 Things are heating up in the Middle East. Let’s take a few looks at some of the things that have happened recently that should have our attention.
2015-2016 - Both Iran and Russia have military personnel in Syria. Their military presence has been steadily increasing and now includes attack helicopters, fighter jets, and multiple military units. February 2018 – Iranian drone shot down over northern Israel was armed with explosives, which could have caused extensive damage. April 5, 2018 – Syrian pro-Assad militia claims responsibility for rocket attack on United States troops in Syria. Monday, April 9, 2018 – Israel attacks a Syrian air force base called T-4 in retaliation for the drone shot down over northern Israel. The attack was aimed at destroying any further Iranian drone capability in Syria. Week of April 9-13 – Russians warn that if the United States launches a strike against Syrian targets that it will shoot down the missiles and the sources from which they came. April 13, 2018 – The United States bombs Syrian chemical weapons facilities. This is in response to chemical attacks that allegedly were carried out by the Syrian government and military. United States is sending the Aircraft carrier Truman into the Mediterranean along with a strike group of 5 war ships carrying 300 Tomahawk missiles on them. At that point there will be at least 14 ships between allies Britain, France, Germany, and the United States in the region. There are also currently at least 2 Russian ships in the region as well as anti-submarine aircraft. What does all this mean in reference to the events mentioned in the Scriptures? First, this particular action is not mentioned in Scripture. There are those who will take every situation and seemingly find a Bible passage for it. But secondly, it does have possible ramifications on two events mentioned in the Scriptures. The first of these is the destruction of the city of Damascus, mentioned in Isaiah 17. The oracle concerning Damascus. "Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city And will become a fallen ruin. 2 "The cities of Aroer are forsaken; They will be for flocks to lie down in, And there will be no one to frighten them. 3 "The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, And sovereignty from Damascus And the remnant of Aram; Isaiah 17:1-3 (NASB) Two important things are mentioned here. There is the statement that Damascus will be removed from being a city and will become like a fallen ruin. This has yet to happen in history. With the current civil war in Syria – as well as the foreign involvement of Russia and Iran (especially Iran) – this further destabilizes the region and makes it more likely that a strike could take place on Damascus itself, destroying the city entirely. What makes this more likely now is the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian military under President Assad. Both the United States and their allies are going to respond to this action. But it is the presence of a growing Iranian military presence in Syria that is the greater issue. More military groups loyal to President Assad seem to be more loyal to the Iranian leadership than to their own. Israel has already struck a military air base because the Iranians were foolish enough to send an armed drone into the northern regions of Israel. That is what led to the air strikes on the T-4 base in Syria. Things are definitely heating up between Israel and Iran. The next factor in the destabilization of this region is the current strike that is happening to the Syrian chemical weapons installations. There are mixed messages coming from Russia and Iran about this. Some are saying that as long as strikes are just against these installations they will be allowed – while others, including one from the Russian military, promise retaliation. A second way this may come to fulfill biblical prophecy is the Gog-Magog invasion. This invasion has at its head the Russian military as well as the help from multiple other nations allied to them. Not only are these alliances coming together, but also there is a possibility that a Damascus event could trigger a wholesale invasion by Russia and her allies to defend Assad and his Syrian regime. If that were to happen from the north (which seems the most likely scenario for it) then this would look unnervingly like the Gog-Magog invasion mentioned in Ezekiel 37-38. Now some believe this may happen before the rapture of the church and the start of the 7 year Great Tribulation – but others do believe this will happen in connection with the events of the Battle of Armageddon in Revelation. Either way this may go – there is much happening to have us be reminded that we should be awake spiritually and praying for God to give us opportunities to share Christ with others.
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 What is as small as 21 miles across, has ships from 25 different nations around it, and can cause the entire world economy to nose dive by being shut down for as little as two to three days? Don’t know the answer to that one? The answer for the next 12 days is a little channel of water called the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is a small exit at the base of the Persian Gulf. It is one of the most congested waterways in the world, since through it flows 35% of the world’s oil in tankers from countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait. What is making this strait even more congested is all the naval vessels that are congregated there for the largest naval exercise ever in the history of modern warfare. Included in this force are three Nimitz class carrier groups from the United States, four British minesweepers and the HMS Diamond, one of the most powerful destroyers in the entire British Navy. In addition to these ships there are 12 U.S. battleships cruisers, frigates, destroyers, and assault ships. These vessels are joined by additional ships from France and the UAE. Why are all these ships in this region? It is because they are conducting training for what they fully expect to be a war in the gulf region. The war will involve Iran and the reason behind it is a dispute over whether they are seeking to build a nuclear weapon. Iran claims that their nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, but Britain’s MI-6 disagrees. Their latest intelligence says that Iran could have operational nuclear weapons as soon as early to mid-2013. This has brought about a situation that Israel says cannot exist. That is why Prime Minister Netanyahu has made it clear that if necessary, Israel will go it alone in an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Why has Israel taken such a hard stance? It is because of the way that leaders in Iran have spoken about such things. Iranian President Ahmadinejad has stated many times publically that Iran intends to destroy Israel – and leaders in Israel do not want to give him enough leeway to accomplish this threat by using a nuclear weapon. But what would be the result of such an intervention by Israel? Iran is having an annual test of its own involving all their air defenses. The largest exercise of Iran’s history is coming, according to Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili. This test will involve surface-to-air missiles, unmanned drones and state-of-the-art radar, The Iranian Revolutionary Guard and air force will work together to test their own defenses. These defenses seek to protect over 3,500 sensitive locations throughout the Iran. Among these sites are their oil refineries and uranium enrichment facilities. The Iranian military is seeking to “identify vulnerabilities” as well as practice their tactics, both old and new. But defense is not their only goal. The Iranians have also practiced offensive attacks using mini subs, fast attack boats, mining vessels, and land-based anti-ship missiles from a number of batteries along the gulf. It is predicted that before being destroyed, these ships can cause a great deal of carnage among both military and civilian shipping. Iran has promised an asymmetrical response that will not only strike in the Strait of Hormuz, but also in Israel and in the United States. Iran fully expects cooperation from terrorist groups in Syria and Lebanon who have thousands of missiles that promise to rain down upon Israel. Those in charge of Israel’s missile defense expect between 400-500 deaths in the initial strikes with more coming later if they are unable to destroy all the missile batteries quickly. The Iranian secret service, named Quds, also is believed to have numerous operatives in the United States waiting to strike with multiple terrorist attacks if Israel strikes Iran. Some have stated that such an attack will not happen before the United States elections – but with things heating up in the region – there is no guarantee that the attack won’t happen very soon. With both these war games and the continued escalated rhetoric from both Iran and Israel, it wouldn’t be wise to hold your breath. So how does all this relate to biblical prophecy? First of all, there is no mention of a massive war between Israel and Iran in the Bible. The major prophecy that may come into play is that of a Gog-Magog battle that is prophesied in Ezekiel 37-38. The major players in that event are Israel and a Russian/Islamic Army that comes like a hoard from the north into Israel. I am one who believes that this event will happen just prior to the 7 year Great Tribulation in Revelation. I also personally believe that this also may be an event that happens in connection with the rapture of the church. Since there is a mutual protective alliance between Iran and Russia, this could very well help start a massive response from Russia – joined by the Islamic nations in the Middle East – who would come to punish Israel for their attack on Iran. Such an alliance would be massive and highly motivated since there is a mutual hatred of Israel among all of them. After reading this you might wonder, “What does this have to do with me?” It has much to do with you and me. First of all, there will be a series of things we will have to deal with as Christians. First, the reality that gas prices will likely shoot up to over as much as 8-10 dollars a gallon. This will cripple the economy – not just of the United States – but the entire world. Second, we will have to decide if we will stand with Israel or not. This event, if it happens, will result in calls worldwide to punish Israel. Therefore it will cost us something to stand with Israel. This will be a personal choice – because I fully expect our national leaders, who have decided upon a path far more allied with Islam, than with Israel, to turn on Israel and join with the rest of the UN in calling for punishment of Israel for their pre-emptive strike. Just remember that God promises to bless those who bless Israel – and curse those who curse her. Another question that may arise is this, “What can I do about this?” Well, actually, you can do nothing about this. If God intends to use these events to usher in the events that accompany the second coming of Jesus – you can do nothing to thwart what He allows. But the question you should ask should not be what you can do about all this, but rather what you should be doing in light of it. Let’s answer that one instead. Two things are true if these events are close at hand. First, you do not have “all the time in the world” to share Christ with those around you. It may be a matter of months, weeks, or honestly – even days. Take advantage of every opportunity to share Jesus with those you know who need Him and the salvation He has purchased with His own blood. Now is not the time to become complacent and lazy. Now is the time to redouble our efforts to share Christ with others. The second thing that is very important is to be people of the Word of God. Dear saints – check your doctrine and make sure that you are spiritually ready for what is coming. Scripture tells us that these days are going to be ones where great deception will be loosed upon all mankind. Many will fall for the lies of the evil one – and of the culture and media that does his bidding daily. Are you ready to stand on God’s Word in the midst of a flood of deceptive rhetoric that is about to be unleashed on you? If you haven’t noticed, that flood is rising even now as what were once basic biblical beliefs are being denigrated hourly on network and cable television. It will take strength – and a love of the Word – to be able to stand. Are you ready? We live in the midst of amazing times. The world seems to be aflame with strange doctrines – and religious movements willing to riot and rampage in the streets. The financial world is reeling under the weight of debt that is out of control as socialist government’s promise more and more – but are quickly seeing that they cannot deliver on their promises indefinitely. Nation is warring against nation – and the saber-rattling that often precedes world wars is rampant in the political realms. It is time for us to draw near to God so that our hearts will not be weighed down with sin – but liberated to stand fast on His Word and on the gospel of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The north-African region has been a hotbed of controversy for the past year. We’ve watched as first Egypt, and now Libya have gone through popular uprisings of the people to overthrow their current dictators in favor of . . . well that is yet to be decided hasn’t it. Our president boasts that these events of the “Arab Spring” as he calls it, will result in greater freedom and peace for the entire region. Yet as time moves on – it seems that his predictions – as well as his actions are going to bring anything but peace in this region.
Egypt was supposed to become a wonderful democracy after the political overthrow of Hosni Mubarak, their former dictator. Please understand that I am not a Mubarak fan – he was a brutal dictator. But as we’ve learned over the years often in matters of foreign affairs, the devil we know is often better than the devil we do not know. Such seems to be the case with Egypt. What seems to be rising out of the ashes of the Mubarak regime is a fragile alliance between the military and the Muslim Brotherhood. This second group has proven to be a radical Islamic group who desire Islamic law to rule Egypt. They also are a group who does not favor peace with Israel. All this took a new turn as a series of events recently have caused Israeli Egyptian relations to reach their lowest point in almost 30 years. The Sinai Peninsula has been the site of a series of attacks by Gaza-based militants which resulted in the deaths of eight Israelis. When Israel retaliated against these terrorists, three Egyptians with their defense forces were killed. This resulted in demonstrations in the streets in Egypt – and even an unprecedented call for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador there. One demonstrator climbed up and ripped down the Israeli flag from their embassy in Egypt. Currently negotiators and envoys from several nations are seeking to defuse the situation. There has also been a rare Israeli government apology for the deaths of the Egyptians. What this situation is revealing is that the former government of Hosni Mubarak, which desired more peaceful relations with Israel, is being replaced with a far more anti-Israeli government that reflects the position of the Muslim Brotherhood. Times are changing in the Islamic world. This is also true in Libya as well. The Obama administration has entered into military actions with that state in the hope that their dictator, Khadaffi, may be overthrown. But once again, what is in the wake of this overthrow is a government that will be far more agreeable to the demands of the Muslim street. As with the situation in Egypt, the Muslim street’s views are better represented by the Muslim Brotherhood than by more moderate Muslims (if there are any when it comes to Israel). What does all this mean to us who believe that the Last Days of the Bible are going to come to pass just as God has promised? It means that there are ominous developments that point to a group of nations eerily similar to that of Ezekiel 38:1-6 are arising in this region – all of which are becoming more and more anti-Israel in their political views. Egypt is listed in this group, along with Libya as well. Added to this group is the ancient location of Ethiopia. The geography of this place better fits the nation of Northern Sudan which is another radical Islamic state. When you add Turkey to this group – things start getting a little wild, since Turkey has elected a far more radical Islamic government, which has become far less friendly with Israel over the past 2-3 years. The other nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38 include the “- stan” nations of the Russian Steppe region – Khazakstan, Tagikistan, etc. These are joined with Iran, whose hatred for Israel is unmatched by any other nation on earth presently. The final piece of this puzzle is Russia, which now has strengthened its ties with these nations who will one day come together to attack Israel from the north. Our president thinks that what has happened in Egypt and Libya is a good thing. He hopes for new governments in these two states (and Syria is not too far behind them either) where their former dictator is replaced with pro-western democracies that will bring a new era of peace to the Middle East. That is not happening currently, but instead these nations are being more and more radicalized. This means that we are facing a serious crisis in the region. One that will most likely lead to a war that will engulf the entire region. This is not a “good thing” – but rather a “God thing.” God is setting up this region along previously prophesied lines – for an event He has told us WILL come prior to the start of the 7 year Great Tribulation period. As we watch these nations further radicalized in their views toward Israel, we can know that whether things are as imminent as we think or not – the alignment of nations is very similar to that of the Biblical narrative. Is this just the luck of the draw – or the unseen hand of God getting things ready for the return of Christ? It should be no shock to those of you who know me that I strongly believe it is the latter of these two things. Stay ready saints – and keep yourself in the love of God and the preparation of your heart for His imminent return. But then again – this should not be done because of the nightly news – but because of the command of Scripture. |
 What is the Prophecy/News Update?At Calvary Chapel of Jonesboro, we believe that history is moving toward fulfilling God's plans and purposes. In an effort to help us be prepared for His appearing - and also to chronicle news items you just won't see in the national media - this page is devoted to sharing those items and their possible significance to 
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