Israel, Syria, and red lines

An Israeli official has stated that if Syria passes chemical weapons on to Hezbollah that it would be considered a red line.  What would an Israeli response to such a move by Syria look like?  Could it lead to an attack on Damascus that will fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 17?  It certainly seems like such a scenario could be developing.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/09/israeli-ambassador-chemical-weapons-passed-from-syria-to-hezbollah-would-be/?test=latestnews

Cease fire in Israel

A cease fire deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas.  The details are in the article below.  It will be interesting to see how long it lasts.

In my opinion, this takes us one step closer to an eventual Palestinian state and a more permanent peace agreement that could set up the peaceful condition of Ezekiel 38-39.  Perhaps we could even see a peace deal providing the framework for the one confirmed by the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27).

This is a good thing for the short term peace of Israel.  However, Iran remains a problem to be dealt with and this could just be an expression of hudnah.  See previous posts for the meaning of hudnah.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/11/21/clinton-calls-tel-aviv-bus-bombing-terrorist-attack-as-truce-deal-between/

Israel can defend itself, but.......

I am linking the following article for your review.  You can read it for yourselves, but I want to leave you with a couple of thoughts on it.

1.  Part of Israel defending itself is going into Gaza and cutting off the source of the threat at its head.  It is admirable to say Israel has the right to defend itself, but it means little if you try to put limits on what defending itself is.

2.  Calling on Egypt and Turkey to intervene on Israel's behalf is foolish.  These are radical Islamic nations.  They haven no interest in doing anything to benefit Israel.  They may play the part of  the neutral party, but their sympathies will be with Hamas.  Hamas, Egypt and Turkey all have Islam and a hatred of the Jews in common.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/11/18/us-britain-warn-about-risks-israel-becoming-involved-in-ground-war/

Cease fire talks underway

According to the following article Israel is currently engaged in cease fire talks brokered by Egypt.  Personally, I would not put much hope in these talks going anywhere.  Egypt has tried to position herself as the leader in trying to bring peace to the Israeli-Hamas conflict.  The problem is Egypt is run by the Muslim Brotherhood, a group that despises Israel.  They do not come to the table neutral in the situation looking for a fair deal for both sides.  I have a hard time believing Israel is hopeful these talks will lead anywhere.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/11/18/israeli-envoy-meets-with-egyptian-officials-about-ceasefire-with-hamas/

While talks are ongoing, Israel continues it military action against Hamas.  The following article quotes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his willingness to expand that action.


http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/11/18/war-looms-over-gaza-as-signs-mount-possible-israeli-invasion/

Israeli citizens told to prepare for seven weeks of fighting

As Hamas continues to fire missiles at Tel Aviv, Israelis citizens are being told to prepare for seven weeks of fighting.  According to the linked article below from ynet news, thousands of reservists have received their enlistment orders.

It seems weird to say this with countless rockets being fired, but it feels like we are just in the calm before the storm.  A ground invasion of Gaza by the IDF will escalate the scope of this conflict.  As I have said before, I believe the worst is yet to come.

The thing that I think is important to keep an eye on is how much outside nations such as Syria, Lebanon, and even Iran get involved in the conflict, particularly Syria.

http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=292277

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4306834,00.html

Israel calling up 30,000 reserves

Israel is calling up 30,000 reserves as the war with Hamas continues.  According to the following article this is the largest reserve call up by the IDF since 2008.  The article states Israel would prefer not to launch a ground operation, but would not rule it out.  Obviously, such a call up indicates the IDF feels a ground operation in Gaza might be necessary and imminent. 

Keep an eye on world leaders increasing their calls for "peace."  It will be interesting to see if some sort of agreement is days, weeks, or even months away that could provide the framework for the peace deal with Israel to be confirmed by the coming Antichrist.

Also remember the Islamic word for peace is hudnah.  It is not peace as we know it.  The idea of hudnah is a ceasefire with your enemy until you are stronger and an opportune time to resume jihad presents itself.  Pray for wisdom for world leaders, particularly those in the U.S., to understand what Hamas and other Islamic organizations mean when they refer to peace. 

Israel at War

In recent days Israel has exchanged rocket fire with the terrorist group Hamas, assassinating a high ranking Hamas official.    Reports tonight show that Hamas has fired on the Israeli capital of Tel Aviv.

In response Israel has begun to move troops to the Israeli-Gaza boarder.  Fox News Channel just reported that Israel may be planning a ground excursion into Gaza.  Israel has begun to activate reserve troops.

This is a serious situation that will only become more so in the days ahead.  Here are a few things to watch.

1.  Hamas is supported by Iran and Syria.  Will this conflict escalate to directly involve both nations and not just their proxies in Hamas?

2.  If Syria does become involved, is this the war that will lead to the fulfillment of Isaiah 17 and the destruction of Damascus?

3.  How will this affect the possibility of Israel launching a preemptive strike on Iran?

4.  How will the United States respond to the conflict?  Will President Obama, no longer burdened by the need to be reelected, stand beside Israel and support Israel?

5.  Will we now see the dominoes begin to fall in the Middle East leading to Gog-Magog, Psalm 83, and/or Isaiah 17?  Where and how far will this go?

As Christians lets all make sure we are praying for the following:

1.  The peace of Jerusalem

2.  Protection for the people of Israel

3.  Wisdom for Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF leadership

4.  The leadership of the United States to stand beside Israel

A few thoughts on the election

I am going to step outside of the normal scope of my blog to make few comments on the recent presidential election.  I know many Christians are struggling with what has happened and I hope what I write here can help if you fall into this category.

1.  Daniel 2:21 says, "He (God) controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings."  No king, ruler, or president comes to power outside God allowing it to happen.  Contrary to what we believe the outcome of an election is not determined by man, but rather by what God allows to happen.  Bottom line:  God allowed President Obama to be reelected.

2.  Was his reelection God's will or God telling a stubborn nation that He would give them what they wanted?  Some will say President Obama's reelection was God's will.  Others will say this was not God's will but He allowed a rebellious nation to have what it wanted much like he allowed Israel to have a king in Saul when that was not His will?  So who is right?  I don't know.  You can certainly make a case for both.  If  I could answer this question for sure I would be writing books read by millions and not a blog read by teens. However, I will say that America fits the mold of the those Paul writes about in Romans 1:18-32 whom God gave over to a reprobate mind.

3.  Whether or not we like the fact President Obama was reelected it is our scriptural duty as Christians to pray for him.  I would suggest praying that God opens the eyes of his understanding so that he can see the truth.  The truth on abortion, the truth on homosexual marriage, and the truth on standing by Israel.  If we spend more time praying for him than we do complaining about him, than he will be a better president and we will be better Christians.

4.  There are some who are asking the question, "Why did God allow President Obama to be reelected when so many were praying so hard he wouldn't be?"  I can't answer this definitively but please consider these three options.  I am no saying any or all of these are fact, just possible.

  a.  God never intended for the descendants of Abraham to live in Egypt forever.  However, over time they became comfortable there.  God allowed an ungodly ruler, Pharaoh, to come to power to make them uncomfortable so they would turn their eyes to Him and look for His deliverance from their situation.  This is not our home.  If it is true that the rapture is near, could God have allowed a ruler to come to power who will make us uncomfortable here and turn our eyes to Him looking for our deliverance?

b.  God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to come to power to bring judgment on Judah when the cup of her iniquity was full.  Could it be that the cup of America's iniquity is full and God has allowed a ruler to come to power who will facilitate the coming of God's judgment?

c.  The United States is not mentioned anywhere in end time prophecy.  Could this be a further step in the weakening of America to bring about the world conditions necessary to fulfill end time prophecy?

5.  As Christians we need to keep perspective.  Here are two areas where I feel like many in the church lost perspective.

  a.  I grow weary when I see the number of Christians looking for a  political solution to a spiritual problem. Many seem to have the opinion that if we elect the right person or right party all will be well in America.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Let me be blunt.  American could elect a Republican who is pro-life, pro-family, and pro-Israel to the presidency and fill up the Congress with the same type of people and it will not bring change to America.  Only repentance and a turning back to God will bring change to America. That can happen no matter who is in the White House or Congress.  America's problems are spiritual, not political and must be treated as such.

  b.  Mitt Romney was not a savior.  The truth is most of his political career was spent as a moderate, not the champion of the "conservative" movement many in the church made him out to be.  From reading what some Christians wrote and listening to what some said, you would have though he was the second coming of the Apostle Paul.  The truth is he was a moderate politician who is a member of a cult that teaches that the Bible is full of error and that Jesus is one of many sons of God.  That is they guy that a lot of Christians seemed to be putting their hope in in our quest to "vote for righteousness."  Scary isn't it?  I do believe he was the best choice in this election, but that didn't make him a good choice.  Would I have preferred him to Obama?  Yes!  Do I see his losing as the end of the world?   No!

6.  I too, like many people, worry about the fiscal future of the U.S under four more years of President Obama.  One of my main reason for voting for Romney was my belief he had a better grasp of what it would take to turn this economy around.  (Sorry folks, I didn't trust him on social issues like abortion, traditional marriage, etc.  Too much flip flopping over the years.)  However, whatever may come of the economy I rest knowing that God will take care of His own.  He will supply our every need according to His riches (not those of the U.S. economy) and glory by Christ Jesus.  I am reminded of when King David said that he had been young and now was old but he had never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed out begging for bread.

7.  I have saved my most important point for last.  My final say on Election 2012 is this:  GOD IS IN CONTROL.  TRUST HIM!

How much longer?

The question on my mind recently has been, "How much longer will Israel wait to strike Iran?"  With the U.S. unwilling to draw a red line on Iran the time may be coming soon.

Apparently I am not alone in thinking this.  There was recently a report that Britain was moving ships toward the region to prepare to keep the Straits of Hormuz open.

Also according to a report I received today from inside Israel, the Israeli military is on a heightened state of alert and anti-aircraft missiles are being deployed around Jerusalem.

Unfortunately, there seems to be little support coming from the United States for Israel.  The statements coming from the White House and other leaders such as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense become more and more troubling as the days go by.  Part of the report I received from inside Israel today is that request from the Israeli government to President Obama to visit the nation are being met with silence.

It is critical at this time that we pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  We need to pray for wisdom for Israeli leaders in this dangerous time and for the safety of the Jewish people.

Also, we Americans need to pray for the leaders of our nation that we will stand beside Israel.

I give in.

I have decided to break down and get a Twitter account.  I will be tweeting from time to time about issues similar to what I post on here.  I'd love to have you all follow me.

I will also probably tweet about sports and things I find funny as well so you will have to deal with that.

I know I have not posted as much recently but I don't want to post just to post.  I want it to have meaning when I do.  If war is to break out between Israel and Iran, you can rest assured I will be blogging regularly.

Anyway, if you wan to follow me on Twitter you can find me under the name:

@the_a_mcmillan

God bless and thanks for reading.

President Obama will not meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin reached out to the White House ahead of his trip to the U.S. to set up a meeting with President Obama, but his offer was rejected.  The White House stated being out of town campaigning as its reason for declining the offer, but it is still a troubling turn of events none the less.

As Israel stands on the brink of going to war with Iran, possibly before this November's elections, it is now more important than ever for the U.S. to stand beside them and show support.  I think it is very telling of the state of the relationship between the two men that this meeting will not happen.

I have linked the article below, but I want to share this quote from the article.  I think it is a powerful statement by PM Netanyahu about those who will not stand with Israel.

Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red light before Israel."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/11/early-frost-white-house-gives-chilly-response-to-proposed-obama-netanyahu-talk/#ixzz26DAasOZX

Hurricane Isaac and the RNC

If you don't want your convention messed with, don't mess with Israel.

http://blogs.jta.org/politics/article/2012/08/22/3104776/republican-platform-committee-defends-two-state-solution-language

Israeli troops on standby

According the the following article from foxnews.com, Israel has put their military on standby in preparation for possible action to take out Syria's chemical weapons.  As the Assad's regime in Syria continues to deteriorate, it appears more and more likely that Israel will act to neutralize the country's chemical weapons before they fall into the hands of Hezbollah or other terrorist organizations that would seek to use them against Israel.

In any action involving Syria it is important to keep in mind the prophecy of Isaiah 17 that says Damascus will be destroyed.  Many prophetic scholars believe that the fulfillment of this prophecy will accelerate the prophetic timeline.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/07/28/as-assad-teeters-israel-prepares-for-battle/

Syria's chemical weapons

In a report from Fox News the U.S. is consulting with Israel about taking out Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons.  This comes on the heels of reports that Assad's regime may be in its last days.

According to the report a U.S. representative is cool to the idea as of now about Israel taking action due to the fact that it could allow Assad to drum up support on an anti-Israel platform.

If these talks progress and the point is reached where the U.S does ask Israel to take out the stockpile, then the U.S had better be prepared to support Israel in whatever way necessary to defend themselves against any Iranian threat.

Such an attack on Syria by Israel will have wide ranging effects in the Middle East.  It could lead to the eventual destruction of Damascus (see Is. 17:1-2), or a coalition of nations joining together to attack Israel (see Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38-39).

Couple this news with the Iranian attack on Israeli's in Bulgaria, and we could be entering a period of time of heightened tensions and heightened likelihood of violence involving Israel and her enemies in the Middle East.

Interesting times in the Middle-East

There are two news items worth keeping an eye on in the Middle-East right now.

The first in the recent election in Egypt.  The newly elected president is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood party.  This radical Islamic party is hostile to the state of Israel.  With such a regime in power in Egypt, the region could be even further destabilized.  Coming to power in Egypt will surely encourage the Muslim Brotherhood in other Middle-East nations.

Second, is the increasing distress in Syria.  Between the rebel fighting in the country itself, and the recent downing of a Turkish airplane, which drew a harsh response from Turkey, the bloodshed could be about to increase exponentially.  It appears the conditions are being put in place for a manor regional conflict.

In light of this it is important to remember the prophecy of Isaiah 17 that says Damascus will be destroyed.  Could this be the conflict that will bring about that destruction?  Only time will tell, but it does seem we could be on the brink of seeing this Old Testament prophecy fulfilled before our eyes.  

Putin and the rise of Russia

One interesting news item to watch in the days to come is Vladimir Putin returning to power as President of Russia.  Putin has made no secret of the fact that he wants to rebuild the Russian empire and Russian military might.  It will be interesting to see if and how this fits into Bible prophecy.

We know from Ezekiel 38-39 that Russia will be part of a military coalition to attack Israel bringing about the War of Gog and Magog.  I would not be surprised to see Putin do two things to bring this eventuality closer to bear.

First, I believe he will continue to build the Russian military.  I believe he will attempt to build the Russian military into the power it once was.  This very well could be the leading military force in the Gog-Magog alliance found in Ezekiel.

Second, I believe he will continue to strengthen Russia's ties with the Arab world.  This will further hasten the forming of the coalition mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39. In my opinion, this will be the interesting thing to watch.

Netanyahu and Elections

There hasn't been much news coming out of Israel in recent weeks, but that all changed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement that Israel's next elections would be held a year early.  At first I didn't think much of it until I stumbled across this article.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/is-netanyahu-holding-elections-early-so-he-can-attack-iran/

Could this be a move by Netanyahu to strengthen his position to attack Iran?  I don't know the answer to that.  However, what I do know is that Netanyahu is one of the most shrewd statesmen in international affairs, and I would not be surprised if this is part of his plan.

One note to go along with the article:  If what this article states is true that pushes back the April-June timeline that U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta put forth earlier this year.

Quiet Month

It's been a fairly quiet month as you can see from my lack of posting since March 6.  I really don't want to post just to post, so I haven't put much on here recently.  As soon as things pick up again, and they will, I'll be writing about it here.

The Feast of Purim

Thursday, March 8 and Friday, March 9 of 2012 will be the days for the celebration of the Feast of Purim.  Jewish people began celebrating Purim after God's deliverance from Haman and the Persians in the book of Esther.  Haman had plotted the genocide of the Jewish people, but God delivered them and protected them from the Persians.

I think it's fitting to remember this story as once again the Jewish people are facing a threat of genocide from the Persians.  Iran, as you may know, is the modern day name for the nation of Persia.  Once again the Jewish people of the nation of Israel face the threat of destruction.  If Iran is allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, their first target will be Israel.  They are not developing a nuclear weapon to use as a deterrent, they are building one to eliminate "the little Satan," Israel.

I think it's fitting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave President Obama a scroll containing the book of Esther in their recent meeting.  It was a fine way to send the message that Israel will not sit by while nations threaten the destruction of Israel.  Our president needs to understand the seriousness of the threat from Iran.  He needs to understand their hatred of the Jews, a hatred that will not be negated by negotiations or sanctions.

Over the days of the feast of Purim, I encourage all Believers to take some additional time to pray for the Israel/Iran situation.

An Unpopular Truth

I realize what I am about to post here will not be popular.  However, often the truth is not.  Just because truth is not popular doesn't mean it does not have to be acknowledged or dealt with.

As I have written here many times, every time the U.S. has taken a stand in policy against Israel some sort of tragedy has struck the U.S.  Therefore the following piece of information can not be ignored.  On the day that U.S. President Barak Obama said in a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that he believed a two-state solution was necessary, meaning Israel must surrender God promised land, over 40 devastating tornadoes struck the U.S.

Living in the are of one of the hardest hit areas I feel for the victims of these tornadoes and pray for their futures. I pray they can rebuild quickly and get back to some sense of normalcy.  I pray for those who lost loved ones that they will sense the peace of God at this time.

We need to look at what happened last week though as a warning for the future.  If we continue in this critical time in history to pressure Israel to give up land and try to deny them the right to defend themselves, then I am afraid this is just the beginning of sorrows that our nation will experience.

http://www.watch.org/showart.php3?idx=149618&rtn=&showsubj=1&mcat=24

Netanyahu's visit to Washington

Today in Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told President Obama that Israel reserves the right to attack Iran and to defend itself by itself.  This will likely be the last meeting between the two before a possible Israeli strike.

President Obama encouraged Netanyahu to wait and give sanctions time to work.  However, Israel knows they have a short window of time to strike if they are going to hit the Iranian nuclear program.  As Obama continues to drag his feet in dealing with Iran, he leaves Israel with no choice but to do what is necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/05/us-usa-israel-obama-idUSTRE8230EM20120305

Food shortages and global government

One of the four horsemen of the apocalypse found in Revelation is the black horse.  This is the horse that foretells coming food shortages and food rationing.  Living in the land of abundance, it's sometimes hard to picture how this could come about. 

The following article explains how some are already making plans for global food rationing.   Interestingly enough, some see the possible future food rationing as a means of instituting global government.  Something that will come as a result of the preceding horse, the white horse a.k.a. the Antichrist. 

It's easy to focus on Israel when reading the signs of the times.  They are constantly in the news and many key signs appear like they could be getting ready to be fulfilled.  However, stories like this, although not as nearly as intriguing as potential war in the Middle East, are just as critical is discerning the times we are living in. 

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/03/01/un-to-propose-planetary-regulations-water-food/?test=latestnews

Israel to keep U.S in dark

Israel has sent word to the U.S that the will keep them in the dark about any upcoming strike on Iran.  I'm sure this will be a topic of discussion when Prime Minister Netanyahu visits Washington next month.

As I see it this decision could only have been made for one of two reasons.

1.  Israel wants to give the U.S. plausible deniability in dealing with Iran.

2.  Israel feels they can no longer trust the U.S.

Here is the take on the situation from Fox News.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/27/israelis-reportedly-dont-plan-to-notify-us-if-decision-made-to-strike-iran/

Netanyahu scheduled to visit U.S.

Israeli Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the U.S next month where, according to the following article, U.S. President Barak Obama will try to talk him out of attacking Iran.  Based on the way he has been treated on previous visits to the U.S., I'm not convinced he will listen. 

Something else strikes me as interesting from the following article as well.  It states that an Israeli strike on Iran could slow down there progress for a couple of years, but that is all.  It makes me wonder if in a couple of years Iran will have a weapon and believe they are finally in a position to wipe out Israel.  Two years from now could they have the coalition in place that Ezekiel 38-39 talks about? 

http://www.debka.com/article/21755/

Foreshadowing of Ezekiel 38-39 coalition

Russia has issued one of the strongest warning yet to Israel not to attack Iran.  They state as their reason a concern for the stability of the region.

It's interesting to see Russia take this position.  According to Ezekiel 38-39 Russia and Iran will be a part of the coalition of nations to attack Israel.  In the weeks and months to come you can expect to see the alliance between these two nations grow stronger and stronger.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4193517,00.html

Conflict grows in Syria

One of the most interesting stories I am tracking in the news right now is the growing conflict in Syria.  Syrian President Bashar Assad is dealing with rebels unhappy with his cruel dictatorship.  According to the article I have linked below, there is growing concern about an all out civil war in Syria.

Prophetically speaking, this is an interesting possibility.  Isaiah 17:1 tells us that Damascus will one day be destroyed.  This has never happened in the history of the world.  While we know that it will happen, we don't know how or why it will happen.  Many have assumed that Damascus would be destroyed in a clash with another nation , in particular Israel.  However, it could be that it will be destroyed in a violent Syrian civil war.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/02/20/syrian-army-reinforcements-head-to-homs-ahead-suspected-offensive/

U.S. official in Israel

The White House National Security Adviser arrived in Israel today to once again try to dissuade the Israelis from  attacking Iran.  A spokesman for the U.K. also issued a statement encouraging Israel not to attack.  The heart of the concern for both is the consequences that could come form such an attack.  

Many are concerned that all out war could erupt if Israel were to attack Iran.  We are told in scripture that in the end there will be wars and rumors of wars.  In fact such a resulting war involving a number of nations in the Middle East could fulfill the prophecies of Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38-39.

There is no doubt an attack could have crippling effects on the world economy.  However, a crippled economy could go a long way to bringing about the conditions the will bring about the appearance of the Antichrist.  

The situation in Israel right now is very serious.  We need to cover this situation in prayer.  

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/19/us-britain-urge-israel-not-to-attack-irans-nuclear-program/

Latest update from Israel

This article gives a good update on how close we might be to seeing an Israeli strike on Iran.  Of particular interest from the article is the fact that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be visiting Washington D.C. next week.  We need to pray he has favor with the leaders of our nation.  Also, we should pray our leaders give him the support he and Israel need as the confront Iran. 

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/u-s-official-signs-pointing-to-increasing-likelihood-of-israeli-strike-on-iran-1.413654

New poll from Fox News

I was saddened to see a new poll tonight on Special Report on Fox News that says if Israel attacks Iran that 48% of Americans would prefer the U.S. to stay neutral opposed to 45% who would want the U.S. to support Israel.

Eventually all nations will turn against Israel, including the United States.  It's sad to see the day the U.S. no longer stand by Israel could be coming quickly.  The U.S. is not mentioned anywhere in Bible prophecy.  That is hard to fathom since the United States is the greatest nation the world has ever known.  It is obvious that something has to bring about the decline of the U.S. for it not to be mentioned in prophecy.  Turning its back on Israel could greatly accelerate the decline of the U.S.

Great commentary on the Israel/Iran situation

Here is some great commentary on the Israel/Iran situation.  It looks more and more like an Israeli strike is imminent.  I have to wonder if a strike by Israel on Iran will bring about the attack on Israel mentioned in Psalm 83, or if the Gog-Magog coalition of Ezekiel 38-39 could form in response to such an attack by Israel.

http://dailycaller.com/2012/02/04/krauthammer-leak-indicates-israeli-attack-on-iran-certain/

Panetta details timeline for possible Israeli strike on Iran

According to a report on "Special Report" on Fox News tonight, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has stated that Israel could strike Iran as early as April.

The following article from the London Telegraph details his comments.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/9058322/Leon-Panetta-believes-Israel-could-attack-Iran-in-the-spring.html

There is one quote from the article I find particularly disturbing.  Here it is:

"But the White House hasn't yet decided precisely how the United States would respond if the Israelis do attack."


Let's pray the White House figures out what its position should be.

Great read

I'm not going to comment much on this article, because there is not much that needs to be said.  You will be able to see from reading it that we are getting close to a possible strike on Iran by Israel.  As Christians we need to be praying earnestly for the following:

1.  Wisdom for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and all of Israel's leaders on how to proceed

2.  The peace of Jerusalem as scripture says we should

3.  Wisdom for the leaders of our nation to stand beside Israel and not turn against her

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/magazine/will-israel-attack-iran.html?_r=2&ref=magazine

Telling article

The following article is, in my opinion, very telling of the current state of the relationship between Israel and the United States regarding a possible Israeli preemptive strike on Iran.  In summary, the article states Israel will give  President Obama no more than 12 hours notice of a strike and they will not coordinate with the U.S.  Israel is concerned Obama would try to "torpedo" the attack.

If all the facts in this article are accurate, then it's clear that Israel does not feel they have the support of the United States.  Spiritually speaking, that is a dangerous position for the United States to put themselves in.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/151965#.TySlblqF878

Russia selling fighter jets to Syria

The following article details Russia's selling fighter jets to Syria.  There are two things I find interesting about this.
First, Isaiah 17 tells us Damascus will be destroyed.  With the purchase of these jets, it makes one wonder how soon a conflict could be in there future.

Second, it shows Russia's further cozying up with the Islamic world.  This will continue all the way through the War of Gog and Magog when Russia leads an Islamic coalition against Israel.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/01/23/report-russia-planning-to-deliver-combat-jets-to-syria/

World powers and Iran

The following article details recent statements and action from various world powers on Iran.  Of particular interest is the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs visiting Israel.  I would have loved to be a fly on that wall.  It's really interesting to me that the U.S. sent a military man and not a diplomat.  This tells me the U.S. believes Israel is getting close to the point of no return where they will feel they have to strike Iran's nuclear facilities.  Let's hope we support them.

http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USTRE80H15Z20120121

Welcome to 2012

Sorry to all my loyal readers, all six of you or so, for the way to extended holiday break.  We'll try to get back to being more consistent here.  It's early in 2012, but it is already shaping up to be an interesting year.

Every single day seems to bring us closer to a military confrontation between Iran and Israel.  Iran is getting closer to having a bomb.  No amount of sanctions or diplomacy will deter them from their objective.  The big question for Israel and Iran in 2012 is, "When will the tipping point be reached and Israel feels they have to take action against Iran?"  Such a confrontation will greatly accelerate the prophetic timeline. 

Another issue for 2012 is the global economy.  Financial experts agree the economy of the world is in a fragile state.  A deteriorating economy helps bring about the conditions for a one-world-currency/economic system, which will be part of the Antichrist's kingdom.  The eroding of the global economy brings us closer to that day. 

A third issue for the year is the what happens with the United States.  Will the U.S. support Israel if they deem a preemptive strike on Iran is needed?  How the U.S. handles Israel could play tremendously into what happens in her future.  Also, there is the matter of the 2012 presidential election.  Will the U.S. want to avoid confrontation, and prevent Israel from having confrontation with Iran during an election year?  How does this affect our policy?  What will the winner of the November election's policy toward Israel be? 

Couple with all of that the approaching date of 12/21/12, the date many believe the Mayan long count calendar predicts will be the "end of the world."  I do not believe there is anything to fear with that date, but as it draws closer and people in the world take on an apocalyptic mindset, it will be an excellent opportunity for the church to share the Gospel. 

Whatever happens in 2012, at the end of the year we will be one year closer to rapture of the church.  As the year progresses we'll bring you links to news articles demonstrating we are living in the last days and commentary on them. 

God bless and have a great 2012.