It’s 6am and my alarm goes off with news from NPR that Israeli and American warplanes have successfully taken out two Iranian nuclear facilities. I immediately jump out of bed to turn on the TV and my computer. Both the ABC morning news and Drudge Report are reporting on the global market reaction with oil already spiking to $150 per barrel overnight as Iran promises to immediately close the Straight of Hormuz. War has begun and I have awakened to a new world. What’s next?
Of course, this has not really happened. Not yet anyway. I am no prophet and I am making no absolute predictions, but as I follow the news headlines daily regarding the Middle East and current affairs, I seriously wonder how much longer before the pot boils over? I have difficulty believing it could be any longer than April or May, yet perhaps as soon as the end of March.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said just a few days ago that stopping Iran’s nuclear weapons capability was “not a matter of days or weeks. It is also not a matter of years” (source). Israel is now getting bombarded by rockets coming from terrorists in the Gaza Strip. As many as 222 rockets have flown into Israel, and Netanyahu has since said, “the fire from Gaza is an Iranian problem, not a Palestinian problem” (source). What’s more coming out of Egypt,
The Egyptian parliament viewed Israel’s strikes on Gaza as nothing short of war crimes and on Monday voted unanimously to expel Israel’s ambassador from Cairo.
“Egypt will never be the friend, partner or ally of the Zionist entity which we consider as the first enemy of Egypt and the Arab nation,” read the text of the motion approved by Egyptian lawmakers (source).
As if these developments aren’t enough to warrant a high confidence level war will break out in the next couple of months if not sooner, the crisis in Syria is no small wildcard. Syrian President Bashar Assad has ordered his military to launch missiles against Israel if there is any foreign intervention in Syria. Meanwhile, Lebanese Hezbollah, who is reported to have 30,000 missiles in its stockpile, has promised to attack Israel as well should Western powers attempt to overthrow Assad. Just last week we heard of Senator John McCain calling for U.S. led airstrikes against Assad’s forces, and yesterday we hear of more atrocities coming out of Syria,
The news from Syria today is once again of brutal attacks by the government on its own civilians. Even as United Nations envoy Kofi Annan visited Syria, seeking a cease-fire, there are reports of terrible atrocities. Activists say Syrian forces massacred dozens of people, including women and children, in the city of Homs. The Syrian government denies responsibility, blaming terrorist-armed groups (source).
With continued calls for Assad to step down, cries from the Syrian people for the international community to intervene, and civil war seemingly imminent, a Syrian confrontation with Israel is looking just as likely as an Iranian confrontation with Israel. In short, it seems war is inevitable – the question is where will it begin? And what will happen when it begins?
Iran has claimed for years that if they are attacked by the United States or Israel or both, they will attack us on American soil. Iran claims to have sleeper terrorist cells planted in the U.S., and they are just waiting for the signal to be activated. According to the following interview, Iran has identified over 800 sensitive targets that would be hit if their nuclear facilities are attacked:
This brief overview only scratches the surface as to what is happening in our world and the threats we are facing. They do, however, highlight a few of the most critical developments that could lead to our world being forever changed.
One of these days, and I speculate that day to be within the next couple of months, we are all going to wake up to a new world.
Israel will go to war with its Islamic neighbors, we will be attacked on American soil, the price of oil will skyrocket, the global economy will crash, and the world will spin into chaos. Any average Joe with a degree of critical thinking skills can see the writing on the wall.
The question for you, then, are you watching or is your head in the sand?
Are you playing games with your eternity, friend? Are you walking as the living dead, blindly wondering through the wilderness of life having no direction, just aimlessly pursuing riches, success, and pleasure? You might even consider yourself to be a Christian, but are you living like one? Please take a moment to read this article and watch the video within.
Maybe you’ve never truly heard the beautiful Gospel of Jesus Christ. Perhaps you have a general belief in God but don’t really know where your belief comes from. Maybe your parents taught it to you? Perhaps you believe you will go to heaven because God is a good and forgiving God? Please take a moment to read this to find out whether your belief lines up with what God says about Himself and what He says about you.
Or, maybe you are a blood-bought believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and you just need some encouragement in these last days. If I may put things into perspective for you as given from Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11:
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
So, dear saints – what will you do with your time left on this earth? In what ways will you be sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the hope of salvation, and the only reconciliation between man and God? Is it not high time to shed the distractions, cut out the things that don’t matter, proclaim the Gospel from the rooftops, trim your wicks, and fill your lamps with oil?
Jesus is coming, my brothers and sisters. Are you longing for His appearing? Will He find you being faithful?
When the world changes, perhaps one morning soon, will you be ready?
Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. – Romans 13:11-14
airō 
Bill C
March 13, 2012
Your predictions of revenge after the the US claimed to have killed Bin Laden came to nothing!
I agree completely that we all need to turn to the gospel for salvation but I fear that due to our embrace of dispensational theology we have become rabid Zionists here in America. I speak of the Evangelical Church. We support torture, indefinite imprisonment, assassinations and mass
murder! We have supported the “War on Terror” which has stripped us of many freedoms and will undoubtedly be used against the Church when deemed necessary by the government. We support Presidential candidates who cry for war when an actual Christian is running who points to the way of peace.
We are told in the Psalms to “pray for the peace of Israel”, not cheer lead for war to “save” her!
I believe that God has a place for Israel and the Jews in his plan but that may not be the same
as the ambitions of Mr Netanyahu and his political party.
The Church in America has been infiltrated by the New Age, Purpose Driven movement, Emergent movement, Word Faith and many other perversions of Biblical Christianity. Many conservative Christians who have rejected these false beliefs however, have bought into a hateful, fearful political ideology that has supplanted the Great Commission with a pathetic attempt to bring about fulfillment of an uncertain interpretation of Biblical prophecy. The remnant of the invisible Church here in America must be very tiny indeed.
My only criticism of you, Mr Edwards, is that in some of your writings seem to buy into the government / media interpretation of these events and portray American Christians as helpless potential victims of the events in the middle east while in fact we are the biggest enablers of the War party in Israel and staunchest supporters of our own governments senseless aggressive wars in countries that are far from our shores and pose no serious military threat to us.
Justin Edwards
March 14, 2012
HI Bill, thanks for your comment and I’m glad you got to vent a little. 😉 As for my “predictions”, I don’t what you mean exactly. Are you referring to this article: https://airocross.com/2011/05/05/osama-terrorism-despair-and-hope/
My article was based on real threats both observed through the media and other channels as my profession is in bioterrorism and emerging infectious diseases. There was nothing that was not factual in that article as far as basing it on news reports and other means, and to be honest, it hasn’t even been a year since the death of bin Laden. If we know anything from Islamic terrorists, they are patient. We also do not know of all attempted terrorist attacks that have been thwarted. So just because nothing has happened since last May does not negate the threat that still exists, whether because of bin Laden’s death or by the mere fact Islam is on the march.
Regardless, the point of all of these articles tying into a current events is that our world is an increasingly precarious one and we need to be prepared for death or for the coming of Christ. To that I hope you would agree.
As to your middle paragraphs, I think you are painting dispensationalists with an awfully wide brush. I for one don’t buy into an political ideology and fully recognize the secular and sinful government of Israel (and America). I refuse to sacrifice the Gospel on the altar of patriotism (and patriotic ecumenism) and I will continue to herald the Gospel regardless of what persecution I face. The Lord will come in His perfect timing to be sure, yet I also believe He has given us signs to expect His coming. Given the condition of this world AND the condition of the church, I believe His return to be soon (like yesterday).
I also don’t understand what you mean by portraying Christians as helpless victims. Could you please elaborate on that and give examples of what gave you that impression?
I do appreciate your comments, brother.
pam
March 14, 2012
Thanks, Justin! We believers know that when that prophetic time clock starts ticking (Israel is the clue) then we know that the Lord can’t be far behind. And that is good news in the midst of all the bad news. My hope is tied up in what your article has stressed. I can’t think of anything more wonderful than to be taken up and find myself holding hands with all of my family as we meet the Lord in the air 1Thess4:16-18. I hope and pray that when He comes none of my loved ones will be left behind. I send your article on, looking forward as Paul did, knowing that when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, then God would again turn his attention on his brothers , Israel, who will be saved,Romans11:25-36. He proceeded with great fervor in haste knowing from Scripture, the prophetic timetable.. Looks like you’re doing the same and may God bless you for it.
pam
Justin Edwards
March 15, 2012
Amen, Pam, and thank you for the encouragement. My aim is to continue pressing the warning that time is urgent – quite frankly, it’s urgent whether Jesus returns today or 100 years now. But as we know, the Lord has been gracious in giving us an understanding of the season of His return, and for that we can rejoice, lift up our heads, and sound the alarm with angst knowing our King is coming soon!
pam
March 14, 2012
Bill, better Genesis 13:15 and the promise to those in Genesis 12:2-3 than to be on the other side of the fence.
I agree on the state of the church in America(emergent , new age, etc.)but the Body of Christ is doing just fine, thank you very much!.
I am a dispensationalist and believe that the key to understanding Scripture is to keep Israel and the church separate. As far as distorting Bible prophecy, the only prophecies in the Bible are related to Israel.
Israel is in unbelief for the most part because of Bible prophecy. In the last days, when Jesus returns they have to be for prophecy to be fulfilled.
If you read Romans 9-11 with the mindset that I have just set forward maybe you can understand what the Scriptures really say about Israel.
What is your hermeneutic for understanding the Scriptures? Just wondered.
Humbly,
pam
Thomas S. Barnes
March 14, 2012
I wonder how long we have been saying “It isn’t much longer”? I love my brother Justin but wholeheartily disagree with him on these issues. 😉
I do not look at headlines to interpret scripture (end times). We win, the church wins and God does not have to reach done and rescue us.
http://postmillennialism.com/2012/03/gathering-the-elect/
Justin Edwards
March 14, 2012
I love you too, brother, and I do not look at headlines to interpret Scripture, but I do interpret the headlines (and all world occurrences and events and life in general) through Scripture. 😉 I do have a question for you: when do you believe Jesus will return?
Carol
March 14, 2012
Good post, Justin. It is always good to keep alert and eagerly wait for our Lord! Yes, we are looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13), Who appointed us not to wrath (1 Thess. 5:9). We eagerly wait for our Saviour from heaven (Phil. 3:20) Who will redeem our bodies (Romans 8:23), a translation that will take place in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:51, 1 Thess. 4:16) wherein we will receive glorious bodies like unto His (Phil 3:21).
Then, and only then, will God resume His dealings with Israel (Acts 1:6, 15:13-18; Romans 11). Dispensationalism is Biblical. 🙂
Justin Edwards
March 15, 2012
Amen, Carol!
Justin Edwards
March 15, 2012
Here is an important update from Joel Rosenberg showing we are indeed getting closer as of 3/15/2012: http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/iranian-commander-says-we-must-destroy-america-obama-warns-tehran-to-cut-deal-or-face-the-consequences/
Carol
March 15, 2012
How anyone can be postmillennial — and therefore optimistic of a peaceful world — when anyone with their eyes open can see that the world isn’t getting any better is beyond me. Could a pre-emptive strike on Iran put a halt to Iran’s nuclear ambitions and thus bring relative peace? Perhaps. But then what of the atrocities taking place all over Africa? North Korea? What about Islam adding to its empire by taking over Europe? (Anyone want to live in Belgium right now? Or, is that Belgistan?). What of the atheist regimes of Russia and China?Oh, yes, the world is getting better. 😉
Maybe that’s why the post-mills tell us we shouldn’t be looking at the headlines: An inspection of world affairs only shows the error of the post-mills.
Justin Edwards
March 16, 2012
Um, ahem, amen, Carol. 😉
Bill C
March 15, 2012
Pam and Justin – I want to thank you both for your kind and patient responses to my “rant” above. I agree with both of you on certain points but my argument is that the American Christian Evangelical Church, in large part, has become a willing tool of corrupt, opportunist politicians and has left off from pursuing the Great Commission.
Justin, I disagree with you over our alleged assassination of Osama Bin Laden. I was in no way a supporter of his but I completely disagree with your assertion that his murder was justified!
It was grossly unconstitutional and illegal ! The amount of changes in the official story surrounding it and the highly dubious decision to “bury” his body at sea make the entire story suspicious. The fact remains however that the constitution does not give the government authority to do “hits” on people we don’t like. As far as I know the information on his “wanted poster” did not list the 9/11 atrocities because the government did not have enough evidence to bring a case against him.
You state that you get your information from the media and from “other channels” which I assume to be government reports. Are these the same media sources that consistently misrepresent Christian positions and smear Christians at every opportunity? Do these reports originate from the same government that promotes hyper-sexuality and restrict the free exercise of religion?
I will add some links from reliable sources that give a different perspective on the threat of terrorism.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/16/fbi-entrapment-fake-terror-plots
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/1012/Used-car-salesman-as-Iran-proxy-Why-assassination-plot-doesn-t-add-up-for-experts
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2011/06/fear-of-terror-makes-people-stupid.html
I hope you take a look at the above links and I have an additional one to an essay by a Christian man who’s view are similar to mine but is more articulate. Pam this would be a good one for you to take a look at too!
http://lewrockwell.com/anderson/anderson325.html
Pam – Thank you for the references to Israel in Genesis. I do believe that God’s promises to Israel will be fulfilled. I am a dispensationalist. I am also a literalist. I observe that the dispenational view of prophecy had been distorted into a militant Zionism which has turned much of the visible Church hateful toward people we should be trying to convert. You stated that the Church in America is alive and well and I agree but only through the work of the Holy Spirit and I submit that that Church is much smaller than we believe it to be. The documentarian Chris Pinto has stated that the Pharisees would also have been in opposition to all of the hot button issues that seem to define contemporary Christianity: gay marriage, abortion, Sharia law etc.
but as Jesus said in Matthew 23:23 in a slightly different context “……and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” Today we resemble the Pharisees much more than the New Testament Church of Acts.
Thank you both again for your kindness and patience. Please forgive my verbosity.
pam
March 16, 2012
Hey Bill C., I’m a literalist, too. What I mean by the Body of Christ being alive and well, is that those truly born from above will not fall for “contemporary Christianity” and do not agree with what the new evangelical “church” is trying to pass off as Christianity. Trust me, I don’t. The social gospel, and the proponents of it, are usually the ones who are portraying Israel in a bad light. Even though Israel is in unbelief, they are one of the most humanitarian countries on earth.
I have learned a lot from reading “Future Israel”, the book written by Dr. Barry Horner and also reading and studying Bible prophecy for 25 years. Some of my favorite commentaries are the Minor Prophets and Ezekiel, written by Dr. Charles Lee Feinberg, who was the head of Talbott Seminary when Dr. John MacArthur was there. Also David Baron’s, Israel in the Plan of God is an amazing study on the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy. God gave Moses the entire past, present and future of Israel in that song.
Just to give you a quick view on what God’s plan is for literal Israel, I would recommend a reading(from a literalist view) of Ezekiel 37. Also, Hosea, is great, as that book tells the story of the adulterous wife of God, Israel, and His plan of restoring her.
If God doesn’t keep these literal promises to Israel because of their failures, then what hope do we have that He will keep the ones He made to us since we also fail. In the New Testament, Paul, in Romans 9-11 didn’t talk of anything new but was elaborating and expounding on what he knew from the Old Testament
I hope I am not stepping on toes because I sure don’t mean to but my faith has grown stronger from understanding what Bible prophecy really says. All prophecy in the Bible is about Israel. The true Church or Body of Christ(as I like to call us), was a mystery.
Anyway, God is so faithful and we know that He is sovreign and has everything under control, so no worries.
Thanks for the conversation. I love talking about the Scriptures and I can assure you that we get upset about the same things and I hope making recommendations is not offensive.
Peace.
pam
Carol
March 16, 2012
Hi Pam, you said, “In the New Testament, Paul, in Romans 9-11 didn’t talk of anything new but was elaborating and expounding on what he knew from the Old Testament”
I’m not sure you stated that correctly. First, Paul was not simply using his intellect to expound on the OT (I know you know that); rather, his knowledge came from the Lord from Heaven (and he was writing by inspiration of the Spirit). As such, his letters include knowledge that was not known to anyone before. Even though the OT says that God would call out a people from the Gentiles, it was not known that this calling out would occur prior to the Kingdom being restored to Israel.
In Acts 15, when James quotes from Amos 9, he realizes that God was now allowing the Gentiles to be saved prior to the coming of the Kingdom, but Amos 9 does not say this. Amos 9 says that after the period of Jacob’s trouble, the tribulation, in which God sifts Israel, He would then once again raise up the tabernacle of David and bring in the Kingdom. All of the OT prophecies concerning the inclusion of the Gentiles specify that first the Kingdom would be restored to Israel; in turn, Israel would be a light unto the Gentiles.
Note that James does not understand that Israel was already cut off for he and the Jerusalem apostles were still preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to Jews only (expect for Peter having once gone to a Gentile, Cornelius, 10 years after the Cross; note the Jews’ astonishment at Peter’s unlawful behavior in Acts 10 and 11).
When Paul writes to the Romans concerning Israel, he has revelation knowledge here that Israel has been cut off and now the Gentiles were being grafted in until the fullness of the Gentiles be complete. Paul was not preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, knowing that God had now set aside the Kingdom and was taking out a people for Himself, the Body of Christ, largely from among the Gentiles. Paul’s knowledge concerning Israel was unknown to the OT prophets. Even Paul could not have known about the delay of the Kingdom, the setting aside of Israel, and the Body of Christ as a parenthesis (as is shown in Romans 11) simply from reading the prophets. Paul’s knowledge was unique to him and was given him by the Heavenly Christ.
Certainly, this was not something new that God had made up; of course, God had this in mind from the beginning. He knew that Israel would reject the King and therefore the Kingdom, and that He would therefore set aside Israel in blindness for a season (read carefully the perfect picture of this through the blinding of Elymas the Jew in Acts 13). He knew that He would use Paul to go to the Gentiles. He knew that He would resume His program with Israel once His plan for the Body of Christ is complete. He knew that Daniel’s 70th week would be delayed. But none of these things were known to anyone until they were revealed to Paul.
I know that you have knowledge of these things but in your comment to Bill (as I quoted above) you made it seem to the contrary. I have expounded on these things, then, not for your lack of knowledge but for the benefit of others who may be reading along.
Grace and peace in Christ.
pam
March 17, 2012
Hey Carol, thanks for your comments. Sometimes when we write things in a short version, we understand what we mean but, like you said, it might not be completely clear to others. I totally agree, and know everything that you said. What I meant was that Paul knew what the Old Testament said(only Scriptures he had) about Israel and their future and in the particular Scriptures that I mentioned, Romans 9-11, he is just repeating what he knows about Israel. He is explaining what happened to Israel( idolatry, apostasy, scattering, regathering, tribulation, and finally, with the Lord’s coming, restoration and promises fulfilled in the Mill.Kingdom.
Thanks for giving a fuller explanation that the mystery of the Body of Christ was revealed to Paul, which I mentioned briefly above. When I said that Paul wasn”t speaking of something new, I meant in that particular section of Romans, what he was elaborating on was what had happened to Israel and what their future held because it was revealed in the Old Testament Scriptures. My point was, that God would again resume His plan for Israel after the Gentiles had come in, and knowing that, Paul had a zeal to see that they were given the Gospel, in haste, because Paul knew God would deliver Israel when that was finished.
Since the subject was Israel, I was just trying to explain to Bill about their future.
Thanks for explaining the complete timetable.
Peace,
pam
Justin Edwards
March 16, 2012
Hey Bill, a few points I’ll address one at a time:
1) Regarding OBL, perhaps to your displeasure, conspiracy theories do not concern me in so much as they give me anything to worry about. In other words, if some of these conspiracy theories are true, it doesn’t really matter to me because I am not of this world and my mission is to proclaim the Gospel. As to OBL specifically, keep in mind that article was written just a few days after his death and obviously cannot take into consideration accounts that later came or continue to come under suspicion by various sources. Also, whether it was legal for him to be killed is not my concern either – he is dead, and the fact that he was reportedly killed by the U.S. government increased the risk of terrorism by radical Islamists.
2) Secondly, I cannot tell you where I get my reports but I can say it is the same intelligence that is fed into the law enforcement community. That is enough for me. If there is conspiracy at that level, there’s nothing to do about it and I care not to concern myself with it.
3) As to the modern church not reflecting the NT Church, I certainly agree with you there.
Thanks again for your comments. 🙂