Ezekiel's War May Be About to Begin

In The Raw Story, Larisa Alexandrovna and Muriel Kane have published a piece summarizing a study which essentially says that the US Military is capable, on very short notice, of launching a massive attack against Iran.

Study: US preparing 'massive' military attack against Iran
Larisa Alexandrovna and Muriel Kane
Published: Tuesday August 28, 2007

The United States has the capacity for and may be prepared to launch without warning a massive assault on Iranian uranium enrichment facilities, as well as government buildings and infrastructure, using long-range bombers and missiles, according to a new analysis.

The paper, "Considering a war with Iran: A discussion paper on WMD in the Middle East" – written by well-respected British scholar and arms expert Dr. Dan Plesch, Director of the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London, and Martin Butcher, a former Director of the British American Security Information Council (BASIC) and former adviser to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament – was exclusively provided to RAW STORY late Friday under embargo.

"We wrote the report partly as we were surprised that this sort of quite elementary analysis had not been produced by the many well resourced Institutes in the United States," wrote Plesch in an email to Raw Story on Tuesday.

Plesch and Butcher examine "what the military option might involve if it were picked up off the table and put into action" and conclude that based on open source analysis and their own assessments, the US has prepared its military for a "massive" attack against Iran, requiring little contingency planning and without a ground invasion.

The study concludes that the US has made military preparations to destroy Iran’s WMD, nuclear energy, regime, armed forces, state apparatus and economic infrastructure within days if not hours of President George W. Bush giving the order. The US is not publicising the scale of these preparations to deter Iran, tending to make confrontation more likely. The US retains the option of avoiding war, but using its forces as part of an overall strategy of shaping Iran’s actions.

* Any attack is likely to be on a massive multi-front scale but avoiding a ground invasion. Attacks focused on WMD facilities would leave Iran too many retaliatory options, leave President Bush open to the charge of using too little force and leave the regime intact.

* US bombers and long range missiles are ready today to destroy 10,000 targets in Iran in a few hours.

* US ground, air and marine forces already in the Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan can devastate Iranian forces, the regime and the state at short notice.

* Some form of low level US and possibly UK military action as well as armed popular resistance appear underway inside the Iranian provinces or ethnic areas of the Azeri, Balujistan, Kurdistan and Khuzestan. Iran was unable to prevent sabotage of its offshore-to-shore crude oil pipelines in 2005.

* Nuclear weapons are ready, but most unlikely, to be used by the US, the UK and Israel. The human, political and environmental effects would be devastating, while their military value is limited.

* Israel is determined to prevent Iran acquiring nuclear weapons yet has the conventional military capability only to wound Iran’s WMD programmes.

* The attitude of the UK is uncertain, with the Brown government and public opinion opposed psychologically to more war, yet, were Brown to support an attack he would probably carry a vote in Parliament. The UK is adamant that Iran must not acquire the bomb.

* The US is not publicising the scale of these preparations to deter Iran, tending to make confrontation more likely. The US retains the option of avoiding war, but using its forces as part of an overall strategy of shaping Iran’s actions.

When asked why the paper seems to indicate a certainty of Iranian WMD, Plesch made clear that "our paper is not, repeat not, about what Iran actually has or not." Yet, he added that "Iran certainly has missiles and probably some chemical capability."

Most significantly, Plesch and Butcher dispute conventional wisdom that any US attack on Iran would be confined to its nuclear sites. Instead, they foresee a "full-spectrum approach," designed to either instigate an overthrow of the government or reduce Iran to the status of "a weak or failed state." Although they acknowledge potential risks and impediments that might deter the Bush administration from carrying out such a massive attack, they also emphasize that the administration's National Security Strategy includes as a major goal the elimination of Iran as a regional power.
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Read the whole thing.

Iran and Russia have had a mutual defense treaty for some time. Last year, Syria joined this treaty. If the US and/or Israel attack Iran, especially with the kind of massive strike envisioned in this article, Russia may find itself drawn into the conflict to honor this treaty, even if it is reluctant to do so.

“And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords. Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet….” Ezekiel 38:4-5

In Ezekiel 38 and 39, the prophet is clearly describing a nuclear war between Israel and a confederation headed by Russia (Magog) and including Iran (Persia) and all of the Muslim Arab countries of North Africa (with the exception of Iraq).

"For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence. And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground. I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Lord God. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur. So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord." Ezekiel 38:19-23 (emphasis mine)

Ezekiel 39:11-16 describes the surviving Jews decontaminating a large area where the bodies of the fallen from Russian Confederation armies lie. The procedure described fits well with cleansing an area contaminated with nuclear, chemical, or biological agents.

Scripture is not clear whether Ezekiel's War takes place before or after the Rapture. Tim Lehay and Joel Rosenberg believe that it occurs before the Rapture, Hal Lindsey thinks it is part of the Great Tribulation.

Whichever belief is correct, this will be a horrifying time to be alive, even for followers of Christ. How much so for those who do not know Him? You owe it to your family and loved ones to try to lead them to Christ before this war happens.

Ezekiel's War Draws Near

The prospects for the fulfillment of Ezekiel's War continue to increase. Even European countries such as France see the necessity to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power. Ynetnews.com reports:

France's Sarkozy raises prospect of Iran airstrikes

In his first major foreign policy speech, French president says diplomatic push by world's powers to rein in Tehran's nuclear program is only alternative to 'Iranian bomb or bombing of Iran'

Reuters
Published: 08.27.07, 19:45 / Israel News

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Monday a diplomatic push by the world's powers to rein in Tehran's nuclear program was the only alternative to "an Iranian bomb or the bombing of Iran."
_

Sarkozy said a nuclear-armed Iran would be unacceptable and that major powers should continue their policy of incrementally increasing sanctions against Tehran while being open to talks if Iran suspended nuclear activities.

"This initiative is the only one that can enable us to escape an alternative that I say is catastrophic: the Iranian bomb or the bombing of Iran," he said, adding that it was the worst crisis currently facing the world.

The Europeans have already thoroughly demonstrated the futility of trying to negotiate with those who believe it their duty to their god to bring about their version of the Tribulation. Failure of negotiations will certainly bring catastrophe. At that point there will be no good alternative, and nuclear war will be virtually inevitable.

Pray for your friends and loved ones who have not already accepted Jesus into their hearts. His time is at hand.

Why is the USA not mentioned in the end times prophesies?

Many of us have speculated about why the world's current super-power (the USA) does not seem to be involved in the events of the end times. Several possibilities have been put forth, including:

1. An EMF pulse-bomb destroying all electrical and electronic systems in the US. (Yes, that could happen!)
2. Nuclear attack by a foreign power, such as China.
3. Collapse of our Republic, perhaps due to foreign invasion (the border and illegal immigration problem carried to the extreme).
4. Collapse of our economy.

There was an article in telegraph.co.uk today that relates to item 4.

China threatens 'nuclear option' of dollar sales

By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard

Last Updated: 9:54am BST 08/08/2007

The Chinese government has begun a concerted campaign of economic threats against the United States, hinting that it may liquidate its vast holding of US treasuries if Washington imposes trade sanctions to force a yuan revaluation.

Two officials at leading Communist Party bodies have given interviews in recent days warning - for the first time - that Beijing may use its $1.33 trillion (£658bn) of foreign reserves as a political weapon to counter pressure from the US Congress.

Shifts in Chinese policy are often announced through key think tanks and academies.

Described as China's "nuclear option" in the state media, such action could trigger a dollar crash at a time when the US currency is already breaking down through historic support levels.

more ....

The bottom line is that China owns so much of our US Treasury notes that they could attack our economy by dumping them, that is, placing them all on the market to drive the price down into the basement. This could cause the value of the dollar to collapse, destroy the bond market, and drive the US economy into a severe depression.

I've been reading warnings about this for some time, but this is the first I've seen of a Chinese government official acknowledging that they might attack us in this fashion.

Kidnapping brings unwanted attention to Afghan Christians

UPDATE: Today, August 28, 2007, The Associated Press (in the Charlotte Observer) reports:

Taliban agree to free S. Korean hostages
AMIR SHAH
Associated Press Writer

GHAZNI, Afghanistan --
The Taliban agreed Tuesday to free 19 South Korean church volunteers held hostage since July after the government in Seoul pledged to end all missionary work and keep a promise to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year.

The South Korean government has agreed to cease all missionary work. However, these church volunteers were not missionaries, they were doing aid work. (S. Korea had already said they were withdrawing their troops by the end of the year.)

Of course, this capitulation makes it a certainty that the Taliban will kidnap more hostages. If a strategy works....

UPDATE: The Associated Press reports that at least one of the hostages has been brutally murdered:

Korean hostage killed by Taliban

By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Writer
Wed Jul 25, 4:19 PM ET

Afghan police discovered the bullet-riddled body of a South Korean hostage Wednesday as the Taliban released eight other captives who were taken to a U.S. military base, officials said.

Because of a recent spike in kidnappings — including an attempt against a Danish citizen Wednesday — police announced foreigners were no longer allowed to leave the Afghan capital without their permission.

The male South Korean victim was found with 10 bullet holes in his head, chest and stomach in the Mushaki area of Qarabagh district in Ghazni province, the region where 23 South Koreans were kidnapped last week, said Abdul Rahman, a police officer.

A police official, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation, said militants told him the hostage was sick and couldn't walk and was therefore shot.

More....

This hostage, reported to be a male pastor, is now a martyr for Christ. Shed no tears for him. Remember, Jesus will reward him for this with a crown following the rapture, but pray for his family.


Original Posting: The following article is from The Independent, a British newspaper (thanks to Michelle Malkin for bringing this article to my attention):

Kidnapping brings unwanted attention to Afghan Christians
By Chris Sands in Mazar-e-Sharif
Published: 24 July 2007

The kidnapping of South Korean church volunteers by the Taliban has sparked vigils in Seoul, and shone the spotlight on Afghanistan's small, underground Christian community.

In Mazar-e-Sharif, home to one of Islam's most revered shrines, Ahmedi, 33, says he would be killed instantly if his faith were exposed. In this staunchly traditional society, conversion from Islam remains reviled by many Afghans - and by government officials.

"If the war had not happened, if the Americans and foreigners had not come to Afghanistan, we would not have this freedom and we would not have this office," says Ahmedi, who was fearful of giving his full name.

The "office" is a community centre set up by a Christian charity, and Ahmedi is one of 100 or so Christians living in the northern city.

Rumours abound here that many aid organisations are used as a cover by foreigners to indoctrinate people into Christianity. And in Ahmedi's case, there is an element of truth - he converted from Shia Islam three years ago after meeting an American evangelical. Now his wife and four children are also Christian, and he is the priest of a local church. He has even helped convert other Afghans.

The 23 South Koreans were kidnapped last week at gunpoint from a bus in Ghazni province, and belong to the Saemmul Church in Bundang, which says they are working as volunteer nurses and English teachers.

However, boasts from some evangelical church leaders in South Korea about unofficially sending missionaries to Afghanistan has muddied the water between Christian volunteers doing humanitarian work, and those whose primary mission is to seek converts overseas.

In Mazer-e-Sharif, a recent convert called Abdullah recalled how his family reacted when he revealed his change of faith. "When I received Jesus, I went to my house and I didn't say prayers any more like other Muslims," he said. "One night my father asked me to get up and pray, but I told him I can't. He asked me why, and I told him I was a Christian. He started to fight with me."

Abdullah's parents have come to accept his religion, but his oldest brother continues to ostracise him, and most other people do not even know he has converted. "If I go out and say I am a Christian they will curse me, hit me and kill me," he said, matter of factly.

Last year Abdul Rahman, a Christian convert, was arrested by police and threatened with the death penalty until the Italian government offered him asylum. His case is cited by many Afghans as evidence that President Hamid Karzai is a puppet of foreign powers.

Mazar-e-Sharif is home to the shrine of Hazrat Ali, a cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohamed. According to Ahmedi, there are also two large churches and a number of smaller ones in the city, all hidden inside houses and offices.

Meanwhile, a group of foreign missionaries continues to work in the area and in other northern provinces. Taliban militants say the South Korea church volunteers are in good health, but they have threatened to kill them unless Seoul withdraws its troops from Afghanistan and the Afghan government releases Taliban prisoners. Yesterday the deadline for their lives was again extended.

Despite the dangers they face, Afghan Christians refuse to give in to the fear that they will be found out. "If I am afraid I will never receive Jesus," said Abdullah.

Where is the outrage over this kidnapping and threatened execution of these 23 South Korean missionaries in the mainstream media? Even Fox News is barely covering this story.

It is encouraging, though, that the Gospel can win converts to Jesus even in the face of severe persecution. Pray for these missionaries, and all of the brave souls preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Islamic lands.

The Samson Option

Hal Lindsey and I share the same concerns about the Middle East. He obviously has access to much better intelligence sources than I, and articulates his concerns very well. Here is his latest, from The Hal Lindsey Report:

The Samson Option

Last week, WorldNetDaily reported a stunning admission from a Syrian official. He said that Syria had "learned from the Hezbollah experience last summer and we can have hundreds of missiles hitting Tel Aviv that will overwhelm Israel's anti-missile batteries."

He claimed Syria has "proof" Israel is also readying for a war. "We hear about special Israeli trainings to take Damascus. We see that Israel is re-establishing bases of the Israeli army in the Golan that are unusual and not needed except for war. We believe the Israeli government has an interest in confronting Syria to rehabilitate its image of losing to Hezbollah."

The WorldNetDaily report also says that Damascus believes newly-installed Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, a former prime minister, "wants to prove he is a military expert." This information is perfectly in line with the official statements made by both Bashar Assad and Mushen Bilal to several major Arab newspapers.

Furthermore, London's Daily Telegraph reported June 25 that Tehran was establishing a missile defense shield for Syria. Iran is also preparing to ship sophisticated military hardware, including "dozens of medium-range Shahab-3 and Russian-made Scud-C missiles, together with Scud-B missiles."

Syria recently test-fired two Scud-D surface-to-surface missiles that have a range of about 250 miles. This puts virtually all of Israel's population centers within range. Analysts say the planned Iranian arms shipment to Syria may be coordinated with the delivery of advanced Russian fighter jets.

Syria is also known to be producing non-conventional warheads, including those containing VX gas for delivery via the new longer range and more accurate Scuds. All Israel's cities are within range of these missiles. Most of them can be reached in less than three minutes. Syria is gambling that Israel's performance in the Hezbollah war of June 2006 means that it has seen all Israel has to offer.

Apparently, Bashar Assad now believes Israel can be beaten. Assad is miscalculating. In the event Syria launches a gas attack on Israel, it's a virtual certainty that Damascus would be instantly obliterated by Israeli nuclear weapons.

The thought of being gassed evokes a visceral response among Israel's Holocaust survivors and their descendants that Damascus wildly underestimates. Israel has more than 400 nuclear weapons in hidden silos in various places within its borders, as well as at least two submarines in the Mediterranean that are launch capable. And you can be certain that in the event of a massive WMD attack by the Syrians, Israel will respond in kind.

There are two particular codes used by Israeli Defense Forces when planning worst-case scenario responses. One is called the "Masada Option." Masada was an ancient fortress taken by the Romans following a three-year siege. Just before they were overrun, the defending Jews committed suicide rather than be captured.

The other code term, "The Samson Option," refers to Samson, who said just before he pulled down the house of the Philistines on himself – and them – "Let me die with the Philistines." Judges 16:30 records it this way: "Then Samson said, 'Let me die with the Philistines!' And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life."

That's pretty clear imagery. Israel will not just meekly fade away into destruction. And it certainly won't die alone, even if it has to destroy itself in the process of nuking the Middle East.

I once encountered Ariel Sharon in the Knesset in the late 1970s. I asked him if Israel still had a Masada Option. He boldly announced, "No longer 'Masada Option' – now 'Samson Option.'"

Moshe Dayan and Golda Meir almost used that "Option" in the first days of the Yom Kippur War, when it appeared they were going to be overrun. Dayan gave the code for its use when he told Prime Minister Meir, "Arm the doomsday weapons, the Third Temple is about to fall."

War with Syria threatens to bring all nations of the Middle East into direct conflict with Israel – even the supposedly moderate state of Jordan. Jordan has never recovered from the defeats it suffered at the hands of the Israelis, particularly in 1967, in which it lost both the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

All of these events may well be setting up a prophecy that I have pondered for over 40 years. Isaiah predicts a catastrophic end to Damascus that I do not believe is part of the final war of Armageddon. It appears to be a regional conflict that will occur shortly before the anti-Christ is unveiled.

Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city on earth. It has never been destroyed despite being besieged and captured many times in history. Its existence reaches back to the dawn of history.

Yet Isaiah predicts in a series of oracles concerning ‘the last days’ that Damascus will suddenly be obliterated and cease being a city forever. Over 2700 years ago, Isaiah foresaw this terrible event, “An oracle concerning Damascus: ‘See, DAMASCUS will no longer be a CITY but will become a heap of ruins.’” (Isa. 17:1 NIV)

Isaiah makes two statements about the destruction Damascus that indicates an instantaneous event. First, Isaiah says, “The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus …” (17:3) This refers to Damascus, which is in part of land allotted to Ephraim. The Hebrew word “disappear” used in this context means a sudden, total annihilation.

Isaiah’s second description of Damascus’ destruction predicts, “In he evening, sudden terror! Before morning, they are gone! This is the portion of those who loot us (Israel), the lot of those who plunder us.” The great city of Damascus will “disappear” in a night. And it is the Israelites who will do this.

Another important part of this prophecy is that it will occur at a time when some calamity hits Israel, “In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste away.” (Isa. 4) This indicates some kind of terrible, physical attack.

Here is where I believe all of this could be headed. Israel is going to be hit with WMDs from Syria that will kill a great number of Israelis. Israel will immediately implement the “Samson Option” against Damascus – totally obliterating it. This will cause the Muslim nations to back off out of fear of also being hit. It will also throw the world into a state of such fear that it will set them up for the anti-Christ’s arrival with a superhuman plan for peace and freedom from war. With his satanic powers, he will convince the world that the only hope is a one-world government under his leadership.

According to my sources, there are fully armed Israeli aircraft sitting on the runway of Jezreel Valley IDF base with pilots in the cockpits on 24 hour alert. Normally, these aircraft are stored under ground. These planes can be over Damascus in 180 seconds from take off.

Syria is playing a very dangerous game, and is being urged on by Iran. If just one-missile hits Israel with the deadly VX gas, the ‘Samson Option’ will be instantly implemented.

Never in history have any of these events occurred. More than that, at no time in recorded history were any of these things even possible. But Israel can now fulfill these prophecies with the nuclear weapons it possess.

Never before have all the causative factors of this event been present at the same moment in history.

But today, they are the only logical conclusion if current events continue along their current path. It's a terrifying scenario, but to those who trust that these signs point to the imminent return of Christ for His Church, it is, nonetheless, an exciting time to be alive.

I emphasize his last sentence.

Old Testament figure named on 2600-year-old tablet

This is one more instance of the Bible being proven historically accurate:

Old Testament figure named on 2600-year-old tablet

By Dalya Alberge in London

July 12, 2007 01:00am
Article from: The Australian

THE British Museum yesterday hailed a discovery within a clay tablet in its collection as a breakthrough for biblical archeology - proof of the accuracy of the Old Testament.

The cuneiform inscription in a tablet dating from 595BC has been deciphered for the first time - revealing a reference to an official at the court of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, that proves the historical existence of a figure mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah.

It is rare evidence in a non-biblical source of a real person, other than kings, featured in the Bible.

The tablet names a Babylonian officer called Nebo-Sarsekim who, according to Jeremiah 39 was present in 587BC when Nebuchadnezzar "marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it".

The cuneiform inscription records how Nebo-Sarsekim lavished a gift of gold on the Temple of Esangila in the fabled city of Babylon, where, at least in folk tradition, Nebuchadnezzar is credited with building the Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

British Museum staff are excited by the discovery.

Irving Finkel, assistant keeper in the Department of the Middle East, said: "A mundane commercial transaction takes its place as a primary witness to one of the turning points in Old Testament history.

"This is a tablet that deserves to be famous."
....

Read the rest of the article here.

Why Jesus folded the linen cloth after His resurrection

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes.

The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin. Is that important? You'd better believe it! Is that significant? Absolutely!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master was done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table.

For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, "I'm done". But if the master got up from the table, folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the servant knew that the folded napkin meant, "I'm not finished yet." The folded napkin meant, "I'm coming back!"

He is Coming Back!

My mom sent this to me. I don't know the original source. - Ron