Considering all our news broadcasts we have on our television, one thing that seems certain is we miss much of the news that is available out there in the world at large, and we also do not hear reports of what’s happening between the lines. Much acclaim has been given over the Obama government’s treaty with Iran covering their nuclear development programme. To call it naive would be an understatement. Recently Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, the Commander of Iran’s Basij Force was quoted as saying that “Wiping Israel off the map is not up for negotiation”. How can you negotiate with a nation whose leaders cannot be trusted, and an agreement is not worth the paper it is printed on.
Benjamin Netanyahu is not usually looked upon as religious, however he is still a Jew. Recently and before he visited the US, he went to the Western Wall to pray. He certainly understands the Power of his God. In his blistering speech to the joint session of the US congress, he spoke about Esther and the wish of Haman to destroy the Jewish people. He went on to say “Today the Jewish people face another attempt by yet another Persian potentate to destroy Israel. This agreement paves a path to the Iranian Nuclear Munitions capability. News reports claim this nuclear agreement, with the lifting of sanctions, not only permits Iran to continue to build a nuclear bomb but also enables them to continue to prop up their programme enabling them to obtain the difference between having and not having enough material for that bomb manufacturing capability. Of the areas listed for the UN inspectors to visit, one that is omitted is the military area at Parchin, an advanced military weapons facility that is widely believed to be the site of clandestine nuclear enrichment. A lot of construction work is at present being done there.
Russia is providing Iran, along with other advanced weapons, an S-300 Surface-to-Air Missile System which will provide Iran with an impenetrable shield. It means that if Israel is to wipe out Iran’s nuclear emplacements, it will have to be done soon. Certainly both Jordon and Saudi-Arabia are supportive of Israel removing this threat, which is not only a threat to Israel but also to those Arab states as well. In the account of Russia and Persia’s possible attack on Israel we see echoes of the Magog [Russia] attacking Israel in Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39. The nations listed in the prophecy and prayer of Psalm 83 are also all sworn enemies of Israel under their modern names. When the prayer of Psalm 83 will be answered and when Magog will attack, we are not told. However the stage is being set, the characters taking their places, and in God’s good time it will happen. “And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal; and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel. “Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand. “You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. “You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken,” says the Lord GOD. “And I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in security in the coastlands. Then they shall know that I am the LORD. [Ezek 39:1-6]. “Surely it is coming, and it shall be done,” says the Lord GOD. “This is the day of which I have spoken. [Ezek 39:8]. To those who say it’s all happened in time past, God says it has yet to come and will surely take place.
As we look at the Middle Eastern situation, no one who reads their Bible can argue against the fact that the events taking place in the surrounding nations to Israel are fulfilling Biblical prophecy. There is a remote possibility that Obama and the United States have realized that this nuclear agreement with the Iranians means nothing to the Iranian’s, and Iran will continue to do as they like, and the U.S. are virtually handing over the Middle East to Iran on a plate. The U.S. are helping Assad in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and their choice of who they help, will gift the Middle East to Iran. Sooner or later the U.S. will realise that Israel is their biggest ally in the Middle East and Iran and Syria their worst enemy. Russia is backing Iran and its cronies and no doubt the U.S. government will realise, let’s hope not too late, that everyone in that area is trouble. Unfortunately these nations have a history of not keeping agreements which is one reason why Israel can never talk peace with them.
The thousands of refugees trying to cross from the North African coast to Italy is a disaster. Not only are the boats overcrowded so that they sink, but Italy is finding great trouble trying to accommodate them. When you see the destruction in the towns from which they have come and terrible situation they are in we wonder if it will ever end, and what the eventual outcome will be. In addition to this problem more and more Moslems are settling in Europe, changing the makeup and the outlook of the population. The hate by many Moslem’s for the Jews is driving many Jews to get out of Europe and immigrate to Israel. The recent actions like the shooting up of a Jewish school bus and the attack by Jihadist’s of a kosher supermarket in France has worried many Israeli’s who have lived in Europe for many years. Many, many Jews have been awarded prizes for Physics, Medicine and Medical discoveries, Literature, Peace and many great inventions. To show the hate Moslems have for Israel, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran has urged the Muslim world to boycott anything and everything that originates with Jewish people. As Jewish Scientists have created cures for many ills it leaves the Moslem world which is something like 20% of the world’s population, with no cures for Syphilis, Gonorrhoea, Heart disease, tooth ache, Diabetes , Convulsions, Diphtheria, Polio, Typhus, and Tuberculosis. By the way they can’t have cell phones as they were invented by an Israeli scientist. I expect the average moderate Moslem will ignore the order from Khamenei, The problem is that Arab’s have not invented or discovered anything much. They include about seven who have been awarded Nobel prizes of which only two were for Medicine.
The Middle East and North Africa is a seething caldron of warfare and unrest at this moment, Let us pray not only for the persecuted Christians in these areas but also for the peace of Jerusalem, that our Lord may intervene and stand for His people both heavenly and earthly. Many think the Rapture might be very soon let us prepare ourselves to meet our Lord and Saviour. Are you ready?
Brian D. Papworth
Representative for the Prophetic Witness Movement International in the South Pacific