The significant news of our day concerning Israel is happening at a blistering pace. And yet, while it seems like a million things are happening at once, the news all seems to be vaguely familiar to me – like I’ve already read this book before. The reason of course is that what’s happening in Israel today, is leading up to what has already been written in the books of Jeremiah, Zechariah, Joel, etc. Have you been paying attention to the news this week? I have a regular habit of watching at least an hour of news every night. I think I sometimes drive my wife nuts with my infatuation with world events. But I’m thinking that our generation could very well be the last generation before Jesus’ second coming. What can be more exciting than that?!
Things seem to be moving very quickly to a final showdown. I’m not trying to set a specific date, but it just seems to me that end time events are happening at a quickening pace. It’s like the world is being overtaken by the flood of Daniel 9:26
26 After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.
or Matthew 24:38-39:
38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Just look at what is happening today in Israel. Hezbollah fighters (Islamic warriors at that – see my last posting) have taken two Israeli soldiers hostage and eight others have been killed in a firefight between the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) and Hezbollah. According to a news report in DEBKAfile (Debka.com) Iran’s nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, is flying to Syria to honour a recently signed defense agreement between Iran and Syria, and in response to the Israeli incursion into Lebanon. Basically the pact states that any attack on Syria is considered an attack on Iran. At the same time, the White House released a statement holding Syria and Iran jointly responsible for the Hezbollah abduction and demanding their immediate and unconditional release. Israel meanwhile is marching into Lebanon, which is basically a satellite state of Syria, looking for it’s two kidnapped soldiers, while at the same time turning Gaza upside down searching for their initial kidnapped IDF soldier - Gilad Shalit This situation is flaring up in a hurry folks.
In Zechariah 12:6 God says:
"On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place.
God uses the analogy of a torch among sheaves implying that the battle of Armageddon will be a fiery lop-sided battle, not a United Nations diplomacy battle of the clauses. Are we immediately headed toward Armageddon – I don’t know for sure. But I do know that we should be watching the apple of God’s eye, Israel, very closely these days, and becoming prepared for His coming. Do not let Him find you sleeping (Matthew 25:1-13).
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