It’s beginning to look a lot like . . . Shar’ia, all around the . . . Middle East!  One of the developments that should be catching our eye is the number of countries who are part of the Arab Spring who are now turning into Islamist states.  This should not be too shocking to us since the dominant religious view in all these states is Islam.  But what should get our attention is how these countries are adopting Islamic Shar’ia law as the law of the land. 

We’ve watched as countries like Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia have all had revolutions of sorts.  These were hailed by our current president and even by some conservative commentators as the “Arab Spring.”  This name was given to this movement (which also touched many other countries in the Middle East) because they were wrongly interpreted as a yearning for freedom, liberty, and western democracy.  Yet what we are watching in the wake of this Arab Spring is a concerted movement toward Islamic states who are trading their opportunity for western style democracy for states ruled by Shar’ia Islamic Law. 

Anyone who has read anything about Shar’ia Law knows that it does not even slightly look like western democracy.  If you want a look at what these states may become in the future, do not look to the United States – look to Iran.  Iran is an Islamic state that functions under Shar’ia Law.  Rather than being a movement that stimulates freedom of thought – these states will now enforce Islam as its mandatory religion.  What we have seen in Islamic states is a repression of freedom of religion, a repression of freedom of thought, and a repression of freedom of expression.  When Muslims convert to Christianity, they are given a death sentence.  When woman are deemed to be out of line morally by their family – outrageous acts are allowed, even “honor killing.”  Rather than a refreshing breath of spring – this is more like a chilling blast of winter when it comes to freedom and liberty.

But probably the most disturbing thing that is coming due to the so-called Arab Spring is the destabilization of the region and its march toward war.  Demonstrations in both Libya and Egypt have turned dangerously violent when it comes toward the nation of Israel.  In recent months we’ve even watched as riotous crowds have invaded the Israeli Embassy in Cairo.  They stormed the compound and tore down the flag of Israel in defiance.  These problems are only going to increase because an Islamic state that is ruled by Shar’ia Law tends to be a state that is also antagonistic toward Israel’s presence in the Middle East.  They have a very serious problem with Israel being in Jerusalem – which Islam holds as its third most holy place.  In the past year we’ve watched the attitude of Turkey, which was previously a moderate Muslim nation, turn very sour toward Israel.  Turkey even helped to sponsor groups that are trying to break through the blockade that Israel has put around the Palestinian territories to keep advanced military arms from being shipped to their ports.  The weapons that get through in various ways are then used on Israel in rocket attacks and other incursions.  It all adds up to a growing number of Arab “Spring-ed” countries that are turning more radical in their Islamic views. 

What are we to do about these things?  First of all, we need to realize that our current administration really does not have a clue when it comes to what is going on in the Islamic world.  They think that western style democracy is taking hold – when in reality – these states are going to be little more than another Iran in the region.  We need to pray and ask God to give discernment to those in our government – in the State Department as well as the White House.  They need to see what is happening and be willing to say that Islamic states that turn to Shar’ia Law are going to be states that desire the destruction of Israel.  It might also behoove them to see that those who call Israel the little Satan – also refer to the United States as the “great Satan.”  Call it a hunch – but I think that is not a positive designation – nor a friendly one. 

For those of us who understand the Bible, we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  We also need to be aware that there is a possibility that this current trend may be an alignment for a future prophetic event called the Gog-Magog invasion.  This is a group of nations who will surround Israel – and will seek to destroy her.  When they do this (you can read about it in Ezekiel 37-38) God delivers Israel by a miracle.  In that miraculous deliverance, God destroys the armies – and the nations themselves with an intervention from heaven.  Just for your information, the nations who are presently turning towards a more radical version of Islam and Shar’ia Law are like a who’s who of the nations listed in Ezekiel.  The only nation not moving toward Islam in this group is Russia.  That problem is solved quite easily as Russia has a mutual defense and military pact with several of these nations.  Thus, seeing Russia led into this invasion is not a difficult thing to consider. 

We live in interesting and perilous times.  The world is experiencing upheavals that could be the birth pangs mentioned in Scripture – that are a precursor to the seven year tribulation period and the second coming of Christ.  We may not be able to stop the political forces that are at work, but we can allow their presence and their growing menace to be a reminder to us.  Jesus said that we should work the works of God while it is still day – because the night is coming when no man can work.  Don’t take your freedoms for granted.  Use them to communicate the gospel – and to make disciples of Jesus Christ every day you can.  It may soon be night – when it will be far more difficult to do those works.

What is the world is going on with Iran?  Over the past week we've learned that the Iranian KUDS forces (which is the equivalent of our special forces) were involved in a plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States.  Allegedly, the plot involved working with Mexican drug cartels in an effort to hire professional assassins to carry out the plot.  As more and more details of this plot become known, it is clear that the Iranian government was involved in this effort. 

This is a radical move on the part of the Iranian government - even a game-changing event.  It has led to several things that are happening presently in our own government reaction to this attempt on the Saudi Arabian Ambassador.  The first is that the Obama administration is seeking what they call, "crippling" sanctions against the Iranian government.  The problem with this action is that it will require countries like China and Russia to comply as well.  Since we do not do any business with Iran, our ability to directly affect their economy is fairly limited.  The second action, which is not receiving hardly any attention involves Israel and the sale of 55 advanced bunker-busting bombs to their military.  This was something that was allowed by the Obama Administration.  To give a little insight on this action, the Bush Administration was asked to do the same thing - and did not do it.  It was viewed as too controversial a decision, and one that would come back to haunt them if Israel used these weapons to destroy Iran's nuclear program.

What does all this mean for our world.  It actually means a great deal.  One of the things Israel absolutely had to have to deal with Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons was bunker-busting bombs.  Now that they have them - an attack on Iran's nuclear infrastructure is far more possible.  This would cause a huge disruption of the delivery of oil throughout the world.  Those who understand the ramifications of this say it might cause the cost of oil to surge to 6-8 dollars a gallon - or more.  This would send an already fragile world economy over the edge into full scale collapse.  Such a collapse would put our world into financial chaos.  It would be a perfect scenario for a world leader to rise to help solve such an issue - not to mention to lead the world toward a one-world currency or system that would be easily be transformed to a cashless economy.

There is also the problem of military reprisals for Israel taking out Iran's nuclear weapons program.  If such an attack were to take place, there is a good possibility that the world would be set on fire.  Russia, Syria, and Turkey all have mutual defense pacts with Iran.  If Israel were to attack Iran - what would these countries do?  It could easily cause the region to erupt with protests - and eventually a military action against Israel from nations throughout the region.  That would fit the view of the Gog-Magog conflict of Ezekiel 37-38 being an event which happens before the rapture of the church and the beginning of the 7 year tribulation period of the book of Revelation. 

The situation with Iran is fluid at the moment.  Much of what I've written today has yet to happen.  We do not know what sanctions will be put on Iran.  We do not know how effective they will be.  We do not know how Iran is going to react to such things.  We do not know how the rest of the Middle East will react to Iran's actions.  But the one thing we do know is that Israel now has the ability to penetrate the bunkers which hide much of Iran's nuclear facilities.  The question will be what Israel will do with them?  The other thing we also know is that these events have done nothing to lessen the political pressures that are rising in the Middle East.  We will need to stay tuned to learn what will happen.  But in the mean time we also need to stay on our knees and continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, because these events have made that peace that much more difficult.

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.