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260712 Middle-east post 11
If these are the end-times of the world as we know it, then they started on 7th Oct 2023 when Gaza terrorists invaded Israel, killing, maiming, torturing, raping around 1200 people, most of whom were unarmed civilians, including many children and even beheading babies. Today we have before 7th Oct and after 7th Oct. The atrocities that occurred on 7th Oct changed our world forever. Before 7th Oct the world knew but generally didn’t care much about what happened in Israel. But immediately after 7th Oct we saw anti-Israel demonstrations and pro-palestinian demonstrations around the world on a daily basis. It seemed everyone had a point of view on the matter. The most noisy, most vocal raged against Israel in the streets; the more they could get in the faces of people around them the better. Jewish people and institutions began to be targeted, often violently. So many of the world’s countries openly supported the right of the palestinians to allegedly resist, condemning Israel for “war crimes”, “genocide”, etc. The UN got into the act by taking up the cry against Israel, and the ICC charged various Israeli people with war crimes, making it difficult for them to travel without being arrested. The term “Crystal Nacht”, not heard widely since WW2, suddenly arose with its imagery of broken glass and destruction in Germany when the Jews were physically and violently opposed as a race. People are now being forced to take sides more and more; there’s no sitting on the fence any more claiming that “It’s nothing to do with me!” The Islamic Council of Victoria president Adel Salman even stated that the terrorism of 7th Oct was a legitimate act of resistance. “We denounce any violence and killing of civilians. What we don’t denounce very clearly is legitimate acts of resistance,” Mr Salman said. “And for the Palestinians to rise up on October the 7th, and say, we’re no longer going to tolerate this siege, this occupation, that’s legitimate.” (Sky 24/02/2024) That is, it’s OK to kill, torture, maim, rape civilians because it’s an act of resistance! Understandably the Jewish community was somewhat upset by this!
In Australia an antisemitic envoy was appointed after a lot of pressure was placed on the federal government to do so. But, one couldn’t be appointed until an “islamophobia” envoy was also appointed, even though the bulk of the violence was focused upon Jews. However, it did show up one important aspect of the coming seven-year tribulation period, where, after Armageddon, Christ, as God, will judge all the nations to be sheep or goats (Matthew 25:21-46). Those who give support to His people (Israel) will be judged to be sheep and given eternal life, while the rest (the ones who did not give support to His people Israel) will be judged to be goats and given everlasting punishment. It is not important when the judgement occurs, only that it is most likely to do with events in these end times where Israel will be persecuted more than any other time in their history.
The end-times are for God to reclaim His world from satan’s oppression. He will also (a) judge the world according to where they stand with Israel, and (b) judge the whole world in righteousness. These end-times are leading up to a seven-year period of extreme judgement, where everyone on earth will be required to make up their mind as to who they will serve: God or the enemy satan.
Middle-east post 10
Israel, of course, when facing total destruction from their enemies (as listed in Ezekiel 38), would quickly agree to a mutual defence treaty if it were seen as absolutely the only option that might save their nation from annihilation. After all, Israel’s current reliance upon US to assist them is not from a religious point of view, but from a desperate need for survival. Israel is a tiny country compared with most of its neighbours, with more limited resources than most, too. Their population is quite mixed, from Druze, Bedouin (an Arab population around 21%), with only 78% identifying as Jews, many of whom do not actively believe Judaism. In all there are less than 10 million citizens of Israel. And yet, with comparatively huge populations in other middle-east countries, Israel still manages to have a higher life-style than most others. Their defence forces are more effective than in any of the surrounding countries, and it is believed that they have sufficient nuclear warheads to destroy most of the lands around them.
However, in spite of this, huge enemy numbers will one day overwhelm them, in an invasion prophesied in Ezekiel 38. Joel may have referred to this when he wrote “Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.” (Joel 3:9-10) Note that this is a call to those non-Jewish nations who might be too scared to commit themselves to battle against a foe who might cause immense injury to them. But they will one day think that they have the huge numbers necessary to overwhelm Israel and they (the weak ones) will consider themselves strong enough to oppose Israel. “Let those weak ones declare that because of their huge superiority of numbers they are able to defeat the small nation of Israel!” Like all bullies, they are only willing to take on a much smaller country when they have hugely superior numbers.
This invasion will be only the start of what would have to be called World War 3 (and the war to end all wars!). Once the antichrist signs that mutual defence treaty with Israel, the final 7 years to Armageddon begins the count-down. The invasion will be short-lived, for Ezekiel goes on (Ch.38 and into Ch.39) to declare that God will wreak vengeance upon these invading armies and utterly destroy them, using the antichrist and his forces to set up that final seven-year period of Israel before their Messiah returns. As part of his treaty with Israel, it seems that antichrist will rebuild their temple for their sacrifices according to the Law; this also has to assume that the temple mount will be cleared of other buildings in preparation for the new temple. If other buildings such as the mosque and its compound are in the way, then they will be destroyed, probably in the fighting leading up to or during or following the invasion of Israel. Israel will have initially made a pact with satan’s antichrist in order to survive; pure necessity will drive this decision. But prophecy is clear: God will be in charge of all events and nothing will occur without God’s approval. Even when things look darkest in coming years, God will never have left His sovereign throne; He will always rule. Every shocking event will lead to God’s final absolute victory at Armageddon.