John 5:43 (Countdown to Eternity)

 

The words of the young Israeli soldier couldn't have been chosen better.

A)He told the Fox News correspondent they were at "war with the world."

 

B) Well according to the Bible that is exactly the situation in Israel in the time of the Last days.

Zech 12:2

2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about. KJV

 

C) As the War has turned from days into weeks – it seems that almost everyone is against Israel

 

French President Jacques Chirac accused Israel of going too far. "One could ask if  there is not a sort of will to destroy Lebanon.”

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-8 Summit accused the Jewish state of a "disproportionate response."

 

The Vatican also deplored the strikes mounted in response to a raid by Hezbollah guerrillas who killed eight Israeli soldiers and captured two

 

Annan condemns Israel!

WASHINGTON, July 20 (UPI) -- Israeli attacks are increasing support for Hezbollah and weakening the Lebanese government, said the leader of the United Nations Thursday.

 

Monday July 24 KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi accused Israel on Tuesday of excessive military reprisals in Lebanon and urged his Southeast Asian neighbors to take a tougher stand against the Jewish state.

 

BEIJING — China on Wednesday condemned an Israeli attack in Lebanon that killed one Chinese U.N. observer.

"We are deeply shocked by this incident and strongly condemn it," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in a statement on the ministry Web site.

 

There has even been a shift in the attitude of some of Israel’s closets neighbors.

A)At the beginning of this war – Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan all slammed Hezbollah for Starting this mess

 

B) But Last week July 27th – All 3 condemned Israel for their continued military action.

1)and Saudi Arabia threatened to break their 2002 peace treaty with Israel if Israel didn’t issue a cease fire.

 

C) By and Far the most outspoken antagonist against Israel is the President of Iran.

Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, declared Sunday that Israel had "pushed the button of its own destruction" by launching its military campaign against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

 

D) Remember he is the one back in October of last year denied that the Holocaust ever occurred and said that Israel should be wiped off the face of the Map.

 

Now this why those statements are so significant: Ezk 38 Scenario

We have talked about this before. RD V. 1-8/ 14-17

 

A)We are interested in the nations mentioned here that are going to come against Israel.

 

B)Gog is the chief prince of  the land of Magog.

1)Now Magog has been identified by the historians as the Scythians.

 

C)They were the ones who occupied the area, north of the Crimea.

1)At the  time when Ezekiel was writing, there were a very insignificant race of semi-wild people.

 

D)They dwelt mainly in that area north of the Caucuses, & between the Black sea, and the Caspian.

 

E)So that is the area that would today be the southern provinces of the former Soviet Union.

See Map the nations of  Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan  Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Tajikistan

 

These provinces have an alliance to Iran – in fact

The President of Iran this past week was in Turkmenistan and Tajikistan working on forming greater economic alliance.

 

The other thing that is interesting about these nations is like Iran they all are predominantly  Muslim in  population.

 

Iran:  Population over 66 million 98% Muslim

Kazakhstan Population of over 15 million  47% Muslim and growing

Kyrgyzstan  Population of over 5 million 74% of the Population is Muslim

Turkmenistan Pop Over 5 million  89% of Population  is Muslim

Uzbekistan Pop over 27 million 88% are Muslim

Tajikistan Pop over 7 million 90% are Muslim

 

In V.5 He mentions Persia – Modern day Iran.

 

In V.5 He also mentions Ethiopia  Ethiopia Population over 74 million 45-50% Muslim

 

In V. 6 He mentions Libya Libya’s Population is almost 6 million  97% are Muslim.

 

In V.6 Togarmah: Modern day Turkey - Turkey’s population is over 70 Million 99.5% Muslim

So these nations are going to join with Russia to come against Israel.

A)It has long been documented Russia’s civil relationship with Iran and the Islamic world.

 

B)Iran has been under a lot of heat lately for it’s refusal to cease in their attempts to Build Nuclear weapons.

 

Bb) The thing that rarely gets mentioned is the plant were their work is going on the Bushehr plant – is Russian Built.

 

C) Russia has always been a friend of Islam

December 14, 2005  Moscow (CNSNews.com)

 

“Russia is the Islamic world's most reliable partner, President Vladimir Putin said in Chechnya on Monday, "Russia has always been the most faithful, reliable and consistent defender of the interests of the Islamic world," he told Chechen lawmakers.

 

D) It is my belief as well as many other Bible teachers – that when the Ezekiel 38 Scenario plays out – these nations will be a part of it.

1) A war I believe can happen before the rapture or shortly after & Before the Antichrist comes into Power

 

E) A death Blow to Islam!

 

So is what we have been witnessing over the last few weeks the beginning of Ezekiel 38? –

A)I don’t think so – especially because of who is not mentioned in this scenario – Egypt is not mentioned / Syria is not mentioned

 

B) Jordan is not mentioned – Syria is heavily involved in this War and the others are starting to make noise.

1) So what we are witnessing is more significant contractions in what Matthew 24 calls the Birth pangs

 

C) Significant Ezekiel 38 doesn’t mention Iraq – 10 yrs ago that was confusing – because of their hatred for Israel

1) Now it makes sense.  Unfolding of Bible Prophecy

 

Question: Why are these Islamic nations so antagonistic against Israel?

A)At first glance it would seem like a matter of territory

 

B) May 14th of 1948 Israel was reborn as a nation – after 2,000 yrs of not existing – Never happened before in History.

1) Nation extinct reborn after such a long lapse in time

 

C) But The moment Israel was declared a nation, May 14, 1948, Syria attacked from the north, Jordan from the east, and Egypt from the south,

Before the nation actually took almost its first breath, it found itself in a struggle for life, for survival

A)Because these Arab nations were determined that the nation of Israel would not exist in that territory that was assigned to them by the UN resolution. 

 

B)But as we know, though Jordan took the West Bank and though Egypt took the Sinai and though Syria conquered the Golan Heights,

 

C)the Jews held on to enough territory to establish a nation. 

 

Now in 1967 again Syria, Jordan and Egypt decided that they would destroy this new nation. 

A)Israel was outnumbered 100 to 1 but in a miracle of Biblical Proportions God gave Israel the Victory in just 6days

 

Aa)Contrast that with our current situation in Iraq – We outnumber them in man power & might – several yrs

 

B) Amazing thing that God did for Israel outnumbered 100 to 1 and attacked simultaneously by 3 countries –

1) God intervened and gave them the Victory.

 

C) In just six days the Jews took the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, they took the West Bank from Jordan,  1)for the first time Jerusalem became a united city after almost two thousand years. 

 

From that time the cries from the international communities to Israel has been give back the land – you will have peace

A)Land for peace – Israel is the only country that has ever had such demands placed upon it.

 

B) Any other country it is peace for peace. But with Israel it has always been Land for peace.

1) Not true!    Consider

 

1978 Israel’s Prime Minister Menachem Begin gave back the Sinai Peninsula to the Egyptians – Won the Nobel Peace Prize – But no peace

 

1995 Israel’s Prime Minister Yitzhak RabinYitzhak RabinYitzhak RabinYitzhak Rabin in an effort for peace gave back area in the Gaza Strip – He also won a Nobel Peace Prize – no peace

 

2005 Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon gave back the Gaza Strip settlers felt cheated – a few months later he suffered a stroke and will probably never recover.

 

Ehud Olmert Shocked much of the Jewish and Christian world by announcing that Jerusalem would not stay in Jewish hands entirely.

A)Jerusalem would be divided into an Arab Section that would have autonomy under Palestinian rule.

 

B)And a Jewish section that would be under Israel’s rule.

 

C)Current Crises has put that decision on hold. Zechariah 14 talks about Jerusalem being divided

 

This is the same man who said that He would support World Pride week 2006 in Jerusalem.

A)An event where Homosexuals and Lesbians from around the world were to come to Jerusalem to celebrate their sexual freedom on the temple mount.

 

B) Because of much flak – the event due to take place this August has been postponed .

 

C) My Point is this Israel can give away land all they want but the nations around them are not going to be satisfied – until they have it all.

 

D) Israel possess 1/10th of 1% of the land in the middle east

1) Football game – two teams own the field – 1foot by 1 foot square – that is too much.

 

Issue really centers around Jerusalem

A)Muslims claim Jerusalem as their third-holiest city, but Jerusalem is not mentioned once in the Koran.

 

B)In addition, “During the centuries when Jerusalem was under complete Arab control, no Arab ruler or Islamic leader ever made it the object of a religious pilgrimage –

 

C) again a strange indifference toward a city which is now considered to be the third-holiest religious site in Islam after Mecca and Medina.”

 

D)And although Jerusalem is not mentioned once in the Koran it is mentioned 800 times in the Bible.

 

Jerusalem’s importance to Muslims comes from the belief that in the Dome of the Rock shrine there is a rock where two significant things happened –

 

A)Abraham intended to offer Isaac as a sacrifice,

 

B)and where Mohammed allegedly ascended into heaven.

1) Vague description in Surah 17:1 Where reference is made to a far distant place of worship.

 

So this is the real issue – the tension between the Israel and the Islamic nations surrounding her date back to Ishmael and Isaac –

                    the main focus is Jerusalem.

That Brings us to John 5:43

A)One comes in His own name – Him you will receive.

 

B) Why would they receive the Antichrist?  Go to Israel today and talk to Orthodox Jewish people who are waiting for Messiah –

1) How will you Know who He is ? He will be the one who helps us Rebuild our temple.

 

C) Prophecies in Daniel – The Last days a world leader will arise on the Scene.

1) He will establish a 10 nation confederacy that is made up of nations that were all a part of the old Roman empire.

 

Keep your eye on the EU – the European Union.

A)Presently the EU is made up of 25 nations. – But a 10 nation alliance was established in January of 1995.

 

B) That 10 nation alliance is Known as the WEU These nations are members of both NATO and the European Union (EU).

 

C) They are all nations that used to be a part of the Old Roman Empire.

 

What binds these 10 nations together is their mutual defense obligation under the modified Brussels Treaty. They are also known as the Brussels Treaty Powers. 

In December of 1998, at their Vienna summit, the EU's heads created the new Office of High Representative of Common Foreign and Security Policy for the European Union.

 

The holder of this Office is empowered by the member states to direct their common foreign policy toward Russia, Ukraine and the Mediterranean.

 

Out of 1,150 documents adopted by the European Union that year, the document that established that new position was numbered Recommendation 666.

 

In November 1999, Javier Solana, the former head of NATO, became the first person to hold this powerful new position.

 

He was also made Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

 

This is the main decision making body of the EU. The following month, Solana also became the Secretary General of the 10-nation WEU alliance.

 

These three positions made Solana a very powerful new player on the world scene. 

 

He Knows the importance of peace in the middle east

A)When the War broke out in Israel – Solana was the first to travel to the region.

 

B)While the world's other diplomats were trying to figure out how to respond, Solana was responding.

C) Solana accompanied Condoleezza Rice as she flew to  Malaysia to meet with leaders there.

 

D)Last week Solana was proposing a rapid reaction force for south Lebanon built around French, German and Spanish troops,

supplemented by forces from Turkey, the Netherlands, Canada and Arab states such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia,

 

Now in Daniel Ch.9 We are told that the Antichrist is going to establish a seven year Covenant with many nations. One of those nations is Israel.

A)There appears to be a seven-year covenant with many in the works right now.

 

B)It's called the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). Israel has become the first of 17 nations to sign the agreement.

 

C)And, on January 1, 2007, goes into effect.

 

D)The ENP is a huge package, designed by Solana, of economic incentives for other nations to cooperate with the European Union.

 

E) Each package is tailored to the needs and the desires of that particular nation.

 

Starting on January 1, 2007, the ENP will begin funding all the action plans and deals for all these many nations.

A)The long-term plans will be up to seven years..

 

B)One interesting thing about the ENP is that it’s got built into it what’s called a monitoring program.

1) In other words, as the policy is applied, they can come back in at a certain point and readjust the package if needed.

 

C)If the nations are not cooperating, or for some other reason, the European Union can come in about mid-stream and readjust this thing accordingly.

 

D)That’s interesting when you remember something about Daniel’s Seventieth Week. Let’s look again at Daniel 9:27:

And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week. In the middle of the week he’ll put a stop to sacrifice grain offerings, and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate.

 

Am I saying that Javier Solana is the Antichrist and that this agreement is the seven year covenant he is going to establish. – No – Could be – But I don’t think so

I believe this is all a precursor to the end

 

What can we be doing. 3 things

 

1)Pray!

Ps 122:6-9

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

"May they prosper who love you.

7 Peace be within your walls,

Prosperity within your palaces."

8 For the sake of my brethren and companions,

I will now say, "Peace be within you."

9 Because of the house of the LORD our God

I will seek your good.

 

Return of Jesus!

 

2)Watch

 

Luke 21:28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." 

 

3)Be Ready

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

 

4)Live Pure!  1 John 3:3

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

NKJV