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Author
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Topic: Wars and Rumors of Wars
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
The sin nature that resides within the hearts of men will never wax cold. It is like a monster brooding within that is ready to reveal it's self at any time.
It is such a sad world we live in where no single man, woman, or child can ever feel truly safe because of the selfishness of others.
The time is growing near, and will be upon us faster than we can beleive.
The only escape of what is to come is Jesus Christ and what he did at the cross.
Only there were our sins forgiven of us, and our "ticket to heaven" granted. The payment you must give for this ticket is faith in Jesus and what he did upon the cross.
<b>J4Jesus</b>... God is leading me to tell you that just because your flesh rules your body does not mean that God does not rule your spirit.
God knows that you feel shame for the things that you do, and you have already been forgiven. The reason you can't slow down your flesh and the things that it desires is because you haven't truly forgiven your self.
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With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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KnowHim
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Member # 1
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posted
Have you ever heard the expression, "You can't see the forest for the trees"? This proverb means that a person is so busy looking at what is in front of his eyes that he has failed to look up and see the forest - the big picture of his surroundings. This certainly describes the majority of people in our world today, including believers in the church. From the halls and oval offices of the world's civil leaders to the pulpits of most churches, many of the political and spiritual leaders of the nations are only looking at the trees. They are so busy looking at and caring for their own personal or national interests that they fail to look at the big picture and see what is coming on the global horizon that is threatening life as we know it.
Our Lord has given us His prophetic Word to give practical wisdom for daily living in these last days. He gave the book of Revelation "to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. " (Revelation 1:1) More than 2,600 years ago the Lord told Daniel that in the last days, "none of the wicked shall understand- but the wise [the child of God who has a grasp of the prophetic Word of God] shall understand. " (Daniel 12:10) When the Bible student studies the prophetic Word of God He might not know in great detail when certain prophetic events may unfold, but he does know that they will come to pass. What the Lord has purposed will come to pass! (Read Isaiah 14:24, 26-27; and 46:910.)
There is a real ignorance of the Word of God even among professing believers today! More so, the confusion and ignorance concerning the prophetic Scriptures is even more pronounced at this hour. This has and is producing a very dangerous hour in human history. The Lord has declared, ".W people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... "(Hoses 4:6) Just like the days of Israel's apostasy in the Old Testament, history is repeating itself among God's people. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. " (Amos 8:11-12)
During Jesus' earthly ministry He rebuked the religious leadership of His day because they were so wrapped up in their own personal agendas that they failed to see "the signs of the times. " (Matthew 16:3) The Messiah was standing in front of them, and they didn't even know it! Later, Jesus warned His disciples, while answering their question about the signs of the end of this age, that this would be a major problem for the generation that would experience the Tribulation in the last days. He said, "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. " (Matthew 24:37-39) In essence, He said that the final generation would be so busy looking at the trees (their daily affairs) that they would not be able to see the forest (the rapidly approaching global judgment of God)!
Before a person can read and heed the signs of the times, he must see them! In order to see them he must know what he is looking for, and be looking for them! When Jesus answered the question of His disciples about the end of this age, He described the signs of the end of this age. He described the nature of the last days. In His description of this final period of time, He painted a picture of the final seven years of this age, the Tribulation Period! It is apparent that our world is being prepared for this final confrontation between heaven and hell. The world is very gradually sliding into the arms of the Antichrist and his kingdom of hell that he will inaugurate during this final period of time. This time, and the time leading up to it, will be like hell on earth. It will be filled with hate, violence, and murder, as the demons take control of the world system in an attempt to defeat God and destroy His chosen people, Israel, and those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Matthew 24:6-7 Jesus warned, "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled.• for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. "
I will be the first one to admit that this is a subject that no one wants to examine. When one examines many prophetic subjects that address the approaching death, destruction, diseases, and dangers that await the inhabitants at the end of this age, it can cause his heart to be flooded with fear if he does not put it in perspective and realize that there is a wonderful silver lining behind these dark storm clouds on the global horizon. One must not just focus on the approaching storm, but on the coming of the One who is in control of these storms, and on the fact that these storms must precede His return to this earth to establish His kingdom of peace for 1,000 years. That is why Jesus said, "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. " (Matthew 24:6)
Signs are for seeing! Our Lord does expect us to look at all of the signs of His coming and to realize that they are heralding His coming. I believe that our world is already experiencing some of the 'perilous times " that the Apostle Paul predicted would come "in the last days. " (2 Timothy 3:1) We live in an unprecedented hour of violence with the threat of war that could take the lives of millions of people in a very short period of time! Most tragically, there are only a handful of leaders in the world who recognize the global threat that is approaching our world this year! Those who are studying these matters realize that on any given day our world
could face the threat of a war that would engulf an entire region or the world, and change the course of human history. Such wars could alter the balance of power, and destroy the global economy. No one can fully grasp the impact of what is about to take place in our world!
After the church is raptured, and the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit through the body of Christ will be gone (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7), the world will rapidly descend into the lowest pit of depravity known to man since the days of Noah. This will prepare the way for the entrance of the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:8) and begin the Tribulation. Long ago God revealed to the prophet Daniel, "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transjzressors 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 [it will be Satanic]: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty [powerful nations] and the holy people [Israel]. 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 [the Lord Jesus at Armageddon]; but he shall be broken without hand [his supernatural defeat at Armageddon]." (Daniel 8:23-25)
According to book of Revelation, the Tribulation will be a time of many wars, conflicts, violence, and death as two powers struggle with each other and anyone who attempts to stand in the path of their goal to rule the world. A one-world government of Western nations [pictured symbolically as the seven-headed beast in Revelation 17-18], will headed by the Antichrist, and dominated by a powerful religion [pictured as a harlot riding the beast in Revelation 17-18] located in the region of the ancient Babylonian Empire. It is not by chance that today our world is witnessing the powerful advance of the religion of Islam, which is headquartered in the Middle East. The army of Islam is different than all others that preceded it. This army does not dress in uniforms, but blends in with the general population of its enemy and strikes with force killing a few and terrorizing many more. With the weapon of demonic fear it hopes to destroy the nations by bringing them to economic ruin. The goal of Islam is to bring the world into submission to its god, Allah. Eventually the one-world government will turn on this religion and destroy it with fire near the end of the seven-year Tribulation (Revelation 17:16-17).
The Tribulation Period will begin with global conflicts that will ravage the world and bring war, famine, economic collapse, and the death of one-fourth of the world's population (Revelation 6:1-8). 1 would like to remind you that should the rapture of the church take place this year that these developments could also take place this year! Near the mid-point of the Tribulation another major conflict will develop as some of the nations in the Middle East challenge the power of the Antichrist (Daniel 11:40-45). However, the mother of all battles will be Armageddon, at the end of the seven-year Tribulation. The call for this war will come from the Antichrist's control center along the shores of the Euphrates River in Iraq (Revelation 16:12-16). The entire land of Israel, and especially the city of Jerusalem, will be the theater of this battle (Zechariah 12-14). The goal of the forces of the Antichrist will be to kill the Israelis and drive them out of their land, bringing the destruction of the nation of Israel. On the final day of the sevenyear Tribulation the Lord will descend from heaven and fight for Israel, destroying all of the armies of the nations that will gather as the one-world government force of the Antichrist (Zechariah 14:1-15; Revelation 19:1121).
Even before all of these wars unfold in the seven-year Tribulation, there will be an attempted military invasion of Israel. This event will probably take place immediately before the Tribulation begins. This invasion is called the Gog and Magog war in Ezekiel 38-39. According to this text, this will be an Islamic invasion of Israel by Russia, Iran, Sudan/Ethiopia, Libya, and Turkey. When this force arrives on the mountains of Israel and poises to strike Israel from the north on the Golan Heights, the Lord will supernaturally destroy them with a massive earthquake and the eruption of the ancient dormant volcanoes that dot the landscape of the Golan (see Ezekie138:18-22).
In light of these approaching conflicts that are spelled out by the prophetic Scriptures, it is most alarming to examine current developments that are producing rumors of wars at this very hour! At present, the most dangerous immediate developments surround Russia and Islamic terrorist forces and nations like Iran. Several voices are crying out to the leadership of the free world, demanding direct and uncompromising action to stop Iran's attempt to build a nuclear arsenal. On several occasions last year the president of Iran called for the destruction of the nation of Israel. While speaking to the United Jewish Communities Assembly recently, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly declared, "It's 1938 and Iran is Germany." (The Jerusalem Connection, January-February, 2007, p. 4) Netanyahu declared that we must believe him and stop Iran before it is too late.
While the United Nations has finally succeeded in calling for economic sanctions against Iran in an attempt to apply international pressure upon the Iranian leadership to give up its quest for nuclear capabilities, everyone knows that this will not stop them. The previous U.N. sanctions that were in place against Iraq only a few years ago were violated by some of the members of the U.N. Security Council (France and Russia). At this time Russia and China are significantly involved economically in trade with Iran, and it can be expected that they will not honor the U.N. sanctions that they voted to set in place against Iran.
Many world leaders find it hard to believe that if Iran were to obtain a nuclear bomb that they would use it. However, they are ignoring the fact that Iran's president, Ahmadinejad, proclaims that he is the forerunner of the Islamic messiah, and believes that he is destined to bring global destruction that will, according to their Islamic doctrine, herald the coming of this messiah. There are some rumors that indicate that Ahmadinejad claims that he talks to and receives instructions from the Mahdi, the messiah of the Shiite belief (The International Jerusalem Post, December 8-14, 2006, pp. 5-6). He has repeatedly stated that it would be an honor to bring about the appearance of the Mahdi, who according to their doctrine will conquer the infidels (all non-Muslims) and establish Islamic rule over all the earth. He is willing to die and even to sacrifice the people of Iran to bring about this end! Therefore, it is imperative that the world take this man very seriously. He is willing to kill millions of people in order to fulfill what he views as his divine mission from Allah.
Ahmadinejad has announced that Iran will successfully create nuclear weapon grade material by this March. This means that Iran would probably be able to produce its first nuclear bomb in about three years. Israel is warning the world, and especially appealing to the U.S., to stop Iran's enrichment of bomb grade material before this March! It appears that the Bush administration is completely preoccupied with how to exit Iraq. .
The Iraq Study Report just recently released their recommendations. In the light of the war on terror and this threat with Iran, it is evident they are not on the same page with the Bush administration, but are speaking for the liberal, left wing political contingency, many of whom have no love of or support for Israel. This very pro-Arab group recommends that we ask Syria and Iran to help the international community resolve the strife in Iraq between the Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds. Have they lost their minds? How can they be so blind and clueless to thee developments concerning global Islamic terrorism since 9/11? To ask Iran and Syria to help stop the terrorism in Iraq and in the region is like asking a weasel to guard the henhouse! Everyone who has examined the facts knows that Iran and Syria are the two leading terrorist countries that are the masterminds and economic supporters of global Islamic terrorism against Israel and around the world! They are two of the many supporters of the violence in Iraq! Instead of holding these evil powers responsible for the terrorism in Iraq, Israel and around the world, the Iraq Study Group pointed its finger at Israel and stated that the cause of all this Islamic terror is the conflict between Israelis and the Palestinians. The study group recommends that President Bush hold a peace conference with world leaders and the Arabs, but to not invite the Israelis, and thus force a peace covenant upon them, establishing a Palestinian State and defining the borders of Israel and Palestine. These men who worked on this study group have once again ignored the reality of this grave situation in the Middle East. The Arab Muslims do not just want the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. They want the entire land that was formerly called Palestine, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean. Why not listen to what the leadership in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the Islamic world is saying? They all are united in their call for the destruction of the nation of Israel. They have fought six major wars with Israel (1948-49, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982, and 2006) to drive them out of the land. How can it make sense to weaken our friend and greatest ally, and the only true democracy in the Middle East in order to appease those who are calling for the destruction of Israel and the U.S., and who want to capture the world for their god? It is apparent that members of this study group do not take the words of Islamic leaders like Ahmadinejad seriously. They must view all of this as empty rhetoric. However, does not action speak louder than words? We cannot afford to gamble on the future of the world on these issues. If Iran gets nuclear weapons or the Bush administration adopts the recommendation of the Iraq Study Group, we will be living with an Islamic time-bomb that will change the face of the entire free world probably within one decade!
If the Bush administration should adopt and implement the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, it would set in place the perfect environment for the beginning of the Tribulation Period. According to Daniel 9:27, the Tribulation will begin when the Antichrist "confirms" a covenant with Israel for seven years. The Hebrew word translated "confirm" can carry the idea of force, which indicates that the peace agreement of the Antichrist would be forced upon Israel. Could this be it? Is this the political platform that will ultimately create this covenant? Only time will tell!
Furthermore, according to several prophetic passages, the area of the former Babylonian Empire, which is Iraq, will become an important region during the Tribulation. It will be the center of the end-time religion, Islam, and will become an economic powerhouse (Revelation 1718), and serve as one of the control centers of the Antichrist (Revelation 16:12-16). Is this the time when the international community will appease the Arab Muslims and rebuild Iraq and create the political, religious, economic center that the prophetic Scriptures predict will come? It may be too early to tell, but it is most interesting to see that these recommendations are being proposed at this hour, in spite of the global Jihad efforts of Muslims.
If Israel should take matters in its own hands and attempt a military strike against Iranian nuclear sites, it could ignite a major war in the Middle East. If Israel does this, Iran has threatened to retaliate with weapons of mass destruction (probably missiles with chemical and/or biological war heads). We know Iran possess these weapons, have tested the missiles, and is capable of striking Israel. Since 25 percent of the world's oil comes from Iran, and most is exported to China, this would have a serious domino effect that could cripple the world's economy.
Many believe that Israel will not attempt to attack Iran's 21 nuclear developments scattered around the country, many of them deep in bunkers beneath the surface of the earth. However, Israel cannot afford to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear bomb because she is confident that the Iranians will use it against her. The nation of Israel is very small, about the size of the state of New Jersey, and could not withstand even one nuclear bomb attack. It is believed that in order for a military attack to be successful in destroying Iran's ability to create a nuclear bomb it would take several days of attacks. Given the distance that Israeli bombers would have to fly, it would make such a complete attack a practical impossibility. However, Israel is currently working on several projects to protect herself against all incoming missile threats. She has successfully completed the development of the Arrow, an anti-missile defense against long range missiles like the ones that would be fired from Iran. Israel has also committed herself to the development of an anti-missile defense program that would stop medium-range missiles (like those from Syria and Lebanon) and short-range missiles (like those being fired at them by the Palestinians in Gaza). The Defense Ministry in Israel has approved the development and production of several new types of ballistic missile defense systems against these medium and short-range missiles. One of these defense systems is a laser canon. However, Israeli officials believe they need four years to complete the development, production and installation of these defense systems along her borders. (The Jerusalem Post Christian Edition, November 2006, p. 21) In light of this, it could be that Israel might opt to destroy only part of Iran's nuclear installations to buy enough time to complete these anti-missile systems.
We cannot predict how Arab Sunni Muslims in the Middle East would react to these developments against the Shiite government in Iran. Would they lay aside the theological differences that have brought division and
conflict between them for centuries? It is worth noting that this is already taking place. The Shiite administration in Iran is assisting the Sunni Palestinians, like Hamas, in their war against Israel. Syria, which is made up of Sunni Muslims, is aiding Iran by assisting Hizb'Allah (a Shiite terrorist group from Iran) in its efforts to take over the Sunni government in Lebanon and use it as a base to attack Israel. These developments demonstrate that Muslim enemies become Muslim friends when it comes to Israel and the U.S. Their hatred for Israel and the U.S. is greater than their hatred for each other.
The Israelis fear that an early exit of the U.S. could bring about a dangerous war in the Middle East. A recent article in the International Jerusalem Post presented the following possible scenario: "America pulls prematurely out of Iraq. A civil war erupts and turns into a bloodbath ripping apart the country. Neighboring countries are motivated to come to the rescue - Iran invades to save the Shiites while Syria and Saudi Arabia join in to save the Sunnis. Turkey also decides to get involved and invades Kurdish Iraq to prevent the establishment of an independent state there." (The International Jerusalem Post, December 15-21, 2006, p. 6)
To further complicate the situation, if the world does not stop Iran's ambitious determination to create a nuclear arsenal, what will the reaction of other Arab countries be? The Jerusalem Report has revealed that on November 3, 2006, six Arab nations (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia) "announced that they intend to pursue far more robust nuclear programs. The six were understood to be signaling to the international community that unless it took effective action against Iran's nuclear weapons program, they were planning independent nuclear insurance against the bullying tactics a nuclear Tehran might adopt. `They have seen how far Iran has been able to push the nuclear envelope, and they think they can do the same."' (The Jerusalem Report, December 11, 2006, p. 12) The proliferation of such weapons in the hands of these nations that could be overthrown by radical Islamic elements in the future simply increases the potential for a global nuclear nightmare.
As we look at the big picture of the threat of war and rumors of war for this New Year, we also need to turn our attention to China. U.S. military analysts are very concerned about the future potential of a military conflict with China. Chuck Missler writes, "China has long been preparing for a possible military conflict with the United States. Likewise, as the Pentagon tries to prepare the U.S. military for the future, military planners are looking to China as the next potential large-scale threat to the United States. [On the second week of November 2006] U.S. defense officials revealed that a Chinese die
sel-powered attack submarine came within firing range of U.S. naval ships without being noticed. According to the Washington Times, a submarine tailed the USS Kitty Hawk undetected, surfacing within five miles of the aircraft carrier before being spotted during surveillance flights.
"China has one of the most advanced militaries in the world. In recent years the communist nation has significantly increased military spending. In the past four years China has built 14 new submarines. The Defense Department's 2006 assessment of China's military power cited long-term trends in China's modernization of its strategic forces - including its nuclear capacity and precision-strike weapons. It has developed a host of new weapons, ranging from advanced conventional weapons to more experimental laser-based weapons systems. China also has the largest standing army in the world, with 2.5 million troops.
"China's military buildup seems specifically designed to fit a conflict scenario involving U.S. air and naval forces. Arthur Lauder, a professor of international relations at the University of Pennsylvania, said the Chinese military `is the only one being developed anywhere in the world that is specifically configured to fight the United States of America. ... no objective reason exists why China, if she stays on her present course, should not eventually pose an even greater threat to the United States and its friends and allies than did the Soviet Union.
"For years, Chinese arms sales to rogue nations have been one of the most contentious issues in Sino-US relations. China has been accused of selling nuclear technology to Pakistan and Iran; missile technology to Pakistan, Iran, North Korea, and Libya; materials used to make chemical weapons to Iran; and advanced communications equipment to Iraq, North Korea, and the Taliban when they ruled in Afghanistan. China has also sold long-range missiles to Saudi Arabia and has offered to help Saudi Arabia update its weapons program." (Email from Chuck Missler, khouse.org/enews, November 14, 2006)
Recent nuclear tests by North Korea indicate that its nuclear threat is not as great as was estimated a few years ago. However, this radical and unpredictable evil regime is fully capable of doing something stupid and dangerous on any given day, bringing death and destruction to millions. The world's reaction to North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons is chilling. There are nine nations that possess nuclear bombs: the U.S., the U.K., France, Russia, Israel, Pakistan, India, China, and now North Korea. It is estimated that there are at least 40 other countries that have peaceful nuclear programs that can be modified to produce weapon-grade nuclear material.
Many nations have feared the day when something will trigger a global proliferation of nuclear weapons. Has this day now arrived? Bill Powell of Time comments, "What we have now is a tight club of nuclear powers with interlocking interests and an appreciation for the brutal doctrine of `mutually assured destruction' but an unpredictable host of potential Bomb throwers: a Stalinist Bomb out of unstable North Korea; a Shiite Bomb out of Iran; a Sunni Bomb out of Pakistan; and, down the road, possibly out of Egypt and Saudi Arabia as well, and of course, an al-Qaeda Bomb out of nowhere. Israel is a nuclear power already. And Turkey may just decide it had better be too. Even Japan and South Korea could eventually move toward the Bomb, if they feel the U.S. nuclear umbrella begins to fray in East Asia. What are the consequences for the U.S. and the rest of the world? Are we in an era of barely controlled proliferation, in which countless nations must at least consider the possibility of going nuclear? Or are those fears, in the wake of the North Korean test, overblown? Is there still time to manage the situation?" (Time, October 23, 2006, p. 31)
In addition to all of these very serious global security issues we cannot forget the threat of radical Islamic terrorist cells throughout the world. It is highly possible that any one of these terrorist groups could obtain a weapon of mass destruction from Iran, Syria, North Korea, China, or Russia is of great concern. They have proven that they have sleeper cells around the world and are poised to strike when called upon by terrorist leaders, like Bin Laden.
In the light of the Biblical prophecy about Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38-39), it is most important to keep our eyes on the growth and influence of Islam within Russia. In this regard Chuck Missler writes, "In recent months we have witnessed the reemergence of the Russian nationalist movement. Yet even as Russia's political climate cools toward outsiders, the Muslim population in the former Soviet Union is growing by leaps and bounds. Rising immigration and low birthrates among ethnic Russians have contributed to this trend. Russia's Muslim population has increased by, 40 percent since 1989, to about 25 million. By 2015, Muslims will make up a majority of Russia's conscript army, and by 2020 they will constitute one-fifth of the population. Fifteen years ago, Russia had about 300 mosques; today there are approximately 8,000. Experts say that if the current trend continues, nearly one-third of Russia's population will be Muslim by mid-century.
According to the CIA World Factbook, Russia's overall population is dropping at a rate of 700,000 people per year, largely because of the short life spans and low birthrates of ethnic Russians. The national fertility rate is only about 1.2 children per woman. Russia's Mus
lims, however, are bucking that trend. The fertility rate for Muslims ranges from 6 to 10 children per woman. At the same time, hundreds of Muslim immigrants have been flocking to Russia in search of work." (E-mail from Chuck Missler, khouse.org/enews, December 5, 2006)
Just a few months ago we watched as war broke out on two fronts in Israel. Israel was attacked by the Palestinians in Gaza, forcing Israel to respond, opening a small-scale war on Israel's southern border. Within a matter of weeks Israel was invaded by another Islamic terrorist group on her northern border with Lebanon. Once again, Israel responded, and a full-scale war erupted between Israel and Hizb'Allah. Since the cease fire was declared a few months ago, the U.N. has sent forces into Southern Lebanon with the purpose of preventing a future conflict. However, many sources indicate that the U.N. is fully aware that Iran and Syria are once again arming Hizb'Allah for the next confrontation with Israel. Israel is concerned that since she did not deal a decisive death blow to Hizb'Allah in this recent war that she is now perceived in the Islamic world as being weak and vulnerable. She fears that the next confrontation with Hizb'Allah could only be a few months away, and Israel's military intelligence is warning that Syria is threatening to also attack Israel to regain the Golan Heights.
As we look at the potential for wars and rumors of wars this year, it should cause us to fall on our knees and pray. As children of God, it is natural for us to hate wars and all the death and destruction that accompany them. We have been commanded by our God, "I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, and intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. " (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
If our Lord does not come before some of the wars and rumors of wars develop, please remember His words, "But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions [anarchy- the total breakdown of all organized authority], be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. " (Luke 21:9) When and if these wars materialize, we must not forget that they are signs of His coming and that there will be no peace on this earth until He returns at the end of the Tribulation as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to establish His kingdom of peace for 1,000 years. Only then will the nations not be able to "learn war anymore. " (Isaiah 2:4)
"Even so, come, Lord Jesus. " (Revelation 22:20)
By Mike Wingfield
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Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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