel would be preached "in all the world." Isn't it
fascinating that our present-day technology has made made this literally possile
instantly anywhere on the planet? In addition to this even as the Tribulation is well
under way, God will employ an angel to preach the "everlasting gospel" to all nations
in every language (Rev. 14:6). I believe that this proves God will go to every length he
can to get his message out. Anyone who choses to ignore it will therefore have no
excuse for the judgment that will fall upon them.
The Lord spoke of military conflicts that would come. Did you know that the
Twentieth Century had more casualties due to war than any other time in human
history? When was the last time you watched the news on TV or read your paper
without reports of some conflict somewhere? The stakes grow higher each day as more
and more very bad people gain access to more and more very bad weapons. One day it
will all come to a head on the Plain of Esdraelon which lies below a place called Har
(Mount) Megiddo - otherwise known as Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-15)!
Regarding the author of this ultimate battle mentioned above, Jesus provides an
important clue as to the means by which to identify him in Matthew and Mark's
accounts. When the "abomination of desolation" appears in the "holy place," this will
be a sign for the people of Judea to "flee to the mountains." Daniel tells us who it is
that will do this (Daniel 9:27). Referred to variously as the "king of fierce
countenance" (Daniel 8:23), "son of perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3), "that Wicked" (2
Thess.:2-3), and the "beast" (Revelation, particularly chapters 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, and
20), this man will embody the worst of every despot that has ever walked on this
planet. In common parlance he is best known as the "Antichrist."
Satan has always wanted to be "god" and this man will have access to demonic power
to do whatever is necessary for the devil to accomplish this goal. One day the war will
come which will cause all prior military campaigns to pale in comparison when the
Antichrist gathers the armies of the world to attempt to carry out the "Final Solution"
against the Jews that the pharaoh of Moses' time, Haman, and Hitler had also
attempted.
But why have so many tried to wipe out a people who, except for relatively short
periods, have been virtually powerless? Well, just suppose the pharaoh (Exodus),
Haman (Esther), or Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah, Daniel) had succeeded in making the
Hebrews cease to exist. In such a case the tribe of Judah would have disappeared into
history and with it King David and his descendant Jesus of Nazareth. But since these
men failed, Jesus has indeed come and with him the only sacrifice God could accept to
save us all. Satan's only chance remaining is to prevent the prophecies of the Bible
regarding Israel to ultimately fulfll its role in becoming the pre-eminent nation of the
millennial age to come (Zech. 8:23, 12:5-10, 13:1, 14:1-20). Adolf Hitler, who was
very much a type of the coming Antichrist, was well on the way to doing just that.
The "son of perdition" will be Satan's last shot at accomplishing that goal. But he will
not succeed, either. As his forces are about to capture the entirety of Jerusalem, they
are stopped by the return of Jesus Christ himself in a cloud accompanied by the "host"
or armies of heaven (Zech. 1:1-3, Luke 21:26-27, Rev. chapter 19). From that moment
on, everything will change. The Antichrist and his false prophet henchman will be cast
into the lake of fire while his army is routed. Satan will be locked away for 1000 years
during which time Jesus will personally establish and rule his Millennial Kingdom.
As magnificent as this time will be, it will be followed by a final disposition of Satan,
his demons, and all who refused God's offer of salvation throughout all ages as they are
themselves cast eternally into the lake of fire. Now with all traces of evil forever
banished, God will create a new everlasting heaven and Earth in which he will come
with his city, the New Jerusalem, to dwell among humankind for all time (Rev.
chapters 20-22).
I'll conclude our exploration by telling you that I believe in a Pre-Tribulation rapture.
Out of all the other possibilities, it seems best to explain the apparent contradiction of
Jesus returning completely unexpectedly "as a thief" (Rev. 3:3) and then an exact time
of his coming being given three and a half years after the erecting of the "abomination
of desolation" in the rebuilt temple's "holy place" (Daniel 12:7-12, Rev. 12:14) when
the persecution of God's people ends - no doubt by the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
The rapture of the church will be totally unexpected and virtually instantaneous (1 Cor.
15:51-53). The Second Coming three and a half years after the "holy place" is defiled
will be seen by the whole world (Luke 17:24, Rev. 19:11-21).
There are several more passages that I find further support the Pre-Trib scenario: [Luke
21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape
all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.] Though
other versions of the Bible have varying translations of this verse, this from King
James is very accurate. It suggests in clear terms that there is a means of escape before
the Tribulation. Belief in Jesus is what makes us "worthy."
[1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we

had unto you, and how ye turned from idols to serve the living and true God; And to
wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which
delivers us from the wrath to come.
Though Paul was speaking to those who had turned from idolatry in his day, how much
more applicable are these words to the believers of today! [Revelation 3:10 Because
thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of
temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
These words by Jesus were orignally intended for the Apostle John be conveyed to the
faithful Asia Minor church of Philadelphia. Many believe this church is also
representative of the "true church" of all times comprised of all faithful believers in
Christ which will allow them to escape the "hour of temptation" (trial) which will
come upon all the world. This certainly sounds like the Tribulation to me!
Since this obviously hasn't happened yet, it must be something which is yet to come. If,
therefore, you are a believer in Jesus, you are a "Philadelphian" and this promise is for
YOU! This means that there lies just up ahead a destiny for us that exceeds our wildest
dreams and our greatest hopes. You mansion is already being built in the New
Jerusalem and before long it'll be Moving Day (John 14:1-3).
A long time ago God's Son stood upon the hillside of a place called Olivet speaking the
words that unify all of Bible Prophecy. I commend them to you as the time draws near
when we will see that man who spoke them so long ago face to face!
America's Judgment and Islam
By Bill Keller
Fathima Rifqa Bary is a 17-year-old Muslim girl from Ohio who converted to
Christianity and fled to Florida in fear of her life. I praise God the courts in Florida
have allowed her to stay, since we have already seen a rash of "honor killings" on US
soil in recent years. Remember the Muslim man in Buffalo who decapitated his wife
for wanting a divorce? Or the Houston cab driver who shot to death his two daughters
in the back of his cab for simply becoming "too western"? I have tried to tell you for
years that Islam is a religion of hate and death, and according to Islamic Law, Fathima
would be put to death for leaving Islam and converting to Christianity.
This is an important story because Muslims who have come to this country have not
sought to assimilate themselves into the American lifestyle, but they have sought to
force people here to follow their laws and beliefs. Many US banks have entire
departments set up to follow Shariah Law for Muslim account holders. Some airports
have been pressured into providing footbaths for Muslims. As most people go about
their daily lives, Muslims in this nation are working tirelessly to turn the United States
into a Muslim country.
Will Islam be the United States Babylon? All throughout the Bible and human history,
God has used human instruments to do His work and fulfill His plan and purpose. We
read all throughout the Old Testament how the children of Israel would turn away from
God, follow the false gods and idols of the world, live in open rebellion to God's
commandments, and eventually He would have enough and pour out His wrath upon
them. This was usually done in the form of allowing the enemies of Israel to take them
captive and enslave them. As you can imagine, that got their attention real quick.
Eventually, after a period of time and due to His never ending love, grace, and mercy,
God would free the children of Israel, give them their land back, and begin blessing
them again. Of course it was in this time of captivity that the children of Israel would
repent and ask God to forgive them. They would be in a place where God was their
only source of hope and strength. They began to worship Him again, trust Him again,
obey Him again. The amazing thing is once He set them free, it was like they got
amnesia. Almost immediately they would be back worshipping the false gods and idols
of the world. They would be getting involved in every kind of sin you could name.
Worshiping God, trusting Him, living in obedience to His commandments were all
forgotten.
It was like when you were a child and you disobeyed your mother. She would make
you go stand in the corner for a period of time. After the time was up, you were
allowed to go back to playing and doing what you wanted. During the time you were
standing in the corner, you were sorry for what you did. You promised your mother
that you would obey her from now on. As you stood in that corner you appreciated the
freedom you had to play and do what you wanted. But what happened when the
punishment was over? It wasn't long before you were not listening to your mother any
more. You began to do things you knew you weren't supposed to. What your mom had
to say and her rules didn't matter any more.
Like I tell you often, man has never really changed since the Garden of Eden! Go read
the Book of Judges. What a classic illustration of this cycle of sin-> punishment->
repentance-> restoration-> and sin again, you will ever find. You read the Book of
Judges and you start screaming at your Bible every time God frees them from their
enemies and they immediately fall right back into the same pattern of sin that forced
God to punish them in the first place. Over and over and over this cycle is repeated and
you think to yourself how stupid these people are! At that moment, most of us have
one of those sobering moments when the Holy Spirit says loud and clear, YOU ARE
NO DIFFERENT!
Before I deal with our nation, let me deal first with each of us as individuals. We are
all susceptible and at different times in our life fall into this pattern of sin. This is why
I implore you each day to stay in the Word, pray, keep close to the Lord, be in church
on Sunday or some day during the week, and find ways to serve the Lord. You see, all
of these things working together insure that you are never far from Christ. It keeps you
constantly focused on the Lord and your faith. It makes it very difficult to fall into the
many traps Satan lays for you each day to tempt you and lead you into sin and away
from God.
You know and I know that the first thing you do when you allow sin into your life is
that you stop reading the Bible as much, usually stop reading it period. You stop
praying as much, again, you often stop talking to God at all. You quit going to church
regularly, if you even go at all. You are like Adam who after he sinned, ran and hid
from God and we see that great scene of God in the Garden asking, "Adam, where are
you?"
Of course, as I tell you often sin always has a very high price tag. You NEVER sin and
get away with it. There is always a high price to pay when we choose to sin against
God. Eventually the time to pay, to suffer the consequences of our rebellion is upon us.
We then go through that season of chastisement, of punishment, and it is during this
time that most turn back to the Lord. We ask Him to forgive us, repent of our sins, and
in the season of punishment find our relationship with Christ again. Eventually the
season of punishment ends and we are back to living our lives again. Hopefully we
learned our lesson and have strengthened our walk with the Lord and will do all we
have to do each day to stay close to Him, live in obedience to His Word, and enjoy the
blessings of that relationship with Jesus.
*Hear my word for you today! The United States is no different than the children of
Israel. We are a wicked and rebellious people who have forsaken our God. We have
squandered His many blessings and have turned this blessed land into one that is
cursed. We have turned to every false god, idol, and philosophy the world has dreamed
up in opposition to the God of the Bible and His Truth. We proudly and legally
practice infanticide in this nation, slaughtering 4,000 babies every 24 hours. We have
embraced, celebrated, and accepted as normal deviant sexual choices that God never
intended man to engage in. We have opened the floodgates to allow pornography and
every kind of sexual sin man can imagine to exist without any restraint.
As Paul told his young disciple Timothy in 2 Timothy 3, men have become " lovers of
themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents,
ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal,
not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power. "
Just as God spared not His wrath on his own chosen people, punishing them for their
rebellion, so will the wrath of God be felt on this nation for our rebellion. In the past
God has poured out His judgment on nations by allowing their enemies to take them
captive. I believe today as I type these words that unless this nation immediately
repents, turns back to God and to His Truth, ISLAM WILL BE OUR BABYLON!
Amen.
I can't read the Bible and read about God's judgment on the children of Israel for their
cycle of sin and not understand that we are facing His judgment for our rebellion. The
Bible is also very clear that even amongst God's choice servants, when they sinned
there was always a price to pay. Why would we think for a second we can sin and get
away with it?
My prayer for you today is that you will realize that there is a huge price to pay when
we sin. Our rebellion to God always brings consequences. Likewise, God blesses us for
our obedience. So it really boils down to a choice between consequences and blessings.
I have to tell you as someone who has experienced both, blessings are MUCH better.
Sinning is not only an act against God, but really stupid since we know we aren't going
to get away with it. I pray today that the Lord will speak to your heart and each time
you are confronted with the choice to sin, you will remember that you pay a huge price
for that sin at some point. It is just as easy to OBEY God, and instead of dealing with
the pain of whatever consequences arise, you can enjoy the blessings that flow from
your obedience.
As for this nation, I sense our time is very short. I sense in my spiritual gut that at any
moment God could unleash His wrath on this land. We are not only due His judgment,
we are long OVERDUE! As I see the events of this world unfolding, I clearly see that
Islam could very easily be God's instrument of judgment on this nation for our
rebellion, just like Babylon was His instrument of judgment on the children of Israel
for their rebellion. I only know the glimpses we get from the Word what being taken
captive and enslaved by a hostile people would be like. None of us can even begin to
fathom it. I do know that it will be horrible. I also know that it can be avoided IF we
act now.
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at:
bkeller@liveprayer.com
Why the "Epicenter" Could Shake the World Sooner Than You Think
By Jan Markell
There is a lot of speculation these days about Israel's recent missile

class warships sailing through the Suez Canal. This was just shortly
after an Israeli submarine was spotted, capable of launching a nuclear
missile strike in preparation for a possible attack on Iran's nuclear
facilities.
All of this was confirmed by Israeli officials, and it was a clear signal
that Israel is able to put its strike force within range of Iran on short
notice.
Additionally, Israel has strengthened ties with Arab nations that also
fear a nuclear-armed Iran. In particular, relations with Egypt have
grown increasingly strong this year over the "shared mutual distrust of
Iran." Israeli naval vessels would likely pass through the Suez Canal
for an Iranian strike.
These exercises are a message to Iran that Israel is serious about
defending herself. It is believed that Israel's missile-equipped
submarines, and its fleet of advanced aircraft, could be used to strike
at in excess of a dozen nuclear-related targets more than 800 miles
from Israel.
Is this just saber rattling with little substance? No. Israel knows it
must strike Iran's nuclear plants before Iran is capable of seriously
launching nukes at Israel's main cities in retaliation. If Israel strikes
now, Iran is not yet capable of retaliating with her own nukes. Yes, she
would retaliate in other ways, but they wouldn't decimate Israel. The
region could be spared devastation if Israel acted in the next
few weeks to a few months. If Israel waits a year or more, Iran
will have the nuclear capability to send the region -- and world oil
supply -- into utter chaos.
The Jews ignored the warnings of the 1930s to get out of Europe. They
could not comprehend that a mad man had come on the scene who
was serious about exterminating all of European Jewry. The Pharaohs
and Hamans of Bible times weren't enough of a signal that such evil
abounds then and now. The "new Hitler," Achmadinejad, is far more
dangerous than the old Hitler. He did not have technology and
nucleaer weapons.
In 1973 during the Yom Kippur War, Israel was caught by surprise.
Israel kept delaying the deployment of troops. Not until the morning of
Yom Kippur (October 6), about six hours before the Arab offensive,
were Israeli officials convinced that war was imminent, and a
mobilization of the reserves ordered. By then it was almost too late.
But Israeli action, even though delayed, was so stunning that the
Soviet Union threatened direct military intervention. Again, the world
could have been plunged into a global disaster all because Israel
waited too long.
Israel's victory in this war cost 2,400 lives and an estimated $5 billion
of which more than $1 billion was airlifted by the U.S. during a time in
the war when Israel's outcome looked bleak. There actually could have
been a military escalation between superpowers in 1973, all because
Israel did not heed the proper warnings before October 1973.
She will not make these mistakes again! It's kill or be killed now.
Any kind of military strike in the Middle East will affect you directly.
You need to take these issues seriously and be in prayer. The Middle
East is called the "epicenter" for a reason. It is the center of the earth
geographically, politically, and religiously.
It does not help to have America's president tell Jewish leaders, as he

did last week, that they must engage in self-reflection. Obama says
there is a narrow window of opportunity for advancing the peace
process and that he plans to speak openly and honestly with Israel
just as he did with the Arab nations in Cairo. But in Cairo, he primarily
praised Islam, his own Islamic heritage, and bad-mouthed America.
Obama ignored the rejectionism of the Arab world against Israel and
the ongoing wars and waves of Arab terror directed against the Jewish
state since the day of its creation. He also compared the Palestinians
to the U.S. civil rights movement.
His "engagement" and benign relationship with corrupt and despotic

Arab regimes contrasts starkly with the tough talk conveyed to Israel
at a time in history when once again, without God's intervention, Israel
is facing extinction if she doesn't act and act quickly. She knows
America is no longer her trusted friend. And no, God would not allow
her extinction.
It's time Obama tell the Arab/Muslim world -- and not Israel -- to
engage in self-reflection! It's time he tell them that the world's
economy, already in a free fall, could spin out of control if there is a
war in the Middle East sparked by Iran's thirst for nuclear weapons as
soon as possible! It's time he tell them to dismantle all suicide
bombers whose target is innocent Israelis (and other victims such as
those in Jakarta last week). It's time Obama leave Israel alone, quit
telling her to dismantle settlements, and quit trying to divide
Jerusalem.
Obama's policy can be summarized as "Israelis should give and

Palestinians should take." It amounts to appeasing the Arabs,
humiliating Israel and, in the process, undermining the security of the
Jewish state, the entire Middle East, and the rest of the world. Right
when Israel needs every friend she can get (although the Bible says
just the opposite will be the case), when Iranian nukes are being
designed to fly down smokestacks in Tel Aviv and Haifa, America's
president is lecturing and scolding Israel and telling her to "engage in
self-reflection"? I suggest President Obama exercise some of his own
self-reflection! (Also see Ezekiel 38:22, 23 for more of God's
miraculous intervention when no nations come to Israel's defense.)
American Jews who voted overwhelmingly to elect Obama should not
remain silent. They are entitled to press him to adhere to his
commitment and treat the Jewish state in an even-handed manner.
Together with other friends of Israel, they should discourage Obama
from offering Israel as a sacrificial lamb on the altar of Arab
appeasement. In urging Obama not to abandon Israel, they would also
be promoting the U.S. national interest. History cannot point to a
single instance in which appeasement of jihadists or tyrants has ever
borne fruit.
Yet appeasement seems to be Obama's middle name. John Lennon

would be happy were he still alive. The world's superpower, America,
just loves to give peace a chance in all the wrong places.
Keep your eyes on the epicenter. It could literally explode in the

coming weeks or months. Israel must act quickly no matter what the
cost.
The Man of Sin and the New World Order

By Thomas Horn
Events unfolding since 9/11 portend a near future in which a man of superior
intelligence, wit, charm, and diplomacy will emerge on the world scene as a savior. He
will seemingly possess a transcendent wisdom that enables him to solve problems and
to offer solutions for many of today’s most perplexing issues.
His popularity will be widespread and his fans will include young and old, religious
and non-religious, male and female. Talk show hosts will interview his colleagues,
news anchors will cover his movements, scholars will applaud his uncanny ability at
resolving what has escaped the rest of us, and the
poor will bow down at his table. He will, in all human respects, appeal to the best idea
of society. But his profound comprehension and irresistible presence will be the result
of an invisible network of thousands of years of collective knowledge. He will, like the
god Vulcan, represent the embodiment of a very old super-intellegent spirit. As Jesus
Christ was the “seed of the woman” (Gen. 3:15), he will be the “seed of the serpent.”
Moreover, though his arrival in the form of a man was foretold by numerous
Scriptures, the broad masses will not immediately recognize him for what he actually
is—paganism’s ultimate incarnation; the “beast” of Revelation 13:1.
It’s been assumed for centuries that a prerequisite for the coming of Antichrist would
be a “revived” world order—an umbrella under which national boundaries dissolve,
and ethnic groups, ideologies, religions, and economics from around the world,
orchestrate a single and dominant sovereignty. At the head of the utopian
administration, a single personality will surface. He will appear to be a man of
distinguished character, but will ultimately become “a king of fierce countenance”
(Dan. 8:23). With imperious decree he will facilitate a one-world government,
universal religion, and global socialism. Those who refuse his New World Order will
inevitably be imprisoned or destroyed until at last he exalts himself “above all that is
called God, or that is worshiped, so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God,
showing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:4).
For many years the notion of an Orwellian society where one-world government
oversees the smallest details of our lives and in which human liberties are abandoned
was considered anathema. The idea that rugged individualism would somehow be
sacrificed for an anesthetized universal harmony was repudiated by America’s greatest
minds. Then, in the 1970’s, things began to change. Following a call by Nelson
Rockefeller for the creation of a “New World Order,” presidential candidate Jimmy
Carter campaigned, saying, “We must replace balance of power politics with world
order politics.” This struck a chord with international leaders including President
George Herbert Walker Bush, who in the 1980s began championing the one-world
dirge, announcing over national television that the time for “a New World Order” had
arrived. The invasion into Kuwait by Iraq/Babylon provided perfect cover for allied
forces to engage the Babylonian “prince” by launching Desert Storm against Saddam
Hussein’s forces, an effort Bush made clear was “to forge for ourselves and for future
generations a New World Order… in which a credible United Nations can use its…
role to fulfill the promise and vision of the U.N.’s founders.” Following this initial
statement, Bush addressed the Congress where he added:
“What is at stake is more than one small country [Kuwait], it is a big idea—a New
World Order, where diverse nations are drawn together in common cause to achieve
the universal aspirations of mankind…. Such is a world worthy of our struggle, and
worthy of our children’s future…. the long-held promise of a New World Order…”[1]
Ever since the President’s astonishing newscast, the parade of political and religious
leaders in the United States and abroad pushing for a New World Order has multiplied.
Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair in a speech delivered in Chicago, April 22, 1999,
said frankly, “We are all internationalists now, whether we like it or not.” Blair could
barely have imagined how quickly his doctrine would catch on. By December 9, 2008,
respected chief foreign affairs columnist for The Financial Times, Gideon Rachman
(who attended the 2003 and 2004 Bilderberg meetings at Versailles, France, and
Stresa, Italy) admitted,
“I have never believed that there is a secret United Nations plot to take over the US. I
have never seen black helicopters hovering in the sky above Montana. But, for the first
time in my life, I think the formation of some sort of world government is plausible.”
The United Kingdom’s Gordon Brown not only agreed, but in an article for The
Sunday Times, March 1, 2009, said it was time “for all countries of the world” to
renounce “protectionism” and to participate in a new “international” system of banking
and regulations “to shape the 21st century as the first century of a truly global society.”
On January 1, 2009,
Mikhail Gorbachev, the former head of state of the USSR, said the global clamor for
change and the election of Barack Obama was the catalyst that might finally convince
the world of the need for global government. In an article for the International Herald
Tribune, he said:
Throughout the world, there is a clamor for change. That desire was evident in
November, in an event that could become both a symbol of this need for change and a
real catalyst for that change. Given the special role the United States continues to play
in the world, the election of Barack Obama could have consequences that go far
beyond that country…
If current ideas for reforming the worlds financial and economic institutions are
consistently implemented, that would suggest we are finally beginning to understand
the important of global governance.
Four days later on January 5, 2009, the chorus call for a New World Order was ramped
up by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger while on the floor of the New York
Stock Exchange. A reporter for CNBC asked Kissinger what he thought Barack
Obama’s first actions as President should be in light of the global financial crises. He
answered, “I think that his task will be to develop an overall strategy for America in
this period, when really a New World Order can be created.” Kissinger followed on
January 13th, with an opinion piece distributed by Tribune Media Services titled The
Chance for a New World Order. Addressing the international financial crises inherited
by Barack Obama, Kissinger discussed the need for an international political order
(world government) to rise and govern a new international monetary and trade system.
“The nadir of the existing international financial system coincides with simultaneous
political crises around the globe,” he wrote. “The alternative to a new international
order is chaos.” Kissinger went on to highlight Obama’s extraordinary impact on the
“imagination of humanity,” calling it “an important element in shaping a New World
Order.” [2]
Kissinger—a Rockefeller functionary and member of the Bilderberg group and

Trilateral Commission who routinely turns up in lists among senior members of the
Illuminati—peppered his article with key phrases from Masonic dogma, including the
comment about the “alternative to a new international order is chaos,” a clear reference
to “Ordo ab Chao” from Ancient Craft Masonry, a reference to the doctrine of “Order
out of Chaos.” Like the mythical Phoenix firebird, Kissinger visualized the opportunity
for a New World Order to be engineered from the ashes of current global chaos,
exactly the point he had made years earlier at the Bilderberger meeting in Evian,
France, May 21, 1991 when describing how the world could be manipulated into
willingly embracing global government. He said:
“Today Americans would be outraged if U.N. troops entered Los Angeles to restore
order; tomorrow they will be grateful! This is especially true if they were told there
was an outside threat from beyond, whether real or promulgated, that threatened our
very existence. It is then that all peoples of the world will plead with world leaders to
deliver them from this evil. The one thing every man fears is the unknown. When
presented with this scenario, individual rights will be willingly relinquished for the
guarantee of their well being granted to them by their world government.” [3]
During his second inaugural address, U.S. President George W. Bush likewise
envisioned the specter of a Babylonian-like One World Government. With an almost
religious tone he cited Masonic script, saying, “When our Founders declared a new
order of the ages . . . they were acting on an ancient hope that is meant to be fulfilled.”
[4] New Age guru Benjamin Creme was clearer still on how the marriage of politics
and religion would epitomize the New World Order when he said some years ago,
“What is the plan? It includes the installation of a new world government and a new
world religion under Maitreia” (Maitreia is a New Age “messiah”). [5] Five-time
United States Senator from Arizona and Republican Presidential nominee in 1964,
Barry Goldwater likewise foresaw the union of politics and religion as a catalyst for
global government. In writing of the efforts of behind-the-scenes groups including
international bankers to bring about a New World Order, he said it would occur
through consolidating “the four centers of power—political, monetary, intellectual and
ecclesiastical.”
As the managers and creators of the new (prophetic) system, this power elite would
“rule the future” of mankind he believed. [6] So concerned was Goldwater with the
consolidation of government policy and religious creed that on September 16, 1981 he
took the unique position of warning political preachers from the floor of the US Senate
that he would “fight them every step of the way if they [tried] to dictate their [religious
ideas] to all Americans in the name of conservatism.” The increasing influence of the
Religious Right on the Republican Party was bothersome to Goldwater in particular
because of his libertarian views. It should have concerned theologians as well, and I
say this as a man often associated with the Religious Right. Combining religious faith
with politics as a legislative system of governance hearkens the formula upon which
Antichrist will come to power (note how in the Book of Revelation chapter 13 the
political figure of Antichrist derives ultranational dominance from the world’s
religious faithful through the influence of an ecclesiastical leader known as the False
Prophet). Neither Jesus nor his disciples (who turned the world upside down through
preaching the Gospel of Christ, the true “power of God” according to Paul) ever
imagined the goal of changing the world through supplanting secular government with
an authoritarian theocracy. In fact,
Jesus made it clear that his followers would not fight earthly authorities purely because
His Kingdom was “not of this world” (John 18:36). While every modern citizen—
religious and non-religious—has responsibility to lobby for moral good, combining the
mission of the Church with political aspirations is not only unprecedented in New
Testament theology—including the life of Christ and the pattern of the New Testament
Church—but, as Goldwater may have feared, a tragic scheme concocted by sinister
forces to defer the Church from its true power while enriching insincere bureaucrats, a
disastrous fact that only now some are beginning to understand.
Behind these scenes and beyond view of the world’s uninitiated members, the alchemy
and rituals of the occult masters—Illuminatists, Masons, Bonesmen, Bilderbergers and
Bohemians—have combined to harmonize so completely within recent U.S. foreign
and domestic policies as to clearly point to a terrifying Sibyl’s conjure, a near future
horizon upon which a leader of indescribable brutality will appear. Although this false
prince of peace will seem at first to hold unique answers to life’s most challenging
questions, ultimately he will make the combined depravities of Antiochus Epiphenes,
Hitler, Stalin, and Genghis Khan, all of whom were types of the Antichrist, look like
child’s play. He will raise his fist, “speaking great things.... in blasphemy against God,
to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven” (Rev. 13:5-
6). He will champion worship of the “old gods” and “cause that as many as would not
worship the image of the beast should be killed” (Rev. 13:15), and he will revive an
ancient mystery religion that is “the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul
spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird” (Rev. 18:2).
Nevertheless . . . the world is readied . . . indeed hungry for . . . a political savior to

arise now with a plan to deliver mankind from upheaval.
A Spirit Of Antichrist And The Era Of Obama

By Thomas Horn
Should the world continue, historians will undoubtedly record how the messianic fervor
surrounding the election of the 44th president of the United States reflected not only
widespread disapproval for Bush administration policies, but how, in the aftermath of
September 11, 2001 the American psyche was primed to accept expansive alterations in
political and financial policy with an overarching scheme for salvation from chaos.
Among these historians, a few will undoubtedly also argue that, as National German
Socialists did in the years following World War I, Barack Hussein Obama appealed to the
increasingly disenfranchised voters among American society by playing on their
understandable fears in order to posture himself as the essential agent of change. What
most of these historians are not likely to record, however, is the involvement before and
after the U.S. presidential election by unseen shapers of the New World Order.
If they did, the vast numbers of people would not believe it anyway, the idea that behind
the global chaos that gave rise to Obama’s popularity was a secret network, a
transnational hand directing the course of civilization. Yet no account of history
including recent times is complete or even sincere without at least acknowledging the
behind-the-scenes masters who manipulate international policy, banking and finance,
securities and exchange, trade, commodities, and energy resources. Numerous works
including scholarly ones have connected the dots between this ruling superclass and the
integration of policy handed down to governing bodies of nation-states and supra-
national organizations.
The Economist Newspaper in April 2008 pointed to research by academic David

Rothkopf, whose book, Superclass: The Global Power Elite and the World They Are
Making documented how only a few thousand people worldwide actually dictate the
majority of policies operating at a global scale. The Economist described this
comparatively small number of elites as being “groomed” in “world-spanning
institutions… [who] meet at global events such as the World Economic Forum at Davos
and the Trilateral Commission or… the Bilderberg meetings or the Bohemian Grove
seminars that take place every July in California.” [8]
Long time radio host and author of Brotherhood of Darkness, Stanley Monteith says such
persons are part of an “Occult Hierarchy” that rules the world and directs the course of
human events. “The movement is led by powerful men who reject Christianity, embrace
the ‘dark side,’ and are dedicated to the formation of a world government and a world
religion,” he writes. “They control the government, the media… many corporations, and
both [US] political parties.” [9]
Interestingly, Pope Benedict XVI may have referred to the same group when in 2008 he
warned United Nations diplomats that multilateral consensus needed to solve global
difficulties was “in crises” because answers to the problems were being “subordinated to
the decisions of the few.” His predecessor, Pope John Paul II may have acknowledged the
same, believing a One World Government beneath the guidance of a ruling superclass
was inevitable.
Before his death, it was prominent American political scientist Samuel P. Huntington
who brought the uber-echelon behind the push for global government up from
“conspiracy theory” to academic acceptability when he established that they “have little
need for national loyalty, view national boundaries as obstacles that thankfully are
vanishing, and see national governments as residues from the past whose only useful
function is to facilitate the elite’s global operations.” [10]
In other words, according to experts, international affairs, foreign and domestic politics
and taxpayer funded investment economics are being largely decided by a privileged
cadre of families who are dedicated to a New World Order and One World Government.
I have to admit when writing this series it was difficult to resist the temptation to compile
at length the names, dates and organizations that form the goals of the ruling elite.
Having accumulated thousands of pages of research material concerning the CFR, the
Trilateral Commission, Bohemians, Masons, the Bilderbergers and other Illuminatus
subgroups, my original intention included several chapters on the memberships past and
present of the largely unknown powers working behind public affairs. In the end I
determined that enough of this type material is already available to the public and that
this work would be better served in raising awareness beyond the machinations of
financiers and occult ideologues who direct global institutions, by showing that behind
their matrix of illusion—which most citizens perceive as reality—is an arena of evil
supernaturalism under which these human ‘conduits’ are willingly organized.
In more than thirty important biblical texts, the Greek New Testament employs the term
kosmos, which describes an invisible order or “government behind government.” It is
here that human ego, separated from God, becomes hostile to the service of mankind
while viewing people as commodities to be manipulated in the service of fiendish
ambition. To some, the origins of this phenomenon began in the distant past when a “fire
in the minds” of angels caused Lucifer to exalt himself above the good of God’s Creation.
The once glorified spirit was driven mad by an unequivocal thirst to rule, conquer, and
dominate. His fall spawned similar lust between his followers, which continues today
among human agents of dark power who guard a privileged “cause and effect”
relationship between diabolical forces and the opportunity for lordship over societies.
The objectives of the secret orders and the very real forces they serve is seldom perceived
by citizens of democratic societies who view national officials as ruling their countries
and representing their interests. Yet according to sacred texts, not only does an active
collaboration exist between unregenerate social architects and fallen angels, but
politicians in particular are vulnerable to “principalities and powers.” According to well-
known exorcist Gabriele Amorth who has performed over 70,000 official exorcisms,
“Evil exists in politics, quite often in fact. The devil loves to take over… those who hold
political office.” [11] As a result, it is not difficult to see how “fleshy gloves” such as US
Presidents may be unaware of their role as chess pieces on a terrestrial game board
sliding in and out of position as they are moved by “the god of this world” toward the
phantasmogoric end game (see 2 Cor. 4:4). If researchers like Dr. Monteith are correct
and world governments are to this day influenced by such dark angelic powers, the elite
who head the current push to establish a New World Order are directly connected with an
antichrist system whether they know it or not. With vivid testimony to this, Satan offered
to Jesus all the power and glory of the kingdoms of this world. He said, “All this power
[control] will I give thee, and the glory of them [earthly cities]: for that is delivered unto
me: and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be
thine” (Luke 4:6-7).
Signs and evidence of such supernatural involvement in the current move towards
worldwide totalitarian government have been increasing in political commentary, occult
symbolism and numerological ‘coincidences’ over the past decade. As public opinion is
engineered toward final acceptance of the international subordination, we would expect
to see these ‘mirrors of occult involvement’ continue. Recently there have been so many
semiotic messages (visible signs and audible references that communicate subliminal
ideas) in the open that it is starting to feel as if the ‘gods’ are mocking us; challenging
whether or not we will willingly admit their involvement. This has been exponentially
true since the election of US President Barack Hussein Obama, the ‘President of the
world’ according to news services around the planet. While the grandiose title “President
of the world” granted Obama by euphoric crowds on election night remains to be
prophetic, the glorified ideal behind it reflects the global hunger for, and movement
toward, the arrival of ‘the one’ who represents the invisible agencies mentioned above
and who, for a while, will appear to be the world’s answer man.
Consider the unprecedented messianic rhetoric that reporters, politicians, celebrities and
even preachers used in celebrating the ‘spiritual nature’ of Obama’s meteoric rise from
near obscurity to US President. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Mark Morford
characterized it as “a sort of powerful luminosity.” In Morford’s opinion, this was
because Obama is “a Lightworker, that rare kind of attuned being who has the ability
to… help usher in a new way of being on the planet…” [12] The dean of the Martin
Luther King Jr. International Chapel, Lawrence Carter, went further, comparing Obama
to the coming of Jesus Christ: “It is powerful and significant on a spiritual level that there
is the emergence of Barack Obama… No one saw him coming, and Christians believe
God comes at us from strange angles and places we don’t expect, like Jesus being born in
a manger.” [13] Dinesh Sharma, a marketing science consultant with a PhD in
Psychology from Harvard appraised Obama likewise: “Many… see in Obama a messiah-
like figure, a great soul, and some affectionately call him Mahatma Obama.” [14] It
would have been easy to dismiss such commentary as the New Age quiverings of loons
had it not been for similar passion on the lips of so many people. The following is a brief
list of like expressions from a variety of news sources: Block quote start “Barack’s appeal
is actually messianic… he… communicates God-like energy… What if God decided to
incarnate as men preaching ‘hope and change.’ And what if we… let them slip away, not
availing ourselves… to be led by God!” Steve Davis, Journal Gazette [15]
“This is bigger than Kennedy. . . . This is the New Testament! I felt this thrill going up
my leg. I mean, I don’t have that too often. No, seriously. It’s a dramatic event.” Chris
Matthews, MSNBC [16]
“Does it not feel as if some special hand is guiding Obama on his journey, I mean, as he
has said, the utter improbability of it all?” Daily Kos [17]
“Obama, to me, must be not just an ordinary human being but indeed an Advanced Soul,
come to lead America out of this mess” Lynn Sweet, Chicago Sun Times [18]
“He is not operating on the same plane as ordinary politicians…the agent of

transformation in an age of revolution, as a figure uniquely qualified to open the door to
the 21st century.” Former US Senator Gary Hart, Huffington Post [19]
t “He is not the Word made flesh [Jesus], but the triumph of word over flesh [better than
Jesus?]…Obama is, at his best, able to call us back to our highest selves.” Ezra Klein,
Prospect [20]
“Obama has the capacity to summon heroic forces from the spiritual depths of ordinary
citizens and to unleash therefrom a symphonic chorus of unique creative acts whose
common purpose is to tame the soul and alleviate the great challenges facing mankind.”
Gerald Campbell, First Things First [21]
“Obama was… blessed and highly favored…I think that… his election… was divinely
ordered… I’m a preacher and a pastor; I know that that was God’s plan… I think he is
being used for some purpose.” Janny Scott, New York Times [22] Block quote end Block
quote start “He won’t just heal our city-states and souls. He won’t just bring the Heavenly
Kingdom — dreamt of in both Platonism and Christianity — to earth. He will heal the
earth itself.” Micah Tillman, The Free Liberal [23]
“The event itself is so extraordinary that another chapter could be added to the Bible to
chronicle its significance.” Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., Politico [24]
Though he tried to keep it subtle himself, Obama encouraged such public perception of
him as an ‘anointed’ one whose time had come. Officially produced Obama campaign
advertising consistently used such words as ‘faith,’ ‘hope,’ and ‘change.’ Republican
nominee John McCain picked up on this during his run for office and put out a cynical
video called “The One.”
Using some of Obama’s own words against him, the video mocked Obama’s play as a
Christ-like figure, showing him in New Hampshire saying, “a light beam will shine
through, will light you up, and you will experience an epiphany, and you will suddenly
realize that you must go to the polls and vote for Barack!” The video failed to mention
that having an “epiphany” actually means the sudden realization or comprehension of an
appearance of deity to man. Another part of the video included Obama during his
nomination victory speech in St. Paul, Minnesota, saying, “this was the moment when the
rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.” Anybody that followed
the presidential campaign would have picked up the same nuances—angelic children
organized to sing about Obama, logos depicting rays of sunlight beaming out from his
‘O’ shaped hand sign (a gesticulation Hitler used as well), books such as Nikki Grimes
“Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope” (Simon & Schuster), comparisons to
Plato’s ‘Philosopher King’ without whom our souls will remain broken, comparisons to
the ‘spiritually enlightened’ Mahatma Gandhi, comparisons to the Solar Hero Perseus,
comparisons to Jesus Christ and even comparisons to God Himself.
The world is “looking for a superstar,” wrote Prophecy in the News founder J. R. Church.
They want a man “who can solve the problems of our planet. That elusive dream of a
world without war, poverty, and disease has always been just beyond our reach. Most
politicians are perplexed—overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem. They are
convinced that the dilemma cannot be solved by commerce or systems, be it democracy
or socialism. Most believe they can only be solved by a man—a superhuman superstar!”
[25]
Will Obama become the superhuman superstar the world has been waiting for? If
symbolic gestures are any indication, there certainly were plenty of religious folks during
his march into the White House that thought he was or that at least he was a forerunner of
‘The One.’ Dozens of churches and faith groups including mainline Protestants organized
activities to mark Obama’s inauguration as a ‘spiritual’ event. Randall Balmer, professor
of religion in American history at Columbia University admitted he had never seen
anything like it before. [26]
CNN went so far as to compare Obama’s inauguration to the Hajj—the journey by

Muslims to the holy city of Mecca, an obligatory pilgrimage that demonstrates their
dedication to Allah. [27]
In Des Moines, Iowa, an inaugural parade for Obama included a simulation of the
triumphant entry of Christ in which a facsimile of Obama rode upon a donkey. As the
reproduction made it’s way down the streets, palm branches were handed out to
onlookers so that they could wave them like Christ’s adorers did in the 21st chapter of
Matthew. [28]
Several ministries including the Christian Defense Coalition and Faith and Action came
together to perform what was heralded as a first for US presidential inaugurations—
applying anointing oil to the doorposts of the arched doorway that Obama passed through
as he moved to the platform on the West Front of the Capital to be sworn in.
Congressman Paul Broun (Georgia) was part of the ritual and joined Reverend Rob
Schenck, who said, “Anointing with oil is a rich tradition in the Bible and… symbolizes
consecration, or setting something apart for God’s use.” [29]
Not content with just using sacred anointing oil to consecrate Obama for God’s use,
approximately two-thousand New Agers, Wiccans and Shaman’s gathered at Dupont
Circle—chosen because it is considered the ‘gay center of Washington DC’as well as
being the point of the left ear of the Masonic street Pentagram north of the White House
—to participate in a cleansing ceremony to purge the White House of evil spirits (which
they said were brought there by Bush) for Obama. A Shaman officiated the event,
lighting bundles of sage, which smoldered and gave off thick blue aromatic smoke.
Saging, as it is called, is believed by Wiccan tradition to drive away evil spirits. [30]
Even the conventional inaugural prayers, which have been historically offered during US
presidential installation ceremonies, carried an unparalleled New Age flavor this time
around. Rick Warren, considered America’s Christian pastor, rendered a blessing in the
name of the Muslim version of Jesus (Isa), while the Bishop of New Hampshire, Gene
Robinson invoked the “God of our many understandings.”
While all this was highly unusual, even unprecedented, it was not surprising. Obama had
spent significant time during the campaign distancing himself from conservative
Christians, evangelicals and especially the Religious Right (which had held prominent
sway over Republicans since Ronald Reagan held office) countering that his faith was
more universalist and unconvinced of Bible inerrancy. In a 5-minute video available on
YouTube, a pre-election speech by Obama was highly cynical of Bible authority and
even derided specific Old and New Testament scriptures. “Whatever we once were,”
Obama says on the video, “we’re no longer a Christian nation,” adding, “Democracy
demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than
religion-specific values… this is going to be difficult for some who believe in the
inerrancy of the Bible as many evangelicals do.” [31]
Consequently, the conscious effort by Obama to reorient America away from

conventional Christianity was widely embraced by people who identified with the man
who carried a tiny idol of the Hindu god Hanuman in his pocket—whose blessings he
sought in the race to the White House—together with a Madonna and child. For Obama,
who grew up in a household where the Bible, the Koran and the Bhagvat Gita sat on a
shelf side by side, organized religion was best defined as “closed-mindedness dressed in
the garb of piety,” but a useful political tool nonetheless. And so he used it masterfully,
and earned a cult following while doing so.
By February 2009, Obama had replaced Jesus Christ as America’s No. 1 hero according
to a Harris poll, and dedication to his come-one come-all mysticism has continued to
spread, with evangelists of the new religion calling for the ‘tired’ faith of our fathers to be
replaced with a global new one. Terry Neal, writing for the Hamilton Spectator is such a
disciple, and proclaims boldly: “The faiths of our fathers are tired now… only a global
world view will suffice. The marriage of a believable faith with the husbandry of
government is the union that must be contracted.” This has to occur under Obama, Neal
concludes, for only then will there be “peace on earth and goodwill toward all.” [32]
Although it is more difficult to understand the broad appeal of Obama’s New Age
philosophy to the many evangelical and Catholic voters who supported him, the
phenomenon can be explained to some degree as the result of a changing culture. Over
the past 50 years and especially as baby-boomers listened attentively to pastors telling
them to focus on human potential and the “god within us all,” eastern philosophies of
Monism, Pantheism, Hinduism, and Self Realization grew, providing Americans with an
alluring opportunity to throw off the “outdated ideas” of fundamental Christianity and to
espouse a more “enlightened” monistic worldview (all is one).
Aimed at accomplishing what the builders of the Tower of Babel failed to do (unify the
masses of the world under a single religious umbrella), God was viewed as pantheistic
and humans were finally understood to be divine members of the whole “that God is.”
Pagans argue this principle of inner divinity is older than Christianity, which is true. The
gospel according to such New Age concepts—a gospel of “becoming god”— is as old as
the fall of man. It began when the serpent said to the woman “ye shall be as gods” (Gen.
3:5), and it will zenith during the reign of the anti-Christian god-king.
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell
us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of
the end of the age?” (Matt. 24:3)
One of the mistakes we make in reading the Bible is caused by our tendency to look at
everything through “Church colored glasses.” By that I mean we read it as if everything
applies directly to us without regard for the context or historical background. I know
Paul said everything that was written in the past was written to teach us (Romans 15:4)
but that doesn’t mean it was all written to us. It means we’re supposed to learn from the
experiences of those who came before us. A prime example of this kind of mistake can
be found in our interpretation of the Olivet Discourse. I’ll show you what I mean.
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his
attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth,
not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Matt. 24:1-
2)
These two verses set the tone for the entire discussion, yet in our rush to get to the meat
of the passage they are often ignored. From Mark’s account we know that after Jesus
said this, four of the disciples came to Him for clarification. They were Peter, James,
John and Andrew (Mark 13:3), and they asked Him 3 questions. When will this happen?
(When will these buildings be torn down? ) What will be the sign of your coming? What
will be the sign of the End of the Age? Let’s look at them individually to gain more of
the background that prompted these questions.
When Will This Happen?
The view of Jerusalem at sunset from the Mount of Olives is breathtaking, even today. In
the Lord’s time it was even more so because the Temple was still standing. To them it
was the most beautiful building imaginable. The Hebrew Talmud says, “One who has
not seen the Temple from the time of Herod has never seen a magnificent building.” It
had been 46 years in the construction and was still not finished. At sunset its white
limestone exterior took on a bright golden hue, as if it was made of pure gold. Repeating
His Palm Sunday prophecy (Luke 19:41-44) Jesus said it would be so completely
destroyed that not one stone would be left standing on another. Luke’s version of the
Olivet Discourse is the only one that gives a detailed answer to this question. (Luke
21:12-24)
What Will Be The Sign Of Your Coming?
Obviously they meant His 2nd Coming and He actually gave them 2 clear signs. After
describing several things that would not be specific signs, but merely “birth pangs”, He
gave them the first one in Matt. 24:15. It’s the Abomination of Desolation standing in
the Holy Place and it will mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:21).
The second sign is only described as the Sign of the Son of Man. It will signal the Great
Tribulation’s end (Matt. 24:29). After that the Lord will return on the clouds with power
and great glory.
What Will Be The Sign Of The End Of The Age?
This question is more complex than they ever imagined when they asked it, even though
the answer is simple. Ultimately, the sign of the End of the Age will be the Lord’s
return. This question is the one where so many believers are way off the mark. It’s those
“church colored glasses” I mentioned. But when you understand the disciples’
perspective you’ll see that it was not possible for them to be thinking of the Church Age
when they used the phrase “end of the age” like so many Christians assume. Here’s why.
Over 500 years previously the Angel Gabriel had told Daniel how and when the end of
the age would come. He said that from the time they received permission to restore and
rebuild Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity there would be 70 periods of 7 years
each (often called weeks because the Hebrew word Gabriel used means “a week of
years”) for a total of 490 years (70 weeks).
When the disciples asked their questions, 483 years (69 weeks) had passed and there
were only 7 years (1 week) left. You can imagine their astonishment when He told them
that having come so close, just when the end was in sight it would all be destroyed. How
could this be? Anointing the Most Holy referred to the Temple, under construction for 46
years and still not finished. How could it be torn down and rebuilt in just 7 years?
It was this astonishment that led to their questions. They didn’t know anything about a
Church Age that would cause a 2000 year pause in Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy. Most of
us today don’t understand that the Church Age didn’t end the Age of Law, it has just
interrupted it. How could they have understood it? (The fact that the Age of Law hasn’t
ended explains why there will be a Temple erected in Israel soon. Israel needs one to
complete the final 7 years.)
40 days after the Resurrection, even after receiving the Holy Spirit (John 20:22) they
were still thinking that the End of the Age was at hand. When Jesus led them up to the
Mount of Olives where He would soon ascend to the Father, they asked Him, “Lord are
you at this time going to restore the Kingdom to Israel?” Once again He didn’t explain
anything about the future, but said, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the
Father has set by his own authority.” (Acts 1:7-8)
I’ve Got A Secret
James revealed the answer to the Apostles for the first time 20 years after the cross.
The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about
the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
When they finished, James spoke up: “Brothers, listen to me. Simon (Peter) has described
to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for
himself. The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
“ ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I
will restore it, that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear
my name, says the Lord, who does these things that have been known for ages.’ “ (Acts
15:12-17)
Israel was being set aside while the Lord built the Church for Himself. After He had
taken us He would turn His attention once again to Israel. If the Lord had taught them
these things, James would not have had to explain it. It wasn’t that they had heard this
and forgotten it. It was that the Lord had never told them.
And Paul claimed he was revealing an age old secret when he told the Church in Ephesus
that through the Gospel gentiles were being made heirs together with Israel. (Ephes. 3:4-
6)
Seen from this perspective it’s clear that the Olivet Discourse is not about the Church.
It’s the account of the Jewish Messiah speaking on the Mt. Of Olives to His Jewish
followers about the future of Israel. To underscore the point, in Matt. 24:15 He made
reference to a Jewish Temple and in Matt. 24:16 He spoke of Old Covenant followers in
Judea, the Biblical name for Israel, at the End of the Age. Only observant Jews would
be unable to flee on a Sabbath. These are the only specific references to a people group
in the entire passage. They both point to Israel and they’re both written in the 2nd person
(v. 15, when you see … v.20, pray that your flight … ), indicating that the Lord
considered the disciples to be representative of Israel. To place the Church in the Olivet
Discourse is to make a fundamental error in interpretation. (Only the pre-Trib Rapture
position avoids this error.)
What’s That There For?
So why is the Olivet Discourse even in the New Testament if it’s not for the Church?
There are several good reasons. First it gives the Church some early warning signals we
can use to know how close we’re getting to our departure. The birth pangs serve as
“nearness indicators” in that the more frequently they occur the closer we are. Also,
through out the entire Church Age the signs the Lord gave to Israel have not been in
evidence, primarily because until 1948 there was no Israel. This is what makes the re-
birth of the nation the pre-imminent sign that the End Times are upon us.
Second, the absence of any reference to the Church shows us that we won’t be here
during the time He was talking about.
And third it shows Tribulation believers both inside and outside of Israel what to look for
to help maintain their faith that He’s coming to end their ordeal.
Neither the Angel Gabriel nor the Lord misled Israel by not mentioning this
indeterminate pause between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel’s prophecy. At least up
to the cross and maybe all the way to the Ascension the Lord’s offer of a Kingdom to
Israel was on the table. The 40 days the Lord spent in Israel between the Resurrection and
the Ascension could well have been Israel’s time of testing (40 is the number of testing),
their last chance to accept the Kingdom. This could also explain why the Gospel
received limited exposure among the Gentiles during and immediately after the Lord’s
ministry and why it was 20 years after the cross before the doctrine of the Rapture was
introduced.
Clearly the Olivet Discourse was given primarily to Israel and doesn’t mention the
Church. No matter what view you hold of the sequence of End Times events, if you’ve
based it on an assumption that the disciples represent the Church in the Olivet Discourse,
it’s time to re-think your assumption. 06-13-09
Iraq: The Rebirth of Babylon

A prophet of God prophesied over twenty-five hundred years ago that Babylon would
experience a rebirth and that it would be a very painful experience. The prophet made it
plain that this rebirth would be dramatic and sorrowful, even like a "carcass trodden
under foot." The people of this rebirth would be troubled by evildoers. These evildoers
were destined to create great trauma for the population of this reborn nation. Its entire
period of a short-lived renewal would be plagued with trouble. The prophet Isaiah did
not miss one point.
Here are his perfect predictions as given to him by the Holy Spirit, "But thou art cast out
of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain,
thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden
under feet. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed
thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. Prepare
slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor
possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. For I will rise up against them,
saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son,
and nephew, saith the LORD. I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools
of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts."
(Isaiah 14:19-23) (This is the kind of prophecy that makes the Word of God
breathtaking.)
It has been as if Babylon and Iraq did not exist in the mind of the church world for nearly
two thousand years. Any talk of Babylon being rebuilt has been met with mostly
sarcasm or cries of ignorance. I received an e-mail just this week calling me insane for
speaking of literal Babylon in Bible prophecy. This man, along with a multitude, has
declared with vigor that the United States is modern Babylon. Actually, there are not
many cities in the world that could not be called Babylon if you speak of the tragic
presence of utter moral filth. Because, prophetically, Babylon has been in the grave; I
can understand why this vigorous denunciation of the few unwavering souls that dare to
believe God meant what He said to Isaiah. This is always the case with Bible prophecy.
It is why Israel did not know that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah. They did not
take Scripture literally.
I have dared to prophesy of Babylon’s rebirth for over forty years. The response has
been mixed, but, finally, it is changing toward the positive. Everything Isaiah said is
happening. The danger in Iraq, at the present, is of itself prophetic. This reborn nation
will never know the peace we enjoy in America. Bloodshed will dot their existence until
the fateful hour of God’s judgment. My heart hurts for the innocent people of this
struggling nation. They are there by birth and have never known anything but living with
sorrow. Those among them that know Jesus Christ as Savior can take heart because
God never judges the righteous with the wicked. As the fateful hour of judgment draws
near, God will speak to His own. His words are already recorded, "Come out of her, my
people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
(Revelation 18:4b)
Those who talk of evangelizing Iraq and making it a Christian nation are extremely
foolish and have no sense of Bible prophecy. Of course, individuals can and will be
converted and for that cause we should be committed. There is already an incredible
movement of the One World Religion and Babylon will be a key focus. It will not be
Bible-believing Christianity. Paul Crouch of TBN was there at the same time as I was
during my recent trip, but he was there spreading his false religion of replacement
theology. I personally heard him bragging about his commitment to ecumenicalism of
the One World church. He did not use that term, but his language was plain. He made
fun of the word Protestant and personally said, "I am not protesting anything." In fact he
was working toward starting a TV station covering Iraq. He, or someone that represents
him, will be there to announce the Antichrist to the world.
This great prophecy in Isaiah is being fulfilled as I write. This nation will become the
center of a one-world government. The United Nations is already discussing moving
their headquarters to Babylon. Let me quote the most recent discussion concerning this
fact. "Triggered by the Iraq War, informed sources say that the international Quartet of
world powers (the US, UN, European Union and Russia) has drafted a proposal to
transfer the seat of the United Nations to Baghdad (ancient Babel or Babylon)! The
move would relieve the space constraints of the New York headquarters while also
freeing it from the physical jurisdiction of the US. Though it’s only a draft of the Quartet,
plans appear to be in the works to establish a third and perhaps final worldwide
organization." (Israel Today, December 2003) (Pre-Trib Perspectives, March 2004) The
United Nations is pagan to the heart. They hate America and Israel; and our nation will
be blessed to be free of their influence.
Babylon is being reborn by Divine decree so it can be judged by Divine perfection.

Notice the last verse of Isaiah’s prophecy. He said, "I will also make it a possession for
the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith
the LORD of hosts." (Isaiah 14:23) John stated near the close of Holy Scripture,
"Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath
avenged you on her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast
it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down,
and shall be found no more at all." (Revelation 18:20-21) The presence of the Shiite
Muslims in Southern Iraq is prophetic. The leaders of this sect could not hate
Christianity with a greater hatred. They are the final product of the very heart and soul
of Babylon, and they will be judged with the city where false religion was born.
Northern Iraq is destined to become a great nation and will be called Assyria during the
Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ. Again, Isaiah prophesied of this future fact, "And the
LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the
LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them. In that day shall there be
a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the
Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians." (Isaiah 19:22-
23) The Cradle of Civilization has become an incredible center of End Times fulfillment.
Watch for a future Prophecy News Alert dealing with Northern Iraq and the rise of a
reborn Assyria. The Word of God has never been more alive with perfect fulfillment.
Joseph R. Chambers
jrc@pawcreek.org
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Will the Antichrist be a Jew or a Gentile?
Most Christian are aware of the fact that there is a lot of disagreement
about the interpretation of Bible prophecy between those who have
completely different viewpoints, like the arguments between those
who are Premillennial and Amillennial. But, what many people are not
aware of is that there are some strong points of disagreement between
those that take a literal viewpoint of end-time prophecies.
Recently, I attended a major Bible Prophecy conference in the Dallas

area where I had the opportunity to interview a number of Bible
prophecy experts. Out of 11 Bible prophecy experts I interviewed, only
3 said they felt like the Antichrist would be a Jew or that he could
possibly be one. We'll start with one yes/no answer, one could be, and
one maybe. The next seven people responded with a negative reply.
The final expert I interviewed answer may surprise you. Finally, I'll
conclude with my response.
Phillip Goodman
I do. I believe that he could, but I don't think the Bible tells us. The
evidence is not strong enough.
There is a passage in Daniel 11:37 that says he will reject the god or
the gods of his fathers. The language is not strong enough in there
from the original language to let us know whether it is a plural or a
singular. And, that is the primary passage that most people go to say
that perhaps he is a Jew. Because if it is the god of his father, it is a
very similar phrase we find all over the Old Testament. It is used of
the Jews. Yet, that also could be a Muslim, so the evidence is not
strong enough in the Bible really to tell us what his origination is in
terms of a religious origin.
So, we have to look to the geographic/geopolitical evidence in the

Bible to find out where he comes from. He could be a Jew. I am not
convinced of it. I think he is a Gentile, because he will be ruling over
the time of the Gentiles, according to Daniel 2 and also in Revelation.
There is stronger evidence that he will be a Gentile.
Don Perkins
He could be, and my reasons for that is 2 Thessalonians 2, where the

Scripture tells us that when the Antichrist comes into the Temple he
will literally go into the Temple as God. Which the Temple would be in
Jerusalem and he would be worshipped there as God. Now for that fact
I believe that the Antichrist could be a Jew. I believe that Israel could
literally worship him as a Jewish Messiah. Now, I know that goes a
little different against other people's views or whatever, but I do
believe that could very well be the case. He could be a Jew.
Todd Strandberg
I think he probably will be a Jew or it is highly likely, because the

Antichrist is going to be a replacement for Christ, so he probably will
be very much a mirror of Christ. Maybe the same age he will be. He
will probably have to be Jewish, because the Jews won't accept
someone who is not Jewish as Messiah, so I believe it very strongly.
They are going to make lots of mistakes by accepting him as their
Messiah. So, they might go beyond accepting someone who is not.
They should accept him. The only reason they should accept him is
because he is a Jew.
Daymond Duck
No, I don't think the Antichrist will be a Jew.
First, let's deal with a couple controversial passages on this issue

concerning the Antichrist in Daniel 11:37. You can go to the King
James Version of the Bible and there you will read that it says,
"Neither shall he regard the god of his father." You can go to the New
International Version or other translations and they will read neither
shall he regard the gods (plural) of his fathers. Now, those who think
the word is god singular, they say the Antichrist will come out of a
monotheistic religion and he will probably be a Jew. Those who think
the correct translation is gods plural say he will come out of a
polytheistic religion and he will be a Gentile. Now, I am not enough an
expert to settle whether it should it should be "god" or "gods." That
has gone on for a long time, and I don't know anyone that has ever
settled it.
Another controversial passage is John 5:43 and Jesus said, "I have
come in my Father's name and you have received me not. If another
shall come in his own name, him will you receive." And now you get
into what Jesus meant by the word "receive." Some say that means
that the Jews would receive him as Messiah, and they reason that the
Antichrist will be a Jew because the Jews wouldn't receive someone as
their Messiah who wasn't a Jew. And then there are others who say
when Jesus said "receive" that meant that the Jews will receive him as
a great leader who would guarantee the seven year covenant for
peace in the Middle East. So, you got those two views. Those who
think the Jews will receive him as a great leader, then they will believe
that he will be a Gentile.
I don't guess I could settle this issue on either one of those passages
of Scripture. But, I do think we have other passages of Scripture on
this issue and here now I am talking about Daniel 7:3 and Revelation
13:1 where the Antichrist is described as a beast coming up out of the
sea. And, of course, we know the sea is a symbol for multitudes,
nations, peoples, tongues... in other words, for Gentiles. And so, I
believe that those passages teach that the Antichrist will be a Gentile.
Don McGee
I do not believe that he will be a Jew, basically, for some of the same
reasons he will not be a Muslim. Antichrist is going to be a man that is
going to demand or command world-wide attention. For a Jew to be in
that position would be a very, very long shot. But, if you take someone
who comes from the European community, specifically with the
credentials that a lot of those people have, he will be in a position
automatically to be accepted by the entire world. Just like the
Antichrist will probably not be a Muslim because of a religious
connotation, so too will the Antichrist not be a person associated with
any type of religion except the one he is going to institute for himself.
Nathan Jones
I don't. If you go to Revelation 13, it talks about the Beast that comes
out of the sea. And typically, throughout the Bible, anything that is
related to the sea is an outside nation from Israel. It is a Gentile
nation. And, if you go to Revelation 13, it talks about a second beast,
and I think this is the one we are talking about in that the False
Prophet very well could be a Jew because he is the beast that comes
from the land, and the land is always a reference for Israel. So, no, I
do not think the Antichrist will be a Jew.
Arnold Fruchtenbaum
Now again, the passages in Daniel 9:26-27 specifies that he will be of

the same ethnic identity as the people who destroyed the city and the
Temple. And, in AD 70, it was the Romans that did so, which is why he
has to be not only a Gentile, but a Gentile specifically of Roman origin.
Al Gist
No, I don't believe that he will be a Jew. I believe that when he makes
his covenant with Israel that he will be speaking to a Jewish leader,
probably the man who will end up being the False Prophet, and I do
not believe that he will be a Jew. Some people believe this because
they think he will claim to be the Jewish Messiah. But, I don't find
enough biblical support to accept that. I believe that he will be an
apostate Gentile, just like the Caesars of the Roman Empire. He will
claim to be God, but he will be an apostate Gentile. I don't think he
will be a Jew.
Mark Hitchcock
I think the biblical evidence is that the Antichrist will be a Gentile. He

is going, according to Daniel, to lead the final great Gentile world
empire, which seems inconsistent for a Jew to be the leader of the
final great Gentile world empire. All the other empires in Daniel 2 and
Daniel 7, the leaders of those were all Gentiles. Also, he is going to
mercilessly persecute the Jewish people, which seems strange to me
for a Jewish person to be persecuting his own people. Also, in Daniel 8,
the only clear type of Antichrist in the Bible is Antiochus Epiphanes
who was a Gentile, Syrian. And, also in the book of Revelation 13, this
beast, this Antichrist figure rises out of the sea. In Revelation 17:15, it
tells us the sea is representative of the nations. So, for those reasons,
to me it seems clear that the Antichrist is going to be a Gentile.
Ed Hindson
No, absolutely not! I don't think the Antichrist is Jewish. I think the
Antichrist, first of all, is a person who makes a treaty with the Jews. It
isn't likely a Jew would make a treaty with the Jews. He is a leader of
Gentile nations, if we can understand the prophecy in Daniel 9
correctly. If he is the leader of the revived Roman Empire - the leader
that comes out of Europe - it is not likely that he is Jewish. He is, first
of all an unbeliever, so it doesn't matter what his nationality is. He is
not a believer. He does not regard the gods of his fathers or the gods
of any faith system at all. He is what we call an atheist and an
unbeliever who really ultimately thinks he is God. And, he will go to
the Temple in Israel claiming to be God and demand the world worship
him as God. So, in a sense, he is theocentric in the wrong sense in
that he thinks he is God and everybody should worship him.
Ray Gano
I actually believe that the Antichrist will be of Hebrew descendent -

Hebrew blood - but also practice the Muslim religion, and I use Daniel
11:37 to illustrate this. It talks in there that he shall not regard the
god of his fathers in this phrase"god of his fathers," which is always
associated to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In fact, this statement "god
of his fathers" is only used five times in Scripture. In every time it is
associated to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. So I look at that.
Another thing that I look at is that we learn in Genesis 49:17 the tribe
of Dan (these are last day prophecies that Jacob gave to his sons) and
it says in Genesis 49:17, "That a serpent shall cause the rider to fall
backwards." So, there is possibility that he actually may come out of
the tribe of Dan. I also use Revelation 7:1-8 to back this up because
this, the chapter where it talks about the 144,000 Dan is not named in
the 144,000. So, there is speculation here or there is Scriptural
evidence here I believe that shows that he will have Hebrew ancestry.
Yet, on the other side, he will also practice the Muslim religion,
because we go to Daniel 11:38 and it says, "He shall honor the god of
forces; and the god whom his fathers knew not." And so, he will not
regard the god of his fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He will honor
the god of forces, or a god of war which I believe is Allah, and it is a
god that his fathers knew not. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not know
about Allah, did not have any conception of Allah.
Another verse that people point to often is showing that he comes

from the people of the prince. The verse they use is Daniel 9:26. And,
in this, people often say that he comes from Rome. I believe that he
comes from the Roman Empire, but I don't believe that he is Italian in
descent, which a lot of people are pointing to. There's the Roman
Empire. The eastern leg of the Roman Empire comes out of
Constantinople, and Constantinople ruled for a 1,000 years after Rome
ceded. And, the reason they point to this is the Tenth Legion of Rome
that Titus invaded Israel and Jerusalem and overthrew that area in 70
AD. Titus was the only person who was pretty much of Roman
descent, but he was an individual, not people plural. There was
another individual. His associate's name was Tiberius Julius Alexander
and he was actually the general that did all the work. Titus took the
glory, Tiberius Julius did the work. Now the interesting thing is Tiberius
Julius was actually an Egyptian Jew born in Alexandria. So, again, both
of these people are individuals. It's the people of the prince. Well,
history tells us the Tenth Legion was basically hired mercenaries,
people from the area. That is what Rome always did. Any of the
legions that Rome created they usually pulled from the local people
right there. So the Tenth legion, who comprised of the Tenth Legion?
They were Middle Eastern Arabs, Syrian, Moabites, Edomites -
basically the enemies of Israel. Garrisons of the Tenth Legion were
stationed in Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem, so forth, at no time were they
ever stationed in Rome. It was only when Titus came back in victory
when he entered Rome, and so it was the people of the prince, and I
am saying that it is the people who invaded Israel and that was the
Tenth Legion were the soldiers and not the individuals.
One more point is if he is of Roman or European descent - Italian

descent - I question his names in Scripture. He is clearly called "the
Assyrian." He is called the "Prince of Tyre." He is called "King of
Babylon." He is called the "King Pharaoh of Egypt." These are all
Middle Eastern titles, Middle Eastern names, and Middle Eastern
places. If he was from either like Italy or Europe or something, why
isn't he called the King of Italy, or the Duke of Germany, or the Prince
of Rome, or something like that? I tend to read Scripture literally and
maintain a basics in literalness and the golden rule of interpretation. I
don't just dig into it more. And so, with these names I point to a
Middle Eastern side.
Dr. David Reagan
That unique answer by Ray Gano to the question "Will the Antichrist be
a Jew?" gives us a final total of 7 no's, 1 yes, 1 could be, 1 maybe,
and 1 yes/no.
Now, until fairly recently, I would say that the majority viewpoint
among those who interpret Bible prophecy literally was that the
Antichrist will be a Jew. That was primarily due to a statement of Jesus
that is recorded in John 5:43, where Jesus is quoted as saying, "I have
come in my Father's name and you do not receive me, if another shall
come in his own name you will receive him." Now the argument drawn
from this statement was that the Antichrist would have to be a Jew in
order for the Jews to accept him as their Messiah. It's a very logical
argument, but it ignores the fact that other passages in the Bible make
it very clear that the Jews will never accept the Antichrist as their
Messiah. In fact, we are specifically told that when the Antichrist
reveals himself in the middle of the Tribulation and claims to be God
the Jews will be horrified and will totally reject him, causing him to
turn on them in fury and launch an attempt to annihilate them.
So, what did Jesus mean when he said, "That if another shall come in
his own name the Jews will receive him?" Well, those who argue that
the Antichrist will be a Gentile responded by saying that the Antichrist
will be accepted by the Jewish people as their political savior when he
implements a treaty at the beginning of the Tribulation that will
guarantee their security and enable them to rebuild their Temple. But,
the Jews will never receive the Antichrist as their spiritual Savior, thus
when he declares himself as God, they will reject him.
My conclusion is there is no Biblical reason that the Antichrist must be

a Jew. And, there is some very strong Biblical evidence that he will be
a Gentile. For example, Revelation 13:1 pictures him as a beast arising
out of the sea. This is, of course, symbolic language, but it is
significant because in the Bible and in Bible prophecy the sea is used
to symbolize Gentile nations. For example, in Daniel 7 where there is a
prophecy about four great Gentile empires, it refers to them as coming
up from the sea. In contrast, the Antichrist's right-hand man and
spiritual leader is pictured in Revelation 13:11 as rising up out of the
land, or the earth in some translations. This reference to the land is an
indication that the False Prophet will be a Jew who will rise out of the
promise land of Israel.
Now, there is a logical reason we can assume that the Antichrist will be
a Gentile, and it is one that Mark Hitchcock mentioned in his answer.
And that is the fact that the book of Daniel reveals that the Antichrist
is going to be the leader of the last great Gentile empire. It is simply
not logical to assume that such an empire would be headed up by a
Jew. Also, it is not logical to assume that a Jew would attempt to
annihilate the Jewish people as the Antichrist will try to do. Finally, the
clearest type of the Antichrist in the Scriptures is Antiochus Epiphanes
who was a Greek tyrant.
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Distributed by www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com
By Dr. David R. Reagan
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Rapture Linked to Current Middle East Peace

Process
Part 2 of 2
By Michael Hile
Due to the importance of crude oil to the economies of the world and other spiritual,
economic, and political factors, the countries of the world have aligned themselves into a
confederacy of nations that is determined to bring peace to the Middle East region
through international diplomacy involving negotiations with Israel and the Palestinian
people. This global confederacy of nations called “the Quartet” (the United States,
Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations) has a primary goal of dividing the
land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem in order to establish a viable, contiguous,
Palestinian state inside the current borders of Israel. God made it clear in the Old
Testament that He had given Israel temporary custody of His land, and He would take
punitive action against those nations that divide His land (see Genesis 15:18, Joel 3:2).
The “Roadmap to Peace” plan, if implemented by the Quartet, will create a Northern and
Southern Israel, with Israel’s enemies living in Gaza (Hamas) and the West Bank (Fatah).
A narrow strip of land would connect the two land masses (Gaza and West Bank). The
many statements made by the Quartet (and Israel under duress) in recent years
concerning “peace and security” are numerous and uniquely qualify this group of nations
or their successors as the object of Paul’s prophecy. The following quotes from members
of the Quartet in recent months and years using “peace and security” terminology echo
the prophecy Paul gave the Thessalonians, and link the Rapture to the “times and
seasons” in which we are living.
Statement by Middle East Peace Quartet

March 1, 2005
London
“The Quartet commends the Israeli cabinet's recent approval of the initiative to
withdraw from Gaza and parts of the West Bank, and reiterates that withdrawal from
Gaza should be full and complete and should be undertaken in a manner consistent with
the Roadmap, as an important step toward the realization of the vision of two democratic
states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. ... The Quartet
remains ready to engage, actively reaffirms its encouragement and support for both sides
for the progress they have made in recent weeks, and reiterates its commitment to the
fulfillment of the vision of two states, a safe and secure Israel and a sovereign,
contiguous, democratic Palestine, living side by side in peace and security”
(http://www.un.org/news/dh/infocus/middle_east/quartet-1mar2005.htm).
Statement by Middle East Peace Quartet
December 15, 2008
New York
“The Quartet expressed its considered view that the bilateral negotiations
process launched at Annapolis is irreversible and that these negotiations should be
intensified in order to put an end to the conflict and to establish, as soon as possible,
the State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Israel. The Quartet
affirmed that a final treaty and a lasting peace will be reached through simultaneous
and mutually re- enforcing efforts on three tracks...”
(http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sg2147.doc.htm).
President Obama's Press Conference Transcript

March 24, 2009
White House
At President Obama’s press conference on March 24, 2009, he stated “...that it is

critical for us to advance a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live
side-by-side in their own states with peace and security”
(http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/03/president_obamas_press_confere.html).
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayahu Statement

March 25, 2009
Jerusalem
One day later, incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the
Palestinians "should understand that they have in our government a partner for peace,
for security, for the rapid development of the Palestinian economy"
(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090325/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians).
President Obama Addresses Turkish Parliament

April 7, 2009
Ankara, Turkey
"Let me be clear," Obama said, "the United States strongly supports the goal of two
states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. That is a goal
shared by Palestinians, Israelis, and people of good will around the world. That is a goal
that the parties agreed to in the road map and at Annapolis. And that is a goal that I will
actively pursue as president." Both Israel and the Palestinians, he said, "must overcome
longstanding passions and the politics of the moment to make progress toward a secure
and lasting peace" (http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/71058/-obama-we-are-
committed-to-annapolis.html).
The proliferation of speeches and statements from the Quartet concerning “peace and
security,” along with many other end-time prophecies (Daniel chapters 2, 7, 9, 12;
Ezekiel chapters 38-39; Revelation Chapter 13, et al.) that are in the process of
development, are compelling evidence that we are living during the “times and seasons”
Paul talked about. The time of the Lord’s return is not only linked to statements about
“peace and security,” the events encompassing the Rapture are also compared to the birth
pangs (labor pains) of childbirth. “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then
sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they
shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
No one knows exactly when a son or daughter will be born, but everyone knows a child is
on the way several months before the actual due date. After conception, the tiny baby
grows and develops in the mother’s womb with each passing day for a period of about 40
weeks (Psalm 139:13-18). When the time for delivery draws near, the labor pangs begin
and everyone starts watching expectantly, knowing the day and hour of the birth are
getting closer. Sometimes there is premature labor, false contractions (Braxton-Hicks)
that occur before real labor begins. As the birth pangs increase in frequency and intensity,
the time of the birth can be anticipated and known with greater certainty as the moment
of birth approaches.
The reason Christians should not be caught off guard by this unique event called the
Rapture is due to the birth pangs (contractions, warning signs) that will be present before
the event takes place. As the birth pangs foreshadowing the Rapture increase in frequency
and intensity, we can “know” (ginosko- “to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge
of”) with greater certainty that the day of the Rapture is close at hand, just like we know
when the birth of a child is near and certain.
32
“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth
leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these
things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, this generation
shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” (Matthew 24:32-34).
The “day and hour” of the Rapture are not known, but when the birth pangs of Christ’s
return begin to appear, we can “know” that the day of the Rapture is drawing near. What
specific form these pre-Rapture birth pangs assume is not altogether clear at this time, but
they will likely include economic, religious, political, and military turmoil as well as
famines, earthquakes, and disease as described in Luke 21:7-28. Recent natural disasters
in the United States and throughout the world such as droughts, floods, tornadoes,
hurricanes (cyclones), earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis might be false birth pangs or
they might be harbingers of things to come if we are close to the day of the Rapture, as
the evidence suggests.
51
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound,
and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when
this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on
immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed
up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of
death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast,
unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your
labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:51-58).
For several decades, we have been hearing participants in the Mideast peace process talk
about “peace and security.” In recent months, the negotiation process between the
Quartet, Israel, and the Palestinians has increased in frequency and intensity as world
leaders jockey to find a solution to the Middle East problem through implementation of
their key document called the “Roadmap.”
Worldwide political, religious, and economic turmoil has also greatly increased in
intensity during the past year, with the industrialized nations meeting regularly to resolve
the financial crisis caused by an unsound monetary policy. The prospect of a new world
order and new international currency looms on the horizon, as anticipated by many who
follow the Bible prophecy signs associated with the end of the age.
The evidence is overwhelming that we are living during “the times and seasons” of the
Lord’s return. Believers are admonished to “watch…and be ready,” as Matthew 24:42-51
tells us, and inform their family and loved ones about what is going on prophetically. All
of the “signs of the times” we see appearing indicate that the day of the Rapture is
imminent and that we are approaching the “day and hour” set by God the Father (Acts
1:7) when we will “be caught up together... to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we
ever be with the Lord.”
Approaching prophetic events that are casting their shadows backward into our times
serve as “an early warning system” reminding us that we should be getting our spiritual
houses in order and taking care of the Master’s business (Mark 13:33-37). That involves
making sure we have trusted in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior so that whether we go
up at the Rapture or experience an untimely death, we will have made our “calling and
election sure” (2 Peter 1:10, Philippians 2:12). Salvation in Christ also qualifies us to be
part of the bride of Christ at the marriage of the Lamb, and to be a participant at the
marriage supper of the Lamb.
7“
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is
come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8And to her was granted that she should be
arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper
of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 10And I fell at his
feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and
of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:7-10).
As we see the day of the Rapture approaching, don’t let anxiety, fear, and depression get
you down and rob you of your impending joy and “Crown of Righteousness” that the
Lord will personally give to all those “that love His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). It is
“high time” for the saints of God to “wake up,” “comfort one another,” “exhort and edify
one another,” and “lift up our heads” as we see the day of “our redemption” drawing near
(Romans 13:11-14). Don’t be left behind!
Rapture Linked to Current Middle East Peace Process

Part 1 of 2
By Michael Hile
Those who are watching for signs of the Lord’s return for His saints, as commanded in
Matthew 24:42-44, sense that the Rapture is quickly approaching. Although no sign is
given in the Scriptures concerning “the day and hour” of the Rapture, some believe
Hebrews 10:25 implies that we will be able to see the day of the Rapture approaching:
“...Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is: but
exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.”
Anticipation of the approaching Rapture of God’s saints seems to be implied in Luke
21:28: “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your
heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
We are admonished in Luke 21:34-36, concerning the Rapture, to “...take heed to

yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness,
and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it
[i.e., that day—the Rapture] come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Watch you therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all
these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” The apostle
Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:4 that “...you brethren, are not in darkness, that that
day should overtake you as a thief.” These verses teach that the Rapture (sometimes
referred to as “the great escape”) should not catch us off guard (“unawares”) even though
we don’t know “the day or hour” that Christ will return for His bride, the Church.
Let’s review one of the major Rapture passages before going further:
13
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep,
that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died
and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For
this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto
the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself
shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:
and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these
words” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
The timing of the Rapture, also called the “blessed hope” in Titus 2:13, will be as a thief
in the night to those not watching, but the “times and seasons” of the Rapture will not be
a surprise to those who are looking for His return (1 Thessalonians 5:4, Matthew 25:1-
13). Christ told His apostles, as recorded in Acts 1:6-7, that it was not for them “...to
know the times or the seasons...” for the restoration of the kingdom to Israel. Christ’s
generation would not see the restoration of Israel; however, Paul, when writing nearly
two decades later (51 A.D.) about “the times and seasons” of Christ’s return, gave a
significant clue to the church of Thessalonica concerning the time of His coming, which
would miraculously coincide with Israel’s restoration to its land almost 2,000 years later.
1
“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2For
yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3For
when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as
travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4But ye, brethren, are not in
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5Ye are all the children of light,
and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6Therefore let us
not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7For they that sleep sleep in the
night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8But let us, who are of the day,
be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of
salvation. 9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord
Jesus Christ, 10Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together
with him. 11Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also
ye do” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11).
The Thessalonians passage just quoted (5:3) provides clear evidence that our generation
is now living in the “times and seasons” of the Lord’s return. The specific wording Paul
used to link the Rapture with a specific generation that would see Christ’s return is
“peace and safety.” Some translations say “peace and security” (ESV, ISV, Douay-
Rheims, et al.). Paul said: “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden
destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not
escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
In retrospect, the “peace and safety (security)” concept could not be understood properly
until Israel had returned to its land during the 20th century and the current Middle East
peace process had progressed to the point that Paul’s statement about “peace and
security” was common usage among those who were promoting “peace and security.”
The “they” and “them” in verse 3 refers to those who would be using the words “peace
and security” frequently in “their” speeches when this prophecy was nearing fulfillment.
The “peace and security” speeches “they” would be giving prior to the Rapture would
also need to take place in a public setting (i.e., London, New York, Jerusalem, the White
House, et al.) on numerous occasions so there would be no misunderstanding about
whom the “they” referred to.
As students of Bible prophecy, we can now know and understand, based upon the context
of the time in which we are living, that the “they” undoubtedly refers to all or part of the
Quartet (or its successors) that is currently involved in the Middle East peace process.
The “they” who will experience the “sudden destruction” does not refer to Israel, but
rather to specific Gentile nations and their leaders, even though Israel is a primary
participant in the “peace and security” negotiations. The Bible is very clear that Israel
will never be destroyed, so the “they” in verse 3 who will experience “sudden
destruction” and who “shall not escape” does not include Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-37).
Frankly, this prophecy does not bode well for those nations currently trying to divide the
land of Israel. The “sudden destruction” from which “they shall not escape” will be
catastrophic and permanent.
It has been said by many who follow Bible prophecy that Israel is God’s timepiece, and
Jerusalem is the minute hand. If you want to understand God’s prophetic program and
where we are on God’s timetable, watch Israel and Jerusalem (Psalm 121:4). After nearly
2,000 years of absence from its land following dispersion by the Roman armies in 70
A.D., the nation of Israel was reborn at midnight on May 14, 1948. The model God used
for the rebirth of Israel was built upon the return of the Jewish people to their homeland
as predicted by the prophets in many Old Testament books (Isaiah 43:1-11; Jeremiah
16:14-21; Ezekiel 20:33-44, 36:8-12, 36:24-38, 37:12-21, 38:8; Micah 4:6-8; Zechariah
13:8-9, et al.).
The return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel began around the middle of the 19th
century, was accelerated by the leadership of Theodor Herzl, “the father of Zionism,” in
the late 1800s, and publicly acknowledged by the Balfour Declaration in 1917. Israel’s
return was validated by the United Nations in November of 1947 and consummated on
May 15, 1948, the first day of Israel’s rebirth. The process for Israel’s restoration
(rebirth) required increasing numbers of Jews returning to the land of Israel (aliyahs)
amidst much clamor and protest by its Islamic neighbors. The hostility involving Israel’s
return was reminiscent of the birth pangs associated with childbirth, as prophesied in
Isaiah 66:8 and 43:5-6:
66:8
“Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to
bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed,
she brought forth her children.” 43:5-6“Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed
from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the
south, keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the
earth.”
Following Israel’s reestablishment as a nation in 1948, the nations surrounding this small
country have ruthlessly and relentlessly tried to exterminate the Jewish people and
destroy the nation of Israel (Psalm 83:4). This irrational hatred can be traced back to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through the offspring of Ishmael and Esau. Former presidents
Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and
now Barack Obama have committed their administrations and legacies to resolving this
Middle East crisis, which threatens worldwide economic stability and has the potential to
ignite World War III.
The primary motive and incentive for this unprecedented, diabolical alignment against
Israel is the intense hatred of the Jewish people by the Islamic nations and the insatiable
desire for oil that is located in the Mideastern, Islamic countries. This alignment of
nations, which has grown in recent years to include all the nations of the world, is called
the “Diplomatic Quartet” or “Madrid Quartet” or simply the “Quartet”. The Quartet is
composed of the United States, Russia, the European Union (EU), and the United Nations
(UN). The Quartet group was established in Madrid in 2002 by the Spanish Prime
Minister Aznar, as a result of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Tony Blair is the
Quartet's current Special Envoy.
The Quartet and its Representatives
• United Nations — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

• European Union — High Representative Javier Solana
• Russian Federation — Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
• United States of America — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
• Special Envoy — Tony Blair
One can readily see that this involvement of all the nations of the world against one small
nation, Israel, is highly unusual and unique in the history of the world. Such an
alignment, which will eventually lead to a peace treaty or covenant (Daniel 9:24-27), was
prophesied in the Bible thousands of years ago (Zechariah chapters 12-14). The accuracy
of the Bible in predicting this alignment of nations against God’s chosen nation, Israel,
should serve as presumptive evidence to any reasonable person that the Bible is
authoritative, and that the God of the Bible can be trusted (Isaiah 1:18-20, 42:5-9).
A nuclear Taliban?
Posted: May 01, 2009
1:00 am Eastern
© 2010
The Pakistani Taliban, even while continuing their penetration of central Pakistan, have
begun mobilizing fresh recruits from all over the country to go help their Afghan Taliban
brothers resist the newly arriving Western troops. The Taliban now control the tribal
regions of Pakistan, huge sections of the Swat Valley and have just consolidated their
control over the district of Buner, just 60 miles from Islamabad. They've set up
checkpoints while the government negotiates a Swat Valley-like truce aimed at holding
back the insurgency by ceding territory to them.
Pakistan was one of only two nations on earth that recognized the Taliban as
Afghanistan's legitimate government (the other being Osama's home country of Saudi
Arabia). Many ranking members of the Pak security service, the ISI, are members of the
Taliban, as they were in 2002 when Pakistan initially faced off against Washington over
Osama bin Laden. Still reeling from 9/11, the Bush administration gave Pervez
Musharraf a choice. He could side with the U.S. or he could side with the Afghani
Taliban and share in their fate. Wisely, Musharraf chose to side with the U.S. That was
then. This is now.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made headlines last weekend during an interview with
Fox News. "If the worst, the unthinkable, were to happen, and this advancing Taliban
encouraged and supported by al-Qaida and other extremists were to essentially topple the
government for failure to beat them back, then they would have the keys to the nuclear
arsenal of Pakistan."
Understand leftists' dedication to tyranny and tolerance of terror in Jamie Glazov's

"United in Hate"
A New York Times editorial over the weekend asks, "If the army cannot or will not
defend its own territory against the militants, how can anyone be sure it will protect
Pakistan's 60 or so nuclear weapons?" – noting that "Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
was right last week when she warned that Pakistan was 'abdicating to the Taliban.'"
The Washington Post published a column by Pakistani journalist Mohammed Hanif who
assessed the situation this way: "As a Taliban insurgency gains strength in Pakistan, my
country seems to be preparing to surrender. In areas where the Taliban formally hold
sway, such as Swat, people have bowed to their guns. And in the heartland, in Punjab and
other regions, there is a disquieting acceptance of the inevitability of the Taliban's rise to
power."
The possibility of a nuclear-armed Taliban in Pakistan is a grave threat to global security,

but it also poses an unthinkably dangerous threat to America. For years, Congress has
dithered over the threat posed to the U.S. homeland by a massive EMP pulse. A nuclear
weapon detonated about 180 miles above the U.S. would send out an EMP pulse that
would blanket most of the nation with a powerful burst of gamma rays. Depending on
where it is detonated, the pulse could cover the entire continent.
(Column continues below)
Such a blast would be hardly noticeable except as a flash in the sky. No explosion, no
noise, no visible destruction. But the heavy voltage surges would burn out the electronics
in most vehicles and communications devices. Any electronics equipment (and most
electrical equipment of any type) hooked up to the power or phone grids would be
immediately destroyed, including all types of computing devices and the data they
contain. Evidence exists of keen interest in EMP by terrorists and their allies. Iran has
tested versions of its Shahab missiles in trajectories ending in midflight explosions,
exactly as would be expected of an EMP strike. Both North Korea's ICBM launches
allegedly "failed" when they blew up in flight. What if they weren't failures?
Bible prophecy recognizes four major spheres of political power in the last days: the
kings of the east, the king of the south, the Gog-Magog Alliance and the Revived Roman
Empire of the antichrist.
Today, the world is divided up essentially along those lines: China and its sphere of
influence, Russia and its satellites, the Islamic world and the EU and the West. But there
is also America, the world's only superpower and therefore in a class by itself. There is
no mention in Scripture of a fifth superpower resembling America. There are a number of
possible reasons for this. Perhaps the Rapture so decimates the country that it is unable to
get its act together soon enough to play a role in the Tribulation. Maybe America's
ideological civil war so divides it as to render it irrelevant. Or maybe an EMP pulse
detonated high above America's heartland, rendering it irrelevant in a single, blinding
flash. Just think about all the nations that hate us that possess this technological
capability. Russia, China, North Korea, Pakistan – and soon Iran – all are capable of this
kind of attack.
Exactly how God intends to fulfill His outline of future history is known only to Him.
What is important to us is that no matter the details, the outcome is the same. And since
we are unquestionably in the last days, the question of America's decline from power will
be answered very soon.
Hal Lindsey is the best-selling non-fiction writer alive today. Among his 20 books
are "Late Great Planet Earth," his follow-up on that explosive best seller, "Planet
Earth: The Final Chapter" and "Everlasting Hatred: The Roots of Jihad." He
writes this weekly column exclusively for WorldNetDaily. Be sure to visit his
website, where he provides up-to-the-minute analysis of today's world events in
the light of ancient prophecies.
Table of contents for Zephaniah Speaks Again
1. Zephaniah Speaks Again, Part 1

2. Zephaniah Speaks Again, Part 2. Conclusion
Remember from our last installment that Zephaniah wrote just before the time of the
Babylonian captivity. In chapter 2 he opens with prophecies concerning the nations
around Israel that would also be conquered by Babylon. The Lord was about to give
Nebuchadnezzar the entire Middle East. Jeremiah also prophesied that this would happen.
This is what the LORD said to me: “Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it
on your neck. Then send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon
through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.
Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the
God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: With my great power and outstretched
arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone
I please. Now I will hand all your countries over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him. All nations will serve him and
his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great
kings will subjugate him.
“If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or
bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation with the sword, famine and plague,
declares the LORD, until I destroy it by his hand.” (Jeremiah 27:2-8)
The choice was clear. Surrender to Nebuchadnezzar and live, or fight and die. Zedekiah
was one of Josiah’s sons and reigned from 597-586 BC. He was not a legitimate king
(God had cursed the royal line of succession by then) but was installed by
Nebuchadnezzar as a vassal. He too was given the option of surrendering, but like the
heads of the other nations he refused. Had he not done so, Jerusalem and the Temple
would have been spared and the Jews would have avoided the bloodshed and destruction
that followed. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s begin our study in chapter 2.
Zephaniah 2
Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation, before the appointed time arrives
and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you,
before the day of the LORD’s wrath comes upon you. Seek the LORD, all you humble of
the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you
will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger. (Zeph 2:1-3)
Chapter 2 was prophecy when Zephaniah wrote it but it’s history to us. As we’ll see all
the neighboring nations joined Judah in refusing the Lord’s offer to surrender and live.
These three verses are a plea for the people of Judah to seek the Lord and follow His
command. While the Lord didn’t guarantee their safety, He did offer some hope that they
would be kept from the worst.
Against Philistia
Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon left in ruins. At midday Ashdod will be emptied
and Ekron uprooted. Woe to you who live by the sea, O Kerethite people; the word of the
LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines. “I will destroy you, and none
will be left.”
The land by the sea, where the Kerethites dwell, will be a place for shepherds and sheep
pens. It will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah; there they will find pasture. In
the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. The LORD their God will care
for them; he will restore their fortunes. (Zeph. 2:4-7)
The Philistines had originally come from the Island of Crete and had settled along the
southern Mediterranean coast following a failed invasion of Egypt close to the time that
Joshua and the Israelites were coming into the Promised Land from the East. In Genesis
10:14 they’re called Casluhites. According to Strong’s concordance, the word Kerethites
means assassins and refers to the Philistine guard King David employed to protect him.
The reason we know this portion is history is that the Philistine cities mentioned are part
of Israel today, as Zephaniah promised they would be. In fact Israel’s nuclear reactor is in
Ashkelon, a frequent target of Hamas rockets. Nebuchadnezzar utterly destroyed the
Philistines in 604BC leaving no survivors, as prophesied in detail by Jeremiah (Jere. 47).
Against Moab and Ammon
“I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who insulted my
people and made threats against their land. Therefore, as surely as I live,” declares the
LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, “surely Moab will become like Sodom, the
Ammonites like Gomorrah- a place of weeds and salt pits, a wasteland forever. The
remnant of my people will plunder them; the survivors of my nation will inherit their
land.”
This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of
the LORD Almighty. The LORD will be awesome to them when he destroys all the gods
of the land. The nations on every shore will worship him, every one in its own land.
(Zech 2:8-11)
Moab and Ammon settled the area east and south of the Dead sea. Ezekiel 25:6 says they
were openly jubilant when it became clear that Israel was going to be punished.
Jeremiah 48 is devoted exclusively to Moab’s destruction and Jeremiah 49:1-6
describes a similar fate for Ammon. Unlike the Philistines, the Lord promised to restore
both Moab and Ammon later (Jeremiah 48:47 & 49:6) This promise has been kept in the
appearance of Jordan. In fact Daniel 11:41 tells us that they will escape the clutches of
the anti-Christ at the end of the age, perhaps in return for harboring the Jewish remnant in
Petra, a city in southern Jordan.
Against Cush
“You too, O Cushites, will be slain by my sword.” (Zeph 2:12)
The Cushites were the ancestors of the Black Africans of today and have been
specifically identified with Ethopia and Sudan. They fought with Egypt against Assyria
and Babylon and were defeated.
Against Assyria
He will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, leaving Nineveh
utterly desolate and dry as the desert. Flocks and herds will lie down there, creatures of
every kind. The desert owl and the screech owl will roost on her columns. Their calls will
echo through the windows, rubble will be in the doorways, the beams of cedar will be
exposed.
This is the carefree city that lived in safety. She said to herself, “I am, and there is none
besides me.” What a ruin she has become, a lair for wild beasts! All who pass by her
scoff and shake their fists. (Zeph. 2:13-15)
Assyria was also conquered by Nebuchadnezzar. It happened at the famous Battle of

Carchemish in 606 BC and ended not only Assyria’s reign as a powerful Middle Eastern
empire, but its existence as a nation.
Assyria’s capitol Nineveh been destroyed earlier (612 BC) and for several hundred years
disappeared altogether. Today the city of Nineveh is called Mosul by most and is part of
Northern Iraq. Mosul was originally built across the Tigris River from Nineveh, but has
since expanded to cover both sides of the river and is now Iraq’s 2nd largest city after
Baghdad. A significant Assyrian population lives among its 2 million residents, many of
them Christian. Their ancestors converted in the 2nd century, and today more Christians
live in Nineveh, as they still call it, than any other place in Iraq. Old Testament prophets
Jonah and Nahum both wrote about Nineveh and are buried there as well.
In the Millennium, Assyria will once again be present on the world stage just as God
promised. In Isaiah 19:25, Assyria is mentioned along with Israel and Egypt, all three
being blessed of God.
Zephaniah 3, The Future of Jerusalem
Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!
She obeys no one, she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD, she does
not draw near to her God. Her officials are roaring lions, her rulers are evening wolves,
who leave nothing for the morning. Her prophets are arrogant; they are treacherous
men. Her priests profane the sanctuary and do violence to the law.
The LORD within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses
his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame.
(Zeph. 3:1-5)
Even though King Josiah had brought a nationwide revival to Judah, within a few years
of his death in 609BC the nation was deep in idolatry again. Ezekiel recorded the
astonishing fact that priests in the Temple actually kept idols in their closets and
worshiped them there each day before going on duty. (Ezekiel 8)
“I have cut off nations; their strongholds are demolished. I have left their streets
deserted, with no one passing through. Their cities are destroyed; no one will be left-no
one at all.
I said to the city, ‘Surely you will fear me and accept correction!’ Then her dwelling
would not be cut off, nor all my punishments come upon her. But they were still eager to
act corruptly in all they did.
Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day I will stand up to testify. I have
decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on
them-all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous
anger. (Zeph. 3:6-8)
Judah was not totally destroyed until after all the other nations had been dealt with. At the
last minute Jeremiah came in to Zedekiah and again offered him the chance to surrender
and live. Above we see The Lord saying through Zephaniah, “Surely after they see what
I’ve done to all the nations around them they’ll come to their senses and surrender.”
But Zedekiah refused, admitting he was more afraid of what people would think of him
than he was of the Lord. (Jeremiah 38:17-28) So in 586 BC after waiting 19 years for
the people to repent, the city and Temple were destroyed and the people were taken
captive or killed.
But this prophecy was not completely fulfilled in Zedekiah’s time, nor has it been to this
day. Soon the Lord will gather all the nations for judgment, and the whole world will be
consumed by his anger. Just as Nebuchadnezzar was given temporary control of the
Middle East for the purpose of judgment, the anti-Christ will be given temporary control
of the whole world for the same purpose.
“Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the
LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder. From beyond the rivers of Cush my
worshipers, my scattered people, will bring me offerings.
On that day you will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me, because
I will remove from this city those who rejoice in their pride. Never again will you be
haughty on my holy hill. But I will leave within you the meek and humble, who trust in
the name of the LORD. The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will speak no lies,
nor will deceit be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make
them afraid.”(Zeph. 3:9-13)
Like a refiner uses fire to purify his gold and silver, the Lord will use the Great
Tribulation to rid His people of their impurities. Their pride and self sufficiency will be
removed, leaving them meek and humble, ready to receive the forgiveness He’s been
waiting to dispense to those who trust Him. Their sins will be forgiven, and the
righteousness they could never acquire by their works will be imputed to them by faith.
In God’s eyes they’ll become as perfect as He is, and peace will be their reward. The new
covenant will have finally come to Israel. (Jer. 31:31-34)
Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O Daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned
back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear
any harm.
On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang
limp. The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in
you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zeph. 3:14-
17)
Just as Isaiah had done so eloquently over 100 years earlier, Zephaniah now confirms that
there will come a day when Israel’s warfare will cease, when her enemies will be
defeated for good. There will come a time when peace is the order of the day, peace with
the Lord and peace with the world.
“The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you; they are a burden and a
reproach to you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will rescue the
lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and honor in
every land where they were put to shame.
At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor
and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your
very eyes,” says the LORD. (Zeph. 3:18-20)
Some of Israel’s feasts commemorate happy events, others times of sadness. In the
Millennium, Israel will celebrate only Passover (but without a lamb) Unleavened bread,
and Tabernacles, all times of joy.
The nations will be gathered in the valley of judgment (Joel 3). And the re-gathering of
the nation, officially begun in 1948 will finally be complete. Israel will again be the
world’s pre-eminent nation, the joy of the whole Earth.
The promise of Israel’s latter day reinstatement was confirmed by almost all of Israel’s
prophets. And while a few didn’t mention it, none contradicted it. Those who would have
you think that God abandoned Israel after the cross have misunderstood some of the
Bible’s clearest and strongest prophecies.
And to say that God responded to Israel’s rejection of the Messiah by transferring these
promises to the church adds insult to injury. To accept that you have to believe either
God can’t see the future and had to change His plans in response to Israel’s actions, or
that He can’t be trusted to keep His Word.
The passion with which God made this promise was perhaps captured best by Jeremiah.
This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the
moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-the LORD
Almighty is his name:
“Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the LORD, “will the descendants
of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me.” (Jer. 31:35-36)
As long as the Sun the Moon and the stars shine in the sky, as long as the wind blows and
the waves roar, Israel will be a nation on Earth. The rest of us better get used to it. If you
listen carefully you can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 04-18-09
Tags: End Times, Prophecy, The Prophets Speak Again
The Antichrist: Who Is He?

by Britt Gillette
The Bible tells us that in the last days one man will rule the world. He will rule over the
entire human race politically, economically, and religiously, speaking great blasphemies
against God and setting himself up in the Temple as God himself. But this man will not
be God. He will be the very antithesis. He will even lead a rebellion against God, but he
will be destroyed by the King of kings. History has deemed him the Antichrist, but he is
known by other names as well, each being fully indicative of his character:
The Little Horn – Daniel 7:8 (NLT)

The Fierce King, a Master of Intrigue – Daniel 8:23 (NLT)
The Prince Who is to Come – Daniel 9:26 (NLT)
The Worthless Shepherd – Zechariah 11:17 (NLT))
The Man of Lawlessness – 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NLT)
The One Who Brings Destruction – 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NLT)
The Beast – Revelation 13:11 (NLT)
Through careful study of the Scriptures, we can learn much about the origins, disposition,
and career of the one human being who will be the literal embodiment of Satan himself.
His Nationality
The Bible provides us with some detail regarding the nationalistic origins of the
Antichrist. Although much debate surrounds his national identity, the Book of Daniel
clearly states that he will come from the people whose armies destroy the Temple.
“A ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple.” Daniel 9:26
(NLT)
The City and the Temple were destroyed in A.D. 70 by Titus and the Roman legions, but
Titus was not the ruler referenced in this verse. For Daniel 9:27 describes the ruler as one
who will make a seven-year treaty with Israel, put an end to the sacrifices and offerings,
and set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration. These are events that will be
fulfilled in the life of the Antichrist. According to Daniel, the Antichrist will come from
among the people who destroyed the Temple. Therefore, we can be certain the Antichrist
is of Roman descent.
However, being of Roman descent does not automatically mean that the Antichrist will
be Italian. It simply means he must come from among those people who were part of the
Roman Empire of that time.
Daniel Chapter 8 provides us with further insight. In it, the angel Gabriel explains
Daniel’s vision of a Ram and Goat as events relating to the Greek Empire of Alexander
the Great. In a claim verified by history, he states that following the death of Alexander,
the empire will be divided into four parts. From one of those four parts, the Antichrist
will arise:
“The shaggy male goat represents the king of the Greek Empire. The four prominent
horns that replaced the one large horn show that the Greek Empire will break into four
sections with four kings, none of them as great as the first. At the end of their rule, when
their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will
become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of
destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and
devastate the holy people.” Daniel 8:21-24 (NLT)
Daniel Chapter 11 provides an in-depth examination of the history of the breakup

Alexander’s empire, describing historical events relating to the King of the North and the
King of the South. The latter part of the chapter describes the Antichrist, identifying him
with other historical figures who have held the title “King of the North.” This, along with
the passage cited above, clearly links the Antichrist to the Northern Kingdom of the
divided Greek Empire. This kingdom was ruled by one of Alexander’s generals,
Seleucus, who ruled the areas of Syria, Mesopotamia, and Persia. Therefore, it is
reasonable to assume the Antichrist will also be linked to these geographic areas.
Is the Antichrist Jewish? Although there is no definitive answer, two Bible verses provide
us with reason to believe that he will be. The first appears in the Book of Genesis when
God prophesies the coming of Israel’s Messiah and Satan’s Antichrist.
“From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring
will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15
(NLT)
Later on, when Jacob is blessing his sons, he makes this prophecy about Dan:
“Dan will govern his people like any other tribe in Israel. He will be a snake beside the
road, a poisonous viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so the rider is thrown
off.” Genesis 49:16-17 (NLT)
This reference to a serpent striking a heel may indicate that the Antichrist will be a Jew
from the tribe of Dan, but many reasonable people are divided on this issue.
So how do we rectify these seemingly contradictory prophecies concerning the

Antichrist’s nationality? Is he Roman? Italian? Jewish? Assyrian? Greek? He doesn’t
necessarily have to be exclusively one or another. He could be an Assyrian Jew born and
raised in Italy, or any number of possible combinations. We don’t know for certain, but
history indicates that each of these prophecies will be harmonized when the Antichrist
appear.
Two thousand years ago, the seemingly contradictory prophecies of the first coming of
the Messiah were all harmonized in the life of Jesus Christ who was a Nazarene born in
Bethlehem who came out of Egypt. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see how this
was possible, but for the Jewish scholars who lived before the time of Jesus, these
prophecies were the topic of much debate.
That debate continues today in regard to prophecies of the Antichrist. But in reality, we
won’t know the absolute truth until he appears. As such, it is wise to study these
prophecies and teach them to others, so that the people of the Antichrist’s generation will
be able to positively identify him based on sound Scriptural evidence.
His Personality
Throughout the Bible, we are granted insight into the personality and disposition of the
Antichrist. We are told how he will act, what he will do, and where he will get his power.
Although far from exhaustive, the Scriptures provide us with many clues.
Arrogance
The Antichrist will be arrogant:
“This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.”
Daniel 7:8 (NLT)
“The king will do as he pleases, exalting himself and claiming to be greater than every
god there is, even blaspheming the God of gods.” Daniel 11:36 (NLT)
The Antichrist will be so filled with self-love and arrogance that he will launch a
rebellion against God Almighty. He will place himself above all others, and even set
himself up in the Jewish Temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
Satan’s Power
The Antichrist will be empowered by Satan:
“He will become very strong, but not by his own power.” Daniel 8:24 (NLT)
“This evil man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and
miracles. He will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way
to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them.” 2
Thessalonians 2:9-10 (NLT)
“And the dragon gave him his own power and throne and great authority.” Revelation
13:2 (NLT)
The Bible clearly states that the Antichrist will derive his power from Satan. In fact,
following the Devil’s banishment from heaven (Revelation 12:9), he will indwell the
Antichrist, making this man of lawlessness the literal embodiment of Satan.
Beholden to Power
The Antichrist will be consumed with power, and power alone will he worship:
“He will have no regard for the god of his ancestors, or for the god beloved of women, or
for any other god, for he will boast that he is greater than them all. Instead of these, he
will worship the god of fortresses – a god his ancestors never knew – and lavish on him
gold, silver, precious stones, and costly gifts.” Daniel 11:37-38 (NLT)
“They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the
beast. ‘Is there anyone as great as the beast?’ they exclaimed. ‘Who is able to fight
against him?’” Revelation 13:4 (NLT)
The Antichrist will only acknowledge one power, a military power he possesses. His
power will be so great, the people of the world will marvel in wonder and worship it,
asking the rhetorical question of who among them is able to fight against his mighty
kingdom.
His Life
In addition to various aspects of his character, the Bible provides us with numerous
details concerning the life events and career of this man of lawlessness, beginning with
his meteoric rise to fame from among ten kings.
Rises From Among 10 Kings

“It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns. As I was looking at
the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them.” Daniel 7:7-8 (NLT)
“His ten horns are ten kings who have not yet risen to power; they will be appointed to
their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast. They will all agree to give
their power and authority to him.” Revelation 17:12-13 (NLT)
Ten kings will give their power and national sovereignty to the revived Roman Empire.
From among them, the Antichrist will appear, and he will become the preeminent ruler
among them.
Subdues 3 of the 10 Kings

“Three of the first horns were wrenched out, roots and all, to make room for it.” Daniel
7:8 (NLT)
Apparently, three of the ten kings will oppose the Antichrist and his brazen grab for
power. In the struggle that ensues, he will defeat them, and his control over the new
Rome will become absolute.
7 Year Treaty with Israel

“He will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven” Daniel 9:27
(NLT)
The Antichrist will make a treaty with the people of Israel for a period of seven years.
The details and nature of this treaty are yet unknown, but many have speculated that in a
bid for Middle Eastern peace, Israel will agree to rely on the Antichrist for its national
defense.
He Will Conquer Many

Revelation Chapter 6 describes the Antichrist as a great conqueror riding on a white
horse. He goes out to conquer many, and he wields a great sword. In his conquest, he will
kill a sizeable portion of the world’s population.
Will Rule Politically, Religiously, and Economically

“He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and those
who belong to this world to worship the first beast, whose death-wound had been
healed.” Revelation 13:12 (NLT)
The Antichrist will exercise all the authority of the first beast, which is the revived
Roman Empire. He will require the world to worship and give allegiance to this empire,
which will be resurrected from the dustbin of history.
“And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and
nation.” Revelation 13:7 (NLT)
Not one person will escape the reach of the Antichrist and his governmental dominion.
“He required everyone – great and small, rich and poor, slave and free – to be given a
mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without
that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name.”
Revelation 13:16-17 (NLT)
The Antichrist will have unprecedented control over the world’s financial transactions.
He will have so much power that he will be able to determine on a case-by-case basis
which individuals will be allowed to buy or sell anything.
Unprecedented Destruction
In his insatiable quest for personal glory, the Antichrist will cause an unprecedented
amount of destruction.
“He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount
of destruction and succeed in everything he does.” Daniel 8:24 (NLT)
Abomination of Desolation
Jesus prophesied of a time of great tribulation, such as the world had never seen, nor ever
will see again. He said this time period will begin with the desecration of the Jewish
Temple:
“The time will come when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about: the
sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” Matthew 24:16
(NLT)
The Antichrist will fulfill this prophesy by standing in the Jewish Temple and
proclaiming himself to be God. He will set up an image in the Holy Place and demand the
world worship it.
“He will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. Then as a climax to all his terrible
deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the end that has
been decreed is poured out on this defiler.” Daniel 9:27 (NLT)
“He will exalt himself and defy every god there is and tear down every object of
adoration and worship. He will position himself in the temple of God, claiming that he
himself is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4 (NLT)
Destroys All Religion But His Own

The Book of Revelation describes the revived Roman Empire as being dominated by a
prostitute. This prostitute symbolizes idolatrous religion, and although Satan loves
idolatry, in the end time he will only tolerate worship of himself. As a result, it will
become state policy of the revived Roman Empire to destroy all religion with the
exception of worship of the dragon.
“The scarlet beast and his ten horns – which represent ten kings who will reign with him
– all hate the prostitute. They will strip her naked, eat her flesh, and burn her remains
with fire.” Revelation 17:16 (NLT)
Wages War Against the Saints

As part of his campaign to create universal worship of himself, the Antichrist will set out
to destroy those who are faithful to God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
“And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and overcome them.”
Revelation 13:7 (NLT)
“He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of
deception, defeating many by catching them off guard. Without warning he will destroy
them. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though
not by human power.” Daniel 8:24-25 (NLT)
Kills Two-Thirds of the Jewish People

In his rage against the Jewish people, the Antichrist will manage to kill two-thirds of the
Jewish race.
“Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die, says the Lord. But a third
will be left in the land.” Zechariah 13:8-9 (NLT)
Wages War Against Jesus Christ

In his arrogance, the Antichrist will lead a rebellion against Jesus Christ, and gather the
world’s armies to wage battle against the Lord and his heavenly armies.
“He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle.” Daniel 8:25 (NLT)
“And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs leap from the mouth of the dragon, the
beast, and the false prophet. These miracle-working demons caused all the rulers of the
world to gather for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God Almighty.”
Revelation 16:13-14 (NLT)
His Ultimate Destruction

Despite his worldly success, the reign of the Antichrist will be relatively brief – no more
than seven years. Ultimately, he will be held accountable for his actions, and he will face
the wrath of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
Camps at Armageddon
While gathering the armies of the world to Jerusalem to wage battle against the Lord, the
Antichrist will set up his camp and gather his armies in a place called Armageddon, the
modern day city of Megiddo, Israel.
“He will halt between the glorious holy mountain and the sea and will pitch his royal
tents there, but while he is there, his time will suddenly run out, and there will be no one
to help him.” Daniel 11:45 (NLT)
“And they gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place called Armageddon in
Hebrew.” Revelation 16:16 (NLT)
Destroyed Forever
Despite his arrogant belief that he can defeat God, the ultimate fate of the Antichrist was
determined long ago. He will be completely destroyed in a rout of epic proportions.
“But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and
completely destroyed.” Daniel 7:26 (NLT)
Lake of Fire
As a result of his defeat, the Antichrist will be cast into the lake of fire (traditionally
known as “Hell”) where he will be tormented day and night for all of eternity. His
kingdom will meet the same fate, and be replaced by the Lord’s Millennial Kingdom
which will bring long-sought peace on earth.
“Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns
with sulfur.” Revelation 19:20 (NLT)
Jesus offered the world by Satan…

In studying the prophecies of the Antichrist, we would be wise to refer to the Book of
Matthew, where Jesus is tempted in the desert prior to his ministry. Here, we get a
firsthand view of the deal brokered between the Antichrist and Satan:
“Next the Devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him the
nations of the world and all their glory. ‘I will give it all to you,’ he said, ‘if you will only
kneel down and worship me.’ ‘Get out of here, Satan,’ Jesus told him. ‘For the scriptures
say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God; serve only him.’ Then the Devil went away,
and angels came and cared for Jesus.” Matthew 4:8-11 (NLT)
Because He is faithful and true, Jesus turned down the Devil’s offer to rule the kingdoms
of the world. However, at some point in the future, a man will arise who will accept this
deal with the Devil. He will sell his soul for a brief and destructive career as the most
powerful dictator in human history. He will hold absolute power, and he will be the
personification of all evil. But his destruction is certain. He challenges the Prince of
Peace, and Jesus wins.
Britt Gillette is founder of BrittGillette.Com, a website examining the relationship

between Bible prophecy and emerging trends in technology. For more information or to
sign up for his email alerts, please visit http://www.brittgillette.com.
It’s time to bring our study to a close. We do so with well known passages from Isaiah
63, 65, and 66. At the beginning I warned you this would take a while, and it has. 13
weeks to be exact. The finish will not disappoint you.
Isaiah 63:1-6. God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption
Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is
this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.”
Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?
“I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled
them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments,
and I stained all my clothing. For the day of vengeance was in my heart,and the year of
my redemption has come.
I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my
own arm worked salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. I trampled the
nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the
ground.” (Isaiah 63:1-6)
Looking Eastward, Isaiah saw with His mind’s eye a powerful figure striding resolutely
toward the Holy City. He challenged the figure, and the response could only have come
from the Lord. Who else speaks in righteousness? Who else is strong enough to save us?
And yet His garments are obviously stained red as if someone had drenched them in
wine. It’s the blood of His enemies. Standing alone against them He has defeated them
all, powered by the wrath He has held in check for so long, now released in its full
measure.
John saw Him too, and described Him this way:

His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written
on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his
name is the Word of God. (Rev. 19:12-13)
Today Edom is called Southern Jordan, and Bozrah is about 25 miles east of the southern
end of the Dead Sea. Its Greek name is Petra, and it will be the refuge of the believing
remnant of Israel. Two thousand years ago the Lord Jesus warned them to flee into the
mountains as soon as they learned of the Abomination of Desolation. (Matt. 24:15)
When it happens He’ll take them there, as if on eagle’s wings. (Rev. 12:14) He’ll protect
them there for 3 ½ years, and will defeat the enemy forces that are arrayed against them.
Isaiah 65:17-25. New Heavens and a New Earth
“Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be
remembered, nor will they come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)
John used this verse to open Revelation 21, and because of an incorrect understanding
people have assumed for centuries that it applies to eternity. They’ve overlooked 2 details
that in my opinion place Rev. 21-22:6 at the beginning of the Millennium, not at its end.
The first detail is that the context of Isaiah 65:17-25 is clearly millennial. People are
living and dying, time is being measured and the effects of sin are still evident in their
lives. The phrase “new heavens and a new earth” is intended to show us that all the
effects of the curse have been removed, and the creation has been restored to its original
condition, both physically and spiritually. (Jesus spoke of this time, calling it the
restoration of all things, in Matt. 19:28.) And the second is that Rev. 20:7-15 is what we
would call a parenthetical insert that John used to reveal the ultimate destiny of Satan and
all of mankind’s unbelievers while he was on the subject of the second death.
Briefly, at the end of the Millennium Satan will be released from his 1,000 year prison
term and will mount up a final rebellion that’s immediately crushed. He’ll be thrown into
the Lake of Fire to join the anti-Christ and the false prophet who will already be there.
(Rev. 19:20) Then the unsaved dead from all ages will be raised up for judgment, and
they’ll be thrown into the Lake of Fire. As if to prove the point, John concluded the
passage by saying that the Lake of Fire is the second death.
Then he began Rev. 21 with the quote from Isaiah 65:17 to show that he was going back
to the beginning of the Millennium to give us details of our home, the New Jerusalem.
Rev. 22:1-5 follows with a summary of Ezekiel 47:1-12, which gives us a glimpse of life
in Israel’s Kingdom Age on Earth. The Bible, which chronicles the Age of Man, ends at
the end of the Millennium and offers no specific description of Eternity. It only says that
there is one.
The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”
Here’s God’s promise that in addition to making everything in creation new, all of the
misery and suffering of this age will be erased from their minds, along with the memories
of lost loved ones who refused to believe the truth and be saved. Anything they carry in
their heads that would impede the steady flow of peace and joy in their lives will be taken
away. It’s a little like virus infected software being deleted and then reinstalled to work
the way it was originally designed to. (This will have already happened for us, at the
Rapture).
Now let’s read the rest of the passage and see how Isaiah saw life on Earth in Israel’s
Kingdom Age.
But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a
delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.
“Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who
does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he
who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.
They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No
longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the
days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works
of their hands.
They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people
blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them. Before they call I will
answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust
will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,”
says the LORD. Isaiah 65:18-25
The phrase “dust will be the serpent’s food” is reminiscent of Genesis 3:14 and tells us
that out of the entire creation, only the serpent will retain the effects of the curse God
pronounced upon him in the garden.
Isaiah’s contemporary Micah added a few details to this description of uninterrupted

peace and prosperity.
Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make
them afraid, for the LORD Almighty has spoken. All the nations may (now) walk in the
name of their gods; (but) we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and
ever. (Micah 4:4-5. I’ve inserted the words “now” and “but” to give you a better
understanding of Micah’s intent.)
It was the Lord’s reference to Micah 4:4, by the way, that caused Nathaniel to exclaim
upon first meeting Him,“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”
(John 1:47-49) In effect, Jesus had said that He “saw” the perfected Nathaniel in the
Millennium. Only God could do such a thing.
Peace For His People, Fury For His Foes
For this is what the LORD says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth
of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled
on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be
comforted over Jerusalem.”
When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the
LORD will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes.
See, the LORD is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring
down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For with fire and with his
sword the LORD will execute judgment upon all men, and many will be those slain by the
LORD. (Isaiah 66:12-15)
If you’re comparing this study with current trends in the Middle East, you realize that the
Lord’s plan for Israel is the opposite of what the world is pushing for. This is because the
world has been duped into adopting Satan’s plan, which calls for Israel’s demise. It will
take the full measure of the Lord’s fury to convince them that they’re on the wrong side
of the issue. By some accounts, fully half of the world’s post rapture population will die
in the process.
“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the
LORD, “so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and
from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the
LORD. “And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled
against me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be
loathsome to all mankind.”
In his book entitled “Biblical Basis For Modern Science” Henry Morris wrote, “When the
female of the scarlet worm species was ready to give birth to her young, she would attach
her body to the trunk of a tree, fixing herself so firmly and permanently that she would
never leave again. The eggs deposited beneath her body were thus protected until the
larvae were hatched and able to enter their own life cycle.”
As the mother died, she excreted a red fluid that was used to make the crimson dye used
in Biblical times. This makes a powerful illustration of what the Lord has done for us. He
attached Himself to the cross, and shed his blood there as He died. Because He did we
can be born again and receive eternal life. It’s interesting that in Psalm 22:6 David
quoted the Lord calling Himself a worm and not a man.
Perhaps Isaiah had this in mind as He wrote his last verses. If so He was saying that those
who rebel against God do so by not accepting His death as payment for their sins. The
“worm” they choose instead will not (can not) die for them, and there’s no other way for
them to be born again to to escape the unquenchable fire. They’re physically dead, but
their spirits have not been released, so they’re trapped in their dead corpses, tormented by
the fire. From the wording, it appears that the people on earth during the Millennium will
be able to observe the suffering of the unsaved in connection with their trips to worship
the Lord in Israel.
It’s no surprise that we learn more about the Millennium from Isaiah than we did from
the chapter John devoted to it in the Revelation. It’s not called Israel’s Kingdom age for
nothing. It’s on Earth and it’s for Israel. And that’s another good reason to take the
Church off the planet to the New Jerusalem. This way each can enjoy its own destiny
without distracting from the other.
From John 14:1-3 we learn that the Lord Jesus was going away to prepare a place for us,
and would come back to take us to be with Him in Heaven, where He is. From Ezekiel
43:7 we learn that God would someday return to Israel to live among His chosen people
on Earth, where they are. Both prophecies are true, making it clear that the Church and
Israel are different entities with different origins and different destinies. To say that one
replaced the other is to deny the obvious truth of the Scriptures. It’s my closing prayer for
you that this study on the End Times According to Isaiah has resolved this beyond all
doubt. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 04-04-09
Tags: End Times According To, Old Testament, Prophecy
In this installment the focus is on the Holy City, and the changes the Lord will bring to
Zion. Included among these are vast wealth, eternal light, and a new name.
Isaiah 60. The Glory of Zion
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See,
darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises
upon you and his glory appears over you. (Isaiah 60:1-2)
The word translated darkness in this passage is the same as in Genesis 1:2, before God
said, “Let there be light.” It was also used to describe the darkness so thick it could be
felt in the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 10:21) It has spiritual as well as physical properties.
The Lord Jesus spoke of this in the Olivet Discourse. He was actually quoting from
Isaiah 13:10 in speaking of the time immediately after the end of the Great Tribulation.
But as you can see, the language is almost identical.
“Immediately after the distress of those days” ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon
will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be
shaken.’ (The word for “bodies” literally means “powers”. This is more than falling stars.
Spiritual powers in the heavens will be shaken as He returns.)
“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the
earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with
power and great glory. (Matt. 24:29-30)
Isaiah prophesied that the 2nd Coming will bring the dawn of Israel’s greatest Age. The
time of separation caused by their rejection of the Messiah will have ended with their
acceptance. He is the Light that brings them life. The unbelieving world will mourn,
realizing too late that they’ve been wrong about everything, and will remain in darkness
forever. Although Isaiah directed this chapter to the Holy City, the blessings will accrue
to Israel as a whole.
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. “Lift up your
eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and
your daughters are carried on the arm. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart
will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the
riches of the nations will come. (Isaiah 60:3-5)
As we learned in a previous installment, the gentile world will pay homage to Israel. And
it will be expressed in much more tangible ways than simply lending a helping hand to
the returnees. As we’ll see the focal point will be the Holy City, now the City of Light in
every respect.
Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from
Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.
(Isaiah 60:6)
Midian, Ephah, and Sheba were sons and grandsons of Abraham and Ketura, the wife he
took after Sarah died. (Genesis 25:1-4) These names are all associated with the Arabian
Peninsula. Like the Wise Men of old they’ll bring expensive gifts as they come to praise
the Lord. Gold is a gift for a King and incense (KJV frankincense) evokes images of the
priesthood. Notice there’s no myrrh mentioned here. Myrrh was an embalming spice and
its absence indicates that God will never again have to die for man. His sacrifice was a
once for all time event. (Hebrews 10:12)
All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they will
be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious temple. (Isaiah 60:7)
Kedar was the 2nd son of Ishmael, and Nebaioth was Ishmael’s first born. Perhaps Kedar
was mentioned first because of the greater prominence he would gain as the patriarch of
the line of Mohamed. In addition to sacrificial animals for the temple offerings, some see
the former followers of Mohamed symbolized here, giving homage to the God of Israel
and serving Him.
“Who are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests? Surely the islands
look to me; in the lead are the ships of Tarshish, bringing your sons from afar, with their
silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has
endowed you with splendor. (Isaiah 60:8-9)
From all around the world the wealth of the nations will pour into the Holy City, in honor
of the God of Israel. Men who were previously unaware will be awakened to their Jewish
heritage. God’s people, once thought to be on the brink of extinction, will form a
seemingly endless procession to their ancestral home in His Holy City, like flocks of
migrating birds returning to their homes.
“Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I
struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. Your gates will always stand open, they
will never be shut, day or night, so that men may bring you the wealth of the nations—
their kings led in triumphal procession. For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you
will perish; it will be utterly ruined.
“The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the pine, the fir and the cypress together, to
adorn the place of my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place of my feet. The sons of your
oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet
and will call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 60:10-14)
Upon arriving at the Millennial Temple at the beginning of the Kingdom Age, God will
say, ”This is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I
will live among the Israelites forever.” (Ezekiel 43:7) Israel will once again be pre-
imminent among nations and the Holy City will not only be its capitol, it will be the
everlasting home of the God of the Universe. The nations of the world will offer their
services and bring their wealth. Those who have been Israel’s blood enemies for a
hundred generations will come and bow down upon entering the Holy City.
“Although you have been forsaken and hated, with no one traveling through, I will make
you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations. You will drink the milk of nations
and be nursed at royal breasts. Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior,
your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood I will
bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. I will make peace your governor and
righteousness your ruler. No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or
destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates
Praise. (Isaiah 60:15-18)
The Holy City will be the source of pride and joy for all generations of Earth’s people.
Wealth and favor will be accompanied by peace and righteousness, with violence, ruin
and destruction consigned forever to the past. Once again the Hebrew word translated
Salvation is Yeshua, but in this case the word for praise actually means a hymn or song of
praise. It’s absolutely fascinating to me that the walls and gates of the Holy city are
modeled in the contemporary evangelical church. The emphasis is on Jesus, expressed in
song after song of praise and worship.
The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on
you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your
sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your
everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. (Isaiah 60:19-20)
The promises here are similar to those given the Church. Neither will require the light of
the Sun or Moon. As the Lamb is the lamp of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:23), the Father
is the everlasting light of Israel. And the Glory of God illuminates them both.
Then will all your people be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are
the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. The least
of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the LORD; in its time I
will do this swiftly.” (Isaiah 60:21)
The full portion of the Promised Land will be Israel’s home forever, and they will spread
out from there to found other nations. It’s a promise from the Lord.
You may have noticed that although the entire chapter was spoken to the Holy City, not
once was the name Jerusalem mentioned. Two chapters later, Isaiah explained this.
Isaiah 62. Zion’s New Name
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her
righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.
The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a
new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. You will be a crown of splendor in
the LORD’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be
called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your
land will be married. As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as
a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. (Isaiah 62:1-5)
Hephzibah means “my delight is in her” and Beulah means “married”. But these are not
the official names of the Holy City either. For that we need to consult Ezekiel again.
“And the name of the city from that time on will be: The LORD is There .” (Ezekiel
48:35) In Hebrew it’s JHVH (Jehovah) Shammah, and it means that out of the entire
universe, God will have chosen to live among His people in the land He promised them,
in the city they will have built for Him.
Back To The Present
In the coming days we will likely see the most intense efforts yet to divide the Promised
Land. Indications are that the USA and Europe will exert almost unbearable pressure
upon the new government of Israel to go along. Loyalties are shifting rapidly. It appears
that very soon the US will publicly invite the Moslem world to help forge a global US-
Moslem reconciliation that will leave Israel out in the cold. A Palestinian State will be
their reward for peace in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, and Iran will be allowed to
produce the remaining components for a nuclear weapon on the promise that they’ll stop
short of actually assembling them. Israel will have no say in these matters.
I first heard the phrase “prophecy on fast-forward” from Hal Lindsey a few years back.
He was talking about what would happen if the US ever abandoned Israel. More and
more, commentators are using it in reference to the days just ahead. We’ve all heard the
Lord’s command from Psalm 122:6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who
love you be secure.” It’s more important to do this now than ever before.
We bring this installment to a close with Isaiah’s version of the Lord’s command:
You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He
establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth. (Isaiah 62:6-7)
In the most literal form of this commandment we’re being told not to be silent about this
in our prayers, but to make it a constant plea, and to allow the Lord no peace and quiet
until He achieves this. It’s easy to become sick at heart as we see the way things are
going in the world today. Our defense against this is prayer. Constant, urgent, fervent
prayer. 03-28-09
Tags: End Times According To, Old Testament, Prophecy

A timeline of prophetic events-things to watch for...
By Pete Rose
The following is a listing of events assembled from various books of the Bible,
things we can expect to happen starting probably in the near future, or in coming
years. My knowledge of Bible prophecy is at best incomplete, and things may not
happen in the exact order listed here. It also is not all-inclusive, and I may have
missed some events. But this should give you a pretty good idea of what's
coming, and the general order of things.
Lest we forget and lose sight of the accuracy of God's prophecies, let us consider
past prophecies that have been fulfilled to the letter, first those concerning Jesus
Christ. To name a few...
[Event (Prophecy—Fulfillment)]
• He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14—Matthew 1:18, Luke 1:25-38)

• He would not be of any extraordinary appearance. (Isaiah 53:2)
• He would be of the lineage of David (Isaiah 11:1 [Jesse was the father of David]
—Matthew 1:1-16, Luke 3:23-37)
• He would be despised and rejected by men (Psalm 22:6-7, Isaiah 53:3—John
1:10-11)
• He would be silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7—Mark 14:61)
• He would be crucified, His hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16, Isiah 53:5--)
• He would be executed as though a criminal, with criminals (Isaiah 53:9)
• though he did nothing to deserve it (53:9b)
• He died for the sins of others—our sins—He had no sin (Isaiah 53:5-6—Romans
4:25, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
• By His wounds we would be healed (Isaiah 53:5—1 Peter 2:24-25)
• He would be spat upon and his beard pulled out (Isaiah 50:6—Matthew 26:67)
• The soldiers who crucified Him gambled for His clothes (Psalm 2:18—John
19:23-24)
• Not a bone of His body would be broken (Psalm 34:20—John 20:36)
• His body would not see corruption (Psalm 16:10—Acts 2:27, 31)
• He would rise again from the dead (Psalm 16:10—Matthew 28:5, Mark 16:6,
Luke 24:1-6, John 20:1-19, Acts 1:3, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
There were over 100 such details of prophecy such as the above given concerning the
first coming of Christ, and each one was fulfilled to the letter. The odds against even a
few of these being fulfilled by chance are enormous; the odds against all of them being
literally fulfilled are astronomical. But they were, every one to the letter.
Now let's consider another prophecy, that of the destruction of the city of Tyre, a wealthy
seaport. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied that Tyre would be destroyed, that the timbers
and the rock of the city would be dumped into the water and that the city would be
scraped bare like the top of a rock, and would become a place for fishermen to dry their
nets (Ezekiel 26). It was also prophesied that Nebuchadnezzar would come against the
city and destroy it, which he did not too many years after Ezekiel made this prophecy.
But it was only the mainland city that was destroyed, the remaining inhabitants moved to
an island somewhere around a mile out in the Mediterranean Sea. Since Nebuchadnezzar
didn't have a navy and the island city was heavily fortified, it was left alone and
continued to exist for perhaps another 400 years. But then Alexander the Great came
along, determined to conquer the world, and he didn't have a navy either. But he wasn't
going to let that stop him. So he had an army of workers tear down the remains of the
mainland, dump the rubble in the water, and build a broad causeway out to the island.
From there he eventually overpowered the city's defenses and ravaged it, slaughtering a
great many of its inhabitants and enslaving others. The site of the mainland city had been
literally scraped to bare rock, and came to be used by fishermen as a place to dry their
nets, thus fulfilling this prophecy to the letter in a very literal sense.
With so many Bible prophecies having been so accurately and literally fulfilled, what
would make us think that prophecies of events yet future will not be fulfilled just as
literally as those which have already been fulfilled? With that in mind, let's take a look at
some of these prophecies of events soon to come.
• Happening now- World financial markets in turmoil. This very well could be
setting the stage for one world government and the Beast financial system
prophesied in Revelation.
• Likely—Syria attacks Israel. Could happen any time.
• Damascus is destroyed (Isaiah 17:1), most likely by a nuclear attack by Israel.
• Israel will fight a war in which they will take control of much of the middle East
(Psalm 83).
• Israel becomes richest nation in the world, dwells in peace in villages without
walls (Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38).
• Russia along with certain Islamic nations invades Israel (Ezekiel 38). Other
nations only offer a feeble protest (Ezekiel 38:13), none come to Israel's aid.
• The invaders are destroyed by supernatural events, earthquakes, fire, great
hailstones, floods etc. (Ezekiel 38:17-23)
• Israel spends seven months burying the dead, seven years burning weapons of war
(Ezekiel 39).
• Somewhere in all of this, the rapture occurs. The dead saints are resurrected and
every living born again Christian is changed and given an immortal body, and all
are caught up together to meet Jesus in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1
Corinthians 15). The exact time is known only to God the Father, but Jesus said
we will know when the time is near (Matthew 24:32-36). All who are unsaved,
dead and alive, will be left behind on Earth.
• The antichrist rises from a minor political figure to world leader, asserts himself
(Daniel 8:9-12).
• Israel signs a seven year peace treaty with antichrist, signaling start of the Great
Tribulation (Daniel 11-12). There could be period of peace and prosperity
following, for a time.
• Seal judgments begin (Revelation 6-7).
• After three and a half years the antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel, places
abomination of desolation in the rebuilt temple, stops sacrifices and offerings and
declares himself to be God (Daniel 9:27, Revelation 13).
• The antichrist requires all to receive his mark on their forehead or their hand, and
anyone who refuses will be killed. Without this mark no one will be able to buy or
sell. Anyone who receives this mark dooms his soul eternally, to be tormented
day and night forever (Revelation 13:16-18, 14:9-10). This mark will embody the
number 666 in some manner.
• The wrath of God is poured out-trumpet judgments, bowl judgments (Revelation
8-9, 16).
• Babylon the Great is destroyed, never to rise again (Revelation 18).
• Somewhere during this time, in whatever location raptured saints have been taken
to, their works will be tested at the Judgment Seat of Christ, and the saints
rewarded according to the outcome (1 Corinthians 3, Romans 14:10).
• Marriage supper of the Lamb takes place. All the saints become collectively the
bride of Christ (Revelation 19).
• All the armies of the world gather together to fight against Christ at the battle of
Armageddon (Zechariah 12, Revelation 19:19).
• Jesus returns to Earth along with all the saints, all riding on white horses
(Revelation 19:11-18).
• The armies gathered at Megiddo are destroyed by sword from Jesus' mouth, He
speaks the word and they all are destroyed right where they stand (Revelation
19:15-17, 21, Zechariah 14:12-15).
• The beast (antichrist) and the false prophet are thrown alive into the lake of fire
• Satan is bound and imprisoned in the bottomless pit for 1000 years (Revelation
20:1-3).
• Killed tribulation saints are resurrected to reign with Jesus for 1000 years
(Revelation 20).
• Sheep and Goats judgment takes place on Earth for tribulation survivors. The
righteous are separated from the wicked and ushered into the Kingdom, while the
wicked are banished into everlasting fire reserved for the devil and his angels
(Matthew 25:31-46).
• Jesus rules the earth for 1000 years in perfect righteousness. Satan is imprisoned
in the bottomless pit for the entire 1000 years, unable to deceive the nations any
more. Sin and wickedness are no longer tolerated. Even wild and domestic
animals are at peace with one another (Isaiah 11, Revelation 20:4).
• At the end of 1000 years Satan is released for a short time and gathers an army as
the sands of the sea. Satan brings his army against the camp of the saints
(Jerusalem?) and surrounds it. Fire from heaven destroys the rebels, and Satan is
cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-9).
• The great white throne judgment takes place for the unsaved of all ages. All are
judged according to their works and cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).
Only the unsaved are judged here, all believers (saints) have already had their sins
judged and paid for on the cross by Jesus. Location: Somewhere away from the
current Heavens and Earth.
• New Jerusalem, the eternal home of all the saints, descends to the new Earth,
illuminated by Jesus Himself. Cubical in shape, it is huge, some 1400 miles on a
side (Revelation 21-22).
One of the greatest prophecies of all times has been fulfilled in recent years, the
restoration of the nation Israel to its land. Never before in the history of the world has a
nation been dispersed to the ends of the Earth as Israel was and retained its identity. Its
people have been assimilated into the nations to which they were scattered. But the Jews
have not only maintained their identity, in this end of days they have once again been
regathered into the sovereign nation of Israel.
In His Olivet discourse Jesus gave his disciples some signs whereby they could know
when the time was at hand. He gave the sign of the fig tree, a symbol of the nation Israel.
He said when the fig tree buds and puts forth leaves, you know summer time is nearing.
Likewise when you see all these things begin to come to pass, know that it is near, even
at the doors. Then Jesus stated, the generation which sees these things begin to come to
pass will not pass away until all is fulfilled that He prophesied in that discourse. Israel
became a nation again in 1947. It is now 2009, over 60 years since this beginning sign
came to pass. Surely the return of Jesus must be very, very near.
Keep in mind through all of this, that none of us are saved by our own righteousness. The
prophet Isaiah says we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as
filthy rags in the sight of God (Isaiah 64:6). None of us in our natural state are fit to stand
before God. It is only the shed blood of Jesus Christ that makes any of us worthy to stand
in God's presence, and Jesus voluntarily let his blood be shed on the cross that we might
be saved and made worthy to stand in His presence.
God is not willing that any should perish, but would have all people to turn to Him and
receive His salvation. But god will not force anyone to receive Christ, you must make
that decision for yourself. God cannot allow sin in His presence. When Jesus died on the
cross, God placed all our sins on Him and He died in our place, to make full payment for
our sins, indeed the sins of the whole world, and to buy our pardon. But like a prisoner
offered a pardon, we must receive it before it will be effective. Jesus offers all of us
pardon for our sins today, but we still must voluntarily receive it by receiving Him into
our lives and our hearts. When we do this, God sees all our sins paid for by Jesus, and
sees the righteousness of Christ in us, and it is by Christ's righteousness in us we are
saved and made worthy to stand in the presence of God.
For all who refuse or neglect to receive this pardon, it is a whole different story. While all
who receive Christ now will be ushered into the very presence of God at the rapture,
those who didn't will be left behind to experience the horrors of the Great Tribulation.
Most likely most of these will be killed and end up in the flames of Hades, reserved for
the judgment of the Great White Throne where they will hear their doom pronounced
before being cast into the lake of fire for all of eternity. And all who receive the mark of
the beast to try to buy some time on Earth will seal their doom eternally.
Yes it will be possible to be saved during the Tribulation, but it will be much more
difficult then than now, and will probably be at the cost of your life. Even so, better to
receive Jesus and get your head chopped off, and to stand in His presence after that, than
to die without Him and go to an eternal hell. Still better, receive Jesus now, and you will
go into His presence immediately when you die, or when you go in the rapture.
Why not do it now, before you find yourself left behind to go through the horrors of the
great tribulation, or to die in your sins and go into eternal torment?
Antichrist: Where Is He?

By Terry James
The most frequently asked question at prophecy conferences and in Bible prophecy
classes–at least in my experience—is: “Is America in Bible prophecy?” The second
most asked is: “Do you think Antichrist is alive on earth today?”
These questions are for the most part posed by people in the audiences or classes in
general. However, more and more frequently I find these questions being asked by
journalists, both print and broadcast. It is interesting to me that I rarely hear a skeptical
or scoffing tone in the voices of the media representatives who interview me. There
seems a sense, even among secular journalists, that perhaps there’s something to this
Bible prophecy stuff after all.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not sensing a sudden turning to God, or to His Word.
However, there is a halting uncertainty there. Like, “Well, maybe I had better be just a
bit more serious about the subject, since there is such angst over these strange economic
conditions.”
Economic Conditions
There is a sense that strange, unexplainable things are happening, and even secular
newshounds seem to viscerally understand that Bible prophecy has something to do
with the increasingly troubling issues and events of our time. U.S. leaders–I use that
term loosely—have seemingly thrown caution to the wind. It’s like, as I heard one Bible
prophecy broadcaster say the other day—those who are supposed to be trying to fix the
melting financial structure of America have placed the whole shebang on 17 black, and
have given the roulette wheel a hope-filled turn. Actually, it is more like they have
written trillions in IOUs and put them on 17 black, and have given the wheel a turn.
If the little ball ends up on any number other than 17 black, what then? That is the crux
of the crucial nature of this insanity surrounding the American economy as the end of
the age approaches. Craziness rules--like when the Federal Reserve reached in its right
pocket and transferred more than a trillion dollars IOU to its left pocket to keep the
American financial system afloat.
“Just last Wednesday the Fed said it would flood the teetering financial system with an
additional $1.2 trillion. The money will be used, the Fed said, to buy government bonds
and mortgage-related securities in hopes of lowering the borrowing costs for home
mortgages and other types of loans, thereby stimulating economic activity. In other
words, the central bank will print more money to pay for the purchases. What the Fed
does not explain publicly is how those kinds of infusions of money out of thin air, with
nothing to back it, reduce the purchasing power and assets of all Americans by
devaluing the dollar.
The $1.2 trillion is in addition to hundreds of billions already added to the system since
the beginning of the year and dwarfs even the biggest government
bailouts to date…” (“Fed's secrecy policy 3 years old,” WorldNetDaily

MoneyNetDaily, 3/22/09).
Keep in mind that the Federal Reserve is a non-government agency. Congress

designated this monetary governing body to control the nation's money supply. The
Fed’s actions directly impact the value of the dollar. This body, manned by the non-
elected financial elite, holds sway over every investment held by Americans.
Actions like those taken by the Federal Reserve in the case of creating out of
nothingness the trillion-plus dollars, then putting that massive IOU into the system with
a blind faith that that unbacked infusion will beat the odds of failure, will, if nothing
else is done, put not only America’s economy, but the economies of the nation-states of
the world into the final stages of collapse.
The following excerpt tells of just how surreptitious are the actions against the
taxpayers and their offspring, who are expected to shoulder the burden of funding the
globalists elite’s grandiose plans to build their new world order.
“WASHINGTON – As America's economy continues in freefall, tomorrow marks an

auspicious three-year anniversary – the day the Federal Reserve announced, with little
fanfare, its decision to stop reporting to the public the M3 money supply, the broadest
measure of three standards of measurement…Since 2006, Americans have seen their
investments plummet in value and witnessed the shrinking buying power of their
earnings. Why did the Fed make that decision three years ago? What was its rationale?
The justification for the secrecy by the organization that prints money was cost. By not
producing those numbers for the public, the Fed would save about $1.5 million
annually…” (ibid.).
The Craziness Proliferates!
It should be astonishing to think that the media, so obsessed with nefarious financial
dealings by civilian monetary elite–e.g., the AIG executive bonuses, would let civilians
with the power of the Fed go without being punished for perpetrating such
surreptitiousness on American taxpayers. There seems to be, however, not the slightest
notice.
The $1.5 million savings by the Fed in not reporting to the public the M3 money supply
amounted to 0.00000699 percent of its annual net income of last year. This savings was
highlighted as sufficient reason to keep vital information from the public. Just to point
out the deceptive nature of this piddling savings being reported in order to justify
keeping taxpayers in the dark, remember that the same media went all out in diverting
the publics’ attention from the enormous bailouts by focusing on–by contrast to the
prodigious bail-out dollar amount— the infinitesimal bonuses paid to AIG executives.
Remember, too,
that the bonuses were given to the AIG executives through contractually mandated
arrangements.
The sleight of hand by the Fed in transferring the massive IOU from one pocket to the
other to keep the country’s economic ship afloat was done under the knowing eyes of
the Obama administration and Congress. An uninformed American public was, and is
for the most part, kept in ignorance by news media not fully disclosing the scope of the
thievery of the economic well-being of this and future generations.
What About Antichrist?
This essay’s title is “Antichrist: Where Is He?” So, where, if anywhere in this present
hour, is this future evil Bible character in all of the foregoing? Can he be on the scene
today?
Jesus forewarned that false christs will come on the scene in the latter times. The
definition of antichrist is most often given as the one who will present himself in place
of (imitate) Jesus Christ, and will at the same time oppose Jesus Christ. The “beast” is
prophesied to be the world’s worst tyrant of human history. The prophet Daniel was
given the following about this person who is called “son of perdition,” “man of sin,”
and many other names.
“And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a
king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall
stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy
wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy
the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to
prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and
by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he
shall be broken without hand “ (Dan. 8:24-25).
We will examine this man who is of legendary proportions, yet who transcends by far
any legend. He is not an imaginary monster such as Dracula in the Stoker novel, or
Darth Vader as in Lucas' fictional wars among the stars. Antichrist, when he is revealed,
will be a real monster, and a most treacherous one, because he will through supernatural
deceit appear as a geopolitical and socioeconomic savior of mankind. Be sure, the beast
of Revelation 13 is about to step into the spotlight of history’s final act.
The question “Where is Antichrist?” is appropriate for this “time of the signs,” as my
friend Chuck Missler has phrased his description of these strange days. So many signals
are on today’s prophetic horizon that one must ask, if he or she knows much about
Bible prophecy, “Is Antichrist alive today?”
Those who have looked at the world’s issues and events through the prism of God’s
prophetic Word throughout preceding decades of America’s history have heard
questions about the leaders of the times. Are presidents like Franklin D. Roosevelt,
Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, or non-presidents like Henry Kissinger
and others the Antichrist? Now the question is pointed at President Barack Hussein
Obama: “Is he the Antichrist?”
This hour is more prolific with end-times signs than any in history. Obama’s watch as
president marks one particular characteristic that adds, peripherally, to the more
substantial signals pervading the news at present. I refer to conditions like Israel’s being
back in its land and the center of world attention, the Roman Empire seeming to revive
in the form of the European Union (EU), and the Gog-Magog coalition of Ezekiel 38-39
forming right before our eyes.
The peripheral matter of concern in this case is the deceit with which this administration
is trying to steer the American ship of state. Mr. Obama’s campaign claim was that he
would have “transparency” in all of his dealing with the business of the American
people. Yet his administration, with the continuing ramrod tactics of his political party,
has gone against the will of the American public and is in the process of running up
trillions of dollars in debt, an action that even the most “progressive” economists have
declared to be beyond any semblance of fiscal sanity.
One such expert comes across as almost fearful of Obama’s plan as put forward by his
controversial secretary of treasury, Timothy Geithner.
“HONG KONG (Reuters) The U.S. government plan to rid banks of toxic assets will
rob American taxpayers by exposing them to too much risk and is unlikely to work as
long as the economy remains weak, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said
on Tuesday… U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's plan to wipe up to US $1
trillion in bad debt off banks' balance sheets, unveiled on Monday, offered ‘perverse
incentives,’ Stiglitz said.
The U.S. government is basically using the taxpayer to guarantee against downside risk
on the value of these assets, while giving the upside, or potential profits, to private
investors, he said…” (“Geithner plan will rob American taxpayers,” Susan Fenton and
Deborah Kan, Reuters, 3/24/09).
The economic expert expressed his concern.
"Quite frankly, this amounts to robbery of the American people. I don't think it's going
to work because I think there'll be a lot of anger about putting the losses so much on the
shoulder of the American taxpayer" (ibid.).
Time and time again in this fledgling administration, Obama’s regime demonstrates a
level of non-transparency that borders on treachery, in my view. To strap an entire
nation’s citizenry with debt they don’t want, going against their will, expressed through
legitimate polling methods, is beyond taxation without representation. This
administration is taking liberty from Americans in a way that does so by deception and
force by fiat, not constitutional vote. Such tyranny will enslave citizens and their
offspring for generations–possibly into perpetuity—and is among the most despicable
forms of deception and deceit.
Does all of this criticism mean I view President Obama as a prime candidate for the one
who will be Antichrist? No. In no way do I mean to express that Mr. Obama is the
biblically prophesied man of sin. However, the way things are being done in
Washington D.C. during these strange times should make the observer of issues and
events from a biblically prophetic perspective sit up and take notice. They should know
from their observations that this generation is seeing governmental razzle-dazzle not
unlike the machinations that will mark the ultimate deceiver’s regime. Antichrist’s most
tyrannical dictatorship will be one of ultimate enslavement to the 666 marks and
numbers system of Revelation 13:16-18.
There is a peaceful revolution going on, about which most of us have at least heard–the
neo-Tea Party to protest the forcing of trillions of dollars of debt on American
taxpayers, their offspring, and their progeny yet unborn. People are putting tea bags in
envelopes and mailing them to the appropriate address in Washington, D.C. At least, the
White House kitchen help should, through all of the submitted tea bags, be able to–
through having copious amounts of tea on hand, sent to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. by
irate citizens—save a few of the dollars that are coming off the presses like toilet paper
off the roll. (Be aware, you Tea Partiers, however. Word is that the envelopes
containing the bags--a powdery substance--are being summarily disposed of because of
possible harmful substances they might contained. Best, I’m told, just to send the tags
with the attached strings.)
Something Rotten in Denmark–And Everywhere Else
The smell permeates almost every corner of America and the world. It is an odor of
things to come.
Beyond the political exigencies of this troubling hour is the spiritual atmosphere that
has the stench of Antichrist and his father, the devil. The scent was prevalent 2,000
years ago, and the Bible prophet John forewarned about its cankering, corrosive
qualities, as well as defined it:
“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even
now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time… Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false
prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit
that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that
confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit
of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in
the world” (1 John 1:18, 4:1-3).
Denial of Jesus Christ and God’s prescription for living godly lives on Planet Earth
saturate this generation. The antithesis of Christ’s words is not only carried out in the
sinful lives of earth-dwellers; the opposition to the Lord is set in the hardened rebellion
of manmade law.
The denial that Christ came to teach God’s standards for living on the planet He created
is almost imperceptible. Most–even leaders of every conceivable religious sort--often
agree that Jesus was a great teacher of good. But when Jesus is held up as the only Way
to God the Father (John 14:6), the shrieks emanating from the spirit of Antichrist come
from every dark direction of this fallen sphere.
During the present hour, there are even claims that Jesus taught that it is the mother’s
right to choose whether her baby lives or dies. It is held among a growing number of
clergy that Jesus himself gave blessing to those who chose homosexuality over
heterosexuality. Most worrisome of all, the world is more and more embracing the lie
that Jesus only represented the Christ spirit during His time on earth. He didn’t die for
the sin of man. He didn’t resurrect from the dead because He didn’t really die at the
crucifixion, but feigned death on the cross. He didn’t ascend to on high to sit at the right
hand of God. He is, therefore, not coming back to rule and reign.
Jesus, the majority of the world–including many in our government as it is presently

constituted, deny that Jesus is God–the second Person of the Godhead, the Trinity.
Just a cursory examination of the earliest phase of the new presidential administration
tells the story of this time of the growing Antichrist spirit. The first months following
the inauguration have brought changes by presidential edict that are diametrically
opposite God’s will as given in His Word, the Bible. For example, the president ordered
that money of the American taxpayers now be used to help with abortion practices in
foreign nations, reversing former President George W. Bush’s presidential order that no
such use of taxpayer money be made. This Obama did, despite the protestation of more
than half of the American public.
The United States is being channeled and forced into a mold that looks like the
biblically foretold one world order that will be ruled with a deadly iron fist by the one
who is called “the beast.” With the stage of history’s last act set, for all practical
purposes, it is perhaps not far-fetched to suspect that Antichrist is among us even now.
He is here in spirit, for sure.
BIBLE SKEPTICS TAKE NOTE: BABYLON IS BEING REBUILT,

JUST AS PROPHESIED
U.S. forces guarding city of Babylon, currently being rebuilt. (June 2009)
U.S. soldier near the famed Ishtar gate in Babylon, Iraq (June 2009)
NOTE: I’ll be traveling in the U.S. this week and may not have the chance to update this
blog until Friday or Saturday. Thanks for your patience.
——————————————–
Regular readers of this weblog and my books know that Bible prophecy says the ancient
city of Babylon, Iraq will be rebuilt and become the greatest center of wealth, commerce
and power in the “last days” of history. The books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and
Revelation are explicit on this subject. Skeptics and cynics abound, to be sure, but the
fact is Babylon is being rebuilt right now, in part with U.S. taxpayer funds. Iraqi leaders
hope that eventually millions of tourists will come to visit, and real progress is being
made. Consider today’s edition of Stars & Stripes, a U.S. military publication. They have
a fascinating story this morning headlined: “U.S., Iraqi experts developing plan to
preserve Babylon, build local tourism industry.”
Excerpts:
• Soldiers with the 172nd Infantry Brigade are exploring the ruins as part of a U.S.-
Iraqi effort to preserve the ancient city and plan for the return of Western tourists.
• Members of the brigade’s 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment escorted a group
of U.S. heritage tourism experts to the ruins last week for the first of several visits
to develop a preservation and tourism plan for the area. U.S. and coalition troops
have been criticized in the past for damaging and contaminating artifacts. In a
2006 report, the head of the British Museum’s Near East department said that,
among other things, military vehicles crushed a 2,600-year-old brick pavement,
and sand and archeological fragments were used to fill military sandbags. Now
the rapidly improving security situation in surrounding Babil province has
persuaded the U.S. State Department and the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and
Heritage to embark on the preservation project, dubbed the Future of Babylon
Project.
• The State Department and the World Monuments Fund have committed $700,000
to the project, which will see U.S. and Iraqi experts develop a plan to preserve the
site and develop a local tourism industry, said Diane Siebrandt, the U.S.
embassy’s cultural heritage officer. The Babylon project is one of several that the
State Department is involved in to conserve ancient sites in partnership with the
Iraqi government, she said.
• Two people with expertise developing tourism plans for historic sites in third-
world nations, Gina Haney and Jeff Allen, have been employed by the State
Department to run the U.S. side of the project. They visited the ruins for the first
time last weekend. Haney said the pair will involve the local community in the
plan’s development, as they did with a similar project encouraging Western
tourists to visit Ghana’s Gold Coast. “You could throw money at it and do all this
work, but unless you can create a sustainable situation, your opportunities for
tourism will run out,” Allen said. “The idea is to develop something that is going
to be here 30 to 40 years from now and has benefits for the local people. We don’t
want something that will only benefit outsiders.”
• The Iraqi government will be involved in the planning as well. “If you have
200,000 people a year coming to this site, you will have people staying at hotels,
visiting restaurants, buying souvenirs,” Allen said. “The site is in some ways a
revenue generator for the local community.” Babylon could be comparable to the
Egyptian pyramids, which draw millions of tourists each year. But the area lacks
the tourist infrastructure that has been built at sites such as the pyramids, he said.
“There is nothing for tourists here, but if you interpret and present it in the right
way, you can spark interest,” he said.
• Allen, who has experience designing walkways and signs for other heritage sites,
said detailed planning won’t happen until authorities have worked out how best to
preserve the ruins. The crumbling rocks of the original city are surrounded by
more elaborate and modern fortifications, including a maze-like collection of
interior walls built on top of genuine ruins during Saddam Hussein’s time.
• “Some of the past restoration work hasn’t been very good,” he said. “Saddam was
trying to inherit the power of the ancients and continue that legacy. His restoration
methods helped reinforce that vision of himself, and he created a pattern of
restoration and repair work that benefited a certain agenda.”
Last month, a British art publication had a story headlined, “Controversial move to
reopen Babylon: State board of antiquities and heritage believes site needs more
protection.” The story indicated that Babylon would be open for tourists on June 1st.
Another recent story out of Taiwan noted that a Taiwanese tour agency is starting to
take people to Iraq to tour — among other things — the city of Babylon as it is being
rebuilt.
As Iraq becomes increasingly stable and secure, direct foreign investment is going to
flood in, and Iraq will become the wealthiest country on the planet. Exxon Mobil, the
world’s largest company, for example, is positioning itself to become a major investor in
the Iraqi energy sector. Other major oil companies are doing the same. The Iraqi
government in recent months has been developing investment incentive packages to
draw in such companies. And this week, such energy companies will actually begin
bidding for licenses to develop Iraq’s immense but badly atrophied oil exploration,
drilling, and refining industry. Consider, for example, this headline from the Associated
Press: “World’s big oil companies prepare for return to Iraq.” And this is just the
beginning.
Skeptics take note: the Bible is coming true, one prophecy at a time.
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HEADLINES TO TRACK:
• Russia Holds Major War Games In Caucasus

• Netanyahu to Putin: Stop selling missiles to Iran
• Russia warns G8 against isolating Iran
• Ahmadinejad Vows Tougher Approach to West in New Term
• Ahmadinejad Rejects Obama’s Rhetoric, Warns of Crushing Response
• Obama officials: talks with Iran still possible
• Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regime plots purge after Iran election protests
• Netanyahu: Demilitarized state plan gaining ground
• U.S. Commander Says Iraq Forces Ready [to keep country secure as U.S.
forces withdraw from Iraqi cities]
• Iraq ready to stand on own feet, says Maliki
• EXCLUSIVE: Cheney fears Iraq withdrawal will ‘waste’ U.S. sacrifices
Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
• NEVER FORGET THE AMERICANS IRAN KILLED IN BEIRUT IN 1983

• REMEMBERING IRAN’S SEIZURE OF THE U.S. EMBASSY 30 YEARS
LATER
• U.S. To Help Rebuild City Of Babylon In Iraq
• U.S. troops accused of dam
Iraq ready to stand on own feet, says Maliki
PATRICK QUINN IN BAGHDAD
June 29, 2009
Top: Meet and greet . . . Julia Gillard with Nouri al-Maliki and bottom, Iraqi soldiers at a
checkpoint in Sadr City, Baghdad, as reinforced police and army units prepare for the US
troop withdrawal. Photo: AP/Reuters
IRAQ'S Prime Minister says the full withdrawal of US combat troops from cities and
towns this week is a message that his country is ready to take over its own security, even
as he appealed for national unity after a week of attacks left more than 250 people dead.
The country's two vice-presidents joined in the call, with one of them warning Iraqis to
stay away from crowded places favoured by bombers.
Australia's Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, was in Baghdad at the weekend, and
signed six memorandums of understanding with Iraq following a meeting with the Prime
Minister, Nouri al-Maliki. Australia's military forces will cease their operations with the
Iraqi security forces on July 30.
There have been concerns that Iraqi forces will be unable to provide adequate security
after US combat troops pull out of Baghdad and other urban areas by tomorrow, part of a
security agreement that calls for all American troops to leave Iraq by the end of 2011. US
troops have been taking a secondary role, giving Iraqi forces the lead in operations.
On Saturday few if any of the 133,000 US troops still in Iraq were visible in its cities.
Most had pulled out of urban centres in recent weeks. They have assembled in large bases
outside towns and cities and will continue to conduct combat operations in rural areas and
near the border.
"We are on the threshold of a new phase that will bolster Iraq's sovereignty," Mr Maliki
said on Saturday at a memorial service for a Shiite leader who died six years ago.
He added that June 30 is "a message to the world that we are now able to safeguard our
security and administer our internal affairs".
Police said they had bolstered checkpoints and patrols, especially in Shiite areas of
Baghdad where bombers have struck markets with deadly effect.
Nearly all the bombings that began nine days ago have been in Shiite areas, including the
two deadliest attacks. They were a bombing on June 20 that killed 82 people outside a
mosque in northern Iraq, and one last Wednesday in the Baghdad Shiite enclave of Sadr
City that killed 78.
Mr Maliki blamed the bombings on the remnants of al-Qaeda in Iraq and said they were
aimed at restarting violence between Shiites and Sunnis.
"Today we are in need of unity, as they have shown their teeth against us," Mr Maliki
said of the extremists responsible for the attacks. "Our system falls when we return to
sectarianism."
Iraq nearly slipped into civil war in 2006 and 2007, and tens of thousands of people died
in attacks between Sunni extremists such as al-Qaeda and Shiite militias and death
squads. It was brought back from the brink by a huge inflow of US troops in 2007 in
what became known as the "surge".
A Vice-President, Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni, has called on his website for "our people to
be more cautious and avoid, whenever possible, crowded areas unless there is something
important". He also called on Iraqi security forces to increase their presence in public
areas, markets and mosques.
US and Iraqi officials have warned of a possible surge in violence over the next week.
Police and army units have been increased around Baghdad, especially around Sadr City,
and leave for all security services has been cancelled. Mr Maliki has declared tomorrow
"Victory Day", a national holiday.
Associated Press
U.S. To Help Rebuild City Of Babylon In Iraq
February 18, 2009 by tfheringer
from Worldview Times:

Largely overlooked by the Western news media over the
past few weeks was an enormously significant story. The
government of Iraq is moving forward with plans to
protect the archaeological remains of the ancient City of
Babylon, in preparation for building a modern city of
Babylon. The project, originally started by the late
Saddam Hussein, is aimed eventually at attracting scores
of “cultural tourists” from all over the world to see the
glories of Mesopotamia’s most famous city. What’s more,
the Obama Administration is contributing $700,000 towards “The Future of Babylon
Project,” through the State Department’s budget.
“Officials hope Babylon can be revived and made ready for a rich future of tourism, with
help from experts at the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and the U.S. embassy,” reports
the Reuters news agency. “‘The Future of Babylon’ project launched last month seeks to
‘map the current conditions of Babylon and develop a master plan for its conservation,
study and tourism,’ the WMF says. ‘We don’t know how long it will take to reopen to
tourists,’ said Mariam Omran Musa, head of a government inspection team based at the
site. ‘It depends on funds. I hope that Babylon can be reborn in a better image.’”
In my non-fiction book, Epicenter 2.0, I wrote about the Bible prophecies in Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation that indicate the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq will, in
fact, be rebuilt in the “last days” of history and become the wealthiest and most powerful
city on the face of the planet. I also cited my interview with Iraqi Finance Minister Ali
Abdul Ameer Allawi who told me in 2006 at the peak of the insurgency,
“Cultural, religious, archaeological, and biblical tourism is a big opportunity for Iraq. I
think rebuilding Babylon is a wonderful idea, as long as it is not done at the expense of
the antiquities themselves.”
For many, I know the rebuilding of Babylon seemed like a far-fetched idea in the Bible.
For many more, it seemed like a far-fetched idea in 2006, as well. But skeptics and cynics
take note: now that the insurgency is dying down, the Shia-led government of Iraq is
actually moving forward with this historic and prophetic project. They say Babylon will
be “reborn.” And they’re right. It will be. Stay tuned.
Posted in Bible, Current Events, Iraq, Liberalism, Messiah, Messianic Prophecy, Politics,
Prophecy, Rapture, Theology | No Comments
U.S. Commander Says Iraq Forces Ready

Ali al-Saadi/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
An American soldier and an Iraqi solider manning a checkpoint in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul
in mid-June.
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By DERRICK HENRY
Published: June 28, 2009
Gen. Ray Odierno, the American commander in Iraq, said Sunday
that Iraq’s military and police units were ready to operate on their
own, ahead of Tuesday’s deadline for the withdrawal of American
combat troops from the country’s cities and towns.
The Takeaway With Alissa J. Rubin
Related
Times Topics: Iraq
“I do believe they’re ready,” General Odierno said from Baghdad on

CNN’s “State of the Union.” “They’ve been working towards this for a
long time. And security remains good.”
American troop strength is scheduled to stay at roughly 130,000 until

September, with most of the forces living in operating bases away
from cities, military officials say. The Iraqis will be able to call on
American support if needed.
General Odierno, who also appeared on “Fox News Sunday,” said that
he had seen “constant improvement” in the security force and
governance in the region despite some large attacks last week.
Just four days after the Americans closed their outpost, under
government pressure, in the Shiite district of Sadr City in Baghdad, a
bomb killed at least 76 people and wounded more than 150 in a
market there on Wednesday. On Thursday, at least seven bombs
exploded around the country in what appeared to be a concerted
campaign by militants.
The deadline for the pullout from cities has concerned some Iraqi
officers and provoked uncertainty among Iraqis who worry that the
withdrawal of American troops will invite more violence.
Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Muhsen, a commander with the First Division

of the Iraqi National Police, has said that sectarian violence could
return after the Americans leave. He also warned that Iraq’s borders
were still porous, allowing more foreign fighters to enter.
Meanwhile, Qassim Daoud, an independent Shiite legislator and a

former national security adviser, said the Status of Forces Agreement
between Iraq and the United States should be extended to 2020 or
2025. The agreement, which the Iraqi Parliament ratified in
November, calls for American troops to pull out of most Iraqi cities by
this summer and sets the end of 2011 as the date by which all
American troops must leave the country.
General Odierno said that if Iraqi forces sought help after the
deadline, any responses would be coordinated within the bounds of
the security agreement.
“We agreed to abide by Iraqi sovereignty,” General Odierno said on

CNN. “So everything that we do today is transparent.”
Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, has called the
withdrawal of American troops from cities a “great victory,” a
repulsion of foreign occupiers. However, General Odierno said he did
not agree.
“That’s not exactly how I read it,” he said on “Fox News Sunday.”
“They’re seeing it as a progression in their capacities, and I think
that’s the important point.”
Originally published 08:28 a.m., June 29, 2009, updated 01:45 a.m., June 30,
2009
EXCLUSIVE: Cheney fears Iraq withdrawal will 'waste'

U.S. sacrifices
Joseph Weber
UPDATED EXCLUSIVE:
Former Vice President Dick Cheney on Monday said he is concerned about U.S. forces
withdrawing from Iraqi cities within 24 hours.
Mr. Cheney told The Washington Times' "America's Morning News" radio show that he
is a strong believer in Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, and that the
general is doing what needs to be done.
"But what he says concerns me: That there is still a continuing problem. One might
speculate that insurgents are waiting as soon as they get an opportunity to launch more
attacks."
More than 250 people have died in Iraq during the past week in attacks and bombings,
which appear designed to shake the government's confidence and reignite sectarian
fighting.
Much of the violence is in northeastern Baghdad, where hostile acts have occurred about
once every other day.
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"I hope the Iraqis can deal with it," Mr. Cheney said. "At some point they have to stand
on their own, but I would not want to see the U.S. waste all the tremendous sacrifice that
has gotten us to this point."
On Monday, several police officers reportedly were killed trying to defuse bombs, one
under a car and another under a bridge. In anticipation of more violence, the Iraqi
government has banned motorcycles in Baghdad and has increased ID checks and
checkpoint security.
Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the U.S. Central Command, also has expressed
concern about the recent bombings but said the average is about 10 to 15 a day, compared
with 160 in June 2007.
The United States now has roughly 130,000 military troops in Iraq who will remain
outside major cities to train Iraqi police and provide protection for remaining allied
forces. The Pentagon wants to reduce the number to 50,000 by the end of next summer
and have all U.S. forces out of the country by the end of 2011.
Iraqi Gen. Abud Kambar al-Malliki warned militias earlier this month that his forces are
ready to fight "if you attack our citizens."
Gen. Odierno said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" that Iraqi forces are ready.
"They've been working toward this for a long time," he said, "and security remains good.
We've seen constant improvement in the security force; we've seen constant improvement
in governance. And I believe this is the time for us to move out of the cities and for them
to take ultimate responsibility."
Iraqis began celebrating Monday, ahead of the transition Tuesday, which the Iraqi
government has declared National Sovereignty Day, a public holiday.
Mr. Cheney said the defeat of Hezbollah in Lebanon's recent elections and Iranians
challenging the recent election results in which incumbent President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad was re-elected proves the Bush-Cheney doctrine has had a "significant
impact throughout the Middle East."
"The young men and women on the streets of Tehran is proof positive of the universal
desire of people to be free, which President Bush talked about," he said. "It's been a
remarkable development. I hope ultimately they're successful."
Mr. Cheney said President Obama is learning a difficult lesson in responding to the post-
election violence. The Iranian government says dozens have been killed in the street
marches to demand a vote recount. Protesters say as many as 200 have been killed.
"Any time you have a brand-new administration, it has to find its balance," he said. "The
lesson that comes out of this is governing is far different than campaigning. . . . If you're
the one sitting in the chair in the Oval Office, it's a lot tougher than looking in from the
outside."
Oprah Winfrey: Billionaire Blasphemer

Oprah Winfrey is a blasphemer against the God of Holy Scripture. How does a very
intelligent lady come from a deeply Christian home of an apparent Godly grandmother
to become a full-blown New Ager? It is reported that she began public speaking by
reading or quoting the Bible and sermons to her grandmother’s church family at the age
of three. She was actually named after Orpah, the sister of Ruth from the Bible; but the
name was misspelled on her birth certificate. Being raped by a family member for years
certainly had a chilling effect on her young life.
The sad story is that her incredible mind and personality has been turned into a force
for occultic powers. Satan goes about as a roaring lion seeking the best and the
smartest lives to use for his kingdom of defiance against the God of the Bible. The New
World Order of the Antichrist is exploding and he needs teachers and devotees to
spread his high-sounding deception. Oprah Winfrey has become one of his most
successful tools to help lead a multitude to hell. The present day acceptance of all
religions on an equal level sets the perfect stage. In this atmosphere the villains are
saints of God that identify these lies. Hatred for Biblical Christianity has never been so
loud.
Oprah has made numerous statements that show her devotion to New Age ideas, but
the real proof is in her key radio series for 2008. The entire year has been proclaimed
as a study on the book, A Course In Miracles. First, let’s document the source of this
study. An atheistic psychologist received this course by demonic revelation in 1965.
This same study has been a mainstay with Robert Shuller’s church for years and
probably played a large part in the confused mind of Rick Warren. This study came to
this psychologist by “mind dictation” and the source identifies himself as Jesus Christ.
She recalled, “The voice made no sound, but seemed to be giving me a kind of rapid
inner diction, which I took down in a shorthand notebook.”
Another psychologist with whom she is reported to have had a very troubled
relationship agreed to participate in these dictations and serve as a kind of secretary
and confidant. For several years William Thetford was often with her as she received
the volume of materials that constitute this course. He believed she was receiving the
original teachings of Jesus Christ to give to the world.
The Oprah Winfrey Enterprise has now become the window to the world for these
satanic teachings. It is scary when you consider her entrance into the political campaign
of Senator Barack Obama and the impact the media suggests this is having on his
candidacy. Satan is determined to put the prettiest face with the least substance in the
American White House. With all of our sins and failures, America and Israel are still the
two nations hated by the unbelieving world. To think of having a president that believes
in the ideas of Oprah Winfrey and A Course in Miracles should drive us to our knees.
Let’s review the heart of this dubious course in miracles. You will find that every idea is
totally foreign to the Holy Scripture. It is basically the language of humanism,
psychology, and the occult. It has no kin to the Lord Jesus Christ and above all it hates
the sacred blood of the cross. If there is one thing Satan and all his ilk love to attack, it
is the blood and the very purpose of that blood, which is to cleanse sin.
A Course in Miracles states, “The atonement is the final lesson he (the human family)
need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation.”
(Text, p. 237.) That statement is the unfailing love of the devil. There is no such thing as
sin to Lucifer. To admit sin is to admit righteousness and rebellion against
righteousness. And that truth demands a Sovereign God that is an eternal being that
gave His only Son to redeem man out of sin. The heart of this false system is the denial
of the Holy God that rules in His universe.
The false premise of the above statement moves quickly to the next main thrust that is
the heart of Pantheism or New Age teaching. Here are the author’s words, “The
oneness of the creator is your wholeness, your sanity, and your limitless power.” (Text,
p. 125.) This incredible statement is claiming that the universe is God, that every part is
part of the whole, and that we fit in the whole as a cog in the wheel. There is no
separate individual, either God or ourselves. It is all an elusion, and we move up the
ladder of that elusion by our positive mindset. Of course, we move in the reverse when
we are negative or harbor negative thoughts of sin, sickness, or failure.
It can only get worse when you start with such rebellion against the Heavenly Father.
Here is a list of dark things in this book:
"There is no sin." (Text, p. 9.)

"A slain Christ has no meaning." (Text, p. 10.)
"The journey to the cross should be the last useless journey." (Text, p. 11.)
"The name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol ... it is a symbol that is safely used
as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to which you pray." (Text, p. 13.)
Oprah Winfrey has probably crossed the line in the sand to which there is no return.
Believe me, the great Creator and His Eternal Son is beholding it all and the cup of
wrath is near the top. The crash of a life like Oprah will leave a heartrending aftershock.
We may not hear it here, but the sound will touch eternity.
Tell every soul that you have opportunity to tell that judgment is near at hand. Do not
fail to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ as the Redeemer and Saviour of all that call on Him in
surrender.
Joseph R. Chambers
Psalm 83 and the Battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39
By Kit Olsen
Psalm 83 is an imprecatory prayer, an imprecatory psalm, it seems very obvious to me. After
careful research, I have found quite an interesting lecture: “The Ezekiel Solution,” [1] presented
by Dr. Ken (Doc) Beshore in California during the summer of 2008. He has a PhD in
hermeneutics, the study of Bible interpretation, and his expertise is eschatology. He has five
Doctorate degrees: Doctor of Divinity, Doctor of Letters, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Sacred
Literature, and Doctor of Theology. I would say Doc Beshore is a very qualified analyst in the
matters of eschatology, with an exceptional ability to properly decipher Scripture. He is also a
huge advocate of Israel. Through his extensive evangelistic radio ministry, he shares the salvation
message with a large portion of the Jewish population throughout Israel. He is also very involved
with evangelism in Russia, and is president and founder (1968) of the World Bible Society.
“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation”
(2 Peter 1:20).
Some popular theories regarding the meaning of Psalm 83 are circulating, claiming it is an
unfulfilled prophecy, and describing a major separate war that will take place before the battle of
Ezekiel 38 and 39. Accompanying that particular interpretation is a belief that the Israeli Defense
Forces (IDF) will successfully defeat Arab enemies, therefore getting the credit for defeating the
Arab nations that surround Israel. It is true that in Ezekiel 37:10, an “exceedingly great army” is
mentioned, but the verse does not say that that a great army will be responsible for the destruction
of Israel’s enemies. I would also say it is much more likely a war that we will see before the battle
of Ezekiel 38 and 39 will be the fulfillment of Isaiah 17, which could very possibly take place
shortly before the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39. The destruction of Damascus could very likely
trigger the Gog-Magog battle.
“The burden against Damascus, Behold. Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a
ruinous heap” (Isaiah 17:1).
In "The Ezekiel Solution" lecture, Doc Beshore goes into a definitive description of Psalm 83,
confirming my own analysis of the psalm. He teaches that Psalm 83 is an imprecatory prayer. He
also agrees that the Arab states mentioned in the psalm are the modern Arab states that are
members of the Arab League. Their agenda is to reduce Israel to nothing. Bible scholar Doc
Beshore is also very proficient in the Hebrew language. In reference to Psalm 83, verse 5, he
states the word “confederacy,” berith in Hebrew, can be translated into the English word
“league.” Also, according to The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Hebrew
word berith is translated “covenant” in the English Bible. The concordance also states the word
berith appears 227 times in the Old Testament, and means “confederacy, league or covenant.” [2]
Doc Beshore further contends that Psalm 83 is a fulfilled prophecy, a prophecy that continues to
be fulfilled, and a prophecy that will be completely fulfilled when the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39
takes place. He definitively states that the next major prophetic war in the Middle East will be the
battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39.
By carefully comparing Psalm 83 with Ezekiel 38 and 39, Psalm 83 appears very much to be an
imprecatory prayer for Israel, and certainly relates to current events. Both Christians and Jews
have been praying for God’s intervention--to stop Israel’s enemies from the continuous barrage of
threats and assaults from those who also happen to be members of the Arab League. This fervent
appeal can be witnessed today. Every time Israel is threatened, prayers go before the throne of
God on Israel’s behalf. An imprecatory prayer is pleading with God to bring down judgment
upon a dangerous enemy. To "imprecate" means to call God’s judgment down upon a people. The
following verses sound like what the enemies of Israel are saying today, including those who are
members of the Arab League:
“They have taken crafty counsel against Your people and

consulted together against Your sheltered ones. They have said,
Come and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name
of Israel may be remembered no more. For they have consulted
together with one consent, they form a confederacy against You”
(Psalm 83:3,5).
Psalm 83 speaks about a future war, which sounds very much like the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39.
Doc Beshore believes, as I do, that Psalm 83 is a prayer to bring about the fulfillment of battle of
Ezekiel 38 and 39. Psalm 83 speaks about a “confederacy” and all the nations listed in that psalm
are part of the Arab League, whose members are frequently calling for Israel’s demise The
political leader of Iran, Mahamoud Ahmadinejad, is well known for spewing his hatred for Israel
and calling for its total destruction.
Psalm 83 is a prayer to circumvent the conspiracy against Israel. I would further say that Psalm
83 describes and correlates what will happen during the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39, when the
nations of the world will know God and God alone will save Israel from the Russian-led invasion.
To imply that the Israeli Defense Forces will liberate Israel from Islamic threats cannot be
confirmed or supported by any Scripture found in Psalm 83, or in Ezekiel 38 and 39. If the IDF is
given the credit for winning that war, then God will not be known for saving Israel.
Where does it say in Psalm 83 that man-made military forces will save Israel? Where does it say
in Ezekiel 38 and 39 that an army will save Israel? Only God will save Israel during the war
described in Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38, 39. There will be no mistaking His supernatural
intervention when He rescues Israel. To paraphrase Doc Beshore: This event will be a vanguard
moment in history. The entire world will see God in a new light, in a different way because of His
undeniable, supernatural miraculous intervention.
On October 23, 2009, I had a fascinating conversation with Doc Beshore, primarily on the topic
of Psalm 83. He unequivocally stated: “Psalm 83 is not a war, but an imprecatory prayer calling
for Ezekiel 38 and 39 to be fulfilled.” He was also strong in his conviction that without proper
hermeneutics, it is impossible to correctly interpret Scripture. This man is a brilliant, very
seasoned, highly respected, exceptionally credentialed scholar amongst scholars. His words and
analysis should be given serious attention. During our conversation, he also expressed that the
circumstances of the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39 would surpass even the historic miracles of the
Exodus. He said: “The Exodus will pale in comparison to what will happen at the battle of
Ezekiel 38 and 39.” God’s new historic identity, “the Lord who lived who brought up the children
of Israel from the land of the north” is based on Jeremiah 16:14:
“Therefore behold the days are coming, says the LORD, that it shall be no more be said, ‘The
LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, but the LORD lives
who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He
had driven them.’ For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers”
(Jeremiah 16:14,15).
Approximately one million Jews have already emigrated to Israel from Russia (the north
country). Further, Doc Beshore spoke of how the Islamic population will be tremendously
decreased because of that war, and remarked: “Russia will be destroyed.”
“And I will send fire on Magog [Russia] and on those who live in security in the coastlands. Then
they shall know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 39:6).
According to Ezekiel 38:13, Saudi Arabia (ancient Sheba and Dedan) will not participate in the
Ezekiel 38 and 39 invasion. Even now, the Saudis are leading the central banking group into
pressuring Israel into a land-for-peace deal, and most probably will keep pushing for that deal,
rather than joining the future Russian-led Islamic forces when Israel is attacked. The Saudis
appear to be leaning in the direction of those who form the Mediterranean Union, pressuring
Israel to make land-for-peace concessions. The prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran is of great
concern to the leaders of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has never been very cozy with Iran or
Russia, although the Saudis did recently purchase some weapons from Russia. In my opinion, the
attempt to subvert Israel will continue to be done in a more “civilized” way, by pressuring them
to make land-for-peace agreements.
Amir Tsarfati is a sought-after Israeli speaker and very knowledgeable Bible teacher who lives in
Jerusalem. During a number of speaking engagements at Calvary Chapel churches, he has stated
that he believes the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39 is coming soon. He also stated that he disagrees
with the argument by some prophecy teachers regarding Ezekiel 38, teaching that Israel has to be
living peacefully (safely) before that battle can take place. He believes all the physical conditions
for the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39 are already in place today.
Amir is a strong Hebrew Christian, carefully following prophetic events. Living in Israel gives
him an advantage when discussing and discerning the meaning of the relevant prophetic passage,
Ezekiel 38:11. “Dwelling safely’’ does not mean the Israelis dwell peacefully, but that the
conditions that exist are considered “safe” to a degree. A wall to protect the Israeli population
from Palestinian missile attacks does exist. However, there are no extensive walls surrounding all
of Israel. Each village or community in Israel does not have “bars” or “gates.” The common
situation for cities or villages during the time of Ezekiel was one where rock walls and gates were
prevalent. In my opinion, these are the types of walls, fences, and barriers Ezekiel was referring
to in verse 11. These rock barriers no longer exist. In general, the people of modern Israel move
about freely. Doc Beshore also states in his “Ezekiel Solution” lecture that in general, “Israel has
secure borders” and the current border circumstances qualify for the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38 and
39.
Another point to consider is the fact that Israel as a whole is quite rebellious against God and is
not engaged in a genuine spiritual relationship with the Lord. Generally speaking, Israel is secular
to the core, and government leaders have a history of settling for false peace agreements by
giving away chunks of land, land that was given to them by God Himself. Therefore, we could
say that Israel has no spiritual walls, fences, or barriers. Israel at the moment is lacking spiritual
walls or hedges of protection from the Lord. In general, the Israelis are living carelessly, without
a genuine relationship with the Lord, and this is a contributing reason why they are opening
themselves up to being pounced on by many enemies.
In order for the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39 to occur, there will be plenty of enemies who will
eagerly march against Israel. To imply that the Israelis will ever be living peacefully before the
Gog-Magog battle simply cannot be. Clearly, those who participate in the Gog-Magog war will
be great enemies of Israel. I don’t believe for a minute that Israel will let down its guard until the
son of perdition, the Antichrist, deceives the Israelis into thinking he is their savior. This
argument is also in keeping with the conditions necessary for a pretribulation rapture of the
Church.
“You will say, I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who
dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates (Ezekiel
38:11).
The passage says the people of Israel are a “peaceful people”--not that they are living in “peace.”
The verses from Psalm 83:17 and 18 correlate with what will transpire when the Lord
supernaturally intervenes during the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39. As a student of Bible prophecy,
it is my opinion that a portion of Psalm 83 is speaking of a partially fulfilled prophecy--the Arab
League, and its despotic verbal rumblings.
I have already addressed the prayer aspect of the psalm. Next, it also speaks of events that will
take place as described in Ezekiel 38 and 39, when the Lord confounds the enemies of Israel and
shows His indignation, halting the onslaught against His nation Israel. If you carefully read
through Ezekiel 38 and 39, and Psalm 83, their interdependence and similarities cannot be denied.
“O my God, make them like a whirling dust like the chaff before the wind! As the fire burns the
woods and as the flame sets the mountains on fire, so pursue them with Your tempest, and
frighten them with Your storm. Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name O
LORD. Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; yes, let them be put to shame and perish.
That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD, And the most high over all the
earth” (Psalm 83:17,18).
The previous verses are very similar to the verses of Ezekiel 39:2 and 3 and verse 7. They appear
to be speaking about the same event, as you can see here:
“And I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up
from the mountains far north, and bring you against the
mountains of Israel. Then I will knock the bow out of your left
hand and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand. So I will
make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel,
and I will not let them profane my holy name anymore. Then the
nations shall know I am the LORD, the Holy One of Israel”
(Ezekiel 39:2,3,7).
In both Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 39, the Lord is describing what will happen when the Russian-led,
predominately Muslim army marches down from the north to decimate Israel. It is the Lord
Himself who will give the Russians the idea to invade Israel (Ezekiel 38:4,11) so He can be
glorified and reveal Himself to the nations. He will not be defending Israel for Israel’s sake, but
for His name’s sake, so the nations of the world will see He is in control, Almighty God that He
is.
No dangling carrot is necessary for this invasion to take place. Israel does not have to be bigger or
richer for this battle to ensue. It is God’s battle to fight, and He intends to make Himself known.
God Almighty has a plan to personally foil the wicked plans of the enemy. He will use the
enemy’s extreme hatred for Israel to bring His redemptive plans for His chosen nation and the
world to fruition. Both Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 39 make it perfectly clear that it is the Lord Himself
who will intervene in such a mighty way that no one will be able to deny His awesome power.
The nations will realize God defended Israel and destroyed the enemy. The Israeli Defense
Forces, as great as they are, will not be responsible for Israel’s victory. To say they will save
Israel from the enemy is an assault upon the promises of God and His Holy Word. Psalm 83 and
Ezekiel 83 both state God and God alone will be the One to deliver Israel during this prophesied
battle. Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38 each reveal that God’s awesome presence will be undeniable.
“These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all
readiness and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts
17:11).
Kit Olsen
A while back I posted a study showing why the phrase “No one Knows The Day or
Hour” was meant for the 2nd Coming, not the Rapture. Even though it’s clear that the
Great Tribulation is 1260 days long, and the 2nd Coming follows it, the Lord said people
on Earth at the time will not know the day or hour of His coming. To emphasize this, He
repeated it 4 times within the span of 28 verses (Matt. 24:36-37, 42-44, 50-51, 25:13)
A reader responded with the fascinating suggestion that this might help solve the mystery
of the 1290 days and 1335 days of Daniel 12:11-12. Here’s what she wrote.
“I agree with you that Matt. 24:36-51 refers to the Lord’s return at the end of the
Tribulation, also known as “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” However, I can understand why
so many Christians become confused and think those verses might refer to the rapture. It
used to seem strange to me that ”the evil servant” mentioned in Matt. 24:48-
51 could mistakenly think that “his Lord delayeth his coming” when there are so many
places where the exact length of time of the final 3 1/2 years is spelled out in Daniel 12:7
and Rev. 12:14(time, times, and half a time), Rev. 12:6 (1260 days), and Rev. 13:5 (forty
two months). Because of those verses, most Christians tend to think that Jesus is going to
return on the very last day of the Great Tribulation, so how could He “delay His
coming.” But then there are those intriguing verses in Daniel 12:11-12:
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that
maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed
is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”
I have always wondered if there is a little pause after the seven years of Tribulation ends
and then the Lord returns, and Daniel 12:12 is speaking of that little pause. Matt. 24:29-
30 seems to confirm the short pause spoken of in Daniel. Matt. 24:29-30:
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon
shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the
heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:
and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming
in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
If there is a bit of a pause between the end of the Tribulation and our Lord’s return to
earth (with us following behind him on our white horses), that explains why some people
on the earth who don’t maintain their faithfulness during that last little stretch of time
after the Tribulation ends might be caught unfaithful, per Matt. 24:48-51:
“But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming; And
shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The Lord
of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is
not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the
hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
A pause like this could also explain why the 10 bridesmaids “fell asleep” waiting for the
Lord. I suppose that all this is a moot point for the Church, but it’s one of those things
that I’ve pondered. What do you think?”
Here’s what I think. I think putting Daniel 12 and Matt. 24 together makes a lot of sense.
To explain why will require some speculation on my part because the Bible doesn’t go
into much detail. But if you’ll permit me a little latitude, I’ll try not to stray away from
the Bible’s intent in filling in some of the blanks concerning the time of the Lord’s
coming.
Immediately after the end of the Great Tribulation, on the 1260th day after the
Abomination of Desolation, the Sun and Moon will go dark, and the stars will fall from
the sky. An indeterminate period of total worldwide darkness will follow, and then a
great sign will appear in the dark sky. This sign has not been described to us, but people
on Earth will know it’s the sign of the Lord. After that, on a day no one will have known
in advance, the Lord will suddenly appear on the clouds of the sky with power and great
glory (Matt. 24:29-30). Imagine if you can the contrast between the totally black sky and
the brightness of His glory, especially after an extended period of total darkness. What a
sight!
The armies of Heaven will be with Him (Rev. 19:14), as will the Church (Rev. 17:14).
He’ll be coming from the Jordanian desert where He will have defeated the enemy forces
trying to wipe out the Jewish remnant hidden there. (Isaiah 63: 1-6) As His foot touches
the Mt. Of Olives a giant earthquake will open a deep ravine running from the
Mediterranean to the Dead Sea. Living water from the Temple north of Jerusalem will
immediately fill the ravine, connecting the two bodies of water. (Zechariah 14:1-9,
Ezekiel 47:1-12)
With nothing more than the word of His mouth He’ll destroy the forces arrayed against
Him. The anti-Christ and the False Prophet will be captured and thrown into the Lake of
fire. He’ll summon a lone angel who will seize the devil, bind him in chains, and cast him
into the Abyss for 1000 years. (Rev. 19:11-20:3)
At the end of the day light will finally return to Earth (Zech. 14:6-7) brought by the New
Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven. (Rev. 21:22-24) To say it’ll be a unique day is
one of the greatest understatements of all time.
If His first official act is one of judgment, as Matt. 25:31-32 and Rev. 20:4 seem to say,
then perhaps it will begin immediately after His arrival.
This will be a judgment of Tribulation survivors. Those who pass will have shown
themselves to be believers and will be received unto the Lord and welcomed into the
Kingdom Age to help re-populate Earth. Those who fail will be put away, removed from
the planet. This is summarized in Matt. 24:40 where the Greek word translated taken
means to receive unto oneself, and the one for left means to be put away.
The Lord described this judgment in greater detail in the form of four parables. The first
one describes how He’ll deal with the false teachers, those who led people astray during
the Great Tribulation. This is the Parable of the Servants (Matt. 24:45-51)
Then come those who lost heart and failed to maintain their own salvation, as will be
required of Tribulation believers (Rev. 14:12 & 16:15). This is the Parable of the 10
Virgins. (Matt. 25:1-13)
Next we see those who placed no value on His word. They didn’t study it or share it, but
in effect buried it in the ground and in the process lost even what little comprehension
they originally had. This is the Parable of the Talents. (Matt. 25:14-30)
And finally comes the judgment of people who stood by and watched the Lord’s people
be nearly driven to extinction with out lifting a finger to help them. This is the story of
the Sheep and Goats. (Matt. 25:31-46)
The next task on the Lord’s agenda will involve cleansing the defiled Temple, making it
fit for use again. (I’m convinced that the same Temple used during Daniel’s 70th week
will be used in the Millennium. For more detail read my study called “The Coming
Temple”.) By the time the Temple is re-dedicated, 1290 days will have passed since the
Abomination of Desolation. This is consistent with the view held by some that the 1290
day period from Daniel 12:11 pertains to the duration of the Temple’s desolation, not the
Lord’s return.
But there will still be 45 more days before reaching the 1335 days given to Daniel as the
duration of time from the Abomination of Desolation to the beginning of blessing, which
I see as being the official start of the Millennium. I suggest that this time may be
necessary to set up the Kingdom. There’s a lot that needs to be done, like crowning the
Prince of Israel and installing his government, organizing the priesthood behind the
family of Zadok (Ezek. 44:15-16) and teaching them their new duties, especially
concerning the new cycle of sacrifices and Holy Days (Ezek. 44-46), positioning the
New Jerusalem in its orbit above Earth (Rev. 21:2-3), reassigning the Tribal land
allotments in Israel (Ezek, 45 & 48) and installing the governments of the Nations. If
these things unfold as I’ve described them, then 1335 days from the Abomination, the
Millennial Kingdom will be officially inaugurated.
Those who have both waited for and actually reached that day will be truly blessed,
because they will have been eyewitnesses to the most amazing events in human history,
and at its conclusion will have found themselves among the victors, poised to experience
the fulfillment of all their dreams. It will be a celebration such as has never before been
seen on Earth. If you close your eyes and listen carefully, you can almost hear the
footsteps of the Messiah. 11-07-09
Tags: End Times, Prophecy, Second Coming
The Coming Of The 7th Day
By Matt Leasher
The book of Genesis records that God created everything in six days and then on the seventh day He rested. Why
did it take God six days to create everything and why did He need to rest on the seventh? After all, He is God. I’m
sure He could have spun the universe into existence in the blink of an eye without needing any rest afterwards.
Being a believer of the Bible as being the infallible truthful Word of God, I do believe that He did it as it is written
but I also believe that God does things for a reason.
In 2 Peter 3:8 it says, “But beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day.” And in Psalm 90:4 it also says, “For a thousand years in Your sight, are like
yesterday when it is past”. These statements are in the Bible for a reason, but for what and why? Could it be that
God’s procedure of creation is also a foreshadow of His plan and timetable for man’s destiny?
While there exists much scientific evidence of the earth being much older than 6,000 years this can still be true in
light of the scriptures. There is what is called the gap theory. Meaning that scripture does not tell us how much
time may have existed between verses 1 and 2 in Genesis. Verse 1 being, “In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth. Verse 2 being, “the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was on the face of the
deep”. The theory suggests there could be thousands of years between those two verses. Then starting in verse 3
God begins to count the days and what He creates within those days. Of course this does suggest that man has only
roamed this earth for 6,000 years and leads us to the debate of evolution, which is a topic for another time. For
this study lets just stick to scripture and what God is telling us.
So the question remains, why does God tell us in His Word that He created the earth and the life within, as we
know it, in six days and rested on the seventh? Could the beginning be a harbinger of the end? After all, the Lord
does declare in Isaiah 46:9-10, “remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God,
and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done.” The
book of Isaiah is a fantastic resource for hearing the words of the Lord directly as many chapters reveal the Lord
speaking in the first person. Here He is telling us that He declares the end from the beginning. We are given
another hint that the end is determined from the beginning in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “That which has been is what will
be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” Jesus also tells us in
Revelation that He is the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end.
To understand this concept it requires circular thinking and an understanding of “prophetic time”. Prophetic time
moves in a circle and in cycles. When you come to the end of a circular cycle you are back at the beginning.
When 60 seconds is up you start over and begin counting the next 60 seconds. You don’t come to the end of 60
seconds and say “Ok, now what?” Rather, you get a minute out of it and then start counting minutes while the 60
second cycle is still rotating within the minute and then so on with an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year, a
decade, a century, a millennia and so on. Cycles within cycles that never stop moving. If you were to remove or
add 1 single second from within those cycles all of time would be thrown off and the divine order of things would
be disrupted. Interesting how the last few words in the Bible are of Jesus warning us not to add or take away from
the words which are written in this book. If the Bible is a prophetic book declaring the destiny of our existence
from beginning to end, (which I firmly believe it is), then surely every word in it must be there for a reason and
like the divine cycles of time, cannot be tampered with.
Based on Isaiah 46:9-10 we can conclude that God reveals the end of things by encoding them in the beginning of
things and that the future is hidden in the past. But why the big secret, why not tell us things straight up so that we
can be warned clearly without doubt. First of all, God loves us and would not leave us unwarned, nor would he
deceive us with riddles. Just take a look at what He is saying in Isaiah 48:16, “Come near to Me, hear this: I have
not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was I was there.” This is a clear indication that He
is not hiding anything from us. Its all in His Word. All we have to do it is pick it up and read it and not try to rely
on our own understandings.
So if a thousand years with the Lord is as one day perhaps the Lord is telling us that the six days of creation are
representative of the 6,000 years of man’s existence in a sin cursed world and the seventh day of rest is the 1000
year millennium of Christ’s reign on earth after He returns, spoken of in Revelation 20. (Ironically the 1000 years
of Jesus’ earthly kingdom are mentioned six times in Revelation 20). The last 1000 years being the “day of rest”
as sin will have been wiped off the face of the earth and Jesus will reside as King of Kings and show the earth what
it will be like to live in true peace and harmony, …hence, a day (or thousand years) of rest!
If this theory is true then that would mean from Adam to the birth of Jesus would have been the first 4,000 years
and from Christ’s first advent to His second coming is the remaining 2,000 years which is the time that we are
currently living in which is referred to as “the Church Age” or the “Age of Grace”. That being the case that would
also mean that the remaining 2,000 years are almost up! There are even several references from scripture telling us
of this 2,000 year period and its closure. These references are almost always in regards to the re-birth of Israel and
the Jewish people. The land and the people that God has remarkably preserved throughout the ages specifically for
His return! Lets examine them keeping in mind that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years.
In Exodus 19:11 the Lord tells Moses to consecrate the people for 2 days and on the third day the Lord will come
down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. This is very representative of the 2,000 year, (or 2 days),
“age of grace” that we currently live in before the Lord returns to be “in our sight”.
In Hosea 6:2 it says, “after two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His
sight”. This is in regards to Israel. We have seen with our very eyes the beginning of Israel’s revival with Israel
becoming a nation again in 1948. No other nation in history has ever been eliminated out of existence and come
back into existence but miraculously Israel has done it twice! (The first being in the Book of Ezra after King
Cyrus allowed them to return to their land after 70 years of captivity in Babylon). Jesus also gave us a prophetical
sign of this coming to pass when He cursed the fig tree after entering Jerusalem saying “Let no fruit grow on you
ever again”, (Matthew 21:19). Immediately the fig tree withered away. The fig tree of course is representative of
Israel, (see Hosea 9:10). Then in Mark 13:28-31, Jesus tells us to learn the parable of the Fig Tree to understand
when we are close to the end of the age. He says, “when its branch has become tender, and puts forth leaves, you
know that summer is near. So you also when you see these things happening, know that it is right at the doors!
Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.” Now when a
fruit tree begins to bear leaves in the spring that means that the fruit is soon to blossom on it in the summer. Israel
becoming a nation again in 1948 was the Fig tree bearing its leaves but Jesus said it would never again bear fruit!
Furthermore, the generation that sees this happen will not pass away. A generation according to Psalm 90:10 is 70
years or 80 if by strength. Lets do the math here. 1948 plus 70 brings us to 2018. If by strength we are graced
with an extra 10 years then we are looking at 2028 at the latest for the return of the Lord. Either way, it will be in
our lifetime! Even though Jesus said we will not know the day or the hour, He did say that we will know when it
is right at the door!
Now even though Israel is a nation again the Jews for the most part still reject Jesus as the Messiah and live under
the Old Law. However, in recent years many Jews in Israel are converting and becoming what is known as
Messianic Jews, or “completed Jews” and are accepting and realizing Christ as the Messiah and as their Savior.
This conversion of the Jews cannot fully take place until Jesus returns and is in their presence. So the fact that so
many are now starting to convert is a stark sign that He is coming very soon. Preparations for the coming third
temple that He will reside in are also well underway as well. This can be observed at
http://www.templeinstitute.org/main.htm
Another symbolic sign of the 2,000 year age of grace that we live in is in John 11 where Jesus waits 2 days before
going to raise Lazarus from the dead. This is symbolic of the 2,000 years before Jesus returns and raises His
faithful from the dead at the Rapture.
In Matthew 17 we see the account of the Transfiguration. Where Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up to a
mountain and is transfigured in front of them in their presence. His face shined like the sun and His clothes became
white as the light and Moses and Elijah appeared with Him speaking to Him and the Father spoke from the clouds
announcing Jesus as His Son. This was no doubt a preview to the three apostles of the glory of what His
appearance will be like at His second coming. But what is most noteworthy about this account is that in verse 1 it
says, “after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John up on a high mountain...”. If this was a preview of His
glory at His second coming than it happened after 6 days! Just like the creation theory.
The Transfiguration event also parallels the description of the rapture in Thessalonians 4:16-17:
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet
of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
Similarly, at the Transfiguration, Moses represents the dead in Christ because he experienced death. Elijah
represents those who are alive at the time of the Rapture because he never experienced death, (see 2 Kings 2:11).
They, the dead and the alive, join Jesus and are transformed. Also the Old Testament saints and the New
Testament saints are together during this event as represented by Moses, Elijah and the three apostles. Although
they are not in the air, they are on a “high mountain”. A cloud envelopes them and they are “with the Lord in the
clouds”. Lastly the voice of God is heard and we know from other scriptures that the voice of God is like the
sound of a trumpet. (See Exodus 19:19, Revelation 1:10 and Revelation 4:1). So the Transfiguration appears to be
a rehearsal for the Rapture!
Now getting back to the creation theory and the 7th Day. Not only does God rest on 7th day but the Bible also shows
us that God measures time in sevens with rest for His people always being on the 7th day. In the Old Testament the
Jews were commanded to work 6 days and always rest on the 7th, that being the Sabbath. Passover lasts for seven
days with the last day, (the 7th) being a day of rest. Then the 7th week after Passover comes another day of rest
known as the Feast of Weeks (a.k.a. Pentecost). In the 7th month on the Hebrew calendar there are 3 feasts of rest.
They are Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kipper and the Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles). Every 7th year was a year of rest
for the land where in Exodus 23:11 the Lord says to leave the land unplowed and unused. Then every 49th year, (7
x 7), comes a year of Jubilee (see Leviticus 25:8-17), which is a year of rest for the land and also liberty for all
people including the servants and workers.
So in conclusion we can see that the Lord has provided us with several clear, prime examples of the timing of His
coming. All we have to do is examine how it all began. There is something to be revealed from the beginning.
Even Genesis and Revelation parallel each other. In Genesis the world began with man dwelling with God in
paradise until sin cursed the world. In Revelation Jesus will return and bring the world back to a land of perfection
and rid the curse of sin from the land providing a glorious day of rest for us all!
Come Lord Jesus!
?> Table of contents for Joel Speaks Again
1. Joel Speaks Again

2. Joel Speaks Again, Part 2
3. Joel Speaks Again, Part 3 … Conclusion

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land
tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. (Joel 2:1)
Joel could be called the unknown prophet because outside of his three chapter book and
one reference in Acts 2:16 there’s not much said about him anywhere. Not in the Bible
and not in the history books. His father Pethuel (the name means vision of God) was
unknown as well. In the absence of fact scholars rush in with opinion but there’s no
consensus among them as to when Joel wrote his book. Some say it was in the 9th
Century BC and others claim it was 300 years later, after the return from Babylon.
Interpreting Joel’s book of prophecy doesn’t depend upon knowing the correct date of its
publication so we won’t get into that debate except to say that what little evidence there is
favors the early date, around 850 BC. The Book of Joel must have carried a lot of weight
right from the beginning, because it appears from their writings that Amos, Micah,
Zephaniah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all borrowed phrases from it.
There is agreement that Joel was speaking to what would become the Southern Kingdom,
seeing the massive locust plague and severe drought that were devastating Judah at the
time as a model of the Great Tribulation. Therefore his message is one of repentance,
comparing the locusts to armies sent by the Lord to judge the nation for its sins. Unlike
some contemporary scholars who see the Day of the Lord as being a time of judgment
upon the Gentiles while bringing deliverance for Israel, Joel knew that the unfaithful of
Israel would be taken to task as well. Only following their judgment would Israel be
restored. This is consistent with Jeremiah’s later admonition that although the nations
will be completely destroyed during the Great Tribulation, Israel will not go entirely
unpunished but will be disciplined (Jere. 30:11). And Zechariah compared the Day of the
Lord to a refiners fire, by which Israel’s impurities will be removed before the Kingdom
age begins. (Zech. 13:9).
With that brief introduction, let’s see what Joel has to say to Israel at the End of the Age.
Joel 1, An Invasion Of Locusts
The word of the LORD that came to Joel son of Pethuel. Hear this, you elders; listen, all
who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of
your forefathers? Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children,
and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:1-3)
Joel’s name means “The Lord is God” and he opened by claiming that what we’re about
to read are the Lord’s own words, flowing through Joel’s pen. The Lord commanded the
first generation of readers to pass this along through those who would follow.
What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have
left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have
eaten. (Joel 1:4)
There are 24,000 varieties of locusts, some up to 10” long, and they live for 6-7 years.
Some unexplained hormone change causes them to swarm unexpectedly. When that
happens they don’t really fly but are carried on the wind, completely divesting the place
they land on of every trace of vegetation before being carried off again. People who’ve
experienced a locust plague claim the swarms are so large and so dense they darken the
sun, and at night as you lie in bed you can actually hear them chewing outside your
window.
While the exact meaning of the Hebrew here is unclear, it appears to be describing four
different kinds of locusts, coming one after the other until there’s nothing left.
We’re going to resist the temptation to allegorize this plague as some commentators do,
seeing the four kinds of locusts as being representative of the four Gentile Kingdoms that
eventually brought about the disappearance of Israel. It’s pretty clear that in the
beginning Joel was describing the devastation of an actual plague of locusts. But rest
assured, he’ll be talking about the End of the Age soon enough.
The Drunks
Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine; wail because of the
new wine, for it has been snatched from your lips. A nation has invaded my land,
powerful and without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. It has laid
waste my vines and ruined my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away,
leaving their branches white. Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the husband
of her youth. (Joel 1:5-8)
The crops will be completely destroyed, and those who habitually consume them will
mourn like a bride-to-be grieving over the loss of her betrothed, all the hopes and dreams
of marriage snatched away before even one of them comes true. This was considered to
be one of the most severe kinds of emotional loss, and the drinkers of wine would
experience that same feeling when they saw the crops destroyed without warning before
they got a single taste.
The Priests
Grain offerings and drink offerings are cut off from the house of the LORD. The priests
are in mourning, those who minister before the LORD. The fields are ruined, the ground
is dried up; the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails. (Joel 1:9-10)
The grain offering was a voluntary act of worship in recognition of God’s goodness and
provision. The drink offering accompanied the twice daily burnt offering given for the
general protection of the people. The locust plague made these daily offerings impossible,
preventing the people from expressing their worship of the Lord. At opposite ends of the
social spectrum, the priests would mourn their inability to worship, just as the drunks
mourned their inability to imbibe.
The Farmers
Despair, you farmers, wail, you vine growers; grieve for the wheat and the barley,
because the harvest of the field is destroyed. The vine is dried up and the fig tree is
withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree— all the trees of the field—are
dried up. Surely the joy of mankind is withered away. (Joel 1:11-12)
Farmers were the most directly affected, the fruit of their labor destroyed before it could
replenish their depleted stores or be exchanged for compensation. A whole year’s work
for naught. Some would not even have sufficient grain for seed, making the next harvest
unlikely as well.
These three groups are meant to be representative of the entire community, from the
lowest to the highest and everyone in between. No one would emerge from this
unscathed.
A Call to Repentance
Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come,
spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings
and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. Declare a holy fast; call a
sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the
LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is
near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. (Joel 1:13-15)
The transition has been made. Having begun by describing a plague of locusts Joel now
sees the coming Day of the Lord, and calls everyone to fast and pray.
Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes— joy and gladness from the house of
our God? The seeds are shriveled beneath the clods. The storehouses are in ruins, the
granaries have been broken down, for the grain has dried up. How the cattle moan! The
herds mill about because they have no pasture; even the flocks of sheep are suffering. To
you, O LORD, I call, for fire has devoured the open pastures and flames have burned up
all the trees of the field. Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have
dried up and fire has devoured the open pastures. (Joel 1:16-20)
At the outset of Daniel’s 70th week the anti-Christ will make his initial appearance as the
rider on a white horse (Rev. 6:2). He’ll come to power in the guise of a peacemaker
(Daniel 8:25) following the Battle of Ezekiel 38-39, and will fool everyone. But it’s a
big lie and while people are saying “Peace and safety” destruction will come upon them
suddenly and they will not escape. (1 Thes. 5:3) With the arrival of the rider on the red
horse peace will be taken from the Earth and war will suddenly break out again. (Rev.
6:4)
This will bring a time of famine in the midst of plenty. There’ll be shortages almost
everywhere. As if that isn’t bad enough, runaway inflation will price even those foods
that can be found out of the reach of many. It’ll take an average day’s wages just to feed
one person. (Rev. 6:6) Those who can’t support themselves will be left to starve with no
one able to help them. Then, as the Trumpet Judgments begin, one third of of the trees
and all the green grass will go up in smoke (Rev. 7:7) destroying the animals’
pastureland.
War also renders public services ineffective. Sanitation facilities stop working. Power
and water no longer flow. Hospitals can’t handle the burden so disease runs rampant. The
Great Tribulation is still ahead and yet in 1/4th of the world, millions of people will have
already died from the wars, famine, and plagues. Even the wild animals will be going
crazy from lack of food and water, brazenly attacking humans for sustenance. (Rev. 6:8).
This is no longer a mere plague of locusts that happened 29 centuries ago. This is the run
up to the Day of the Lord, and we’re the generation for whom Joel’s warning is intended.
Stay tuned, there’s plenty more ahead. 12-05-09
Table of contents for Joel Speaks Again

Having experienced an actual plague of locusts in Israel, which he described in chapter

one, Joel understood that the Lord was causing him to see it as a vision of the End Times
leading up to the Day of the Lord. He began recording His description of this vision in
chapter 2 bringing it to its conclusion in chapter 3, which is the topic of this study.
“In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I
will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will
enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they
scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land. They cast lots for my
people and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine that they might drink.”
(Joel 3:1-3)
This is an overview statement that speaks of crimes that have been committed against the
Jews during the Times of the Gentiles and culminates in the judgments during the Great
Tribulation and following the 2nd Coming. In Jeremiah 30:11 the Lord promised to
destroy all the nations into which Israel had been scattered in the Diaspora and here He
added a penalty for dividing up His land among them, another crime for which the
Gentile nations bear responsibility. The destruction of their nations is part of the
punishment. The survivors’ consignment to the place prepared for the devil and his
angels after the Lord’s return completes it. How do we know this? The Hebrew word for
nations here is Goy which commonly refers to non-Jewish people. Jehoshaphat means
Jehovah judges and its location is that part of the Kidron Valley lying between the
Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives. The time of judgment is right after the 2nd
Coming when the Lord judges the nations. (Matt. 25:31-46).
“Now what have you against me, O Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are
you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and
speedily return on your own heads what you have done. For you took my silver and my
gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples. You sold the people of Judah
and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their homeland.
“See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return
on your own heads what you have done. I will sell your sons and daughters to the people
of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away.” The LORD has
spoken. (Joel 3:4-8)
It’s noteworthy that the first names mentioned are the ones representing Hizbollah (Tyre
and Sidon are cities in Lebanon) and Hamas (Gaza was a major Philistine city). In the
next verses we’ll see that these two get theirs before the nations are even called to prepare
for war. Is this a hint that the destruction of Israel’s antagonistic next door neighbors
could precede the better known end time judgments? If so it’s further evidence that the
Battle of Psalm 83 will take place before Ezekiel 38-39.
And what’s this reference to the Greeks? They didn’t show up until 400 years after Joel
wrote these words. A look at the original language here brings one of those “aha”
moments. The Hebrew word translated Greek literally means miry clay. It’s a form of the
same word used in Daniel 2:41 to describe one of the materials of which the feet of
Nebuchadnezzar’s statue was composed. The statue represented Gentile Dominion, four
kingdoms that would rule the world from Daniel’s time to the 2nd Coming.
The Biblical Roman Empire was responsible for dispersing the Jews through out the
world. It was represented in the statue by two legs of iron. The feet are its end times
version, which we call the revived Roman Empire. At the End of the Age a Rock cut
without hands (the Messiah) will smash all that the statue represents so thoroughly they
will become like chaff in the summer wind, never to be seen again. (Daniel 2:44-45)
Given the context of Joel’s message, I think it’s appropriate to see the word Greek as a
reference to the End Times version of Gentile dominion. As we can already see, there’s a
concerted effort underway again to divide the Promised Land and there’s even even talk
of sending them far away from their homeland.
The Sabeans occupied the southern part of the Arabian peninsula in what’s called Yemen
today. The actual timing of the fulfillment of this prophecy has not been made known to
us. Perhaps the current war between Yemen and Saudi Arabia will offer some clues. Iran
and the US are already taking (opposite) sides, and Jordanian special forces are involved
in the fighting.
Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the
fighting men draw near and attack. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning
hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, “I am strong!” Come quickly, all you nations
from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, O LORD! “Let the
nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to
judge all the nations on every side.” (Joel 3:9-12)
Turning plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into spears is the exact opposite of
Isaiah 2:4 where swords are turned into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks at the
outset of the Lord’s reign of peace. This means the worst fighting leading up to the End
of the Age is still ahead of us in Joel’s narrative. Remember, the Valley of Jehoshaphat is
that part of the Kidron Valley between the Temple Mount and the Mt. Of Olives. It’s just
East of Jerusalem, so the nations must be positioning themselves to battle for control of
Jerusalem, and the entire planet.
Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is
full and the vats overflow— so great is their wickedness!” (Joel 3:13)
This thought was carried directly into Revelation 14:14-20 where it’s called the Harvest
of the Earth. Outside Jerusalem, the blood flowed like a stream that rose as high as the
horses’ bridles for a distance of 175 miles, the distance from Har Megiddo, staging area
for Armageddon, to Petra, where Israel’s believing remnant will be sheltered.
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the
valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine.
The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will
tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of
Israel. (Joel 3:14-16)
More language from the End of the Age. This time from Matt. 24:29 (the sun and moon
darkened) and Zechariah 14: 2-3. which says;
I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the
houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of
the people will not be taken from the city. Then the LORD will go out and fight against
those nations, as he fights in the day of battle.
The obvious point of calling It “The Valley of Decision” is that by showing up for this
battle, the nations will have decided to take up arms against the Almighty in fulfillment
of Psalm 2:1-3. But I believe there’s a sense in which the phrase “valley of decision”
also refers to Matt. 24:22 where the Lord said in effect that if He didn’t decide to put an
end to the destruction of those days, not a single soul would survive the Great
Tribulation. But for the sake of the elect He will put an end to it. John explained how this
will happen in Rev. 19.
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called
Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire,
and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but
he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine
linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down
the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury
of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in
midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh
of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people,
free and slave, small and great.”
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to
make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and
with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With
these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped
his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The
rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the
horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. (Rev. 19:11-21)
That should do it.
Blessings for God’s People
“Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem
will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.
“In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the
ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD’s house and
will water the valley of acacias. (Joel 3:17-18)
In our study on the End Times According To Isaiah we saw how beautiful the Land will
become after the Lord returns. Joel offered only the briefest summary of this miraculous
re-creation.
But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people
of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood.
Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. Their bloodguilt,
which I have not pardoned, I will pardon.” The LORD dwells in Zion (Joel 3:19-21).
After His beating, when Jesus stood bloody but unbowed before Pilate, the people
responded to Pilate’s offer to set Him free. “Crucify Him,” they shouted. Pilate took
water and symbolically washed his hands of the matter.
“I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility”.
All the people answered, “Let His blood be on us and our children!” (Matt. 27:22-25)
And so it’s been. Who knows how many Jews have died because of the blood guilt they
called down upon themselves that day.
But one day soon all that will be behind them. Toward the end of the Great Tribulation,
they’ll officially petition His return, as prophesied in Hosea 6:1-2. Zechariah 12:10 says
that in response God will pour out on them the Spirit of grace and supplication, and
they’ll look upon Him, the one they have pierced, in a long overdue recognition of their
Messiah. Some say their public confession, written by Isaiah so long ago, will follow.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we

should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar
with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we
esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken
by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was
crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by
his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the
LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:2-6)
Then, finally, they’ll mourn for Him, like one mourns for an only child, and grieve
bitterly for Him as one grieves for a first born son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem
will be great, and all through the land, the people will mourn. (Zech 12:11-14) Their
blood guilt, which God has not pardoned, He will pardon, and the Lord will once again
dwell in Zion (Ezekiel 43:6-7) Hallelujah! 12-19-09
Table of contents for Joel Speaks Again

This week we’re continuing our series on Joel with a survey of Chapter 2, the heart of
Joel’s prophecy.
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land
tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand- a day of darkness and
gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large
and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come. (Joel
2:1-2)
The End of the Age is finally arriving. The phrase “Blow the Trumpet in Zion” indicates
there’s an Old Covenant keeping remnant of Jews in the promised land. The sound of a
trumpet can mean either great news or terrible news in Israel. In this case, the phrase “the
Day of the Lord is coming” means it’s the most terrible news imaginable. Any more
references to locusts are now symbolic of the judgment that’s coming upon the whole
world, to test those who who live on the Earth. The Lord has promised to keep the
Church out of both the time and place of this event (1 Thes. 1:10 & Rev. 3:10) but no
such promise has been made to Israel, and certainly not to the unbelieving world, which
is about to be totally destroyed.
Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the
garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste— nothing escapes them. They have the
appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. With a noise like that of chariots
they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty
army drawn up for battle. At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns
pale. (Joel 2:3-6)
In Rev. 8-9 we read of the Trumpet judgments and encounter wording so similar it might
have been lifted from the pages of Joel 2. All the grass of the land is burned up (Rev.
8:7) The locusts have the appearance of horses (Rev. 9:7) and make a noise like that of
chariots (Rev. 9:9) as they leap over the mountain tops. Men are in anguish and every
face turns pale (Rev. 9:6).
They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not
swerving from their course. They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead.
They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks. They rush upon the city; they run
along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows.
Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the
stars no longer shine. The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond
number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the LORD is great; it
is dreadful. Who can endure it? (Joel 2:7-11)
In his book “The Late Great Planet Earth” Hal Lindsey saw Rev. 9 as John’s attempt to
describe fleets of attack helicopters filling the skies above the battle ground. Our
exposure to war movies makes this easy to imagine, and we can almost hear their unique
ground thumping sound as they swoop in to release another barrage of rockets. Their
number is so great that just the sound of them makes the Earth tremble, and they blot out
the sun and moon (Rev. 9:2). John gave the number of mounted troops they support as
200 million (Rev. 9:16) an incredible force. Before they’re finished 1/3 of mankind will
die (Rev. 9:18). And this is just the beginning. The full fury of God’s wrath will be
released in His final effort, the Bowl Judgments.
Some incorrectly interpret the Bowl judgments as the only time of God’s wrath, but that’s
not how John described it. He said that the wrath will begin with the Seal Judgments
(Rev. 6:17) and will be completed with the Bowl Judgments (Rev. 15:1), not begun
there. By the time He’s finished the nations to which His people have been dispersed will
have been completely destroyed (Jere.30:11) all the cities of the world will have been
reduced to rubble (Rev. 16:19) and every island and mountain will have disappeared
(Rev. 16:20)
I believe that one purpose of the Tribulation judgments will be to return Earth to the
condition it was in when God created it, in preparation for the Millennium. The
elimination of the mountains and islands may point to the reversal of changes brought
about in the Great Flood. Psalm 104:8 says the flood waters flowed over the mountains
and down into the valleys God prepared for them. Some scholars interpret this to mean
that at the time of the Great Flood, the mountains were raised up and the valley floors
depressed to make room for all the water generated in the flood. Those deep valleys are
now the floors of the sea.
Perhaps this act will be reversed, eliminating the high mountains and raising up valley
floors. And if the continents are brought back together into one land mass, as some
scholars speculate they once were, there will be no islands, either. Looking at a map of
the continents, you can see how they’re shaped in such a way as to hint that they may
have all been joined together in the distant past. Scholars have named this single land
mass Pangea, which means All-Earth, or One World. Some believe that Genesis 1:9
describes Pangea and that Genesis 10:25 says it was divided into the seven continents we
know after the flood.
Isaiah 65:20 hints at the return of long life spans, such as was the case in the earliest
days. This was made possible by a water vapor canopy that surrounded the Earth until the
Flood. (Genesis 1:6-8) Since Rev. 21:1 says there’ll be no more sea, this water could
likely be used to restore the canopy.
If all this is true, then passages like this one from Habakkuk are not just poetic license but
are describing very scary times ahead.
He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient
mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal. (Habakkuk
3:6)
Rend Your Heart
“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and
weeping and mourning.”
Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is
gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from
sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God. (Joel 2:12-14)
Even in wrath God remembers mercy (Habakkuk 3:2). In the midst of judgment, all we
have to do is admit our sin and seek His forgiveness. Some form of the phrase “slow to
anger and abounding in love” appears eight times in the Old Testament. Eight is the
number of new beginnings, meaning the Lord is always ready to start over with us. His
mercies are new every morning. (Lament. 3:22-23)
Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people,
consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at
the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. Let the priests,
who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them
say, “Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a
byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their
God?’ “ (Joel 2:15-17)
This will be a time for every man, woman, and child to petition the Lord for mercy. From
the elders to the nursing babies, and every one in between. Not even the bride and
bridegroom sequestered in their bridal chamber will be exempt. The priests ministering in
the Temple will stop what they’re doing and beg the Lord to spare them.
“Come, let us return to the LORD,” they’ll say. “He has torn us to pieces but he will
heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive
us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us
acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises,
he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water
the earth.” (Hosea 6:1-3)
The LORD’s Answer
Then the LORD will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people. The LORD will
reply to them: “I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully;
never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations. I will drive the northern
army far from you, pushing it into a parched and barren land, with its front columns
going into the eastern (Dead) sea and those in the rear into the western (Mediterranean)
sea. And its stench will go up; its smell will rise.”
Surely he has done great things. (Joel 2:18-20)
If this judgment were left to run to its logical concllusion, not a single soul would
survive, but for the sake of His elect, the Lord will bring it to an end (Matt. 24:22)
Locust plagues move in the direction and at the speed of the wind. They typically end
when the swarms are blown into the desert or out to sea. It’s an act of God, and that’s
how Joel characterizes the end of the Great Tribulation.
Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things. Be
not afraid, O wild animals, for the open pastures are becoming green. The trees are
bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches. Be glad, O people of Zion,
rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness.
He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing
floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. (Joel 2:18-
24)
In the Kingdom Age the land will once again be plentiful. And though He has shaken the
mountains and removed the hills, the Lord’s unfailing love for them will never be shaken,
nor His peace removed. (Isaiah 54:10)
“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young
locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm — my great army that I sent among you.
You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD
your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.
Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is
no other; never again will my people be shamed. (Joel 2:25-27)
The Lord will restore Israel to its former glory as the pre-imminent nation on Earth.
Instead of disgrace His people will rejoice in their inheritance. They will inherit a double
portion in their land and everlasting joy will be theirs. (Isaiah 61:7)
The Day Of The LORD
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will
prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my
servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show
wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun
will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and
dreadful day of the LORD. And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be
saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has
said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls. (Joel 2:28-32)
This prophecy achieved only a partial fulfillment on the day of Pentecost when the
Church was born (Acts 2:17-21) and the Holy Spirit was given. Its ultimate fulfillment
awaits the time when the Sun turns to darkness again and the Moon becomes blood red
before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord (Rev. 6:12). Once more the
Lord will pour out His Spirit and everyone who calls upon the His name will be saved.
We’ll conclude this study next week. See you then. 12-12-09
The Third Pillar of Antichrist

Prophecy - Signs
Monday, March 13, 2006
I have always been leery of those Bible teachers who have a new 'revelation' -- seeing
something in Bible prophecy that they had never seen before.
I am also keenly aware of the dangers inherent in interpreting Bible prophecy in light
of current events. It is a good attitude to have, I think, but it does tend to close one's
mind to alternative explanations.
In that regard, what should rightly be accepted as interpretational can subtly shift
over from interpretation to doctrine. And interpretation and doctrine are two
entirely different animals.
'Doctrine' is defined as "a principle or position or the body of principles in a branch

of knowledge or system of belief."
'Interpretation' is defined as "a particular adaptation or version of a work, method, or

style."
Doctrine is iron-clad; a ballet teacher teaches the identical doctrine of classical ballet
to two students in the same class, but how they INTERPRET that doctrine is what
separates a Mikhail Barishnikov from a Rudolf Nureyev.
Doctrine is constant but interpretation changes with understanding.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is
understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)
According to Bible prophecy, the reign of the antichrist rests on the existence of three
central pillars; a global government, a global religion and a global economy.
The prophet Daniel identifies the antichrist as being of "the people of the prince that
shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." (Daniel 9:26)
History tells us the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple took place in AD 70
under the command of Titus, later Emperor Titus of Rome.
Hence the interpretation that the antichrist comes to power through some form of a
revived Roman Empire that serves as a de facto global government.
In this generation, the countries of the old Roman Empire united under the banner
of the European Union, uniting Europe as a single empire for the first time since the
fall of Rome.
The second pillar, that of a global economy, is necessary to fulfill John's prophecy
that he will have the ability to restrict persons from normal buying and selling at the
individual level.
Such economic control was never possible prior to this generation. If you doubt it
exists now, imagine if your Social Security number were deleted. You couldn't work,
open a bank account, get a loan, or make a major purchase.
Elimination of cash (a work already in progress) would completely exclude a person
from any economic participation.
Of the third pillar, the global religious system, the Bible reveals the following:
1) It will claim authority over Christianity. "And I beheld another beast coming up
out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb. . ."
The references to 'the lamb' are pretty much self-explanatory. It is a reference to

something 'like' Christianity, but a counterfeit. . . . "he spake as a dragon."
(Revelation 13:11)
2) It will share political power with the first beast. "And he exerciseth all the power of
the first beast before him."
3) Participation will be mandatory. "cause that as many as would not worship the
image of the beast should be killed." (Revelation 13:15)
4) The method employed by the false prophet's religious system as the penalty for
refusing conversion is decapitation.
"and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the
word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast." (Revelation 20:4)
For more than a thousand years, most interpreters saw the Church of Rome and the
papacy as the third pillar of the antichrist's platform.
The Vatican claims authority of Christianity and has always been as much political as
religious. But that is where the similarities stop.
600 years ago, the papacy tried to enforce conversion and sometimes executed those
who refused. The papacy also believed the world was flat 600 years ago.
It is safe to say when the Pope believes in a flat earth, the papacy will launch another
Grand Inquisition.
There is in existence another religion that fits John's description like a glove. Islam
claims to be the third revelation from God.
It claims its existence from Abraham, acknowledges the Divine inspiration of the
Bible, but claims that Abraham, Moses, and Jesus were all Muslim prophets.
It is Islam's claim to be the third and final revelation from God from which Islam
derives its claim of authority over Christians and Jews.
Islam is not just a religion but is equally a political system carefully defined by Sharia
law and fulfilling points 1 and 2 much more perfectly than does the modern Vatican.
Islam is the religion of the sword. The word itself means 'submission' and Islamic law
authorizes the death penalty for unbelievers, fulfilling point 3 as a matter of existing
religious doctrine -- not a new doctrine forced upon an existing system by a mad
pope.
And the penalty of choice for refusing to submit to Allah is decapitation, fulfilling
point 4.
None of this has to be developed and imposed upon Western religionists as new
religious doctrine by a new pope as previous interpretations required -- it already
exists. And it is already practiced by one-fifth of the human race.
As noted, Islam claims to be the well-spring of Judeo-Christianity, claiming Islam

predates both. Islam claims Allah is the same God worshipped by Christians and
Jews and that the Old and New Testaments were corrupted by scribes.
Christians and Jews scoff at this claim, since the Koran's Allah bears no resemblance
to the God revealed in Scripture.
God is love. Salvation is a gift of grace through faith. As a matter of accepted

doctrine, it cannot be imposed by force.
Salvation through Allah comes through martyrdom in the jihad, after conversion to
Islam either voluntarily -- or by force.
Daniel provides another glimpse into the religion of antichrist. He says that he will
be an atheist, but that he will pretend to be religious in public.
"Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard
any god: for he shall magnify himself above all."
Then Daniel gives a letter-perfect description of Islam -- as Islam describes ITSELF.
"But IN HIS ESTATE shall he honour the GOD OF FORCES: and a god WHOM HIS
FATHERS KNEW NOT . . ." 'A god of forces, and a god his fathers knew not' cannot
be applied to the Roman Catholic Church or the Papacy without the RCC formally
renouncing Scripture, God and Jesus.
For 1600 years, interpreters looked to the Vatican and for 1600 years, the argument
seemed valid. Until the arrival of the generation to whom the prophecy was written.
"And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are CLOSED UP AND SEAL TILL
THE TIME OF THE END. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the
wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; BUT THE WISE
SHALL UNDERSTAND." (Daniel 12:9-10)
Psalms 83 Revisited?
Israel - Middle East
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday that Iran is set to deliver a
"punch" that will stun world powers during this week's 31st anniversary of the
Islamic revolution.
"The Iranian nation, with its unity and God's grace, will punch the arrogance
(Western powers) on the 22nd of Bahman (February 11) in a way that will leave them
stunned," Khamenei, who is also Iran's commander-in-chief, told a gathering of air
force personnel.
There's something strange taking place in the Middle East. All the signs appear to be
pointing toward an imminent outbreak of hostilities against Israel.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted on Sunday as saying that Iran
will "deliver a harsh blow to global arrogance" on February 11.
It is not clear whether he's referring to the ongoing demonstrations in Tehran.
Iran's opposition group, called the "Green Way", has also designated February 11 as
"the day Iranians demand their rights back" as citizens. February 11 is also the date
set aside to commemorate Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Whatever else the February 11 date signifies, it is worth noting that the US has just
ordered Patriot missiles dispatched to the area. Four countries, Qatar, United Arab
Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait will be receiving the missiles.
Washington also has two ships in the Gulf capable of shooting down Iranian missiles.
US officials say the move is aimed at deterring attacks by Iran and at reassuring Gulf
states that the US will protect them against Iranian missiles.
In addition, US intelligence has gathered detailed war plans drawn up by Iran, Syria,
Hezbollah, and Hamas that the US has already shared with Israel.
The plan calls for five Hezbollah brigades to sweep down into northern Israel and
sweep five sectors in the Galilee as part of a general Israeli-Arab uprising against the
Jewish state.
Debka reports that Iranian Revolutionary Guard instructors at specially established

training facilities near Tehran are already well advanced in training those Hezbollah
fighters.
Debka-File has even published a battle map showing the objective of each brigade
complete with detailed topographical and demographic studies.
The first objective is the coastal city of Nahariya, near the UN peacekeeper
headquarters in Naqura. This battalion has orders to capture large numbers of Israeli
hostages for use as human shields against an Israeli counterattack.
Syria's initial involvement will be limited to offering artillery and air cover for
Hezbollah, but, Debka says, could be invited to join in the fighting in the event the
battle turns against Hezbollah.
In the Debka scenario, Damascus could open up a fourth front against Israel,
invading via the Golan Heights.
Debka gets high marks for courage in its reporting -- not so high for accuracy.
Sometimes they get it spectacularly right. Sometimes they get it spectacularly wrong.
But reports of two explosives-packed containers that washed up onto beaches in

Ashdod and Ashkelon just north of Gaza tend to lend confirmation to Debka's
analysis.
Iran had previously used floating barrels drop by merchant vessels at prearranged
locations to deliver explosives to their Palestinian surrogates in Gaza.
These containers may well have washed up on the beaches as a result of

miscalculation of the current, but that's doubtful, given Hamas' claim of
responsibility.
One thing is certain -- something is up. But what?
Each of the parties involved here are part of the overall alliance that is forecast in
Psalms 83 to come against Israel in the last days.
"They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of
Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one
consent: they are confederate against thee: "
Many thought that the Hezbollah/Lebanon War was a fulfillment of Psalms 83,
mainly because of the players in the drama.
". . . Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon,
and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with
them: they have holpen the children of Lot."
Let's first identify the various players (with a hat tip to Bill Salus for much of the
research)
Ishmael was the eponymous father of the Arabs, his brother Isaac being the father of
the Jews. The Ishmaelites most probably refers to the Saudis, but that identification
is admittedly speculative.
The Tents of Edom refers to the Palestinians of the West Bank and southern Jordan.
The Moabites refers to the Palestinians and central Jordanians.
The Hagarites corresponds with Egypt, Gebal with Hezbollah and the Lebanese.
Ammon includes the Palestinians and northern Jordanians, Phillistia corresponds
with Hamas and the Gaza Strip.
Last but not least are Assyria (Syria and Kurdish Iraq) and Tyre, (Hezbollah and
South Lebanon).
Persia -- modern Iran -- doesn't make the list. Iran's fingerprints are all over the
battle plan, but the combatants are all Arabs. Iranians are Persians, not Arabs.
The Gog-Magog Alliance does not

include Syria or the rest of the Psalms 83 nations, and the Psalms 83 nations does
not include any of the protagonists from Gog-Magog Alliance. The obvious
conclusion is that this battle plan is NOT Gog-Magog.
And since Iran is listed first among the Islamic nations of Gog-Magog, it obviously
survives the Psalms 83 confederacy.
But Egypt is not listed on Ezekiel's Roster. Neither is Syria -- or any of the other
nations of Psalms 83, for that matter. Indeed, according to Ezekiel 38, the Gog-
Magog invasion takes place at a time when Israel is dwelling in peace and safety.
Ezekiel is even inspired to include a reference to Israel as a "land of unwalled

villages" currently, Israel is building a wall -- against the Psalms 83 nations.
I note with interest that Iran's battle plan does NOT include Iran directly -- it is a
proxy war. I also note with interest the Patriot missile batteries are in place to
protect the Arabs, not the Israelis.
Finally, compare Debka's battle map to the Psalms 83 battle map above. Look
closely and you will see it is essentially the same map.
The Psalms 83 war won't end as did the 2006 Hezbollah, with a whimper from
Hezbollah and an immediate UN intervention. It marks both Egypt's and Syria's
final appearance in end times prophecy.
When it is over, it will be over, the Scriptures say.
"As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire, so
persecute them with Thy tempest and make them with Thy storm." (Psalms 83:15)
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads,
for your redemption draweth nigh." (Luke 21:28)
Revised & Expanded – The Copper Scroll: Temple Treasures
In 1952 one of the greatest discoveries of an ancient script,

written on copper, was found near Qumran. It took several
years to open or unroll the scroll in order for the
deciphering of the text to begin. Because it was a very
fragile document — nearly two thousand years old – there
was great fear that it would be destroyed before it could be
translated. The disagreements of the assigned scholars and
the intrigue of such a valuable possession led to years of
delay. There are still differences of opinions, but a fairly
solid consensus is that the treasures noted in this scroll are
indeed from the Jewish temple and they do exist.
The entire world is watching every event and every idea that
relates to Israel. Numerous Bible prophecies concerning
this chosen nation are emerging, this Copper Scroll being
one of them. The leaders of Gog and Magog as named in the
Bible are each in place and bellowing out their plans. Thirty
years ago Persia (Iran) was our ally, but Bible prophecy
scheduled that historic part of the world for a different
course. For Biblical truths to be fulfilled, people of many
stripes are used — often or actually in most cases —
without one semblance of understanding about their role.
Persia/Iran has been completely transfigured until they are
ready to be the point nation leading the war to their own
holocaust. Gog and Magog may well occur in 2010.
Nothing relating to Israel is more exciting than their talk of

the coming Messiah. Their speaking about the Jewish
Messiah cannot be separated from talk about their temple in
Jerusalem. Yet, that temple site is already occupied by an
opposing strategic religious center. Well over one billion
adherents to that religion would fight to the death to stop a
Jewish temple. This issue between the Islamic religion and
Israel’s preparation to build their temple is one of the
world’s hottest subjects. Only the Sovereign God can
possibly solve this problem and He will.
The Copper Scroll treasures contain almost enough gold

and wealth to rebuild the temple. A Catholic priest, Josef
Milik, was assigned as the research scholar responsible for
writing the official findings. He said that the gold and silver
represented over 200 ton or 400,000 pounds. The entire
treasure was estimated to be valued at two to three billion
dollars some years ago. That has more than doubled at
today’s value. Of course, these estimates are considered
too small by some scholars and too large by others. There
is some speculation that the final Copper Scroll’s trove of
treasures will identify the location of the “Ark of the
Covenant.”
Hershel Shanks, the editor of the Biblical Archaeological

Review, tells about a meeting of scholars and experts in
which the majority agreed that the treasure is real and that it
all came from the Jerusalem Temple. (The Copper Scroll,
Hershel Shanks, p. 51.) It is believed that before the Romans
finally took and destroyed the temple in AD 70 that this
wealth of gold and treasures was hid from them. Whether or
not the “Ark of the Covenant” is part of this trove of temple
treasures does not mean the ark has not been preserved.
The Copper Scroll treasures were almost assuredly from the

Second Temple, but the Ark of the Covenant was not ever
discovered after the First Temple. It seems certain that
faithful priests had hidden the ark when Nebuchadnezzar
was camping beyond Jerusalem’s Walls in preparation to
destroy the city. This was 586 BC. From research, it is
evident that Nebuchadnezzar sought diligently to save the
Temple of Solomon, probably for Daniel’s and Jeremiah’s
sake. Nebuchadnezzar’s general was instructed to take
Jeremiah from among the captives and protect him. He was
allowed to either stay in Israel and return to his own estate
or go to Babylon to be cared for by his own people.
The Copper Scroll reveals the hidden place of sixty-four

different troves or groups of treasures. Here are two of
those locations, along with the list of items included: “In the
basin that is in the valley of […], in the tomb of its source, a
black stone 2 cubits (away); it is the entry: 300 talents of
gold and 20 indemnity vessels.” (Ibid., Location 49, p. 100.)
“In a cavity that is in the bright place north of Kohilt,
opening to the north, and (where there are) graves at its
entrance a duplicate of this document and an explication
and their measurements and a detailed inventory of
everything, one by one.” (Ibid., Location 64, pg 101.) In the
location of the 62nd treasure, the amount of gold and silver
is 600 talents (45,000 pounds).
When will this great abundance of treasuries be

discovered? Actually, there is no need for this discovery
until the Temple Mount is purified and vacant. I am
convinced that most, if not all of these temple items, along
with the wealth of gold and silver, is hid beneath the exact
location of the ancient Temple of Solomon. If the Ark of the
Covenant was directly beneath the Second Temple’s Holy of
Holies, the priest could have offered the Blood sacrifice
behind the veil and above the ark in Christ’s day. This would
be the reason that the veil before the Holy of Holies was rent
when the Son of God died at Calvary.
It seems fitting that the firestorms that will destroy the

armies of Gog and Magog and obliterate the Islamic religion
will also sweep the Temple Mount and purify it with fire. The
promise of God’s defense of Israel includes prophecy
stating, “Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in
the land of Israel” (Ezekiel 38:19b). Ezekiel further
prophesied, “And the mountains shall be thrown down, and
the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the
ground” (Ezekiel 38:20b). I add this possibility, “All the
treasures of God’s temple shall be revealed.” When the war
of Gog and Magog is finished, it will be time for Israel to
build their temple.
The Book of Revelation gives reference to two different

temples, the Heavenly prototype and the Third Temple in
Jerusalem. This last great book of the Bible is written
primarily to the church, but it would be impossible to
eliminate the presence of Israel or the city of Jerusalem. The
144,000 Jews, who are converted to Christ immediately after
the Rapture (Revelation 7:1-8), clearly show that God never
forgets His Son’s earthly family. The nation of Israel will
continue in unbelief until the Seven Years of Tribulation is
finished, but many Jewish individuals will come to faith as
the countdown moves toward the Millennium.
Jerusalem’s rebuilt temple is the focal point in the very

middle of the seven years of the Great Tribulation. In His
Olivet discourse the Son of God called this temple the “Holy
Place.” That settled the fact that God will honor this Third
Temple, even though it is rebuilt by Jews that will still be
waiting for their Messiah. The temple is part of God’s
process in preparing for the total redemption of Israel. The
fact that the Antichrist desecrates the temple, as Jesus
plainly taught, shows that this will end the Jewish effort to
complete the re-establishing of Old Testament worship.
Jesus said, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of

desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the
holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand): Then let
them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him
which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing
out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return
back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with
child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye
that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath
day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not
since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever
shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there
should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those
days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:15-22).
The Book of Luke gives us an additional look at Jerusalem

and this brief moment of what is happening at the middle of
the seven years. “Then let them which are in Judaea flee to
the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it
depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter
thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all
things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them
that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those
days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath
upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the
sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and
Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the
times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:21-24).
Since the Book of Revelation is about the entire universe

and God’s complete redemption of all things, Jerusalem’s
new temple only receives a simple explanation. John is
given the task of measuring this grand place and showing
the Antichrist’s purpose to defile this highlight of Jewish
rebirth. He stated, “And there was given me a reed like unto
a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the
temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
But the court which is without the temple leave out, and
measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy
city shall they tread under foot forty and two months”
It’s clear that the nation of Israel will still be under the
thumb of her enemies among the Gentiles and will not be
free until the Great Tribulation is finished. This period is
called “The Times of the Gentiles.” Dispensations in the
Bible are distinct periods. They never suggest that God is
uninterested in the rest of the world, but that His actions are
precise.
Revelation does not show us the Antichrist and his image in

the temple actually desecrating this “Holy Place,” but Jesus
Christ prophesied that it would happen. John the Revelator
described this event without renaming this location. “And
deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of
those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the
beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they
should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by
a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the
image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both
speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the
image of the beast should be killed” (Revelation 13:14-15).
The Third Temple must be rebuilt and it will be a grand
place. If it were not, the Antichrist would not have any
interest in defiling it in his blasphemy against God.
As the Seven Years of Redemptive Tribulation comes to its

closing moments, the great prototype temple in Heaven
comes into view. I do not believe that it is possible to
understand the significance of what the redeemed are going
to behold. Any one of the three temples – Solomon’s,
Herod’s, or this Third Temple – were or will be the grandest
structures this world has ever seen. The Temple of Solomon
was the greatest but the beautification by Herod of the
Second Temple was almost as grand. Hershel Shanks
quoted Josephus, “The gold Herod used in the construction
of the sanctuary on the Temple Mount equaled 8,000 talents
(600,000 pounds or 300 tons.).” (The Copper Scroll, p. 47
from Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews (Loeb edition)
14.105.) That’s 9,600,000,000 ounces at $1,000/ounce or nine
billion, six hundred million in today’s gold value of
$1,000/ounce. And that is just the gold and not the glory.
But, the things that we know on earth that are beyond

description — as these earthly temples represent — will
pale when that grand worship center of Heaven comes into
view. The glory of this temple that could contain the
combined sovereignty of the Father, His Son, and the Holy
Spirit must become visible to the saints as the Great
Tribulation ends. “And the temple of God was opened in
heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of his
testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and
thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail” (Revelation
11:19).
The sacred treasures of the past Jewish temples —

Solomon’s and Herod’s — had to be removed from human
hands and human imaginations. I believe God ordained that
these treasures be hid from piercing eyes until His timing to
establish His Son on the Throne of David. Jerusalem is the
only city that could contain this divinely planned and
blessed “Holy Place.” I’m delighted that Jesus Christ gave
this last temple in Jerusalem a sacred title. For mortal flesh
to call a city or a man-made temple a “Holy Place” could be
questioned, but for the God-Man to call it such is
breathtaking. I believe the treasures of the “Copper Scroll”
and the original Ark of the Covenant are a part of God’s plan
for His city of Jerusalem and His Golden Temple, where His
Son will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Joseph R. Chambers
Beyond Sanctions: How to Solve the Iranian Riddle
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By TRITA PARSI Trita Parsi – Wed Mar 10, 1:55 am ET
Iran is the 21st century equivalent of 1930s Russia - a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside
an enigma. The Iranians haven't stumbled upon this mystifying state coincidentally, and
the enigma isn't the result of outsiders' failure to try to understand them. Rather, the
Iranian government has a deliberate policy aimed at confusing the outside world about its
goals and decision-making processes. "There is an intention out there to confuse," a noted
Iranian professor told me in Tehran a few years ago. The rulers in Tehran think that
opacity and the perception of unpredictability buy them security.
Given that intent, it is hardly surprising that Washington has had such a difficult time
formulating a successful Iran policy. Right now, the Obama Administration is embarking
on the sanctions track, pursuing both a U.N. Security Council resolution, as well as
measures by a coalition of the willing that would go beyond anything imposed by the
U.N. The idea is that a tough sanction regime would hit the Iranian government - and
especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guards - while sparing Iran's population. (See the
top 10 players in Iran's power struggle.)
Yet despite what they say, few in Washington believe sanctions alone will alter Iran's
behavior. They have never worked as well as they might in Iran; rhetoric has only served
to raise tensions further. The experience of the Bush Administration shows that the
combination of sanctions and rhetoric about regime change - remember the "Axis of
Evil?" - helped strengthen the hands of Iran's hard-liners. It vindicated Tehran's paranoia
and reduced options available to the U.S. If the Iranian regime thinks that the real aim of
U.S. policy is to topple it, it is hardly likely to make the conciliatory policy changes - for
example, on its nuclear program - that the U.S. seeks.
So what should Washington do? A starting point should be to recognize that the U.S. is
no longer dealing with an Iran that merely simulates indecisiveness. On the contrary, Iran
seems genuinely irresolute and paralyzed by the Khamenei government's loss of
legitimacy and continued conflicts both within the Élite and between the government and
the people. (See pictures of Iran's presidential elections and their turbulent aftermath.)
The government may have scored a tactical victory on Feb. 11, by preventing the
opposition from organizing antigovernment demonstrations on the anniversary of the
revolution, but beneath the surface little has changed. The government lacks legitimacy
and is increasingly resorting to force to stay in power. Infighting at the Élite level is
becoming more brutal, with wives and children of opposition leaders being beaten and
tortured by government-sanctioned militias.
Under these circumstances, the embattled Iranian government is unable to set a new
course for its foreign policy. In a state of paralysis, Iran's behavior is primarily driven by
two forces: bureaucratic inertia and a willingness to take only those decisions that are
deemed low-risk within Iran's internal political context. That does not include
compromise with Washington and the International Atomic Energy Agency on the
nuclear issue. From the Iran-Contra scandal onwards, Iran's history is ripe with examples
of Iranian politicians losing their careers after trying to create an opening to the U.S.
Iran's opposing political factions fear that rivals would reap the political benefits of an
end to the U.S.-Iran enmity. From the standpoint of those in the regime, the low-risk
course is to respond to pressure by opting for confrontation and escalation. Iran's hard-
liners are more comfortable and astute at handling an easily defined threat such as a
combative Bush than they are an elusive and indefinable Obama. (See the top 10
Ahmadinejad-isms.)
None of this bodes well for the U.S. Ratcheting up indiscriminate sanctions will likely
close the window for diplomacy, leaving Obama in the same position as Bush placed
himself. But Tehran's tendency toward confrontation might lead to the situation spiraling
out of control. Military confrontation, which no one in the Obama Administration favors,
may become unavoidable.
One game changer would be victory by Iran's pro-democracy green movement. But
Washington has little influence over the fate of the greens and the movement's struggle
follows a timetable that is not synchronized with Iran's nuclear trajectory. The opposition
remains a thorn in Khamenei's side. But exaggerated expectations of its prospects will put
undue pressure on the movement. (See pictures of terror in Tehran.)
So here is the central dilemma of Iranian policy: Iran's greens need time, but Washington
does not seem to think it can afford to wait. While patience is underrated in the U.S.
political culture, impatience carries a much greater risk when dealing with a country
currently prone to escalation. The tragedy of yet another war in the Middle East is
something America simply cannot afford. Waiting for something to change is hard for
Americans. But on Iran, that is what they should do.
America must learn from the UK about the future of Islamist subversion
By Steven Emerson
America must learn from the UK about
the future of Islamist subversion
By Steven Emerson
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | By looking across the

Atlantic at our closest friend and ally, the United Kingdom, are
we looking into our future? Or maybe even our present?
A brilliant expose on Channel 4's "Dispatches" and the pages

of the Telegraph, reveals that the extremist Islamic Forum of
Europe (IFE) - which has chapters across Europe - has
infiltrated the British Labour Party in London, holds sway over
local government spending, and tries to manipulate electoral
politics. The IFE has extensive ties with Jama'at-e-Islami, a political movement founded by Syed Abul A'ala
Maududi - the godfather of modern Islamism - in Pakistan in 1941. In fact, IFE officials also hold leadership
positions at the East London Mosque and the Muslim Council of Britain - both of which are heavily
dominated by Islamist - and, particularly - Jama'at-e-Islami cadres in Britain. The IFE is even
headquartered in the same complex of the East London Mosque, which calls the IFE "a social welfare
organization."
However, that is not how Jim Fitzpatrick, the UK Environment Minister, views it. He told Telegraph London
editor Andrew Gilligan:
"They are acting almost as an entryist organisation, placing people within the political parties, recruiting
members to those political parties, trying to get those individuals selected and elected so they can exercise
political influence and power, whether it's at local government level or at national level."
An IFE leaflet shown in the "Dispatches" program claims the organization is dedicated to changing "the
very infrastructure of society, its institutions, its culture, its political order, and its creed from ignorance to
Islam."
The program featured a recording of a speaker at an IFE event:
"Our goal is to create the True Believer. To then mobilize these believers into an organized force for
change who will carry out da'wah, hisbah [enforcement of Islamic law], and jihad. This will lead to social
change and iqamatud-Deen."
Another IFE pamphlet reads, "[T]he Islamic Forum Europe strives for the establishment of a global society,
the Khilafah [Caliphate], based on truth and justice." A host of an IFE radio program explained over the
airwaves, "Democracy, if it means that, you know, at the expense of not implementing the Sharia, no-one's
going to agree with that."
The parallels with Maududi's revolutionary thought, contained in his pamphlets, Process of Islamic
Revolution and Moral Foundations of the Islamic Government, are striking. Central to Maududi's argument
is that an Islamic revolution must be manned by cadres immersed in the tenets and ideology of Islam who
create a "system of education to train and mould the masses in the Islamic pattern of life." This system
would
"produce Muslim scientists, Muslim philosophers, Muslim historians, Muslim economists and financial
experts, Muslim jurists and politicians; in short in every branch of knowledge there should be men who
have imbibed the Islamic ideology…men who have the ability to build a complete system of thought and of
practical life based on Islamic principles and who have strength enough to challenge effectively intellectual
leadership of the present Godless thinkers and scientists."
These men would engage in a struggle of word and deed to proclaim the Islamic system to the world. This
will attract a segment of society, bringing about a "revolution…in the mentality of the masses…" It will then
"become impossible…for any other system of life to maintain its existence." Due to the patient efforts of the
Islamist educational system, once this occurs, there will be cadres at every level and in every field ready to
seize the reins of power.
Shared Means and Ideology in the U.S.
There is also an obvious parallel with an internal U.S. Muslim Brotherhood strategy memo, written in the
early 1990s and released as evidence in the terrorism financing trial against the Holy Land Foundation for
Relief and Development. That memo reads:
"The process of settlement is a 'Civilization-Jihadist Process' with all the word means [sic]. The Ikhwan
must understand their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western
civilization from within and 'sabotaging' its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers
so that it is eliminated and God's religion is made victorious over all other religions."
In 1987, the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood Shura Council stated in another internal memo that its goal is:
"[The] Enablement of Islam in North America, meaning: establishing an effective and a stable Islamic
Movement led by the Muslim Brotherhood which adopts Muslims' causes domestically and globally, and
which works to expand the observant Muslim base, aims at unifying and directing Muslims' efforts, presents
Islam as a civilization alternative, and supports the global Islamic State wherever it is."
A dawah manual produced by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) - a U.S. group that is, like the
IFE, heavily tied to Jama'at-e-Islami, explains that dawah - or the effort to spread Islam - for them is a
means toward overthrowing "those who are rebellious to Allah" and establishing Islamic governance.
The ICNA manual continues:
"As a result of the Da'wah process, we will be able to reach Muslims conscious of their obligations and
willing to strive in the way of Islam. They are to be organized under the banner of the Islamic Circle. As a
part of this Movement, they will be involved in intensive Islamic education and training. This is to prepare
for Jihad - the struggle to establish Allah's Din Islam on the earth…"
IFE's Infiltration
As noted by Rashad Ali, a former Hizb ut Tahrir activist interviewed by "Dispatches," Maududi's script is
being followed closely by the IFE. In fact, when Channel 4's undercover journalists went to the East London
Mosque to join the IFE, they found that members are told to keep their ties to the group a secret and are
required to sign an oath of allegiance. The undercover journalists were told that they "have to accept every
aspect of Islam. Political aspect, economical aspect, because Islam provides all the solutions. Allah gives
us everything, the sharia covers everything, every aspect of life."
Members are also given a reading list, which includes works by Maududi, including Let Us Be Muslims.
One passage in this text reads:
"[A] sacred duty devolves upon you: wherever you are, in whichever country you live, you must strive to
change the wrong basis of government, and seize all powers to rule and make laws from those who do not
fear God."
The best example of IFE infiltration is the Tower Hamlets borough council in London. Through aggressive
lobbying and canvassing, the IFE was able to get Lutfar Rahman appointed as head of the Tower Hamlets
council. Shortly thereafter, Rahman managed to get Luftar Ali - a candidate with a "downright dishonest"
resume - appointed as assistant chief executive, a post with responsibility over grant funding. This
achievement was accomplished despite council head-hunters who found him to be "rather superficial" and
worried that he "may struggle with the intellectual challenges in a highly strategic role." This result has
given two men with extensive IFE ties essential control over a �1 billion budget, which they have used
robustly to support Islamist causes and the promotion of its interpretation of Islam in public spaces and
institutions in Tower Hamlets.
Local activist leaders have noticed that millions of pounds in funding have increasingly gone to IFE-linked
groups at the expense of other community groups that had received funding previously. "All the resources
is [sic] going to Islamic and fundamentalist group [sic]," complained one Tower Hamlets Muslim resident
and activist. Most of the residents interviewed by "Dispatches" who have complained about the situation
and even protested publicly against IFE's efforts have been Muslims of Bengali origin who do not agree
with IFE's Islamist agenda.
Rashad Ali explains that the IFE has sought to enter the Labour Party - a secular party - "with the intention
of being able to influence the future political agenda." He continues, "The aim of jihad is to bring down
every other government which does not impose Islam, or their interpretation of Islam." Fitzpatrick claims
that local Muslims who had never participated in Labour politics before turned up at elections with printed
lists of who they were to vote for - the marching orders from IFE - and then were never seen again.
Labour officials quickly became concerned and suspended the rights of the Tower Hamlets branch to select
its own candidates. "We're concerned about people joining for the right reasons and are trying to prevent
organisations filtering in who may try taking over the party by signing up and ousting existing members," a
Labour spokesman said.
These concerns seem well-founded. "Dispatches" obtained Tower Hamlets Labour membership lists
between 2006 and 2008 and discovered that, while Labour party membership has been in decline
everywhere else, it had more than doubled in Tower Hamlets. In 2006, the ethnic makeup of the Tower
Hamlets Labour members was 50% South Asian and 50% non-South Asian. This statistic roughly reflected
the ethnic make-up of the borough. Yet 90% of the new members since 2006 have been South Asian.
"If you don't believe in democracy or in mainstream pluralistic political parties, if you have a disdain towards
them, the idea of taking them over and subverting them…is quite an appealing thing," said Paul Richards,
former advisor to the UK Department of Communities and Local Government.
Not surprisingly, IFE played a decisive role in the 2005 election of George Galloway, the firebrand
supporter of Hamas and founder of the RESPECT Party. At an East London Mosque dinner following his
electoral victory, he stated: "I am indebted more than I can say, more than it would be wise for them for me
to say, to the Islamic Forum of Europe. I believe they played the decisive role…" Galloway has tried to
diminish the role the IFE has played in his political career in comments to "Dispatches."
American Subversion
The same entryist methodology can be seen in the U.S., but the U.S. Islamist groups have not been nearly
as successful as their British counterparts. Last spring, Esam Omeish sought to become the first Muslim
elected to serve in the Virginia General Assembly. His campaign machine tried to erase Omeish's role as
president of the Muslim American Society (MAS), a religious and political body created by Muslim
Brotherhood members in the United States. He was defeated in the primary election.
Omeish had previously resigned from a state immigration panel to which he had been appointed after video
shot by the Investigative Project on Terrorism showed him praising Palestinians for choosing "the jihad way
�to liberate your land" at a 2000 rally.
Just a few months before launching his candidacy, Omeish gave a sermon in which he described how
Islam could fuel a "transformation, a real change" in society:
"We cannot allow the status quo to continue. We need an American Islamic movement that transforms our
status, that impacts our society, and that brings forth the change that we want to see."
MAS's efforts to subvert the American political system have not stopped there. MAS has an active voter
registration effort, employing Muslim Boy and Girl Scout troops to get out the vote in Virginia's 2006 Senate
election. In and of itself, this is not problematic. Many civil society groups conduct voter registration
campaigns and it is a perfectly legitimate and even admirable activity. However, MAS has clearly
demonstrated an Islamist intent in its campaign. In 2008, it ran a program called "Voting is Power," which
called voting a
"first step toward that political empowerment so vital to our ultimate goal of raising and developing
exemplary citizens who will contribute to the greatness of our country, and whose convictions and
dedication will illuminate the brilliance and beauty of the great message of Islam."
Other examples of subversion and infiltration abound. As is well-known to readers of this website, the
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has enjoyed cozy relationships with lawmakers, law
enforcement, and civil society alike. They were close "partners" of the FBI and even ran their "sensitivity
training." CAIR's own website brags:
"CAIR officials have met or regularly meet with US Presidents, members of the administration, members of
congress, governors, mayors, members of state legislatures, county commissioners and others. Several
CAIR affiliates have received proclamations and citations from mayors and county commissioners."
However, their relationship with the FBI finally soured when CAIR officials were unwilling to answer
questions about their ties to Hamas.
The Islamist infiltration extends into the US military. Abulrahman Alamoudi, the former head of the
American Muslim Council, was one the nation's most admired Muslim leaders. Despite his close ties to the
Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas officials, he met with presidents, including President Bill Clinton, and
presidential candidates, including then-Governor George W. Bush. Alamoudi and his associates - including
anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist - are often credited with Bush's 2000 campaign promise to end a practice
known as "secret evidence" that had long been used in criminal prosecutions, in accordance with the
Classified Information Procedures Act, and in immigration proceedings.
Alamoudi - who once told the audience of a Chicago-area conference that Muslims would turn American
into an Islamic country - founded the US military's Muslim chaplaincy program, which was never reviewed
even after Alamoudi was sentenced to 23 years in prison for violating sanctions laws pertaining to Libya
and engaging in an al-Qaeda linked conspiracy to assassinate then-Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah. The
Muslim chaplaincy program endures under the control of the Islamic Society of North America - perhaps
the most significant Muslim Brotherhood front group in the United States.
The " Tadarruj" Entryism of British Islamists
Abu Tala, an IFE activist, in a secretly filmed conversation explained the gradual nature of this campaign,
praising the imam of the East London mosque for transforming the neighbourhood and his efforts to purge
the local Muslim community of what he sees as un-Islamic practices. He stated, "Tadarruj means
gradualism. He's done it gradually." The IFE has also infiltrated the UK civil service. In fact, the former head
of the civil service Islamic association is an IFE activist.
In a conversation filmed secretly by a "Dispatches" undercover reporter, Abjol Miah, a senior IFE activist
and Tower Hamlets councillor, explained, "We've actually consolidated ourselves. We've got a lot of
influence and power in the council. Councillors, politicians." IFE allies on the council became rather bold.
They unsuccessfully tried to cancel all meetings scheduled during the month of Ramadan. Then, according
to Councillor Peter Golds, they sent around a message to non-Muslim councillors that suggested they
should fast for Ramadan.
The IFE denies all of these allegations publicly, stating that it does not support extremism, nor does it seek
to impose Sharia law or establish an Islamic state in Britain. It also denies infiltrating the Tower Hamlets
Labour Party. Representatives claim they seek to aspire to good, engage in outreach, further the collective
community endeavour, and seek fairness and goodness for all. And, they are waging an aggressive
campaign against "libellous" and "grossly inaccurate" media coverage.
Defenders of the East London Mosque also make claims to moderation, but these are flimsy at best. This is
a mosque that hosts an imam who encourages the mosque's congregation to play "Spot the Fag" and
decries the "fag lifestyle." Taza Khan, another Islamic scholar lecturing at the mosque, explained to the
audience, "Any woman who comes out of her house perfuming herself. Every single eye that looks at her…
she's an adulterous woman." He continued, "A fornicating woman, a fornicating man - flog them one
hundred times."
The program notes that these were just two of 20 "extremist speakers" its reporters recorded at the
mosque over the last three years. Others included a spokesman for Taliban ally Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and
Bilal Phillips - teacher to Ali al-Timimi, the convicted spiritual leader of the Virginia Paintball Jihad cell.
And the worst among them? Anwar al Awlaki - the Yemeni-American Muslim cleric who has allied himself
with al-Qaeda in Yemen and provided spiritual sanction to the Fort Hood shooter and possibly guidance to
Umar Abdulmutallab, the would-be Christmas Day bomber. The East London Mosque hosted Awlaki's talks
via video link. As the London-based Centre for Social Cohesion originally reported, the mosque most
recently hosted a video message from Awlaki in January 2009. When confronted with Awlaki's extremist
views before the day of the message, a mosque spokesperson responded: "Mr Awlaki has not been proven
guilty in a court of law. Everyone is entitled to their point of view�"
Government outreach with the IFE and the East London Mosque are just two examples of the larger trend
of empowering Islamism in the UK. British authorities have long turned a blind eye to extremism within their
borders. During the 1990s, the so-called "covenant of security" was the unwritten agreement between the
British state and Islamists based in what the French security services called "Londonistan." Under the
terms of this agreement, the most dangerous Islamist groups and movements were allowed to operate
freely as long as they did not launch attacks in Britain.
Many British Islamists viewed the covenant as shattered post-9/11 - especially due to British participation in
the invasion and occupation of Iraq. This is how some Islamists justified the 7/7/05 London transit
bombings, which killed 52 and wounded scores.
In the aftermath of the attacks, the British developed a strategy known as "Prevent," to counter the violent
radicalization of "vulnerable communities" (read: Muslims). In this effort, the British state enlisted the help
of dubious allies - namely groups tied intimately to the Muslim Brotherhood, Jama'at-e-Islami, and Salafism.
These "allies" of the British state have included the East London Mosque and other IFE linked
organizations, which have received government funding to prevent violent extremism.
Paul Richards explained in the "Dispatches" program: "Somehow it's all gone horribly wrong and somehow
the very people who we should be saying are beyond the pale are in fact inside ministers' offices sitting
around the table having cups of tea." He continued:
"If you are part of a revolutionary organization and you hold these views as part of a fundamental canon of
belief, having a chat or a cozy cup of tea with a minister is not going to change your mind. But, being
around that table, what it does do, is strengthen your hand with your own community."
The "Dispatches" documentary put it best and the parallels with the U.S. would be uncanny if we did not
already understand that the Brotherhood operates by the same playbook in the West:
"The state doesn't seem willing or able to tackle this. The IFE and its allies are fond of saying that any
attack on them is an attack on Islam, but it is Muslims themselves who are taking the lead and speaking
out."
It is encouraging to see a well-sourced documentary that exposes the Islamist political agenda and shows
the threats posed to British politics and to Muslims who happen to be uninterested in the toxic mix of
religion and politics. There are plenty of Muslims in America who oppose the effort of national organizations
to mix mosque and state. However, too often, their voices are overlooked and they are not given a chance
to rebut Islamist ideology and political activity. When they do, the results can be shrill and hyperbolic.
Perhaps an American network will show the same temerity as Britain's Channel 4.
=<<
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media
consider "must reading." Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Comment by clicking here.
JWR contributor Steven Emerson is an internationally recognized expert on terrorism and national
security and considered one of the leading world authorities on Islamic extremist networks,
financing and operations. He now serves as the Executive Director of The Investigative Project on
Terrorism, one of the world's largest archival data and intelligence institutes on Islamic and Middle
Eastern terrorist groups.
<<
© 2010, Steven Emerson
<<
© 2010, Steven Emerson

2010 Prophetic News

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In this passage we read of a heavenly being who came to tell Daniel

Before we examine the biblical text concerning the Antichrist as

View map of the Assyrian Empire below

According to this view, the Antichrist could be from any of these

''2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the

In verse two we read about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. In verse 5

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If Assyria becomes an independent nation in the future, it could very

For Assyria to enter the Millennium as a nation,it first must be reborn

Isaiah also referred to him as the Assyrian. In Isaiah 30 we read

And in Isaiah we read:

God bless you!

Israel Reportedly Training Kurdish Forces

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Iran's leader predicts Israel's destruction

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Assad Draws Peace Map - Syria On Northwest Shores Of Kinneret

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The Syrian Antichrist by Scot Dryer

TURKEY: Re-Writing The Middle East?

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Deal with Syria brings European Union spirit to Middle East

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Sanhedrin Rabbis meet with Adnan Oktar

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Haredi protesters: Shabbat desecraters must die!

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In referring to the persecution being of Jews in Jerusalem during the time

Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem have been fighting against the Israeli

Can Third Temple be built without destroying Dome of the Rock?

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Muslim nations link better ties with Israel to peace

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President In a meeting between the senior delegations of Iran and Syria:

Read more >> http://www.president.ir/en/?ArtID=16361

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