Category: prophecy

Posted in eu, mark of the beast, prophecy

The European economy and Nebuchadnezzar’s statue

Posted on by elizabethprata

In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the statue, Daniel explained the meaning to the king. The statue was composed of four metals from head to toe, and each metal represented an empire. (Dan 2:31-35). The head of gold represented Babylon, the Chest and Arms of Silver represented Medo-Persia. The belly and thighs, or hips, represented Greece. The legs of iron were Rome. The Roman empire was divided, east and west as the eastern capital of the empire was stationed at Constantinople, now Istanbul in Turkey. The toes were said to be mixed iron and clay and very brittle, not holding together, and that is the Tribulation revived Roman Empire from which the antichrist will emerge.

The final piece of the prophecy involves a stone. “Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.” (Dan 2:34). The Stone comes and “and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” The stone that was cut without hands is Jesus, who is prophesied to have all the governments upon His shoulder (Isaiah 9:6).  Mountains are usually symbols for governments. Jesus will rule and reign after He crushes the final kingdom at Armageddon.

So, are we there yet? Is the old Roman Empire revived? Yes. How do I know this? We see that kingdom has emerged now. If you look at the European Union you will note its government. It is composed of disparate elements which will be more disparate after the rapture and the antichrist seeks to unite elements which do not normally adhere and in truth will fall apart. The EU’s government is not a democracy. Not at all. Though there is a Parliament, in truth the EU is run by behind the scenes men in Belgium who were NOT ELECTED. Most of these men are former financial chiefs from the highest echelons of their former governments or from the extra-governmental International Monetary Fund or the European Central Bank. And the IMF and ECB run Europe too, anyway. The people of Europe who belong to the EU, five hundred million people, have no say in how their governments are run, really.

There are no borders in Europe. EU members opened their borders, so that anyone from “Germany” who wants to take a train to “Italy” or “Slovenia” will not have to have a passport stamped or go through customs. It is all one.

The EU operates through a system of supranational independent institutions and intergovernmental negotiated decisions by the member states. Supranational means outside of national influence, or, higher than national. And you notice it says decisions, not votes. When 500 million people are ruled by a few men through decision whereupon they have no national accountability, it is an empire, and those men are kings of Europe. With that in mind, look at how the guys at Zerohedge phrase their post and presented a video in which economist

“David McWilliams succinctly explains how Europe has evolved from a democracy to a bankocracy, the implications of which lead to austerity for the people and a Franco-German imposition (the ‘fiscal compact’) that can only lead to social unrest and chaos. In this brief (and expertly illustrated) video, the Irish economist clarifies Europe’s ‘dirty little secret’ where economic policy is being run almost exclusively for the banks which, as we see in Greece and Ireland, means the political elite are becoming more and more detached from the people.”

Sovereign men who run large swathes of lands by decision, who are more and more detached from the people, are exactly the kind of governments we see prophesied in the last days, the antichrist’s government. Then, the rich buy their luxuries such as ivory, gold, silver, jewels, (Rev 18) and care not for the poor who work all day for pay that only buys a loaf of bread (Rev 6:6) and even then sometimes gets cheated out of it. (James 5:4). The wealth gap prophesied to occur is happening now, even as Europe revives its empire economically, politically, financially, governmentally…

EU unemployment all time high
“The number of unemployed people in Europe is reaching record highs as the economic crisis unfolds into one with significant social consequences.In eight member states alone, over 30 percent of young people under 25 are out of jobs. The worst affected continues to be Spain where half its young are jobless. Images of long queues outside unemployment offices paint a bleak picture in the Spanish state where almost a quarter of all its citizens are unemployed.”

The Baltic Dry Index is an indicator of global economic health. It has been collapsing–and though the Wall Street Journal is fairly staid in its use of language, they wrote that the BDI is not only collapsing, but “spectacularly” collapsing

Spectacular collapse of BDI
“The spectacular collapse in the Baltic Dry Index, which tracks the cost of shipping bulk freight, gives copper traders something to worry about, says Country Hedging’s Sterling Smith.The index is a proxy for moving goods around the globe and the now-30-session decline appears to indicate global commerce is stalling.”

After the stall…what? A monetary crash? An economic limbo? A financial revival? We don’t know exactly except for what Revelation 6:6 shows, that people will work all day and only be paid enough for a loaf of bread. And in Revelation 18:11-20 it shows economic Babylon’s fall but in that fall it shows that a healthy economic trade in luxuries had been going on. Revelation 13 shows that an economy exists, because no one may buy nor sell if they do not accept the mark of the beast (verse 16-17).

The Roman Empire has been revived, setting the stage for the above verses to be fulfilled.
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Posted in damascus, homs, prophecy, syria, UN security council

It’s all about Syria: Massacre in Homs, UN Security Council vote, prophecy nearing fulfillment

Posted on by elizabethprata

Sobering news today in the wake of the bloody massacre in Syria last night. Assad is hanging on and the world is tense and watching.

Last night I was relaxing while surfing the internet. I had my Twitter stream up, and suddenly all these tweets started coming in about violence in the Syrian city of Homs. Twitter was flooded with tweets and re-tweets of people saying that a violent battle was taking place. The tone soon shifted to people making an outcry that civilians were being massacred. The pain and outrage, distress and despair was evident in the people by the tweets I was watching scroll quickly up the screen. Hundreds upon hundreds of tweets rolled past my tearing eyes. Cries of shame upon Dictator Assad’s men who were killing innocent people. Reports of blood literally running in the streets. Mourning over children with no heads. Bodies piling up. A hospital obliterated. Many tweets contained links to videos and photos with appropriate warnings of the graphic nature of the images. I didn’t click on any of those but one did catch my attention: amateur video of a very large explosion at Hama. The Syrian inky night sky lit up orange as the entire horizon fired up from some kind of weapon of mass destruction. It was VERY disorienting to watch and read about a massacre in real time. Nothing can prepare you.

Some tweets:

  • My city is bleeding. We’re being attacked since 8 pm. 5 hours, 230 dead, 800 injured.
  • BBC’s Paul Wood breaks cover in Homs Syria. Reports Free Syria Army will begin “general assault” in next 24 hrs in retaliation for attack
  • BBC reports Homs “Does seem to have been sustained bombardment, large sustained attack”
  • The Syrian embassy in Tripoli of Libya is now under the control of Syrian revolutionists
  • Horror. GRAPHIC: Another video from Khaldiyeh, dead young men, many injured, people screaming
  • Jon Williams- Has Homs proved final straw for some? Syrian “Independence” flag reported flying over embassy in Greece.
  • Tunisia expels Syria ambassador over Feb 3 “bloody massacre” in Homs that killed over 200 people (via @AP)
  • Guardian news Top story: Fury over Homs massacre as UN security council gathers for Syria

Soon the tone shifted again to freedom fighters trying to organize worldwide protests at embassies outside of Syria. Some did respond, and were attacked, such as Greece. Others called upon the UN to shame Russia for diluting the latest resolutions condemning the violence.

  • People all over the world are asked to go to the Syrian embassies & protest Syria
  • They’re chanting “one solution, one solution – revolution, revolution” in Wash DC

One man tweeted, “Mankind has never been so connected as it is today. Yet, we stand powerless”. I understand his sentiment. We watch, we see, yet what can we as individuals do in the face of such vivid violence in real time? Some called for uniting at embassies around the world in protest. Greece and Washington DC, as well as people Spain responded and assembled in front of the Syrian embassy in their capitals. In other words, anger was palpable. I mourned, and soon I had to turn it off, the devastating implications of the massacre were too great.

“Today, European envoys to the Security Council said they would vote Saturday on a draft resolution backing an Arab League call for Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down amid talk that Russia would ask for a delay. The ambassadors spoke as they headed into an unusual weekend session. The urgency was heightened by an assault by Syrian forces firing mortars and artillery on the city of Homs.”

This morning “Obama said in a statement on Saturday that he condemns Mr. Assad’s “unspeakable assault.” He called for the Syrian leader to step aside and make way for a democratic transition.” This is essentially what the UN Security Council Resolution calls for.

UN web cams inside the voting chamber ahead of the vote show heavy lobbying of the Russian envoy to get him to soften his stance. A similar resolution was proposed to the Security council in October but members China and Russia vetoed it. They are trying not to have a repeat of that awful decision, particularly in light of last night’s massacre and the additional dead by Assad’s orders since October. Voting will occur momentarily… it is a tense moment for the watching world.

OK, I watched the UN Security Council vote live. Russia and China voted no, meaning they vetoed the draft resolution condemning Syria’s violence and calling for Assad to resign. Russia and China both are prophesied leaders players in future Middle East violence as per Ezekiel 38-39 and Rev 16:12.

I think often on the prophecy in Isaiah 17, whereupon Damascus will be destroyed, it will be a heap of ruins (V. 1).

This oracle in its entirety has a partial fulfillment in 722 and 732 BC of Samaria and Damascus. It is obviously a partial fulfillment because Damascus, though defeated by the Assyrians, the city continued to be a city under their rule. It was never razed to the extent that the prophecy indicates it will be someday. The middle of the chapter focuses on the defeat of Samaria, and then toward the end of the short chapter at verse 12-14a you see the following:

“Woe to the multitude of many people Who make a noise like the roar of the seas,And to the rushing of nations That make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters; But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, And be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, Like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. Then behold, at eventide, trouble! And before the morning, he is no more.”

Two thoughts here. One is that ‘the mighty rushing waters’ is always used as a metaphor in the bible for outcries, restless and angry multitudes upset about something. Certainly last night was evocative of that verse. Today might be worse, considering that Russia and China stand by Assad’s violence and outrages against the people.

Washington Post immediately reported, “Russia and China have vetoed a Security Council resolution backing an Arab League peace plan that calls for Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down. The other 13 council members, including the U.S., France and Britain, voted Saturday in favor of the resolution aimed at stopping the ongoing violence in Syria.”

What could God be doing, allowing such evil? How can any nation not condemn a leader massacring children? One answer is that we see the evil inside the Russian envoy’s and Chinese envoy’s heart that they would vote in this way. God is good and He allows the sins inside of us to come to their full fruition, eventually revealed to one and all. “But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them” (Eph 5:13)

France said of the vote, “France: “History will have no mercy for those who blocked the UNSC from bringing its support to the Arab League efforts.”

“Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.” (Ezekiel 38:1-3).

It is interesting to think of the plan God has for Russia and for China (Kings of the East). I don’t know about history but I know that God will have no mercy on them. Ezekiel’s prophecy continues regarding Russia particularly, “I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,” says the Lord GOD. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother. And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.”” Gog is destroyed. Ezekiel 39:2 says that God will destroy five-sixths of their army. Then He gives burial instructions.

Secondly the verse that speaks of trouble coming in the evening and then by morning he is no more…what can raze a city that quickly? What would reduce a city to rubble so completely that it is obliterated? A nuclear device. I got to bed at night, on nights like last night, and I wonder, ‘Will Damascus be there in the morning?’ We are the final generation that will see these things come to pass (Matthew 24:34), we see the other signs, and at some point it will happen. What will be the final straw? Was last night’s massacre and today’s UN vote the final straw? I do not know, God knows. We trust Him and His perfect plan. Meanwhile, He wants no one to be lost, but all to come to repentance. Hang on Syrians! Jesus loves you! Look UP, for your Redemption draweth nigh, if you but repent and believe!

As for feeling powerless while watching the massacre unfold, we are not powerless. As the tweets rolled by, and the knowledge that many who had died fell into hell instead of heaven, I prayed hard. I prayed that the nearness of death would awaken many to His offer of salvation. I prayed that the seeds that have been left previously by missionaries and Gideons would sprout into understanding. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would grab those He is drawing near and they would respond with an eternity changing decision for Jesus. Prayer is the ultimate weapon. Trusting in His goodness even while dark evil lurks is the ultimate faith.
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Posted in blackbirds, mass strandings, prophecy

Blackbirds invade Kentucky Town; Mass stranding of dolphins, seals

Posted on by elizabethprata

Remember the Aflockalpyse at the beginning of 2011 and 2012? Where large swarms of birds inexplicably dropped dead in several towns? Well, LaGrange KY has had an influx of birds, but they’re not dying. They just keep coming, and coming and coming…

Birds Invade Town: La Grange, Ky. Swarmed By Black Birds
“Residents in a Kentucky town are saying “Get the flock out of here” to thousands of black birds that fill the sky each night.At dusk, the birds take flight in La Grange, Ky., and create what some locals describe as a “cloud of birds,” according to TV station WAVE. The birds nest down in a wooded area for the night and depart each morning in a huge pack, reports said. Fine-feathered friends, they’re not. Residents complain that they’re constantly cleaning up after the avian arrivistes, who started showing up last November in the community northeast of Louisville. Nearly everyone has heard their town compared to Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film “The Birds.” The birds’ unexplained presence has allegedly coincided with a surge in respiratory ailments, according to one woman who spoke with WAVE.”

Dolphins are latest mammal deaths in New England
“Whether they got lost, sick or swam astray chasing food, 77 dolphins that beached on Cape Cod in recent weeks have died, the second time in three months New England has seen a mass of marine mammal deaths.Now, scientists are trying to figure out why.They’re also researching whether there’s any connection to a die-off this fall of 162 harbor seals, whose carcasses were found between northern Massachusetts and Maine.Scientists later determined the seal deaths were linked to an influenza virus similar to one found in birds but never before seen in seals…”

Poor things!

In the bible, God created man and creatures to co-habit. He blessed the animals. He said for us to have dominion over them. (Gen 1:28-30). We were all vegetarians and there was no killing. Beasts did not kill us and we did not kill beasts. God blessed it all.

However after the Fall, things changed. God cursed the ground and the food and told Adam that he would have to toil for it. He clothed them of skins, the first time animals had been killed for man’s need and use. (Genesis 2:21). After Cain and Abel were born, we see that they knew to sacrifice animals in blood to pay homage to God. (Gen 4:4) After the flood, God put the fear of man into beasts and Noah was told that all the animals, birds and fish were now food for man. (Gen 9:2-3).

But in Revelation 6:8 we see that the fear and dread of man seems to be gone from animals as they kill man in the plague of beasts that cause widespread death on the earth (along with war, famine and disease). Animals have been getting more brazen over the last year or so. They have been acting in unusual ways. Perhaps as the Lord lifts His restraining hand they are becoming more and more ready for the day when the fear and dread of man is lifted completely.

I can’t wait for the day when all will be restored! We will cohabit with animals in gentle fashion again. Nature will not groan under the curse. Isaiah 11:6-9-

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

Amen!

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Posted in austere, end of days. Austere Challenge, israel, prophecy

JPost reports US-Israel war games canceled

Posted on by elizabethprata

Today, on January 15, the Washington Post reports-
Israeli and US troops gear up for major missile defense drill after Iran maneuvers
“The Israeli military is gearing up together with U.S. forces for a major missile defense exercise, the Israeli military announced Thursday, as tension between Iran and the international community escalates. The drill is called “Austere Challenge 12” and is designed to improve defense systems and cooperation between the U.S. and Israeli forces. It follows a 10-day Iranian naval exercise near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.”

The military exercises were scheduled for April. “A senior military official said it would be in the next few weeks. He said it would be the biggest missile defense drill ever held,” the WaPo reported.

However, tensions between Israel and the US have escalated recently into an open rift over the red lines at which the nations would take decisive action against Iran in that nation’s pursuit of nuclear armament building. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that an attack against Iran over nuclear arms would send the Middle East spiraling into a conflict we would regret, Israel went ballistic behind the scenes. Which weren’t really so much behind the scenes, as the rift between the US and Israel is noticeable by now.

Today the Jerusalem Post reports-

“Israel, US discuss canceling missile defense drill“
“Israel and the US are in talks about the possibility of canceling a missile defense drill, billed as the largest ever in the country’s history, planned for the spring. Senior military officers told The Jerusalem Post that the drill scheduled for April has been canceled, while defense officials said that it was possible that it would be held later in 2012. Initially scheduled for April and called “Austere Challenge,” the drill was supposed to see the deployment of thousands of US troops and various sophisticated US military equipment in Israel.”

Are the military exercises on, or off? Which news report is true? It’s like Schrodinger’s Cat– we’re in a state of both being true and we won’t know until the box is opened.

Prophecy tells us that by the end of the end, “On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” (Zechariah 12:3). Israel will be hated, have no friends and be constantly attacked. The United States’ slow terrible slide away from Israel has accelerated markedly in these last three years, and that is a woe to us. Because God said in Genesis 12:3, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

It is plain and simple: any nation who curses Israel is cursed in turn by God. It seems to me that planning for years, then canceling the largest military war games ever held with Israel, abandoning her in her time of need, is a curse that will be judged harshly by Jesus.
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Posted in gog and magog, iran, prophecy, psalm 83

Russia: ‘an attack on Iran is an attack on Moscow’ and other Middle East news

Posted on by elizabethprata

Iran has been pretty bellicose lately, daring to threaten nations and assume power it does not have. Two weeks ago Iran threatened the United States by telling the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier to leave the Strait of Hormuz and not come back. That was pretty startling to hear. Stennis’s tour was up and they were about to leave anyway, relieved by the USS Carl Vinson, but Stennis did an about-face in the Arabian sea and there it is to this day. Iran also threatened to close the Strait, but that was an overstep because it is Iran and Oman whose territorial waters extend into the Strait. I wonder what Oman thinks about their neighbor’s threat to close waters upon which Oman depends.

Now Iran warns Gulf states not to compensate for oil shortfalls after Western sanctions
“Iran has warned its Gulf neighbors to not compensate for any shortfall in its oil exports after it has been hit with Western sanctions, the Iranian OPEC representative said on Sunday. “If the oil producing nations on the Persian Gulf decide to substitute Iran’s oil, then they will be held responsible for what happens,” Mohammad Ali Khatibi was quoted as saying by Sharq newspaper. “We would not consider these actions to be friendly,” Khatibi added.”

He was really speaking about Saudi Arabia not making up the shortfall…

“Sanctions have been imposed on Iran when European Union countries agreed in principle to embargo imports of Iranian oil as part of the latest Western efforts to step up heat on Tehran. These countries will look to other oil exporters to increase output to make up for the shortfall and Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said on Saturday his country was ready to meet any increase in consumer countries’ demand. Iran is the second-largest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries cartel, after Saudi Arabia which currently exports some 6.2 million barrels per day (bpd) and has an output of about 3.5 million bpd, according to OPEC estimates.”

So not only is Iran threatening Israel, not only is Iran threatening the West, now they are throwing their weight around to their neighbors, their brothers in the Arab League.

Maybe Iran feels safe enough to do that because Russia is their new best friend.

Russia: ‘An attack on Iran is an attack on Moscow’
“Russia has given Iran its bear hug and warns Israel and the West that an attack on Tehran would be considered an attack on Moscow. The threat heightens the prospect of World War III in the event of a military strike on Iran. “Iran is our neighbor,” Russia’s outgoing ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, told reporters in Brussels. “And if Iran is involved in any military action, it’s a direct threat to our security.”

Neighbors? Not in the geographic sense. Two nations are between them, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Moscow is 1600 miles from Tehran.

Maybe Russia is still thinking Georgia and Azerbaijan are still part of the old Soviet Union. Yeah, that’s it.

On the map, look for Israel. See how tiny it is. See all the looming geography surrounding that tiny nation, the size of New Jersey. They ALL want her wiped out. In this Al Jazeera article, we see the quotes again about wiping Israel out. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has a solid history of tough talk, but it has escalated its provocative rhetoric in recent months. Sardar Mohamad Reza Naghdi, the commander of the Basij armed group, has said his organisation is “counting the moments” and waiting for an excuse to “put an end to the Zionist agenda”.

But that’s not news. Psalm 83:2-4 tells us this exactly:
“For behold, Your enemies make a tumult;
And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
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.”

In that same Al Jazeera article, the question is asked,

“What is motivating Iran’s tough talk of enriching uranium and shutting down a major global oil chokepoint?” Why all this ramped up rhetoric? Here is what has gone down recently:

–September 2010 the Stuxnet computer virus attacked Iran’s nuclear power plant in Bushehr.
–December, a high-altitude stealth reconnaissance drone was downed in Iran, and images of the drone were broadcast on Iranian TV with banners hanging off of its wings which read: “We’ll crush America underfoot” and “US can’t mess with us”.
–Several mysterious explosions at key locations in Iran. In October 2010, a blast at a military base in the western province of Lorestan killed “several” and was dubbed “an accident” by the government.
–Explosion in November killed 17 at an arms depot west of Tehran. Later that month, a blast was heard near the city of Isfahan.
–Although the US navy has twice in the past week rescued Iranian crews in Gulf waters – once from Somali pirates, once from a wrecked vessel – its presence in the Gulf is nonetheless unwelcome and seen as a threat by Tehran.
–Strings of deaths, disappearances, and, in one case -reappearance – of Iranian physicists continues to deepen the acrimony and mistrust between Iran and the US and Israel.

What is driving Iran, at root? Secular nations look for secular answers, but at root is Iran’s goal of preparing the world for the final Mahdi’s arrival. Therefore at root is a religious reason that is the polar opposite of biblical truth. That is because satan is behind it, and we know that satan is a liar and the father of lies, and a murderer from the beginning. (John 8:44). It seems that the demonic prince of Persia is still holding on to Iran for his stronghold. (Daniel 10:13)

As Jack Kelley explained in his weekly essay last night:

“It’s no secret that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is preoccupied with the coming of a Shiite Islamic messiah figure, al Mahdi. This continues to raise concern that a nuclear-armed Iran would create the kind of global chaos he believes will be necessary to set the stage for the Mahdi’s return. Recent events seem to confirm this. For example, after years of promising that their nuclear ambitions are purely peaceful, Iran just announced their intention to test a 1 kiloton nuclear warhead this year. Iran’s Supreme Leader is thought to favor announcing Iran’s nuclear capability as an accomplished fact as soon as possible.”

“Al Mahdi, which means the guided one, is said to have gone into “occlusion” (disappeared) in the year 941 AD, at the age of five. Shiite Moslems believe he will reappear at the end of the Age. They say his reappearance will be preceded by chaos, war and bloodshed. When he comes he’ll establish a world wide Islamic caliphate, and following a cataclysmic confrontation with evil and darkness that lasts 7 years, the Mahdi will lead the world to an era of universal peace.”

“As he has publicly explained, Ahmadinejad believes he’s been called to “pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance.” To some, this means creating the chaos necessary to bring al Mahdi back.”

Another motivating factor is the plunder. Perhaps that plunder is oil. After the Psalm 83 war occurs and Israel defeats the coalition of Lebanon, Hamas, Hezbollah, Jordan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, they occupy all those lands again. Remember, the LORD had promised Abraham certain lands and described the borders of it in Genesis 15:18-21. This is a part of the Abrahamic Covenant, specifically outlining the dimensions of the land God promised to Abraham and his descendants. Israel hasn’t occupied them all yet. But they will. (Ezekiel 20:33–37, 40–42; 36:1–37:28).

Here is a map of the Genesis 15 covenant lands:

See the scriptures that talk of the plunder being the motivation for Iran, Russia, Turkey et al to attack Israel:

“[Have you come] … to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.  Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’” (Ezekiel 38:12-13)

Saudi Arabia has a lot of oil. According to Wikipedia, “Saudi Arabia has the largest oil reserves in the world. It is the world’s top oil exporter and producer. Oil actually accounts for “90% of the country’s exports and nearly 75% government revenues.” On the Abrahamic Covenant map, Saudi Arabia is the pink one.

With all the war rhetoric, drumbeats, and tension, I am reminded of Henry Kissinger’s old adage, coming to fruition in these last days–

“Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people.”

These heated words from Iran are emanating from the epicenter of all the world’s attention and tension right now: Middle East, where the oil (plunder?) is. The major problems in the world right now are there, as Isaiah 17, Psalm 83, and Ezekiel 38-39 tell us, and also Europe, the place where the revived roman empire will spit out the Antichrist. (Daniel 7:23-24). Did you know that Germany, currently Europe’s economic engine, is flirting with leaving the Euro currency and union? The news from Europe, the last empire in Daniel’s dream, is dire. The antichrist will control the world through food: access to it through purchase and through participation in the economy is denied unless the consumer wears the Mark of the Beast. The Gog Magog war happens because of plunder/ treasure, that the enemies have come to steal.

It is all shrinking down to oil & food, Middle East and Europe. Just as Jesus said it would.

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Posted in biometric, india universal ID, mark of the beast, prophecy

India: World’s biggest biometric identity plan progressing fast

Posted on by elizabethprata

The bible says that in the Tribulation all peoples will have a mark on their hand or forehead as a mark of allegiance to the antichrist, without which no one may buy nor sell. This is an astounding prophecy, because there are currently 7 billion people in the world. Even after the initial judgments where a third of the world is killed it is still a lot of people to keep track of. How is it done? Why would people join such a privacy-invading scheme? I’ll take a guess. Money.

The contractors hired to sign up people are paid by the sign-up. Once enrolled, the signees have the benefit of welfare rolling straight into their bank accounts. The pace of sign up in some places is astonishing. Read an excerpt below. Detractors say that though the program is currently voluntary, it could easily turn mandatory, and that the private biometric information on each enrolee is not secure. Well, we know how that turns out. They are right.

“He [antichrist] causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.” (Revelation 13:16-18).

I recommend the entire article from The Economist. It is fascinating.

India’s Universal ID scheme: reform by numbers
“FOR a country that fails to meet its most basic challenges—feeding the hungry, piping clean water, fixing roads—it seems incredible that India is rapidly building the world’s biggest, most advanced, biometric database of personal identities. Launched in 2010, under a genial ex-tycoon, Nandan Nilekani, the “unique identity” (UID) scheme is supposed to roll out trustworthy, unduplicated identity numbers based on biometric and other data.”

“Any resident who wants one can volunteer. The scheme combines work by central and state governments and a number of other partners—largely technology firms that capture and process individuals’ data. The goal, says Mr Nilekani, is to help India cope with the past decade’s expansion of welfare provision, the fastest in its history: “it is essentially about better public services”.

“All that should have been the recipe for a project mired in delays, infighting, empire-building, graft and bad results. Few expected UID to hit its ambitious targets. A year ago, only a few million had enrolled and barely 1m identity numbers had been issued. Warnings about fragile technology, overwhelmed data-processing centres and surging costs suggested slow progress.”

“Instead this week saw the 110-millionth UID number issued. Enrolments (which precede issued numbers by some months) should reach 200m in a couple of weeks. Mr Nilekani, eagerly hopping about his office to call up data on his laptop, says that over 20m people are now being signed up every month. He expects to get to 400m by the year’s end.”

“That is an astonishing outcome. For a government that has achieved almost nothing since re-election in May 2009, the scheme is emerging as an example of real progress. By 2014, the likely date of the next general election, over half of all Indians could be signed up. If welfare also starts flowing direct into their accounts, the electoral consequences could be profound.”

“To get a sense of the scale of UID’s achievement, linger at a mosquito-ridden enrolment centre in Uttan Gaon, a coastal village north of Mumbai. Huddled in a damp fire-station a young man connects a laptop, a binocular-style iris scanner and a glowing green machine that records 30 points from a set of fingerprints. In the gloom, his contraption could be a robot from an early Star Wars film.”

“Employed by Wipro, a technology firm and agent for the UID project, he has to get through 40 to 50 residents a day. His hassles, and those of armies of others deployed all across India, look endless. At times no one comes to enroll. Local government is supposed to run campaigns to lure them in, but indifference, bad weather and non-stop religious festivals keep them at home or partying.”

Another article on the subject from The Eocnomist. This one tales the slant that India’s poor economy and general bureaucratic incompetence (their words) were thought to be hindrances to the ID plan’s success. They weren’t. In my opinion this shows that no matter how disparate the people or the geography, no matter how much in disarray the economy is or will be, a massive governmental ID scheme can have rapid success. The article is titled, “The Magic Number“
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Posted in blood guilt, prophecy

Is there blood on your hands?

Posted on by elizabethprata

In Acts 18:5-6 Paul said that blood will be on their heads.

“But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

So, what did he mean by that? He was referring to the prophecy in Ezekiel 33:1-9, a passage known as The Watchman’s Duty

“And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows on the trumpet and warns the people, then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. ‘He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have delivered his life. ‘But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.’

“Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth and give them warning from Me. “When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand. “But if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life.’

What does this mean?

Matthew Henry Commentary, Ezekiel 33:1-9
“The prophet is a watchman to the house of Israel. His business is to warn sinners of their misery and danger. He must warn the wicked to turn from their way, that they may live. If souls perish through his neglect of duty, he brings guilt upon himself. See what those have to answer for, who make excuses for sin, flatter sinners, and encourage them to believe they shall have peace, though they go on. How much wiser are men in their temporal than in their spiritual concerns! They set watchmen to guard their houses, and sentinels to warn of the enemies’ approach, but where the everlasting happiness or misery of the soul is at stake, they are offended if ministers obey their Master’s command, and give a faithful warning; they would rather perish, listening to smooth things.”

Last question, does this apply to us today? We are not God-ordained prophets as in the Old Testament,  and we are not apostles like Paul. Are we under an obligation that failure to meet will result in our own blood? Or theirs?

Here is how John MacArthur answered that question in his sermon on the passage:
“People say to me, “John, do you believe the Bible teaches individual responsibility?” There it is, my friend. If you die without Jesus Christ, your blood is on your own head. And I can say to you this morning what Paul said: “I’m clean. I presented you the Gospel. What you do with it will determine your eternal destiny, and the responsibility is your own.”

Now, our own salvation is assured, secure and eternal. Nothing we do can cause it to be lost.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)

“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a deposit.” (2 Corinthians 1:21)

“Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:14).

And the LORD’S election of those whom he will have in His kingdom are sure. Nothing we do, or fail to do, will cause one of His sheep to be lost. Nothing hinges on us. However, we are, after all, under a specific commission to witness.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:16-20)

Go. Make. Baptize. Teach. Obey. Command. Pretty strong imperative and verbs there.

I don’t know the final answer. I do know that we cannot claim Old Testament irrelevancy just because there are no God-ordained prophets any more, because the statement Paul made about blood-guilt in Acts 6 is New Testament, and it was not the only time he said it. He also said he was clean of blood guilt in Acts 20:26-27.

I think it all comes down to indifference. It comes down to the level of indifference we have for the commands of God, and for the destiny of the lost. And the risks we are willing to take in disappointing the one who shed His own blood for us. That’s all. I have no answers. Just food for thought.
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Posted in prophecy

About prophecy:

Posted on by elizabethprata

“But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, And they do not understand His purpose; For He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.” Micah 4:12

When God reveals the future, His purpose goes beyond satisfying our curiosity. He wants us to change our present behavior because of what we know about the future. Forever begins now; and a glimpse of God’s plan for His followers should motivate us to serve Him, no matter what the rest of the world may do.

NIV Life Application Study Bible, p. 1460, RE Micah 4:12

Posted in godly, jesus, prophecy

Church: Of retina burning light shows and beds on the stage

Posted on by elizabethprata

I have been posting on and off for six months on the topic of the state of the American church. In July I posted about my experience attending a two-day Beth Moore Living Proof Convention in Charlotte NC. In part two of the series containing my (negative) reaction, I’d written,

“As the lights went down other lights flared up. It was a light show that accompanied the first drum beat. And that percussion was LOUD. I’d estimate they were about 115-120 decibels. Pain begins at 125 decibels. Between the green and red lights sweeping the arena, and the beats that made the floors shake, I was already overwhelmed. And I was only one minute into it. All the women were standing and the captions to the songs were crawling across the jumbo-trons, several of which were stationed adjacent to the stage. The Time Warner Arena doorposts and thresholds shook, and they shook hard. I decided right away that I’d spend Saturday’s musical worship time outside the arena in the lobby. The songs were a mixture of contemporary praise and hymns, but the hymns were blended into the contemporary. So as we were singing a modern song it would blend into an old-fashioned one. I don’t even remember, now which songs were sung, because I was too overcome by the noise and the lights. The session lasted about 20 minutes and it had a mood all its own. The cadence would begin slow and soft, and rise and rise to a climactic moment when those drum beats would shake the house, and then slowly descend back into soft. This method was repeated several times. Rather than be moved by the music, I had a bad emotional and spiritual reaction.”

I know that people may think I’m a fuddy duddy for writing that. People say ‘New generations listen to new music’, ‘it’s only music’, ‘people can be discriminating about the lyrics’, etc etc. But it is a bad trajectory. It is becoming more common than not as a method of worship. It is becoming more accepted as worship.

I came across the following video of church worship. They did not take place in a convention hall during a one-time workshop as Beth Moore’s event was. These are in church. This is Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church: (video HT Do Not Be Surprised)

If you can’t watch video, here is a screen shot from one of the moments:

I do not believe church, class, bible study or youth group should be a rock concert because the emotions and the senses (carnality) are incited, not to mention that Jesus is not central.

I have not been a church-goer for all that long. I came to faith in Jan 2004 and didn’t begin going to church until 18 months later, in Oct 2006 when I moved to GA. I’ve attended two Baptist churches in that time, five revivals, several Kay Arthur bible studies and two ladies retreats. I’ve taught children’s bible study on Wednesday nights the entire time, I’ve taught the Good News Club for two years, led the church’s Sunday School program, and also taught Vacation Bible School for four years. I’ve led an adult small home bible study for its 8 month course. It’s a lot in five and a half years but not so much that I have the same perspective of a long-term Christian. However, because of the shortness of the time I’ve been involved in different ministries, I’ve come to it with no preconceived church cultural view, and I’ve been dismayed at several things.

As a teacher for my profession, I’m used to over-developed curricular materials. I was dismayed to find the same problem in church curriculum. In all the materials I’ve been given, there are a host of activities, games, and side-tracking bustle that could not possibly be completed in the half hour or one hour time frame most children’s bible study is designed for. Vacation Bible School (VBS) was a surprise for me. The energy and money spent on elaborate decorations, curricular materials, food and crafts was a shock. There are constant songs with elaborate lyrics and dance moves. I& believe the ever increasing complexity and distraction of VBS materials directly mirrors what we see in Youth Ministries and now at last, in regular church for adults. I felt somewhat a rebel when I was asked to teach VBS and I emphasized that all I wanted was an empty room, a bible, and a bunch of kids. No songs, no props, no nothing. It is a beautiful thing when you teach the bible to children, they soak it up and they are a LOT more sophisticated in their questions and their thinking. In every activity or ministry, from small group to church sanctuary, I believe Jesus should be central with minimal distractions. For children and youth especially for the very reason they are bombarded with multimedia all day every day. Quieting things down for them to study the bible should be a no-brainer. Instead, we ramp it up.

Here is something speaking to the issue I’d written about regarding dignity at the pulpit:

“I enjoy a good laugh as much as anyone. I love fun, a good time, and yukking it up. However, I do not believe those things are appropriate for church, for bible study, for ecclesiastical conferences, or for prayer meetings. The call to dignity is both overt and inferred in the scriptures.”

So Ed Young brings a bed onto the pulpit.

Ed Young wrote of the event, “Thursday night, we have an opportunity to share God’s BIG TRUTH about BIG SEX with an international audience! I say “we” because this is our chance as a church to join together and pray for God to connect His truth to culture in a unique fashion.”

So a bed AND television cameras. Talk about inciting the senses.

Ed Young said his approach was in “unique fashion…” Beware the pastors who are proud of using “unorthodox approaches.” Like, Jesus needs unorthodox approaches? What happened to the orthodox approaches? Why do pastors feel the need to re-write the orthodox approach that Jesus laid down in the bible, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17) to a man-made UNorthodox approach? I soundly criticize “unorthodox approaches.” They are unnecessary. Why?

Because “By mouth you hear the Gospel and then believe.” (Acts 15:7). “I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?” (Galatians 3:2). “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16). That verse, means that the singing is supposed to proffer truth set to music as a kind of teaching. We should be singing with both the spirit and the mind so as to produce understanding. (1 Corinthians 14:15-16).

Introducing salacious thoughts into people’s minds by using ALL CAPS to highlight the word ‘sex’, placing the bible on the podium where a bed is also displayed, are all beyond the pale.

You may be thinking, “MY church would never do that. I attend a solid Southern Baptist Church/Evangelical Methodist/Lutheran…etc church.” But are “unorthodox approaches” being introduced even now? Apostasy is a slippery slope. “The ride down this slippery slope can begin very slowly, and with very subtle and seemingly harmless compromises. … Apostasy often begins by subtly de-emphasizing the fact that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God.” (source). THIS is where ‘unorthodox approaches’ lead to:

Can ‘Small’ Doctrinal Compromises Lead to Large-Scale Disaster?
“Jesus warned His disciples to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” By this, He meant their heretical doctrine (Matthew 16:5-12). Their doctrine, like much that is found in today’s Evangelical church, was founded primarily on two false principles: preaching a counterfeit salvation by adding works to faith, and debasing the authority of Scripture by subordinating it to the words of fallible men. Why was it necessary for even these men, the twelve who were closest to Christ, to “beware”? It was because they were men of sinful flesh, as we are. It is easy to be deceived.”

In that same article, Dr. Paul Elliott goes on to say,

“The word that perhaps best describes error in the church is one seldom used today: It is pernicious. … Once error is accepted in one area of foundational doctrine, departure from the truth in other areas becomes probable. … Compromise may have small beginnings, but it is like the breaching of a great dam. The breach may begin as a fingertip-sized hole allowing only a trickle to pass. But left to itself, the breach opens ever wider. The trickle eventually becomes a flood, and those responsible for the original breach are powerless to stop it. They themselves are often swept away, and others with them. Or, the flood of error may not come until after those who were originally responsible pass from the scene. But the damage will be done to succeeding generations.”

“Unorthodox approaches” …the breaching of a dam that leads to apostasy.

If you notice your church straying from doctrine at the pulpit in small ways, beware. It starts small. It ends with a retina-burning laser light show and a bed on the stage.

But remember, the Lord will not lose any one of His sheep. “Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” (2 Timothy 2:19). Paul’s statement came on the heels of the previous verses that decried the false teachings of ones like Philetus and Hymenaeus, whose doctrines were like gangrene already infecting the church. He wrote the letter in approximately AD 67, where witnesses to the resurrection were still alive. If the first generation church could fall prey to false teachings and “men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some,” (2 Tim 2:18) then imagine the apostasy of our generation 2000 years later and our going away from the faith. Paul was in jail and knew this letter were likely his last words. He was tired, lonely and felt abandoned. Yet his focus was on Timothy and the next generation church, because Paul knew the strength of the Holy Word.

“Paul encourages Timothy to remain passionate for Christ and to remain firm in sound doctrine (2 Timothy 1:1-2, 13-14). Paul reminds Timothy to avoid ungodly beliefs and practices and to flee from anything immoral (2 Timothy 2:14-26). In the end times there will be both intense persecution and apostasy from the Christian faith (2 Timothy 3:1-17). Paul closes with an intense plea for believers to stand firm in the faith and to finish the race strong (2 Timothy 4:1-8).” (source)

“It is easy to get side-tracked in the Christian life. We have to keep our eyes on the prize—being rewarded in heaven by Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 4:8). We must strive to avoid both false doctrine and ungodly practices. This can only be accomplished by being grounded in our knowledge of God’s Word and firm in our refusal to accept anything that is unbiblical.” (source)

“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” (2 timothy 2:21-22).
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Posted in hamas, jordan, prophecy, psalm 83

Looking at Psalm 83’s nearness, remember Obadiah’s prophecy of Jordan destroyed

Posted on by elizabethprata

A lot of nations are mentioned by name in the end time schedule of events. Egypt (Mizraim), Russia (Magog, Rosh), Turkey (Gomer, beth-Togarmah), Iran (Persia, Elam), Ethiopia & Libya (Cush & Phut), Lebanon (Canaan which included No. Israel) and of course, Israel. Here is a look at ancient and modern names in the bible, or here in list form. The map below enlarges if you click on it.

But what of Jordan (Moab, Amman, Edom)? Is Jordan, with which Israel shares a border and a brother, mentioned?(Gen 25:23) Yes. Obadiah is all about Jordan and its doom. But first, the news. There are two things happening this week which fit into prophecy. Overlaying both pieces of news is this fact to be kept in mind: Only Egypt and Jordan currently have a peace treaty with Israel. And with the Muslim Brotherhood’s ascendancy lately, winning the elections, they have said in December that they will not honor the peace treaty currently in force:

“Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood will not recognize Israel under any circumstances and might put the peace treaty with the Jewish state up to a referendum, the movement’s second in command told the Al-Hayat newspaper in an interview that was published Sunday. The announcement comes days before the final round in the first parliamentary elections in post-uprising Egypt. The Islamist movement has emerged as the biggest winner in polls, capturing nearly half of the seats so far.”

So that is not good news for Israel. Worse, is this. Here is some important news. As Syria devolves, Hamas leadership (Hamas terrorist organization sworn to destroy Israel) in Syria has been making frequent visits to Jordan. Jordan’s King Abdullah has always liked to characterize Jordan as being reasonable and stable. They hold a peace treaty with Israel. They have sworn not to ally with terrorists and booted Hamas out 12 years ago. And yet…there’s this from three days ago:

“Jordanian government spokesman Rakan al-Majali confirmed Friday that Jordan is expecting a visit from Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal and Qatari Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamas al-Thani, the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper reported.”

Is this visit in advance of a decision to make an entire shift in Hamas’ seat of leadership from Damascus to Jordan? The article goes on to say

“Al-Majali added that Jordan welcomes its guests as fellow brothers from Qatar and Hamas. He noted that the visit will be followed by a discussion on Jordan’s ties with Hamas and the interests of the Jordanian and Palestinian people. The spokesman also addressed Israeli reports suggesting that Qatar was pressuring Amman to take in Hamas in exchange for financial incentives…” but the official denied it, of course. Several Hamas senior officials recently left Damascus in the wake of the Assad regime’s violent crackdown. Some conjectured that the movement will seek refuge in Jordan which expelled it 12 years ago.”

It seems that Jordan is friendly with Hamas again. On Dec 6 the WSJ reported “Hamas ordered the departure of nearly all its staff at its Damascus headquarters by next week following pressure from Turkey and Qatar, two regional allies trying to isolate Syrian President Bashar al-Assad amid an eight-month crackdown on antiregime protests, according to a Hamas official. … Hamas will establish new headquarters in Cairo and Qatar to replace its operations in Syria, the official added. At the same time, Hamas leader Khaled Meshal is scheduled to meet with King Abdullah II of Jordan to discuss upgrading its presence in the kingdom.”

Since Dec 6 and with the confirmation of the highest Hamas official meeting with highest Jordanian officials three days ago, it seemed to lend credence to the reports that Hamas is changing venues back to its old home of Jordan.

Here is the second item I’d wanted to share:

Israel building a wall against Jordan
“Israel is carrying out a policy of “good fences make good neighbors” and will build a security fence along the Jordanian border, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday. “When the security barrier along the Egyptian border is finished, one will be built along the border with Jordan,” the Prime Minister said at the weekly Cabinet meeting. The border on the south will stretch 240 kilometers (nearly 150 miles) and is scheduled to be completed before the end of 2012, at a cost of $360 million.”

You see the geo-physical problem with Egypt’s effective abandonment of the peace treaty with Israel, and the border of Jordan, where Egyptian extremists are said to be smuggling arms to Jordan…and the recent softening of relations between King Adullah and Hamas…

In his Gog Magog FAQ Joel Rosenberg asked “Bernard Lewis—the renowned Middle East scholar and author of numerous important books about the region including The Crisis of Islam—to assess the potential impact of Hamas coming to power in the post-Arafat environment. “The Hamas-Palestinian government may pose more of a danger to Jordan than to Israel,” he said.14 Lewis is right. Some 70 percent of Jordanian citizens are Palestinians, and Hamas would love to radicalize them and use them to help overthrow the king and unify Jordan, the West Bank, and Gaza into one jihadist state poised at Israel’s throat.”

Hamas and Jordan are definitely not a good mix. Whether it is the radicalization of Jordanian Palestinians by Hamas’s influence or some other measure, we know that at some point Jordan becomes rabid with hate, or at least weak enough to be unable to withstand hatred of Israel, and pitches in to the Psalm 83 confederacy that attacks Israel in the last days.

Now, the prophecy about Jordan says something startling. Jordan’s life as a nation will be completely wiped out. Obadiah is the shortest book in the OT and it’s entirely about “The Coming Judgment on Edom”. That judgment has not occurred yet, so it is still future. Remember, Jacob and Esau were twin brothers of Rebekah and Isaac and the older was prophesied to serve the younger. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of red stew, and further, was tricked out of his blessing by Jacob at Rebekah’s insistence. For this, Esau has always hated Jacob. And Jordan (Idumea, Ammon, Moab, Edom) has always treated Israel harshly. They will be judged for it, and more, the LORD will use Jordan mightily in the process for His plan and glory.

First, Ob 1:18 says “The house of Jacob shall be a fire, And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau shall be stubble;They shall kindle them and devour them, And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,”

That is pretty startling. None will survive? What does that mean? I should tell you that a thorough and clear interpretation of Obadiah’s prophesies has eluded the most diligent and brilliant difficult scholars, therefore I will not even come close.

In my studies I take the plain meaning when it is clear that no other meaning should be taken (the writer is not using a metaphor or it’s not a parable).

Gill’s Exposition seems to say this too: ‘and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; that is, the Israelites shall fall upon the Edomites, who will be no more able to withstand them than stubble can stand before devouring flames of fire, and shall utterly waste and destroy them: and there shall not be any remaining of the house or Esau; … the Edomites shall be all consumed, and the Israelites shall inherit their land:’

But Clarke’s Commentary differs: “There shall not be any remaining – As a people and a nation they shall be totally destroyed. This is the meaning; it does not signify that every individual shall be destroyed.”

In any case, the land of Jordan will be destroyed as a nation, and the land will become Israel’s. It is in Jordan, in the area of Bozrah and likely the city of Petra, the remnant shall be protected. They are protected because Jordan is the one nation the antichrist is not able to conquer!

“He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon.” (Daniel 11:41).

Amazing isn’t it?!

So in Matthew 24:16 when Jesus warns the people to flee when they see the antichrist coming, He tells them to flee to the the mountains. The only way to do that is east to Jericho (15 miles, 6.5 hours’ walk) and then south down the King’s Highway to the mountainous area at the south end of the Dead Sea to Petra, approximately 125 miles.

In Psalm 83 Jordan is mentioned as an enemy of Israel conspiring toward her obliteration. The list below is from an article last Feb 2011 by Bill Salus, titled “Jordan soon to sever ties with Israel.” It is a good article.

Here is the Psalm 83 verse, “For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You: The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites; Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined with them;They have helped the children of Lot. Selah” (Ps 83:5-8).

You notice that all of Jordan from north to south, Ammon, Moab and Edom are mentioned. Perhaps it is this battle, yet to occur, that destroys Jordan as Obadiah prophesied.

Time till tell. Meanwhile, whenever Jordan is in the news in a way that casts it as an enemy or potential enemy of Israel, perk up, our Redemption draws nigh!
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