May 14
Storm Clouds Over Israel
In my 20 years of end-time service, I've never seen Israel facing so many enemies at one time. Currently, the Jewish state has to keep an eye on four fronts. In Southern Lebanon, Hezbollah has rockets aimed at Northern Israel. Syria has built up its force on its eastern border with Israel. In the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Hamas has been provoking Israel by firing mortars into Israel. Iran is probably the greatest threat. It is seeking to develop nuclear weapons and has called for Israel’s destruction.
What is now called the Second Lebanon War seems to be setting the stage for what may come in the near future. Last year's battle between Hezbollah and the Israeli military is regarded to have been a disaster for Israel and a rare victory for her Arab foes.
The rethinking of the war has plunged Israel into political chaos. The government of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is hanging by a thread. In Tel Aviv's Rabin Square, 120,000 demonstrators gathered to demand the Prime Minister's resignation. Olmert's own foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, has called for him to step down. Olmert has been very dismissive of any calls for him to resign. In an interview for Jerusalem Radio, he said, "Resigning is not a show of responsibility, it is a show of irresponsibility."
To make matters worse for Olmert, it's been revealed that he blamed his generals for the poor execution of the war. The Prime Minister told the Winograd Committee investigating the Second Lebanon War that he believes the Israel Defense Force "seriously let itself down" during the war. However, Olmert believes he made the "correct" decision to enter the conflict.
Israel's enemies must be delirious with glee over how they've been able to fluster the mighty Israel military. I would all but guarantee that some Arab group will soon try its luck again.
For many years, Syria has refrained from any conflict with Israel. They had been crushed too many times in battle to risk messing with their Jewish neighbor. The example set by Hezbollah may motivate Syria into seeking its own glory against Israel. Damascus has been insistent on getting back the Golan Heights. With the Israeli government in such a weakened state, Syria may try use a surprise attack as leverage in forcing Israeli to return the land.
The Southern Lebanese border is the most likely flashpoint. Israel had hoped it would take Hezbollah several years to recover from the heavily bombing it suffered during last summer's war. Unfortunately, Hezbollah has surprised everyone in its ability to quickly rebuild it arsenal of rockets. With Iran flooding armament into Lebanon, this terrorist group now has more arms than it did before the war. Some of its missiles are able to strike deep into Israel. According to one report, more than 100 of them have a range greater than 90 miles, enabling the heavily populated city of Tel Aviv to come under attack.
Military analysts have reached no consensus on when Israel and the U.S. might launch a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. The Russian military and British media have already set timelines for air strikes that have come and gone. Estimates on when Iran might be able to produce a bomb have ranged from one year to nearly a decade. With both Bush and Olmert entangled by political messes at home, it's hard to imagine them having the willpower to conduct a daring raid against Iran. For what it's worth, Vice President Dick Cheney has once again promised that the United States will not allow Iran to produce nuclear weapons.
There is the possibility that Olmert may try to turn his political fortunes around by giving land back to the Palestinians or the Syrians. European diplomats have been working on a series of peace plans. I think any such plan would only increase the chance for war. Because Islamic terrorists are constantly trying to fire rockets into Israel, there is a practical need for a buffer zone to keep Jewish settlements out of the range of small arms. If the Israeli army had remained in Southern Lebanon, Hezbollah would not have been able to fire 10,000 rockets into northern Israel.
What keeps driving the Arabs to attack Israel is a demonic hatred of the Jewish state. Satan knows that the only way for him to buy himself time is to remove God's chosen people from the Promised Land. Because the Bible predicts that the Jews will not be removed once they are regathered, the devil is fighting a hopeless battle.
The next war might be called the Third Lebanon War. With the Arabs pressing forward with a false sense of confidence in their military strength, World War III might quickly become a more appropriate title.
-- Todd
End-of-Days Scenarios Part 11
Israel, in our ongoing end-of-days scenario, has agreed to all stipulations the western international community –under inspiration of a great world leader—has required of the Jewish state. Key to getting the leader to assure Israel’s security –its peace—is the requirement that Israel give over her nuclear arsenal to the still-forming, growing superstate.
God’s prophetic Word has two things, basically, to say about this action by Israel:
1. The first involves not only Israel, but all who embrace this “peace” spawned by the western superstar and the nations that back him. The world will get its much-desired, then ballyhooed, “peace and safety,” but it will come at a tremendous price. It will, of course, be not a true peace at all, but a horrific war.
2. The second thing God says about this attempt at peace is exclusively directed at God’s chosen people –the Jews –and the nation Israel:
“Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves… And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it” (Isa. 28:15,18).
“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1Th. 5:3).
Jesus, speaking to the nation Israel, prophesied that Israel would accept this Roman prince’s overtures, while rejecting Him, their true Messiah: “I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (Jn. 5:43).
Israel sits now –in our scenario—like an ungated community. It doesn’t even have a local constabulary to protect it. It depends totally on the great Roman prince’s promises of peace and safety. It is just at this moment that the other leader of supernaturally-infused power –the eastern leader to the north of Israel--realizes all of the Middle East is ripe for the pickings, while the western coalition is still consolidating power.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land” (Ezek. 38:10-12).
The only response of the prince and his cronies out of the west to the hordes they see coalescing in war-like configuration that surrounds Israel and the oil fields of the region seems wrapped up in the following prophecy: ”Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?” (Ezek. 38:13).
The “protectors” of Israel offer only a note of diplomatic protest. The Russian and Islamic heads of Russia’s Arab and Persian allies seize upon the perceived weakness of the west’s leadership.
The questions that need to be considered here –at least in my opinion—are: Is the note of protest sent out of true weakness, or does the Roman prince realize what fate awaits the one called Gog and his Magog forces?
The demons, God’s Word says, believe in God and tremble. The satanically-driven prince that shall come will certainly know the Ezekiel prophecies. He will be the most brilliant military strategist ever to inhabit flesh on the planet. Can there be much doubt that he will think –in advance—to take advantage of every possibility?
In our scenario, he takes a look at the gathering storm and sends his note of protest, all with a sly grin of belief in what Scripture says. He will let other forces take care of the insolent Russian and the deluded war lords of Israel’s enemies.
His own authority is not fully consolidated. He will, along with his great titan of wealth backers, watch the Russians destruct upon the mountains of Israel while he, himself, prepares to fill the most fortuitous vacuum that is about to be created in the Middle East.
Again, we must wait until next time to watch these climactic events unfold.
--Terry
***You’ve got to hear this!***
The new CD – “Anticipation”
I’ll state up front here that I’m biased in regard to recommending this to you.
Shawn and Alison Crane are so close to me that I am “Grandpa Terry” to their teriffic little ones –Anna, Jonathon, and Jolie.
But, I don’t have to stretch at all to say that this is some of the most beautiful, and touching music you will ever hear.
It is all about heavenly things. Shawn –who directs music for the Tulsa prophecy conference annually-- is one of the most gifted singers in the world today. he, combined with Alison’s beautiful voice, treat the hearer to a spiritual audio experience as wonderful as any you will find.
My personal favorite by Shawn is “I bow on my knees and cry Holy,” followed closely by “The Midnight Cry,” and “We shall behold Him”.
But, hear for yourself. Listen to the snippits at: http://www.cranemusicministries.com
