Chapter 5 Major Events in the Middle East

Consider the following quotes:

Iran's new president immediately vowed to accelerate Tehran's nuclear program and provoke a direct confrontation with the United States (the "Great Satan"} and Israel (the "Little Satan"}, Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenberg, 2006, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. p.ix.

Upon taking office, Ahmadinejad undertook a series of moves that sent shock waves through world capitals, rattled global markets, and drove up the international price of oil. He told associates that he believed the end of the world was two or three years away. He said he believed he had been chosen by Allah to become Iran's leader at this critical hour to hasten the coming of the Islamic messiah known as the Twelfth Imam or the Mahdi by launching a final holy war against Christians and Jews. He also dramatically accelerated Iran's effort to build, buy or steal the nuclear weapons necessary to bring about the end of days, in accordance with his Shiite Muslim theology. Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenberg, 2006, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. p.x.

Rosenberg says Ahmadinejad urged Muslims around the world to prepare for the day when "our holy hatred expands" and "strikes like a wave."' Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenberg, 2006, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. p.xi.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "says that Israel is 'heading toward annihilation' and 'one day will vanish.’” Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenberg, 2006, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.p.xii

Radical Islam has declared war on Israel and the United States and our allies. They believe it is a “holy war” and they intend to do whatever it takes to win. That includes; deception, lies, theft, coercion, sabotage, and open warfare. They are willing to destroy the world to win it for their version of Islam.

Related Events Occurring Outside the Middle East

September 11, 2001 – The Twin towers of World Trade Center and Pentagon were attacked by terrorists who hijacked and brought down four U.S. airliners.
January 2002 - President George Bush gave a State of the Union speech in which he identified the "axis of evil".
March 19, 2003 - U.S. and coalition forces attacked Iraq.
October 15, 2003 – A convoy of U.S. diplomats was attacked in Gaza.
November 11, 2004 - Arafat died leading to an internal power struggle and the eventual takeover of the Palestinian Authority by the terrorist group Hamas which is backed by Iran.
June 27, 2005 - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became Iran’s new president.
Putin put Russian national TV under state control, and abolished elections for regional governors making them political appointees. He also eliminated independent lawmaker’s right to run for parliament. All of these moves serve to consolidate his political power and control of the government.
Putin has resisted all attempts by Israeli and western leaders to persuade him to cease providing nuclear technology to Iran and to use his influence to persuade Iran to cease its pursuit of nuclear power.
Putin has pledged to continue strong ties with Tehran (capitol of Iran) and to continue to assist them in their quest to become a nuclear power.
In 2009 Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected in Iran.
Putin is Prime Minister of Russia and in 2012 he was re-elected to the Presidency.

Related Facts and Comments

President Bush repeatedly referred to the growing terrorist organizations of Iran and other Middle East countries as an "axis of evil". He had grave concerns regarding Iran's expressed intentions, and persistent determination, to acquire nuclear power.

Quoting from Joel Rosenberg’s book “Epicenter”:

"He cautions that the Mullahs, or religious leaders, 'could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match their hatred.'" Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenberg, 2006, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., p. xii

"New York Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has warned that a nuclear armed Iran would shake the foundation of global security to its very core.'" Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenberg, 2006, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., p. xiii

"If attacked, Iran has vowed to retaliate by unleashing 40.000 suicide bombers against American, Israeli, and European targets and into Iraq." Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenberg, 2006, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., p. xiii

"Israeli, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been more specific, saying Ahmadinejad 'talks like Hitler' and is 'a psychopath of the worst kind.' Olmert and his advisors are believed to be drawing up plans for a possible preemptive strike against Iran saying, ‘God forbid that this man ever gets his hands on nuclear weapons!'" Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenberg, 2006, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., p. xiv

Regarding the possible consequences of allowing Iran to acquire nuclear arms Rosenberg quotes Senator John McCain as saying, "I think we could have Armageddon." Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenberg, 2006, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., p. xv

Discussing his research and thoughts as he prepared to write his first novel, using Ezekiel 38 and 39 as his inspiration, Rosenberg says he felt readers, Christian or not, could accept the concept that Russia might attempt an invasion of the Middle-East.

"--, from the days of Peter the Great, Russian leaders had been scheming of ways to gain control of central and near-east Asia. It was why the Soviets had armed the Arab world to the teeth during the Cold War and backed them in the 1956, 1967 and 1973 wars against Israel. It was why Moscow had invaded Afghanistan in 1979, amid the chaos engulfing revolutionary Iran at the time. -- ." Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenberg, 2006, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., p.38

So it is clear that Russia has supported the radical Muslim groups in their efforts to destroy Israel in the past and there is absolutely no reason to believe they won't do so in the future. In fact, as we shall see later, the Bible seems to indicate that they certainly will. The current situation in the Middle-East is very tense and the real question is not “will there be another war?” but rather “when it will occur? “

“In the prophet Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezek. 37:1-14), the dead bones came to life, showing the nation of Israel would be restored after their years of captivity in Babylon.”

This prophecy was, of course fulfilled. Numerous prophecies have more than one fulfillment. Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones certainly does because it was fulfilled again in May 1948.

And, concerning Israel’s rebirth in 1948:

“’So do not fear, O Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, O Israel,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid.

11 I am with you and will save you,’ declares the LORD. ‘Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only with justice; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’ Jer. 30:10-11 NIV.

Now some would be quick to point out that Jer. 30:10 probably points to the Jews return from Babylon. I would agree though I would point out that vs. 11 speaks of all the nations among which I scatter you. This could not refer to Babylon alone. Also notice vs. 10 Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid. When was this ever the case since their return from Babylon?

Many prophecies have more than one fulfillment and it is not uncommon for a prophecy to cover multiple events from one verse to another or even within a single verse. Isaiah 61:1-2 is a very good example.

But before we read Isaiah we need to look at Luke 4:17-19. This is where Jesus goes into the synagogue of the Sabbath and reads from the scroll:

17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,

19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.

Most Christians and even many ministers read this and get only the message that Jesus was telling them that He was their Messiah. But let’s look at Isaiah 61 to see what He left out.

61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor

Here He stopped reading rolled up the scroll, handed it to the attendant and sat down. Why does scripture even mention those details? I believe it is very subtly calling attention to the fact that He stopped in the middle of a passage. In fact, in the middle of a sentence! Notice what it says next.

and the day of vengeance of our God,

NIV (Emphasis mine).

We can see then that the Lord was clearly saying that He was here at that time to fulfill the first part of God’s plan for His life and that He would be coming back later to fulfill the rest of it. This illustrates one way that a single prophecy can have more than one fulfillment.

Nevertheless, even if that were not the case, let’s consider:

“However, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when men will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’

15 but they will say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers. Jer. 16:14-15 NIV.

That doesn’t sound like the Lord is talking about their return from Babylon.

Continuing with – verses 15-17 NIV:

15 Why do you cry out over your wound, your pain that has no cure? Because of your great guilt and many sins I have done these things to you.

16 “’But all who devour you will be devoured; all your enemies will go into exile. Those who plunder you will be plundered; all who make spoil of you I will despoil.

17 But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD, ‘because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’

Look at Jer. 31:2-10 NIV:

2 This is what the LORD says: “The people who survive the sword will find favor in the desert; I will come to give rest to Israel.”

3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

4 I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful.

5 Again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria; the farmers will plant them and enjoy their fruit.

6 There will be a day when watchmen cry out on the hills of Ephraim, ‘Come, let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God.’”

7 This is what the LORD says: “Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard, and say, ‘O LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’

8 See, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth. Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor; a great throng will return.

9 They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

10 “Hear the word of the LORD, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’

The prophetic events of the end-time begin with Israel’s return to their ancient homeland. Many of us have been witness to the events since May 1948. Most people, even most Christian ministers and students of prophecy, did not believe Israel would ever be a nation again. Many of those, including the Jews, who did believe Israel would be a nation again, did not think it would be in their historic homeland. Israel’s very existence in the “Promised Land” is powerful testimony of God’s existence, power and personal involvement in human affairs.

Consider Isaiah 27:6 & 12,13 NIV:

Isaiah 27:6; In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.

Isaiah 27:12; In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, O Israelites, will be gathered up one by one.

13 And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. NIV.

There are, nevertheless, always some who will not bend to the will of God. May 14, 1948 David Ben-Gurion, Head of the World Zionist Organization, declared the establishment of the nation of Israel.The very next day, May 15, 1948, the infant nation was attacked by their Arab neighbors in an attempt to annihilate them. The attacks haven’t stopped since.

This is as it was prophesied:

13 When the dragon [Satan] saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman [Israel] who had given birth to the male child.

The dragon has been in pursuit of the woman with intense fury since 1948 and will continue to pursue her. Rev 12:13 NIV.

The dragon has been in pursuit of the woman with intense fury since 1948 and will continue to pursue her.

14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.

15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.

16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.

17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring — those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. Rev 12:13-17 NIV (Inserts mine).

Some have taken the position that Israel should give up part of their land to appease their neighbors by giving the Palestinians a homeland. They believe this would diffuse the situation and bring peace in the Middle East. These people simply do not understand who they are dealing with.

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Chapter 5

Major Events in the Middle East

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Related Events Occurring Outside the Middle East

Related Facts and Comments

Consider Isaiah 27:6 & 12,13 NIV:

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